WWE SmackDown live results: Final build to WrestleMania 34

Date: April 3, 2018
Location: Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN

The Big Takeaway —

AJ Styles finally got one over on Shinsuke Nakamura. After Nakamura almost hit Styles with the Kinshasa before pulling up last week, Styles returned the favour this week, stopping just short of giving him a Phenomenal forearm. See more below.

Also, Shane McMahon returned and they pushed the WrestleMania tag match as though he’s absolutely participating. He and Daniel Bryan both admitted their own wrongdoings over the past few months and hugged. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn showed up later in the show to mock them for it.

Show Recap — 

Daniel Bryan came out to a giant reaction to kick off the show. He welcomed us to Smackdown and introduced Shane McMahon, who looks like he always does. He deliberately put his hand on his stomach to sell his health issues/injury. The announcers said the hernia was a result of the attack by Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn and the diverticulitis was unrelated.

Shane called Bryan a role model who managed to fight and claw for something he believes in and congratulated him on being able to return to the ring. The crowd chanted Yes. Shane mentioned his own health issues and placed (partial) blame on Owens and Zayn, but claimed to be medically cleared.

Bryan admitted Shane was right about him letting his friendships get in the way causing him to make mistakes. He apologized. Shane said he didn’t need to apologize, put his arm on Bryan’s shoulder, and admitted he himself can be a bit hot-headed, which Bryan thought was funny.

Shane apologized for being a hot head ever since Owens headbutted Vince and offered a handshake. Bryan didn’t want to shake his hand and asked the crowd if they should hug. They chanted Yes, so they did.

Bryan said he and Shane being on the same page was bad news for Owens and Zayn, and Shane said we would never see them on Smackdown again after WrestleMania. Bryan said they would beat up Owens and Zayn at Mania and led a Yes chant.

(There was a moment in the middle of this segment where there was an awkward pause because somebody probably forgot their line. Not sure who it was, but it seemed like it was Shane’s turn to speak. Bryan ended up picking things up again.)

Non-title match: Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair defeated Natalya

The announcers questioned Charlotte taking this match so close to WrestleMania and also acknowledged that she has a second match later tonight in the Mixed Match Challenge (also involving Asuka).

Charlotte was in control until Natalya got her knees up on a twisting moonsault attempt. They knocked each other down with clothesline attempts and Carmella ran out with the briefcase and a referee. Charlotte kicked the briefcase out of the ring and booted Carmella, who rolled out.

Natalya used the distraction and applied a schoolboy, but Charlotte kicked out and countered into the Figure Eight for the submission win. This was another strong match and it was nice to see the babyface take more of it than usual.

Asuka entered immediately afterwards. A handful of people chanted “Asuka’s gonna kill you.” She said the queen would bow down to the empress, but before she could say no one was ready for her, Charlotte grabbed the mic and asked if Asuka was ready. They stared at each other for a bit until Charlotte’s music played. 

They aired a pre-taped interview with AJ Styles. Styles said Shinsuke Nakamura knows he’s emotional which is why he’s playing games, but his emotions are not his weakness, they’re his strength. Styles said Nakamura’s weakness was that he’s taking him too lightly. Styles is the WWE Champion and they’re a long way from the Tokyo Dome. He said he would beat Nakamura.

They reminded us that WrestleMania is free (for new network subscribers) and aired a video package for Bryan & Shane vs. Owens & Zayn.

Rusev (w/Aiden English) defeated Jinder Mahal (w/Sunil Singh) (9:47)

Before the match, Sunil sang a quick song to mock English. He was pretty bad, which made it great. English responded with a song/rap of his own. He didn’t mock the crowd as he normally does. Bobby Roode was on commentary and Randy Orton was shown backstage watching on a TV at a perfectly normal angle. They went to commercial 43-seconds into the match.

Mahal had control after the break and the crowd chanted “Rusev Day.” As they did on Raw, they showed an inset Mania commercial during the match, this time for Reigns vs. Lesnar. They did this earlier during Charlotte’s entrance, plugging Rousey & Angle vs. Triple H & Stephanie.

Sunil tried to distract Rusev but it didn’t work. Rusev kicked him off the apron and nailed Mahal with a Machka kick for the pinfall win.

As Rusev celebrated, Orton ran in and gave him an RKO. You could tell it was coming because the crowd started screaming before he appeared. It still looked good, though. English attacked Orton and went to the middle rope, which was not a good idea. Roode pushed him off the ropes and Orton gave him an RKO. Orton and Roode had a stare down. 

They aired a pre-taped interview with Nakamura. He admitted he was playing games, but he takes this game very seriously. He came to America for one reason–WrestleMania. He continued: “I do not take AJ Styles lightly. I know AJ Styles very well. And I know AJ Styles is very emotional. So emotional, he will make a mistake. When he does, I become WWE Champion with a knee to face.”

The New Day were shown backstage and received a good reaction. They let us know WrestleMania is free for new subscribers. Xavier Woods asked Big E for his phone but he pulled out a pancake instead. He did pull out a tablet from his pants. Kofi Kingston asked Big E to reach into Woods’ pants and pull out an XBox. He was about to, but the Usos interrupted.

Basically, the Usos also plugged Mania being free while also saying they would win their match. The New Day laughed when the Bludgeon Brothers appeared from behind. New Day and the Usos backed off and Harper smashed a camera with his hammer. (This ended the segment, even though he smashed a camera that wasn’t being used to film most of this segment.)

This was silly. They could’ve had New Day plug the network in a separate segment without trying to force their build for the tag match into it.

8-Man Tag match: Baron Corbin, Dolph Ziggler, Mojo Rawley & Primo Colon defeated Tye Dillinger, Zack Ryder, Tyler Breeze & Fandango (5:36) 

They all took turns tossing each other over the top rope in this tag team match. The best spot was Corbin launching Breeze onto a pile of bodies outside the ring. Corbin got the pinfall win over Fandango with an End of Days. 

The announcers reminded us that WrestleMania is free, then ran down the card. After that, they let us know WrestleMania is free.

Benjamin and Gable did a selfie promo where they claimed they would beat Styles and Nakamura and send them limping into WrestleMania.

Owens and Zayn ran in through the crowd and jumped on the announce table. Owens said Smackdown and WrestleMania were still the Sami & Kevin Show despite them being fired. Zayn mocked the apology session Bryan and Shane had earlier. He then apologized to Brie Bella and Birdie for what they were going to do to Bryan.

They mocked the “inspirational” advice Brie gave to Bryan. Zayn said it was their dream to obliterate Bryan, and Owens said that would be their WrestleMania moment. Zayn said they deserve it and led a “we deserve it” chant. Zayn was incredible here.

Shane and Bryan came out. Bryan told the fans to take plenty of pictures because it was the last time we would see those two on Smackdown. Shane led the crowd to sing the goodbye song.

Owens and Zayn are terrific, so this was entertaining. However, it doesn’t feel for a second that they’re really fired. It’s not a big deal, but it took forever for referees, not security, to show up and ask them to leave. Also, Owens was wearing the same WWE-branded sleeveless shirt he always wears.

WWE Champion AJ Styles & Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Shelton Benjamin & Chad Gable (12:12)

The crowd was hot for Styles and Nakamura. Gable and Nakamura had a nice little chain wrestling sequence until Nakamura pulled him toward the corner. Styles offered a tag, so Nakamura obliged by patting him on the head. Styles got in his face as the fans chanted for both men, then they were attacked by Gable and Benjamin leading to commercial.

After a break, Styles made a hot tag to Nakamura who hit Benjamin with a flying kick, enziguri, and knee to the ribs. However, after Gable made a blind tag, Benjamin hit a high knee and Gable followed with a moonsault for two. He applied an armlock and they aired an inset commercial for Charlotte vs. Asuka. Gable hit a nice looking German suplex during the ad.

Benjamin hit an enziguri and went for a running knee, but Nakamura countered with a spinning heel kick and made the hot tag to Styles. Styles ran wild and gave Gable a fireman’s carry neckbreaker.

With Nakamura back on the apron, Styles deliberately stared him down, leaped onto the apron, and nailed Gable with the Phenomenal forearm for the pinfall win. Good match and finish.

Styles grabbed his title and began his way up the ramp. Benjamin attacked Nakamura from behind but Nakamura managed to fend him off alone. Styles jumped on the apron and went for a Phenomenal forearm, but he pulled up just short of hitting Nakamura.

Nakamura looked up and smiled when he realized what happened. Styles then patted Nakamura on the head, and his mood quickly changed. Nakamura appeared pissed but did not attack Styles. Styles posed with the title as the show ended. This was all quite great.