WWE SmackDown live results: Gauntlet match

SmackDown’s go-home show for Elimination Chamber takes place at the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio tonight.

Ahead of the pay-per-view, all six wrestlers in the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match will face off in a gauntlet match. The winner will get an advantage on Sunday by entering the Chamber last.

WWE has yet to make an announcement about Mustafa Ali’s (who suffered a concussion over the weekend) status for Elimination Chamber. Bryan defending his title against Ali, AJ Styles, Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy, and Samoa Joe inside the Elimination Chamber is scheduled for Sunday.

The SmackDown Tag Team titles will be on the line on Sunday as The Usos challenge Shane McMahon & The Miz. Tonight, The Usos will make an appearance on “McMiz TV.”

We may also get some follow up to last night’s angle on Raw where Vince McMahon announced that Charlotte Flair will challenge for Ronda Rousey’s title at WrestleMania 35.

Our coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.

**********

The show opened with a graphic for Pedro Morales,

A recap of Raw opened the show, where Vince McMahon said that Becky isn’t The Man, but he is. Vince suspended Becky, and announced Charlotte as taking Becky’s place.

Charlotte made her entrance to a massive amount of boos. She said main eventing WrestleMania was her destiny. She said she wanted to say that her heart breaks for Becky, but it doesn’t. Charlotte said she thought she taught Becky better than to get suspended. She called herself the backbone and franchise of the women’s division to a large amount of heat.

She said Mr. McMahon didn’t choose her because she was his favourite, but because she is the best in the world, and she’s a future hall of famer, while Becky is a flash in the pan. Charlotte promised that WrestleMania was going to be like every other pay-per-view with the fans cheering her on and chanting “This is awesome.” She then dedicated the main event victory over Ronda at WrestleMania to Becky Lynch. The fans chanted “you suck”, and Charlotte said she was going to be front row at Elimination Chamber when Ronda faces Ruby Riott. This was a very good promo.

Carmella & Naomi defeated Mandy Rose & Sonya DeVille & The Iiconics

Before the match, all three teams cut a promo. Peyton Royce tagged out right away to Mandy Rose and so her and Carmella started the match. Rose tagged in to DeVille, but it didn’t work well for her, as Carmella and Naomi hit a double suplex on DeVille. Sonya drove Naomi back to the corner with shoulder thrusts. Naomi got thrown over the top rope and almost fell off the apron, but caught herself and kicked DeVille. Naomi hit a flying splits leg drop, and got a near fall.

Carmella got tagged back in, and she dodged some of Sonya’s attacks before hitting a flying headscissors and tagging out to Naomi mid move. Mandy Rose was tagged in and she tried to escape, but Naomi chased her down and hit a tope when they went to an ad break.

When they came back from the break with Sonya getting the heat on Carmella. Carmella started to fight out, hit the ropes, and both women hit a very ugly crossbody leaving both of them on the mat. Carmella managed to tag out, and Naomi and Carmella cleared the ring before Naomi hit a split legged moonsault on Mandy Rose for the pinfall. Rose & DeVille will be starting the Elimination Chamber tag match.

The Iiconics came in afterwards and took out Carmella and Naomi, beating both women down.

Mustafa Ali cut a promo, saying he wasn’t medically cleared to compete at Elimination Chamber.

The Miz came out with Shane McMahon for McMiz TV.

Miz said his teamwork with Shane is why they’re the best in the world and tag team champions. Miz announced that Shane was going to be a guest star on NCIS. Shane said “What did I say?” Miz said, “You said to only tell family, and we’re all family!” I kind of love babyface Miz.

They welcomed the Usos to the show to discuss their upcoming match against each other. The Usos said that Miz and Shane were trying to be the Usos. Shane said they weren’t trying to be the Usos, but that they were the best in the world. Jimmy and Jay said they knew each other better. They listed several things they did better, and even said they occasionally bathe together because they’re twins. What?

Miz asked Shane what his favourite colour was and whispered it to Shane, which was funny. They did this a few times, saying that Miz’s favourite minor league baseball team was the Toeldo Mudhens, and said “Holy Toledo.” This was great. Miz and Shane got a massive pop for this, and then it got a little personal as Miz asked them about Mandy Rose. It ended when the Usos superkicked Shane and Miz.

I enjoyed this.

A nice video aired for Black History Month.

Daniel Bryan cut a promo about how there were a lot of people that wanted him to lose the WWE Championship which got a somewhat mixed reaction until a few people got everyone chanting yes. Bryan said they were lying to himself and they were fickle, because they needed Bryan to show them how to live their lives. Bryan said he doesn’t want to be in Elimination Chamber because it’s painful, horrible, and career shortening, but he’s doing it so he can sacrifice himself to lead the people.

The New Day interupted, and cut him off and they went to a break as Big E carried a massive tube of meat down to the ring. Okay.

The Gauntlet Match:

Kofi Kingston defeated Daniel Bryan

Bryan started the match with Kingston, having some chain wrestling to open the match. Bryan and Kofi had a very nice exchange of ground moves that saw Bryan tie Kofi up with a bow and arrow stretch before Kofi kicked on and chased Bryan to the floor. Kofi is no slouch, and once it went back to the ring we saw another great exchange, but Bryan stayed on top of him with hard strikes and an uppercut.

Kofi hit two armdrags and then floated into a pinfall attempt, and as Bryan kicked out, he transitioned into attacking the arm. Bryan hit a kitchen sink knee twice, bringing Kofi to the mat. Bryan stayed on top of Kofi, but Kofi managed to pick up the pace, skin the cat, and hit a huge flying dive over the top rope when they went to break.

When they came back from break, Bryan was getting the heat on Kofi. During the break, he launched Kofi into the stairs. Bryan hit a dropkick while Kofi was tied up in the ropes, and continued to work over Kofi. Bryan tried to suplex him from the apron into the ring, but Kofi countered and drove Bryan into the corner.

Bryan hit a knee and suplexed Kofi onto the top rope before hitting a series of kicks and climbing the top rope and hit hitting a flying knee. Kingston kicked out. Bryan went for a flying headbutt, but Kofi rolled out of the way, and Bryan crashed to the mat. Kofi hit a series of clotheslines and a dropkick to make his comeback. Kofi hit the boom drop, and then a flipping senton, but Bryan kicked out.

Bryan ran up the top rope and flipped over Kofi’s head, but Kofi stunned him, ran up the ropes himself and hit a flying crossbody. Very nice. Bryan hit a drop toe hold, driving Kofi face first into the corner. Byan set Kofi in the tree of woe before hitting a series of kicks and a dropkick to the face. Bryan went for a back suplex, but Kofi twisted and crashed right onto Bryan’s face as they went to break.

When they came back, Kofi just escaped a submission from Bryan. Bryan hit a series of headbutts and a hard kicks, but Kofi kicked out. Kingston hit a hurricanrana, but Bryan rolled through and both men started to exchange pinfall attempts. Bryan managed to take Kofi down and lock on the LeBell lock, but Kofi refused to tap and made the ropes. Bryan hit a knee off the apron on Kofi.

Bryan went to the top rope and as Bryan went for a dive, Kofi stood and dropkicked him in the head. As the ref was checking on Bryan, Rowan tripped Kofi. Woods and Big E attacked Rowan, and the ref didn’t see Rowan doing anything so he kicked Woods and E out. Bryan rolled up Kofi, but Kofi kicked out.

Bryan sent Kofi into the corner, and Kofi kicked Bryan. Rowan grabbed Kingston and and threw him into the timekeeper’s area. The ref threw Rowan out, and Bryan went for his running knee on Kingston. Kingston countered and hit teh Trouble in Paradise for the pinfall! Kofi Kingston has eliminated Bryan!

Kofi Kingston defeated Jeff Hardy

They came back from break and Hardy and Kingston were wrestling. Kofi Kingston went for a dive off the steps, but crashed and burned into the barricade. Hardy hit a corner kick, and went for the Swanton back in the ring. Hardy hit his low blow dropkick that I have no idea what he’s allowed to use, but Kofi countered into a pinfall attempt.

Hardy kicked out, and went for his corner dropkick, but Kofi dodged and climbed the top rope. Hardy tried to knock him off the top rope, but Kofi pushed him off the ropes and hit a flying crossbody. Hardy rolled through and tried to pin him, but Kofi kicked out. Kofi hit the SOS and got the pinfall!

Kofi Kingston defeated Samoa Joe

Back from break, and Joe was murdering Kofi in the ring. Kofi tried to make a comeback, but Joe hit his enziguri and dropped Kofi. Joe gave Kofi the look of death and smashed him with some knees before locking on an abdominal stretch and a killer clothesline that turned Kofi inside and out.

Joe worked over Kofi with strikes and submissions for a little bit, but Kofi tried to fight out with some elbows. Kofi sent Joe to the floor and hit a massive flying cross body that almost saw both men killed. Joe and Kofi both made it back into the ring, and Joe killed Kofi with a clothesline, but Kofi kicked out.

Joe kept working Kofi over here, but Kofi hit a rolling kick to get out. Joe killed him with a senton, but Kofi kicked out again. Kofi blocked a strike from the apron and went for a springboard attack, but Joe pushed him to the floor. Kofi made it back in, and Joe started to “twist his skull off his head” according to Corey Graves. That’s impressive.

Kofi fought back up from his skull being twisted off his head and hit a dropkick. He went for a diving clothesline, but Joe countered and locked on the rear naked choke, but Kofi ran up the ropes and they did the Bret Hart/Roddy Piper finish, and Kofi Kingston pinned Joe! Joe killed Kofi with a uranage and choked Kofi out on the floor as the refs tried to break it up. AJ Styles ran down and started brawling with Joe, and sent Joe backstage.

AJ Styles defeated Kofi Kingston

Styles gave Kofi the chance to get back in the ring, and he did. Styles said he didn’t have to do this. Kofi refused to give and and slapped Styles. Styles hit a big forearm and then started taking it to Kofi. Styles hit a back breaker, and he kicked out. Styles worked over Kofi’s knee as Tom Phillips said that this might be the longest time that someone has ever competed in one match on SmackDown at 52 minutes. Clearly he has forgotten about Angle vs. Lesnar in their 60 minute iron man match.

Styles hit a snap suplex, but Kofi kicked out. Styles went for a suplex, but Kofi and Styles started to exchange pinfall attempts. Styles killed Kingston with a backbreaker, and Kofi let out a horrifying yell as he hit. Kofi hit a dropkick to Styles’ knee as AJ went to the apron, and both men were standing out there. Kofi went for a pair of flying knees, but Styles dodged, and Kofi hit the ring post. Yikes.

Kofi managed to beat the 10 count, and Styles can’t believe it. Styles hit a flying clothesline in the corner and then went for a hurricanrana, but Kofi hung on and hit a giant splash to the back of Styles, who barely kicked out. Kofi went for the SOS, but Styles rolled through into the Calf Crusher and Kofi Kingston tapped out. That was fantastic.

Randy Orton defeated AJ Styles
Orton’s music hit, and he ran into the ring from behind Styles and hit the RKO for the pinfall. The show closed with Orton posing.

That was a very good episode of SmackDown, and now we know that Randy Orton will enter the Elimination Chamber last. Asuka was nowhere to be found on this week’s show.