WWE SmackDown live results: RK-Bro confront The Bloodline
Tonight’s SmackDown takes place from the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania and features the fallout from WrestleMania Backlash.
Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro are set to confront The Bloodline tonight. At WrestleMania Backlash, Roman Reigns & The Usos defeated Drew McIntyre & RK-Bro in the six-man tag team main event. The following night on Raw, Randy Orton & Riddle stated that they still want to unify the Tag Team titles. They issued a challenge to SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos and said they were coming to SmackDown tonight to get The Bloodline’s answer.
The WWE Women’s Tag Team titles will be on the line tonight, with Sasha Banks & Naomi defending against Natalya & Shayna Baszler.
Plus, Kofi Kingston will take on Butch in singles action. Butch re-emerged last week and helped Sheamus & Ridge Holland defeat Kingston & Xavier Woods in a tables match.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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They recapped The Bloodline defeating Drew McIntyre & RK-Bro at WrestleMania Backlash.
RK-Bro Segment
Orton, Riddle, and Zayn were good in the opening segment.
RK-Bro made their way to the ring to start SmackDown. The fans broke into a loud “Randy” chant. Orton noted they’re very excited to be at SmackDown, but they’re tired of the chase. Orton knows that The Usos don’t make any of the decisions. He added that Roman Reigns makes all the decisions for them.
Orton and Riddle demanded that Reigns answer their challenge for the Usos. Instead, Sami Zayn walked out wearing a Bloodline t-shirt. He claimed to be the locker room leader. He added that nobody wanted to see the unification match.
The fans broke into a “Sami sucks” chant. He advised RK-Bro to return to Raw and forget about the SmackDown titles. Riddle called Zayn Rusty because of the color of his hair. The fans broke into a “Rusty” chant. Zayn again said he’s the locker room leader. Zayn mentioned beating Shinsuke Nakamura last week after he insulted Reigns.
Orton thinks Zayn speaks for the Bloodline and is basically a member. They convinced Zayn to agree to take on Riddle tonight. If Riddle wins, then RK-Bro takes on the Usos in a unification match.
Zayn agreed at first but then rolled out of the ring. He walked away and said it would happen another day. Adam Pearce then walked out and made the match official. He added that the match starts now.
Riddle (w/Randy Orton) defeated Sami Zayn (10:23)
Riddle and Zayn had a really good match.
Michael Cole noted that if Zayn loses, it will not result in a unification match despite the previous segment. That pretty much made the entire opening segment pointless.
Riddle had the early advantage, but Zayn quickly took over. He slowed the pace down with a chin lock. Riddle escaped and rocked Zayn with a kick to the face. He followed up with a running forearm in the corner. Riddle hit the PK and went for the Broton, but Zayn got his knees up. Zayn took over and quickly went for the helluva kick, but Riddle got his feet up.
Back from the break, Zayn was firmly in control as he beat down Riddle. The fans broke into a loud “Riddle” chant. Zayn slowly climbed to the top rope, but Riddle recovered. He jumped up and went for a super RKO, but Zayn pushed him off. Zayn jumped off, but Riddle rocked him with a knee for a two-count.
Riddle went for the Bro to Sleep. Zayn broke free and hit the Michinoku Driver for a close near fall. Zayn taunted Orton and went for the Draping DDT. Riddle reversed and dumped Zayn to the floor. He followed up with a kick to the face and a dive.
Riddle hit the power slam and set up for the RKO. Zayn rolled out of the ring. Riddle chased after him, but Zayn posted him. He then dumped Riddle over the barricade and tried to win by countout. McAfee noted that’s how Zayn beat Nakamura last week. Riddle beat the count and quickly hit the Bro Derek for the win.
In the back, Roman Reigns and The Usos were watching the match. Reigns was furious that RK-Bro was on his show. The Usos were angry that RK-Bro implied that they couldn’t make decisions. The Bloodline promised to answer RK-Bro’s challenge later.
Zayn was walking backstage when Nakamura approached him. He made fun of Zayn and walked off
Ronda Rousey Segment
They recapped Ronda Rousey defeating Charlotte Flair in an “I Quit” match a Backlash. Rousey celebrated defeating Flair last Sunday. She admitted that Flair was a tough champion, but now Rousey’s the champion.
Rousey thinks the fans want a fighting champion, so she issued an open challenge. Raquel Rodriguez’s music hit, and she walked to the ring. Rodriguez accepted Rousey’s challenge and promised to make history tonight.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey defeated Raquel Rodriguez (5:58)
Rousey and Rodriguez had an okay match. Rodriguez dominated Rousey, who struggled to beat the more powerful Rodriguez.
Rodriguez dominated the early part of the match with power moves. She threw Rousey into the corner and followed up with a fallaway slam. Rodriguez then hit a second fallaway slam.
Cole pointed out that the “I Quit” match took a lot out of Rousey. Rousey tried to fight back, but Rodriguez hit a side slam. She missed a splash, and Rousey briefly took over. Rousey locked on the guillotine, but Rodriguez countered into a suplex.
Rousey fought back and hit a series of strikes. She followed up with a knee and a kick to the head. Rousey attempted Piper’s Pit, but Rodriguez escaped. She countered with a torture rack but dropped her down like a Samoan Drop. That looked like it hurt.
Rodgriguez went for her powerbomb, but Rousey broke free. Rousey went for the ankle lock, but Rodriguez escaped. Rodriguez rocked Rousey with a kick to the head. She went for the powerbomb, but Rousey rolled through and pinned Rodriguez.
After the match, Rousey helped Rodriguez up and they shook hands.
In the back, Shotzi approached Adam Pearce. She claimed she was on her way to accept Rousey’s challenge, but Rodriguez pushed her out of the way. Aliyah approached and claimed Shotzi locked her in the dressing room so she couldn’t accept the challenge either.
Madcap Moss Interview
This was a fine segment. They did an injury angle when Corbin attacked Moss and gave him the Pillmanizer with the Andre the Giant trophy.
They recapped Moss defeating Corbin at Backlash. They showed the Andre the Giant trophy at ringside.
Kayla Braxton interviewed Madcap Moss. Braxton claimed Moss defeating Happy Corbin was the biggest moment in his career. Moss mocked Corbin and called him the big bald wolf. Moss has a lot of career goals. He wants to form a mixed tag team with Sasha Banks called “Madcap Boss.” He also promised to win Money in the Bank.
Suddenly, Corbin attacked Moss from behind and beat him down with a chair. Corbin rolled out of the ring and brought the Andre the Giant trophy into the ring. He trapped Moss’s head in the chair and dropped the trophy on the chair. Referees and officials ran out to check on Moss.
Back from the break, they recapped the angle as they took Moss out on a stretcher. Corbin made a bad joke as they put Moss in the ambulance.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks & Naomi defeated Natalya & Shayna Baszler (8:34)
This was a good tag team match.
They recapped Baszler injuring Naomi’s arm two weeks ago.
The heels were in control early as Baszler worked over Naomi’s arm. Naomi and Banks worked together against Baszler. Banks hit a Meteora on Natalya for a near fall. She followed up with the Bank Statement, but Baszler broke it up.
Back from the break, the heels were firmly in control. They isolated Banks on their side of the ring and cut her off from Naomi. Baszler attacked Naomi in her corner to prevent the tag. She tried to stomp on Naomi’s bad arm. Naomi moved her arm, and Banks caught Baszler with a knee.
Naomi got the hot tag and ran wild on Baszler. Baszler fought back and tried to win with Natalya’s help, but the referee caught them. Naomi took out Baszler. Natalya then rolled up Naomi for another near fall.
Naomi caught Natalya in the full nelson, but she broke free. Natalya slammed down Banks. Naomi then hit the full nelson bomb into a pin for a two count. The finish came when Natalya went for the sharpshooter, but Naomi used a small package for the win.
In the back, Ricochet approched Drew Gulak. He gave Gulak a pep talk and motivated him to confront Gunther. A confident Gulak walked off and ran into Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser. Gunther ripped open Gulak’s shirt and chopped his soul out of him.
Butch (w/Sheamus & Ridge Holland) defeated Kofi Kingston (w/Xavier Woods) (8:19)
Kingston and Butch had a good match.
They recapped Sheamus and Holland defeating New Day in a tables match.
Kingston started off with a running dropkick at the bell. Butch took Kingston down with a series of forearm shots. Butch then slowed the pace and worked over Kingston’s arm. Kingston missed a sliding dropkick but hit a springboard forearm.
Back from the break, Kingston fought back and hit a standing dropkick. He went for a springboard clothesline, but Butch countered with a forearm. Kingston recovered and hit the SOS for a close near fall. The fans broke into a brief “Let’s go, Kofi” chant.
Kingston hit a double foot stomp and set up for trouble in paradise. Holland tried to interfere, but Woods pulled him off the apron. Sheamus took out Woods with the Brogue Kick. Kingston then knocked Sheamus off the apron with a superkick. Butch took advantage of the distraction and hit the Bitter End for the win.
After the match, Butch ran off into the crowd but returned to celebrate with Sheamus and Holland.
In the back, Sami Zayn spoke with Paul Heyman. Zayn wanted to make sure he didn’t overstep. He knows he shouldn’t have made that match with Riddle. He admitted he hopes Reigns isn’t mad at him. Heyman claimed that Reigns respects Zayn.
The Usos Strike Back
This was a good show closing segment. They set up the tag team unification match for next week.
Roman Reigns, The Usos, and Paul Heyman slowly made their way to the ring. The fans broke into a “Roman” chant. Reigns took the mic and demanded the commonwealth of Pennsylvania acknowledge him. Reigns claimed after he smashes someone on Sunday, he usually announces who’s next on Friday. However, this time’s different because there’s nobody left. He listed off everyone he beat, including John Cena and Brock Lesnar.
Reigns noted The Usos are different. They know who’s next. RK-Bro’s music hit, and they walked to the ring. Orton said Reigns didn’t smash Cena because Cena’s ten times the superstar. RK-Bro demanded a unification match and slowly explained it to The Bloodline.
Reigns didn’t seem impressed. The Usos accepted the challenge for a winner takes all unification match next week. The Usos promised to win all the gold. Suddenly, Riddle rocked Reigns with a knee to the face. RK-Bro rolled out of the ring. The Bloodline watched RK-Bro walk-off to end SmackDown.
Next week: Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro vs. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos in a unification match.