WWE Smackdown Review 22/03/2024

Hello everyone, I am one half of your Irn Bruiserweights bringing you your Smackdown Review. So let's get into it.

We open by seeing people arriving during the day, Asuka seems to be walking alright so hopefully that means whatever she tweaked in her knee wasn’t serious.

After that here comes Rey Mysterio. As Rey’s heading to the ring we get a recap of his feud with Santos Escobar to this point. Escobar does some talking as well, he took pity on Rey because Rey was his hero. Well now Escobar has no choice, he’s going to hurt Rey. After that here comes Escobar.

Match #1 - Rey Mysterio vs. Santos Escobar

Nick Aldis has banned everyone from ringside. Rey unloads with strikes right away then bobbles on a springboard move and he limps a bit but seems to recover. Leg kicks from Rey now, and Escobar tries to beg off but Rey isn’t stupid and bobbles again trying a top rope throw and settles for a jumping hurricanrana. Basement dropkick from Rey in the corner, he’s still after that leg of Escobar. Escobar fights back with a back elbow and looks to take over. Kitchen Sink from Escobar then a follow-up dropkick gets a 1 count. Rey fights back with a head scissors that sends Escobar out of the ring, then Rey sets to dive and connects with his baseball sliding splash and that sends us to break.

Rey is fighting back with leg kicks as we come back, but Escobar cuts him off with a pump kick. Corner knees from Escobar and he yells at Rey then lands a corner kick. Rey with a kick out of the corner and then he unloads with punches in the corner, but Escobar launches him into the corner and Rey takes the Bret Hart corner bump. Escobar then puts Rey in the tree of woe and starts kicking him, but when he goes for a charge Rey pulls up and Escobar posts himself and falls to the floor. Rey climbs to the top of the ring post and jumps onto Escobar on the floor. Back in the ring, Rey goes up top, seated senton then he fires up with clotheslines. Lionsault from Rey gets a 2 count, then he sets up for the 619 but Escobar cuts him off with a superkick. Escobar slams Rey down, then trash-talks him but Rey fights back with kicks to the head and then boots him out of the ring. They brawl around the ringside area now and Rey smashes Escobar with the announce desk cover. Rey runs across the table and hits a seated senton to send both him and Escobar into the timekeeper’s area. Rey demands to know where Escobar’s smile is as he bounces him onto the announce table and then the ring post. They get back in the ring but the ref is distracted as Dumb Dom Mysterio breaks up a move. That lets Escobar hit the 619 then a Phantom Driver and Escobar wins.

Official Winner - Santos Escobar won in 12:34

Official thoughts - Good match, honestly I’d have liked more between them and wouldn’t hate another match down the line. Dom showing up was a drag, but that’s par for the course with him.

After that, a recap of Bayley vs. Dakota Kai from last week and all the resultant fallout.

In the back Bayley finds a stretching Naomi, and thanks her for helping last week. Naomi is just trying to do the right thing, and she’s pissed at Iyo. Bianca Belair walks over and brings up all the times Bayley and Damage Control attacked her. Belair knows Bayley isn’t sorry, and everything Bayley has coming to her is deserved. They start bickering and Naomi defuses the situation and walks Belair out of frame.

Back to the ring, here’s Austin “disproven” Theory and the slightly more effective version from Australia. They’ll be in action after this break.

In the back, Belair and Naomi are still bickering and walk past Cody Rhodes as he’s signing stuff. Naomi validates Belair’s feelings but she can’t do anything about the past. She won’t back down but knows she needs help just like Belair did in the past. No one can take down Damage Control alone.

Back to the ring and the OC get an entrance, kind of surprised by that.

Match #2 – Tag Team Match - Austin Theory and Grayson Waller vs. The OC (Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows) w/ Michin

Gallows slaps down Theory right away then tags in Anderson. Anderson unloads with strikes then tags Gallows back in. Gallows tosses Theory around and abuses him in the corner. Theory with a cross chop and then tags out, but Waller runs into a right hand. Anderson tags back in and Waller takes some double team moves, then Gallows clotheslines Theory out of the ring which sets up a dive from Anderson. The OC pose and we get a commercial.

Gallows is limping around as we come back, but he then chokeslams Theory. Waller tries to cheap shot Anderson but Michin catches him with an armdrag then Anderson tags in. Anderson runs wild for a bit including spinebusters for both men. Theory then runs into a boot and Anderson hits a jumping neckbreaker for a 2 count. Gallows tags back in, they want the Magic Killer but Waller breaks up the pin. Eventually, Theory rolls up Gallows and then gets an assist on the pin from Waller to get the pin.

Official Winners - Theory and Waller won in 6:55

Official thoughts - Gutted by the commercial break, this felt very flat, and having such a predictable outcome didn’t help.

Next a hype promo for Bron Breakker.

Damage Control is walking in the back, after this break Iyo will take on Naomi.

When we come back we get a recap of Roman’s interview with Pat McAfee on McAfee’s show.

To the ring, and here comes Naomi. Everyone who isn’t Iyo comes out then we cut to the back where Iyo is beating the crap out of Bayley before she heads to the ring. Well, that’s one way to warm up I guess.

Match #3 - Naomi vs. Iyo Sky

Iyo tells the troops not to come down with her. Naomi attacks right away and hits shoulder shrugs in the corner. Scorpion kick from Naomi and she keeps up corner offense. Iyo fights back with elbows then a kick and a jumping hurricanrana. Corner dropkick from Iyo then kicks to follow up. Naomi fights back with an enziguri out of the corner then a dropkick. Swinging Bulldog from Naomi connects, Iyo then takes a powder and we head to break.

Naomi is still in control as we come back and rams her into the corner from the apron. Naomi is up top for a crossbody that connects. Corner dropkick from Noami then some strikes to follow up, she heads up top for a modified Banzai Drop into a split and Iyo grabs the ropes to break up the pin. Iyo snaps Naomi over the top rope then hits a dropkick. Meteora to a seated Naomi then Iyo goes up top but Naomi kicks her up there. Naomi up with Iyo and wants a superplex which she gets then floats into a cover for a 2 count. They start trading from their knees, elbows then kicks then Iyo fights off a German suplex and rolls through on Naomi then follows with a double stomp. Iyo gets sent to the apron, Naomi with a knee strike then a Heatseeker, Naomi up top but the rest of Damage Control distracts here which allows Iyo to pull her down, hit Over the Moonsault, and get the pin.

Official Winner - Iyo Sky won in 8:56

Official thoughts - The break was better placed here than the tag team match which helped the flow and let the match breathe. Again we had a predictable outcome but the end didn’t come out of nowhere and Naomi held her own with the champion. Iyo is still darn good and it was nice to see her work on TV again.

Post-match Naomi gets jumped, she tries to fight back but Asuka with the Mist to blind her. Bianca Belair wasn’t going to help Bayley but she does show up to save Naomi. Belair runs over Kai and beats down the rest of Damage Control. Kairi pulls Belair off of Asuka but gets caught with an Implant Buster, then Kai chop blocks Belair. Iyo with a low dropkick to Belair. Damage Control stomps on both of them, the crowd chants for Bayley but Iyo already took care of her so once again the heels stand tall.

Next a video for Jade Cargill, she’s not here to be the next anything, she’s a once-in-a-lifetime talent and will be taking her talents to Smackdown. Jade’s first Smackdown appearance will be up next week.

After this break, we’ll get some video about LA Knight jumping AJ Styles in AJ’s home.

In the back, Belair helps Naomi flush her eyes out with water, and Tiffany Stratton walks over to be obnoxious. Belair considers jumping her but decides to just help Naomi instead.

Kevin Owens talks with Nick Aldis about his Logan Paul match when Pretty Deadly interrupts and wants a WrestleMania match. Kevin Owens wants a tag team match next week against them, they don’t think he’s got a friend but Owens does have an acquaintance and they make a good team. He asks Randy Orton, who’s standing beside Elton Prince, and scares the crap out of him. Randy agrees that he can be in that match next week. Prince and Wilson complain about that, and Aldis warns them not to stand so close together, then Owens comes from off-screen and knocks them both out with a punch. Owens is very happy that he did it again.

That video of AJ and Knight plays next, Knight showed up at AJ’s house and they brawled a bit before the cops showed up and took Knight away. Despite being taken away Knight promises he’ll just come back and promises that he’ll take out AJ. AJ declined to press charges.

To the ring, the Street Profits head to the ring and we head to break.

Post break, here come the Authors of Pain along with all of the Final Testament.

Match #4 – Tag Team Match - Street Profits (Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins) w/ Bobby Lashley and B-Fab vs. Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar) w/ Paul Ellering, Karrion Kross, and Scarlett

Dawkins and Rezar start, Dawkins with punches but Rezar cuts him off and tags in Akam. Akam with punches to Dawkins then chokes him in the ropes and tags in Rezar. Rezar with knees then he runs into a boot. Ford blind tags in and Rezar gets kicked down then Akam gets sent out of the ring as well. That sets up a Ford dive but Akam and Rezar catch him and powerbomb him into Dawkins when Dawkins tries to come over and help and that sends us to break.

Rezar is still working over Ford as we come back. A cheap shot to Dawkins follows and Ford is isolated in the heel corner. Akam tags back in and kicks away at Ford. Rezar is back in and they keep Ford grounded. Ford flips out of a back suplex and lands an enziguri, he tries to tag out and eventually does so. Dawkins unloads on both Rezar and Akam, Akam has tagged back in as well. Pounce from Dawkins on the floor to Rezar then the Silencer from Dawkins in the ring to Akam. Ford tags in as Dawkins kicks Akam, Dawkins hoists Akam up for a Doomsday Blockbuster but Akam gets free and posts Dawkisn then boots down Ford. Rezar tags in, Final Chapter, and Dawkins barely breaks up the pin. Dawkins gets sent out again, but he breaks up the powerbomb neckbreaker finisher which allows Ford to catch Rezar with a Small Package and get the pin.

Official Winners - Street Profits won in 8:30

Official thoughts - It was a little slow, and while I can appreciate a deliberate-paced match this was more slow than deliberate. While logic would suggest the Profits make it to the ladder match, there’s a non-trivial chance the AOP cost them the qualifier next week and set up the Hurt Profits and Final Testament at Mania.

In the back, Heyman calls Roman to tell him that Cody is here alone and that the public awaits Roman. That sends us to break.

Next week we have both of the finals tag team matches, Street Profits vs. Theory and Waller plus New Catch Republic vs. Legado’s B Team. Also Pretty Deadly vs. Owens and Randy Orton. Jade Cargill will be here as well.

In the back we see Roman get out of a car, he walks through the garage, and there’s Paul Heyman to follow him and provide directions.

To the ring, and here comes Roman Reigns. Seeing the crowd all stand in a wave when that music hits is kind of cool. Roman heads down accompanied only by Paul Heyman. Once in the ring, Roman waits, for some mixed “Roman” and “Cody” chants but Cody seems to win out eventually then Roman gets a mic from Heyman and says Heyman made a promise and the Tribal Chief keeps his word. He’s a man of his word, here alone except for Heyman, and he says Cody should come out here and join Milwaukee in acknowledging Roman. We see Cody walking in the back, his entrance will be up after this break.

Post break “Wrestling has more than one royal family,” and here comes Cody Rhodes. Cody procures a mic as well, and Roman reiterates he’s kept his word and is alone but is Cody? Cody is as much a man of his word as Roman is, so if Roman’s alone then Cody’s alone. Roman says Heyman called this, then calls Cody a fool, a stupid man who’s unfit to be the face of this company if you fall for this kind of thing. No one has your best interest at heart, Cody has aligned himself with Roman’s little brother Seth Rollins and there are all kinds of problems with that including last Monday when Seth wasn’t there for Cody. That’s just Seth showing his true colours, and no one knows Seth better than Roman. In the Shield they had a bond, Roman thought they were family and Seth stabbed him in the back so what do you think will happen to Cody? Cody does remember the Shield, an unstoppable force until they ran into Cody and his brother. He appreciates the venom-laced wisdom, but he knows about faction betrayal referencing the Bullet Club. But the Bloodline isn’t a faction, it’s family above all. Cody asks if he can trust Seth, the crowd seems on the fence, and Cody says Seth might hate his guts but he knows Seth hates Roman even more. And he’ll raise the situation, he asks Roman if he can trust the Rock. We’re all a little confused about the Bloodline pantheon, is the Tribal Chief or the Final Boss really in charge? Roman considers, that seems to have gotten to him just a little bit, but then says that’s old news. All Cody’s doing is spinning like a politician, is he running for governor or something? That’s all Cody does, promise and never deliver just like every politician, because Cody is just always second best. Cody is the greatest second-best ever, but he’ll never take over Roman’s spot. Roman is number one forever. Cody thinks about that, then says they should get real. Both of them grew up in this business, they looked into the mirror as children and dreamed about this moment, being the biggest in the world like Bruno, Flair, Rock, Austin, and Cena. He’s admitted that the current generation will grow up wanting to be the next Roman Reigns. That’s Roman’s destiny, but Roman needs to be reminded about Cody’s destiny. When it comes to WrestleMania, to who beats Roman for that belt after 1300 days, Cody’s the one. Cody offers a handshake and good luck, but Roman declines to shake. Roman shakes Heyman’s hand because he’s a glorious jerk, then slowly leaves the ring. Roman still looks a little off, then he snaps his fingers to start his music because this is his show. Of course, that also means Solo comes through the crowd, as does the Tribal Jester. Solo and Jimmy climb the barricade and move towards the ring, they just circle to flank Roman though. Cody smiles because we see Jey Uso in the crowd, as is Seth Rollins evening the odds. Seth and Jey move to flank Cody as the music switches from Roman’s to Cody’s and the episode closes with everyone engaged in a tense stare-down.