Tonight on SmackDown - how will Cody Rhodes respond to assault by Randy Orton and Pat McAfee - and what's this surprise McAfee has in-store for the WWE Universe? Drew McIntyre promises to expose the real Jacob Fatu on SmackDown, Sami Zayn will be out for payback on Trick Williams, Royce Keys makes his SmackDown debut and more.
Check back for live results when the show airs at 8/7 C.
Rhea Ripley makes her way out to open SmackDown. Ripley is pissed and congratulates Jade Cargill for finding out her one and only weakness - Iyo Sky. Ripley tells Cargill to come out so she can whoop her ass. Iyo Sky's music plays and she comes out instead. Sky says she knows Ripley is angry and she is as well. Sky tells Ripley that she knows she'll come out on top at WrestleMania but she wants to get revenge on Cargill tonight. Ripley says Sky isn't 100% and asks Sky if she is sure she wants this because Ripley says she can take care of Cargill. Sky says she wants Cargill tonight. Nick Aldis comes out and says he had something else in mind, but he won't let a good match pass by so he agrees to the match as the main event tonight.
Lyra Valkyria & Bayley, and Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss are shown backstage.
Match 1: Bayley w/Lyra Valkyria -vs- Alexa Bliss w/Charlotte Flair
Bayley and Bliss lock up after some dilly dallying. Bayley drops Bliss and covers her for a near fall. Bayley knocks Bliss around some more and covers her again. More punches and kicks and Bliss now gets Bayley on the mat. Bayley slams Bliss in the corner and then tries kicking her but Bliss counters. Bayley is knocked into the ropes and Bliss stands on her and slams her head into the mat. Bliss surfs on Bayley some more and Bayley knocks Bliss out of the apron and kicks her through the ropes.
We come back from a break and Bliss kicks Bayley and hits Natural Selection and covers Bayley for a near fall. Bliss trips Bayley and misses a Senton so Bayley hits a sunset flip into the turnbuckle and covers Bliss for a near fall. Bayley climbs the ropes and Flair distracts Bayley, Bliss gets to her and hangs Bayley on the turnbuckles. Bliss kicks Bayley off and then climbs up herself and hits a Tornado DDT and covers Bayley who kicks out at two. Bliss sets up for Sister Abigail and Bayley reverses and hits a Bayley to Belly and both women are down. They're back up and they trade punches. Bliss rolls up Bayley who kicks out at two. They trade pinning attempts back and forth until Bayley slams Bliss into the corner. Bayley comes off the top rope with an elbow and covers Bliss who kicks out at two. Bliss rolls out of the ring, Bayley goes out after her and chops Bliss outside the ring and then she taunts Flair. Bliss gets guillotined on the ropes and Flair shoves her jacket in Bayley's face causing a distraction allowing Bliss to roll her up for the win.
Winner: Alexa Bliss
Matt Cardona talks to Carmelo Hayes backstage. Cardona tells Hayes he'll have to be patient for his WrestleMania moment. Trick Williams and Little Yachty come by and Williams tells Hayes he thought Hayes was going to win last week. Hayes tells Williams to screw off as he has to rehab his knee and Williams cost him the match. Hayes tells Williams he hopes he wins at WrestleMania so he can beat Williams after. Hayes leaves, Williams and Cardona get in each others faces and Yachty says they should fight tonight.
A video promo for Drew McIntyre plays where he calls out Jacob Fatu ahead of their WrestleMania match next weekend. Fatu is backstage watching the promo - Cathy Kelley asks him about his reaction to McIntyre attacking his character. Fatu says McIntyre will find out - and Solo Sikoa and MFTs come by. Sikoa says Fatu's past makes the family name look bad. Fatu says they're not doing this today but they can after he's done with McIntyre. Sikoa brings up Fatu being attacked the last time they were in San Diego. Sikoa tells Tama Tonga to have his back and he and Fatu step up to each other. Sikoa says he'll talk to Aldis for a match.
We get a video package for Royce Keys, highlighting his roots and his story to becoming a wrestling superstar. We then cut backstage and see Keys walking backstage.
Match 2: Royce Keys -vs- Berto w/Angel
Berto tries to take Keys down at the bell and it just pissed Keys off. Keys knocks down Berto and tosses him in the air and slams Berto down with a powerslam. Berto is punched in the corner and Berto then rolls out of the ring. Keys comes out and scares Angel allowing Berto to cheapshot Keys into the ring post. Back in the ring, Berto hits a missile dropkick and covers Keys for a one count. Berto punches Keys and gets him in the corner and punches Keys at the turnbuckle. Keys powers out and Berto jumps at him and is caught. Keys tosses Berto with a Fallaway slam and then hits a running powerslam. Keys slams into Berto in the corner and then drapes Berto on the top rope. Keys clotheslines Angel off the apron and hits Berto with a spinebuster and gets the win.
Winner: Royce Keys
In the parking lot, a Dodge Ram pulls up and Pat McAfee comes out of the truck. Nick Aldis comes out and McAfee asks if Aldis has made WWE aware he can't be touched. Aldis says he has and McAfee walks into the arena. Jelly Roll approaches him and asks McAfee if he's the reason Randy Orton RKO'd him and ask McAfee why he's here. McAfee says Jelly Roll is an outsider and doesn't belong in the WWE. Jelly Roll and McAfee go back and forth and Jelly Roll pushes McAfee. Aldis breaks them up and McAfee leaves.
Royce Keys is being interviewed. Solo Sikoa comes by and tells Keys that his door is always open for Keys.
At ringside, Pat McAfee comes out and flips everyone off. McAfee gets in the ring and calls San Jose a shithole. McAfee says it's crazy that he's being boo'd when he's the hero in this entire story. McAfee talks about CM Punk calling him Pat MAGAfee and talks about how it's hard to take Punk seriously because he's a merch guy and when TKO pays him for the merch Punk sells - where does it go? Right into the "I'm sorry, Saudi Arabia" account and calls Punk a fraud. He compares Punk to a politician - all talk, no action and then calls Punk a little bitch. McAfee says he's a man of action and change and he's everything Punk says he is. McAfee agrees that ticket prices are too high to see Punk but they pay the amount to watch Randy Orton. McAfee says this is why he decided to be the hero and decided to help everyone out. He called the official sponsor of WrestleMania, Ram Trucks, and they'll give 25% off to all tickets to Saturday night's WrestleMania from now till the end of RAW on Monday. McAfee says Saturday night is worth it to watch Orton and to not bother watching WrestleMania on Sunday. McAfee says Orton will win the title at WrestleMania. McAfee pokes fun at San Jose and Cody Rhodes' music hits and he comes out to the ring. McAfee mocks Rhodes by singing his theme music incorrectly. Rhodes tells McAfee that he can pretend to be a WWE superstar and then go back to whoever sent him here and tell them "thank you, Daddy." Rhodes calls McAfee a play wrestler and talks about the attitude era being 30 years ago. Rhodes talks about McAfee disrespecting wrestling fans and calls them family - not marks or customers. Rhodes says for the first time ever the entire fandom of WWE agrees they want to see Randy Orton and they do not want to see Pat McAfee. Rhodes tells McAfee to go home and drops the mic and poses in the ring. The fans chant "go home, Pat." McAfee says he is home and he was born to be in this business and Rhodes was born into this business with a silver spoon and calls Rhodes fake and a cosplay champion. McAfee says he and Orton will rid Rhodes from the WWE. McAfee says if Orton doesn't win at WrestleMania, McAfee will never be back in the WWE ever again. Rhodes gets the mic again and asks McAfee if he remembers YEETing his face off last year and if McAfee is fed up with the WWE they should get Gunther to come out and put him to sleep again. Rhodes leaves the ring and McAfee makes fun of Rhodes and his stint and Stardust and asks if Rhodes is going to the back to kiss Triple H's butt. Rhodes takes off his jacket and storms back in the ring. Orton shows up on the screen and we see Jelly Roll is on the ground after being taken out by Orton. Orton drags Jelly Roll out to the entryway. Rhodes runs to Jelly Roll and Orton runs back. McAfee approaches Rhodes and Jelly Roll and Orton runs back out and beats up Rhodes. Jelly Roll gets up and gets to the ring and goes after McAfee and Orton knocks Jelly Roll off the apron. Rhodes gets back on his feet and punches Orton. McAfee clocks Rhodes from behind and Orton hits a draping DDT on Rhodes. Orton strikes Rhodes with the WWE Championship belt and he and McAfee pose in the ring.
Randy Orton and Pat McAfee walk backstage. McAfee says Orton is saving the business and Orton tells McAfee to take care of the WWE title they stole from Rhodes. Orton and McAfee get into the dodge ram and drive away.
Nick Aldis is backstage. The Miz and Kit Wilson run in and are mad they lost their tag match last week due to Danhausen's curse. Aldis says they can't do anything as it's outside the scope of control for Aldis. Aldis issues a Wilson -vs- Danhausen match for tonight.
Match 3: Jacob Fatu -vs- Tama Tonga
Fatu and Tonga collides and neither move and Fatu strikes Tonga. Fatu misses a shoulder check and Tonga beats on Fatu in the corner. Fatu takes down Tonga with a spinning clothesline. Fatu strikes Tonga and knocks him to the mat. Fatu moonsaults onto Tonga who rolls out of the ring. Fatu flies between the ropes and takes out Tonga.
Back from a commercial break, Fatu and Tonga trade punches. Tonga elbows Fatu and Fatu kicks Tonga back. Tonga kicks Fatu and Fatu clotheslines Tonga down. Fatu collides with Tonga in the corner and headbutts Tonga in the corner. Some running hip attacks are hit and Tonga kicks down Fatu after the second one. Tonga slams down Fatu and covers him for a near fall. Fatu tries for a Samoan Drop and Tonga counters to a spinning neckbreaker and almost gets the win. Tonga sets up for cutthroat and Fatu kicks Tonga and then hits a pop-up Samoan Drop and then hits a Moonsault and gets the win.
Winner: Jacob Fatu
After the match, Drew McIntyre runs out and attacks Fatu and the two fight in the ring until it's broken up.
Danhausen and R-Truth talk backstage. Damian Priest comes by and is unsure whether he wants to know what they're up to. Priest is happy Truth doesn't think Danhausen is Asuka. Truth forgets and Priest asks in what world Truth thinks Priest believed Asuka was Danhausen. We heard some ruckus and B-Fab flies through the screen and crashes to the ground. Rhea Ripley shows up and says one down, two go.
Sami Zayn comes out to the ring. Zayn mentions the interesting reaction he gets coming out to the ring. Zayn says the winds have changed and he talks about how he made changes and became more cutthroat and he comes out and he can tell people out here want a change. Zayn talks about the sacrifices he's made and says he only cares about the fans who have ridden with him from the start and says he will never betray the fans that have always had his back. He says he doesn't know what he did to get the boos - but it's ok because he doesn't care because he only cares about his ride or die fans. He says if he focuses on those fans, all his anxiety is gone and he will walk out of WrestleMania as a champ. The lights go off and Trick Williams' music plans and Williams stands on his 360 stage and Little Yachty comes out and joins him. Williams and Yachty get in the ring and Williams says people are tired of hearing Zayn talk. The fans cheer, and Williams says he'll beat the hell out of Zayn at WrestleMania. Williams says Zayn hates him and is jealous of how good Williams is. He says Zayn doesn't like how Williams has "it" and Zayn doesn't. Zayn tells Williams that people don't love Williams but rather people are infatuated by him. Zayn tells Williams that at the end of the day, Williams is going to face a WrestleMania main eventer. Zayn says Williams is unprepared and they'll find out if Williams can walk his talk or if he's just talk. Yachty tells Zayn next week, there will be a new champ. Matt Cardona's music comes out as he's up next against Williams.
Match 4: Trick Williams w/Little Yachty -vs- Matt Cardona
They lock up and Williams gets Cardona on the mat with a headlock. Williams takes Cardona down with a shoulder check and then gets Cardona in another headlock. Cardona knocks down Williams with a body check and Williams crawls to the ropes, creating space between then two. Williams rolls out of the ring and gets back in after taking a mini break and they lock up again. The two roll around the ring on the ropes while locked up and they break and lock up again. Williams knees Cardona and Cardona tackles Williams into the corner. Cardona punches Williams and beats on him in the corner. Williams takes Cardona down with a running knee and slams him down to the mat. Cardona is kicked and then chopped in the corner. Williams chops Cardona again and Cardona blocks the third one and punches and strikes Cardona. Yachty chokes Cardona while the ref talks to Williams. Williams then is taken down with a clothesline and then gets tripped into the ropes. Cardona dropkicks Williams out of the ring, and Cardona then kicks Williams through the middle rope. Cardona sends Williams back in the ring and kicks Williams. Cardona punches Williams and Williams trips Cardona and we cut to a commercial.
Back to SmackDown, Cardona strikes Williams in the middle of the ring and Williams knocks Cardona to the mat and then mounts him and unleashes several punches to Cardona's face. Cardona slams down Williams and then strikes him. Williams punches Cardona and Cardona falls to the mat. Cardona hits Williams with a facebuster and then punches Williams in the corner. Cardona hits a Broski Boot and then hits The Unprettier and covers Williams for a near fall. Cardona gets guillotined on the ropes and then is hit with a Trick Slap. Williams covers Cardona for a near fall. Cardona is thrown over the ropes to the outside and Williams comes out and clotheslines Cardona. Williams pushes Zayn who is outside the ring and sends Cardona back in the ring. Zayn talks smack to Williams and calls Williams out before getting on the apron. Yachty pulls Zayn off the apron and Zayn runs at Yachty and hits him with a Helluva Kick sending Yachty over the barricades. Cardona tries to roll up Williams but Williams gets in The Trick Shot and gets the win.
Winner: Trick Williams
A promo for the Brock Lesnar/Oba Femi collision at WrestleMania plays.
Match 5: Danhausen -vs- Kit Wilson w/The Miz
We get the bell and Wilson pushes Danhausen's face. Danhausen dropkicks Wilson and hits a bridged suplex and Wilson kicks out at two. Wilson talks to The Miz and then kicks Danhausen. Danhausen gets kicked and punched and Danhausen gets out of the ring and embraces The Miz. Wilson comes out and hits a flying elbow on Danhausen and then sends him back in the ring. Wilson collides with Danhausen with some running shoulder checks and covers him for a two count. Danhausen hits Wilson with a jawbreaker and Wilson clotheslines Danhausen down. Wilson climbs the ropes and goes to jump down at Danhausen but Danhausen curses him. Pyro comes out of the ring post and Wilson nuts himself and falls into the ring. Danhausen takes out The Miz on the apron and delivers a big boot to Wilson and gets the win.
Winner: Danhausen
After the match, The Miz tries to attack Danhausen but Danhausen vanishes from the ring.
Jade Cargill walks backstage looking for Michin. Michin is laid out with a kendo stick and Michin tells Cargill Rhea Ripley attacked her.
Iyo Sky stretches backstage. Rhea Ripley comes by and tells Sky that she's taken care of Michin and B-Fab. Sky tells Ripley to stay backstage for her match so they have no distractions. Ripley asks Sky to leave some of Jade Cargill for her at WrestleMania.
Match 6: Iyo Sky -vs- Jade Cargill
We get the bell, Sky charges at Cargill and dropkicks her. Sky punches Cargill in the corner and Cargill takes Sky down with a shoulder check. Cargill slams down Sky and covers her arrogantly and Sky kicks out at one. Sky kicks Cargill and hits a jumping dropkick and knocks Cargill out of the ring. Sky goes for a suicide dive but is met with a right hand by Cargill. Cargill slams Sky onto the apron and we cut to a break.
Back to our main event, Sky punches Cargill and Cargill decks her back to the corner. Sky kicks Cargill from the corner and comes off the middle rope and Cargill catches her. Sky reverses and DDTs Cargill to the mat. Sky connects with some elbows, punches and a dropkick. Sky slams Cargill's arm on the ropes and then comes off the top rope with a missile dropkick. Sky hits her Bullet Train Attack on Cargill and walks over Cargill and climbs the ropes. Sky goes for her Moonsault but Cargill gets on her feet and presses Sky from the corner and Sky counters into a rear naked choke hold. Cargill powers out of the hold and slams Sky to the mat. Cargill misses a pumpkick and is rolled up for a near fall. Cargill hits a sitout powerbomb and covers Sky who kicks out at two. Sky rolls up Cargill and stomps on Cargill as Cargill was going for Jaded. Cargill rolls out of the ring and Sky hits a springboard Moonsault onto Cargill outside the ring. Cargill is sent back in the ring and when Sky gets in the ring, Cargill rolls back out. Sky strikes Cargill and Cargill slams Sky into the steel steps and then sends Sky back in the ring. Cargill connects with a pumpkick and then hits Sky with Jaded and gets the win.
Winner: Jade Cargill
After the match, Cargill goes and gets a chair. Rhea Ripley comes out and makes the save before Cargill can hit Sky. Cargill leaves the ring with the chair and then sits on it. Ripley stays in the ring to tend to Sky as the show goes off the air.
