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WWE SmackDown Live comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Mar. 13, 2018) from the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, featuring the fallout show from the Fastlane pay-per-view (PPV) that went down this past Sunday night in Columbus, Ohio.
Advertised for tonight: Shane McMahon makes a WrestleMania announcement, Asuka debuts, and more!
Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the SmackDown live blog kicks off once the show starts on USA. It will be below this line here. (REMINDER: NO GIFS OR PICS ARE ALLOWED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION. OFFENDERS WILL BE BANNED.)
WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR MAR. 13
You said I cannot get there from here, baby, and I don’t care where I’m goin’. Here’s to your thin red line, I’m stepping over! Thought you’d never miss me ‘til I got a fat city address, so I’m going to liveblog this here pro wrestling show for you, folks.
The show opens with commentary running down the highlights of Fastlane and promising a huge WrestleMania announcement from Shane McMahon.
AJ Styles makes his entrance and gets on the mic. He welcomes us to the House That AJ Styles Built and says at Fastlane the odds were stacked against him and he’ll admit when John Cena put him through the commentary table, he was in trouble and started to believe the odds. How could he beat five superstars in a match where anything goes? Unbelievable... not impossible.
We’ve all heard it, our parents said it to us, when we fall down they said “suck it up and get back in the game” and he found a way and he’s still WWE Champion. But even better than that, he’s going to WrestleMania. He’ll admit he hasn’t forgot where he came from and it wasn’t that long ago that the rumblings of AJ Styles coming to WWE were pretty unbelievable.
That AJ Styles was WWE Champion was unbelievable, and now that he’s going to WrestleMania as WWE Champion? Yeah, unbelievable... not impossible. His road to New Orleans has been a tough one-- He gets a “You deserve it!” chant and points out he earned it before continuing, saying the man that will be standing across from him is probably the biggest Japanese superstar in WWE history, Shinsuke Nakamura.
It’s the dream match, he’s wanted to give it to us and he has the utmost respect for Nakamura for following a similar path to WWE, but when it comes to the title, those comparisons stop. He’s no different than the WWE Universe, call him the everyman, but that only goes until he steps through these ropes and stands in front of us and is phenomenal.
Enter Shinsuke Nakamura. He tells AJ that he’s champion and everyone likes him. Everyone likes him, too, and he respects Styles, but at WrestleMania dreams come true. He steps up and continues, saying his dream is a knee to the face and becoming WWE Champion.
Enter Rusev Day as we go to break.
Back from commercial, we have a match!
AJ Styles vs. Rusev
They square up, collar and elbow, Rusev shoves AJ aside with relative ease! Test of strength, Styles with a hamstring kick, another one, side headlock applied, shot off, big shoulder block wipes the champion out. The Bulgarian Brute throwing punches, AJ sidesteps, backfist, chops, punches, goes for a whip but Rusev blocks and kicks his midsection.
Short-arm lariat, drop down, leapfrog, Styles with the dropkick! A lariat sends Rusev to the floor and AJ follows after to stay on him. Back inside, more kicks, looking for a suplex but Rusev blocks. AJ floats over, punches and chops, going for a whip, again Rusev blocks and jabs him in the throat this time. Big spinebuster gets a two count and Rusev is in control as we go to break.
Back from commercial, Rusev is in control and sets AJ up top. Right hands but Styles is able to slip away and put Rusev face-first into the turnbuckles! Styles Rush, sliding forearm, corner lariat, fireman’s carry but Rusev slips out, push off, duck the roundhouse, another fireman’s carry but again Rusev counters and this time connects with an Alarm Clock! Roundhouse kick follows... NOT ENOUGH!
Calling for the kick, Rusev runs in but AJ sidesteps and hits the Pele kick! Ushigoroshi follows and Styles goes to set up the Styles Clash but Rusev reverses by picking a leg. Going for the Accolade, AJ reverses and picks the leg, the Bulgarian Brute is in the ropes but a club to the shoulder lets Styles roll through, Aiden English hits the ring...
AJ Styles wins by disqualification, although no result is announced because why announce a result, it’s not like this is a sporting contest or anything?
English continues to put boots to Styles but Shinsuke Nakamura gets up from his seat next to the commentary position. He hesitates a moment but comes in and wipes English out with a kick and hits the standing superkick-style Kinshasa on Rusev! Shinsuke heads out, leaving his WrestleMania opponent to recover on his own in the ring.
Big E is walking backstage when he’s interviewed about his unique tag match against the Bludgeon Brothers tonight. He says he wishes he could say they proved the Usos wrong and was standing here with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods figuring out a plan to fill Corey Graves’ rental car with pancakes, but the Bludgeon Brothers happened. As long as he has two working legs, he’s gonna hold down his brothers and represent the New Day.
Jimmy Uso rolls up and says E won’t be standing alone. Right before the Bludgeon Brothers got involved they were putting on a classic, and when they’re all healthy, they’ll do it again, but for now they’re gonna take care of business. Big agrees, they fist bump and walk off together.
Commentary hypes up Shane McMahon’s announcement again and tells us Bobby Roode will wrestle Jinder Mahal later to send us to break.
Back from commercial, we get the video package for Kid Rock being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. I’ve just noticed this second time that it calls him “Mr. Rock” at one point, which is hilarious.
AJ Styles is walking backstage when he runs into Shinsuke Nakamura. He says he didn’t need his help at Fastlane and he didn’t need it tonight either. Nakamura says he didn’t look like he needed help, but he’s gonna help him every time until WrestleMania, when he’ll beat him with a knee to the face.
We entrances for our tag match, but Big E and Jimmy Uso take the fight to the Bludgeon Brothers before the bell! They put Harper into the apron and roll inside, ready to start, before heading out the other side and getting a pair of steel chairs! The Bludgeon Brothers get their hammers, referee Danilo Anfibio gets out of Dodge and they square up! Rowan and Harper manage to run their opponents off but Big and Jim get off relatively scott-free and we go to break waiting for the match to begin.
Big E & Jimmy Uso vs. Bludgeon Brothers (Harper & Rowan)
E and Harper to start, Big backing Luke into the corner and ramming him with shoulder thrusts and kicks! Off the ropes, Harper catches him with Truck Stop and tags Rowan in! Off the ropes, assisted big splash, Erick puts boots to Big before scooping him up for a slam, giant step, tag to Luke and he comes in with a heel kick to E’s face. Big slicing right in the corner, a chop follows, whip across, but E gets an elbow up and makes the tag!
Up and over, Jimmy with a right hnad, off the ropes, leaping forearm, kick to the midsection, a slap, he’s got Harper to a knee but the basement superkick is caught and deflected. Up top, corkscrew leg drop, knock Rowan off the apron, off the ropes... and he runs right into Harper’s big boot! E gets thrown outside, put into the steps, tag made by Luke, whip into a body avalanche...
Bludgeon Brothers win by pinfall with an assisted Brodie Bomb on Jimmy Uso.
Afterward, they wipe Big E out with an assisted crossbody block for good measure.
Commentary then recaps the Kevin Owens/Sami Zayn/Shane McMahon stuff from Fastlane.
We go backstage where Sami Zayn is being interviewed. He says the idea of blame for last night is a loaded question but the obvious answer is Shane McMahon, but the truth is part of him can’t blame Shane. Really, he blames Kevin Owens, because if it wasn’t for Shane’s obsession with Kevin Owens, he wouldn’t have even been out there.
He’s guilty by association now, and although Kev is talented and has been there for him outside the ring, when it comes to his career he’s just a self-absorbed egomaniac. Zayn says he played everyone perfectly and was milliseconds away from being champion, and trust him when he says that’s a price he’ll never pay again, not for Kevin Owens and not for anybody.
Commentary reminds us that we’ll be hearing from Asuka and we go to break.
Back from commercial we get a hype reel for WrestleMania.
Charlotte Flair makes her entrance. She says when you’re champion, you’re always a target, and when Asuka came out at Fastlane she knew exactly what she was up to. Tonight she wanted to make sure she was ready to meet Asuka in the center of the ring woman to woman.
Naturally, Asuka makes her entrance at this point. Charlotte welcomes her to SmackDown and says to be careful what you wish for. Asuka thanks her and Flair says she’s traveled the world defending her title and people say two things-- one, “Congratulations, Charlotte,” and two, “What would happen if you faced Asuka?” What would happen if the Queen went one-on-one with the Empress of Tomorrow? Who would bow down?
We’ll get the answer to that question at WrestleMania. Iron sharpens iron and Charlotte knew from the moment Asuka won the Royal Rumble that she wanted the match against Asuka. So when her music hit Sunday she got goosebumps because she knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She’s never faced anyone like Asuka, and Asuka’s never faced anyone like her, so at WrestleMania, be careful what you wish for, because she’s going to end the streak and cement her legacy.
Asuka says she chose Charlotte because she likes a challenge and Flair is the Queen, but she’s the Empress. Asuka bows to no one because no one is ready for Asuka! They stare each other down after this.
Randy Orton makes his entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial, commentary recaps the United States Championship match from Fastlane.
Randy Orton begins, saying he’s been called many different things over the course of his career, some good, some not so good, but the one thing he’s never been called, ever, until now, is United States Champion. Winning this title puts him on a short list of elite superstars that are Grand Slam champions, and that’s a list he actually cares about.
Bobby Roode proved himself to be one hell of a competitor at Fastlane and he earned Orton’s respect, but the title is his now. The United States Championship is his and he’s taking it to WrestleMania and nobody’s going to stop him.
Enter Bobby Roode, coming out for his scheduled match. He gets on the mic and congratulates Orton, saying he got him but he gets a rematch, and he’s cashing that rematch in on the grandest stage of them all, WrestleMania. And when he regains the title, it’s going to be absolutely... glorious.
Jinder Mahal comes out and also congratulates Randy Orton for winning the United States Championship. He says it seems like Randy’s been in WWE for an eternity and he finally did it, but on the other hand, Bobby Roode’s only been here for a cup of coffee but he’s already held that title, and Orton can never change that. So forget about WrestleMania, forget about the rematch, because tonight he’s going to beat Roode just like he beat Orton last week.
Take a seat and watch as the Modern-Day Maharaja inflicts carnage on Bobby Roode.
Bobby Roode vs. Jinder Mahal
Circling, Mahal forces Roode into the corner with a boot to the gut, whip across, up and over, kick to the midsection, thinking Glorious DDT but Jinder bails and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Mahal has a half nelson chinlock on, wrenching it in and keeping Roode grounded. Breaking with right hands, Jinder with a side headlock, shot off, drop down, and a shoulder block wipes both dudes out! Slowly back to their feet, trading punches, Roode in with chops, whip reversed, double axehandle and a lariat, corner lariat into the neckbreaker and Bobby is rolling!
Up top, diving lariat connects, kick to the midsection but Jinder blocks the Glorious DDT and forces him to the corner. To the second, a blockbuster gets a two count. Mahal throws him outside but Bobby comes right back in and gets clobbered with a superkick that gets a nearfall! Calling for Roode to get up, Khallas blocked, float over into a sunset flip, only good for two!
Spinning spinebuster connects, another nearfall, and Sunil Singh gets on the apron to run interference. Roode shoves him into the post, climbs up top but the delay gave Mahal time to crotch him. Cobra clutch applied...
Jinder Mahal wins by pinfall with Khallas.
Randy Orton slides in the ring... RKO!
Commentary reminds us about Shane’s announcement yet again and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Kevin Owens is walking backstage when he rolls up on an interview.
He says if Sami wasn’t so selfish he’d see he wasn’t the only one that got screwed over. In fact, KO got screwed over first and Zayn wouldn’t have gotten screwed if he hadn’t been screwed first. He complains about Sami offering to lie down for him and not doing and calls him a liar and a manipulator. If he wasn’t so delusional he’d see that he’s the rightful champion and it’s all because of Shane McMahon trying to steal his spotlight.
Why did Shane need to be at ringside anyway? They didn’t need him, and if Sami can’t see McMahon for what he really is, he has no problem teaching Zayn a lesson and opening his eyes up to the truth.
Commentary then introduces the video package announcing the Fabulous Moolah Memorial Battle Royal in Memory of Fabulous Moolah.
Naomi makes her entrance and commentary mentions that she has entered the battle royal before we go to break.
Back from commercial in time for Carmella’s entrance.
Carmella gets a handcam promo talking about entering the battle royal herself and she calls herself the Modern-Day Moolah before teasing a cash-in at WrestleMania.
Carmella vs. Naomi
Collar and elbow, Naomi backs Carmella into the corner and referee Brian Nguyen separates them. Carmella gets a kick in, a biel and a loose mare, grinding her face into the mat and slamming her face into the mat after. Cover and a double wrist clutch stepping on Naomi’s hair. Disdainful slaps, jawing, calling Naomi nobody, to the corner, ramming her face into her boot and curb stomping her into the turnbuckles!
Carmella uses Naomi’s hair to crank her neck over the ropes and moonwalks away but Naomi comes at her with a Lou Thesz Press into mounted punches and she returns the face scrape into the mat! Big slap, returned, more slaps, Naomi throwing a rush of them, off the ropes, lariat, back elbow, catch the kick, Carmella ducks a series of roundhouses but the front kick cracks her in the face!
Going for a springboard, Carmella crotches her...
Carmella wins by pinfall with a folding press.
Shane McMahon is shown walking backstage to send us to break.
Back from commercial, we get a hype reel for tonight’s episode of Mixed Match Challenge.
Shane McMahon makes his entrance. He says he’s had his issues with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn and he’s not here to apologize, since Owens brutally beat his father down in the middle of the ring. That lead to him wrestling Kevin at Hell in a Cell, and when he got his moment of revenge, Sami Zayn stole it from him. That lead to months of his emotions going “bonkers” every time he looked at them and just perhaps lead him to decisions unbecoming the commissioner of SmackDown.
He’s had conversations with Daniel Bryan, who will be back on SmackDown next week, and he’ll be going it alone, because effective immediately at the end of the night, Shane is taking an indefinite leave of absence as commissioner. But first he has one more match to make... Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn at WrestleMania!
This brings Kevin Owens out to respond. He says that’s finally a decision he agrees with and wishes Shane the best of luck in his future endeavors. But as far as the match goes, he can beat Sami Zayn any time he wants, he doesn’t have to wait until WrestleMania.
Enter Sami Zayn. He stops in Kev’s face for a second before heading to the ring to address McMahon, who he says is just doing this because it made him so happy to hear the people cheer like crazy when he and KO beat the hell out of each other at Fastlane. And if he’s gonna base all of his decisions on what these people think, thank god he’s leaving.
Shane says he’s baffled, he just gave them the opportunity to face each other on the grandest stage of them all, WrestleMania. KO says they appreciate that, and think he’ll appreciate this, too-- Sami blindsides McMahon and they put boots to him together! Shane recovers and takes Zayn down but Owens pulls him off with a reverse chinlock!
They continue beating him down, Kev sets him up in the corner... HELLUVA KICK! Sami pulls him up and jaws in his face before throwing him towards Owens... POP-UP POWERBOMB! KO kicks referee Brian Nguyen when he runs in and Sami beats a ref down as well! Kev has Shane on the floor and Zayn comes over with a steel chair, setting it up on the floor. They put McMahon’s head through it... AND RAM HIM INTO THE RINGPOST!
But they’re not done, they drag Shane’s unconscious body up the ramp and to the back! We cut back with them still dragging him and they stop in a production area with a table and a computer,drawing him up again... ASSISTED POWERBOMB INTO SOME PALLETS!
Shane’s making a hideous groaning/wheezing sound as referee Mike Chioda runs over and calls for EMTs! They arrive and start tending to McMahon.
That’s the show, folks.