WWE SmackDown live results: WrestleMania Backlash go-home show
The final build to WrestleMania Backlash takes place on tonight’s SmackDown from the Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York.
The go-home show will feature a face-to-face segment with Roman Reigns & The Usos and Drew McIntyre & RK-Bro. A match between the two six-man teams is set for Sunday’s pay-per-view.
It was originally announced that Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro and SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos would be facing off in a title unification match at WrestleMania Backlash, but the unification stipulation was dropped last week when Reigns and McIntyre were added to make it a six-man tag.
Two matches have also been announced for tonight’s show. The New Day’s Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods will take on Sheamus & Ridge Holland in a tables match, while Sasha Banks will face Shayna Baszler in singles action.
Women’s Tag Team Champions Banks & Naomi are set to defend their titles against Baszler & Natalya on the May 13 episode of SmackDown.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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They recapped the “I Quit” Beat the Clock challenge featuring Ronda Rousey and Charlotte Flair. Flair failed to make Aliyah tap out before the clock ran out.
Michael Cole and Pat McAfee ran down tonight’s card.
Non-title match: SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Aliyah
Flair and Aliyah didn’t end up having a match. Instead, Flair and Rousey had a long, pull-apart brawl. This was a good angle that the fans were into by the end.
Flair got in the ring. She mocked Long Island and the fans. Flair claimed she didn’t lose last week. Instead, she was screwed over and blamed the timekeeper Drew Gulak. Flair promised to force Rousey to quit this Sunday. She’s certain that Rousey will leave the WWE when she loses at WrestleMania Backlash.
Flair turned her attention to Aliyah. She called Aliyah “Ronda” and got in her face. Suddenly, Flair attacked Aliyah with forearm shots and beat her down. Rousey’s music hit, and she ran down to make the save. They brawled around ringside until Flair whipped Rousey into the barricade.
Back in the ring, Rousey went for the armbar, but Flair rocked with a boot to the face. They continued to brawl as referees tried to break it up. They knocked down officials and referees.
They managed to separate them for a brief time, but they started brawling again. The fans chanted, “Let them fight.” Eventually, the referees broke it up.
Shayna Baszler (w/Natalya) defeated Sasha Banks (w/Naomi) (8:16)
Banks and Baszler had a good match. Banks, in particular, looked great.
They recapped the Sasha Banks & Naomi vs. Shayna Baszler & Natalya feud. Naomi had her arm wrapped because of Baszler’s attack last week.
Banks had the early advantage and attacked Baszler’s arm. Baszler broke free with a kick to the face and went for an armbar. However, Banks fought back and rolled up Baszler for a close near fall.
Banks briefly regained control, but Natalya caused a distraction. Baszler took advantage and hit a gut-wrench suplex. In an awesome spot, Banks went for the head scissors out of the corner, but Baszler countered into a side slam for a near fall.
Back from the break, Baszler charged at Banks, but she moved. Banks hit a sliding dropkick and slammed Baszler’s arm on the announce table. Banks threw Baszler back into the ring.
Banks was on the apron, rolled backward into the ring, and caught Baszler with a bulldog. She jumped to her feet and caught Natalya with a tilt-a-whirl head scissors from the ring to the floor.
Banks and Baszler traded pinfall attempts. The finish came when Baszler rolled up Banks and held onto the ropes with Natalya’s help for the win.
After the match, Baszler and Natalya jumped Banks and Naomi. Baszler went to stomp on Banks’ arm, but Naomi made the save. Banks and Naomi recovered and cleared the ring.
They recapped the Drew McIntyre & RK-Bro vs. Roman Reigns & The Usos feud.
In the back, Kayla Braxton interviewed The Usos. They mocked RK-Bro and Drew McIntyre. They’re not worried about Sunday and promised to win.
Happy Corbin made his way to the ring.
Back from the break, Braxton interviewed RK-Bro. They responded to The Usos comments from earlier. Orton promised to defeat the Bloodline Sunday at Backlash.
Happy Talk
They kept the segment short, but the fans didn’t seem into it regardless.
They recapped the Corbin-Moss feud.
Corbin discussed Madcap Moss and their upcoming match this Sunday. Moss appeared on the big screen and made fun of Corbin. He made some lame jokes, but McAfee laughed. Corbin noted Moss was hiding in the back.
Moss then made his way to the ring and made more jokes to Corbin’s face. Moss tried starting a “Big Bald Wolf” chant. Corbin was furious, so he walked off.
Gunther (w/Ludwig Kaiser) defeated Drew Gulak (2:03)
This was an awesome squash match. Gunther destroyed poor Gulak and dominated the match.
They recapped Drew Gulak’s audition to be an announcer and a timekeeper. Cole mentioned that Gulak takes on a mystery opponent next.
Gulak stood in the ring, waiting for his mystery opponent. Cole noted Gulak’s back in his happy place.
Back from the break, Ludwig Kaiser introduced Gunther. McAfee and Cole didn’t like Gulak’s odds. The fans broke into a “U.S.A.” chant, but McAfee didn’t think the chant would help.
Gunther went after the arm, but Gulak reversed. Gunther then chopped Gulak so hard that he hit the mat. He rocked Gulak with a boot to the face. Gunther followed up with two more vicious chops that echoed in the arena. He locked on the sleeper, but Gulak tried to fight back. He then power bombed Gulak for the win.
They recapped Rick Boogs injury from WrestleMania 38 and the Bloodline attacking Shinsuke Nakamura a few weeks ago.
In the back, Megan Morant interviewed Nakamura. He promised to gain revenge on Reigns and The Usos. Sami Zayn was hiding behind a truck listening to the interview
Back from the break, Kayla Braxton interviewed Drew McIntyre. She noted the Bloodline’s been talking a lot of trash. McIntyre’s not worried and praised RK-Bro.
McIntyre called his team with Randy Orton and Riddle “RK-McBro.” He wants to give the fans a sneak peak of Sunday later.
Tables match: Sheamus & Ridge Holland defeated New Day (12:31)
New Day and Sheamus & Holland had a good tables match.
They recapped the New Day vs. Sheamus & Ridge Holland feud. They also mentioned that Butch is still missing.
Both teams brawled in the ring to start the table’s match. New Day briefly isolated Holland in the ring, but Sheamus pulled Kingston out. Woods caught Sheamus with a crossbody out of nowhere. New Day grabbed a table and knocked down Sheamus.
In the ring, New Day tried to give Holland a double suplex through the table, but Sheamus moved it. Sheamus then set up a table at ringside and went to powerbomb Kingston, but Woods made the save. Sheamus tried to give Woods white noise through the table, but Kingston made the save this time.
Kingston knocked Sheamus off the apron, and he almost landed on the table. Kingston then hit a huge crossbody off the corner onto Sheamus, and they both crashed into the barricade.
Back from the break, Sheamus gave Woods the ten beats of the bodhran as Holland did the same to Kingston. Back in the ring, Kingston fought back and hit the SOS on Holland. He sent Sheamus to the apron and hit the tens beat of the New Day. Sheamus fought back and gave Kingston white noise on the apron.
Woods ran wild and rocked Holland with a heel kick. He set up a table in the ring, but Holland caught him with a head butt. Woods regained control and put Holland on the table. He climbed to the top rope, but Sheamus cut him off. Woods appeared to injure his leg on the landing.
Kingston recovered and ran wild on Sheamus at ringside. Kingston caught Sheamus with trouble in paradise and put him on the announce table. Woods climbed to the top rope as Kingston held down Sheamus.
Suddenly, Butch emerged from underneath the ring. He attacked Kingston and helped Sheamus & Holland. Sheamus and Holland then gave Woods a double chokeslam through the table for the win.
After the match, Butch attacked Woods until Holland and Sheamus pulled him off.
In the back, Kayla Braxton interviewed Paul Heyman in front of Reigns’ locker room. Braxton noted McIntyre wants to kick the head off the head of the table. Heyman avoided the question and assumed Braxton was trying to flirt.
Sami Zayn approached Heyman and claimed to be a confidant of the Bloodline. He told Heyman about Shinsuke Nakamura wanting to take on Reigns.
Zayn promised to take care of Nakamura for Reigns. Heyman told Zayn that Reigns respects him. They still didn’t seem to trust or like each other.
Back from the break, Zayn entered Adam Pearce’s office. Zayn requested a match with Nakamura for next week. Pearce did Zayn one better and offered him the match right now. Zayn was reluctant but agreed to take on Nakamura.
The Lacey Evans Story Chapter Five
This was a good segment.
Lacey Evans continued to discuss her life story. She noted her father overdosed right before her WWE tryout. Before her first NXT match, another relative attempted suicide and was found nearby in a parking lot.
She had her first match in front of her daughter before going to the hospital. Evans added that it’s her time now and promised to win the SmackDown Women’s championship. The fans gave her a good response at the end.
Samantha Irvin was standing in the ring. She noted Evans’ story is very emotional. Irvin then introduced Evans to the live fans to a good reaction again. Irvin told the fans that Evans wants them to show her respect, which came across heelish. Regardless, the fans popped. Evans walked out, waved, and left.
They recapped Raquel Rodriguez’s debut last week.
Sami Zayn defeated Shinsuke Nakamura via countout (9:14)
Zayn and Nakamura had a good match until the finish.
Zayn yelled at McAfee for dancing to Nakamura’s entrance music on the announce table.
Zayn had the early advantage until Nakamura responded with a knee. He followed up with a sliding German suplex. He set up for the Kinshasa, but Zayn countered with the Michinoku Driver for a near fall.
Back from the break, Zayn was firmly in control with a chin lock. Nakamura broke free, but Zayn hit a forearm off the middle rope for a two-count. Nakamura fought back with a series of kicks to the face. He followed up with a knee off the middle turnbuckle for another near fall. There were very brief duelling chants of “Let’s go Zayn” and “Nakamura”.
Zayn and Nakamura traded shots in the middle of the ring. Nakamura locked on the armbar, but Zayn rolled him up for a near fall. Nakamura set up for the Kinshasa again, but Zayn rolled out of the ring. McAfee said Zayn running away is his new finisher.
Nakamura and Zayn fought at ringside. Zayn recovered and hit the helluva kick against the barricade. Zayn jumped back in the ring to win by countout.
Cold and McAfee ran down the WrestleMania Backlash card.
Face to Face: Drew McIntyre & RK-Bro and Roman Reigns & The Usos
This was a good closing segment heading into WrestleMania Backlash. McIntyre and RK-Bro did a funny “acknowledge me” bit mocking Reigns. They then had a good brawl with Reigns and The Usos to end SmackDown.
Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro made their way to the ring before the break.
Back from the break, Drew McIntyre made his entrance to a big pop. Cole referred to McIntyre and RK-Bro as RK-McBro several times. McIntyre got into the ring and was about to ask Long Island to acknowledge him, but Riddle interrupted.
Riddle wanted them to acknowledge a few things first. Riddle acknowledged that Orton’s his best friend. They acknowledged. Orton acknowledged that he still has McIntyre’s handprint on his chest when he beat him for the title. They acknowledged.
McIntyre acknowledged that he won the title back. They acknowledged. Riddle acknowledged that Orton has the best legs in the WWE. They acknowledged. Eventually, they turned their attention to Reigns and The Usos.
The Bloodline heard enough. Roman Reigns, The Usos, and Paul Heyman made their entrance. Both teams faced off in the middle of the ring.
A brawl broke out between both teams. RK-McBro had the brief advantage until the heels dumped out RK-Bro. Reigns then rocked McIntyre with the Superman punch.
The heels were about to beat down McIntyre when Riddle and Orton hit RKO’s on The Usos. McIntyre then hit the Claymore Kick on Reigns. McIntyre and RK-Bro watched Reigns and The Usos walk off to end a good segment.
Next Week: WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks & Naomi defend against Shayna Baszler & Natalya.