WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - February 16th, 2024
https://i.imgur.com/XqXLoji.jpeg
The Rock and Roman Reigns to return to SmackDown
Tonight, the fireworks will arrive as The Rock and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns both return to SmackDown. The two, alongside Cody Rhodes and World Heavyweight Champion Seth “Freakin” Rollins, combined for a jaw-dropping WrestleMania XL Kickoff this past Thursday, where The Rock slapped Rhodes. With the main event now seemingly set after the 2024 Royal Rumble winner declared he would challenge Reigns, where does this leave The Rock, who had also wished to face The Head of the Table at The Grandest Stage of Them All? What do The Rock and Reigns have in store when they both return to SmackDown?
:smackdown:
– We shoot live outside the Delta Center where we see a truck pull up and out comes The Rock.
Men's Elimination Chamber Qualifier: Kevin Owens vs. Dominik Mysterio
Inside the arena, Corey Graves welcomes us to the show as we hear Kevin Owens' theme music. "The Prize Fighter" makes his way to the ring to a huge pop for this opening Men's Elimination Chamber Qualifying match.
Dominik Mysterio's theme hits next and he tries cutting a promo as he walks to the ring, but of course the fans boo like crazy every time he tries talking. In the ring now, the bell sounds to get this one started.
KO starts off in the offensive lead, taking it to Dom-Dom as the fans go wild. After some more offense from Owens, we see "Dirty" Dom take over. On the floor, Owens shifts the momentum in his favor until R-Truth shows up and distracts him, allowing Dom to take over again.
We head into a mid-match commercial break as the action continues. When we return, we see Owens fight back into the offensive lead. He hits a big senton and then a top-rope frog splash for a super close near fall.
Dom takes back over and hits an X-Factor before going for the Three Amigos. Owens stops him after the first two and then does the Three Amigos himself, until Dom stops him on his third as well and connects with a DDT.
Owens fights back and hits a top-rope swanton for a close near fall. Dom fights back and hits a 6-1-9 for a close two count of his own. Dom tells R-Truth to go get him a chair. He takes his time but eventually grabs one. He ends up sitting in it and then Dom turns around into a pop-up powerbomb for the win.
Winner and QUALIFYING for the Men's Elimination Chamber: Kevin Owens
– Backstage, Drew McIntyre talks about his WrestleMania moment being stolen from him four years ago. As he continues, in comes LA Knight talking trash like a 1999 version of The Rock. After the two have some words, we see Roman Reigns arrive and tell Jimmy Uso it's time to fix everything Jey Uso messed up.
Women's Elimination Chamber Qualifier: Zelina Vega vs. Tiffany Stratton
The LWO theme hits back inside the arena and out comes Zelina Vega for her scheduled Women's Elimination Chamber qualifier. As she settles in the ring, we shift gears and head into a quick pre-match commercial break. When we return, Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne talk about their title shot at Elimination Chamber.
As Tyler Bate talks about some potential team names for her and Dunne, in comes Dominik Mysterio who says they can't beat any two members of The Judgment Day. Bate challenges he and R-Truth to a match next week. Back in the arena, Zelina is in the ring and the LWO theme dies down.
Tiffany Stratton's music hits next and out she comes for this Women's Chamber qualifier. The bell sounds and off we go. After some back-and-forth action, the commentators point out Legado Del Fantasma and Elektra Lopez sitting at ringside. We head to a mid-match break on that note.
When we return, we see Zelina Vega hitting a bunch of high spots, such as a 6-1-9 in the corner that knocks Statton off the middle rope, face-first into the top-turnbuckle. She follows that up with a Meteora for a close pin attempt. Carlito and the LWO come down. Zelina yanks Lopez over the barricade.
Back in the ring, Stratton takes over and hits her Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the win. After the match, we see The O.C. approaching a dejected AJ Styles in the locker room. They say he's forgot where he's came from. Styles slaps Anderson. Anderson tells him to try that again. Styles walks off. We head to another break.
Winner and QUALIFYING for the Women's Elimination Chamber: Zelina Vega
– A Post Malone segment airs to promote him curating the soundtrack for WWE 2K24. Back live, Damage CTRL are shown in a video segment talking in Japanese to send a message to Bayley. They say Damage CTRL may have started with her vision, but they made it what it was. They finish in English by saying, "No one is ready for Damage CTRL!"
The Authors Of Pain vs. Javier Bernal & Beau Morris
Back inside the arena, we see the team of Javier Bernal and Beau Morris from NXT in the ring. The Final Testament theme hits and out comes the group to bring The Authors of Pain to the ring for this tag-team match.
The bell sounds and we're officially off-and-running with this one. Ivar and Rezar take turns beating down Bernal in the early goings. After a couple more moves and spots to Morris, who tags in, we see this squash match end in quick fashion.
Winners: The Authors Of Pain
– Byron Saxton is standing with U.S. Champion Logan Paul. He tells everyone to start a "#ThankYouLogan" trend because he's having his first match on free TV here on SmackDown and everyone will get to see him knock out The Miz. He then vows to win the Chamber and become WWE's double-champ. We head to another break.
– When we return, we see food being delivered to The Bloodline dressing room. Back inside the arena, The Miz's theme hits and out he comes for this Men's Elimination Chamber qualifying match.
Men's Elimination Chamber Qualifier: The Miz vs. Logan Paul
Logan Paul's entrance tune hits next and the WWE United States Champion emerges. He settles in the ring and the bell sounds to get this one officially off-and-running. Paul misses a standing moonsault and then Miz takes over and focuses his attack on the knee of Paul.
As Paul starts to shift the offensive momentum back in his favor, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as the action continues. When we return, we see things build to the finish.
Logan gets brass knuckles from his friend Jeff in the crowd, but Miz stops him before he can use them. Miz goes to use them, but the ref stops him. Logan ends up taking over from there and picking up the win to claim the final spot in the Men's Elimination Chamber match.
Winner and QUALIFYING for the Men's Elimination Chamber: Logan Paul
– After a backstage segment where Nick Aldis is with Jade Cargill and Bron Breakker signing contracts, in comes Tiffany Stratton talking trash with Bianca Belair. Aldis tells her this ain't the time or the place. Cargill gets offended she's interrupting her business. Aldis calms things down.
Women's Elimination Chamber Qualifier: Alba Fyre vs. Naomi
Now the theme for Naomi hits, and it's a new theme. She still has the neon glow and fist-pump coming out, but her name is spelled out to start things off and a different song plays. As she settles in the ring, we cut to a pre-match commercial break.
When we return, we see Grayson Waller talking to Paul Heyman backstage, but we don't hear what they're saying. "The Grayson Waller Effect" with Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins is announced for the Chamber PLE, as is the Chamber Kickoff press event for next Thursday.
Back inside the arena, Alba Fyre's theme hits and she makes her way down to the ring for our next match of the evening, which is also our final bout of the show this week. She settles in the ring and her music dies down. Isla Dawn is at ringside with her. The bell sounds and off we go.
After some back-and-forth action, we head to a mid-match commercial break with Fyre in the lead. When we return, we see Naomi fight her way to victory. With the win she qualifies for the Women's Chamber match, which only has one spot remaining.
Winner and QUALIFYING for the Women's Elimination Chamber: Naomi
– We see Bron Breakker on the stage with Nick Aldis and he is announced as the newest signee to the SmackDown brand. He will make his in-ring debut on next week's show. We head to another commercial break.
– When we return, Corey Graves and Wade Barrett run down some scheduled matches for next week's show, which as noted, is being taped tonight after this live show ends.
Roman Reigns' theme hits and out he comes accompanied by Paul Heyman, Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso. He settles in the ring and mentions how when his cousin comes out, the fans might sing along with him, but know everything the two says has substance to it, and is being said for a reason.
The Rock's theme hits and out he comes in a colorful vest with a pair of shades on. He's looking and acting like a heel. As he continues walking to the ring, we head to a commercial break.
When we return from the break, The Rock makes his way to the ring and settles inside. The Bloodline stands in the corner while he stands center ring with a microphone in-hand. He mentions tonight being a record for the biggest collection of trailer park trash in one place.
The fans boo him. He asks if they're sure they want to boo The Rock. They boo again. He does his "Finally ..." catchphrase and they boo again. "Oh you're gonna boo that, too?" He then mocks Cody Rhodes and the fans for crying about wanting him to finish his story, when they could've had the biggest main event ever at WrestleMania XL instead.
The Rock then asks what is Cody's story? He says his cousin Roman beat Cody's ass last year at WrestleMania. He says he lost and he wants a rematch? That's his story? That's not how this works. He says it's stupid logic. He says think of applying that to sports. The fans chant "What?" as he talks and tells them to shut up and learn something.
He goes on to compare it to the 49ers saying after they lost the Super Bowl to let them still finish their story. He calls the fans a bunch of crybaby b*tches. He tells Cody his story is ending and their story, he and Roman Reigns' are just beginning. He says The Bloodline are the most dominant forces in WWE. "If ya smell ..." he stops and tells the fans sing-along with The Rock is over. "If ya smell ... what The Bloodline is cookin!" That's how this week's show wraps up.
