WWE Smackdown LIVE Coverage & Discussion - March 7th, 2017
http://i67.tinypic.com/xnw4eo.jpg
Orton And Styles Battle to Determine Bray Wyatt’s WrestleMania No. 1 Contender
The whirlwind struggle to determine WWE Champion Bray Wyatt’s No. 1 contender at The Show of Shows will reach new heights tonight on SmackDown LIVE when The Viper goes one-on-one against battles The Phenomenal One.
:smackdown:
– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown opens up with a video package on the WWE Title chase.
– We’re live from Indianapolis with Tom Phillips, JBL, Mauro Ranallo and David Otunga.
– We go right to the ring and out comes SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon. SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan is out next.
Shane welcomes everyone for a pop. He’s been dealing with the WWE Title controversy. Bryan believes the title shot should go to Randy Orton. Shane believes AJ Styles should get the shot. Bryan points out how he and Shane don’t always agree. Bryan says it’s been tradition for the Royal Rumble winner to go on and face the WWE Champion at WrestleMania. Shane says there’s never been a Rumble winner to advocate their title shot like Orton did. He shows us a replay from two weeks ago where Orton pledged allegiance to Wyatt. They talk about how AJ became #1 contender last week before Orton turned on Wyatt and declared that he was coming for him at WrestleMania 33. We see a replay of Orton setting fire to The Wyatt Family compound.
Bryan doesn’t agree with Orton’s actions but because he won the Rumble, Bryan believes he deserves the spot at WrestleMania but since he and Shane disagree… what should they do? Bryan and Shane ask again if the shot should go to Orton or Styles. It feels like they’re just wasting time here. Bryan finally hypes tonight’s AJ vs. Orton match to crown a new #1 contender. Bryan says it will be one of the most must-see SmackDown main events in history. A “yes!” chant breaks out as Bryan’s music hits.
– Still to come, John Cena teams with girlfriend Nikki Bella for the first time. We go to commercial.
– Back from the break and AJ confronts the bosses backstage. They tell him to calm down but he’s tired of this AJ conspiracy. AJ says he’s going to make the best of a bad situation and take out Orton. Styles says it will be on Shane and Bryan. AJ says he’s not afraid of a little fire, of The Viper. He’s certainly not afraid of Bryan and Shane. AJ walks off.
John Cena and Nikki Bella vs. James Ellsworth and Carmella
We go to the ring and James Ellsworth has a mic. He says we’re about to see a match that we’ll never see again. Ellsworth brags on his wins over AJ Styles and asks how many times it took John Cena to finally beat AJ. Ellsworth says the man who puts the “mack” in SmackDown is about to wipe the floor with Mr. Hustle, Loyalty and Respect. Ellsworth does an intro for his girl and out comes Carmella. John Cena’s music hits next and out he comes to a mixed reaction. Cena runs to the ring and hits the ropes. Nikki Bella is out next.
Nikki starts off with Carmella but before they can lock up the music hits and out comes The Miz and Maryse. Everyone looks on but Nikki turns around to a superkick from Carmella. Miz and Maryse laugh before heading over to commentary. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and it looks like we’ll finally get Cena and Ellsworth. Ellsworth is hesitant to come in. Carmella wants Ellsworth to be a man and fight Cena. She pushes him into Cena. Ellsworth goes for a superkick but Cena catches his leg and slams him. Cena calls for the Five Knuckle Shuffle but Carmella stops him.
Nikki runs over and drops Carmella. Cena hits a Five Knuckle Shuffle on Ellsworth while Nikki hits one on Carmella. Cena hits the Attitude Adjustment while Nikki hits the Rack Attack 2.0. Cena applies the STF while Nikki applies the Fearless Lock for the win.
Winners: John Cena and Nikki Bella
– After the match, Maryse and Miz pull Cena and Nikki from the ring and leave them laying at ringside. Miz takes the mic and says he couldn’t take it anymore… Cena and Nikki are a true disrespect to anyone who appreciates true love. Miz says Cena is a liar and his relationship is one of the biggest lies ever. Miz spends hours every day with Maryse because he loves her but asks if Cena can say the same thing about Nikki. Miz says true love doesn’t mean asking the other to sign a contract to be your girlfriend. Miz goes on about Cena being a liar and programmed like a robot. He says Cena finally found someone as money hungry as him. Miz says their fake, plastic relationship offends everyone else but that stops now. Maryse tells Nikki to wake up and calls her a bitch before dropping the mic outside of the ring. Miz and Maryse hug as Miz’s music hits.
– Still to come, SmackDown Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss will give a Blissertation and her WrestleMania opponent will be revealed.
– Renee Young is backstage knocking on Randy Orton’s door. She asks about the fire last week. Orton says he burnt the compound to the ground and if he’s capable of that, what could AJ have in store later tonight. Orton says no one will stop him from facing Wyatt at WrestleMania. He says AJ is phenomenal but he’s one RKO away from headlining WrestleMania. Orton says AJ should be very afraid and if he were AJ, he’d probably just run. We go to commercial.
– They talked about Rick Rude going into the WWE Hall of Fame.
– Back from the break and Curt Hawkins says Dean Ambrose started something last week that he can’t finish. Hawkins calls Ambrose out. The music hits and here comes the WWE Intercontinental Champion. He drops Hawkins at ringside and hits the ring. Ambrose says he was going to call Baron Corbin out but he’s in the back doing what he does. My TV feed freezes and comes back to Corbin on the big screen. He can’t understand why Ambrose is in a hurry to get this beating. He tells Ambrose to enjoy it while he can because when he’s ready, he’s taking everything from Ambrose, including the title. Ambrose says since Corbin won’t go to him, he’ll go looking for Corbin. Ambrose leaves the ring but Hawkins grabs him. Ambrose drops Hawkins with Dirty Deeds on the floor and heads to the back.
– The announcers lead us to a Women’s History Month video on WWE Hall of Famers Trish Stratus and Lita.
– Ambrose is shown backstage looking for Corbin.
– Back from a break and they plug John Cena hosting the Kids’ Choice Awards this weekend.
– Ambrose is backstage looking for Corbin again.
– Dasha Fuentes is backstage with Mojo Rawley, who has an announcement. Mojo says he will be in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 33. Mojo is looking to make his WrestleMania moment. Dolph Ziggler walks up and mocks him. Ziggler says you have to earn your WrestleMania moment. Mojo asks if that’s why Ziggler doesn’t have one. Ziggler tells Mojo not to hurt himself reaching for the brass ring. He walks off.
– Ambrose is still looking for Corbin. Corbin attacks him out of nowhere with a pipe. Corbin keeps up the assault and gets on a forklift while Ambrose is under the forks. Corbin lowers the forks and pins Ambrose down on the concrete. Referees run over to help Ambrose while Corbin retreats. They raise the forks off Ambrose and call for medical help.
– We go to the ring and out comes Mickie James with SmackDown Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss for the first-ever “Blissertation” in history. We go to commercial.
– Back from the break and Bliss welcomes us. She’s going to announce her WrestleMania 33 opponents. She says it’s not going to be Naomi because she’s home injured. Bliss disses John Cena and Nikki Bella, saying it won’t be Nikki. It also won’t be Carmella or Becky Lynch. She calls Becky “Chucky” because how she keeps coming back no matter what. Bliss goes on but the music interrupts and out comes Becky with a mic.
Becky tells Bliss to shut her face. Becky has an announcement of her own. Becky says she’s the woman that’s going to beat Bliss and take back her title at WrestleMania. Natalya’s music interrupts and out she comes. Natalya says she and Bliss are championship calibre and Becky is not in their league. She says she and Bliss came to an understanding last week. Bliss asks Natalya if she got into come catnip because she’s not getting a shot at WrestleMania. Bliss says Natalya is the worst there was, is and ever will be. They argue. Mickie grabs the mic and tells them to shut up. She says they’re ruining a special moment where Bliss will announce who she will face at WrestleMania. Mickie says that’s her. Bliss isn’t sure. Mickie thought they had a deal. Becky doesn’t like that as she’s got recent pins on Mickie. Natalya talks trash to Mickie. They all argue now. The music hits and out comes Daniel Bryan.
Bryan says he and Shane were listening to the “Blissertation” and would grade it F but Bliss says something they liked. Bryan says Bliss will defend her title at WrestleMania against every available woman on the SmackDown roster. Bliss says that’s not fair and Bryan can’t do that. Bryan says he can and he just did it, that’s literally his job. Bryan gives a shout-out to 2017 WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long and makes a tag team match. We go to commercial.
Alexa Bliss and Mickie James vs. Natalya and Becky Lynch
Back from the break and Bliss trades slaps with Natalya to start. Bliss eventually takes control and talks some trash. Natalya comes back and hits the basement dropkick for a 2 count. Becky and Mickie go at it now.
Bliss comes in and keeps up the attack on Becky. Bliss beats her down and covers for a 2 count. Becky makes a comeback and unloads for a 2 count. Bliss goes to the floor for a breather. She screams about not needing this. Becky jumps off the apron and takes Bliss down on the floor. They bring it back in and Bliss turns it around for a 2 count. Back to commercial.
More back and forth by both teams after the match. It comes down to Becky and Mickie going at it. Natalya comes in and hits a big German suplex on her partner. Fans boo. Natalya stares down at Becky and walks out on the mat. Mickie tag in Bliss, who covers Becky for the win.
Winners: Mickie James and Alexa Bliss
– After the match, Bliss raises the title and Mickie’s arm as they stand in the middle of the ring. Mickie drops Bliss with a kick to the head. Mickie takes the title and lays it over Bliss as her music plays.
– We get a look back at Corbin attacking Ambrose earlier. The announcers discuss and say Ambrose is suffering from bruised ribs, difficulties breathing and he’s coughing up blood. Phillips says he’s been taken to a local medical facility.
– Still to come, Orton vs. Styles.
– Back from the break and we get a promo from Austin Aries to hype tonight’s 205 Live.
#1 Contenders Match: AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton
Back from the break and out comes AJ Styles. The winner of this match faces WWE Champion Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania. AJ welcomes us to SmackDown, the house that he built. Styles brags about ratings and how he took the “B Show” to “The Show” but all he gets from Bryan and Shane is disrespect. AJ says Orton burns down a man’s house and gets rewarded for it. Styles was built for the WrestleMania and no one will keep him from the grandest stage of them all and making it phenomenal, not Bryan, Shane or Orton. The music hits and out comes Randy Orton.
Back from the break and the bell rings. They size each other up. AJ charges with a clothesline but misses. Orton goes for the RKO but it’s blocked. AJ goes to the floor to regroup. AJ comes back in and they lock up. Orton takes it to the corner and they break. They lock up again and AJ takes Orton down into a headlock. AJ keeps Orton grounded but Orton fights out and hits a back suplex. AJ keeps the hold applied. Orton ends up dropping AJ with a shoulder.
AJ with shoulders in the corner. AJ goes down after Orton whips him hard into the corner. Orton stomps on AJ now. Orton drops AJ over the top rope and covers for a 2 count. AJ comes back with some offense but Orton launches him across the ring. They end up on the floor and Orton slams AJ’s back over the barrier. Orton gets a pop. Orton rolls AJ back in and follows. AJ takes Orton’s knee out as he re-enters the ring. Orton rolls to the floor and sells the knee injury as we go to commercial.
Back from the break and AJ remains in control. AJ focuses on the knee but Orton fights him off. They tangle and Orton slams AJ to the mat. AJ kicks the leg and keeps Orton grounded again. Orton finally makes a comeback and hits the powerslam. Orton with a Full Nelson slam for a 2 count. Orton ends up with AJ on the top. Orton goes for a superplex but AJ slides out and pulls Orton’s legs out. Orton hits the turnbuckle chin-first. AJ scoops Orton into a fireman’s carry and slams him over his knee for a close 2 count. Orton blocks the Styles Clash. AJ gets sent to the apron.
Orton catches AJ in the second-rope draping DDT but it’s blocked. AJ gets the Calf Crusher applied. The hold is broken as Orton makes it to the rope. AJ charges but Orton side steps out of the corner. Orton runs into a kick. AJ springboards up but Orton knocks him off. Orton with the draping DDT. AJ blocks the RKO with a pele kick. AJ with more offense. AJ looks to go for a Phenomenal Forearm but Orton goes for a RKO in mid-air. AJ stops and outsmarts Orton. AJ goes on but gets caught by the RKO for the win.
Winner and New #1 Contender: Randy Orton
– After the match, Orton stands tall and hits the corner as we go to replays with AJ recovering on the ramp. SmackDown goes off the air with Orton standing tall.
