We are live from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The announcers welcome us and lead us to a video package on SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan and last week’s show, including his speech on getting cleared to return to the ring, the firing of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, and their brutal attack that closed the show.
We will find out an update on Bryan’s status later and he will be here.
Bobby Roode and Randy Orton vs. Sunil Singh and Jinder Mahal
We go right to the ring and out first comes Bobby Roode for the opener. Out next comes WWE United States Champion Randy Orton. Jinder Mahal is out next with Sunil Singh, who is wearing a sling on his arm. Jinder blames the injury on last week’s attack and says he has found a replacement. Out comes Rusev with Aiden English. They march to the ring. Rusev and Jinder stand tall in the ring while Singh and English look on from ringside. Fans start chanting for USA.
Jinder and Roode go at it to start things off. Jinder takes Roode to the corner and beats him down. Roode fights up and out but Jinder drops him with a shoulder. Roode with a big hip toss and an inverted atomic drop. Roode goes for a neckbreaker but can’t get it. Roode knocks Rusev off the apron and hits a Blockbuster to Jinder for a 2 count. Singh ends up on the apron, yelling at Roode. Roode goes for him but Orton pulls Singh off the apron and sends him down on the floor. Orton and Roode have some words as we go to commercial.
Back from the break and Orton works Rusev over until Roode tags himself in. Orton comes back in and keeps control until Roode comes right back in. Roode dropkicks Rusev and works him over some more. Orton comes back in to one-up Roode and takes Rusev to the corner, beating him down as the referee warns him. Rusev drops Orton coming out of the corner. Rusev with a 2 count.
Jinder tags in and stomps on Orton while Rusev holds him. Jinder goes to work on Orton now. Rusev comes back in and keeps up the attack on Orton. Rusev with a suplex and a 2 count. Jinder is the legal man now. Orton finally gets an opening with a backdrop. Roode waits for the tag as fans rally. Roode gets the tag and unloads on Jinder. Roode with a neckbreaker and a shot to knock Rusev off the apron. Roode goes to the top and waits for Jinder to get up. Roode comes crashing down with a big right hand. Roode waits again as fans pop. Jinder blocks the Glorious DDT but gets caught with a spinebuster. Roode with a 2 count as Rusev breaks the pin.
Rusev stares at Orton, who doesn’t come in for the save. Roode sends Rusev out to the floor but turns around to a big kick from Jinder for a close 2 count. Orton takes his time coming through the ropes but doesn’t make the save. We go to commercial.
The match continued split-screen during the break but we come back to Jinder keeping Roode grounded. Roode fights back but Jinder drops him with a big knee for a 2 count. Jinder drags Roode over and works on his arm as Rusev tags in for a double team. Rusev with a big suplex and more offense as he beats Roode around the ring. Jinder tags back in to keep up the attack on Roode near their corner. Jinder with knees to the back before keeping Roode grounded again.
Roode fights back and looks for the comeback now. Orton tags himself in as Roode drops Jinder. Roode didn’t see the tag. Orton comes in and they have words. Rusev comes in to attack Orton but Orton catches him. Orton with offense on Rusev, including a powerslam. Rusev goes to the apron but Orton grabs him for the second rope draping DDT and hits it. Orton gets the crowd riled up now as he waits for Rusev to get up. Jinder runs in as does Roode. This leads to Roode accidentally hitting Orton. Roode sends Jinder to the floor. Roode turns around to Orton grabbing him. Roode shoves Orton. Orton drops him with the RKO. Rusev comes over with the Machka Kick on Orton for the pin.
Winners: Rusev and Jinder Mahal
After the match, Jinder and Rusev stand tall as Rusev’s music plays. We go to replays.
– Still to come, Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Shelton Benjamin for the first time in WWE. Also, an update on Daniel Bryan and The New Day vs. The Bludgeon Brothers. Back to commercial.
Backstage:
Back from the break and Jinder approaches Rusev backstage. Jinder wants Rusev to attend his Punjabi celebration after he wins the US Title at WrestleMania 34. Jinder offers to get Rusev ringside seats. Rusev says he has a better idea. He just pinned the champion and will now go find Daniel Bryan to get the Triple Threat turned into a Fatal 4 Way. English sings a note on RusevMania as they leave. Jinder orders Singh to take off the stupid neck brace.
Backstage:
Shinsuke Nakamura walks in on WWE Champion AJ Styles backstage, asking if he’s OK. Nakamura says he’s worried about AJ. Nakamura wonders if AJ has lost his confidence. AJ says he’s never had confidence issues. Nakamura says they both want each other at their bests for WrestleMania. Nakamura says he wants AJ in his corner for the match tonight, he needs him in the corner. AJ mentions how he won’t be out there for Nakamura, he will be there to make sure Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin don’t get in the way of the dream match.
Becky Lynch vs. Ruby Riott
We go to the ring and out comes Becky Lynch as Greg Hamilton does the introduction. Becky and Bayley are now confirmed for the WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal. The Riott Squad is out next – Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan. Back to commercial.
They lock up and Ruby with a shoulder tackle. Ruby misses a clothesline and Becky with a side head lock. Becky bridges out of a cover and hits a drop kick. Ruby goes to the floor to regroup. Becky goes to the floor and she kicks Ruby and then punches her. Ruby is sent back into the ring and misses a shoulder. Becky with a kick and Ruby with a leg sweep and Lynch falls to the floor.
Ruby sends Becky into the apron and then into the ringside barrier. Ruby gets a near fall. Ruby with a knee to the back and then she stretches Becky. Becky with an arm drag but Ruby with a clothesline for a near fall. Ruby chokes Becky in the ropes and then Sarah hits Becky while the referee was out of position. Ruby with a hard Irish whip. Ruby with a knee to the midsection but Becky with an Irish whip and flying shoulder tackle.
Becky and Ruby with forearms and Becky gets the advantage. Ruby with a backslide for a near fall. Becky with clotheslines followed by a drop kick. Becky is sent over the top rope to teh apron and Becky with a forearm. Becky goes up top and Sarah gets on the apron. Becky leaps over Ruby and Ruby with a head scissors that sends Becky face first into teh turnbuckles. Ruby with a cover and her feet are on the ropes so the referee stops his count.
Becky counters the Riott Kick and she sends Ruby into Logan. Ruby with a rollup for a near fall. Becky with a rollup for the three count.
Winner: Becky Lynch
After the match, Logan and Morgan attack Becky, but Becky sends both of them over the top rope to the floor.
– Daniel Bryan walks in the back as we go to commercial.
In the Arena:
We are back and Daniel Bryan makes his way to the stage.
Daniel says he loves being in Pittsburgh. Last week was one of the greatest moments of his career. After so long, he got the news he was waiting for. That he was cleared. That he can now continue what he loved to do for over sixteen years. The support that he has gotten from all of you, but he has a job to do as the General Manager of Smackdown.
Smackdown is the Land of Opportunities. Therefore, he proposes to give Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn one more opportunity. Just one.
Daniel says that Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn face Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan at Wrestlemania. Due to complications from Kevin and Sami, Shane has been hospitalized but he believes that Shane will be ready to go.
If Shane and Daniel win, Kevin and Sami remain fired. If Sami and Kevin win, then they will be reinstated to Smackdown.
Daniel says a lot of people ask why have you given Sami and Kevin so many opportunities. He has done it because they are two of the greatest performers of this generation. He has known them for fifteen years. They have struggled together. When he needed a place to stay, they gave him a bed. They have fought together. That is his job as General Manager. To give the talent opportunities.
Daniel says he has a lot of jobs as General Manager. He is supposed to sit in board meetings and fill out paper work. He is supposed to wear cardigans or blazers, or whatever he is wearing. Daniel says he is sick of meetings and he is sick of paperwork. He is sick of wearing these blazers or whatever he was wearing. He fought for three years for his dream to go back in the ring and wrestle. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn tried to take that away from him. Daniel says he does not care how many times you kick him in the face or power bomb him on the apron, he is back and he will fight at Wrestlemania.
Daniel says there are some things he should not say because he is an underdog, a role model for kids and he is the General Manager. Daniel is the one who will go to Wrestlemania and he is going to kick Kevin and Sami’s ass.
Backstage:
Shelton Benjamin says he is not a rock star or an artist, he is a real athlete. Chad says that they are real athletes and they don’t have a match at Wrestlemania. Shelton says you have to make it happen and he will turn it up against Nakamura tonight.
– The New Day vs. The Bludgeon Brothers is next, but first… We go to commercial.
– We are back and it is official. Rusev is now part of the US Title Match at Wrestlemania.
The New Day vs. The Bludgeon Brothers
We go to the ring and out comes The New Day – Big E, Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston.
Big E says a few weeks ago your boys were sitting pretty on the Road to Wrestlemania… and they point at the sign. They were so sure of their championship aspirations they had their Tom Toms programmed for New Orleans. Then they saw that their Road to Wrestlemania… they point at the sign, was filled with trash. Kofi says it was bludgeoned with trash. Make no mistake about it, those pieces of trash are The Bludgeon Brothers.
Xavier says the New Day have decided to adopt this highway so they will remove the Bludgeon Brothers from this road regardless of the malice and what they might do to them. They will run right through the Bludgeon Brothers to get back on the road to claim their Tag Titles.
The Bludgeon Brothers comes To the ring as we go to commercial.
Woods with a plancha onto Harper on the floor. He avoids Rowan and then hits a thrust kick on Harper followed by a kick and forearm in the corner. Big E tags in and hits a running shoulder. Big E punches Harper and Woods punches him from the turnbuckles. Woods with punches and then Woods is Irish whipped towards Harper but Harper with a drop kick. Rowan tags in and hits a splash for a near fall. Rowan sets for a pump handle back breaker and hits it. Rowan with an elbow drop and knee drop.
Harper tags in and he hits a sliding forearm to the back. Harper kicks Woods and chops him. Harper with an Irish whip but he runs into a super kick and Woods follows with a forearm. Rowan sends Kofi into Big E to prevent Woods from making the tag. Woods sends Big E into the ringside barrier and apron. Harper with a clothesline to Woods. Rowan gets the mallets but the Usos attack Harper and Rowan.
Winners: The Bludgeon Brothers
After the bell, The New Day triple teams Harper and kicks him out of the ring. The Usos hit the ring and argue with The New Day. Rowan and Harper come in swinging the mallets but the other two teams retreat to the floor. The Bludgeon Brothers look on from the ring as the other teams back up the ramp.
– We get a look back at Daniel Bryan announcing his ring return for WrestleMania earlier tonight. We see a tweet from Sami Zayn that accepts the match. Tom reveals that Shane McMahon has been discharged from the hospital. The announcers plug WrestleMania on the WWE Network and go over the matches.
– Still to come, Nakamura vs. Benjamin. Back to commercial.
– We are back and it is official, Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon will face Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn.
– We have a video package for Charlotte Flair and Asuka.
– We see the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal Trophy.
Tyler Breeze (with Fandango) versus Dolph Ziggler
Fandango gets on the apron and he does some gyrating. Breeze gets distracted and Ziggler attacks Breeze and kicks him. Ziggler with a drop kick. Breeze blocks a drop kick and catapults him into the ring post. Ziggler chases Fandango and Breeze around the ring. Ziggler has a super kick blocked and Breeze with a super kick of his own. Fandango continues to do laps around the ring and Ziggler gets a near fall. Breeze gets a near fall with a rollup. Ziggler avoids a splash into the corner and Ziggler with a Zig Zag for the three count.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
After the match, Ziggler goes to ringside and drops Fandango with a superkick. Ziggler checks out the Andre trophy before making his exit.
– Still to come, Benjamin vs. Nakamura. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and Tom confirms The New Day vs. The Bludgeon Brothers vs. The Usos for the titles at WrestleMania.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Shelton Benjamin
We go to the ring and out comes Shinsuke Nakamura for tonight’s main event. WWE Champion AJ Styles is out next to be in the corner of his WrestleMania opponent. Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin are out next.
Back and forth to start. Fans chant for Styles at times as Nakamura takes control. Nakamura gets the upperhand and sends Benjamin out to the floor. Gable checks on Benjamin as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and we get Mixed Match Challenge promos from Bobby Roode, Sasha Banks and Finn Balor now that Charlotte Flair has been pulled. Voting is open to determine Flair’s replacement. We go back to the ring and Shelton has Nakamura grounded on the mat after sending him into the apron during the break. Nakamura fights up and out. Nakamura slides out of a hold but they both go down at the same time.
Nakamura comes back and drops Benjamin with a kick to the back of the neck. Nakamura with a charging shot in the corner and then the high knee. Gable gets on the apron but Styles pulls him down and he hits the apron. Benjamin blocks the Kinshasa and hits a Northern Lights suplex for a 2 count. AJ looks on as Benjamin waits for Nakamura to get up. Nakamura blocks the Paydirt and goes for the armbar but Benjamin struggles and turns that into a triangle. Nakamura avoids a pin but Benjamin overpowers him into a half-crab submission.
Nakamura ends up getting the armbar but Shelton is still resisting with the triangle. They break and Nakamura waits for Benjamin to get up. Nakamura comes off the top rope with a knee to drop Benjamin. Nakamura hits Kinshasa for the pin.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
After the match, Nakamura stands tall as his music hits. We go to replays. AJ enters the ring. Nakamura thanks AJ for being in his corner but says he never needed his help, he only wanted AJ to see how he will beat him at WrestleMania. AJ says Nakamura must be playing mind games. AJ says he won’t be playing any games at WrestleMania. AJ says this isn’t just a dream match for fans, it’s one for him too. It’s a dream match for the fans because they know these two will tear the house down. AJ says his dream match goes a little different because outside of him, Nakamura is considered the best. AJ says he will be considered better than the best after he walks out still champion, which will prove that he’s phenomenal and this is the house that he built. Nakamura taunts AJ and says he will beat AJ at WrestleMania because AJ is too emotional. Nakamura’s music hits and he leaves the ring as AJ watches. Gable and Benjamin come from behind and beat AJ down. Nakamura returns to the ring and makes the save, taking both out. Nakamura waits for AJ to get up for the Kinshasa. Nakamura charges for the move but puts the brakes on. Nakamura stares AJ down while he’s on the mat and taunts him with the “knee 2 face” line. Nakamura’s music hits again and he leaves the ring as SmackDown goes off the air with AJ recovering.
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