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WWE SmackDown comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Feb. 26, 2021) with a show from the ThunderDome inside Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. This episode will feature all the fallout from the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view (PPV) that went down just this past weekend in the very same venue.
Nothing is advertised yet for the card tonight, other than a vague tease that we’ll find out more information about what’s in store for Edge and Universal champion Roman Reigns on the road to WrestleMania 37. Their main event match at WrestleMania became official when Edge speared Roman at Elimination Chamber.
Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the SmackDown live blog kicks off once the show starts on FOX. 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 FEB. 26
I part the night, flashing, approaching as I watch you flee. Pushed through your panes, seems I’ve landed quite uncomfortably. But as I pass through souls of broken glass, I have to liveblog this here pro wrestling show for you, folks.
The show opens with Roman Reigns making his entrance, flanked by Paul Heyman and Jey Uso as always.
A recap of the events of Elimination Chamber as they pertain to Roman and his Universal Championship follows.
“You suck!” chants rain down as Reigns prepares to speak.
He gets on the mic and says he doesn’t think it’s a secret, SmackDown needs him. Same thing can be said of the Elimination Chamber, it needed him, so he answered the call. That’s what the Tribal Chief does, he saves this place over and over again. Anybody else, they’d be boasting and bragging, but he’s above that. But it wasn’t perfect because of one man, Edge.
He’s gonna give Edge one opportunity to turn around and go home and save himself. He’s a father and a husband, and Roman doesn’t want to hurt him. He respects his legacy and that’s all great, but a man like him just doesn’t stand a chance against a man like Roman.
Enter Daniel Bryan.
He just had to come out and say from his perspective, he one hundred percent agrees that it was magnamanimous of him to put his title up against somebody who had already been through the Elimination Chamber, and it’s damn near perfection. But he’s heard some rumblings about some people that think differently, that think Reigns coming out right after the chamber was cowardly.
To take a man who’s been exhausted going the distance and demand the title match start right then, you’re not a real champion at all. But that’s not him saying this, he doesn’t come out and complain, he’s just addressing rumors he heard from other people. But what baffled him and what he wasn’t expecting, was for the Universal Champion to defend in the second match.
Surely the Head of the Table deserves a main event spot? Or would that have given him too much time. Bryan says he’s seen how talented Roman is from the very beginning and he knows he wants to create a legacy, and here’s a chance to make it all right and prove the doubters wrong— defend the title one more time, one-on-one, no qualifiers, Bryan vs. Reigns, at Fastlane.
Jey Uso says if you wanna go to the Head of the Table, you go through him first, but Dan ignores him and squares up with Roman. Reigns asks if he really wants him to hurt him again, and Uso blindsides Bryan and dumps him to the floor! Jey throws him over the barricade and makes his exit with Reigns and Heyman.
Five-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville are chatting backstage when Edge rolls up and says they need to talk.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, Jey Uso tells Roman Reigns that he knows he jumped the gun.
Roman tells him not to apologize, because there’s nothing to apologize for if he gets the job done.
Back to Edge and the authority figures, he complains that he was told that it was going to be him and Bryan tagging against Roman and Jey but five-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce says this match just fell into his lap and no disrespect, but he knows a Universal Championship match is just a bigger attraction for Fastlane.
Alpha Academy run footage of them squashing Rey Mysterio’s ribs last week, playing it in slow motion and taunting him about it during their entrance.
Alpha Academy (Chad Gable & Otis Dozovic) vs. Dominik & Rey Mysterio
Rey and Otis to start, Mysterio slides under but Dozer blasts him, off the ropes, big elbow drop! Scoop and a slam, tossing him across the ring! Charging shoulder thrust, right hands in the corner, Gable backs him off to avoid the castigo de excesivo loss. Tag to Chad, fireman’s carry gutbuster, Rey gets away, enzuigiri, tag to Dominik! In hot with elbows, springboard tornado DDT... NOPE!
Seated senton / spinebuster combo, flapjack puts Gable on the second rope... STEREO 619! Mysterio legal again, up top, frog splash... OTIS BREAKS IT UP! Axehandle takes Dom out before referee Charles Robinson admonishes Dozer to the apron. Tag made, he counters a springboard into a World’s Strongest Slam and gets Mysterio into position. Up to the second...
Alpha Academy win by pinfall with a 747 Splash from Otis Dozovic on Rey Mysterio.
Commentary informs us that Bryan vs. Uso with the title shot on the line is now official for tonight’s show.
We get a recap of Big E’s injury from last week and see Apollo Crews in Gorilla to send us to break.
Back from commercial, we get a full recap of Crews and E from last week.
Apollo gets on the mic and says people have been wondering what’s going on with him lately, he’s not the Apollo Crews we know. But to be honest, we don’t know anything about him— for far too long he’s been nice and humble and he hasn’t gotten any respect for it. But being who he is and who his family is, that’s unacceptable. He’s not from the hood or suburbia, he’s from Nigeria, a *real* African-American.
His ancestors are Nigerian royalty, and his great grandfather ruled the Tiv nations, controlling some of the richest lands in Nigeria. He had five wives and his word was law and his power feared. That’s who he is and who he represents. His colors of green and white mean wealth, dominance, and power. Big E told him to go to catering, but he went back to his roots, and he’ll say it like his grandfather said it— show your opponent steel, and he’ll never disrespect you again.
Enter Shinsuke Nakamura, his opponent for tonight.
Crews tries to beat him down as the referee tries to regain control and we go to break.
Apollo Crews vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Back from commercial, the match is in progress and Crews is in control! Nearfall off a straight suplex and he locks a reverse chinlock on to follow it! Nakamura makes a bit of a comeback, sidestep, axe kick in the ropes! Sliding knee gets a nearfall, Apollo stabilizes with a trio of German suplexes but can’t keep the King of Strong Style down! Whip reversed, heel kick, Nakamura hits the sliding German suplex but no count because he’s in the ropes!
Action to the floor, Crews throws him into the steel steps and then back inside! Military press, Shinsuke slips out, sleeper hold applied! He gets in the ropes for the break and uses his scarf as leverage to put Nakamura into the turnbuckles! Enzuigiri follows, he gets him up...
Apollo Crews wins by pinfall with an Olympic Slam.
We see Roman Reigns brooding backstage when Paul Heyman appears over his shoulder.
He says he just saw five-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce and it’s official, if Bryan wins against Jey Uso, he gets a title match at Fastlane. Roman asks if that means the tag match is scrapped and Paul points out the “if” to send us to break.
Liv Morgan vs. Tamina
Morgan using her speed against Tamina’s strength but soon enough she runs right into a kick. Snuka presses the attack, tossing her around, nearfall off a straight suplex. Backslide blocked but Liv gets an enzuigiri and staggers Tamina. Sidestep the charge, shotgun dropkick, right hands in the corner! Snuka turns her around but runs into a boot, Morgan comes off the second with a missile dropkick and keeps the attack going!
Liv charges in, gets sidestepped into the corner, fireman’s carry, Samoan Drop, Tamina’s fired up! Drawing her up, short-arm...
Tamina wins by pinfall with a Black Hole Slam.
We see Bianca Belair walking backstage to send us to break.
Back from commercial, five-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville are in the ring to introduce Bianca Belair to make her decision as to who she’s challenging at WrestleMania.
Bianca tells us exactly how long it’s been since she won the Royal Rumble, down to the minute, and says it changed her life. Sonya Deville asks her who it’s gonna be and we get video packages for both Asuka and Sasha Banks.
Belair says, as silly as it sounds, her mama always said life is about choices and a bad choice can haunt you forever. Ultimately the choices you make define who you are, and her choice is clear—
Enter Reginald the Sommelier.
He says Bianca’s mom is right and this choice will define her legacy. Last week she made a brilliant choice to team with Sasha Banks, and now she knows firsthand how she works and was elevated by her genius. We all know how hard she worked to get here, and her journey has been inspiring. She’s special and we’re all in awe of her living her dream, but he knows deep in his heart that if she picks Sasha, that dream will dissolve into a horrible nightmare.
When she’s laying on the mat broken and defeated, she’ll hear her mama’s words singing in her ears, and she’ll be nothing but a loser.
Enter Sasha Banks.
She gets in the ring and gently strokes Reginald’s hair before yelling at him that he’s never to speak for her. She addresses Bianca and says that she’s the standard and if she wants to be at the top of the conversation, she has to choose her. She’s not the EST as long as Sasha is #1, and that makes her second best. Banks holds her title high and Belair tells her uh-uh.
She’s got a lot to say but she’s gonna make her eat her words, because she’s taking the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania and show everyone she’s the EST of WWE. She points at the sign to punctuate and says it’s on.
We see Baron Corbin working out backstage when Sami Zayn’s documentary crew rolls up. Sami follows to ask Corbin some questions, which he uses as an excuse to ask why they’re tag partners tonight. Zayn admits that it’s his idea because even though they don’t get along, they had excellent chemistry when they qualified for the Elimination Chamber together.
He tries to sell Corbin on the idea of teaming and going for the tag titles, pitching names like the New Can-Am Connection and the Kingdom of Liberty before Baron says they have the talent but he wants Sami to be a professional and stop recording.
Street Profits make their entrance and send us to break.
King Baron Corbin & Sami Zayn vs. Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford)
Ford and Zayn to start, a bit of light mat grappling before Sami goes for cheap shots. Montez fires back with athleticism, deep arm drag into an armbar, tag to Dawkins. Zayn breaks away, tag to Corbin, Angelo with a wristlock, whip out and to the floor, the documentary crew in the way and Dawkins is able to cut him off! Ford blasts him off the apron and into the barricade and we go to break.
Back from commercial, the heels are working Ford over, and eventually Dawkins gets the hot tag! Corkscrew elbow, spinning Stinger Splash, one-handed bulldog... NO GOOD! Corbin runs interference, Zayn gets a DDT off... NOPE! Baron throws a fit at the documentary crew, Sami gets distracted yelling at him and Ford wipes Corbin out with a tope con giro! Angelo hits a Drill Bit ala JD Drake, Montez up top...
Street Profits win by pinfall with the frog splash from Montez Ford on Sami Zayn.
Backstage, Daniel Bryan is interviewed and says he thinks he has a much better chance of beating Roman Reigns than Edge does. He’s done a lot of great things but he’s taken a bunch of time off and he’s rusty and he doesn’t know if he has what it takes to win.
Edge rolls up and says he heard what he said and asks who wins if Bryan beats Reigns and faces him at WrestleMania. Dan says he’s going to keep that to himself and none of this means anything if he can’t beat Jey Uso later tonight.
Seth Rollins makes his entrance to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Seth Rollins gets on the mic.
He says the complaint he sent to WWE last week got a huge response on social media, and—
Enter Cesaro, wearing only a pair of blue jeans and fighting mad.
Rollins begs off as he storms the ring, asking him to hear him out and just give him a chance to make it right. He asks him to stay in the middle of the ring and keeps calling him a star, buttering him up by calling him one of the most gifted performers in WWE and asking him, friend to friend, why he always seems to come up short. He says it’s killer instinct and he has it and can give it to Cesaro.
He asks Cesaro to just let him lead him to grab the brass ring, shatter the glass ceiling, and accomplish everything in WWE that he’s only dreamed of. He says they’ll be unstoppable and if he listened to him two weeks ago they wouldn’t even be having this conversation because he’d be Universal Champion right now. Seth tells him to give it a week and think it over...
AND CESARO DOUBLE LEGS HIM AND PUTS HIM IN THE GIANT SWING! Around and around he goes, Cesaro takes a brief break before spinning him right back up to speed! UPPERCUT!
Daniel Bryan makes his entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial we get some hype for tomorrow morning’s episode of Talking Smack.
Daniel Bryan vs. Jey Uso
Uso right in with clubbing strikes, side headlock, shot off, shoulder block, Bryan with a hip toss, arm wringer, shoulder armbreaker, chest kicks and uppercuts into the corner! Another arm wringer, Jim Breaks Special briefly, shot to the ribs, whip reversed, backflip up and over! Off the ropes, Axe Bomber connects, the American Dragon is fired up!
Running corner dropkick, chest kicks, setting Jey up top, avalanche Frankensteiner... NOPE! Pinning Uso’s arm, bicep stomp, off the ropes and Jey cuts him off with a superkick! Shinbreaker into the announce table, Uso rolls back in and breaks the count! Ramming Dan’s knee into the steel post, we go to break.
Back from commercial, Uso is still in control and working the leg, but Bryan is able to get the omoplata briefly. Jey punches the knee to block the LeBell Lock, Dan gets an uppercut in but gets Samoan Dropped for two right after! Nobody home on the diving splash, Bryan with chest kicks, whip across, drop down slap, Dan puts him over the ropes and nails him with a dropkick through the ropes!
Diving knee off the apron, the American Dragon hurting but able to beat the count, up top, nobody home and his leg gives out on the landing! He puts Bryan into the turnbuckles, dropkick to the back of the knee and the half-crab is locked in! Dan fights back, upkicks but Uso locks the hold back in! Dan manages to fight out and to his feet, calling for it... JEY CHOP BLOCKS HIM TO COUNTER!
A superkick follows... BRYAN BARELY KICKS OUT! Up top... AVALANCHE DANIELSON SPECIAL ROLLED INTO THE OMOPLATA! USO CRAWLS AND GETS THE ROPES BEFORE HE CAN GET THE LEBELL LOCK! To the floor, Jey whips Bryan into the steel steps and puts his knee into the steps right after as referee Jason Ayers reaches the end of his count...
The match goes to a double countout draw.
Back in the ring, Bryan locks the LeBell Lock on and here comes Roman to beat him down! Dan manages to fight him off and get the LeBell Lock on the champ but Uso recovers and lays him out with a superkick! Shaking the life into his arm, Reigns lies in wait... SPEAR! Guillotine choke applied, the Big Dog talks trash while Bryan’s consciousness slips away.
He poses with the title over Daniel Bryan’s unconscious body.
That’s the show, folks.