Featuring a six-man tag match composed of the men that will taking part in one of the Elimination Chamber matches, this February 19th episode of SmackDown is the last one before Elimination Chamber this Sunday.
We start off the show with Edge, who grabs a mic to talk about the decision he’s got to make. Roman Reigns expectedly interrupts him, and it feels like his entrance takes even longer this time. Roman repeats his silly rant about how he is the only conceivable option for Edge to choose. Edge says that he sees Roman’s insecurities, saying that Roman needs him to main event WrestleMania, but Edge doesn’t need Roman.
Sami Zayn interrupts him, but Edge and Roman completely ignore him. Sami goes on about how main-eventing WrestleMania is his destiny, and Jey Uso stops him cold with a superkick. Roman and Edge don’t break eye contact the entire time, and Roman whispers something in Edge’s ear before walking away.
Apollo Crews VS Shinsuke Nakamura
With Big E on commentary, Nakamura delivers some strikes and a knee drop to Crews for 2. Crews fights back with a couple dropkicks that send Nakamura to the outside, and he tosses Nakamura onto Big E and taunts them both as we go to commercial.
When we come back, Crews is driving Nakamura to the mat with a suplex for 2. Nakamura fights back with a kick and a single leg dropkick. The King of Strong Style delivers a series of roundhouse kicks and a sliding German suplex for a close 2, but Crews fights back with a spinebuster for 2. Crews looks for a military slam, but Nakamura avoids it and rolls Crews up for the win.
Winner via pinfall: Shinsuke Nakamura
Match Rating: 3/5
After the match, Crews attacks Nakamura, dumping him outside the ring. He picks up the steel steps and looks to use them on Nakamura, but Big E gets in his way, telling him to drop the steps and walk away. Crews does so for a second, and then uses the steps on Big E. He brings Big E and the steps into the ring, and looks to beat him down further, but the referee stops him.
Big E rolls to the outside as the ref tells Crews to put the steps down, and Crews does put them down, by tossing them to the outside onto Big E. Medical personnel storm the scene, load Big E on a stretcher, and cart him away as Seth Rollins makes his entrance.
Rollins says that it’s a tragedy what happened to Big E, having one of his friends turn on him. Rollins says that he understands Big E’s pain, because last week, all of his friends turned their backs on him and refused to follow his vision for SmackDown. Seth Rollins says that he is taking legal action against the WWE because his return to the WWE was ruined. He says that all his so-called “friends” are just a bunch of losers, and the biggest loser is Cesaro. According to him, anyone who stands in his way will get the same treatment as Cesaro did.
Backstage, Kevin Owens chats with Edge about how all he can think about is beating Roman Reigns for the Universal Title at Elimination Chamber. Edge wishes him good luck, as he says it would be great to face Owens at WrestleMania.
Riott Squad VS Tamina and Natalya
Ruby Riott starts off against Natalya, who eats some chops from Ruby and shoves her away. Ruby tags in Liv, who has a flurry of offense before Tamina catches her with a hard punch to the gut. She tags in Natalya, who spears Liv into the corner. Liv rolls Natalya up for 2 and then tags in Ruby, and the two deliver a double dropkick to Natalya. Ruby beats Natalya down in the corner and delivers a running forearm. She tags in Liv and they deliver a Jersey Codebreaker/STO combo for a close 2.
Billie Kay comes down to the ring wearing cat ears and a Tamina t-shirt as Liv tags in Ruby. Kay distracts Ruby and Natalya rolls her up for 2, and the B.O.A.T looks for the Sharpshooter. Ruby shoves Natalya away, allowing her to tag in Tamina, who shoves Liv off the apron and delivers a Black Hole Slam-like maneuver for the win. Billie Kay comes in and celebrates with the winners, but Tamina shuts her down with a superkick.
Winners via pinfall: Tamina and Natalya
Match Rating: 3/5
Backstage, King Corbin approaches Edge, showing off his expensive watch. Edge points out that his phone tells the time just as well as Corbin’s expensive watch does, and the King huffs and walks away.
It’s time for a special episode of Ding Dong! Hello, hosted by Bayley, with special guests Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler. Nia and Shayna go on about how much they dislike Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair, but they’re interrupted by Reginald the sommelier, who shames them for speaking ill of Sasha. He says that if Belair and Sasha teamed up, they could easily defeat Nia and Shayna.
Sasha comes out and interrupts Reggie and tells him to never speak for her, but she is interrupted by Belair. The EST of WWE seems about to make her decision for WrestleMania, but she is cut off by Reggie, who says that they shouldn’t be fighting with each other, they should be fighting Nia, Shayna, and Bayley. He challenges them to a match, and they accept.
Sasha Banks, Bianca Belair, and Reginald VS Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler and Bayley
Belair starts off against Shayna, and I find myself missing their NXT days as Belair overpowers Shayna and shoves her with a shoulder tackle. She tags in Sasha, and the two deliver a Glam Slam/knee strike combo. Reggie does a flip for truly no reason, which distracts Sasha, allowing Shayna to tag in Nia. Nia runs over Sasha and tags in Bayley, who beats down Sasha while still wearing her outfit from hosting her show.
She tags in Shayna, who targets the left leg of Sasha. She tags in Nia, who delivers a hard slam to the Boss for 2. She looks for an avalanche in the corner, but Sasha moves out of the way. She tries to tag in Belair, but Bayley pulls her off the apron. Sasha takes out Baylay, and with no other choice, she tags in Reggie. He goes into the ring with a lot of energy, but stops dead in his tracks when he comes face to face with Nia.
She shoves him to the ground, and he tries for a drop toe hold, but Nia just doesn’t move. She looks for an avalanche, but Reggie avoids it, only to get shoved hard to the ground. Nia goes for a leg drop, but Reggie moves out of the way once more. Nia looks to tag in Shayna, but Sasha and Belair pull her off the apron. Reggie goes for a crossbody, but Nia catches him. Sasha and Belair deliver a double dropkick to Nia, and Reggie crashes down on top of her and pins her for the win.
Winners via pinfall: Sasha Banks, Bianca Belair, and Reginald
Match Rating: 3.5/5
Kayla Braxton interviews Cesaro, who says that he’s disappointed in Seth Rollins, as he could have returned as the leader that SmackDown needs, but he came back as the same narcissistic jerk as before. Edge pays a visit, and Cesaro promises to face him at WrestleMania.
Rey and Dominik Mysterio VS The Alpha Academy
With Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode on commentary, Dominik starts off against Chad Gable, who easily out wrestles the younger Mysterio. Dominik lands on his feet off a German suplex attempt and catches Gable with a hip toss and a dropkick. Gable tags in Otis, who plows through Dominik. Rey tags himself in and lands a seated senton, but when he goes for a crossbody, Otis catches, slams, and splashes him. Gable comes in to calm down Otis, who takes out Dominik as well.
Gable tells him that he should hit the ropes when he splashes, and Otis does just that to deliver another splash to Rey, and the ref calls for the bell, because apparently Gable was in the ring too long or something? After the match, Gable encourages Otis to continue the attack, and he does, delivering another splash from the top rope. I guess we just saw an Alpha Academy heel turn? Dominik has to help his dad get to the back after the match, and Rey is taking big, painful sounding, gasping breaths the whole way there.
Winners via disqualification: Rey and Dominik Mysterio
Match Rating: 2.5/5
Edge pays a visit to Daniel Bryan to tell him that his journey to become a wrestler again inspired him to train hard and wrestle again. Bryan says that he can thank him by picking him for his WrestleMania opponent if he beats Roman at Elimination Chamber.
Daniel Bryan is hanging out with Cesaro backstage, and Owens comes over, saying that they should talk strategy. Bryan says that they were talking about strategy: what they should do if Owens turns on them, as he is apt to do. Owens assures them that they won’t have to worry about getting a Stunner tonight, but this Sunday is a different story.
Reginald brings Carmella a nice glass of wine, and she assures him that she’s not mad about him helping out Sasha Banks earlier tonight. She tells him that she knows he’ll “do the right thing,” whatever that means. She takes a sip of wine, and it’s obviously not to her liking, as she splashes it in Reggie’s face and sends him to get another drink.
Jey Uso, King Corbin, and Sami Zayn VS Daniel Bryan, Kevin Owens, and Cesaro
With Edge on commentary, Jey Uso starts off against Daniel Bryan, who quickly tags in Cesaro to deliver a double hip toss. Jey runs to his corner to tag in Corbin, who tags in Sami. Sami unfortunately suffers a series of strikes from Cesaro and Daniel Bryan, after Cesaro tags him in. Sami takes out Bryan with a series of knee strikes before tagging in Corbin. The King delivers some hard punches before tagging in Sami again. The two argue, allowing Bryan to tag in Cesaro. The Swiss Cyborg comes out of the gate, taking out Corbin and Sami with some brutal European uppercuts that send Sami to the outside.
He continues to argue with his teammates, who shove him back into the ring. Cesar grabs Sami and gives him a Giant Swing. He slingshots Sami to his corner, and Corbin tags himself in, but he gets a Swing as well as we go to commercial.
When we come back, the King is still in the Swing, but when Cesaro tries to follow through into the Sharpshooter, Corbin crawls to his corner and tags in Jey, who pulls Cesaro to the outside and tosses him over the announce table. Paul Heyman comes onto commentary as well as Jey brings Cesaro back into the ring and delivers a hesitation dropkick to the Swiss Cyborg. He tags in Sami, and the Great Liberator beats down Cesaro with some stomps.
He tags in Corbin, who delivers a back suplex and an Irish Whip. He continues to beat down Cesaro before tagging in Jey, who delivers some spears in the corner. Jey locks in a chinlock, but when Cesaro fights out, Jey simply tags in Corbin to continue the assault. Cesaro fights back with a springboard corkscrew uppercut. Corbin tags in Sami and Cesaro tags in Bryan, which frustrates Owens, as he still hasn’t been in the match.
Bryan hits Sami with a running elbow and a series of kicks in the corner. Bryan stacks Sami up on the top rope and delivers an avalanche hurricanrana, but the following pin is broken up by Jey. Owens superkicks Jey, sending him to the outside, and delivers a swanton from off the top rope. Bryan delivers the Yes! Kicks, but as usual, Sami ducks the last one and rolls Bryan up for 2. He delivers the Blue Thunder Bomb, but Cesaro breaks up the pin.
Corbin takes out Cesaro, but Owens takes out Corbin. Sami looks for an attack from the top rope, but Bryan meets him at the top and delivers an avalanche butterfly suplex. He transitions cleanly into the Yes! Lock, and Sami has to tap.
Winners via submission: Cesaro, Daniel Bryan, and Kevin Owens
Match Rating: 3.5/5
After the match, Corbin comes into the ring and delivers the End of Days to Bryan. Owens hits a Stunner on Corbin, Sami suplexes Owens, Cesaro uppercuts Sami, Jey superkicks Cesaro, Edge spears Jey, and finally, Roman Reigns appears to spear Edge. The show ends with Roman standing tall over the man who could be his challenger at WrestleMania.
