Smackdown is in Indianapolis, Indiana this week. AJ Styles comes to the ring to kick off the show. Styles cut a promo, talking about his match on Sunday, and about himself in general. Nakamura comes out to the ring too. Nakamura says that his dream his to put his knee to Styles’ face, and to become champion. After this, Rusev and Aiden English come out too. It’s because Rusev faces Styles next. Wow, this segment felt lame. Nakamura barely got to say anything, then the segment just kinda ended. This did NOTHING to build the Wrestlemania match.
AJ Styles vs. Rusev
After the break we get out first match. Styles did a Phenomenal Forearm to the outside before another commercial break. Rusev did a nice Superkick for a two count. Styles dodged a move for a Pele Kick and a neck-to-knee move. Styles tried to end it with a Styles Clash but Rusev reversed it into an Accolade. Styles turned the Accolade into a Calf Crusher. Aiden English jumps in as Styles was about to win, ending the match. As this two-on-one brawl started, Shinsuke came in from ringside to save Styles. While he ends the brawl, he does not check up on Styles, he just leaves. I thought that was a good little detai.
Jimmy Uso and Big E vs. The Bludgeon Brothers
After ½ of The Usos and ⅔ of the New Day were taken out by The Bludgeon Brothers, what’s left tries to get their revenge. They are set for a match, but it quickly devolves into a brawl. Jimmy and Big E grab steel chairs, while The Bludgeon Brothers have huge hammers. The chairs did nothing, and the two jumped out of the ring. We come back from the break with a match underway. So much for the brawl, I guess?
To most likely nobodies surprise, The Bludgeon Brothers dominated. After the match, they continued.
Charlotte and Asuka
Charlotte comes out because she wants to meet Asuka “woman-to-woman”. Asuka comes out shortly after. The two trade promos. Asuka says that Charlotte is the Queen, but she is the Empress. I thought this was good, I have no complaints.
Bobby Roode vs. Jinder Mahal
After the break, Randy Orton is in the ring with a mic. I’ve notice there is a lot of talking segments this week. Orton talks about how he is the US Champion now. Bobby Roode comes out next, and says that he gets a rematch was Wrestlemania. Jinder Mahal interrupts, because I guess he has a match with Roode now. Late in the match, Roode hit a Spinebuster for a close count. Samir Singh distracted Roode, letting Jinder get control of the match. He hit a Collass, to win the match. Afterwards, Orton hit an RKO on Jinder.
Naomi vs. Carmella
Carmella squares up one on one against Naomi. This match is to promote the Moolah Battle Royale which will happen at Wrestlemania this year. Carmella got the cheap roll-up win after countering a move that Naomi was attempting to do off the second rope.
Shane comes to the ring. He says that after tonight he is taking an indefinite leave as Smackdown manager. Before he leaves, he books Kevin Owens versus Sami Zayn for Wrestlemania. Kevin Owens comes out, not liking this idea. Sami also comes out, very angry as well. A brawl breaks out between all three. Owens and Zayn gang up on Shane. Referee’s come out attempting to stop this, but they beat up the refs too. Outside the ring, they wedged a chair in-between Shane’s head, then ran him into a post. They both drag him backstage, and slam him onto some sort of metal table? I have no clue what it was. Shane gets stretchered off as the show goes off-air.
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