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WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
MARCH 9, 2024
DALLAS, TEX. AT AMERICAN AIRLINES CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON FOX
Commentators: Corey Graves, Wade Barrett
[HOUR ONE]
-A video recap aired of last week’s segment with The Rock challenging Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins to a tag match with him and Roman Reigns with special stipulations.
-They showed The Rock arriving in the parking garage in a retro pick-up truck and putting on a cowboy hat and drinking a beverage from a can before littering it over his shoulder. Then they cut to Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman backstage, followed by several security officers. Then they showed Cody Rhodes smiling as he arrived earlier. Seth Rollins walked up to him and they walked side-by-side. They ran into Nick Aldis and paused briefly. Aldis and security followed behind Seth and Cody.
-Graves introduced the show as a camera panned the sold out major arena from the upper deck. Wade Barrett said the stakes couldn’t be higher because the main event of WrestleMania’s second night will either be Bloodline Rules or Bloodline-Free if Cody & Seth agree.
-Logan Paul made his way to the ring with the U.S. Title belt over his shoulder. Barrett said Logan, whatever he does, will be cooking up something that is “box office” for WrestleMania. Logan said Dallas is his city of firsts. He said two years ago he wrestled his first WrestleMania in Dallas and now they’ll be the first to witness more history. He said he’s a conqueror. The crowd starting “What’ing” him. He said he’s not doing that and this is his moment. “You all suck,” he went on. He said he joined WWE to take over. He said they can “What!” him but look at him now. He said he’s the greatest rookie of all-time, the current U.S. Champion, and the most viral athlete in the company. He said everything he touches turns to gold and no one can garner attention like him.
He said when he talks about his success, he’s not talking about his title, his “massively successful YouTube channel,” his podcasts, his boxing matches, or even “my five-star wrestling matches, you’re welcome.” Fans booed. He said he’s talking about WWE.
He said ever since his first appearance in Dallas, he’s broken every record. He said the biggest deals the company has ever done have been done since he arrived. He said he’s the secret sauce. “One could almost say WWE is in its prime,” he said. He then told Dallas he has a surprise for them. He asked for and got a drum roll. A ring covering was pulled and it revealed the logo of his energy drink on the canvas underneath. He said his beverage company has partnered with WWE to be the first-ever center-ring sponsor of WWE starting at WrestleMania and every PLE thereafter. He sarcastically said he’s glad the (booing) fans are excited a she is. He then introduced KSI, the co-founder of his energy drink.
KSI entered the ring to hecking. Logan said a moment this big deserves a big photo. A photographer stood on the ring apron and took a photo. Randy Orton’s music interrupted. Logan looked toward the stage wide-eyed. KSI applauded and awaited Orton. Logan laughed and said, “Where is he?” Orton entered from the other side and went for an RKO, but Logan blocked it and scurried out of the ring. Orton instead gave KSI an RKO. Orton dragged him to the middle of the ring over the energy drink logo. Fans loudly chanted, “Randy! Randy!” Orton then opened the bottle of a drink and smelled it. He took a sip. He said, “This is very good.” He then poured it on KSI’s crotch. Fans laughed. Graves called it a humiliating beginning to Smackdown for Logan and KSI.
(Keller’s Analysis: Logan continues to be a great fit for this business. It’s pretty counter-intuitive to market a drink to an audience while also bashing that same audience and taunting them by putting your logo in the middle of the ring. Will people not buy his drink out of spite? Maybe. I’m not thrilled with a sponsor taking up space on the canvas; I like the clean canvas for wrestlers to tell their story and it’s a distraction. Hopefully we get used to it, or if it gets a lot of complaints from fans, maybe it goes away. It’s not like WWE needs the extra money to be a success.)
-Barrett hyped the tag match coming up next. [c]
(1) RANDY ORTON & KEVIN OWENS vs. AUSTIN THEORY & GREYSON WALLER
Graves called Theory and Waller “brash upstarts.” He said they’re ruffling feathers. The bell rang 19 minutes into the hour. Owens opened against Theory. He grounded Theory and applied an armlock, then yelled at Waller that nobody likes him. Graves said Owens was multi-tasking. Barrett and Graves discussed the video game ratings for the wrestlers in the match; Orton was at 91, KO at 86, Waller at 74, and Theory at 72. Barrett said Waller and Theory will be in the high-80s in two years. When Waller tagged in, Orton asked to tag in and KO obliged.
Orton poked Waller in the eyes. Barrett said Orton just beat Waller to using a dirty trick first. Orton punched away at Waller and got to nine, then turned and gave Theory the tenth punch. Theory reverse-whipped Owens into the corner and then dropkicked him. Owens rolled to the floor. Waller tagged in and gave Orton a cheap shot on the apron, then clotheslined Owens at ringside. As Waller and Theory celebrated, they cut to a break at 4:00. [c]
Waller was in control of KO after the break. He mocked Orton’s signal for an RKO and then went for an RKO on Owens, but Owens blocked it and threw Waller into Theory. Orton smiled. Owens leaped and tagged in against Waller. He took Waller down with two clotheslines and a snap powerslam. He strutted as fans cheered. Orton went for a draping DDT on Waller, but Theory saved Waller and then snapped his neck over the top rope. Owens flip-dove onto Theory at ringside. Orton then gave Waller a draping DDT. Orton played to a cheering crowd. Barrett said Orton is a tormented soul and he has only one way to release pressure.
Orton pounded the mat, but Theory intervened before Orton could hit an RKO. Waller rolled up Orton for a near fall. Waller punched Orton and tagged Theory in. Owens gave Waller a Stunner and then tossed Theory into an awaiting Orton for an RKO – a “Pop-Up RKO!” exclaimed Graves. Orton got the three count on Theory. Barrett said they have immediate chemistry.
WINNERS: Owens & Orton in 10:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: The Pop-up RKO is pretty cool! As for Orton and Owens, they play well off of each other. Have there been any other wrestlers in WWE who have done more angles with a mix of different partners in between singles pushes than these two? I wouldn’t mind them going after the tag titles and actually surprising everyone by not having one of them turn on the other and end up feuding. First, I’m hoping for a one-on-one match with Logan and Orton at WM rather than wedging a third person in the mix, but I’m open to seeing if they can make that work if that’s where they’re heading.
-As Orton and Owens celebrated to Orton’s music, Logan attacked them from behind with a double clothesline. He pulled out brass knuckles and swung at Orton. Orton ducked and stole the knux. Logan bailed out. Orton dropped the knux into the front of his trunks as Logan stomped his way to the back with Theory and Waller.
(Keller’s Analysis: This idea that brass knuckles are extra-potent with crotch sweat all over them does make them seem more deadly, I suppose.)
-They showed a gathering of security officers backstage. Graves said Aldis is prepared for potential tension later between The Bloodline and Seth Rollins & Cody Rhodes. [c]
-Graves plugged WrestleMania 40 weekend events.
-A sponsored video package aired on the Bayley vs. Damage CTRL feud.
-Kayla Braxton interviewed Bayley backstage in a sit-down setting. She asked Bayley for her thoughts on Dakota Kai turning on her. Bayley said she’s hanging on by a thread. She said things have felt off between them for so long, but she never imagined they’d get to this point. She said she had been wondering for a while if their friendship was real or if they were just using her. She said Dakota manipulated and tricked her at her most vulnerable state.
Kayla asked what she has to say about people who felt she had it coming. Bayley said she has made enemies the last two years. She said she did some things to get attention and get ahead, but most of what she was for Damage CTRL. She said she’d do anything for them and she didn’t care who she offended in the process. She said her decisions are backfiring and now she feels all alone. She said she’s more focused now and Damage CTRL made a mistake underestimating her. She said she will do everything in her soul to break them now.
(Keller’s Analysis: Bayley represented herself well given the journey she’s been on. I do like the effort WWE is going to in terms of addressing wrestlers’ pasts after they turn and trying to reconcile who they are now versus who they were not long ago. Bayley had some solid answers. Fans will be excited when she breaks out of her funk and dishes out some revenge. I think when Bayley seems emotionally recovered and in a good place again, fans will get really behind her.)
-They cut backstage to Naomi watching Bayley’s segment on a monitor. Bianca Belair walked in and asked why Naomi was watching Bayley cry “because she did this to herself.” Naomi said she feels bad about the whole thing. Belair asked why and said she’s literally in the same position she put her in the last two years. She said she doesn’t feel bad. Naomi said she isn’t cool with it because she relates. Belair said she wasn’t around to see all the mess Bayley created. She said the way she sees it, she made her bed and she has to lie in it.
(Keller’s Analysis: This is one of those Disney Channel-level acting sketches where everything feels really put on including awkward body angles as two people pretend to have a casual natural conversation. That aside, having Naomi be more sympathetic and Belair push back on that makes sense given that Belair has been around to see Bayley’s conduct the last two years. It’ll make Belair eventually accepting her feel more “earned.”)
-Bobby Lashley’s ring entrance took place. Barrett plugged that Lashley vs. Karrion Kross was up next. [c]
-They again showed the “extra security” assembled backstage for the closing segment of the show.
(2) BOBBY LASHLEY vs. KARRION KROSS (w/Scarlett)
Graves noted that AOP and The Street Profits are not allowed at ringside for this match, so it’s just two heavy-hitters one-on-one. The bell rang 48 minutes into the hour. Kross got in some early offense including a fisherman’s suplex and stomps. Lashley fired back with an overhead suplex and then clotheslined Kross over the top rope to the floor. Lashley went after Kross and threw him into the ringside barricade. Scarlett blocked Lashley from sending Kross into the ringpost. Kross then attacked Lashley. They cut to a break at 2:00. [c]
Back from the break, Graves touted a crowd of 16,919 as the camera moved from the stage to ringside. Kross had Lashley grounded in the ring. Lashley came back at 7:00 and rammed Kross into the ringpost. Back in the ring, he set up a spear, but Kross moved. Lashley set up a Hurt Lock, but Kross sent Lashley into the turnbuckle. He followed with a modified Death Valley Driver for a two count. Fans chanted, “Bobby! Bobby!” Lashley one-arm slammed Kross after a somewhat clumsy rebound off the ropes. AOP then showed up as Lashley set up a spear.
WINNER: Lashley via DQ in 8:00.
-The Street Profits ran out to even the odds. They brawled. Ford leaped over the top rope onto AOP, but AOP caught him. Dawkins then leaped on all of them, sending AOP backwards to the floor. Lashley beat up Kross in the ring. Scarlett entered to try to stop him. B-Fab entered and slapped Scarlett. Barrett said she earned that one. Scarlett ran to the back. Lashley put Kross in a Hurt Lock, but AOP quickly broke it up and attacked Lashley again. AOP threw Ford over the top rope before going back after Lashley. Kross gave Lashley his Final Prayer finisher.
(Keller’s Analysis: Not quite as ugly as a bowling shoe, but it wasn’t graceful. It was effective enough for the story they’re telling which is two tough big guys colliding with each other. The run-in finish is par for the course in this feud so far as they keep avoiding anything conclusive as they try to stretch this out.)
-A clip aired of last week’s angle with the return of Rey Mysterio and then Carlito pinning Santos Escobar as a result. They showed Dragon Lee celebrating with the LWO backstage afterward.
[HOUR TWO]
-Backstage, Legado del Fantasma made fun of Dragon Lee dressing up as Rey Mysterio. Elektra Lopez asked if he thinks he’s going to be the next Rey Mysterio and laughed at the notion. Santos said Rey is the past whereas the future is Legado del Fantasma. He got in Dragon Lee’s face and said he’s nothing. Lee shoved Escobar. Humberto Carrillo and Angel Garca knocked Lee down, then laughed at him.
(Keller’s Analysis: Dragon Lee looked weak during this, especially when stayed down and looked up at the heels as if he was helpless and submitting to their bullying. It put heat on the heels, but Lee went too far selling for it.)
-Tiffany Stratton made her ring entrance. [c]
-Graves and Barrett talked about Paul Heyman, Bull Nakano, and Barry Windham & Mike Rotunda being announced for this year’s WWE Hall of Fame class.
(3) MICHIN vs. TIFFANY STRATTON
The end of Michin’s ring entrance air. The bell rang 8 minutes into the hour. Stratton landed an early double stomp to the chest for a two count. Barrett said Stratton wasn’t supposed to be this good this early and she looks like she’s going to be a dominant force. Graves said many believe it’s her ruthlessness that is her best asset. Michin made a comeback and set up a Styles Clash, but Stratton countered it. She quickly landed a Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the win.
WINNER: Stratton in 2:30.
(Keller’s Analysis: Stratton continues to carry herself and come across as a potential fast-rising star.)
-A vignette aired with A.J. Styles saying this message is for L.A. Knight and anyone else who wondered why he flew across the globe to do what he did. He said Knight walks around like he owns the place, but he doesn’t believe in the same locker room as him. He said he thought his shtick was funny until Knight stole his momentum. He said Knight’s a loud mouth in desperate need of humbling. They placed ominous music behind Styles’s promo.
(Keller’s Analysis: It’s pretty easy to understand how Styles feels about how Knight’s demeanor backstage, but he’s doing a good job overreacting and being bitter so he still ends up looking like the bad guy here.)
-They cut backstage to Knight watching on a monitor, then getting up and smashing the TV with a chair. Graves said, “L.A. certainly did a number on T.V. Styles.”
-Legado del Fantasma’s ring entrance aired. [c]
-Pete Dunne walked in as Tyler Bate was excitedly playing WWE’s new video game. Dunne was stoic. Tyler noticed and he said perhaps instead they should be getting in some reps in the gym. Tyler said he’s going to go talk to Aldis about the tag title situation, then handed Dunne the controller. When Tyler left, Dunne decided to play the game.
(Keller’s Analysis: I’m on Team Dunne in terms of these two personalities, but mostly I’m digging the Odd Couple vibe in terms of their energy levels. Dunne caving in and guilt-playing the game when Tyler left was a nice touch.)
(4) ANGEL GARZA (w/Santos Escobar, Humberto Carrillo, Elektra Lopez) vs. DRAGON LEE
Dragon Lee’s entrance aired. The bell rang 21 minutes into the hour. Lee took early control including a flying dropkick to Angel sitting in the corner of the ring. Angel leapfrogged Lee, but then clutched his knee in pain. The ref checked on him. Angel burst out of the corner and dropkicked Lee when he lowered his guard, revealing he was faking the knee injury. Angel kneed Lee off the ring apron and struck a pose. His cohorts hovered over Lee at ringside as they cut to a break. [c]
Back from the break, they stumbled a bit on a series of attempted reversals, resulting in Lee landing a powerbomb on Angel. That was as sloppy as anything with Lashley and Kross. Lee hit Angel with a barrage of rapid-fire offense. Angel head-butted Lee on the top rope, but Lee fought back and double-stomped Angel as he hung off the top rope upside down. He followed with a running flip-dive onto Angel at ringside. A wide-eyed Santos watched. Angel kicked a charging Lee to reverse momentum. Lee countered a pop-up powerbomb into a roll-up for a clean three count.
WINNER: Dragon Lee in 8:00.
-Afterward, Angel, Humberto, and Escobar attacked Dragon Lee and then stood over him.
(Keller’s Analysis: Satisfying follow-up to Lee being bullied and pushed around. The match wasn’t as smooth as you’d hope and expect, though. Having Lee be the protegé or heir apparent to Rey is a worthwhile path to take, though, especially in light of Dominik being ill-fit for that role and much better as a heel!)
-A vignette aired with Damage CTRL reacting to Bayley’s interview later, mocking her despair. Iyo said it was her era forever and Bayley was never part of their vision. Dakota told Bayley she’d see her in the ring next week.
-Backstage, Aldis knocked on Cody and Seth’s locker room door and looked inside. They weren’t there. Aldis asked security where they were. They didn’t know. He turned and urgently went looking for them. [c]
-They showed an aerial scene of Dallas’s skyline.
-Graves and Barrett hyped Bayley vs. Dakota Kai and the return of Rey Mysterio for next week’s show.
-The Bloodline’s ring entrance took place starting 35 minutes into the hour. They did a really cool zooming out from a close-up of Reigns to a wide shot of the packed arena from the last row. Reigns stood in the ring and raised his belt as Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa, and Paul Heyman surrounded him. Pyro blasted. When the music stopped nearly four minutes after it started, The Rock’s music played. Rock then slowly strolled to the ring. Graves said there is nothing like seeing The Rock in person. Barrett said they are seeing a side of The Rock that has lay dormant for 20 years.
When Rock’s music stopped, fans were chanting “Cody! Cody!” Rock paced on the left side of the ring as The Bloodline clustered on the right. It wasn’t visually a look that said cohesion and chemistry. A “Rocky! Rocky!” chant then started briefly. Reigns then began speaking nine minutes after his ring entrance first started. “Dallas, Texas, greatness stands before you now.” Boos rang out. He looked at Rock and offered a handshake. Rock paused, then shook his hand. They hugged half-heartedly and nodded at each other. Reigns then said, “Acknowledge us!”
Cody’s entrance theme then started. He and Seth Rollins walked through the crowd toward the ring. They cut to a break. [c]
Back from the break, Seth and Cody were in the ring with Rock and Reigns. Fans were signing Seth’s song. Cody said, “I know it’s a little tense.” He said if he’s being honest, he feels very lucky to be standing in the ring. He said perhaps the four of them should take a moment and feel it “right here in a sold out Dallas, Texas.” Another wide shot of the packed arena looking down from the upper deck. A loud “Cody!” chant broke out. Cody said he has heard Rock’s challenge and he heard the stipulations that come with the suggested tag match at WrestleMania. The camera panned to WrestleMania sign. He asked if he has the authority to make that stipulation. Fans “oohh’d.” He said he only asks because it was just last week he acknowledged Roman as his Tribal Chief.
Cody said he can cut right to it. As he was about to answer Rock’s challenge, Rock interrupted and told him to shut his mouth. He called Seth a walking clown show and said he should shut his mouth before he even starts talking. He said he’s going to drop some Rock gospel before he makes a mistake in accepting the match. He said he acknowledged Reigns because it’s what family does. He reiterated the stakes. He said if he wins that tag match, he will be free to finish his story and achieve his dad’s dream. Fans chanted “Diarrhea!” Seth cackled and danced a little and then gloated to Rock. Cody looked uncomfortable and a little disappointed in the fans.
Rock said after they beat their candy asses, though, then it’s Bloodline rules and everything goes. He asked if he accepts. Seth interjected and told him to shut up. He said they know the stakes. “The future of the industry is on the line,” he said. “We get that. You listen to me and you listen to me good, Mr. Mid-Life Crisis.” He said he had his time but “you damn sure can’t have ours.” He said it’ll be the biggest tag match of all time and they accept.
Reigns cackled and asked Cody if he’s going to let Seth answer for him. He said he must be an idiot and he must be from Texas. He called Seth a cross-dresser and asked if he’s going to let him make decisions for him. He said when he beats him on night two, that’s it and his story is over. Rock said it will be over. Rock said he’ll do everything in his power to make sure Cody doesn’t win. He said he is a director of the board of TKO, which means he’s their boss. He said Cody will never get another shot at the belt again.
He said he and Roman are family and the High Chief is looking down proud. He said Dusty Rhodes is looking down. He asked Cody if it’s true he’s the youngest of three and his sister was a cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys and his brother is a future Hall of Famer and he’s 20 years younger than his siblings. He said that’s because he was a mistake. As things got tense, Cody raised the mic to his mouth, then slapped Rock. Rock threw the mic over his shoulder, turned and smiled at Cody, and the show ended.
(Keller’s Analysis: It seemed the show cut off at least a few seconds before the end of the planned fallout from the last exchange, but no big deal. Seth was way too giddy over the “diarrhea” chant and he seems childish and uncool. Cody seemed genuinely uncomfortable with that, which is going to score him some points with a lot of people. I’m wondering if we don’t get a Rock vs. Seth match before Rock or Reigns turn to set up a match between them? That’d be a nice consolation prize since Seth is missing out on the C.M. Punk match. The derisive “cross-dresser” line felt like it was pulled from the 1980s. Cody does seem to genuinely appreciate the moment he is in and the lack of inevitability that he’d ever reach this level in front of crowds responding to him this way. No matter how a wrestler is being portrayed today, five or eight or ten years later, if that wrestler has talent and charisma and persistence, it has to give them some hope. There’s many ways this can go, and I don’t think there’s only one good way, and they seem to be keeping options open, including teasing some frosty distance between Rock and Reigns that may or may not mean anything. The line of the promo was Seth calling Rock “Mr. Mid-life Crisis.”)
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