John Cena said he has a plan of how to get a WrestleMania match and it looks like he’s going to SmackDown Live to pull it off. Now it appears something could be brewing on the Road To WrestleMania.
AJ Styles has a big match at Fastlane defending his WWE Championship against way more people than he thought he would be. Only time will tell if they end up adding anyone else to the match at this point.
While the Bludgeon Brothers destroy anyone who walks up to them, The Usos are staying away from that madness for now, but who knows if The New Day could have their number once again?
SmackDown Live was in the Staples Center which was the very same building where Carmella used to be an LA Laker Girl. After all, she’s got a Money In The Bank briefcase so who knows if she might look to create a new memory in Los Angeles? That’s just a thought though because Mella might hold that briefcase until the next MITB show.
Opening Segment
Hey! It’s John Cena, long time no see. It seems like it was just last night when he was on Raw complaining about not having a WrestleMania match… wait, that was just last night.
Cena said he’s there for the same reason 99.9% of all WWE Superstars are there… to find their Road To WrestleMania. He brought up the fatal five-way championship match at Fastlane and said he wanted in which got a lot of boos.
Cena said he’s not there for a handout, he’s there to do whatever it takes to earn a spot. Then he called out whoever would come out to tell him what he needs to do so Shane McMahon answered the call.
Shane started to talk about how it wouldn’t be fair to put Cena in the match and a ton of “Rusev Day” chants broke out which he ignored this time. Suddenly, Daniel Bryan entered to join the conversation.
Bryan said he thinks he and Shane are on the same page because every Superstar in the fatal five-way match earned their way in. So Daniel said they were giving Cena an opportunity and people didn’t like this at all when the Bearded GOAT booked a match between Cena and Styles to main event the show.
Sami Zayn vs Baron Corbin
Kevin Owens was on commentary to talk some trash about the announce team because that’s what he does best. Byron Saxton tried to ask KO some questions but he said that he wasn’t listening even though he did answer one question but it was just an opportunity to say that he and Sami are friends and that Saxton doesn’t know what it’s like to have friends.
“Corbin if you’re looking for your hairline, it’s on the top of your head,” Kevin said to Baron as he caught The Lone Wolf looking at him. Then Baron proceeded in punishing Sami on the outside until he got backdropped over the barricade.
Meanwhile, Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon were watching the whole time. Shane asked why Daniel why he was letting KO sit at ringside again and Byran replied saying, “have you heard Kevin Owens on commentary?”
Baron Corbin about took Sami’s head off with one of those running clotheslines around the ring post while Kevin Owens told Byron Saxton that if he knew what was going on maybe he’d still be a wrestler. Baron caught Sami off a dive and planted him on the announce table, “you’re messing up the TV,” Owens said as he repositioned the announce table monitors.
Once they got back in the ring, Sami scored a nearfall as Ziggler popped up out of nowhere and superkicked Kevin Owens out of his chair at the announce table.
Baron Corbin landed an End Of Days and picked up the win in the ring after Zayn was distracted by Ziggler’s assault. Then Dolph jumped in the ring and hit a Zig Zag on Corbin to leave with his music playing.
Winner: Baron Corbin via pinfall
Meanwhile, backstage Shane McMahon told Daniel Bryan to go check on KO and Bryan asked if he could go home and see his family. So Shane said okay while he munched away at some popcorn in a box.
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn were walking backstage and didn’t seem happy. Then Shane McMahon walked up still eating his popcorn. McMahon told KO and SZ to hurry up and catch D-Bry if he wants him because Brie hates it when Daniel’s late for dinner.
Ruby Riott vs Naomi
This is a classic example of WWE’s 50/50 booking. Flair took out Morgan and Logan of the Riott Squad so in turn, Ruby is taking out Becky and Naomi because they’re Charlotte’s buddies.
This match didn’t get very far until Ruby powdered out of the ring and there was a standoff between all six women at ringside.
Ruby Riott maintained control as they showed Carmella backstage answering Twitter questions with her Money In The Bank briefcase sitting right next to her.
There was a spot where both Naomi and Riott hit kicks to each other’s heads that sent them both to the canvas. But Naomi jumped up first and laid in some kicks of her own followed by a springboard enziguri.
Riott turned things around and hit some stiff shots while the babyfaces sat at ringside and cheered The Glow on. Noami jumped off the top rope but missed and then she hit a scorpion kick but was sent into the top turnbuckle by Ruby.
Insert Riott Kick here… 1-2-3.
Winner: Ruby Riott via pinfall
After the match was over, Charlotte and Becky got in the ring and ran the Riott Squad off. But Ruby still picked up the win.
Josh Duhamel joined Breezango backstage so he could plug his new show about Biggie and Tupac. The New Day joined them too and had a little bit of comedy. Don’t you love favors WWE does for the USA Network?
The New Day And Usos Meet The Bludgeon Brothers
Okay, those words on the screen during New Day’s entrance and all those unnecessary fonts they use on a regular basis have got to go. It’s National Pancake Day by the way, so The New Day has a real excuse to be overzealous about those flapjacks tonight.
Woods, Kingston, and Langston were all in the ring to cut a promo on Jimmy and Jey Uso. Big E said their rivalry is hotter than his inner thighs then he had Kofi spritz him so Kingston kept spraying E’s inner thighs with a tiny water bottle over and over again which was interesting.
Big E said once they win the SmackDown Tag Team Championships they will be twerking on Bourbon Street during WrestleMania weekend and then The Usos came out and didn’t look amused.
Jey said they have faced them before and there was only one team left standing tall and it was them. They cut a promo about what they’ve done for the past nine years and how they belong at WrestleMania and how they’ve been passed over year after year. They have appeared on kickoff shows, but never on the main show.
They’re going from being sidelined to being their time and the crowd seemed to be all for it. Big E said they’ve been running things for the past five years and hosted Mania 33 while The Usos were in catering. He also said they didn’t get there because of their daddy.
As they got in each other’s faces The Bludgeon Brothers came out for a very rude interruption. Everyone in the ring just stood there looking on as Harper and Rowan made their way to the ring.
Suddenly, Harper and Rowan stopped after sitting down their huge hammers and picked them back up. They stood on the apron with their hardware and watched as both The New Day and The Usos exited the ring.
Aiden English vs Shinsuke Nakamura
These two wrestled a much better match than one would normally assume of how well Aiden English would do against Nakamura. But the spokesman for Rusev Day did a great job hanging with The King Of Strong Style.
English had a lot Shinsuke’s moves telegraphed which was helpful but Nakamura caught him with a stray foot eventually and continued to lay on the punishment.
Then Nakamura hit a Kinsasha, 1-2-3, and Rusev didn’t look too happy about this one.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura via pinfall
John Cena came out right after Nakamura won not allowing him much time at all to celebrate. John stopped in front of Nakamura and pointed at the Mania sign before getting in the ring.
AJ Styles vs John Cena
These two pro wrestling stars had a big match ahead of them as Cena and Styles threw everything they could at each other.
They fired off a kick off already for each man’s finisher.
Cena hit a Code Red and transitioned it into an STF as Styles kicked out. Style created a bridge with his back and caused Cena to let go as he pinned him.
AJ landed a Phenomenal Forearm for another near fall as the crowd lost their minds for a moment and “this is awesome” exploded.
Styles went to the apron again and tried for a 450 Splash but Cena got his knees up. Then John hit an AA and turned it into another one but AJ jumped off Cena’s shoulders onto the ring apron as he jumped to the floor. Then AJ avoided a charge from Cena which sent him into the ring steps.
Suddenly Cena picked Styles up and hit an AA through the announce table. Cena got in the ring while the referee counted away for AJ Styles as he tried to shake it off at ringside. He got back in the ring just in time.
Cena tried to pick AJ up for another AA but it was revered into a Calf Crusher. Then Cena muscled out of it and hit another AA. 1-2-3 and John Cena is going to Fastlane.
Winner: John Cena via pinfall
Now it’s a 6-pack challenge for the WWE Championship at Fastlane. KO and SZ came strolling out but as Cena was distracted, Baron Corbin jumped into the ring to take him out.
As the three heels took it to John Cena, Dolph Ziggler came out to fight them off because he’s a babyface now. After running everyone off, Ziggler knocked AJ to the apron with a forearm as Cena hit an AA on Ziggler. Then AJ Styles landed a Phenomenal Forearm on the show off to end the night in style.
