– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX opens up with a video package showing how The Bloodline destroyed WWE Champion Brock Lesnar at last Saturday’s WWE live event from Madison Square Garden. We’re live from the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama as Michael Cole welcomes us to the Road to WrestleMania 38. He’s joined at ringside by Pat McAfee.
– We go right to the ring and out comes WWE Champion Brock Lesnar to a big pop. Lesnar looks in the mood to fight as he stops for the pyro goes off. Lesnar marches to the ring as Samantha Irvin does the introduction. Cole hypes the Winner Takes All Title Unification Match between Lesnar and WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns at Night Two of WrestleMania 38.
Lesnar takes the mic and calls Reigns out. Lesnar says Reigns has done changed the rules, boy, and changed the game. Lesnar says for the last 6 days he’s pulled his ass out of bed, looked in the mirror… Lesnar shows us the shiner near his eye and tells Reigns to get a good look at it. Lesnar says you don’t draw first blood on Brock Lesnar and live to tell about it, so Reigns has changed the rules. Lesnar says he’s here for blood tonight, and he doesn’t care about WrestleMania contracts, or WWE Titles. Lesnar has tossed his cowboy hat, jacket and the title now. He starts screaming for Reigns to come out, saying Reins has screwed up, and he wants Reigns’ blood. Blood for blood, he says.
Paul Heyman interrupts from the stage and fans boo. Heyman tells them to stop booing. Heyman says if Lesnar never listened to him before, listen now, because Lesnar got bled by The Bloodline, smashed by The Tribal Chief. Heyman points to the entrance-way for Reigns to come out but pauses and says Reigns is not here this evening. The boos get louder and Lesnar paces the ring now. Heyman starts talking about how he knows Lesnar so well, but Lesnar tells him to shut up. Lesnar says if what is coming out of Heyman’s fat jaws is true, then who’s going to protect you, Paul?
Heyman looks worried now. Lesnar drops the mic and exits the ring, then rushes to the stage as Heyman runs away tot he back. The camera cuts backstage to Heyman running. Lesnar isn’t far behind. Heyman screams for security to stop Lesnar but he fights them off. Lesnar keeps running but Heyman hops into a SUV and it speeds away. Lesnar seethes.
– Cole and McAfee show us how Sheamus and Ridge Holland destroyed Kofi Kingston and Big E’s four-wheeler last week. Megan Morant is backstage with Sheamus and Holland now, asking why they destroyed the quad and their chances for tonight’s tag team match. Sheamus jokes about improving the quad because that’s what they do. Holland says tonight will be a proper Fight Night. Morant asks if that’s why they brought sledgehammers. Sheamus and Holland go on about how they brought someone better than sledgehammers, someone dangerous. This person’s name is Butch. Pete Dunne suddenly appears with a new look. His name is now Butch. They head off to the ring together.
Big E and Kofi Kingston vs. Sheamus and Ridge Holland
We go back to the ring and out comes Kofi Kingston and Big E. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and out comes Sheamus and Ridge Holland with Butch. Sheamus enters the ring but gets immediately double teamed. The bell hits and Sheamus goes at it with Kofi now. Butch, the former Pete Dunne, watches from ringside.
Holland tags in and levels Kingston with a strike. Holland drops Kofi with a shoulder. They run the ropes and Kofi drops Holland with a shoulder. Holland blocks a roll-up and drops a knee to Kofi’s face. Kofi with a missile dropkick from the second rope for a 2 count. Kofi holds Holland and in comes Big E to take over. Holland quickly tags Sheamus. Big E knocks Sheamus off the apron but Sheamus rushes back in. Big E unloads with fists into the corner, then beats him down in the corner as the referee warns him. Sheamus comes out of the corner with a clothesline, then a kick to the gut. They run the ropes and Big E drops Sheamus with a back elbow.
Sheamus rolls to the apron and keeps resisting. Sheamus fights his way back in and delivers 10 Beats of the Bodhrán to Big E. Sheamus comes off the top rope but Big E catches him with a big belly-to-belly throw for a quick 1 count. Big E drags Sheamus to the apron but Holland comes over and has words with him. Kofi leaps off the steel steps to take Holland down. Big E goes for a splash on the edge of the apron but Sheamus moves and Big E lands hard. Sheamus goes back out and drops Big E again with a jumping knee strike. Sheamus and Holland pose at ringside as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Holland is beating Big E around. Big E catches Holland with a belly-to-belly throw. Fans rally for The New Day now. Sheamus and Kofi tag in at the same time. Kofi flies and rocks Sheamus, then unloads and dropkicks him. Sheamus kicks Kofi but that does nothing as he flies off the top again. Kofi with a running kick to keep Sheamus down. Kofi with the Boom Drop in the middle of the ring now.
Kofi knocks Holland off the apron as he tries to distract. Kofi with a SOS to Sheamus but Holland breaks the pin up. Big E sends Holland to the floor but he hangs on to the apron. Big E charges for a Spear but Holland moves and Big E gets sent to the floor, and then gets dropped on his head at ringside. Cole says Big E may be hurt. More back and forth between Sheamus and Kofi. Kofi goes to the top but Butch gets on the apron and distracts him, allowing Sheamus to Brogue Kick Kofi off the top Sheamus drags Kofi to the middle of the ring for the pin to win.
Winners: Sheamus and Ridge Holland
– After the match, medics tend to Big E at ringside as Butch enters the ring and mounts Kofi, unloading on him. The referee tries to stop him. Butch, Sheamus and Holland pose together but Butch goes back to pounding on Kofi. Sheamus’ music starts back up as the new trio poses together.
– We see Kevin Owens’ challenge to WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin on RAW this week. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and we get a video package on WWE Hall of Famer Steve Austin and Kevin Owens, to hype their KO Show segment at WrestleMania 38. The video includes Austin’s response. The announcers hype the segment and talk about the media attention and buzz surrounding Austin’s appearance.
– We get a video package that shows how Sami Zayn dropped the WWE Intercontinental Title to Ricochet last week. Kayla Braxton is backstage with Sami now. He’s not happy with how she introduced him as a former champion, saying he has a lot on his mind tonight. Kayla shows us TMZ video of Johnny Knoxville flying Sami’s phone number over Los Angeles on the back of a plane today, and asks how he’s prepared for tonight’s title shot from Ricochet. Sami says he hasn’t had time to prepare because he’s received thousands of text messages and phone calls, his phone has been blowing up all day, so he’s done zero preparation. Sami says he’s not worried because he’s learned that he can overcome what is thrown at him, no matter what, just like WWE management conspired against him but he still won his IC Title back. Sami goes on and says Ricochet isn’t that good and he’s not worried for tonight because Knoxville isn’t here, so he will win his title back. Sami says Knoxville wants Sami Zayn so bad at WrestleMania, well he’s going to get Sami Zayn the Intercontinental Champion instead.
Drew McIntyre and The Viking Raiders vs. Happy Baron Corbin, Madcap Moss and Jinder Mahal
We go back to the ring and out comes Drew McIntyre to pyro and a pop. McIntyre hits the ring and poses with his sword, Angela, as the fire shoots up from the ring posts. We go to a WWE 2K22 promo and a commercial break.
Back from the break and McIntyre waits in the ring as The Viking Raiders’ music starts up. The camera cuts backstage and we see Jinder Mahal, Shanky, Madcap Moss and Happy Baron Corbin beating up Erik and Ivar. They destroy The Viking Raiders as Drew watches on the big screen from the ring.
Moss, Mahal and Shanky run out to attack but Drew meets them on the entrance-way and takes them both out. Drew turns around to see Corbin staring at him. Corbin takes his hat off but Jinder grabs his leg. Moss, Corbin, Jinder and Shanky all beat Drew down now, taking him to ringside and sending him into the ring post. They bring Drew into the ring and keep the attack going as fans boo. Moss laughs and Corbin grabs Drew by his face and yells at him while Jinder and Shanky hold him up.
Corbin mocks Drew and goes to charge but Drew fights free with Glasgow Kiss headbutts. Drew looks ready to attack Corbin but Corbin retreats from the ring. Drew launches Moss and Jinder out, then hits Shanky with a big Michinoku Driver. Drew kips-up for a big pop now. Drew grabs his sword as Shanky tries to recover. Drew stares at Corbin and points up at the WrestleMania 38 sign, while shouting a warning to Corbin. Drew’s music starts back up as he and Corbin stare each other down.
– We see Ronda Rousey’s win over Sonya Deville last week and how Rousey applied the ankle lock to SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair after the match.
– We go back to the ring and out comes Ronda Rousey to a pop. She marches to the ring and greets fans on the way. Cole says Rousey has a message for SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair. Rousey hits the ring and we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and we get a brief Women’s History Month video to honor WWE Hall of Famer Lita. We go back to the ring and Rousey has the mic. Rousey mentions the WrestleMania 38 match with Flair and says Flair revealed her grappling ignorance last week when she called her a one-trick pony with the armbar. Rousey says where Flair sees one armbar, she sees thousands of ways to get there. Rousey talks about how she’s been refining the ankle lock she learned from her first mentor in this ring, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle, and she can think of no better way to thank Kurt than to tap Flair out with it at WrestleMania. The music interrupts and out comes Flair.
Flair makes her way out and stops on the entrance-way to pose as the pyro goes off. Cole hypes Rousey vs. Flair on WrestleMania Saturday. Flair points up at the WrestleMania sign and says their match will be the biggest fight of Rousey’s life. Flair accuses Rousey of taking advantage of her last week. Flair says she should be less concerned with honoring her mentor, and more with winning on the biggest stage. Flair promises Rousey won’t be tapping her out. Rousey said she already has, and she will do it again. Flair goes on talking trash and promises to embarrass and humiliate Rousey, and to make her tap out by the end of the night at WrestleMania. Rousey would love to see that. She’ll even give Flair the time to take off her heels this time.
A crew members steps up on the apron and opens the ropes so Flair can exit. Flair taunts the crowd and they chant “you tapped out!” now. Flair says but she’s still champion. Rousey says Flair can’t just walk away at WrestleMania, and she promises to leave WrestleMania with Flair’s title and her arm. Rousey’s music starts back up as they stare each other down.
– We see what happened earlier tonight with Paul Heyman and WWE Champion Brock Lesnar. Cole says a furious Lesnar is no longer here.
Naomi and Sasha Banks vs. Shayna Baszler and Natalya
We go back to the ring and out comes Sasha Banks and Naomi to a pop. They pose on the apron as the pyro goes off. Cole sends us to another episode of the Toyota Tundra commercial series with Rick Boogs and Shinsuke Nakamura. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and Shayna Baszler and Natalya are already out. Baszler starts off with Naomi and goes to work. Natalya tags in and they double team Naomi. Natalya takes over for a 2 count. WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Carmella and Queen Zelina Vega are watching from ringside. Natalya drives Naomi into the mat for another pin attempt.
Baszler tags in and focuses on Naomi’s knee now, grounding her with a knee scissors. Naomi finally stuns Baszler with a kick from the corner. Banks and Natalya tag in at the same time now. Banks rocks Natalya and hits a top rope Meteora. Banks fights off a double team, sending Natalya to the floor. Banks blocks a baseball slide from Natalya, and sends her into the champs at ringside. Naomi comes over and takes Baszler out before she can hit Banks.
Vega yells at Banks as Banks returns to the ring. Natalya takes advantage of the distraction and levels Banks with a big clothesline for 2. Carmella and Vega provide distraction from the apron now. This allows Banks to finish Natalya off for the pin to win.
Winners: Sasha Banks and Naomi
– After the match, Banks and Naomi celebrate in the ring while the music hits. We see Natalya and Baszler down at ringside trying to recover. Cole hypes Banks and Naomi vs. Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley vs. Vega and Carmella at WrestleMania 38.
– We see how The Usos attacked Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs last week, and then retained over The Viking Raiders later in the show.
– We go back to the ring and out come SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos – Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso. Cole says they are here for a “Penitentiary Unlocked” segment, where they will reveal their WrestleMania 38 plans. The Usos pose in the corners as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and The Usos take the mics in the ring. They brag about their title reign and say WWE management has no one worthy for them to face at WrestleMania because they are the ones. The music of Shinsuke Nakamura interrupts and out he comes with Rick Boogs. Boogs makes it known they want the title shot. The Usos can’t believe Boogs and Nakamura want to challenge them at WrestleMania. The Usos rule that if Boogs, who has his leg wrapped, can beat Jey, then they can have the title shot.
Rick Boogs vs. SmackDown Tag Team Champion Jey Uso
The bell rings and Jey Uso goes right for Rick Boogs’ injured leg. The referee backs him off. Boogs starts un-wrapping the tape from his leg. Apparently Boogs was faking the injury, beating The Usos at their own game. Jey charges but Boogs applies a bear hug in the middle of the ring.
Boogs lifts Uso up for a suplex, holds him and then drops him. Boogs presses Jey high in the air over his head, presses him a few times as fans count along, and then drops him to the mat as Jimmy Uso yells from the apron. Shinsuke Nakamura runs over but Jimmy superkicks him.
Boogs knocks Jimmy off the apron, allowing Jey to roll Boogs up for a 2 count. Boogs and Jey trade more offense. Boogs with the big Boogs Cruise powerslam for the pin to win and earn the title shot.
Winners and New #1 Contenders: Rick Boogs
– After the bell, Boogs stands tall and celebrates as the music hits but Jey comes in and breaks Boogs’ guitar over Boogs’ back as he points up at the WrestleMania 38 sign. We go to a replay. Nakamura checks on Boogs in the ring while The Usos back up the ramp and raise their titles in the air.
– We see how Ricochet won the WWE Intercontinental Title from Sami Zayn last week.
WWE Intercontinental Title Match: Sami Zayn vs. Ricochet
We go back to the ring and out comes Sami Zayn to boos. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and out comes new WWE Intercontinental Champion Ricochet. Sami looks on. Before they can start, the music interrupts and out comes Austin Theory. Samantha Irvin does formal ring introductions as Theory looks on from ringside, sitting right next to McAfee.
Before the match gets going, Theory gets up from his chair and stands on the other side of the announce table, having words with McAfee. McAfee is also standing now. Theory swings and slaps McAfee. McAfee attacks, leaping over the table and taking Theory down. McAfee snaps and destroys Theory at ringside as Cole pleads with him to stop. McAfee tosses Theory over the announce table and mounts him with more punches.
Cole tells McAfee he’s a pro, and to not let that punk Theory get to him. Security and officials come over to keep Theory and McAfee apart as Theory rants and yells. Fans boo as Theory heads to the back now. McAfee follows him as security warns McAfee not to go after him. Theory is seething on the stage. Theory tries to attack McAfee again but security holds him back. We go to commercial as Theory really heads to the back this time.
Back from the break and the bell rings as Ricochet and Zayn go at it. Zayn stalls a bit in the corner. Zayn kicks Ricochet in the gut and grounds him on the mat. They run the ropes and Ricochet mounts some high-flying offense for a pop. Ricochet chops Zayn and knocks him out of the ring. Sami drops Ricochet over the top rope. They run the ropes and Zayn catches Ricochet in a sitdown powerbomb for a close 2 count. Sami slaps Ricochet while he’s down, then mounts him with more strikes.
Sami boots Ricochet around and taunts him, wasting time. Sami clotheslines Ricochet for another 2 count. Sami grounds Ricochet in a headlock now as the referee warns them. Ricochet gets up and fights back with punches, chops and kicks. Ricochet with a hurricanrana takedown for a pop. Sami dodges Ricochet in the corner but Ricochet rocks him from the apron, then springboards in with an elbow. Ricochet waits for Sami to get up in the opposite corner. Ricochet goes for a big knee strike but it’s blocked.
Ricochet runs into an elbow now. Ricochet drops Sami into a kick and Sami goes down, stunned. Ricochet goes to the top but Sami jumps up and shoves him off the top turnbuckle, to the floor. Ricochet falls and crashes hard as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and we see what just happened between Pat McAfee and Austin Theory. Cole is still on commentary by himself. We go back to the ring and Ricochet unloads with elbow strikes. Ricochet drops him and hits a standing moonsault but Sami gets his knees up for a 2 count. More back and forth in the middle of the ring now as they trade offense and tangle. Sami with elbow strikes to beat Ricochet down. Ricochet counters a suplex with a close 2 count.
Sami and Ricochet go on, then trade strikes in the middle of the ring. Sami fights off Ricochet’s shoulders. They tangle some more and Zayn hits a Blue Thunderbomb for a close 2 count in the middle of the ring. Sami covers for another close 2 count. Zayn works Ricochet over in the corner, taking him to the top. Ricochet fights back and knocks Sami to the mat with a big chop. Sami comes back up and crotches Ricochet.
Sami climbs back up and hits a big superplex. Ricochet still kicks out just in time. Sami waits for Ricochet to recover now. Ricochet dodges the Helluva Kick and explodes out of the corner with a Recoil. Ricochet drags Sami to the corner and goes back to the top. Ricochet nails the 630 Senton for the pin to retain.
Winner: Ricochet
– After the match, Ricochet stands tall with the title as his music hits. We go to replays. Ricochet raises the title and plays to the crowd while Sami rolls to the floor and recovers at ringside.
– The camera suddenly cuts backstage to Ronda Rousey and SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair brawling in a parking area. Officials try to break them apart after they slam into a car. The brawl continues and producers are getting hit and tossed into others. Rousey kicks Flair away but they keep going at it. Flair knocks Rousey into the hood of the car, then punches a producer. Flair slams Rousey onto the hood of the car with a big throw. Flair climbs up onto the hood of the car with Rousey, and applies a Crossface, pulling back on her face. Flair drops back with another brief submission before letting go. Rousey falls off the car. Flair yells at more officials and strikes what looks like Jamie Noble. Rousey is down on the concrete but slowly trying to crawl and get back to her feet. The camera focuses on Rousey as we hear Flair yelling at officials in the background. SmackDown on FOX goes off the air.
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