WWE SmackDown Review – March 1, 2024
Kicking off this week’s Smackdown with a video recapping the events of Elimination Chamber this past Saturday night.
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns tells Glendale to acknowledge him then amends his statement when he deems the crowd as being too quiet and tells Phoenix to acknowledge him. He gives them a 3rd shot after deeming them too quiet once more and tells Paul Heyman to fire up the jet. He says they’re done as the result of still being too quiet and looks to leave but Heyman reminds Reigns that they still have some business to take care of. Heyman then says The Rock will be coming up next after the break.
After the break The Rock’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. The Rock questions if fans really want to boo him and says he has some good news before he drops some gospel on the people. He rags on Glendale & Phoenix then says the lives of the fans finally have meaning as they sit and look at greatness. He says he’s finally come back to Arizona and says his body is covered in chills. He says he and the rest of The Bloodline are in a good mood because for the 1st time in decades, professional wrestling is cool, exciting and electrifying. He says tonight and the next few weeks will be sold out audiences because of The Bloodline and the group has made wrestling cool again.
The Rock points out that Cody Rhodes is nowhere to be found and says if Rhodes wants to run his mouth and challenge him to a match that doesn’t matter because he won’t face him. He says Rhodes won’t just go 1 on 1 with him simply because he wants to and calls him an idiot for thinking he can face him in singles competition. He says Rhodes should be worrying about challenging Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title at WrestleMania and says he and The Bloodline have a counter offer for Rhodes’ challenge. He then challenges him and the walking clown emoji Seth Rollins to a tag team match at Night 1 of WrestleMania and should they win the rest of The Bloodline will be barred from ringside during Rhodes & Reigns’ WrestleMania match at Night 2. He says that if Rhodes and Rollins lose then the match becomes Bloodline rules and The Bloodline can do anything they want during the match.
The Rock then dares Rhodes & Rollins to show their face next week to answer their challenge and warns them about what will happen if they choose not to accept. He says no one can stop him and says Rhodes’ story will be ended by him and Reigns tragically. He looks to say his signature catchphrase but Reigns stops him and tells The Rock he needs something from him. He says he’ll do anything for his family but he needs The Rock to do one thing acknowledge him.
The Rock removes his sunglasses and stares down Reigns then acknowledges him as his Tribal Chief and offers him his hand. Reigns shakes it and they hug as the crowd lets him know that he sold out and The Rock says this is family. He says they would do anything for family.
We then head backstage and see Randy Orton get into a confrontation with A Town Down Under.
Tiffany Stratton vs. Naomi
Match starts off with a lock up before Tiffany Stratton hits a shoulder tackle but Naomi responds with a back elbow before firing off a couple boots on Stratton in the corner.
She then connects with a dropkick and a facebuster from the apron then goes for a pin but Stratton kicks out and rolls out of the ring as we go to a break.
After the break Stratton delivers a handspring back elbow in the corner and follows it up with a running double stomp.
Naomi hits a shoulder to Stratton’s midsection through the middle rope before they exchange open palm strikes.
Naomi hits a jumping knee but Stratton catches her with a spinebuster.
Naomi connects with a backbreaker but Stratton rakes her eyes while the referee is distracted and sends her crashing into the ring post shoulder first.
She follows it up with Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the win.
Winner: Tiffany Stratton
Non Title Match
Women’s Tag Team Champions Kabuki Warriors (Kairi Sane & Asuka) vs. 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble Winner Bayley & Dakota Kai
Kabuki Warriors slide in the ring and begin double teaming on Bayley as the bell sounds.
Kairi Sane hits a dropkick to Bayley before Bayley fires off right hands on Asuka.
Bayley then hits a forearm to her from the apron and ascends to the top rope but Sane trips her while the referee is distracted.
Asuka then hits a series of kicks to her chest but Bayley trips her and clocks Sane on the outside.
She slides back in the ring and looks to tag in Dakota Kai but Asuka prevents her from doing so. Asuka sends Bayley into Kai & Kai goes crashing off the apron.
Bayley lands a few forearms before Sane makes the blind tag in.
Kabuki Warriors then double team on Bayley & Sane sends Bayley’s head repeatedly crashing into the mat.
Asuka tags in, and Bayley sends her crashing into Sane then sends Sane crashing into the ropes and lands a forearm on Asuka from the apron then looks to tag in Kai.
Kai hops off the apron before she can and Bayley fights off Kabuki Warriors.
She fires off right and left hands on Kai on the outside but Kabuki Warriors overpower her.
Kabuki Warriors get her back inside the ring and Kai joins them.
She hits an open palm strike to Bayley & Women’s Champion Iyo Sky hits a pair of double knees to the back of Bayley’s head.
Winners: No One (No Contest)
After the break we see Damage CTRL celebrate what just happened at ringside. They run into Jade Cargill & Cargill stares down Sky Nick Aldis finds Cargill and says he’s ready for her telling Damage CTRL that he’ll deal with them later.
NXT Tag Team Champion Bron Breakker vs. Xyon Quinn
Bron Breakker hits a spear right out of the gate for the win.
Winner: NXT Tag Team Champion Bron Breakker
Street Fight
Santos Escobar vs. Carlito
Santos Escobar & Carlito waste no time firing off right hands on one another.
Carlito hits a Thesz Press and fires off more right hands then dumps Escobar out of the ring and drapes him across the ring steps.
He pulls a table out from under the ring but Escobar hits a chop to him then Carlito sends him crashing into the ring steps.
He pulls a kendo stick out from under the ring and grabs an apple but Escobar hits a tope suicida to level him and takes the apple from him as we go to a break.
After the break Escobar places a garbage can on Carlito and hits a pair of double knees to him in the corner.
He dumps Carlito out of the ring and looks to fly but Carlito hits him with a chair mid air and slides it into the ring.
He then tosses the garbage can on top of Escobar and places it on his head then grabs the chair and hits it on the garbage can repeatedly.
Carlito then hits a swinging neckbreaker to Escobar on top of the chair and grabs a table from under the ring.
He slides it inside but Escobar sneaks up on him as he does so and pushes the table aside.
Escobar then hits an enzuigiri in the corner and ascends to the top rope to meet him where he’s sitting.
Carlito pushes him into the top rope but Angel & Humberto show up and attack Carlito.
Legado Del Fantasma lands a triple powerbomb and goes for a pin but Carlito kicks out.
Angelo & Humberto set up the table but Joaquin Wilde & Cruz Del Toro run down and brawl with LWO on the outside.
Angel sends Wilde crashing into the ring post as Humberto sends Del Toro colliding into the ring steps.
Rey Mysterio’s music hits and he makes his way down to the ring on crutches.
Angel & Humberto go after Mysterio but Mysterio uses one of his crutches to beat them down revealing himself to be medically cleared.
He stares down Escobar in the ring and dares him to come after him.
Carlito then spits apple into Escobar’s face and hits a backstabber.
He & Mysterio then send Angel & Humberto crashing to the outside and Del Toro & Wilde fly to level them.
Back in the ring Mysterio dials it up for 619 on Escobar & Carlito sends him crashing through the table for the win.
Winner: Carlito
After the break we see New Catch Republic ask Nick Aldis for another shot at Judgment Day’s Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania. Aldis tells them that he & Adam Pearce have a related announcement coming up but he gets distracted by some noise. Aldis finds LA Knight looking for AJ Styles. Aldis tells Knight that Styles is not in the building tonight and Knight warns Aldis that he’ll get to Styles one way or another to give him a souvenir a chair.
Randy Orton vs. Austin Theory
Austin Theory looks to land a boot on Randy Orton’s midsection but Orton catches it and hits an uppercut then rains down right hands on him in the corner and follows him to the outside.
He sends Theory’s head crashing into the announce table and looks to send him crashing on top of it but Grayson Waller helps out Theory.
Orton is then sent colliding into the ring post and Theory sends him crashing on top of the announce table as we go to a break.
After the break Theory ascends to the top rope before Orton catches him with a few right hands and pulls him down then whips him into the corner and clocks him with a right hand.
Orton hits a powerslam to Theory and clotheslines him out of the ring then sends him crashing on top of the announce table and does the same to Waller.
He hits a hanging DDT to Theory in the ring from the middle rope and sets up for RKO.
Theory avoids it and sends Orton crashing into the ring post shoulder first.
He lands a blockbuster and gets Orton up on his shoulders but Orton escapes.
Theory hits a chop block and a running forearm then looks to land a hanging DDT on Orton.
Orton escapes and delivers a jawbreaker using the top rope.
He looks to land a rolling blockbuster but Orton counters into a RKO in mid air for the win.
Winner: Randy Orton
After the match Waller attacks Orton as Kevin Owens slides inside the ring and A Town Down Under overpower him. Owens gains the upper hand and lands a Stunner on Theory before Orton hits a RKO on Waller. Orton & Owens then bump fists standing tall to close out this week’s Smackdown.
Next Week’s Smackdown
Bobby Lashley vs. Karrion Kross
Updated WrestleMania 40 Card So Far (April 6th & 7th)
Night 1 (April 6th)
The Bloodline (Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns & The Rock) vs. World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins & 2024 Royal Rumble Winner Cody Rhodes (If The Bloodline wins the Night 2 Match under Bloodline Rules & if Rollins & Rhodes win The Bloodline is banned from ringside)
Night 2 (April 7th)
Undisputed WWE Universal Title Match
Roman Reigns (c) vs. 2024 Royal Rumble Winner Cody Rhodes
Nights TBD
Women’s Title Match
Iyo Sky (c) vs. 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble Winner Bayley
World Heavyweight Title Match
Seth Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre
Women’s World Title Match
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch
