SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
MARCH 22, 2024
MILWAUKEE, WISC. AT FISERV FORUM
AIRED LIVE ON FOX
Commentators: Corey Graves, Wade Barrett
Attendance: WrestleTix reported earlier today that 11,005 tickets were distributed so far; arena set up for 11,027.
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[HOUR ONE]
-They showed the exterior of the Philadelphia stadium hosting WrestleMania. Then they cut to piles of snow outside of the arena for Smackdown in Milwaukee. Corey Graves introduced the show. They showed Cody Rhodes arriving earlier and walking backstage. Then they showed Damage CTRL walking backstage looking like mean girls looking for someone to bully.
-They cut to a view of the arena from the upper deck as Rey Mysterio’s ring entrance began. A vignette aired with Santos Escobar making his case for Rey betraying him. He said he was once his hero and he too pity on him. He said things went sideways in a hurry and that Rey knew what was important to him but he betrayed him anyway.
(1) REY MYSTERIO vs. SANTOS ESCOBAR
The bell rang 5 minutes into the hour. Rey slipped springboarding off the second rope. He started limping on his right leg. Graves said perhaps he came back too soon. Barrett said he has ring rust. Rey head-scissored Escobar into a corner a minute later and played to the crowd and then landed a slidekick to Escobar’s crotch. He yelled down at Escobar. Escobar fought back and stomped away at Rey and landed a running low dropkick to a sitting Rey for a one count at 2:30. Rey head-scissored Escobar through the ropes to the floor and then slid under the bottom rope and splashed Escobar at ringside. They cut to a break. [c]
Back from the break, Escobar had Rey grounded mid-ring. They replayed that during the break, Escobar caught Rey mid-air and rammed him back-first into the ringpost. Rey avoided a charging Escobar in the corner. Escobar crashed through the ropes to the floor Rey leaped off the top rope onto Escobar at ringside.
Back in the ring, Rey leaped off the top rope with a seated senton. He continued to rally and landed a springboard moonsault for a two count at 10:00. Barrett said Rey was looking 25 years old all over again. Escobar caught a charging Rey with a superkick to the chest. Boos rang out. Escobar slammed Rey on his chest and face and scored a two count. He leaned down and called Rey “a pathetic old man.” Rey fought back and rammed Escobar into the announce desk and then shoved the ringside table lid into him. Rey stood on the announce desk and leaped off and hit a seated senton onto Escobar in the time keeper’s area.
As Rey went for a springboard into the ring, Dominik Mysterio showed up under a mask. He yanked on his boot and unmasked. Rey crashed to the mat. Escobar then hit Rey with a 619 and a Phantom Driver for the win. The announcers decried the disrespect shown by Dom.
WINNER: Escobar in 13:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Definitely not smooth early, but it picked up as it went.)
-They showed Barrett and Graves at ringside. Graves threw to a sponsored recap of Bayley being attacked by Damage CTRL.
-Backstage, Bayley walked up to Naomi who was stretching on a crate. She thanked her for helping her last week. She said it’s been hard finding friends lately. Naomi said her anger is aimed at Iyo Sky “and she’s gonna to feel me tonight.” Bianca Belair walked up and said, “Seriously? Seriously?” She confronted Bayley about attacking her the last two years. She said she’s not sorry other than the fact that everything is catching up to her. Bayley said she realizes that because she was there and she lived through it. Naomi pushed Belair away to try to calm the situation.
-Austin Theory and Greyson Waller made their ring entrance to Theory’s music. [c]
-Barrett plugged the Cody-Roman face-to-face later.
-Backstage, Belair and Naomi were still talking about Bayley. They walked past Cody signing autographed photos for later distribution. Naomi told Belair that her feelings are valid, but she can’t do anything about it. She said if she could fix it, she would. She said Damage CTRL are picking them off one by one, so they can’t defend themselves alone. She seemed to have given Belair something to think about.
(2) AUSTIN THEORY & GREYSON WALLER vs. LUKE GALLOWS & KARL ANDERSON (w/Michin) – WrestleMania Tag Title Ladder Match Tournament Qualifier
The bell rang 30 minutes into the hour. Theory talked trash to Gallows, so Gallows attacked him. Waller tagged in a minute later and Gallows immediately punched him. Anderson kicked Waller. Waller rolled to the floor. Gallows clotheslined Theory over the top rope. Anderson flipped over the top rope and largely overshot Waller and Theory. They cut to an early break at 1:00. [c]
Back from the break, Theory tagged in, but Gallows immediately chokeslammed him. Gallows sold a leg injury. Michin armdragged Waller at ringside as he ran around ringside. Gallows tagged in Anderson who landed a running senton. He knocked Waller off the ring apron. Anderson kicked Theory and then landed a leaping neckbreaker. He played to the crowd as Gallows nursed his knee at ringside. Anderson landed a spinebuster on both opponents. Gallows returned to the ring apron, but stood on one leg. Anderson landed a leaping neckbreaker for a two count. Anderson tagged in Gallows, who limped in. They set up a Magic Killer, but Waller broke it up. Gallows clotheslined Waller over the top rope, but Theory rolled up Gallows and put his boots on the middle rope for extra leverage to get a three count.
WINNERS: Theory & Waller in 7:00 to advance to face the winner of the AOP vs. Street Profits match.
(Keller’s Analysis: It seemed Gallows suffered some sort of legit leg injury on that chokeslam. Some of Waller’s bumps seemed early or a bit off.)
-They went to Barrett and Graves at ringside. Graves threw to a vignette on Bron Breakker. [c]
-Barrett and Graves plugged WrestleMania weekend happenings. A clip aired of Roman on the Pat McAfee podcast in front of a live audience earlier in the day. He said Hollywood came to him.
(3) NAOMI vs. IYO SKY
Naomi came out first. As Damage CTRL came out without Iyo Sky, they cut backstage where Sky was attacking Bayley. Sky then pranced onto the stage. The bell rang 48 minutes into the hour. They cut to a break at 2:30 with Naomi in control after a clunky 619-style bulldog that led to a two count. [c]
Naomi rallied after the break. She landed a superplex for a near fall. They cut to a wide view of the arena with Graves announcing a sellout crowd of 12,685. At 9:00, the rest of Damage CTRL ran to ringside and cut off Naomi’s momentum. Sky then landed Over the Moonsault for the win.
WINNER: Sky in 9:00.
[HOUR TWO]
-Damage CTRL attacked Naomi afterward. They blew mist in her face. Belair ran out for the save to cheers from the crowd. She threw Dakota Kai into the ringside steps and then attacked Sky, Asuka, and Kairi Sane in the ring. She was soon overwhelmed, though. A “Bayley! Bayley!” chant rang out, but she didn’t arrived due to the backstage attack ten minutes earlier. Damage CTRL stood over Belair and Naomi.
-They showed Cody chatting with Nick Aldis backstage. (Were they reminiscing about All In?)
-A vignette aired on Jade Cargill who described herself as a once-in-a-lifetime generational talent. “They’re going to build statues of me, and you don’t have to like it, but you sure can’t deny it.” She said she’s taking her talents to Smackdown. Barrett hyped that she’d make her first official appearance as a Smackdown Superstar next week on Fox. [c]
-A commercial aired for the Bray Wyatt documentary on Peacock.
-The cut backstage where Belair was helping Naomi wash her face and eyes from the mist. Tiffany Stratton laughed as she walked by Naomi.
-Kevin Owens was taking issue with Aldis about not responding to his texts in a timely way. Aldis said he was busy with Logan who is a sponsor. KO offered him $40. Pretty Deadly walked in and complained about a conspiracy against them to not make it to WrestleMania. KO argued with them and touted his WM performance last year. They said he was living in the past. KO challenged them to a tag team match next week with Randy Orton as his partner. Pretty Deadly were startled when Orton showed up. Orton agreed to team with him against Pretty Deadly next week. Aldis told them the match is official. KO then knocked them both out with one punch despite Aldis warning them.
-They went to Barrett and Graves at ringside who threw to a video package on an angle with A.J. Styles and L.A. Knight. They cut to an interview with Styles in his home gym. There was loud honking outside, so Styles got up. Knight had shown up. They fought in the yard. Police arrived and they showed a police cam of Knight punching away at Styles on the lawn. Knight was dragged away by the police.
(Keller’s Analysis: For a staged police call and arrest, this was very realistic by pro wrestling standards.)
-Graves said Styles declined to press charges so Knight was released from custody.
-The Street Profits made their ring entrance with Bobby Lashley and B-Fab. [c]
(4) THE STREET PROFITS (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins w/Bobby Lashley, B-Fab) vs. AUTHORS OF PAIN (Akam & Rezar w/Paul Ellering) – WrestleMania Tag Title Ladder Match Tournament Qualifier
AOP made their entrance, accompanied by Ellering. The bell rang 17 minutes into the hour. At 2:00 Ford ran and leaped over the top rope and flipped at AOP, but they caught him and slammed him into Dawkins. They cut to a break. [c]
Dawkins got the hot-tag in from Ford and he rallied against AOP at 7:00. He gave Akam a Silencer neckbreaker and then a running splash in the corner. He lifted Akam onto his shoulders. Ford climbed to the top rope, but Akam moved and then kicked Ford. Rezar tagged in and took Ford down with a running lariat for a near fall, broken up by Dawkins. Dawkins broke up AOP’s finisher on Ford and then small packaged Rezar for the three count. “Oh my god!” said Graves, a bit melodramatically given the credentials of the Profits. He said the Profits’ win was “against all odds” and a shocking upset.
Ford yelled into the camera on the stage about heading to WrestleMania.
WINNERS: The Street Profits in 9:00.
-Backstage, Paul Heyman said into the phone, “My Tribal Chief, your public awaits.” [c]
-A commercial aired hyping The Rock on Raw on Apr. 1
-Barrett hyped next week’s Smackdown: Belair vs. Dakota, New Catch Republic vs. Legado Del Fantasma, The Profits vs. Waller & Theory, Orton & KO vs. Pretty Deadly, plus Jade appearing. “Next week, the storm arrives,” said Graves regarding Cargil.
-In the parking garage, Roman Reigns stepped out wearing a “Family Above All” hoodie. Heyman pointed him toward the entrance.
-Graves hyped the release of a limited number of tickets for both nights of WrestleMania. He said they are being released sporadically in coming weeks.
-The Bloodline music played and Reigns made his entrance with Heyman. Graves talked about The Final Boss acknowledging Reigns as The Tribal Chief. Reigns said The Wise Man made a promise and the Tribal Chief has kept his word. He told Milwaukee that it’s time to acknowledge him. They cut to Cody backstage heading toward the ring. [c]
Cody’s ring entrance took place. Reigns told him he kept his word. He said he’s there by himself and he asked Cody if he’s by himself. Cody said he’s as much a man of his word as Reigns is, so if Reigns came alone, then he came alone. Reigns turned to Heyman and said he told him Cody would come alone and he did. Reigns said Cody is a fool and stupid to him. He said he’s not fit to be on top or the face of the company “because you’re an idiot.” He said he has to think with his head, not his heart. He said he’s aligned himself with his little brother, Seth Rollins. He asked where Seth was on Monday when he was in a jam. He asked if he was in traffic or had a delayed flight. He said it seemed he was just showing his true colors. He mocked Seth telling Cody that he was going to be his shield. He asked Cody if he knows they were in the Shield. “We didn’t do good-guy things, but we had a bond,” Reigns said. He said Seth stabbed him in the back. He asked Cody if he realizes that will happen to him too. He said that’s why he thinks he’s a fool.
Cody asked if he asked him if he remembered the Shield. He said they were unstoppable. He asked if he remembers the first team that did beat The Shield. Fans “ohhh’d.” He said their last name was Rhodes. He said he appreciates his “venom-laced wisdom.” He said he knows factions and betrayal “while I was off doing something.” He said this isn’t about a faction, it’s about family with him. “So can I trust Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins?” He asked the fans. They cheered, mostly. He said Seth might hate his guts, but he knows Seth hates Roman’s guts even more. He said he’ll see his situation and raise it another. He asked Roman if he can trust his partner at WrestleMania. Roman glared at him. “Can you trust The Rock?” Cody asked. “I think we’re all perhaps slightly confused in the pantheon of the Bloodline who is really in charge.” He asked if it’s the Tribal Chief or the Final Boss. Reigns smiled and paced. A “Rocky sucks!” chant rang out briefly.
Reigns said Cody is spinning like a true politician. He asked if he’s out running for governor. He asked anyone in the crowd if they want to have Cody kiss their kid. He said Cody makes promises, but he never delivers. He said he’s told people all these lies, but nothing ever comes of it. He said he’s no. 2. He said that’s not an insult because Cody is the best no. 2 of all time. He said the fans will never be close to no. 2. He said he’ll be no. 1 forever.
Cody looked at the fans. A “Cody!” chant started. Cody said, “Let’s get real here.” He told Reigns that he grew up in the industry like he did and Roman was a little kid looking in the mirror who wanted to be the biggest pro wrestling star. Cody listed Bruno Sammartino, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, The Rock, and John Cena. He said he has conceded to the idea that the generation who follows them will probably want to be the next Roman Reigns. He said that is his destiny, but he feels he is unfamiliar with his. He said when it comes to WrestleMania and who beats him for the title he’s held for so long, he’s not no. 2, “I’m the one.” He extended his hand and wished Reigns good luck at WrestleMania. Reigns almost shook his hand, then pulled away and sneered at him. He seemed perhaps slightly shaken by Cody’s confidence. He mocked his handshake offer and then shook Heyman’s hand instead.
When Reigns and Heyman stepped to the stage, the Bloodline music played. Solo Sikoa then walked through the crowd. Jimmy Uso walked through the crowd. “It was a trap all along,” said Graves. Cody looked around, realizing he was surrounded. Solo stepped over the barricade. Then Jimmy did the same. Cody began to look more and more concerned. “The Sharks have begun to circle,” said Graves. They stood next to Reigns. Cody looked on. Graves credited Cody for standing his ground. Jey Uso and Seth Rollins then appeared in the crowd. “Two can play at that game,” said Barrett. Graves said Cody might’ve gotten the jump on Reigns for once. Jey and Seth stood at ringside, flanking Cody. Cody’s music then played to end the show.
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