Following the Royal Rumble that Drew McIntyre cost Cody Rhodes by showing up unexpectedly and tossed the American Nightmare out, I can’t say I didn’t laugh when I heard the news. Now, Rhodes attacked McIntyre from behind while he was making his entrance after retaining his Undisputed Championship in a title match versus Sami Zayn. Fans were enjoying the irate version of Rhodes as we open the curtains for tonight’s proceedings.
Cody did admit that Drew was the only one whose cracked his brain, more so than Shinsuke Nakamura ever did. The King of Strong Style comes second on my list of “Who can drive Cody Rhodes to insanity?” His lost the plot… Ha! Nevertheless, Rhodes made clear that McIntyre won’t make it to WrestleMania with that title in tow.
Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky (c) vs. Kiana James & Giulia – Women’s Tag Team Championship match
While Iyo Sky was meant to be taking care of Giulia, the Women’s US Champion had the referee distracted as Kiana James kept pulling at Sky’s hair. Ripley tried to do something but to no avail. Iyo was thrown outside the ring as Kiana used that opportunity to bang Sky’s face against the apron twice. Giulia and James even performed a double team. Once Ripely was finally tagged in, she went beast mode on the opposition. Kiana landed on her face numerous times.
Just as Rhea was preparing for the Razor’s Edge, Giulia tagged herself in. Ripley noticed and knocked her off the apron. After that, Iyo came zooming past with a suicide dive on top of Giulia like a canon. She flattened Giulia like a pancake. Something strange happened, I thought that Giulia tapped Kiana, so she could come in, but when Ripley attempted a pin on James, it was allowed despite not winning then and there. Regardless, Iyo sent Giulia into Rhea’s headbutt and Riptide as Sky performed a Moonsault that gave Ripley the opening she needed to pin Giulia successfully.
Winners: Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky
Carmelo Hayes vs. The Miz
That facebuster from Hayes wasn’t enough, but it stunned Miz like hell for a minute. A high risk leap to the outside was good and bad for Hayes since he landed slightly weirdly. When Carmelo decided to initiate a frog splash, Miz had his knees up and rolled Hayes for a near fall. Later on, Miz kept kicking Hayes repeatedly, the same way Daniel Bryan did. “Yes! Yes! Yes!” A strange time, I must say. Anyway, Hayes got out of the way of an incoming kick and almost pinned Miz.
When The Miz got up, he was going for the Skull Crushing Finale, but he was impeded by a Super Kick to the jaw, or his nose. Unfortunately for Melo, the A-Lister remained in the game for now. In return, Miz came close to pinning the US Champion. The A-Lister tried again with a Skull Crushing Finale that Carmelo was able to dodge and win with the First 48.
Winner: Carmelo Hayes
In a Elimination Chamber Qualifying match with Tiffany Stratton, Lash Legend, and Chelsea Green, Miss wanna-be USA Chelsea bulldozed Stratton and Nia Jax, who wasn’t even in the fight. Lash managed to escape. Since she was busy admiring herself, Legend used that opening to deliver a pump kick to Green’s chest. A bucklebomb from Lash to Tiffy was spine-cracking. When Chelsea ventured to pin Stratton, Jax pulled her off. That resulted in Alba Fyre attempted interference and was pushed as if she didn’t matter. Green slapped Nia, so Legend punched her. As the match wrapped up, Tiffy secured her spot with the prettiest Moonsault.
Kit WIlson continues on his crusade to scrub the indutry of toxic masculinity, so he dared anyone to come down to ring and fight him. It amazed me that his solution to stopping venomous actions from taking place is by sanctioning a brawl. Ha! He made a mistake, though. Oba Femi answered that call, and he regretted it instantly in an impromptu match. Guess who won?? It was hardly a fight, but one that was brilliant to witness nonetheless.
Following the assault he endured earlier this evening, Drew McIntyre marched his way to the ring a second time to get ambushed by Jacob Fatu. Ha! This man can’t catch a break. Even officials weren’t safe. One was tossed very closely to Wade Barrett. Fatu was seeing red like crazy. A delight for me.
Tama Tonga vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Nakamura narrowly escaped Tama by slinging him over his shoulder. The second time Tonga was flung it was to smash him on the mat hard. Shin was looking for the Kinshasa, but JC Mateo pulled his companion out of the way. Nakamura delivered a baseball slide kick for his troubles, then received some in return with a DDT from Tama. In an a venture to do furhter harm to Shinsuke, Tama was unsucessful as he fell victim to a side German suplex.
That drop on Nakamura’s neck was so painful that he couldn’t capitalize after that maneuver. Back and forth these two go in the middle of the ring. They may have both dropped to a knee, but that didn’t ultimately stop them from resuming. Nakamura had Tonga on his shoulders hoping to deliver, and he did. That worked in his favor, but it didn’t take long before Tonga Loa grabbed Shin’s ankle while the referee was busy with Mateo, so Tama could deliver the Cutthroat to the back of Nakamura’s head. Tama performed a secondary one for winning purposes.
WInner: Tama Tonga
After Liv Morgan won the Rumble, she came to SmackDown to look Jade Cargill in the eyes trying not to flinch when Cargill warned her that if she’s chosen as Morgan’s opponent, she’ll beat her ass like no mortal should endure. Liv didn’t seem too bothered, but I highly doubt she wasn’t scared. Jordynne Grace made an appearence to offer her begrudged congratulations to Liv. Grace wasn’t having it with Morgan, and neither was Jade as they simultaneously tell Liv to shut up and called this girl a “b*tch”. The one moment they agreed.
The one thing I didn’t agree with was the worst thing to come out of this exchange was sanctioning a match where Cargill and Grace were forced to team up against Morgan and Rodriguez. I did not care for that. Grace and Cargill seem to, maybe, probably won, but like I said, I don’t care. And neither did they.
Drew got jumped twice, not able to speak his mind, always getting interrupted like heck. Luckily, this time he was able to sarcastically congratulate Roman Reigns for choosing CM Punk. That left the rest of roster to shoot their chances, like Trick Williams.
Solo Sikoa vs. Aleister Black vs. Randy Orton – Elimination Chamber Qualifying match
All those bizarre moves were setups for Orton to wipe the playing field almost immediately upon the bell ringing. From the main floor, Sikoa grabbed Orton by the ankles and dragged him out. He shoved the man against a post as Williams looked on like he said he would. Back inside the ring, Solo managed to drop Aleister off his feet.
Randy hasn’t been present on the mat as Solo and Black were tassling each other like there wasn’t a third person in this fight. Their attention was focused on the one person that’s in the ring. Never mind the Viper. Aleister went wandering outside to slam Orton’s head against the commentary desk to keep him wobbling. Once he returned, Sikoa ploughed him down. The Viper definitely got hurt in a way that kept him at bay, fortunately, Randy came back by stomping on his opponents’ limbs.
Solo was so mad that Aleister interrupted him that he decided to viciously hurdle Black into the barricades. That looked so painful that Zelina Vega had to go check on him. I’m not sure what was going on with Randy, but he’s been moving gingerly since the beginning. He missed with that snap power slam and was kicked in the head once Black came back. Meanwhile, Solo nearly pinned Aleister with a pop-up Samoan Drop. Sikoa continued with double hip attacks.
Well, there’s a chance that Orton allowed his challengers to tire themselves out, so he could swoop in. Your energy preserves itself better that way. He forced Sikoa into a post before going after Aleister. A superplex from Orton to Black left him in dire straights, which gave Sikoa the means to deliver a frog splash. Unsuccessfully. Later on, Randy was triumphant in his snap power slam to Aleister once he rolled back inside the game. On the announcement desk, Orton maimed his opposition on it.
Randy came close to winning but was intercepted by Aleister’s looming presense. Black nearly won the match, yet Solo’s endurance was too strong. As Sikoa took a breather, Aleister clocked Randy with a big knee strike to the jaw. It was loud. An RKO from the Viper might have ended the match if Black hadn’t saved himself by rolling outside. That may have slowed things down a bit, however, Sikoa thinking that he could catch Randy by surprise was caught himself in an RKO.
Winner: Randy Orton
TOP PHOTO: Orton delivering an RKO to Sikoa. Courtesy of WWE
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