WWE SmackDown emanates from AllState Arena in Rosemont, Illinois tonight at 8/7c on USA Network.
CM Punk Kicks Things Off
The show kicks off with the usual “WWE Then. Now. Forever. Together.” opening signature. Joe Tessitore welcomes us to the show as always, and we see arrival shots of various Superstars.
We settle inside the arena, where the camera shows Tessitore seated next to Wade Barrett. They address the hot crowd as fans are loudly chanting “CM Punk! CM Punk!” in the background.
From there, a video package is shown to recap the main event contract signing from last week’s show with Punk, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. When it wraps up, his theme hits and the chants pick up louder. He settles in the ring.
Punk begins by talking about how he was told the best crowds are overseas, but he knew they were coming back to Chicago. He gets the Chicago fans to prove they’re louder. They succeed.
He says his goal is to visit every town and make new fans, but forgive him tonight, as his goal isn’t to get new fans but thank 16,000 fans that are part of his extended family. He says he doesn’t know if we heard, but he’s in the main event of WrestleMania.
Fans chant “You deserve it!” He says he doesn’t deserve it, he earned it. He says while he’s thanking people, let him thank his beautiful wife April. Fans chant “AJ Lee! AJ Lee!” He then thanks his puppy Larry. Fans chant “Larry! Larry!”
He thanks the fans one more time and says now the hard work begins. He vows to beat Seth Rollins’ ass and put a beating on “The Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania.
Paul Heyman Joins CM Punk In The Ring
“Ladies and gentlemen!” is the next thing we hear, and out comes “The Wiseman” Paul Heyman. He makes his way down to the ring addressing “The Second City” and who he calls his best friend, “The Second City Saint” CM Punk. Heyman asks if he can come in the ring.
Punk says he was just getting to the part of his thank you speech that involved Heyman. He tells him to come on in. Fans chant “ECW! ECW!” Punk says Heyman can’t escape it and further encourages the “ECW!” chants.
They get around to the topic of the mysterious favor that Heyman owes Punk. Heyman then asks if he can ask him for another favor. Punk says “we’re stock-piling favors tonight. What can I do for you?” Heyman asks him to tell him right now what favor he owes him.
Heyman says Reigns is upset about this and he’s not here yet, but he will be soon. Punk says he’s not here yet? He tells him that he does owe him a favor and that it will affect Reigns. He says he wants to tell Reigns to his face what the favor is, and to tell him when he gets here.
Rey Fenix vs. Nathan Frazier
The opening segment wraps up there and then immediately we hear lightning strike and the screen turns orange. The graphic promoting Rey Fenix’s long-awaited debut flashes on the screen as the show heads to the first commercial break of the evening.
When the show returns, WWE NXT Tag-Team Champion from Fraxiom, Nathan Frazer, is in the middle of finishing up his ring entrance, in progress. He is introduced and then the lights go out.
The theme for the debuting Rey Fenix hits and out comes the former AEW star to a big pop and a cool entrance. The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with the first match of the evening.
After some fast-paced back-and-forth action, we see Fenix hit a huge high spot from the ring to the floor for a monster crowd pop. On that note, the show shifts gears and settles into a mid-match commercial break as the action continues.
When the show returns, Fenix takes over on offense with a rolling super kick, called the Amigo kick. He hits a big piledriver and then finishes Frazer off with the MMB (Mexican Muscle-Buster) for the win. Afterwards, he cuts a quick in-ring promo about his excitement to be in WWE.
After the match, Berto is jealous of Fenix backstage. Santos Escobar says he’ll talk to Nick Aldis and get him a chance to prove he’s better. We head to another break.
Winner: Rey Fenix
Eye-Patch Drew McIntyre Addresses Damian Priest
When the show returns, Drew McIntyre is shown in a video-package style new promo segment, while wearing an eye patch. He addresses Damian Priest and the attack that saw him get slammed through the windshield of a car. He says he needs to pray, and when he needs to pray, bad things happen.
LA Knight vs. Tama Tonga
Backstage, Braun Strowman is being interviewed when Solo Sikoa and the returning Tama Tonga confronts him. LA Knight also shows up and has words with Tonga, setting up a match between the two. The camera follows “The Mega Star” all the way to the ring, as it’s up next.
On that note, the show settles into a quick pre-match commercial break. When the show returns, we see Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga make their way out. The bell sounds and off we go. After a few minutes of back-and-forth action, the show heads into a mid-match break.
When the show returns, we see Tonga in the offensive lead. Knight begins taking over. He looks for the Blunt-Force Trauma, but Sikoa hops on the apron. He tries to take out Knight, but Knight ducks and takes him out. Tonga rolls Knight up from behind, but he kicks out and hits BFT for the win.
Winner: LA Knight
Paul Heyman Still Stressing Over The Favor
Backstage, Byron Saxton catches up with an agitated “Wiseman.” Paul Heyman talks directly into the camera and repeats over-and-over again that regardless of what the favor is, his answer is yes.
He wants to get it over with. A truck pulls up behind him. He thinks it’s Roman Reigns, but it’s Seth Rollins. Rollins wants to be present when the favor is revealed later as well.
Charlotte Flair & Tiffany Stratton In-Ring Interview With Wade Barrett
After the backstage / parking lot segment wraps up, the show returns inside the arena, where Charlotte Flair is making her way to the ring. As she settles inside the squared circle, the show shifts gears into another quick commercial break.
When the show returns, we see “The Queen” in the ring. The theme for her WrestleMania 41 opponent, WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton, hits. It’s Tiffy-Time, as the top dog in the blue brand women’s division settles in the ring.
SmackDown commentator Wade Barrett is in the ring to moderate this interview. When both are introduced, Flair’s boos seem louder than Tiffy’s cheers. “You see that, that’s power,” Flair says. Stratton responds, “What time is it?” The fans loudly chant “Tiffy-Time!”
Flair chuckles and says, “Aww, that’s cute.” She talks for a minute and then Stratton asks if she’s done. She asks if she wants to get her “WOOO!” in before she finishes. She then taunts Flair for crying, boo-hoo, on some little talk show. Ouch. She says no matter how many records she breaks, she’ll always come second to her daddy, Ric Flair. Ouch!
She says and at WrestleMania, she’ll come in second to her. Charlotte begins talking but the crowd is chanting and booing over her. Stratton cuts her off. “You see that? That’s power.” Ouch! Charlotte keeps trying to talk but gets the Dominik Mysterio treatment.
Tiffy cuts her off again. “What’s the matter, Charlotte? Cat got your tongue?” Charlotte tries talking but is again drowned out by boos. She tells Tiffy she can have the last word. Tiffy asks what Charlotte was doing when she was 25. She says trying to be a volleyball player drinking in her daddy’s basement.
She calls Charlotte the company’s least-favorite nepo-baby after Charlotte does a skin-crawling squealing impression of Tiffy. Tiffy tells Charlotte she’ll be the same as she is outside the ring — alone. Tiffy lets out a loud “Wooo!” and walks off as Charlotte tries getting in a line about Ludwig Kaiser being in her DMs. That was ungodly brutal. Maybe the most vicious women’s pipe bomb since AJ Lee. Possibly ever.
WWE Tag-Team Championship No. 1 Contender
DIY vs. Motor City Machine Guns
After the explosive women’s title promo battle for WrestleMania 41 wraps up, the show settles back inside the arena where The Street Profits’ theme hits. Out comes WWE Tag-Team Champions Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins, as the show settles into a pre-match commercial break.
When the show returns, The Motor City Machine Guns and DIY teams make their respective ring walks for their big tag-team title contender match. The Profits are shown in the front row with their title belts watching on. The bell sounds and off we go.
Following some back-and-forth action in the opening minutes of the contest, the show shifts gears and heads into a mid-match commercial break as the match continues. When the show returns, the top turnbuckle is removed as things pick up. Ciampa goes for a cover but gets caught putting his feet on the ropes.
He’s then sent face-first into the exposed turnbuckle and finished off by the MCMG for the win. After the match, Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley have a face-to-face stare down with the reigning tag champs Ford and Dawkins.
Winners and NEW No. 1 Contenders: The Motor City Machine Guns
B-Fab vs. Naomi
Backstage, we see Pretty Deadly when The Miz and Carmelo Hayes approach them. They trade insults, leading to a match seemingly being made between the two teams. Back inside the arena, B-Fab makes her way out for the next match of the evening.
On that note, the show settles into a quick pre-match commercial break. The show returns to Naomi making her way out, only to be ambushed and attacked from behind by Jade Cargill.
Things are calmed down and the bell sounds to get the match officially off-and-running. After Naomi gets the win, she is once again attacked by Cargill after calling her out on the mic. This time, Nick Aldis comes out and announces Naomi vs. Cargill for WrestleMania 41.
Winner: Naomi
Kevin Owens Needs Neck Surgery, Randy Orton Reacts
Backstage, Damian Priest responds to eye-patch-Drew McIntyre comments from earlier in the show in his own video package style segment. He says he’s calling him out next week.
We head to another commercial break. When we return, a video package focusing on Evolution airs to hype Triple H’s induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Inside the arena, WWE SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis is in the ring. He is somber and talks about how there is a reason we say don’t try this at home. He then welcomes Kevin Owens. The theme for “The Prize Fighter” hits and out he comes.
Owens talks about how he’s got a neck injury and now he’s got to go get surgery. He says the timing sucks because now he can’t get in the ring with Randy Orton at WrestleMania. Owens says he’s thankful to WWE for letting him come out and tell us this.
He’s not sure when he’ll have the privilege to be in front of the fans again. For now he wants to say thank you. “I’m sorry guys. Thank you.” He hands the mic to Aldis and exits the ring, only to be stopped by Orton’s theme. He comes out and stands next to Owens on the ring apron.
Owens hops off and walks to the back. Orton stands next to Aldis in the ring stroking his chin, seemingly unsure if he should believe Owens or not. Aldis tells Orton this unfortunately means he no longer has a match for WrestleMania. He RKOs Aldis out of nowhere.
WWE U.S. Championship No. 1 Contender Last Man Standing
Jacob Fatu vs. Braun Strowman
It’s main event (match) time!
The show heads to another commercial break. When it returns, after a quick recap of what just went down with Owens, Orton and Aldis, the theme for Jacob Fatu hits and out comes “The Samoan Werewolf” for the next match of the evening.
His opponent, “The Big SOB” Braun Strowman makes his way out. Fatu meets him outside of the ring and the fight is on in this Last Man Standing match, where the winner will earn a shot at the WWE United States Championship against LA Knight at WrestleMania 41.
After some early back-and-forth action, which includes Fatu hitting back-to-back pop-up moonsaults, Strowman begins to fight his way into the offensive lead for the first time. As he does, the show heads into a mid-match commercial as this high stakes showdown continues.
When the show returns, some more big spots take place, including Strowman hitting a monster suplex off some crates through a table and other production equipment. Back in the ring, Fatu blasts Strowman through a table in the corner for the win. He will now face LA Knight for the U.S. title at WrestleMania 41.
Winner and NEW No. 1 Contender: Jacob Fatu
CM Punk Reveals Favor In Front Of Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman & Seth Rollins
It’s main event (segment) time!
After the lineup for next week’s show is announced, Byron Saxton tries to catch up with Paul Heyman in the parking lot for an update on the arrival of “The Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns. He says he’ll be here any minute. The show heads to another break.
When the show returns, we see a shot of the parking lot again, when Reigns finally arrives. He exits his vehicle and begins walking directly to the ring as his theme hits. “The Wiseman” joins him. He settles in the ring and his music dies down.
“Chicago …acknowledge me!” he begins, as always. Reigns asks, “Is he here?” Heyman says yes. Reigns asks if he’s still talking about his favor. Heyman says yes. Reigns tells Chicago he doesn’t know how they deal with this guy. Reigns asks if he should tell these people a secret. Heyman says yes.
Reigns says Punk wouldn’t be back here if it weren’t for him. He wouldn’t be in the main event of WrestleMania if it wasn’t for him. As he continues, he is cut off by the familiar sounds of Seth Rollins’ theme. The Chicago crowd sings along as he joins Reigns and Heyman in the ring.
Rollins talks for a bit about Reigns living in a fantasy land and not accepting the real world and reality for what it is. Fans cut Rollins off with a loud “What’s the favor?!” chant. Rollins tells Reigns the reality is Punk is a problem.
Punk comes out and brings up the favor. He goes back in history to when Heyman left WWE years ago. Punk says he made it about himself and felt bad for that, so he asked Heyman what can he do. He says Heyman told him when he main events WrestleMania, which he will do one day, I’ll be there to “make them deal with us.”
Punk says, “Well they aren’t here anymore, so we’re gonna make you deal with us.” Reigns laughs and asks if that’s the favor. He tells Heyman to let Punk down easy. Heyman tears up. Reigns asks if he’s crying. He says wipe them up and tell him no. He gives him one last chance to tell Punk no.
Heyman says, “No, I can’t do that my Tribal Chief.” Reigns bullies Heyman into a corner. Punk attacks Reigns from behind and hits him with a GTS, leaving him laying. Punk and Rollins lock eyes and the show goes off the air. Thanks for joining us!
