WWE SmackDown live results: Reigns-Bryan contract signing
The build to Fastlane continues on tonight’s SmackDown.
Universal Champion Roman Reigns defends against Daniel Bryan at Fastlane. Tonight, they meet face-to-face for the official contract signing. Bryan earned the title shot by defeating Jey Uso in a steel cage match last week.
Reigns retained the Universal Championship against Bryan last month at Elimination Chamber in a short contest immediately after Bryan won the SmackDown Chamber match.
Kevin Owens hosts The KO Show with SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks and women’s Royal Rumble winner Bianca Belair as his guests tonight. Belair chose Banks as her WrestleMania 37 opponent a few weeks ago. However, they team up to challenge WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler first at Fastlane. Fastlane is taking place on Sunday, March 21.
Banks & Belair will also face Natalya & Tamina tonight, The Street Profits will team with Rey & Dominik Mysterio against Dolph Ziggler, Robert Roode, Chad Gable & Otis, and Intercontinental Champion Big E returns for the first time since being attacked by Apollo Crews three weeks ago. Big E was stretchered out after Crews attacked him with the steel steps. During Big E’s absence, Crews has embraced his Nigerian royal heritage and has promised to confront Big E.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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Show Recap
They recapped Daniel Bryan beating Jey Uso in a steel cage match last week.
Edge made his way down to the ring and noted there’s a big contract signing tonight. However, Edge needs to address a few topics. He said that Roman Reigns spent weeks demanding that Edge acknowledge him as the WrestleMania 37 main event.
Edge pointed out that Reigns suddenly changed his mind and went down Daniel Bryan blvd. He turned his attention to Daniel Bryan. Edge was furious that Bryan went into business for himself. He’s upset that Bryan feels he deserves the WrestleMania main event more than him.
Edge noted that he helped build the SmackDown brand. He claimed that while Bryan was working maybe once a week, he worked five times a week. Edge listed names he competed against, including Eddie Guerrero, Batista, Mr. Perfect, The British Bulldog, Terry Funk, and more.
Bryan’s music hit, and he made his way to the ring. He recognized that Edge earned the title shot. Bryan admitted that this could be his last WrestleMania, and he’s going to do whatever it takes to get the main event.
Bryan noted this isn’t about Edge. He went into business for himself because he needs to give it one more shot.
Edge pointed out that he earned the title shot by winning the Royal Rumble. He said that he has mutual respect for Bryan, but he doesn’t like how he went about earning the title shot. Edge ended by noting that Bryan isn’t better than him.
Edge and Bryan were good in the segment, although it was strange that Edge doesn’t like how Bryan earned the title shot. Bryan won a cage match to get the title shot, which bothers Edge, but it’s unclear why he’s so upset.
Street Profits, Rey & Dominik Mysterio defeated Dolph Ziggler, Robert Roode, Chad Gable & Otis
This was a good eight-man tag team match.
The heels jumped the faces as they made their entrances before the commercial break.
Angelo Dawkins and Roode started the match after the break. Dawkins ran wild and hit a series of dropkicks. Montez Ford rocked Roode with a dropkick as well.
The heels took over when Otis caught Dominik with a double ax handle. They isolated Dominik and cut him off from his corner. Roode slowed the pace down and worked over Dominik’s leg.
Roode attempted a suplex, but Dominik countered into a tornado DDT. Dawkins got the tag and ran wild on the heels. Ziggler caught Dawkins with a back elbow, but Dawkins fought back and hit a huge spine buster.
Ford climbed to the top rope for the frog splash, but Roode shoved him off. Ford took a nasty fall to the floor and hit the ropes on his way down.
Back from the break, the heels were firmly in control as Ziggler isolated Ford on their side of the ring with a chin lock. Ford tried fighting back, but Ziggler locked on a sleeper hold.
Ford crawled to his corner with Ziggler on his back. Ford made the tag, but the heels distracted the referee. The heels dragged Ford back to their corner. Gable gave Ford a German suplex, but he landed on his feet.
Rey got the hot tag and ran wild. He hit a DDT on Gable, but Otis broke up the pin attempt.
Dominik hit a cross-body block, but Otis caught him. Rey then hit a senton on Otis.
Rey went for the 619 on Otis, but Roode caught Rey with a spine buster. The faces fought back and regained control.
The finish came when Rey and Dominik hit a double 619 on Roode. Ford followed up with the frog splash for the win.
They recapped The Hurricane announcing Molly Holly has the first inductee in the 2021 Hall of Fame class on The Bump.
In the back, Jey Uso approached Paul Heyman in front of Roman Reigns locker room. Heyman was happy to see Uso, but he wouldn’t let him talk to Reigns. Heyman asked if Uso spoke with him yet.
Uso claimed they spoke yesterday, but Heyman noted he’s not happy that Uso lost to Daniel Bryan and tapped out. Uso has things to do anyway, and he’ll talk to Reigns later.
Back from the break, Kayla Braxton interviewed Seth Rollins. They recapped Cesaro giving Rollins the giant swing two weeks ago. Rollins noted he was just trying to help Cesaro, but he got mocked and embarrassed.
Rollins wants nothing to do with Cesaro. He claimed Cesaro is the biggest waste of potential.
Braxton noted Cesaro takes on Murphy in a return match from last week. Rollins was happy to hear there’s a return match.
Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler Take Reginald Shopping
They recapped Bianca Belair beating Shayna Baszler last week. It also included Carmella firing Reginald, Banks slapping Reginald, and Nia Jax flirting with Reginald.
Jax and Baszler took Reginald shopping, and he tried on a series of outfits. Jax was very impressed, but Baszler was bored out of her mind. Reginald did a backflip and sat on Jax’s lap.
Reginald loves the shopping spree but doesn’t know how to repay Jax. She smiled, and they played romantic music.
Cesaro defeated Murphy
Cesaro and Murphy had a good short match while it lasted until the weak finish.
Seth Rollins watched the match from the stage.
Cesaro had the early advantage and rocked Murphy with a kick to the face. Cesaro charged at Murphy on the floor, but Murphy caught him with a jumping knee.
Murphy climbed to the top rope, but Cesaro cut him off. He followed up with a superplex from the apron.
Cesaro hit Murphy with a series of uppercuts. Cesaro then caught Murphy in the giant swing, but Seth Rollins attacked Cesaro for the disqualification.
After the match, Rollins attacked Cesaro and hit two curb stomps. Rollins put Cesaro’s head into a steel chair and teased another curb stomp until WWE officials jumped in the ring.
Rollins walked backstage and went face-to-face with Shinsuke Nakamura. They had a brief staredown.
Sami Zayn and his documentary crew approached Kevin Owens in the back. Zayn wants Owens to be in his documentary. Owens agreed to be in the film, but he’s about to host The KO Show.
Back from the commercial, Edge approached Jey Uso in the back. He’s known Uso’s family for a long time. Edge remembers when Uso was a little kid. He’s disappointed that Uso does whatever Roman Reigns tells him.
Uso got in Edge’s face and told him to go home to his family.
The KO Show
Kevin Owens noted the fans hadn’t seen him for the last few weeks. He pulled himself back up.
Owens introduced his guests Bianca Belair and SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks. Owens pointed out that they’re facing at WrestleMania, but before that, they challenge for the tag team titles at Fastlane.
Owens noted they could face off at WrestleMania for the title and be the tag team champions. Owens said that only John Cena and Shawn Michaels were tag team champions to face off for a title at WrestleMania.
Belair noted that it’s not her fault that Reginald has a crush on her. Banks and Belair argued back and forth. Belair thinks Banks gives Regianldd too much attention despite not liking him.
Banks claimed she’s the Micahel Jordon of the women’s division, and Belair can be the Lebron James.
Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler, and Reginald interrupted. They made their way to the commentators.
Natalya & Tamina defeated Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair
They had an okay tag match with a typical distraction finish.
Jax, Baszler, and Regaind joined Michael Cole and Corey Graves on commentary. Most of the focus was on Reginald and Jax on commentary, which took away from the match.
The faces had the early advantage until the heels isolated Banks in their corner. Belair got the hot tag and ran wild. She hit a series of dropkicks on Natayla and a spinebuster, but Reginald distracted the referee.
Reginald posed on the commentary table. Banks got in his face and chased him into the ring. Natalya then knocked Banks out of the ring. Belair was distracted, and Tamina rolled her up for the win.
Belair and Banks argued after the match. Belair blamed Banks for losing because she gives Reginald attention.
Back from the break, Belair and Banks continued to argue. Banks refused to accept any blame. She called Belair a rookie and walked off.
Intercontinental Champion Big E made his way to the ring. He came out on a crutch, wearing a neck brace and all bandaged up. He threw away the crutch and tore off the bandages.
Big E was furious that Apollo Crews attacked him with the steps a few weeks ago. He promised to get revenge on Crews. Big E noted it’s an eye for an eye.
He demanded that Crews come to the ring and take the opportunity he’s been begging for. Crews didn’t come out, but Big E wasn’t surprised. Big E’s ready for a fight, so he issued an open challenge.
King Corbin interrupted and walked onto the stage. Corbin was about to accept the challenge, but he’s started talking about his suit.
Sami Zayn interrupted and accepted the challenge. Corbin and Zayn briefly argued. Big E heard enough and promised to give the title shot to the first person to enter the ring.
Zayn jumped in, but Big E beat him down and tossed him out of the ring.
Intercontinental Champion Big E defeated Sami Zayn
Zayn and Big E had a good match.
Big E had the early advantage as he rocked Zayn with a back elbow for a near fall. He tossed Zayn across the ring, but Zayn hit Big E with a boot to the face to take over.
Zayn hit an elbow off the second rope for a near fall. He attempted the elbow again, but Big E caught him with a belly-to-belly suplex. Zayn gained control when Big E missed a splash on the apron.
Back from the break, Zayn and Big E fought on the top rope. Zayn then hit a sunset bomb from a close near fall. Zayn slapped Big E in the face, which fired him up. Big E rocked Zayn with a clothesline and hit the Big Ending for the win.
After the match, Apollo Crews jumped Big E from behind and hit the Angle Slam. Crews hit a second Angle Slam and tossed the steps into the ring. He then hit Big E with the steps and knocked him to the floor.
Kayla Braxton interviewed Nia Jax and Reginald backstage. Reginald convinced Jax to challenge Sasha Banks for the title next week.
Fastlane Contract Signing
Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, and Paul Heyman made their way to the ring. Back from the break, Bryan made his entrance.
Adam Pearce noted they’ve both read over the contract. Reigns made Pearce get him a chair so he could sit at the head of the table. Reigns admitted a few weeks ago he agreed to the match with Bryan.
Reigns changed his mind and won’t sign the contract. Bryan’s excited, so he signed the contract with enthusiasm.
Bryan mocked Reigns and taunted him until he finally signed the contract.
Uso threw the table out of the ring and got in Bryan’s face. Uso demanded to be the special enforcer referee at Fastlane.
Edge’s music hit, and he made his way to the ring. He agreed with Uso and then challenged him to a match next week. The winner will be the special enforcer referee at Fastlane. Edge noted this would be his first match on SmackDown in eleven years.
Pearce agreed and made the match official. A brawl broke out between all four guys. Bryan tried to go after Reigns, but Edge pushed him out of the way. Bryan then hit Edge with the running knee to end SmackDown.
Next Week: Edge goes one-on-one with Jey Uso; the winner will be the special enforcer referee at Fastlane for the Universal title match. SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks defends against Nia Jax.