WWE SmackDown live results: Big E & Kofi Kingston vs. Sheamus & Ridge Holland
On the road to WrestleMania 38, SmackDown comes to Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama tonight.
Universal Champion Roman Reigns attacked WWE Champion Brock Lesnar after Lesnar defeated Austin Theory in the main event of WWE’s Madison Square Garden house show last Saturday. Reigns gave Lesnar a vicious beatdown and posed over a bloody Lesnar. Tonight, Reigns addresses the brutal attack.
Big E & Kofi Kingston take on Sheamus & Ridge Holland tonight. Last week, Sheamus and Holland attacked New Day and destroyed Big E’s ATV.
It was originally announced that Zelina Vega would be facing Sasha Banks in a singles match on tonight’s show. After that was changed to Vega & Carmella vs. Banks & Naomi in a non-title tag team match, WWE removed the bout from tonight’s SmackDown preview.
Vega & Carmella are set to defend their WWE Women’s Tag Team titles against Banks & Naomi and Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan in a triple threat match at WrestleMania.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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They recapped Roman Reigns and The Usos attacking Brock Lesnar at the MSG house show.
Reigns beat down Lesnar with a chair and the stairs. He then gave Lesnar a Rock Bottom on the stairs and left him a bloody mess.
Brock Lesnar Segment
This was a good opening segment. Lesnar chasing Heyman in the back was an awesome scene.
WWE Champion Brock Lesnar made his way to the ring to start SmackDown.
Lesnar noted that Reigns changed the rules. Reigns drew first blood, and now Lesnar wants revenge. He doesn’t care about WrestleMania or the title. Lesnar threw the WWE title out of the ring.
Lesnar called out Reigns and said he wanted blood for blood. Paul Heyman walked out and told Lesnar to calm down. He teased introducing Reigns but instead claimed Reigns isn’t there tonight.
Lesnar wondered if Reigns isn’t there, then who’s protecting Heyman. Lensar jumped out of the ring and chased Heyman to the back.
In the back, Heyman ran for his life, screaming for security to stop Lesnar. Lesnar followed and destroyed security guards that tried to stop him. Lesnar chased Heyman through the backstage area, but Heyman escaped in a limo.
They recapped Sheamus and Ridge Holland beating down Big E and Kofi Kingston last week. They stole Big E’s ATV and destroyed it with sledgehammers.
In the back, Sheamus and Holland bragged about destroying the ATV. They claimed they don’t need sledgehammers tonight because they have Butch. Pete Dunne entered dressed like Sheamus and Holland.
Sheamus & Ridge Holland (w/Butch) defeated Big E & Kofi Kingston (9:23)
This was a good match but there was one very scary moment when Big E landed on his head. Medical staff checked on him and took him out on a stretcher.
Later, Big E announced on social media that his doctors believe he broke his neck and thanked the fans for their messages.
They renamed Pete Dunne Butch and claimed that he’s good friends with Sheamus and Holland.
Kingston and Big E jumped Sheamus and Holland before the bell. New Day had the early advantage as Big E stomped Sheamus in the corner. Sheamus fought back and rocked Big E with a clothesline. Big E briefly recovered, but Sheamus hit the ten beats of the bodhran.
Big E dragged Sheamus on the apron, and Kington took out Holland with a cross body to the floor. Big E missed the splash, and the heels took over.
Back from the break, Kingston and Sheamus tagged in simultaneously. Kingston ran wild, hitting a dropkick and the boom drop.
Kingston set up for the trouble in paradise, but Holland caused a distraction. Instead, Kingston hit the SOS on Sheamus, but Holland broke up the pin attempt. Big E went for the spear through the ropes, but Holland moved out of the way.
Holland then gave Big E a very scary-looking belly-to-belly suplex on the floor. Big E landed on the top of his head and appeared to be hurt. Cole noted medical personnel is checking on Big E.
The finish came when Kingston climbed to the top rope, but Sheamus hit the Brogue Kick for the win. After the match, Butch attacked Kingston until Sheamus and Holland stopped him.
They recapped Kevin Owens calling out Stone Cole Steve Austin on last Monday’s Raw to appear on the KO Show at WrestleMania. They also showed Austin accepting Owens’ challenge.
They recapped Ricochet defeating Sami Zayn to win the Intercontinental title when Johnny Knoxville caused a distraction last week.
In the back, Kayla Braxton interviewed former Intercontinental Champion Zayn. He was furious that she called him the former champion.
Braxton showed footage from TMZ of Knoxville flying a banner in the sky with Zayn’s phone number. Zayn was furious that Braxton showed the footage. Zayn claimed that Ricochet got lucky last week. He pointed out that Knoxville isn’t there tonight, and he promised to win the title back.
Drew McIntyre & The Viking Raiders vs. Happy Corbin, Madcap Moss & Jinder Mahal
The match didn’t end up happening and turned into an angle instead.
McIntrye made his entrance before the break. Back from the break, McIntyre was waiting for his partners, The Viking Raiders to make their entrance. They cut backstage where Corbin, Moss, Mahal, and Shanky beat down the Raiders.
The heels ran out and attacked McIntyre. He tried fighting back, but the heels overwhelmed him. McIntrye finally broke free, but Corbin ran away. McIntyre beat down the heels and gave Shanky a Michinoku Driver. McIntyre grabbed his sword Angela and pointed at the WrestleMania sign to end the segment.
They recapped Ronda Rousey defeating Sonya Deville last week and putting Charlotte Flair in the ankle lock.
Ronda Rousey Segment
The was a fine segment.
The fans broke into a loud “Ronda” chant. Rousey addressed Flair calling her a one-trick pony last week because all she has is the armbar. She compared that to calling Mike Tyson a one-trick pony because all he does is knocks people out with punches.
Rousey noted she added the ankle lock to her repertoire, which she learned from her first mentor Kurt Angle. Rousey said that she made Flair tap out to the ankle lock last week.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair made her way to the ring. Flair pointed out that she was wearing heels and an expensive suit last week. She doesn’t care that Rousey uses the ankle lock now. Rousey challenged Flair to prove she won’t tap out, but Flair walked away.
The fans chanted “You tapped out” at Flair as she walked around the ringside. Rousey promised to tap out Flair at WrestleMania and leave with her arm.
They recapped the opening segment and announced that an angry Lesnar had left the building.
Sasha Banks & Naomi defeated Natalya & Shayna Baszler (3:13)
This was a good match while it lasted.
The match started during the break. Carmella and Queen Zelina watched from ringside.
The heels gained the early advantage as they isolated Naomi. Baszler slowed the pace down and worked over Naomi’s knee. Naomi recovered and kicked Baszler in the face to gain control. Banks got the hot tag and ran wild on the heels. She then hit a Meteora on Natalya and sent the heels to the floor.
Banks gave Natalya a tilt-a-whirl head scissors into the tag team champions at ringside. Naomi then took out Baszler with a cross body off the steps.
Natalya caught Banks with a discus clothesline for a close near fall. Zelina jumped on the apron, but Banks sent Natalya into Vega. Banks then pinned Natalya for the win.
They recapped The Usos attacking Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs last week and defeating The Viking Raiders.
The Usos Segment
They showed the footage of Roman Reigns and The Usos beating down Brock Lesnar at the MSG house show.
The Usos bragged about being the tag team champions almost for one year and Reigns holding the Universal title for nearly two years. Nakamura and Boogs interrupted and demanded a match for WrestleMania.
The Usos mocked Boogs and Nakamura. They agreed to give them a title shot at WrestleMania if Boogs could defeat Jey Uso. They pointed out that Boogs has a knee injury and doubted he could compete on one knee.
Rick Boogs (w/Shinsuke Nakamura) defeated Jey Uso (w/Jimmy Uso) (1:44)
This was a fine match that didn’t get a lot of time.
Boogs revealed that he faked his knee injury. Boogs gave Jey a delayed suplex and a press slam. Jimmy tried to interfere, but Nakamura cut him off. Jimmy took out Nakamura at ringside. Boogs fought back and hit the Boogs Cruise on Jey for the win.
After the match, Jimmy broke a guitar over Boogs head. Nakamura and Boogs take on The Usos for the tag team titles at WrestleMania 38.
Pat McAfee-Austin Theory Segment
McAfee was good in this segment. McAfee and Theory had a good brawl that the fans were into. Cole was good in his role as well.
Sami Zayn and Ricochet made their entrances for the next match. After doing the ring introductions, Austin Theory’s music interrupted, and he walked to ringside.
Theory got in Pat McAfee’s face at the commentary table. He slapped McAfee and knocked off his headset again. McAfee lost his temper and jumped off the table onto Theory.
They brawled until officials ran out to break it up. Cole tried to stop McAfee, but he had to leave the building. The fans broke into a “Pat” chant.
Intercontinetal Champion Ricochet defeated Sami Zayn to retain (12:41)
Zayn and Ricochet had another great match, but the focus at the start was on Austin Theory and Pat McAfee. They even cut away from the match to recap the Theory-McAfee brawl.
Cole claimed Johnny Knoxville and Jackass influenced Ricochet’s high flying style. Cole stressed that Knoxville isn’t at the show tonight.
Back from the break, Cole noted security escorted McAfee out of the building. He added that he’s not sure about McAfee’s commentary career. Cole stressed that McAfee was unprofessinal and had a job to do.
Zayn and Ricochet started slow, going back and forth. Ricochet took over and hit a springboard clothesline. He went for the recoil, but Zayn blocked it. Ricochet climbed to the top rope, but Zayn shoved him off, and Ricochet crashed on the barricade.
Back from the break, they recapped Theory and McAfee brawling before the match. Cole repeated that security escorted McAfee out of the building. He isn’t sure that McAfee will be at SmackDown next week.
Zayn scored a close near fall and went for the blue thunder bomb. Ricochet countered, but Zayn maintained control. Zayn went for a suplex, but Ricochet reversed into a hurricanrana for a two-count.
Ricochet went for a headspring elbow, but Zayn reversed into a blue thunder bomb for a close near fall. They fought on the top rope. Ricochet knocked Zayn off, but he recovered.
Zayn climbed back up and gave Ricochet an exploder suplex. He set up for the helluva kick, but Ricochet countered with the recoil. He followed up with the 630 splash to retain the title.
Ronda Rousey And Charlotte Flair Brawl
This was a good, short and chaotic brawl that was a good ending to SmackDown.
They cut backstage; Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair were in the middle of an intense pull-apart brawl. They fought around a red car with referees and officials getting involved.
Flair gave Rousey a suplex on the car’s hood and continued to beat her down. Flair walked off with a furious Rousey on the ground in pain to end SmackDown.
Next Week: WWE Champion Brock Lesnar and Universal Champion Roman Reigns collide.