WWE Smackdown 2/16/2024
Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/02/wwe-smackdown-292024.html
We see The Rock arrive.
Elimination Chamber Qualifier - Kevin Owens vs Dominik Mysterio
Dom says Judgment Day will dominate at Elimination Chamber. They side headlock each other and KO shoulders him over. KO shoulders him over again and armdrags him. Dom then slides out. Dom flying hurricanrana's him, armdrags him and dropkicks him. KO lariats him over the top rope to the floor.
KO's head is banged off the apron then he decks Dom on the floor. R-Truth comes out and runs into KO. Dom baseball slides KO, bangs him off the commentary table and sends him into the steps. Dom slingshot swantons KO for 2.
We go to break and return. Dom chinlocks KO, flips out of a back drop and bangs KO's head off the mat. They show a WWE2K24 rating for these two and KO gets an 86 while Dom gets an 83. KO hits forearms on Dom then hits a stiff short arm clothesline. KO stomp flurries Dom and Dom rolls out.
KO running lariats him on the floor then sentons him on the floor. KO corner cannonballs him then hits a top rope frogsplash for 2. Dom facebusters KO. He hits a suplex and goes for three amigos then KO hits 2 of 3 amigos before taking a ddt. Dom misses a top rope splash then KO top rope swantons him.
Dom superkicks him then hits a 619 for 2. Dom tells R-Truth he should give him a chair if he wants to be part of Judgment Day. Truth grabs a chair then sits down on it, staring at Dom. KO superkicks Dom then hits a pop-up powerbomb for the win.
I'm not a huge fan of longer openers like this and I thought they did too much with them kicking out of 619's, swantons and taking moves on the floor. They did work together better than I expected though and Truth being involved added something to this.
Drew is interviewed. He said all the people in the Chamber want to win, but he needs to win for Raw, the people and the title. LA Knight comes in, mocking him. LA said his moment can get stolen one more time at Elimination Chamber by him. Drew says he's good but he sees through his personality. He said he sees his insecurity and said the people will turn on him when he doesn't win titles. Drew talks about his resume and LA said he hasn't won anything since he has been around. LA said there's room for Drew's name on the CM Punk tombstone shirt. They argue and refs come to break it up. This was a fun little segment.
We see Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman arrive earlier in the day. They greet Jimmy and Solo and say let's fix everything Jey messed up.
We see Logan Paul arrive earlier in the day.
Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate are interviewed. Pete says things are going great and all that's left is for them is to win the tag titles. Bate says that's music to his ears and says they are due for a new tag team name. He said they should be called "New Catch Republic" and Pete doesn't look thrilled. Dominik Mysterio comes in. He said they can't beat any two members of Judgment Day. Bate says let's test that next week by facing Dom and Truth. Dom says Truth isn't in Judgment Day, then Bate says he guesses it's Dom and JD. I liked the line about Truth here. I hope that isn't their tag team name though as it won't work.
Women's Elimination Chamber Qualifier - Tiffany Stratton vs Zelina Vega
Tiff backs her up in the corner and hits a back elbow. Vega headscissors her from the buckles. Their 2K24 ratings are 74 for Vega and 79 for Tiff. Tiff slams her and gets legswept. Vega knees her off the bottom rope and sends her out. Tiff's head is banged off the apron then Vega uses the apron to armdrag her. Vega 2nd rope moonsaults her outside.
We see Legado del Fantasma watching from ringside and go to break. We return and the LWO comes down. Tiff knees Vega in the gut then Vega flying lariats her. Vega hits a ddt for 2. Tiff cartwheels into an alabama slam on her for 2. Tiff gets caught on the 2nd rope and takes a 619 to the leg. Vega 2nd rope meteora's her for 2.
Vega is sent into the rails and Elektra Lopez talks trash to her. Vega pulls Lopez over the rails then throws her back into the seats. The LWO and LdF square off. Tiff catches Vega coming into the ring, spinebusters her and hits a prettiest moonsault ever for the win.
There were a couple of rough points here but it was okay for what it was. They also manager to further the LWO/LdF feud out of this was unexpected.
The OC go up to AJ Styles. They said he hasn't been talking to them. Karl says AJ forgot where he came from. They shove each other. AJ slaps him and Karl said if that was anyone else...Karl dares him to try it again and AJ walks off. Gallows tells him to let it go.
The Final Testament are in the back.
Damage Ctrl do a translated promo. They said they made the group what it was and became champs because htey are strong. Iyo said she's not the same wrestler she was a few years ago and says it's her era. Asuka said there iwll be consequences for Dakota turning on them. Sane says they better sleep with one eye open and Asuka says no one is ready for Damage Ctrl.
The Authors of Pain vs Javier Bernal and Beau Morris
We have not seen Beau Morris yet on NXT, yet they say he's an NXT star. Akam lariats JB then does a nice exploder on him.Beau is thrown in the ring the hard way then takes downward shots that don't hit anything. AOP hit a super collider then JB takes a suplex + powerbomb combo.
This was just a quick squash. I can't even say it looked that good with the AOP missing shots. So much for Beau Morris' big TV debut here. He got nothing in before being beaten.
Logan Paul is interviewed. He says we are welcome for his first ever live TV match. He said they should do a Thank You Logan hashtag. He says the fans will see him knock out Miz live on Smackdown. He said he will win his chamber match at the PPV and beat Rollins for the World Heavyweight Title. He said he will be a double champion.
Elimination Chamber Qualifier - The Miz vs Logan Paul
They lock up, Logan pushes him back and pokes him in the head. Miz's 2K24 rating is 81, while Paul's is 90. Logan hits a nice leapfrog then leapfrogs into an atomic drop. Miz drops him with a shot. Logan top rope crossbodies him and standing moonsaults mostly onto Miz's knees.
Miz dropkicks Logan's leg on the ropes then legsweeps him. Miz does a running boot that misses. Nick Aldis is seen watching this with Bron, Jade Cargill, Liv and Bianca. Logan hits a finlay roll on him then does euros. Logan does a nice split legdrop on him for 2.
Logan hits corner chops then takes some. Miz hits kicks to the body then does a flying corner clothesline. Miz is sent back first into the post then Logan springboard lariats him on the apron. Logan 2nd rope frogsplashes him on the apron.
We go to break and return. Miz neckbreakers him then hits punches. Miz hits lariats then flatliners him for 2. Logan misses a corner splash then is codebreakered off the 2nd rope for 2. Miz hits kicks to the chest and is rolled up for 2. Miz does a face kick then presses Logan's knee into the mat. Miz legsweeps him then Logan grabs the ring skirt. Logan eye pokes Miz while the ref isn't looking.
Logan then hits a skull crushing finale for 2. Logan throws him and sunset flips him then Miz figure fours him. Logan's buddy Jeff gives him brass knucks then Miz nails Logan from behind. Miz forearms him from the apron then has his crotch pulled into the 2nd rope. Logan punches Miz then does an sto variation for the win.
It went a little longer than it needed to and had some missed offense here.
Nick Aldis talks to Jade, Bron, Liv and Bianca in the back. Jade and Bron have contracts. The audio is messed up. Tiff comes in and asks who she has to pin first to win the chamber. Jade says she sknows they are not doing this during her big business meeting. Nick tells Tiff it's not the time or the place. Nick then leaves with Bron and Jade.
We have one match to go, 1 hour and 15 minutes into a 2 hour show.
Paul Heyman talks to Grayson Waller in front of Bloodline's locker room.
Elimination Chamber Qualifier - Naomi vs Alba Fyre
Alba pulls her down backwards then bangs her head off the middle rope. Alba foot chokes her in the corner then Isla Dawn chokes her on the ropes. Naomi hits a kick from the ropes and handstand back kicks her. Naomi then slides and slaps her. Naomi split legdrops her for 2.
Naomi argues with Isla outside and is hit from behind. Naomi bulldogs Alba over the steps. We go to break and return. Naomi back elbows her and hits a clothesline and a hedscissors. Naomi dropkicks her and kips up. Naomi then does a tiger feint into a bulldog. Naomi bulldogs her into the 2nd buckle then top rope crossbodies her for 2.
Naomi is backed up into the corner then dropped down from the casadora position. Naomi backrolls her for 2 and then Alba tries a pin. Naomi flips out of the gori special and pumping knees her. Naomi knocks Isla off the apron and headscissors drivers her into the apron. Naomi then taps her out with the 3 handed moss covered family gradunza.
Naomi's still not good after a decade in this business and had a lot of sloppy offense here. This was not good and went too long.
Dakota Kai tells Bayley she needs her help. Kai said she heard Damage Ctrl say they will go after her and she doesn't know what to do. Bayley said this has been going on for months and she doesn't know who she can trust. Kai said she thought everything would be better and Bayley says she can't do this right now.
The Bloodline come out without The Rock. This is Roman's 1265th day as champ. Roman tells the crowd to acknowledge him. He says the people of Utah are idiots. He says tonight they can say that The Rock is a member of The Bloodline.
The Rock comes out and we go to break. We return. The Rock said he has good news to share and is wearing an interesting sleeveless tanktop. He said the fans have broken an attendance record here for the largest gathering of trailer park trash he has ever seen. The Rock goes to do his "finally" line and gets no reaction. He says finally your life has meaning and you have a story to tell the 50 wives and 600 inbred grandchildren. He says finally he has come back to Salt Lake City.
He said this side of The Rock hasn't been seen in years and threatens to slap the herpes off the lips of a guy he calls fat in the audience. He said the fans had Rock/Roman in their hands but let it go. He said the fans flushed it down the toilet, the same one they tweeted and cried about Cody on. Rock asks what Cody's story is.
Rock says Roman beat Cody last year and now wants a rematch. He said that's not how it works and says that's stupid logic. He applies this to the superbowl and said the losers of it moved on like men. Rock said it's personal. He said you don't get another shot just because you want it. He said the fans are spoiled and entitled. He said they will walk out losers like Cody. He tells the fans not to sing along with his "if you smell" line, then says, "if you smell, what The Bloodline is cooking".
This was a great promo by The Rock and one of the better promos he has done in years. He's a lot better as a heel than a face and used a lot more swear words here than usual. This one is definitely worth a look.
Overall thoughts: I wasn't a fan of this one. There were only 4 matches. All went long and weren't that good. The Rock's promo and the Drew/La Knight segment were the only things I liked here.
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