WWE Smackdown Results
February 27, 2018
Los Angeles, California
Commentary: Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton and Corey Graves
Results by: Mike Tedesco of Wrestleview.com
“Then. Now. Forever.” The WWE video leads us into the show.
John Cena looks for his WrestleMania path on SD Live
John Cena makes his way to the ring to his usual mixed reception. Cena introduces himself and wants to tell them why he’s here. Cena is here for the same reason 99.9% of the Smackdown superstars are here. Only one person has a match at WrestleMania: Shinsuke Nakamura. Cena needs a road to WrestleMania like the rest of them. Cena wants in on the Fatal 5-Way Match for the WWE Championship this Sunday. He doesn’t want a handout and will do whatever it takes to earn a shot. Let’s find out what he has to do to get to WrestleMania.
Shane McMahon’s music hits, and the Smackdown Live Commissioner makes his way to the ring. McMahon thanks Los Angeles for the love. McMahon acknowledges one of the greatest superstars in WWE is standing in the ring on Smackdown Live. McMahon welcomes him back. A superstar of Cena’s magnitude is looking for a road to WrestleMania. A “Let’s go Cena/Cena sucks” chant fires up. Cena says half the folks want him to win and half want him to lose. Cena says he should be in the match. McMahon says the pathway he proposes puts him in the WWE Championship match in two weeks at WWE Fastlane. If Cena won, not only would he go on to main event WrestleMania (a “Rusev Day” chant fires up), history would be made as Cena would be a 17-time World Champion. This is the land of opportunity…
Daniel Bryan’s music hits, and the Smackdown Live General Manager makes his way to the ring to a huge reception. Bryan gets in the ring and listens to a loud chant of his name. Bryan says he’s on the same page with McMahon. Smackdown is the land of opportunity. Every superstar that is in the Fatal 5-Way earned their spot in that match. If Cena wants that match, he’ll get something everyone else does: an opportunity. If Cena wins tonight’s main event, he’ll be entered into the title match. Cena says that’s fine and wants to know who his opponent is. Bryan says he’ll be facing the WWE Champion, AJ Styles! Cena looks focused and leaves the ring.
Wow — that's a huge main event for #SDLive. Cena vs. Styles. I picked a good night to fill in for @adamwrestleview. This has the chance to be a fantastic show. Good opener as Cena continues to search for his road to #WrestleMania.
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) February 28, 2018
Ruby Riott will face Naomi later tonight. Coming up next, Sami Zayn faces Baron Corbin.
-Commercial Break-
Kevin Owens will be on commentary for the next match.
Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin
Replays are shown from last week of AJ Styles beating Baron Corbin only to be attacked by Owens and Zayn. Corbin then laid out Zayn and Owens with a pair of End of Days.
They lock up, and Zayn turns him in the corner before slapping him on the chest a few times. Zayn then quickly leaves the ring while Corbin steams around the ring. Zayn shoulders him in the midsection and flips into the ring. Zayn hits the ropes, but Corbin takes him down with a shoulder block. Zayn rolls out of the ring to recover and kicks Corbin when he comes outside. Zayn bounces him off the commentary table and gets him in the ring. Zayn goes for a springboard, but Corbin punches him to the floor. Corbin bounces him off the barricade and throws him into it. Zayn then comes back with a back body drop into the crowd.
Daniel Bryan is seen watching backstage with Shane McMahon. McMahon asks if he’s really letting Owens do commentary again. Bryan says Owens gives a good perspective. McMahon says he’s inviting interference.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Zayn applying a chin lock to Corbin. Corbin fights up, and a “Rusev Day” chant fires up. Corbin punches him to the corner, but Zayn sidesteps him and sends him shoulder-first into the ring post.
Backstage, Bryan and McMahon are watching. McMahon has popcorn and is curious to see how this ends. Zayn comes off the top rope, but Corbin grabs him by the throat and hits a chokeslam/backbreaker combination. Zayn counters End of Days, but Corbin slides out of the ring and turns him inside out with a clothesline for a near fall. Corbin punches him against the ropes and charges, but Zayn pulls the top rope down to get him out of the ring. Zayn goes for a plancha, but Corbin catches him and drops him face-first on the commentary table. Owens admonishes him for messing up the TVs. Corbin gets him in the ring, but Zayn surprises him with a cradle for a two count. Zayn hits a tornado DDT for another two count. Dolph Ziggler comes through the crowd and superkicks Owens! Zayn is distracted by this, but manages to elbow Corbin back. Zayn then runs into End of Days for the loss.
Winner by Pinfall: Baron Corbin
Corbin raises his arms in victory, but he’s quickly put down by a Zig-Zag from Ziggler. The crowd seems to like that. Ziggler’s music hits, and he walks off.
Not a great match with Baron Corbin and Sami Zayn. Heel vs. heel matches are always skewed to the "blah" side of things. The crowd doesn't know who to cheer for and are either quiet or try to entertain themselves. #SDLive
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) February 28, 2018
McMahon says to Bryan that his “boys” got what was coming to them. Bryan scoffs and asks if he can go home tonight and be with his wife and child. McMahon grants him his request.
Naomi faces Ruby Riott, next.
-Commercial Break-
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are walking backstage upset about what just happened. They bump into Shane McMahon. They ask if he saw what just happened, and he says, “Yep.” McMahon says Daniel Bryan just left, so they should catch up with him because Brie doesn’t like when they’re late for dinner. McMahon walks off, and Zayn yells that it never ends with this guy.
Ruby Riott w/ The Riott Squad vs. Naomi w/ Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair
Riott gets right in her face and shoves her. Naomi punches back, but Riott knees her in the midsection before sending her to the corner. Naomi applies a head-scissor and shakes her head around before knocking her out of the ring. The Riott Squad regroups, but they quickly scurry back when Flair and Lynch join Naomi. They face-off at ringside, but don’t come to blows.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Naomi trapped in a full nelson. During the break, Riott countered a springboard by slamming her down. Carmella is shown backstage answering tweets with “#AskCarmella.” In the ring, Naomi fights up and flips out of a back suplex. Riott ducks two spin kicks, and they both connect with kicks on each other. Both women are down. They slowly get to their feet and trade kicks to the legs. Naomi then wildly kicks away at her and takes her down. Naomi hits a forearm and a spinning back elbow. Naomi sends her into the ropes and takes her down with a springboard kick for a near fall. Riott is sent into the ropes, but she holds on and forearms Naomi in the back of the head. Naomi quickly kicks her back and comes off the top rope, but Riott moves. Naomi kicks her in the head and goes for a bulldog, but Riott shoves her to the corner. Riott connects with the Riott Kick for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Ruby Riott
Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch quickly get in the ring, but Riott runs off with her squad. Riott signals that she’s taken out two with one more to go: Charlotte Flair. Flair looks at her with a smirk. They’ll face with the Smackdown Women’s Championship on the line at Fastlane.
Not a bad match at all with Naomi and Ruby Riott. I really like Riott. She's definitely the most polished of the group and has a solid character that could definitely have a high ceiling as a heel. #SDLive
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) February 28, 2018
Tonight’s main event will see AJ Styles take on John Cena. If Cena wins, he’ll be added to the Fastlane main event.
Breezango is backstage when Josh Duhamel comes up to them. Duhamel is starring in a USA movie about the deaths of Tupac and Biggie. They ask him to help solve their mystery since he solves crimes. Fandango says they solved his crime and shows him Big E. Duhamel says they’re trying to solve the mystery of Biggie Smalls. Big E does a mini rap. Duhamel says he’s not an actual detective. He only plays one. Breezango is devastated.
-Commercial Break-
The New Day talk about their title opportunity
The New Day makes their way to the ring. A loud “New Day Rocks” chant fires up. Xavier Woods says they want to secure their position on the grandest stage of them all. They pose while pointing at the WrestleMania sign. First they have to go to Fastlane to face their greatest rivals. Kofi Kingston says they pushed them to their limits: Jey and Jim, the Usos. Big E says this rivalry is hotter than his inner thighs in the summer… and the winter. Big E orders to Kingston to “spritz” him three times in the crotch. Kingston takes out a small bottle and spritzes the area. Kingston says they respect The Usos, but this is about winning. When they win, they’ll go down to Bourbon Street and party because New Day Rocks!
The Usos cut off the chanting and the dancing. Jimmy Uso says they’re spreading the power of positivity through pancakes. They’re right about one thing: they went to war, but only one tag team was left standing tall with the titles. They get in the ring and hold up their Smackdown Tag Team Titles. Jey Uso says they used to be just like The New Day dancing and singing while looking like a box of Skittles. It didn’t take them to the next level. Jimmy says it’s time for a dose of reality. They’ve been grinding for nine years. A whole bunch of blood, sweat, and tears have been spilled. They’ve been trying to prove that The Usos belong on WrestleMania. Jey says year after year they’ve been passed over. Nine years in the game, zero WrestleManias. This year is their time. Jey says they’ll run right through them like they always do. Jimmy says they’re the starters, and The New Day is on the sideline. Jey says they adapt and move with the game, while The New Day is stuck in the last five years.
Big E asks if they’ve lost their minds. THey’ve been at the top, where they belong. They’ve been breaking barriers and setting records. They hosted WrestleMania while they were eating in the back eating catering. They didn’t get here because of their Daddy’s. They’re not on the sidelines because they rushed the field and took the field. They’ll become World Tag Team Champions again. There’s not a damn thing either of them can do about it. The Usos throw down their microphones and go face-to-face with them.
They’re stopped by the music of The Bludgeon Brothers. They make their slow walk to the ring with their oversized sledgehammers. Harper and Rowan remove their jackets at ringside and look back at their sledgehammers. They then pick them up and get on the apron. The Usos and The New Day stand their ground before slowly leaving and giving The Bludgeon Brothers the ring.
I thought that was a pretty darn good promo from The New Day and The Usos. It's rare to see Big E get fired up and serious. He did a good job with his comeback. I never realized The Usos have never had a #WrestleMania match. Kind of surprised by that one. #SDLive
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) February 28, 2018
John Cena faces WWE Champion AJ Styles in a non-title main event. If Cena wins, he is added to the WWE Championship match at WWE Fastlane.
A video is shown from earlier in the day of Shane McMahon with Rusev and Aiden English. English accuses McMahon of being jealous that no one wants a “Shane McMahon Day.” McMahon puts English in a match against Shinsuke Nakamura. Rusev shrugs and smirks.
-Commercial Break-
Dolph Ziggler cuts a promo about how he’s born to main event WrestleMania. Ziggler says this is reality.
Randy Orton will face Bobby Roode for the WWE United States Championship at WWE Fastlane.
Renee Young is backstage with Bobby Roode. Roode is excited about facing Randy Orton. Roode wants to be the greatest United States Champion in history. In order to do that, he has to test himself against the best. Orton is one of the greatest WWE superstars of all time. Orton seems to have a problem with him. Roode wonders if it has to do with him ranking higher than Orton on the Smackdown Superstars Top 10 List. Randy Orton walks up to him. Orton says it’s not about the list. It’s about the title. Orton has never had a run with the title in 16 years. Roode is the guy he has to run through to get it.
Rusev and Aiden English are in the ring, and the crowd is buzzing for Rusev. English insults Los Angeles and Shinsuke Nakamura. None of them deserve to celebrate Rusev Day. Rusev is pumped up for that song.
Aiden English w/ Rusev vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Nakamura applies a waistlock, but English elbows him in the face. Nakamura twists out of an arm bar, but English gets out and shoulder blocks him down. Nakamura gets up and sidesteps him. Nakamura then challenges him. Nakamura knees him in the midsection and drops a knee. English avoids a big kick and rolls out of the ring to recover. Rusev comes up to him for a pep talk. Nakamura gets English in the ring. English distracts the referee, and Rusev kicks Nakamura in the head to a big reception. A loud “Rusev Day” chant fires up while we go to commercial.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see English still on the offensive against Nakamura. English puts him on the top rope, but Nakamura knocks him down. Rusev quickly distracts him, and English capitalizes with a fireman’s carry back slam for a near fall. English screams that it is “Rusev Day.” English puts him in the corner and charges, but Nakamura puts him on the top rope. English avoids a knee and hits a cross-body block, but Nakamura is quickly up, and he boots English down. Nakamura forearms English down and kicks away at the chest before connecting with a stiff kick to the head. Nakamura knees him in the midsection and lays him across the top rope for a knee to the ribs. Nakamura connects with the Kinshasa for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Shinsuke Nakamura
Nakamura starts to leave the ring, but John Cena’s music hits. Cena goes face-to-face with Nakamura before pointing at the WrestleMania sign. Nakamura points at it as well and walks off. Cena faces WWE Champion AJ Styles next in a non-title match. If Cena wins, he’ll be added to the WWE Championship match at WWE Fastlane.
Fun little match with Shinsuke Nakamura defeating Aiden English. I'm a huge fan of the #RusevDay shtick. It's amazing how things that were in throwaway segments get over while the company tries their hardest to get major things over with mixed results. Organic vs. non. #SDLive
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) February 28, 2018
-Commercial Break-
Lilly Singh, some YouTuber, is shown at ringside.
John Cena vs. AJ Styles
If John Cena wins this non-title match, he’ll be added to the WWE Championship match at WWE Fastlane.
The bell rings, and they circle the ring before stopping to listen to the dueling chants from the crowd. A loud “AJ Styles” chant takes over. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are seen watching backstage. They lock up, and Styles applies a waistlock. Cena fights out and elbows him in the head. Cena punches him before hitting a snapmare for a one count. Cena quickly goes to a chin lock. Styles fights up and whips him off, but Cena shoulder blocks him down. Cena punches him down in the corner and stomps him. The referee backs Cena up. Cena hits a snapmare and covers for a two count. Cena goes back to the chin lock. Styles elbows out and chops him to the corner. Styles sends him to the corner, but he runs into a boot. Cena hits an awful tornado DDT for a near fall.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the break to see Cena catch Styles with a back suplex powerbomb. Cena hits a 5 Knuckle Shuffle and goes for the Attitude Adjustment, but Styles gets out. Styles hits the Ushigoroshi. Styles goes for the Styles Clash, but Cena counters into a catapult into the corner. Cena hits a TKO for a near fall. Baron Corbin is seen watching backstage. Cena puts him on the top rope and punches. Cena goes for a Super AA, but Styles slides off and hits a Rack Bomb for a near fall. Styles tries for a Styles Clash, but Cena gets him up for an electric chair sit-out face-buster for a near fall. Cena has a wild and focused look in his eyes. Cena warns him not to get up. Cena turns him inside out with a clothesline for a near fall. Cena waits for him to get up and says, “Let’s finish this.” Styles then catches him with a kick to the head.
-Commercial Break-
We come back from the final break of the evening to see both men down. During the break, Styles hit Cena with a Styles Clash for a near fall. Cena also avoided a Phenomenal Forearm and hit an AA, but Styles kicked out. Back to live action, Cena gets to his feet, but Styles lays him out with a vicious clothesline. Cena avoids a Lionsault and hits a Code Red for a near fall. Cena immediately pulls him to the center of the ring and applies the STF. Styles manages to get out and sidesteps Cena charging in the corner. Cena hits the turnbuckles ribs-first and collapses. Styles then connects with the Phenomenal Forearm for a near fall!
The crowd is chanting, “This is awesome.” Styles goes to the apron and hits a springboard 450 Splash, but Cena gets the knees up! Cena hits an AA and rolls through into a second AA attempt, but Styles gets to the apron and leaves the ring. Cena follows him out and charges, but Styles moves causing Cena to hit the ring steps. Styles rolls into the ring. The referee is starting a count-out, but Styles tells the referee to stop. Styles leaves the ring, and Cena grabs him. Cena then hits an AA through the commentary table! Cena rolls into the ring and is looking for a count-out! Styles crawls and uses a fan to pull himself up. Styles then gets in the ring at nine. Cena punches the mat in frustration. Cena picks him up, but Styles slides out and applies a Calf Crusher! Cena screams in pain and thinks about tapping out, but he looks back at the WrestleMania sign. Cena then powers up and hits an AA for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: John Cena
Another great match with AJ Styles and John Cena. What a treat to get to recap that match. I'm not a huge fan of the WWE Champion losing, but I don't think his title reign is in jeopardy at #WWEFastlane.
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) February 28, 2018
John Cena will be added to the WWE Championship match at WWE Fastlane! Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn make their way to the ring. Baron Corbin then attacks Cena from behind. Owens and Zayn join in on the triple-team. They target AJ Styles as well until Dolph Ziggler makes the save. Ziggler superkicks Corbin and Zayn, and knocks Owens out of the ring. Ziggler stands tall with Cena and Styles before attacking Styles. Cena then lays Ziggler out with a quick AA to end the show.
Overall, this was a pretty strong effort from #SDLive. I really enjoyed the show. It flew by for me.
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) February 28, 2018
What did you think of tonight's #SDLive from Los Angeles?
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) February 28, 2018
Our live coverage of WWE Mixed Match Challenge in Los Angeles begins now!
Quick Match Results
* Baron Corbin def. Sami Zayn
* Ruby Riott def. Naomi
* Shinsuke Nakamura def. Aiden English
* John Cena def. AJ Styles (non-title)
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Twitter – @MikeTedescoWV
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