WWE SmackDown Review – February 17, 2023
Tag Team Match
Natayla & Shotzi Blackheart vs. Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler
Shayna Baszler & Natalya lock up to kick this match off then they two go back & forth with submission holds before Natalya delivers a kick to Baszler’s face. Ronda Rousey tags in and they lock up. Natalya looks for a Sharpshooter but Rousey escapes and tags Baszler back in.
Shotzi Blackheart tags in and delivers an arm drag then hits a knee to Baszler’s jaw and follows it up with a kick. Rousey tags in and delivers a step up knee then tags Baszler back in. Blackheart hits a dropkick and Rousey tags back in.
Blackheart catches her with an underhook German suplex before Rousey sets up for Piper’s Pit. Blackheart escapes and sends her to the outside then delivers a tope suicida and a crossbody off the top rope that sends us to a break.
After the break Baszler is going after Blackheart’s arm. Blackheart delivers an arm drag but Baszler quickly recovers and knocks Natalya off the apron. Blackheart sends Baszler to the outside but Rousey takes a few cheap shots at her. Blackheart delivers a DDT to Rousey on the apron before Baszler tosses her back in the ring.
Blackheart delivers an enziguri then tags in Natalya. Natalya hits a German suplex then plants her with a powerbomb and goes for a pin. Baszler kicks out and Natalya looks for the Sharpshooter. Baszler escapes and Rousey makes the blind tag.
She hits a discus lariat on Baszler while Rousey ascends to the top and hits a crossbody. Natalya ducks it and manages to lock in the Sharpshooter but relinquishes the hold once Baszler tries to interfere. She takes her down, then tags in Blackheart.
Natalya & Blackheart look for the Hart Attack but Baszler trips Natalya when she runs the ropes allowing Rousey to lock in the Armbar on Shotzi for the win.
Winners By Submission: Ronda Rousey & Shayna Baszler
After the break we head to the 1st of 2 videos showing what has transpired between The Bloodline & Sami Zayn over the past several months.
Back at ringside Hit Row are waiting in the ring & they begin to perform their latest song but the lights suddenly go out and the opening bars of Bray Wyatt’s music start playing. When they come back on, Wyatt & Uncle Howdy are standing on either side of the ring on the apron. They then get in the ring, and Wyatt tosses Top Dolla to the outside. He then throws Adonis over to Uncle Howdy, who hits him with Sister Abigail.
Wyatt then grabs a mic and puts Brock Lesnar & Bobby Lashley on notice. He tells them that whichever one of them wins their match tomorrow night at Elimination Chamber should run.
Back from the break we head to a video recapping the events of the Intercontienetal Title #1 Contenders Fatal 4 Way Match last week.
Tag Team Match
Viking Raiders vs. Drew McIntyre & Sheamus
Sheamus looks for a Brogue Kick but Ivar ducks it, and Sheamus delivers a shoulder tackle that sends Ivar to the outside. He beats him down then tosses him back in the ring. Ivar gets in a kick and a couple of shots but Sheamus clotheslines him to the outside that sends us to a break.
After the break Ivar tags in and sends Sheamus crashing into the mat face first. Sheamus delivers a pair of right hands to Ivar’s midsection but Ivar fires back with several elbows. Erik tags in and wails on Sheamus then rakes his eyes.
He chokes Sheamus on the rope as Valhalla watches on, then delivers a forearm and tags Ivar back in. Ivar delivers a splash then tags Erik in. Sheamus makes the hot tag to McIntyre & he delivers a few lariats.
He follows it up with a belly 2 belly suplex and a neckbreaker then delivers a series of right hands and chops. He hits a bodyslam and goes for a pin, but Erik kicks out. Sheamus & Ivar tag in.
Sheamus delivers a series of right hands but Ivar delivers a big boot and ascends to the top. Sheamus meets him there and delivers White Noise that takes us to a another break.
After a another commercial break McIntyre & Sheamus are delivering the 10 Beats of the Bodhran to Viking Raiders. McIntyre then delivers a spinebuster to Ivar and tags in Sheamus. Sheamus delivers a flying knee off the top rope and goes for a pin. Erik breaks the fall then tags in.
Sheamus catches him with a body slam then sets up for the Brogue Kick. He charges at Erik but Erik catches him and delivers a powerbomb. He ascends to the middle rope and goes flying but Sheamus catches him with a knee and tags in McIntyre. McIntyre sets up for the Claymore Kick but Erik pulls Ivar out of the way.
McIntyre then goes flying over the top and takes Viking Raiders out with a senton, then gets Erik back in the ring. Valhalla distracts McIntyre, allowing Erik to tag in and plant McIntyre. He tosses McIntyre over to Ivar & Ivar hits a slam off the middle rope. He goes for a pin but Sheamus breaks the fall.
Erik sends Sheamus into the ring post as McIntyre delivers a Glasgow Kiss to Ivar. Ivar fires back with a spinning heel kick then ascends to the top rope and delivers the Viking Splash. He goes for a pin but McIntyre kicks out.
Erik tags in and Viking Raiders look for Ragnarok. Sheamus saves McIntyre by hitting The Raiders with a Brogue Kick, and McIntyre hits Erik with the Claymore Kick for the win.
Winners: Drew McIntyre & Sheamus
We then head to the 2nd of two videos showing what has transpired between The Bloodline & Sami Zayn over the past several months.
After the break we head backstage to Kayla Braxton is with Rey Mysterio. Braxton throws it to a video of Mysterio & Santos Escobar giving each other one of their masks. Mysterio then says he knows that exchange meant a lot to both of them because it was a symbol of their mutual respect for one another. Karrion Kross & Scarlett interrupt, and Kross says at one point, he wanted to be a father until he saw Mysterio’s parenting abilities with Dominik. He tells Mysterio to do something about it.
Asuka vs. Liv Morgan
Match starts off with a lock up then Asuka then offers her hand to Morgan and goes to shake it, but before she can, Asuka pulls it away. Morgan delivers a forearm and looks for a kick but Asuka catches it and hits a German suplex.
Raquel Rodriguez appears at ringside and gets in Carmella’s face due to the fact that Carmella had made a few comments about her on the headset. Nikki Cross then appears behind Michael Cole & Wade Barrett and sits on the commentary table.
Back in the ring Asuka delivers a kick to Morgan’s leg as she sits on the top rope. Morgan hits a Codebreaker off the top then goes for a pin but Asuka kicks out that takes us to a break.
After the break Natalya has appeared at ringside and is watching on as Morgan whips Asuka into the corner and delivers a hip attack. She hits a running knee before Asuka catches her with a knee of her own. She follows it up with a series of kicks to Morgan’s chest.
Morgan gets fired up and delivers a right hand, but Asuka fires back with a series of backfists and a kick. Morgan delivers an enziguri and a step up knee then ascends to the top and delivers a missile dropkick.
She kips up, then hits a Codebreaker off the ropes. Morgan rolls Asuka up but Asuka kicks out and transitions right into an arm shoulder submission & Morgan has no choice but to tap out.
Winner By Submission: Asuka
After the match Carmella hits Asuka with a superkick. Natalya levels Carmella with a discus lariat before Cross takes Natalya out with The Purge. Rodriguez then takes Cross down with a Texana Bomb then sets her sights on Morgan and offers to help her up. Morgan accepts, then hits her with a Codebreaker. Asuka follows it up with a kick to her head, leaving Morgan & Asuka alone in the ring. They stare one another down before Morgan heads to the back.
Intercontienetal Title Match
Gunther (c) vs. Madcap Moss
Gunther sends Madcap Moss into the corner and delivers a pair of chops, but Moss tackles Gunther and rains down right hands. Moss delivers a couple of shoulders to Gunther’s midsection but Gunther fires back with a shoulder tackle.
Moss delivers a couple more shoulders to Gunther’s midsection, then hits a spinebuster and goes for a pin. Gunther kicks out and Moss sends him to the outside with a shoulder tackle that takes us to a break.
Back from the break Gunther & Moss go back & forth with chops. Gunther gains the upper hand and sets up for a powerbomb, but Moss escapes. Moss delivers a back suplex and a splash, then goes for a pin but Gunther kicks out. Gunther looks for a suplex, but Moss counters it into one of his own.
He delivers a neckbreaker and goes for a pin but Gunther kicks out. Moss delivers a shoulder to Gunther’s midsection but Gunther fires back with a right hand across Moss’ chest.
He ascends to the top but Moss meets him there and delivers a fallaway slam from the middle rope. He goes for a pin but Gunther kicks out. Gunther locks in a sleeper hold but Moss escapes then Gunther delivers a powerbomb for the win.
Winner & Still Intercontienetal Champion: Gunther (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
After the break Sami Zayn heads to the ring as the crowd explodes.
Zayn says everyone points to the WrestleMania sign every year. He says it’s the most important event of the year but Elimination Chamber is the most important event of his career. He says tomorrow night isn’t just Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn, but Roman Reigns vs. Sami Zayn and the entire city of Montreal. He says Reigns is going down.
