The final WWE SmackDown before the Royal Rumble pay-per-view opens up with the standard video package for the blue brand.
– We’re live from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas as Michael Cole welcomes us. The pyro goes off inside the arena. Cole is joined by Corey Graves, and they hype tonight’s go-home episode.
The Usos and Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin, Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler
We go right to the ring for tonight’s opener and out comes The Usos – Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso. Roman Reigns is out next. We get a look back at how Reigns defeated Robert Roode in a Tables Match last week, then got to pick the Falls Count Anywhere match for Sunday’s singles match at the Rumble with King Baron Corbin. Out next comes King Corbin, riding to the ring on his caravan. Roode and Dolph Ziggler are with him.
The bell rings as Ziggler starts off with Jey. Ziggler takes it to the corner and backs off but then rocks Uso in the mouth. Uso with a headlock now. Uso with a shoulder to drop Ziggler. Uso with a big chop. Jimmy tags in and they double team Ziggler. They drop double elbows and Jimmy covers for a 2 count. Roode tags in and they lock up. Uso takes Jimmy to the corner and beats him down. Roode stomps away as fans rally for Uso.
Jimmy fights out of the corner and then delivers chops back into the corner. Roode counters and sends Uso to the apron. He slips and falls to the floor. Ziggler follows up and charges to send Uso into the steel ring steps and post. The referee checks on Jimmy as the other Superstars come over to face off. Jey and the referee check on Jimmy now. Trainers come over to assist while they talk about Jimmy landing on the back of his head. Officials help Jimmy to his feet as the crowd claps. Cole plays up the seriousness of the situation as Jimmy is helped to the back. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and this is now a 2-on-3 Handicap Match. Jey ends up going at it with Ziggler and taking control. Jey with a big headbutt for a close 2 count in the middle of the ring. Ziggler takes Jey to the corner and in comes Corbin. Corbin drops Uso and plays to the crowd for boos. Jey rocks Corbin a few times as fans pop.
Corbin slides under the bottom rope and right back in but Jey elbows him. Jey goes to the top but rolls through as Corbin moves. Corbin immediately catches Jey with a Deep Six for a close 2 count. Reigns enters and has words with Corbin. Jey gets sent to the floor as Corbin continues to taunt Reigns. Ziggler takes advantage with cheap shots to Jey on the outside. Roode tags in and rams Jey back into the apron. Roode brings it back in the ring and works Jey over. Roode with a neckbreaker in the middle of the ring for a 2 count. Roode drags Jey back to the corner and in comes Ziggler with a tag. Ziggler drops a big elbow for another close pin attempt. Corbin tags in and stomps while Ziggler holds Uso down. Corbin unloads on Jey with elbows to the chest. Roode tags back in as fans chant “Corbin sucks!” now. Jey gets sent to the corner but he knocks Corbin off to the floor.
Uso goes at it with Roode now and drops him with an enziguri for a big pop. Reigns waits for the tag and reaches out as fans rally. Corbin comes from behind and pulls Reigns off the apron, then sends him into the steel steps, then into the barrier. Corbin tosses Reigns over the barrier to the feet of fans in the front row. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and Corbin brings Jey back into the ring, playing to the crowd and wasting time as they boo him. Reigns is still down at ringside. Jey counters a whip and sends Corbin into the ring post shoulder-first. Reigns finally returns to the apron to reach for the tag as Uso crawls. Reigns tags in and unloads on Ziggler as Corbin quickly tags out. Roode gets knocked off the apron. Reigns levels Ziggler as fans cheer him on. Reigns with clotheslines in the corner as fans count along with him. Reigns levels Ziggler with a big boot to the face. Reigns takes in the support from the crowd and calls to put Ziggler away as he gets up.
Roode distracts the referee, allowing Corbin to come from behind and grabs Reigns by the hair. Reigns fights free but turns around to a big superkick from Ziggler in the middle of the ring. Reigns still kicks out at 2. Fans chant for Reigns as Ziggler stalks him and talks trash. Ziggler tosses Reigns out to the floor. Roode and Corbin stomp away on Reigns while Ziggler keeps the referee distracted. Ziggler goes back out, taunting Reigns and yelling at him in front of the announce table. The referee counts but Ziggler brings the fight back in. Ziggler drops a big elbow and Reigns kicks out at 2.
Corbin tags in as Ziggler rakes at Reigns’ face. Corbin with a kick to the gut. Corbin with a knee to the gut and a big right hand to the face. Corbin stands tall as the boos get louder. Corbin mounts Reigns and unloads with strikes. Roode tags back in and shows off while Reigns is down. Roode calls for the Glorious DDT and waits for Reigns to get up. Roode kicks Reigns but Reigns counters and rolls him up for a 2 count. Reigns turns that into a big powerbomb for a close 2 count. Jey returns to the apron and rallies the crowd while Reigns and Ziggler are both down. Ziggler yanks Jey off the apron as Reigns goes for the tag. Ziggler launches Jey into the barrier twice, then tosses him over the announce table.
Corbin goes back to work on Reigns in the ring, beating him into the corner. Ziggler tags back in and hits a neckbreaker for a 2 count. Ziggler talks trash and waits for Reigns to get back up. Ziggler starts cranking up for the superkick now, mocking Reigns while he’s down. Ziggler goes for the kick but Reigns jumps up with a big Superman Punch. Jey is still down at the announce table. Jimmy comes limping down the ramp as fans pop.
Reigns tags Jimmy in and he unloads on Roode as he also comes in. Jimmy with a big Samoan Drop for Roode in the middle of the ring. Jimmy drops Corbin off the apron and nails a suicide dive, sending him into the announce table. Jimmy drops Roode and then Ziggler from the apron. Jimmy goes to the top and hits a crossbody on Roode but Corbin breaks the pin just in time. Jimmy blocks End of Days and slides out. Reigns follows right up with a Superman Punch to Corbin. Reigns beats Corbin around ringside now. Reigns beats Corbin over the barrier and into the crowd. Reigns grabs a trash can and slams Corbin with it as they fight through the crowd. Reigns with another big trash can to the head. Reigns chases Corbin to the back.
Jimmy goes to the top but Ziggler comes to the apron to try and stop him. Jey comes up from the announce table out of nowhere and takes Ziggler down off the apron. Roode tries to stop Jimmy but Jimmy counters and nails the big Uso splash for the pin to win in the middle of the ring.
Winners: The Usos and Roman Reigns
– After the match, The Usos celebrate as their music hits. We go to replays. Jimmy and Jey re-group at ringside while Graves and Cole deal with the announce table debris.
– The announcers show us how Kane helped Daniel Bryan lure WWE Universal Champion “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt into an attack last week. Still to come, Bryan and Wyatt will sign the contract for their Strap Match at the Royal Rumble.
– We see Lacey Evans backstage doing a photo shoot. Cole will interview her tonight. Back to commercial.
– We are back with a clip of last Friday’s Smackdown involving Bayley and Lacey Evans. The match ended with Evans getting the win vs. the Smackdown women’s champion.
In the Arena:
Michael Cole is on stage as he welcomes out Lacey Evans. She will take on Bayley at the Royal Rumble for the Smackdown women’s championship. Cole says Evans questioned Sasha Banks and Bayley’s leadership. Evans said they are bullies and she stood up to them. Cole mentions her rough upbringing and asks if that’s why she challenged the bullies. Evans says her father suffered and worked hard against addiction and it’s somethnig that she struggles with every day. She says it does not matter the cards you were dealt, you can stack the deck and play the game you want to play. She says she has a chance to set the proper example.
Cole asks if that’s one of the reasons why she had joined the Marines. Evans says that’s why and it lead her to the WWE. Cole asks if she becomes champion, what kind of leader will she be? Evans says a leader that would continue to inspire people and her goal is to use this platform to set a proper example. Cole mentions her daughter and when Sasha and Bayley confronted Lacey’s daughter. Evans mentions that it made her angry, she’s proud that her daughter stood up to the bully but backstage, her daughter was crying. And she had to explain to her daughter what happened.
As Evans is talking, Bayley attacks her from behind. WWE officials come out and break it up.
Backstage:
Kayla is backstage and she’s with Carmella and Dana Brooke. She asks them about the Royal Rumble match. Carmella says she is ready, she won the Wrestlemania women’s battle royal and the first ever women’s Money in the Bank winner. And that Mella is Money. Brooke said they have all seen Carmella’s Wikipedia page but at the Rumble, anyone can take a swing at anyone. It’s every woman for herself and she might be an underdog but she knows what she is worth and she knows what she has to do. We hear someone fighting in the back and the camera cuts to Evans brawling with Bayley. Brooke and Carmella run over to break the fight up as do officials. We go to commercial as the brawl continues.
Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross vs. Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville
Back from the break and out comes Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross. We see highlights from Bliss’ win over Sonya Deville last week, which involved Otis and Mandy Rose distracting at ringside. Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose are out next as Greg Hamilton does the introductions. Cole shows us footage from earlier today with Rose apologizing to Deville for what happened last week. Deville says it’s nothing, it’s stupid and she should not have asked Rose to get Otis involved.
The match begins but the backstage women’s brawl from before immediately spills out into the ring. The referee calls the match as the big brawl continues with Lacey Evans and Bayley in the ring. Officials try to break things up as Cole hypes Evans vs. Bayley at the Royal Rumble for the title.
– We see Elias backstage playing his guitar. Braun Strowman walks up and tells Elias it’s time to go to work. They walk off together and we go to commercial.
In the Arena:
Elias is in the ring with the guitar. He talks about the Royal Rumble and how the winner gets a championship match at Wrestlemania. He asks everyone who wants to walk with Elias. He wrote a song called Texas Dream.
“This year’s Rumble starts with the beast, luckily for you it’s going to end with me. Goodbye Seth, Messiah you ain’t, goodbye Orton and Ricochet. For this next part I need someone to help me sing, so please welcome the monster among men to the ring.”
Out comes Braun Strowman to the ring. Elias asks Strowman for a duet and the fans chant “Yes”. Elias hands Strowman the microphone. Strowman plays to the crowd and agrees to sing. Elias plays the guitar and as Strowman is about to sing, Cesaro’s music hits.
Braun Strowman and Elias vs. Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro
Elias starts off with Cesaro. Cesaro rocks him but Elias scoops him and drops him into the top turnbuckle. Elias with a clothesline. Elias focuses on the arm now and walks the top rope, nailing double knees. Elias ends up getting sent to the floor by Cesaro. Nakamura nails Elias on the outside. Braun comes running over and flattens Nakamura at ringside. Braun yells out as fans pop and we go back to commercial.
Back from commercial, both Elias and Cesaro are down. Nakamura is tagged in and hits Elias from behind. In comes Cesaro and they knock Strowman off the ring apron. Elias throws Cesaro to the outside and a spinning kick by Nakamura takes Elias down. Nakamura goes for the kick but Elias hits him with a knee to the face. Elias back on the ring apron and as is Strowman. Elias makes the tag. In comes Strowman with a shoulder block on Nakamura. He gets Nakamura in the corner and a big splash.
Strowman throws Nakamura across the ring. Strowman with a big forearm chop takes Nakamura down. Nakamura in the corner, Strowman goes for the splash but Nakamura moves out of the way. Nakamura climbs the top rope and a dropkick onto Strowman. Cesaro is tagged in. They double team Strowman sending him shoulder first into the ring post followed by a double Russian leg sweep. Cesaro goes for the cover but Strowman kicks out.
Sami is on the ring apron with the referee distracted. Nakamura grabs a chair but Elias throws Nakamura faces first int othe ring post. Strowman grabs Cesaro and a running powerslam. Elias is tagged in. Elias off the top rope and a flying elbow drop. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winners: Elias and Braun Strowman
Backstage:
Big E is backstage oiling himself up and in comes Kofi. Someone is trying to lift Big E up. Kofi asks what he’s doing and Big E says if you’re boy is greasy, eliminating me can’t be easy. Big E mentions Kofi’s match against John Morrison tonight. They talk about how they will go to the Rumble and how excited they are for it. Back to commercial.
Backstage:
We are back and Kayla is backstage with Corbin and she asks him if he is concerned. He says he is not concerned and asks her what she’s doing on Sunday. Corbin replies to his question and says she will probably be asking more stupid questions while he beats up Roman Reigns. Corbin says he will also win the Royal Rumble and be crowned the new Universal champion at Wrestlemania.
– We see a promo advertising the Royal Rumble with several statistics being shown.
– Kofi Kingston and Big E make their way to the ring as we go to commercial.
– We see a promo by Sheamus backstage where he talks about Shorty G and how he will beat him at the Royal Rumble.
Kofi with Big E vs. John Morrison with The Miz
Before the match, The Miz says last week, Morrison made his return after 8 long years. And how did they welcome him? They boo’d him. Miz says he can’t understand why. Is it because he is associated to The Miz and they think he changed? The Miz says he hasn’t changed and to believe him, you can watch his show. Miz says his show is a winner because he is a winner and Morrison is a winner. Miz says they are entering the Royal Rumble match.
The bell rings and we are under way. Kofi runs towards Morrison as John moves out of the way and drops Kofi to the outside. Morrison flies over the top rope but Kofi moves out of the way as Morrison lands on the floor. Kofi gets back in the ring and jumps over the top rope landing on Morrison. The Miz distracts Kofi as Morrison pushes him into the ring post.
Back from commercial, both men are back in the ring. Morrison with a forearm uppercut. Kofi gets onto the ring apron and kicks Morrison in the face. He goes for roll-up but Morrison gets to his feet and knees Kofi in the face. He goes for the Starship Pain but Kofi moves out of the way.
Kofi with a chop to the chest followed by a drop kick. Kofi with the double knees. He goes for the cover but Morrison kicks out. Kofi with the boot drop. Kofi goes for the Trouble in Paradise but Morrison with a spinning kick to the face. He goes for the cover but Kofi kicks out. Both men back up as Morrison places Kofi on the top rope. Morrison clinbs the second rope but a headbutt by Kofi takes Morrison down. Morrison falls onto the referee and with the referee distracted, Morrison with a poke to the eyes. He drops Kofi off the second rope with the Spanish fly and goes for the cover but Kofi kicks out.
Morrison goes for a right hand but Kofi reverses it into the SOS. Kofi goes for the cover but Morrison kicks out. Kofi goes to grab Morrison but Morrison drops him and goes for the cover with his legs on the ropes. Big E breaks it up. In comes The Miz as Big E chases him. Miz gets on the ring apron, Kofi hits him with the Trouble in Paradise. Morrison knocks Kofi out from behind. He hits him wit the Starship Pain. Morrison goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: John Morrison
After the match, Morrison stands tall as the music hits. We go to commercial. Morrison assists Miz and they celebrate as the music plays.
– We see Daniel Bryan walking backstage for the main event segment. Back to commercial.
Royal Rumble WWE Universal Championship Strap Match contract signing – Daniel Bryan and The Fiend Bray Wyatt
Michael Cole announces that it’s a Strap match at the Royal Rumble and the only way to win is by pinfall or submission. He introduces Daniel Bryan to the ring.
We see Bray Wyatt in the FireFly Fun House. He is trying to fax Bryan the contract but the machine is jammed. Wyatt says it may be a blessing in disguise as why would he want to tie himself to him. Wyatt calls technical support for the fax machine. Bryan tells him to come out and sign the contract. Wyatt says as for his request, his attorney has advised him to stay there.
Bryan says Wyatt likes to play games and live in a fantasy world but the truth is that all he does is run. All he does is run from his past, his mistakes. And this Sunday, he will be tied to the Fiend and he won’t be able to run or disappear. Bryan grabs the leather strap Wyatt says did he just say mistake? Since mistake is the word of the day. Because this is all about Daniel’s big mistake. Wyatt says Bryan betrayed him, he’s a liar and now it’s time to pay. And he won’t be competing against him, it’s only fitting that he signed the contract.
The lights go out in the arena. The lights turn on red and The Fiend is in the ring with the strap. The two start to fight and the Mandible Claw by The Fiend onto Bryan in the corner. The Fiend hits him with Sister Abigail. He rips Bryan’s shirt off and whips him with the strap on his back. The Fiend takes the strap off and sits on the chair. He stabs himself in the palm of his hand with the pencil and smears his palm onto the contract. He throws the contract onto Bryan as the lights go out.
The lights come on and The Fiend is gone. We see the strap marks all over Bryan’s bare back. The contract is now laying on the mat in front of Bryan. We see The Fiend’s blood all over the paper as Cole sends us to replays of what just happened. Bryan sits up on his knees and starts to nod his head as a “Yes!” chant breaks out in the crowd. The Royal Rumble go-home edition of SmackDown on FOX goes off the air with an angry Bryan getting back to his feet.
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