WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - March 12th, 2021
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Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns sign the contract for their WWE Fastlane clash
On an action-packed Friday Night SmackDown, Daniel Bryan and Universal Champion Roman Reigns make their WWE Fastlane title bout official, Bianca Belair and SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks join Kevin Owens on “The KO Show,” Intercontinental Champion Big E returns to the blue brand and much more!
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– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX opens up with a video package looking at how Daniel Bryan defeated Jey Uso in a Steel Cage main event last week, to earn a Fastlane title match against WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
– We’re live from the ThunderDome at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida as Michael Cole welcomes us to The Road to WrestleMania 37. He’s joined at ringside by Corey Graves.
– We go right to the ring and out comes WWE Hall of Famer Edge to a big pop.
Edge stops on the ramp and gets big pyro as Greg Hamilton does the introduction. Cole hypes Edge vs. either Daniel Bryan or Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Title at WrestleMania 37. Graves hypes the Fastlane main event between Bryan and Reigns. Edge says there will be a big contract signing tonight for Fastlane but there are some things he needs to address, like the people who have had his name falling out of their faces in recent weeks. He brings up how Reigns said a guy like Edge shouldn’t face a guy like Edge, who’s a family man. Whatever, says Edge. Edge goes on about how Reigns and Paul Heyman are great spin-doctors. Edge goes on and says he’s a carpenter of this table. He goes on about how Reigns got played when it comes to Bryan. Edge addresses Bryan now.
Edge recalls how Bryan said last week that he deserves to be in the WrestleMania main event more than Edge because he loves this and has wrestled more than Edge in recent months. Edge says it’s time to remind Bryan, Reigns and this entire fanbase just who he is. He says while Bryan was maybe wrestling once a week, he was here pulling double shots and more with Superstars and WWE Hall of Famers like The Undertaker, John Cena, Randy Orton, Batista, Eddie Guerrero, Mr. Perfect, The British Bulldog, Terry Funk, and all over a time frame of 4 decades. Edge says he is back here not because he has to be, because he loves this. He mentions how he now has to wait to find out his opponent after Fastlane.
The music interrupts and out comes Bryan to a huge “yes!” chant. Bryan says Edge talks about Reigns getting sucked in, it looks like Edge got sucked in by what Bryan said last week, which was not his intention. Bryan sets the record straight – he has an infinite amount of respect for all Edge has done in his career. Bryan sees how hard Edge works and how much he loves this, how hard he fought to get back, but let him be completely honest – when Bryan wanted to challenge Reigns for the title, it wasn’t about Edge. Bryan says he laid on the mat at Elimination Chamber and watched Edge point up at the WrestleMania sign, and yeah it demoralized him. Bryan mentions how this may be his last WrestleMania and he thought he could go into it on the backburner, but he decided to throw all he has at it and give it all he’s got to be in the main event, if it is his last one. A “yes!” chant starts again. Bryan says Edge has his spot in the WrestleMania main event so this isn’t about him. For Bryan, if he wants to main event WrestleMania he has to go to Fastlane, he has to take the title from Reigns, and that is why he went into business for himself.
Edge says Reigns has already defeated Reigns and no matter how it happens, a win is a win. Edge recalls how he dominated the Royal Rumble and says Bryan was in that match. Edge has the mutual respect for Bryan, he likes him, he just doesn’t like how he went about all this. Edge says Bryan is better than this, but not better than Edge. Edge drops the mic and walks off as his music starts back up, stopping to stare over at Bryan. Bryan looks on as Edge makes his exit, backing up the ramp while staring back at Bryan.
– Still to come, Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair will be on The KO Show. Also, Big E will be back after Apollo Crews injuring him three weeks ago.
The Street Profits, Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio vs. Otis, Chad Gable, SmackDown Tag Team Champions Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler
We go back to the ring for tonight’s eight-man tag team match and out first are The Street Profits – Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins. They make it rain red Solo cups on the stage. Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio are out next as the two teams dance around on the stage. Rey hops on his son’s back and they all head to the ring together.
Chad Gable, Otis, SmackDown Tag Team Champions Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler suddenly run down the ramp and attack the babyfaces from behind. The Profits and The Mysterios get beat up at ringside. The champs and Alpha Academy enter the ring to stand tall together, taunting the others trying to recover at ringside. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and the two teams are about ready to go. We see what happened before the break. The bell hits as Dawkins and Roode go at it. Dawkins ducks a clothesline and knocks Ziggler off the apron. Roode and Dawkins brawl now. Dawkins runs the ropes and nails a big bulldog, then a dropkick, then dropkick to Gable as he runs in. Ford tags in and dropkicks Roode. Dominik tags in and Ford slams him with a leg drop onto Roode for the double team. Roode kicks out at 2.
Roode turns it around on Dominik and in comes Gable to take over. Dominik catches Gable with a hurricanrana. Otis tags in and drops Dominik. Otis catches Dominik on his shoulders but he goes to the apron. Dominik springboards in high but Otis knocks him out of the air with a double axe handle to the heart. Gable tags in and holds Dominik while Otis decks him. Gable with a big suplex and a bridge to Dominik for a 2 count. Roode tags back in as Gable slams Dominik’s leg to the mat. Roode goes right to work on the hurt leg. Roode drops a knee into the leg. Roode goes for a vertical suplex but Dominik fights out of it. Dominik hits the big tornado DDT but they’re both down now.
Ziggler and Dawkins tag in at the same time. Dawkins clotheslines Ziggler and knocks others off the apron. Dawkins with a big corkscrew elbow and overhead throw to Ziggler. Dawkins rocks Otis off the apron. Dawkins runs into an uppercut. Ziggler comes right back charging and Dawkins catches him with a huge Spinebuster. Gable distracts the referee as Ford tags in and goes to the top but Roode sneaks over and knocks him to the floor. Ford takes a rough landing and is down on the outside as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Ziggler has Ford grounded in a headlock. Ford fights up and out but Ziggler decks him again, then hits a big dropkick. Ziggler sends Ford to their corner. He knocks Gable off and drops Roode on the apron but Ziggler takes back control. Ziggler jumps on Ford’s back with a Sleeper hold. Ford starts to fade as the referee checks on him. Ford slowly moves to his corner but he goes down to the mat and Ziggler stays on his back with the Sleeper. Fans chant “we want smoke!” as Ford looks to rally. Dawkins tags in but he missed the tag because of dealing with Roode. Fans boo as the referee orders Dawkins back out.
Ziggler brings Ford back to the corner. Roode tags back in and they double team Ford. Otis tags in and launches Ford into the corner. Otis charges with a splash but Ford moves and Otis hits the turnbuckles. Gable tags in and knocks Dawkins off the apron. Ford counters a German suplex, then leaps over Gable to tag in Rey. Fans pop as Rey runs wild on Gable. Rey knocks Ziggler off the apron, then goes back to work on Gable, hitting a huge DDT for a close 2 count as Otis breaks it up. Dominik goes to the top and leaps at Otis but Otis catches him in mid-air. Rey leaps off the top to save his son with a senton. Rey drops Gable in position for 619.
Roode tags in and intercepts the 619 with a big Spinebuster for a 2 count as Ford breaks it up. Ziggler superkicks Ford. Dawkins with the Silencer on Ziggler. Roode tosses Dawkins to the floor with Ziggler. Dominik suckers Roode in and Rey dropkicks him from behind, putting him in position for 619. Father and son hit double 619 to Roode now. Dominik leaps to the floor to take out Gable. Rey flies to the floor on Otis. Ford nails the huge splash from the top onto Roode for the pin to win.
Winners: The Street Profits, Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio
– After the match, the babyfaces stand tall as we go to replays. The Mysterios and The Street Profits celebrate in the middle of the ring now.
– We see how Shane Helms surprised Molly Holly with her 2021 WWE Hall of Fame induction announcement during The Bump this past Wednesday.
– Jey Uso is walking backstage. He goes to enter Roman Reigns’ locker room but Paul Heyman is outside, asking him where he’s going. Heyman asks if Jey has talked to Reigns lately. Jey talked to him two days ago and everything was fine. Heyman says you know how stressful Fridays are. Heyman indicates Reigns isn’t happy with Jey for tapping out to Daniel Bryan in the Steel Cage last week. Jey gets the point and says he has some business to go handle, but he will be back later to see what’s up. Jey walks off and we go to commercial.
– Back from the break and Kayla Braxton is backstage with Seth Rollins. She brings up Cesaro and we see how he hit the Cesaro Swing on Rollins two weeks ago. Rollins wonders why we’re still talking about this. He went out there to help Cesaro. He says Cesaro has all the talent in the world but he hasn’t had as much success as Rollins, and never been a leading man. Rollins went to help but he got ridiculed so hes done with Cesaro, the biggest waste of potential he’s ever seen. Kayla beings up his win over Murphy last week, and says there will be a rematch tonight. This surprises Rollins but he likes the idea. He walks off in thought.
– We see what’s happened with Reginald and the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler. Cole sends us to a video of Jax and Baszler taking Reginald on a shopping trip. Jax tells him to pick out anything he wants, it’s his. Jax is enjoying herself, watching Reginald try on different outfits and pose for photos, but Baszler is getting bored, scrolling her phone. They go on and Jax has love in her eyes while watching Reginald talk. Graves is curious to see how this develops.
– The announcers hype up Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair.
Cesaro vs. Murphy
We go back to the ring and out comes Cesaro for this rematch of last week’s win over Murphy. He hits the ring and we go back to commercial as Murphy looks on.
Back from the break and the match is about to begin but the music hits and out comes Seth Rollins. Rollins takes a seat on the stage and will watch the match from there. The bell rings and they go at it.
Cesaro unloads but Murphy turns it around and beats him down in the corner. Cesaro comes back with a huge uppercut. They trade big boots and Cesaro rocks Murphy. Cesaro looks to capitalize in the corner but Murphy separates himself and goes to the floor for a breather. Cesaro follows and charges but Murphy levels him with a flying knee to the face. Murphy goes to the top but Cesaro dropkicks him, knocking him to the apron.
Cesaro stands on the second rope and hits a big superplex from the apron for a pop. Rollins is even impressed. Cesaro with running uppercuts in the corners. Murphy catches a kick and leaps off the second rope but Cesaro catches him. Cesaro delivers the Cesaro Swing now but Rollins rushes into the ring and attacks Cesaro for the bell.
Winner by DQ: Cesaro
– After the bell, Rollins continues to pound on Cesaro and unload on him as fans boo. Rollins delivers a big Stomp in the middle of the ring as the boos get louder. Rollins yells about how Cesaro thinks he’s better and wants to disrespect or embarrass him. Rollins slaps Cesaro around, yelling about how he’s not on his level. Cesaro slowly gets up as Rollins taunts him. Rollins kicks him again and delivers a second Stomp. Rollins talks some more trash as fans boo. Rollins goes out and brings a steel chair in, ranting about how Cesaro embarrassed him. He places the chair around Cesaro’s head, hits him a few times and yells some more. Rollins goes to deliver a Stomp on the chair around Cesaro’s neck but producer Jamie Noble intercepts him in mid-air while referees tend to Cesaro. Rollins exits the ring while talking more trash to Cesaro. The boos continue as Rollins marches up the ramp. Cesaro is finally helped to his feet but he can’t stay up. The camera cuts backstage and we see Rollins approaching Shinsuke Nakamura. They face off as fans cheer in the arena. Rollins walks off and Nakamura stares at him.
– Sami Zayn approaches Kevin Owens backstage, just the guy he hoped to see. Sami tells his documentary crew to keep filming this. Sami goes on about how Owens has known for years how WWE is trying to screw Sami, and Sami has decided that he wants Owens to be in the documentary. Owens brushes it off and says he has The KO Show to do tonight. Sami insists and says they’re going to expose the truth, post it everywhere and do big numbers, like Logan Paul. Owens says he will think about it and walks off. We go back to commercial.
– We come back and Edge stops Jey Uso backstage. Edge brings up how he’s known Jey and his whole family for a long time, so he’s coming to him to talk to him like a man. Edge asks Jey what he’s doing. Edge recalls seeing Jimmy Uso and Jey going at it in 2015, and says that match woke him up. Edge points out what Jey is a part of now, walking around with his head down, and wonders what Jey’s dad thinks about all this, being a lap dog to The Big Dog, acting like a subordinate. Jey tells Edge to not talk to him like he knows him. He talks about family and says Edge needs to go home and be with his own family because after WrestleMania he won’t be able to enjoy anything. Uso walks off.
– We go back to the ring and out comes Kevin Owens for another must see edition of The KO Show.
Owens says it feels good to be back after being away for a few weeks. He talks about it being a rough few months for him, mentally and physically. He goes on and says it’s about never giving up, and how he will keep on fighting no matter what. Owens then introduces his guests for tonight, plugging their WrestleMania 37 match against each other and how they will challenge WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler at Fastlane. Bianca Belair is out first. Fans chant “EST!” as Owens thanks her for being here. Owens introduces SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks next, reading off his cue cards. Owens says he likes Banks’ pyro. Belair and Banks take their seats. Owens thanks Banks for being here and thanks her for all the paychecks.
Owens talks about their WrestleMania 37 match and how they have a chance to make that match bigger by walking into the match with the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. He recalls how John Cena and WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels did something similar. He says if Banks and Belair do it, it will go a long way in cementing their legacies as being two of the greatest ever. He brings up how they couldn’t beat Jax and Baszler a few weeks back. Owens believes they have some underlying issues because they do both respect each other, right? He goes on about tension between the two and wonders if there’s also some over Reginald and Carmella.
Banks interrupts and says she can’t help she looks this good and Reginald likes her. Belair interrupts and doesn’t like Banks’ attitude. She believes Reginald will be a problem for them at Fastlane. Banks hushes her and says she’s won a lot of matches, and calls herself the Michael Jordan of the women’s division, and says one day maybe Belair can be like LeBron James. They’re standing up now going back and forth on the match. Banks says she would’ve stopped Belair in the Women’s Royal Rumble if she were in it. Banks says she’s not worried about walking into WrestleMania, and out of WrestleMania, as Two Belts Banks because it will be she that beats Nia and Shayna. Belair is glad she has her eyes on the prize at Fastlane, but she’s in her own lane… the music interrupts and out come the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions with Reginald. Owens says he did not invite them.
Tamina Snuka and Natalya vs. Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax get down the ramp with Reginald when the music hits and out comes Natalya and Tamina Snuka. They march to the ring as Bianca Belair and SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks look on from the ring. Reginald, Baszler and Jax join Cole and Graves on commentary. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and Banks starts off with Natalya. Tamina takes Banks right to the corner and in comes Natalya. Snuka and Natalya are wearing matching gear. Banks and Natalya go at it. Banks with a big slap. Banks with a deep arm drag from the ropes, sending Natalya to the floor for a breather. Banks with a baseball slide under the bottom rope. Banks brings Natalya back in but stops to briefly stare at Jax and Baszler.
Jax has Reginald show off his new outfit on top of the announce table. Tamina tags in and unloads on Banks in the corner, beating her down. Natalya tags back in and stomps away to keep her down. Natalya with a snap suplex in the middle of the ring for a 2 count. Natalya grounds Banks now. Fans rally and Banks breaks free as Belair waits for a tag on the apron. Banks is pulled back but she kicks the Sharpshooter attempt away.
Belair tags in and nails a series of dropkicks on Natalya. Belair comes off the top but has to roll through. She comes right back and hits a big Spinebuster on Natalya. Reginald gets on the apron for a distraction. Belair complains to the referee but goes back to work on Natalya in the corner. Natalya fights out and levels her with the discus clothesline.
Banks comes to the announce table and confronts Reginald on top of the table. She chases him in the ring and back out. Natalya takes advantage and rushes Banks from behind against the ropes, leveling her and sending her to the floor while Belair and Tamina go at it. Belair decks Natalya but Tamina comes from behind and rolls Belair up for the pin to win.
Winners: Tamina and Natalya
– After the match, Snuka and Natalya stand tall in the ring a we go to replays. Belair yells at Banks at ringside, scolding her for causing them to lose for being distracted by Reginald. Belair storms off tot he back. Jax, Baszler, Reginald, Natalya and Snuka stand in the ring together. Reginald blows a kiss to Banks and laughs at her as Jax also laughs. Banks seethes and heads up the ramp.
– Cole shows us a Cricket-sponsored replay of how Apollo Crews attacked Big E with the steel steps a few weeks back. Big E will return tonight. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and we see Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks arguing backstage, over the loss and Reginald’s involvement. Banks says she’s not taking the blame for the loss, and yells “Rookie!” in Belair’s face, then walks off.
– We go back to the ring and out comes WWE Intercontinental Champion Big E making his return as Greg Hamilton does the introduction.
Big E says he laid up in a medical facility because of Apollo Crews and the steel steps. He had a lot of time to think and he hopes Crews knows what he did, because Crews crossed the Rubicon, opened Pandora’s Box, and there’s no coming back from that, there is no sorry to fix this, you can’t put the genie back in the bottle. Apollo made Big E go biblical, he says, he now has to go Old Testament on Apollo because now it’s eye for an eye, it’s take one of mine and I’ll take two of yours, you came to hurt me and I came to maim you. Big E goes on and says beating Crews wouldn’t be enough, he has got to end Crews now.
Big E says Crews wants what is his, and that’s good because now he’s ready to give Apollo exactly what he deserves. Big E takes off some of his gear and says they don’t need to wait, they can do it tonight. He calls Apollo to the ring to get what he’s been waiting for. He starts yelling for Crews to come out but he’s not appearing. Big E isn’t surprised. He says he got all dressed up to defend his title, so that’s what he is going to do. He says if Crews won’t come get his, then he will extend an open challenge to whoever wants it. Big E tells them to come get it. The music hits and out comes King Baron Corbin.
Corbin tells Big E to calm down because he’s out here looking crazy. Corbin says he’s not dressed to fight but he has no matter tearing up this $10,000 suit… Sami Zayn interrupts and accepts the challenge, calling on his documentary crew to keep filming. Corbin says Sami can’t do this because he was just accepting the challenge. Sami says they have it on film, Corbin was not accepting. Sami says winning the title back will be the perfect ending to his documentary. Corbin and Sami argue some more on the ramp. Big E says the first person to enter the ring gets the title match. Sami rushes the ring, then taunts Corbin after making it in first. Big E attacks Sami and hits a big belly-to-belly suplex, sending Sami back to the floor on his back. Corbin stands over Sami as Big E gets ready for a fight in the ring. We go back to commercial.
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WWE Intercontinental Title Match: Sami Zayn vs. Big E
Back from the break and announced for tomorrow’s Talking Smack is Sami Zayn, WWE Intercontinental Champion Big E, Reginald, and WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler. The bell hits in the ring now as Big E and Sami lock up. Big E takes control and delivers big knees to the gut. Big E with more big strikes. Sami fights out of the corner and applies a headlock.
Big E gets out and they run the ropes. Big E drops him with a big back elbow for a 2 count. Big E launches Sami hard into the corner and he goes flying to the mat. Sami comes back and clubs Big E to the mat with a shot to the back of the head. Sami mounts Big E with lefts and rights now as some fans boo him. Sami uses the ropes as fans boo and the referee warns him. We see the documentary crew filming from ringside.
Sami takes Big E back to the corner. Sami goes to the second rope and hits a flying elbow to the head for another 2 count. Sami argues with the referee over the count. Sami goes for another elbow off the second rope but Big E catches him and delivers a big overhead throw, and another throw. Sami retreats to the floor to regroup. Big E follows and stops Sami from climbing over the barrier to retreat.
Big E brings Sami to the apron and pounds away as the referee counts. Big E breaks it and yells out at Apollo Crews before going for the splash on the apron. Sami moves out of the way and Big E lands hard on the apron, rolling to the floor in pain as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and they’re both up top in the corner. Sami unloads and brings Big E to the floor with a big Sunset Bomb. Big E somehow kicks out at 2 and Sami can’t believe it. Sami talks some trash while Big E is dazed on his knees now. Sami slaps Big E in the face and talks more trash. Sami unloads with slaps now, angering Big E.
They run the ropes and Big E runs right through a clothesline attempt, then decks him. Big E scoops Sami for the Big Ending in the middle of the ring for the pin to retain.
Winner: Big E
– After the match, Big E stands tall and celebrates. Apollo’s music hits and Big E looks around, getting ready for a fight. Crews hits the ring and attacks Big E from behind. Crews unloads and hits a big Angle Slam. Crews yells at Big E to stand up as fans boo. Crews with another big slam in the middle of the ring. Crews stands over Big E and talks down at him as the boos get louder. Crews goes to ringside and grabs half of the steel ring steps, tossing them into the ring. Crews yells at Big E to get back up. Big E slowly gets up but Crews rams him in the arm with the steps, knocking him out of the ring to the floor, right in front of the announcers. Big E rolls around in pain as Crews stands on top of the steps in the middle of the ring. Crews’ music starts back up as the boos continue.
– Kayla approaches Nia Jax and Reginald backstage. Jax scolds her for being rude and interrupting. Jax laughs at what happened to Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair, and at Sasha thinking they will win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles at Fastlane. Reginald suggests Jax challenge Banks for her SmackDown Women’s Title next week so she can go into Fastlane with two titles. Jax says that’s a great idea. Jax tells Kayla to beat it so she can get back to talking to Reginald.
– We go back to the ring for tonight’s main event segment, the WWE Fastlane contract signing. WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns makes his way out with Jey Uso and Paul Heyman. Reigns stops on the ramp and gets pyro before heading to the ring. Back to commercial.
Roman Reigns makes his way to the ring with Paul Hyeyman and Jey Uso.
We are back and we are told that Nia Jax will face Sasha Banks for the Smackdown Women's Championship next week.
Daniel Bryan is in the ring.
Adam Pearce has the contract while Roman looks like he is not excited to be here.
Adam Pearce asks who would like to sign first.
Roman looks at Adam like he did something wrong. Roman tells Adam to get him his chair and put it at the head of the table.
Roman tells Bryan he doesn't want to do this. You did everything you were supposed to do. I agreed to it a few weeks ago. This week, I'm not feeling it so it is a no. I am not signing this. He tells Daniel he does not deserve it.
Daniel signs the contract and he says who would have thought that Roman Reigns isn't a man of his words. Who would have thought that you wouldn't want to face me. Everyone thought that I was better and I proved it when I made Jey Uso quit last week. Are you afraid to sign the contract. Daniel says he should be the self proclaimed head of the table.
Roman signs the contract and he gives the contract to Jey and Jey gives it to Adam.
Daniel tells Roman he will tap him out just like he tapped out Jey Uso.
Jey throws the table aside and he says that this match needs a special guest enforcer to call it fair and square down the middle and that person is him.
Edge's music plays and he says that sounds like a great idea. How about I have a one on one match next week to see who is the Special Enforcer.
Adam makes the match official.
Edge enters the ring and he goes after Roman. Bryan sends Jey to the floor. Edge pushes Bryan away and Bryan goes for a flying knee on Edge.
We go to credits.
