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KELLER’S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
FEBRUARY 18, 2022
TAPED IN NEW ORLEANS, LA. AT SMOOTHIE KING CENTER
AIRED ON FOX
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves
[HOUR ONE]
-The Smackdown opening theme aired.
-Michael Cole and Corey Graves introduced the show on camera from ringside. Cole noted that Pat McAfee had the night off. Graves said they have a long way to travel in a short time, but he’s gassed up the DeLorian. Cole chuckled. (They taped this show last Friday and Graves was already in Saudi Arabia for Elimination Chamber when this aired.) Graves said he wouldn’t miss Elimination Chamber for the world.
-Adam Pearce stood mid-ring in front of a table and chairs. He introduced Sonya Deville and Charlotte Flair. Deville’s music played briefly, and then Charlotte joined her as her music played. A producer on headset opened the ropes for Charlotte. Then he introduced Naomi and Ronda Rousey. Naomi’s music played first. Then Rousey’s music played and she joined Naomi on stage. Rousey looked giddy with excitement as she made her way to the ring. Charlotte and Deville glared at her. As Pearce began to explain the process, Deville interrupted and, in a snotty tone, told him she knows how this works. She then said maybe he should explain it to Naomi and Rousey since they don’t know about rules. Naomi said she’s going to slap the taste out of Deville’s mouth. Rousey told Deville, in case she forgot to spell her own name, it’s “B-I-T…” at which point Deville interrupted. Charlotte said they shouldn’t find this funny because she beat Naomi last week and Rousey has never defeated her. Rousey got serious and told them to sign the contract.
After Charlotte and Deville signed it, Deville said this is their last chance to bow out. Charlotte said Deville added a new stipulation. She said Rousey did an interview a few days ago where she said she could easily beat Deville with one arm tied behind her back. She said it was a genius idea, and she passed it by the “higher-ups.” She said she added it to the contract. Rousey signed it anyway. “Sonya, with no hands, I will still tap dance on your forehead. One hand is plenty enough.” Rousey said the match is tomorrow but she’s got two hands tonight. She threw the contract at Charlotte and then rammed her face into the table. Then she tipped the table onto both Charlotte and Naomi. Graves said the added stip is “a total game-changer.” Rousey and Naomi smiled down at Deville and Charlotte. They put their arms around each other.
(Keller’s Analysis: That was solid given the ingredients they had to work with. They kept Rousey from having to carry a segment by putting Naomi next to her to play off of. Everyone came across as juvenile and immature, though. But the babyfaces were just giving it back to the heels when they got snotty early. Rousey is actually pretty convincing in her cheerful giddiness now. If you had no prior knowledge that she “actually hates the fans for turning on her last time,” she just seems like a kid in a candy store now with a bag to fill with candy of her choosing.)
-A clip aired of Ricochet beating Ridge Holland two weeks ago on Smackdown.
-Backstage, Sheamus told Holland he always knocked the snot out of Ricochet, and it annoys him that Ricochet beat him. He told him to give him a hammerin’ he’ll remember. He asked Holland if he’s retaining anything he’s telling him. He told him to get his head in the game. He told Holland he’s going to take Ricochet’s head off, so watch closely.
-Sheamus’s ring entrance took place. [c]
(1) RICOCHET vs. SHEAMUS (w/Ridge Holland)
During Ricochet’s entrance, he said Sheamus has been calling him a pest, but he’s going to need a much bigger exterminator to get rid of him. Ricochet jump-started the match at the bell with a running dropkick. Sheamus took over early. Ricochet made a quick comeback and flip-dove onto Sheamus at ringside seconds later. Sheamus came back with an Irish Curse backbreaker. A couple minutes later Sheamus caught Ricochet at ringside and then gave him a fallaway slam onto the announce desk. They cut to a break. [c]
Sheamus was still in control after the break. A few minutes later Ricochet landed a top rope Spanish fly for a near fall. When Ricochet climbed to the top rope, Holland distracted him by standing on the ring apron. Sheamus went for a Brogue Kick, but Ricochet moved. Sheamus yelled at Holland for some reason. Ricochet then surprised Sheamus with a Recoil for the win.
WINNER: Ricochet in 11:00.
-After the match Holland went to check with Sheamus. Sheamus shoved him down and told him to listen better. Graves said Holland’s heart was in the right place, but it was a misguided attempt.
(Keller’s Analysis: So it appears they’re framing Holland as the babyface in this very premature breakup of this duo, assuming they won’t work it out or just drop the storyline. I think fans would rather cheer for Sheamus at this stage than Holland, though.)
-A sponsored video package aired on the angle last week with Sami Zayn, Rick Boogs, and Shinsuke Nakamura.
-Kayla Braxton interviewed Sami backstage. He said he didn’t lose the Intercontinental Title, he was robbed, ousted, overthrown. “It was a coup,” he said. He said they have discredited to him at every turn over the last year. He said they blocked the release of his documentary, electroshocked him, and he was in a wheelchair. He said it’s been the worst year of his life, but tonight will be the greatest because he’s going to regain his IC Title. He told Braxton he needed his space to center himself, so go away. [c]
-A video package aired regarding Undertaker being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame this year. It included canned soundbites from Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon, Batista, Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle, Roman Reigns, Steve Austin, Triple H, Edge, Kane, and John Cena along with tons of clips from his career including a heavy dose of him as Biker Taker along with mainstream media appearances.
-They showed Roman Reigns backstage surrounded by Paul Heyman and the Usos. Cole plugged that he’d go face-to-face with Goldberg tomorrow night.
-A video package aired on the Goldberg-Reigns angles to set up this match.
-The Usos made their ring entrance. [c]
(2) JEY USO (w/Jimmy Uso) vs. IVAR (w/Eric)
Cole said the Raiders came out without their traditional war helmets, which is because the Usos stole them last week. Ivar landed a top rope splash, but as it appeared he was about to score a three count, Jimmy interfered with a Raiders’ war helmet for the DQ. Cole asked if the Raiders will win when it counts tomorrow at Elimination Chamber.
WINNER: Ivar via DQ in 2:30.
-Graves threw to a clip of what happened between Drew McIntyre and Madcap Moss last week.
-McIntyre made his ring entrance.
Check out my 70 minute on-camera preview of WWE Elimination Chamber on Denise Salcedo’s YouTube Channel recorded yesterday.
[HOUR TWO]
-Drew stood mid-ring and talked about how many cool places he’s visited and lived. He said he lived near New Orleans back in 2010 including when the Saints went to the Super Bowl. He said the only people who can keep up with the Scotish drinking are the people of New Orleans. He said he ended up in the back of police car. He said it wasn’t his fault. He an officer recognized him and got him out of the squad car and partied all night with him. He said his career almost ended at the hands of Moss and Happy Corbin. A clip aired of their attack on him late last year.
Drew said two years ago he was headed to WrestleMania to “slay the Beast,” and last year he was WWE Champion, “and this year it is damn personal.” He said at EC, it’s anything goes. He listed a variety of things he can do to him, such as flush his face in a toilet, put his hand on a hot stove, take him to the desert and feed him some sand, then drown him in the Red Sea. He said he wants ideas from the WWE Universe. He announced #MadCapMauling.” He said he has a 20 hour flight and has WiFI so he’ll read everything. (He better hop on that plane because his match starts about 16 hours from this airing!)
Moss and Corbin walked out. Corbin asked what kind of role model he is being for little Scottish kids by suggesting he’ll drown Moss. Moss said like any good comedian, he’s good at using his environment. He said what he started at Day One they’ll finish tomorrow. He said: “What is Drew McIntyre’s bad neck have in common with a popular breakfast cereal?” he asked. “They go snap, crackle, pop.” As Corbin and Moss cackled, Drew said Moss has all the talent in the world, but he decided to align himself with “that piece of crap, Corbin.” He said he’s going to hurt him at EC and “it’ll be the night the laughter died.” Cole said it’s a bad idea for Moss to keep making jokes at Drew’s expense. Drew held up his sword and pointed it at Moss and Corbin on the stage.
(Keller’s Analysis: I am enjoying Moss and Corbin’s corny act more than I’m proud to admit, but the downside is it’s such a mid-card schtick that it pulls Drew down a notch just being occupied by them. That all said, Drew has made the best of this, and this was one of his better promos in a while, connecting with the local fans and involving fans worldwide with the hashtag to share ideas of what he can do to humiliate Moss in their match.)
-Braxton asked Nakamura what his plan is without Rick Boogs in his corner. He said his plan is to kick Sami in the face. He said if he thinks he can beat him for his title, he must really be InZayn.
-Nakamura made his ring entrance as Cole said Boogs is at home resting after suffering nerve damage in his hand after being zapped last week when he grabbed the microphone. [c]
(3) SHINSUKE NAKAMURA vs. SAMI ZAYN – Intercontinental Title match
After formal ring introductions, Graves said these two faced each other for the first time at an NXT Takeover years ago. He said they know each other like the back of their hands. Sami stalled in the ropes in the opening seconds. Cole noted Sami is a two-time IC Champion, and the last time he lost it, it was the start of his downfall believing in conspiracy theories. Graves said it’s not a downfall and Sami has documented evidence of those conspiracies against him. He said winning tonight will be the completion of his journey. Graves said Sami felt bad at the misfortune suffered by Boogs last week. Cole couldn’t believe Graves would buy into Sami’s claim. Nakamura landed some roundkicks to Sami’s chest, then kneed him into the corner. He put Sami on the top rope and kneed him in the abdomen. He then went for a kneedrop on Sami on the ring apron, but Sami moved. When Nakamura landed and clutched his knee, they cut to a break. [c]
Sami dominated after the break. He eventually dove through the ropes at ringside, but Nakamura kicked him in the head. Nakamura charged at Sami, but Sami side-stepped him and he went knee-first into the ringside steps. They cut to another break. [c]
Nakamura kicked Sami in the head, then stomped away at him against the ropes. He set up a Kinshasa, but Sami rolled to the floor to avoid it. Graves called it “nothing short of brilliant.” Sami then rammed Nakamura’s injured knee into the ringpost as Nakamura yelled in pain. Back in the ring, Sami kicked Nakamura in the bad knee, then scored a three count with a small package.
WINNER: Sami in 18:00 to capture the IC Title.
(Keller’s Analysis: I’m all for Sami being IC Champion again. Maybe Nakamura & Boogs can add something fresh to the Smackdown Tag Team Division soon. The match was solid. Nothing remarkable, but a good WWE TV match of that length.)
-Cole (obviously with a voiceover) threw to segment on “WWE Celebrates Black History Month.” The showed Booker T visiting students in a traditionally under-served and under-resourced school district.
-A brief video package aired on the Lita-Becky Lynch match. [c]
-Aliyah gushed about Ricochet’s performance earlier. Ricochet said Sheamus has been trying to make his life miserable, but tonight was a gigantic step forward for him. They seemed to be flirtatious before Ricochet walked away. Sami walked up to Aliyah and gloated about his IC Title win.
-A video package hyped the men’s Elimination Chamber match.
-Roman Reigns made his ring entrance, accompanied by Paul Heyman. Graves said the look in Reigns’s eyes should give everyone all the answers they need. He wore his “Needle Mover” t-shirt. [c]
-Cole and Graves hyped the entire Chamber line-up.
-Heyman looked admiringly at Reigns before handing him the mic. Reigns said, “New Orleans, acknowledge me.” Heyman took a dig at Drew Brees, a pro quarterback who played his career for New Orleans, and then compared Reigns to Tom Brady, a more successful NFL quarterback. Fans began singing a fight song for the New Orleans Saints. Heyman threw a bunch of superlatives at Reigns. Reigns soaked it up and didn’t seem the least bit embarrassed by his effusive gushing. Goldberg’s music then interrupted. Fans chanted “Goldberg!” Goldberg came out of his locker room, chomping gum and twitching.
Goldberg entered the ring and approached Reigns. The “Goldberg!” chants continued. Reigns told him not to crowd him. “I don’t think you understand, Bill, I run things around here,” he said. “Speak your intentions.” Goldberg said, “Tomorrow 12 o’clock.” He said he had to apologize in front of the wonderful people in the arena and around the world. “You’re not next,” he said. “When it comes to the Universal Championship, I’m next.” He dropped the mic. The staredown got closer as Cole did a final hard sell for the Chamber event.
(Keller’s Analysis: Nothing substantive, but it allowed Heyman and Reigns to do their thing, which is always fun. Then Goldberg had a good crowd reaction and got off a solid enough closing line playing off his catchphrase before the staredown.)
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