WWE SmackDown live results: Charlotte Flair-Ronda Rousey contract signing
The build to WrestleMania Backlash continues on tonight’s SmackDown from the MVP Arena in Albany, New York.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey will take part in a contract signing for their match at WrestleMania Backlash. Charlotte is defending her title against Rousey in an “I Quit” match at the pay-per-view.
Riddle vs. Jey Uso is also set for tonight’s show. It will be the second straight week that RK-Bro have appeared on SmackDown. Last Friday, Riddle defeated Jimmy Uso.
Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro and SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos are set for a title unification match at WrestleMania Backlash.
Drew McIntyre takes on Sami Zayn in a lumberjack match tonight. In their previous two matches, Zayn lost by countout when he bailed and ran away through the crowd.
Plus, Madcap Moss goes one-on-one with Angel of Los Lotharios. Moss defeated Angel’s tag team partner Humberto on last week’s SmackDown.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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Michael Cole and Pat McAfee ran down tonight’s card.
Charlotte Flair-Ronda Rousey Contract Signing
This was a good opening segment but was a typical WWE contract signing.
Adam Pearce was already standing in the ring to start SmackDown. He wasted no time and introduced SmackDown Women’s Charlotte Flair for the contract signing. They recapped the Rousey-Flair feud and Flair forcing Drew Gulak to scream “I quit” last week.
Pearce then introduced Rousey to a good reaction. He noted they both know how this works, and he just needs their signatures. Pearce then noticed that he didn’t have the contract.
Drew Gulak ran down to ringside with the contract in hand. Pearce noted that Gulak is auditioning to be his intern. Gulak was about to do a PowerPoint presentation, but Flair told him to shut up. The fans loudly booed Flair. She threatened to get Gulak fired from this job too.
Rousey mocked Flair for picking on an intern. Flair mentioned she beat Rousey at WrestleMania. She promised to make Rousey say the two most beautiful words in the English dictionary, “I quit.” Flair signed the contract. The fans broke into a “You tapped out” chant. Flair denied tapping and said she was trying to fix her bra.
Rousey took the contract, and the fans broke into a “Rousey” chant. Flair kept repeating that she beat Rousey at WrestleMania. Rousey promised to make Flair tap out WrestleMania Backlash. The fans chanted “you tapped out” again.
Flair flipped over the table and pulled out a kendo stick that she had hidden. Flair attacked Rousey, but she grabbed the kendo stick. Rousey beat down Flair with the kendo stick until Gulak pulled her off.
Rousey turned around and was furious. She attacked Gulak and hit Piper’s Pit. She then locked on the armbar on Gulak and signed the contract simultaneously. Gulak even handed her the pen.
Xavier Woods (w/Kofi Kingston) defeated Butch (w/Sheamus & Ridge Holland) (8:58)
Woods and Butch had another good match.
They recapped Butch attacking Xavier Woods last week.
Woods had the early advantage with a knee to the face and clothesline for a near fall. Butch fought back with forearms and slowed the pace down. He worked over Woods’ arm and stomped on his elbow.
Woods tried fighting back, but Butch grabbed his face and threw him into the corner. Woods recovered and sent Butch to the floor. He followed up with a dropkick that sent Butch into the announce table.
Holland and Sheamus got in Woods and Kingston’s face at ringside. Butch took advantage, jumped over the heels, and attacked Woods.
Back from the break, Butch was firmly in control as he continued to work over Woods’ arm. Woods fought back with forearms and chops. Butch recovered and hit the release suplex for a two-count. Suddenly, Woods caught Butch with the backwoods for the win out of nowhere.
After the match, Butch was furious. He jumped out of the ring and attacked a security guard. Sheamus and Holland tried to convince him to come back, but he walked off through the crowd instead.
In the back, Aliyah praised Richchet for his win over Jinder Mahal last week. She listed everyone he beat recently. He noted it’s an honor to be the Intercontinental Champion. Jinder Mahal and Shanky approached the champion and Aliyah. Mahal mocked Ricochet until Shanky interrupted. He then challenged Ricochet to a match. Ricochet accepted, but Mahal was confused.
Gunther (w/Ludwig Kaiser) defeated Teddy Goodz (2:09)
Gunther destroyed poor Teddy Goodz in a squash match.
Ludwig Kaiser introduced Gunther.
Gunther attacked Goodz’s arm and took him down. Goodz broke free, but Gunther avoided a dropkick. He followed up with a big boot and an uppercut.
Gunther tied up Goodz in the corner and stomped on his head. He followed up with a suplex and a hard chop. He rocked Goodz with a hard chop to the back and locked on a sleeper hold. Gunther transitioned from the sleeper into a powerbomb for the win.
In the back, Riddle and Randy Orton discussed his upcoming match with Jey Uso. Riddle loves coming to SmackDown so he can visit his friends. Drew McIntyre approached. Riddle acknowledged the past problems between McIntyre and Orton.
Riddle and Orton will be lumberjacks later, but Orton doesn’t have to wear flannel. McIntyre doesn’t have a problem with Orton, especially since he stood up the the Bloodline. Orton noted everything’s good between them. Riddle was thrilled.
McIntyre agreed and they all walked away. Sami Zayn was hiding in the background listening to the conversation. He was happy for some reason.
In the back, Xia Li noted she used to be a protector, but she doesn’t see anyone worthy of protecting. Now she only protects herself.
Riddle (w/Randy Orton) defeated Jey Uso (w/Jimmy Uso) (12:12)
Riddle and Jey had a good fast paced match.
They recapped the RK-Bro vs. Usos feud.
McAfee was on fire on commentary. He noted this was a big week for Riddle because of 4/20. McAfee made references like this throughout the match. At one point, Jey rocked Riddle with a series of chops, and McAfee said Riddle’s lungs continue to take a beating this week.
Riddle had the early advantage until Jey took over with a forearm. He rocked Riddle with hard chops against the ropes. Riddle fought back, but Jey rolled to the floor. Jey regained control and gave Riddle a back suplex on the announce table. He pointed at Orton as they went to a commercial.
Back from the break, Jey and Riddle trade forearms in the middle of the ring. Riddle rocked Jey with a Pele kick, a series of forearms, and a suplex. Jey regained control when Riddle missed a senton.
Riddle fought back with the final flash and the floating bro for a close near fall. Riddle hit a draping DDT on Jey, and Orton gave Jimmy a back suplex on the announce table.
Riddle went for the RKO, but Jey avoided it and hit a pop-up neck breaker. Riddle fought back with a running knee, but Jey hit a superkick. Jey hit the Uso splash, but Riddle got his knees up and rolled up Jey for the win.
They showed Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman watching the match in the back. Reigns was disappointed when Riddle beat Jey.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks & Naomi Segment
This was a fine segment that set up Natayla and Shayna Baszler as the next challengers for the titles.
Kayla Braxton interviewed Banks and Naomi in the ring. Braxton recapped Naomi and Banks calling their shot and winning the titles at WrestleMania. The fans broke into a “You deserve it” chant.
Banks and Naomi mentioned everyone they beat recently and noted they have no competition left. Natalya and Shayna Baszler interrupted. Natalya said they never beat them for the titles. Baszler promised to win the tag team titles and pushed Banks down. Naomi held Banks back as the heels walked off.
In the back, Happy Corbin approached Madcap Moss. Corbin noted Moss made his point and is willing to forgive him. Moss mocked Corbin for being bald. Corbin walked off as Moss laughed.
They showed a Raquel Rodriguez video package. She makes her debut next week.
Madcap Moss defeated Angel (w/Humberto) (2:24)
Moss and Angel had an okay match. The fans seemed dead for most of it.
They showed the Andre the Giant Battle Royal trophy at ringside. Moss ran over to the trophy before the commercial break.
Los Lotharios did the kiss cam before the match.
Moss took down Angel with a back elbow and backdropped him over the top rope onto Humberto. Angel caught Moss with a dropkick when Humberto grabbed his legs. Moss recovered and ran wild with a shoulder tackle in the corner. Moss sent Humberto back to the floor with a clothesline. He rocked Angel with another shoulder block and hit the punchline to win.
After the match, Corbin ran out and attacked Moss from behind. Corbin beat him down and hit the end of days. He jumped out of the ring and stole the Andre the Giant trophy.
In the back, a happy Sami Zayn approached Roman Reigns’ locker room door and considered knocking.
In Reigns locker room, Jey made excuses for losing to Riddle earlier. Reigns and Jimmy weren’t convinced. Paul Heyman informed the Bloodline that Sami Zayn wanted to speak with them.
Zayn praised them and acknowledged Reigns. He pointed out that he overheard RK-Bro speaking with Drew McIntyre. Zayn noted that RK-Bro are lumberjacks in his match later and mentioned the unification match at WrestleMania Backlash. Zayn claimed he heard RK-Bro and McIntyre insulting Reigns’ entire family.Zayn asked Reigns for help tonight and promised to be their ally. Reigns was furious and demanded The Usos take his name out of RK-Bro’s mouth.
The Lacey Evans Story Part III
Lacey Evans continued to discuss her difficult childhood. Growing up, her family lived in tents without her mother. The more money her father brought in, the more he drank. She didn’t have her mother to support her or help her get ready for her prom.
Evans does her own makeup before each match because she learned to take care of herself at a young age. She started learning to wrestle but had no support at home. She had to believe in herself. After all the work, she would go home and find her father high and passed out. Everything Evans went through prepared her for her future.
This Monday’s Raw features the 20th-anniversary celebration of Randy Orton’s career.
Lumberjack match: Drew McIntyre defeated Sami Zayn via countout (8:40)
Lumberjacks: RK-Bro, The Viking Raiders, New Day, Shinsuke Nakamura, Mansoor, Jinder Mahal, Shanky, Sheamus, Ridge Holland, and The Usos.
McIntyre and Zayn had a fine match. It had another weak finish with Zayn somehow running away, which defeats the purpose of the lumberjacks. The lumberjack match set up a steel cage match for next week.
They recapped the McIntyre and Zayn feud. It highlighted Zayn running away from McIntyre.
The bell rang, and Zayn jumped out of the ring. The face lumberjacks wouldn’t let him leave and threw Zayn back in the ring. McIntyre backed Zayn in the corner and rocked him with hard chops. Zayn sent McIntyre to the floor, and the heels beat him down before throwing him back in. The face and heel lumberjacks faced off.
Back from the break, Sheamus and Holland took more shots at McIntyre and threw him back in. McIntyre recovered and rocked Zayn with the Glasgow Kiss. He followed up with two belly-to-belly suplexes and a neck breaker. McIntyre went for the Claymore kick, but Zayn rolled out of the ring. RK-Bro tried to throw Zayn back in, but The Usos rocked them with superkicks.
The lumberjacks started brawling at ringside as Zayn tried to run off. McIntyre caught Zayn and threw him back in. McIntyre then hit a huge flip dive onto all the lumberjacks at ringside.
Zayn took the chance to run off through the crowd for the finish. Adam Pearce didn’t think a lumberjack match could end this way, but Zayn proved him wrong. Pearce then announced McIntyre vs. Zayn in a steel cage match next week.
After the match, Mahal and Shanky jumped McIntyre as he yelled at Zayn in the crowd. McIntyre fought back and hit the Claymore on Mahal. He went over to McAfee and gave Zayn a warning to end SmackDown.
Next Week: Beat The Clock “I Quit” challenge between Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair. Drew McIntyre takes on Sami Zayn in a steel cage match.
Intercontinental Champion Ricochet defends against Shanky. Plus, Raquel Rodriguez makes her debut.