WWE Smackdown LIVE Coverage - April 2nd, 2019

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Bryan and Kingston sign their WrestleMania contract

Kofi Kingston is going to WrestleMania, but he wants it guaranteed in writing. After Big E & Xavier Woods won a Tag Team Gauntlet Match to earn him a WWE Championship Match with Daniel Bryan on The Grandest Stage of Them All, The Dreadlocked Dynamo is a little weary about Mr. McMahon pulling any last-minute stunts. So, the WWE Champion and his challenger will put pen to paper, just five nights before The Show of Shows. What will happen when these two rivals meet face to face?

:smackdown:

- The final WWE SmackDown before WrestleMania 35 opens live from the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore, Maryland as Tom Phillips welcomes us. He's joined by Corey Graves and Byron Saxton. They will have an update on the WrestleMania 35 main eventers later following last night's arrest. Also, Kofi Kingston and WWE Champion Daniel Bryan will sign their WrestleMania 35 contract.

- We go to the ring and Kevin Owens is waiting for another edition of The Kevin Owens Show. Owens thanks us and welcomes us to a special edition of his show. He plugs WrestleMania 35 and says both of his guests will try to continue their legacy on Sunday. Owens introduces Randy Orton first and out he comes to a pop.

Orton enters the ring and hits the turnbuckles to pose. Owens introduces AJ Styles next and out he comes to a pop. We get a look back at what happened last week when Orton interfered in the match between Styles and WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle. Owens says everyone last week was looking forward to Angle's last match on SmackDown but Orton didn't allow that to happen. Owens sees the smirk on Orton's face and asks if he's proud of what he did. Orton says hell yeah he is. He goes on and says he saved the WWE Universe from having to watch the match. AJ knocks Orton for learning just 1 move after being in the ring with Legends and Superstars for many years years, even though it is a deadly move. Orton says when you've got a move that's as deadly as that, all you need is one.

Orton says fans think these indie guys have it so hard trying to support their families and make ends meet, traveling around the world, from high school gymnasium to armory, back to another gymnasium, all while trying to make $50. Orton goes on about how much money he made over the years by wrestling in front of thousands of people. AJ admits that is true and brings up how Orton was also in WWE getting suspended for failed drug tests. Orton says if AJ was as good as he thinks he is, he would've been in WWE a long time ago. Orton says AJ thinks his legacy is hard work paying off but that's not right. Orton is going to tell AJ what his legacy is now. Now that John Cena has gone off to Hollywood, AJ has taken the role of corporate b---h.

Owens exits the ring as tensions mount. Fans pop as Orton and AJ get up from their chairs, staring each other down. They have words and start brawling. AJ ends up flying in from the apron with the Phenomenal Forearm but Orton catches him in mid-air with a big RKO as the loud mixed reactions continue. We go to replays.

- We see The New Day backstage looking over the WrestleMania 35 contract for the WWE Title match.

Aleister Black, Ricochet and The Usos vs. Rusev, Shinsuke Nakamura, Cesaro and Sheamus

We go to the ring and out comes Aleister Black to a pop first. We go to commercial.

Back from the break and everyone is already out for this eight-man tag team match. Ricochet starts off with Cesaro. They lock up and go to the corner. Cesaro backs off but rocks Ricochet with a cheap shot. They trade moves now and Ricochet rolls him up for a 2 count. Cesaro with a big uppercut. Sheamus tags in but Ricochet fights him off. Sheamus presses Ricochet high in the air but Black tags in as SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos look on from the apron. Black unloads on Sheamus for a 2 count.

Jimmy Uso tags in and hits Sheamus while Black holds him. Jimmy fights Sheamus off and takes him to the corner for Jey Uso to tag in. Jey gets slammed back into the corner as Sheamus takes control. Sheamus ends up driving Jey into the mat as Shinsuke Nakamura tags in. Rusev gets the tag and knocks Jey out of the ring to the floor. Rusev poses on the apron and then drives Jey into the steel ring steps. Rusev slams Jey into the ringside barrier next. Rusev brings it back into the ring and covers for a 2 count. Nakamura comes back in and keeps Jey in the corner with boots. Jey counters a move and drops Nakamura. Sheamus tags in and avoids Jey's tag. Sheamus sends Jey out too the floor and allows Cesaro to join in with a shot to Uso. We go to commercial.

Back from the break and Rusev is in control of Jey. Nakamura tags in for the quick double team. Nakamura with high knees in the corner for a 2 count on Jey. Jimmy finally gets the hot tag, taking The Bar out and then going to work on Rusev in the ring. Jimmy with a superkick fro a 2 count as Nakamura breaks it up. Ricochet comes in but Cesaro ends up nailing a huge uppercut on him. Black with a Black Mass on Cesaro. Sheamus takes out Black. Jimmy takes out Sheamus as the chaos continues. The Usos end up hitting a big double superkick on Rusev. Jimmy covers Rusev for the pin to win.

Winners: The Usos, Ricochet and Aleister Black

- After the match, the winners celebrate as WrestleMania 35 host Alexa Bliss comes out. She takes a shot at the blue brand and hypes WrestleMania 35 up. She says SmackDown has lost its spirit of competition. She brings up how The New Day forfeited a match to The New Day last week to help Kofi Kingston. She says that was so noble and so deserving... of repercussions. Bliss announces that The Usos will defend against Rusev and Nakamura, The Bar, and Ricochet and Black in a Fatal 4 Way at WrestleMania. This leads to a big brawl breaking out. The brawl ends with Black and Ricochet standing tall.

- We get a look back at the arrest segment on RAW with Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey. There will be an update to come.

- We go to the ring and out comes The IIconics - Peyton Royce and Billie Kay. Back to commercial.

They talk about how they will be in the Fatal 4 Way at WrestleMania 35 with Nia Jax and Tamina Snuka, Natalya and WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix, and WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks and Bayley. They say it's a no-brainer that they will win the titles on Sunday and make WrestleMania iconic. They do their pose to end the segment while looking up at the WrestleMania sign.

- The announcers talk more about the "Winner Takes All" main event of WrestleMania 35 and last night's segment with Washington, DC police.

1-on-3 Handicap Match: The Miz vs. SAnitY

We go to the ring and out comes The Miz. Tom says Shane McMahon has ordered The Miz to face SAnitY in a Handicap Match. We go to commercial.

Back from the break and The Miz has a mic. He talks about how WrestleMania means so many different things to other Superstars but it means retribution to him. He talks about fighting for his family and plugs the return of Miz & Mrs. later tonight. He goes on about how bad he will beat Shane McMahon in their WrestleMania 35 Falls Count Anywhere match. Miz talks more and ends the promo by calling Shane a son of a b---h. The music interrupts and out comes SAnitY - Eric Young, Killian Dain and Alexander Wolfe.

The match is about to begin when Shane's music hits and out he comes to the stage with a mic. Shane says he just wanted to come out and see this match up close and personal, but first he has Hamilton announce him as, "the best in the world, Shane McMahon." Miz looks on and he's not happy. Shane calls for the bell. Young starts off with Miz but Miz turns it around in the corner. Miz unloads and knocks the other opponents off the apron. Young drops Miz with a neckbreaker and stomps away as we go to commercial.

Back from the break and Miz turns it around on Dain and then unloads on Young when he tags in. Miz with kicks on Young in the corner as fans do the "yes!" chant. Miz takes turns with big corner shots on Young and Dain as fans go along with him. Shane interrupts from the mic and says he almost forgot something. Shane says he's out here to also tell Miz that this match with SAnitY is Falls Count Anywhere. Shane shows us a photo of when he grabbed Miz's dad George by the face at WWE Fastlane. Miz is furious as Shane leaves and SAnitY attacks him from behind.

SAnitY knocks Miz off the apron and then go to work at ringside. Dain ends up missing an attack and crashing into the barrier. Miz tosses Wolfe over the barrier and then brawls with Young in the crowd. Miz slams Wolfe into production equipment and then puts him through a table. Miz with a 2 count in the crowd as Young breaks the pin. Young and Miz brawl near the stage and into a tech area backstage. They continue brawling through the backstage area as a referee follows them. Miz launches Young into a steel door and covers for a 2 count as Dain breaks the pin up. Miz and Dain go at it now. Miz ends up sliding out of a move and shoving Dain face-first into a power box on the wall. Dain goes down.

Young and Miz brawl out the door and into the back parking lot where the WWE trucks are. It's raining but this doesn't slow the brawl down. Miz ends up dropping Young and shoving a cart into him to cover for the three count.

Winner: The Miz

- After the match, Miz stands tall and recovers as we hear his theme song play in the arena. Shane McMahon's black SUV is sitting there. Miz spots it and stares Shane down it pulls off. A police car suddenly appears with the sirens and lights on. Becky Lynch steps out and she's all smiles. Becky walks to the building as we go to commercial.

- Back from the break and we see what happened with RAW Women's Champion Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch and new SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair in last night's RAW segment with the Washington, DC Police. Corey Graves is in the ring now. Graves confirms they were all released from police custody. He introduces Becky and out she comes to a standing ovation.

Becky takes the mic and fans chant her name. She talks about thinking while in the back of the police car, about what a difference 1 year can make. Speaking from the top of the announce table because she answers to the people and not Graves, she says one year ago it was like the stars were aligning to get Flair and Rousey into the WrestleMania 35 main event, until she slapped Flair at SummerSlam. Becky goes on and says look at us now after she was determined to do what it took to get into the WrestleMania main event. Fans chant for her again. She goes on and declares she will be a double champion after the WrestleMania 35 main event. She drops the mic and her music hits as fans pop.

- Still to come, an eighteen-person mixed tag team match with The Hardys, Heavy Machinery, R-Truth, Naomi, Asuka, Nikki Cross and Carmella vs. Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, Andrade, EC3, Shelton Benjamin, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, Zelina Vega and Lana. We see the babyfaces backstage. We also see the trophies for the 6th Annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and the 2nd Annual WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal at ringside. Back to commercial.

The Hardys, Heavy Machinery, R-Truth, Naomi, Asuka, Nikki Cross and Carmella vs. Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, Andrade, EC3, Shelton Benjamin, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, Zelina Vega and Lana

Back from the break and some of the Superstars are already out for this big eighteen-person match. EC3 is out next. Andrade and Zelina Vega are out together. Carmella and R-Truth are out last.

Cross starts off with Vega and they go at it. The music interrupts and out comes Lacey Evans. She walks down towards the ring and then goes right back up to the back. Vega takes advantage and attacks Cross from behind. Cross comes back and hits a back suplex for a 2 count. EC3 tags in as does Jeff Hardy. Hardy takes control and tags in Matt Hardy for a double team move from the top. Matt works on the arm and gets a "delete!" chant going. EC3 turns it around but Hardy catches him in a Side Effect for a 2 count.

Matt takes EC3 back to the corner and unloads. Heavy Machinery come in for the double team on EC3. Otis hits The Caterpillar on EC3. Otis drops the elbow on EC3 as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Naomi goes at it with Rose. Andrade and R-Truth tag in now. Truth goes to work on Andrade and takes him down. Carmella comes in for a dance break with Truth. Karl Anderson decks Truth. Vega tangles with Carmella. The bell rings as the referee apparently calls for the bell while the ring fills up with Superstars. Everyone brawls and tries tossing each other over the top rope. Cross jumps on Shelton's back at one point and he tumbles over the top rope while she's still on his back. Jeff and Asuka take turns delivering shots to EC3. Jeff dumps EC3 over the top rope to the floor. Asuka then dumps Jeff over the top to the floor. Asuka stands tall as the last Superstar standing. She celebrates while her music hits.

- We get a video package for the WWE Universal Title match at WrestleMania 35. The announcers go over the card again.

- We see The New Day backstage getting ready for the contract signing.

Samoa Joe vs. Ali

We go back to the ring and out comes WWE United States Champion Samoa Joe for this non-title match. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and the announcers hype the 2019 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony. We go back to the ring and out comes Ali to a pop. The bell rings and they go at it. Joe unloads in the corner with strikes and delivers several headbutts while Ali is down.

Joe with more offense until Ali kicks him in the face. Joe ends up on the floor as Ali runs the ropes for a suicide dive, sending Joe into the barrier. They bring it back in the ring and Ali kicks Joe in the mouth. Ali with a big tornado DDT out of the corner for a close 2 count.

Joe comes right back with chops but Ali rocks him. Ali with a Facebuster in the middle of the ring. Ali goes to the top for the 450 but Joe blocks it on the way down. Joe grabs Ali for the Coquina Clutch. Joe drops down and tightens the hold. Joe gets the win by submission.

Winner: Samoa Joe

- After the match, Joe takes his title and clutches it as his music hits. We go to replays.

- The music hits and out comes WWE Champion Daniel Bryan with Rowan. They march to the ring for the WrestleMania 35 contract signing and Bryan raises the title in the air. We go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Michael Cole is in the ring to lead the contract signing. Cole introduces the challenger for WrestleMania 35 and out comes The New Day - Kofi Kingston with Big E and Xavier Woods. Fans pop for The New Day. They start chanting Kofi's name now. Cole goes to begin things but Bryan interrupts and says he's got it from here. Bryan signs the contract as the chants for Kofi continue.

Bryan takes the mic and says he's not here to talk Kofi out of the match, he's here to educate the masses as he's done all along. Fans continue with different versions of chants for Kofi. Bryan asks them to shut up so he can teach them an important life lesson. Cole, Kofi and The New Day look on as Bryan deals with the crowd. Bryan says here is the life lesson - do not become complacent the way Kofi has been for 11 years. Bryan goes on about how you should not become complacent. Fans are still chanting for Kofi. Bryan has another lesson - do not be a bystander in your own life, the way Kofi has been. Don't sit on the sidelines and wait on other people to push you to the top, the way Kofi has while Xavier and Big E, and the fans, tried to push them to the top.

Bryan says he has one more life lesson before handing it over - don't mistake a fad for reality. Bryan says he has been in Kofi's same shoes because fans once chanted "yes!" for him the way they are chanting "Kofi!" right now. Bryan goes on about how the chants make you feel love, make you feel stronger. Bryan says the reality is that you don't feed off the fans, they feed off you because they are parasites. Fans boo Bryan. Bryan goes on about fans being parasites and an "asshole!" chant breaks out. Bryan says this is as good as it's going to be for Kofi. Kofi has heard enough. He quickly stands up with the mic and tells Bryan to shut up.

Kofi says we've heard from Bryan for months but now it's time for Kofi to educate. Kofi goes on and says despite what Bryan says, he doesn't know anything about Kofi. Kofi gets fired up as fans start chanting for him again. Kofi says he hasn't had a real WWE Title shot but that's OK because it has all led to his. He can see the fear in Bryan and he knows Bryan knows he is ready. Fans pop as Woods and Big E cheer Kofi on. Fans chant "you deserve it!" to Kofi now. Kofi says Bryan should be scared because he's been here before and he knows what comes next. What comes next is Kofi beating Bryan and becoming WWE Champion at WrestleMania. Kofi drops the mic and signs the contract as fans pop for him. Bryan looks on, still sitting in his chair. The New Day's music hits as they celebrate Kofi's opportunity. Rowan stands next to Bryan, watching. Kofi continues staring Bryan down as Woods and Big E play to the crowd. The final SmackDown before WrestleMania 35 goes off the air with Bryan getting up from his chair to face off with Kofi.