WWE Smackdown results

Tonight's WWE SmackDown opens with a video package. We're live from Ontario, California with Tom Phillips, Mauro Ranallo, JBL and David Otunga.

- We go to the ring and out comes SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan to a pop.

Bryan mentions WrestleMania 33 and calls SmackDown Women's Champion Naomi to the ring. A "you deserve it" chant breaks out. Bryan says everyone here truly believes she deserves it and there's a reason why - for years she's worked so hard, scratched and clawed, and seen other women given more opportunities than her, but here she is with the title now. Bryan says they are so proud of her but that's why what he's about to do is the hardest thing he's had to do as General Manager. Fans boo. Bryan says he and Shane McMahon have reviewed her medical records with doctors and due to her not being able to defend the title within 30 days, he asks her to relinquish the title. Fans boo and do the "no!" chant.

Naomi says before she does anything she just wants to say a few things. She thanks Bryan for his kind words and says she knows he knows what she's going through. Naomi talks about how she felt like she was on top of the mountain at Elimination Chamber but now she's in a free-fall. She feels bad for her fans who have been here for the journey, she feels like she's letting them down. Naomi gets emotional and says she knows WrestleMania 33 is probably gone when she hands over the title. Naomi hands over the title as fans boo. Fans cheer Naomi now as Bryan gives her a hug.

Naomi sends a message to whoever is "borrowing" her title - she promises everyone will feel the glow when she's able to come back. Bryan calls for a pop as Naomi's music hits and she makes her exit. Before Naomi can get up the ramp, the music interrupts and out comes Alexa Bliss. Bliss takes the mic and loves what just happened. She mocks Naomi and offers to solve the problem with Bryan. Bliss gets big heat from the crowd here. She suggests Bryan return the title to her. Fans boo. Bryan says Bliss is the former champion and he supposes it does make sense to give her the title back. A "no!" chant breaks out now. But he's not going to do that. Bryan makes Bliss vs. Becky Lynch for right now. The winner gets the title. Becky makes her way out and we go to commercial.


SmackDown Women's Title Match: Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch

Back from the break and they lock up. They break and shove each other. Becky catches a kick and rolls Bliss up for a 2 count. Bliss turns it around with a pin of her own. More back and forth now. Becky with an enziguri for a 2 count.

Becky keeps control and stops a leap frog for another pin attempt. They trade counters and pin attempts again. Becky with arm drags to keep Bliss grounded. Bliss turns it back around and works Becky over before covering for a 2 count. Becky ends up catching Bliss in an exploder suplex for a 2 count. Bliss rolls to the floor and we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Becky hits the forearm and the springboard kick. Becky keeps control for a close 2 count. Bliss dumps Becky to the apron. Becky decks her and goes to the top for a missile dropkick. Bliss kicks out at 2. More back and forth. Bliss gets in a cheap shot to the throat after the referee is distracted with the apron skirt she pulled in. Bliss covers for the win and the title.

Winner and New SmackDown Women's Champion: Alexa Bliss

- After the match, Bliss takes her title and heads to the ramp as Becky recovers in the ring. We go to replays. We come back to Becky looking on as Mickie James celebrates with Bliss on the ramp. Becky turns around and Mickie runs to the ring. Becky turns around and they brawl. Becky sends Mickie out of the ring and tells her to bring it back in. Becky's music hits as Mickie leaves up the ramp.

- We get promos from Dean Ambrose, Kalisto and The Miz on tonight's battle royal for a WWE Title shot.

- Back from a break and Phillips touts WWE's Facebook followers and plugs the Falls Count Anywhere match.

- Renee Young is backstage with Natalya. She rips into Nikki Bella, mentioning John Cena, and calls her a fraud. Natalya says she's going to expose Nikki tonight and show why Nikki is just a cheap Natalya knockoff. Natalya tells Renee to beat it.


Breezango vs. American Alpha

We go to the ring and Tyler Breeze waits with Fandango as SmackDown Tag Team Champions Chad Gable and Jason Jordan make their way out. Breezango attacks before the champions can make it in the ring. Breeze and Fandango beat Gable and Jordan down in the ring. We get the bell. Fandango immediately strikes Jordan and goes to work on him.

Breeze comes in and keeps control of Jordan, stopping him from tagging. Fandango comes in but Jordan slides out of a double suplex. Gable gets the tag and sends Breeze to the floor. They hit the big double team Tech Fall bulldog for the quick win.

Winners: American Alpha

- After the match, the champions go to celebrate when The Usos interrupt with mics. They're coming through the crowd, asking fans to give it up for American Alpha. They refer to them as the soon-to-be former champions. The Usos look to come over the barrier for a fight but they back off and fans boo. They rant on how Alpha can't prepare for two brothers who have nothing to lose, how they won't see them coming. The Usos cut promos like never before. It's not paranoia, it's Usoooo. The Uso music hits as the two teams talk trash from a distance.

- Still to come, the big 10-man battle royal.

- Otunga leads us to a Black History Month video on baseball great Jackie Robinson.

- We get backstage looks at AJ Styles, Dolph Ziggler, Mojo Rawley and Luke Harper ahead of tonight's battle royal.

- Renee Young interviews Nikki Bella backstage. Nikki doesn't care about Natalya any more and knows she herself is more than a pretty face. Nikki says Natalya will be known as the Broken Hart after tonight. She walks off.


Falls Count Anywhere: Nikki Bella vs. Natalya

We go to the ring and out first comes Nikki Bella. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and we get a look at the Nikki vs. Natalya feud. Natalya is out next for tonight's match.

The bell rings and Nikki spears Natalya and goes to work. Natalya goes to the floor but Nikki is on her. Nikki ends up covering for an early pin attempt inside the ring. Nikki goes under the ring and brings a table out but Natalya kicks her. Natalya asks fans if they want tables. They do but she pushes it back under the ring. Nikki rolls her up for a 2 count on the floor. Nikki with several kendo stick shots to Natalya now. Nikki with another 2 count on the floor.

Nikki launches Natalya into the barrier and covers for another 2 count. They end up over the barrier in the crowd. Natalya turns it around and does the "you can't see me" taunt. Natalya drops Nikki and stands over her as fans boo. Natalya tosses her over a production area and goes to drop her off a tall barrier but Nikki backdrops her to the floor. Nikki with a kick to the face off the barrier for a 2 count. Nikki brings it back to the ringside area now. Natalya turns it around and launches Nikki into the steps and the barrier. Natalya drops the kendo stick and clears the announce table. She brings Nikki over but Nikki fights back and rolls her into the ring.

Natalya ends up positioning Nikki for a powerbomb from the apron through the announce table but Nikki prevents it. Nikki hits a big Alabama Slam on top of the announce table and covers for a close 2 count. We go to commercial.

Back from the break and Natalya hits a suplex on the ramp for a 2 count. More back and forth into the back and around production cases. Nikki ends up breaking a mirror with Natalya for another 2 count backstage. Nikki brings the fight back to the stage, which leads to Maryse getting knocked down again by Nikki. Nikki tackles her and covers for a 2 count. Natalya drops Nikki on the ramp and goes for the Sharpshooter but Nikki counters and applies the Fearless Lock. Maryse appears and attacks Nikki with a pipe, focusing on her leg. Maryse unloads with the pipe until The Miz appears and stops her, then carries her away. Natalya takes advantage and covers Nikki for the win.

Winner: Natalya

- After the match, Natalya taunts Nikki as she makes her exit. Officials run down to check on Nikki as we go to replays. We come back to Nikki clutching her leg.

- Still to come, our battle royal main event. Back to commercial.

- Back from the break and the announcers plug the WWE Hall of Fame.

- We get words from Baron Corbin and Apollo Crews backstage as they prepare for the main event.

- The cameras cut to Randy Orton and WWE Champion Bray Wyatt. Wyatt says with great sacrifice comes great reward. Wyatt says Orton has earned the keys to the kingdom. Wyatt says whoever wins tonight will be nothing more than his sacrificial lamb at WrestleMania, slaughtered for the world to see. Wyatt welcomes us to the Era of Wyatt and Orton tells us to run.


#1 Contender's Battle Royal: Baron Corbin, AJ Styles, John Cena, The Miz, Dean Ambrose, Dolph Ziggler, Apollo Crews, Kalisto, Mojo Rawley, Luke Harper

We go to the ring and out comes John Cena to a mixed reaction. The winner of this match will face Wyatt in one of the WrestleMania 33 main events. Cena hits the ring as Greg Hamilton makes the introductions. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and Cena has been joined by Dolph Ziggler, Mojo Rawley, Apollo Crews and Kalisto. We cut backstage to a promo from Jack Gallagher to promote tonight's 205 Live episode. Baron Corbin is out next. Luke Harper is the next man out, followed by The Miz and then AJ Styles. WWE Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose is the last man out. The match starts as soon as Ambrose hits the ring. Crews works on Ziggler while Corbin works on Ambrose. Mojo and Miz go at it. Cena goes from one person to Harper and then to Ziggler.

AJ works on Cena and dumps him to the apron. Ziggler also gets sent to the apron but they both survive. Crews and Mojo double team The Miz. AJ gets triple teamed. Harper tries to dump Corbin. Ambrose catches Ziggler's DDT and puts him on the apron. Corbin works on Harper in the corner. Ambrose chops Kalisto down. Ziggler mounts Harper in the corner. Corbin drops Cena with a right. Fans do dueling chants for Cena now. Miz works on Mojo in the corner. Cena goes for an Attitude Adjustment on Corbin but can't hit it. Corbin goes to work on Miz as we return to commercial.

Back from the break and Corbin has just cleaned house. Mojo brawls with him. Corbin eliminates Mojo.

Harper superkicks Corbin. Kalisto comes over next. Kalisto ends up going at it with Ambrose before sending Ziggler to the apron. They tangle on the apron. Ziggler superkicks Kalisto on the apron and he falls to the floor. Kalisto is eliminated.

Crews and Corbin go at it now. Crews kicks Ziggler while he's on the apron. Ziggler is eliminated.

Ziggler grabs a steel chair and hits Kalisto with it as Crews watches. Corbin tosses Crews out. Crews has been eliminated.

Crews ends up chasing Ziggler away. Cena and AJ trade shots in the middle of the ring now. AJ counters an AA. Harper superkicks Cena. AJ with a pele kick on Corbin. Ambrose ends up dropping Corbin with a clothesline after chaos in the middle of the ring. Fans chant "this is awesome" now. Miz mocks Daniel Bryan and hits the corner dropkick on Harper, then Ambrose, then AJ, then Corbin. Miz waits for Cena to get up and starts in with the "yes!" kicks. Cena ducks the roundhouse kick and eliminates Miz. We go to commercial with Miz looking shocked.

Back from the break and Cena hits a double suplex on Ambrose and AJ. Cena unloads on AJ and misses the Five Knuckle Shuffle as Corbin catches him in End of Days. Ambrose dumps Corbin to the floor and Corbin is eliminated.

Corbin pulls Ambrose under the bottom rope and lays him out with End of Days on the floor. Corbin leaves but Ambrose is still in the match. Miz re-enters the ring and tosses Cena out. Cena has been eliminated. Cena runs back in but Miz retreats through the crowd. Referees back Cena out of the ring but he's upset. Miz looks on from the crowd.

It's down to AJ and Harper in the ring, Ambrose on the floor. AJ and Harper stare each other down. Harper catches AJ and goes for the ropes but AJ slides out. Harper catches AJ again and tries to manhandle him over the top. Harper almost gets tossed now. Ambrose runs in and dumps them both to the apron. Harper pulls Ambrose to the apron. They all trade shots from the apron now. Harper superkicks Ambrose in the gut. Ambrose has been eliminated.

It's down to AJ and Harper now. AJ decks Harper while he's still on the apron. Harper tries to suplex AJ to the floor but AJ hangs on. Harper drops AJ with a forearm but he still hangs on. AJ fights back as they climb the ropes. Harper falls into the ring and AJ remains on the apron. Styles with kicks now. Harper boots him. Harper goes to dump Styles over the top but AJ applies a sleeper hold. Harper breaks it and works AJ over. Harper suplexes him to the apron again. Harper connects with another big forearm but AJ comes right back. Harper pulls AJ over the turnbuckles and slams him to the floor. They both fall to the floor but AJ's feet clearly touched first. The referees talk it out and they're saying Harper and AJ touched at the same time.

Harper and AJ have words in the ring while the referees try to keep them apart. The music finally hits and out comes Daniel Bryan. Bryan talks with the referees and the match is announced as a draw. Bryan announces that there is no winner but they will determine a winner next week. Fans boo. AJ and Harper are upset. AJ puts his hands on Harper but gets dropped with a big clothesline. Harper hits the corner and gets the crowd riled up with the WrestleMania banner in the background. The graphic flashes and we cut to Wyatt and Orton. SmackDown goes off the air with Wyatt laughing at Harper.

Was the ending planned or was that a botch?

Shane is reportedly coming back to screw AJ at some point so I assume planned

I'm struggling to see how exactly Shane fits in this? Unless AJ attacks Bryan?

I really don't want Shane vs AJ

Certainly seems planned but the timing was off, theres no way Harper didnt land after AJ. Shame because they've usually nailed these spots in the past.

Beer wrote:Was the ending planned or was that a botch?

Both

Was meant to be a draw but AJ hit the floor first, they didn't even show replays like they normally do in these situations!

Batista and Cena got it exactly right by accident ffs

That was a tremendous show, the best SmackDown in a while, possibly the best since the draft IMO, so many stories pushed, felt like a great flow, womans title relinquished, new champ crowned, great falls count anywhere match, excellently booked battle royal.

Shame about the ending, I blame Harper more than AJ, he seemed to be way to slow to react, quite glad they managed to hold this off for another week though, still plenty of branches in this storyline.

Have updated teh OP with a better write up and the ending actually included Was a great show to watch didn't even feel like 2 hours.

So the Smackdown side of things is pretty much set in stone now for Mania.

Wyatt vs Harper vs Orton
Ambrose vs Corbin
American Alpha vs Uso's
Miz and Maryse vs Bella and Cena
Shane vs AJ
Womens title match probably Becky vs Bliss vs Mickie

Odds on Cena proposing after that match? Can't think of many more reasons why you'd do that match at WM

Im not her biggest fan but feel bad for Naomi.

She was pretty much guaranteed a Mania match without that injury.

Ché Guerrero wrote:Im not her biggest fan but feel bad for Naomi.

She was pretty much guaranteed a Mania match without that injury.

I think theres still a chance she could be in the match. They havent stated how severe the injury is so it could just be kayfabe because we all know the 30 day no-defend rule is Love sacks and they only bring it out when they need to.

Samo wrote:

Ché Guerrero wrote:Im not her biggest fan but feel bad for Naomi.

She was pretty much guaranteed a Mania match without that injury.

I think theres still a chance she could be in the match.  They havent stated how severe the injury is so it could just be kayfabe because we all know the 30 day no-defend rule is Love sacks and they only bring it out when they need to.

it's not serious at all. It's just the easy way to get it off her after Black History Month

if she was going to be fit for Mania she wouldn't have been stripped of the title, still a strange decision putting the belt on her at this stage of the year in the first place, there's about 5 or 6 who I'd imagine are far more interesting than her.

I wouldn't put it past them to put the title on her for Black History Month but I'd think they'd make an issue of it even if it was subtle and I've got no hesitation that they could easily had her drop it back to Alexia in the next week or two.

Apparently it's a 6-8 week job like Seth

I still don't know why they pulled the trigger on here

Kay Fabe wrote:I still don't know why they pulled the trigger on here

I can sort of see it, she's the hometown girl at mania and they could do some spectacular things with her entrence in a big stadium, I don't know if she's been stripped for real or storyline but it does help build sympathy for her if she's able to return and challenge Bliss at Mania

Not a fan of the finish, feels like they're just stretching the point. Built on other stories well, but hard to be happy about Miz/Cena with their partners.

Real lack of talent in their women's division is also a problem. Should have made the women work both brands as I think ta made each side look weak.

Dolphin Ziggler wrote:Not a fan of the finish, feels like they're just stretching the point. Built on other stories well, but hard to be happy about Miz/Cena with their partners.

Real lack of talent in their women's division is also a problem. Should have made the women work both brands as I think ta made each side look weak.

I'd rather have 7 decent talents than 3 really good ones and a monster heel tbh. SmackDown womens division is much more diverse and well developed that they had 3 feuds going at once at one point, whereas RAW has two at a push and they are both coming together into the one program now.