WWE Smackdown 2/2/2024

WWE Smackdown 2/2/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/01/wwe-smackdown-1262024.html 

We see The Bloodline arrive and then we see Cody arrive with his dog. We see Damage Ctrl arrive earlier in the day.

Logan Paul comes out to talk. Logan is booed. He said he doesn't want to be here either and says this place sucks. He said Kevin Owens looks like a p!ssed off donut and said KO did more damage to him than Floyd Mayweather. He said yet, he still lost. Logan brags about himself then KO's music hits.

Owens comes out. He said Birmingham seems like a great place to him. KO said he forgot to add "unbearable idiot" to his list of nicknames for himself. Owens said he didn't win the title, but it felt good to knock him around. Logan said he outsmarted Owens. Owens says he will stop at nothing to win a match. He said he got caught and said Logan will realize he doesn't need brass knucks to beat him.

Logan said he's not getting a rematch, he blew it and it's over. He said he will find a real challenger and tells Owens to focus on his match with Theory while he talks smack on commentary.

Kevin Owens vs Austin Theory

KO side headlocks him then shoulders him over. KO armdrags him then chops him. Theory hits punches and KO back elbows him. Theory gets his knees up on KO's senton. Theory then hits mounted punches.

Theory pounds on him and kneels on him in the corner. Theory rolls in and misses a dropkick, then KO sentons him. KO corner cannonballs him for 2. They fight on the apron and KO takes a backdrop on it.

We go to break and return. Theory has a chinlock on. KO lariats him then hits chops and headbutts. KO boots him in the corner then tornado ddt's him. KO hits a top rope swanton for 2. KO is sent into the post shoulder first. Theory rolls at him and blockbusters him. Theory hits a spinning torture rack bomb for 2.

Grayson Waller gets on the apron and Logan hits Theory brass knucks. Logan gets on the apron then KO nails Waller and Theory with the knucks. Owens then gets the pin.

It was average but at least Owens didn't do overdo it here for a change.

KO chases Logan after and Logan runs to the back. KO then poses on boxes. He says "this is my show".

We see a video of Naomi at The Rumble. We then see her come out of Nick Aldis' office with a contract. Michin, Shotzi and Bianca celebrate. Tiffany Stratton also comes out. She said she also signed a Smackdown contract and wants to know where he applause is. Tiff said she's not afraid to step up to the baddest woman in WWE to Bianca then slaps Michin and runs. Michin then tells Aldis she wants her tonight.

Bianca talks to Nick Aldis in the back. She asks what she has to do to face Iyo Sky for the title when Bayley chooses Rhea. Logan Paul comes in and asks for a challenger who isn't Owens. Bianca says he's rude for interrupting her and says this confrontation isn't professional. He said Nick needs to treat top stars like top stars and congratulates Vianca on the reality show.

Legado del Fantasma is at a restaurant. Santos said his heart is filled with joy. He said this is familia and an unbreakable bond. Santos said they have been entrusted to carry the legacies of their families and the mantle of lucha. He said that is why they must eradicate Rey Mysterio's LWO. He then asks for a toast to honor and loyalty.

Championship Qualifier - LWO (Cruz del Toro and Joaquin Wilde) vs Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate vs Pretty Deadly vs Legado del Fantasma (Humberto Carrillo and Angel Garza)

The winner of this takes on the winner of the Raw Championship Qualifier on Monday then they fight to determine who gets the next tag title shot.

Elton stomps and euros Bate. Bate hits him with his boot in the head. Bate stomps Elton's arm into the mat. Wilde flying headsicssors Pete then Bate spinning headscissors Wilde. Cruz and Pete hit hurricanrana's then all 4 headflip up. All 8 men fight.

Cruz diving hurricanrana's Angel off the top then Wilde and Cruz hit stereo baseball slides. Wilde is then launched off the 2nd rope by 3 people onto the heels. We go to break and return. Elton has Wilde in a chinlock. Pete step up enzugiri's 4 people then stomps Elton's hands.

Pete kicks Kit in the back of the head then release suplexes Cruz. Wilde flies and is swatted down with Pete's forearm. Butch takes a face kick from Elton then is thrown into a Kit gutbuster. Bate airplane spins Elton and slams him down. Kit takes a rebound lariat + german for 2.

Bate is popped up into a powerbomb then the LWO stereo springboard dropkick the LWO. Elektra Lopez gets on the apron and Zelina Vega pulls her down. The LWO then hit topes on LdF. Vega dives on Lopez from the apron. Kit and Elton switch then Pete splits Kit's fingers. Kit takes a double tiger driver and is pinned.

It was a rushed and fast paced match as expected. There was nothing but spots and quick moves here. I guess it was fine for what it was though.

Iyo, Asuka and Sane talk in the back in Japanese after seeing clips of Bayley winning The Rumble. Iyo says not to worry about it and says Bayley is done tonight. Bayley then walks into the room behind them, looking dejected as she heard what they said.

We are 64 days away from Wrestlemania 40.

Damage Ctrl come out to the ring with Adam Pearce in it. They said we will find out who Bayley is picking to fight at Mania. Bayley said she has nearly done it all at Mania, winning titles and even hosting it. Bayley said this year is special. We see Rhea Ripley watching in the back. She said she wasn't in it alone this year as she had her girls in Damage Ctrl. She said they were there for her.

She said Damage Ctrl is family. Iyo, Asuka and Sane laugh behind her back then straighten up when Bayley looks at them. Bayley said she thinks about being the best and said she has to beat one of the best at Mania. She said she could also go a different route. She said sometimes it's not about holding a title, sometimes it's more personal and proving people wrong. She said sometimes you have to prove wrong the people who you thought were your friends.

Bayley asks if they are done laughing and talks in Japanese to them. She said she picked that up from when they talked about her behind her back. Bayley asks if she doesn't think she sees all around her. Bayley said they talk about her constantly. Bayley said all she wanted was Damage Ctrl to be the best and wanted to take this to the top to Mania. She said they see nothing in her. She said Iyo turned her back on her since Asuka and Sane came around. Asuka and Sane then jump Bayley. Bayley is kicked by all 3 then Bayley grabs a pipe from under the ring. Bayley hits Asuka and Sane with the pipe then her and Iyo stand off with Iyo trying to hit her with a title. Iyo is then pulled out. Bayley then tells Iyo she will see her at Wrestlemania.

This was a good angle. They've been teasing that Damage Ctrl doesn't really like Bayley for months and it finally paid off here. I thought it could have been done a little better though. Bayley should have walked in on them talking about her a week earlier and it should have just built up more. Instead, it happened a few minutes before this. Dakota Kai was also oddly not out here for unknown reasons.

The Final Testament (Karrion Kross and The Authors of Pain) vs Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits

All 6 brawl in the ring to start. Razar is thrown over the top and Akam is enzugiri'd out. Dawkins running shoulders Akam over. Kross forearms Bobby then takes a huge spinebuster. Bobby goes for the hurt lock and Scarlett gets on Bobby's back and rakes the eyes. B-Fab pump kicks Scarlett down then Bobby spears Kross. This then ends, I guess with The Final Testament being disqualified?

I didn't like this. The Final Testament needed to look good here in the first match. Instead, they had to cheat then backed off, along with losing via DQ (I assume that was the result). We also got robbed of what would have been a good one.

 

Bron Breakker has a Smackdown contract and is with Nick Aldis. Nick said he needs his signature there. Adam Pearce walks in and tells him to talk to him before signing the contract. Nick asks what he's doing and Adam says he's doing business. Bron says he will hold onto this and will see Adam on Monday. Nick asks him what he's playing then Jade Cargill walks in. Nick asks Adam to exit now. Adam tells Jade to watch Nick as he has an attitude.

Tiffany Stratton vs Michin

Tiff is wearing blue and pink tonight in a change of colors. Michin running dropkicks her to start then club flurries her. Tiff's head is banged off the buckles then she is thrown hard into the corner. Michin kicks her while she's down then hits mounted punches.

Tiff upkicks her then takes more kicks. Michin gutwrench suplexes her then suplexes her. Tiff upkicks her then Michin dropkicks her through the ropes. Michin is swung down onto the apron and Tiff says, "it's Tiffy time".

We go to break and return. Tiff hip attacks her on the ropes then double stomps her for 2. Tiff tells her she's nothing and calls her Mia. Michin slaps her then hits a flurry of shots. Michin lariats her then dropkicks her. Michin neckbreakers her. Tiff is put on the 2nd rope and Michin codebreakers her down.

Tiff pulls Michin down by the hair then Tiff cartwheels into a alabama slam on her for 2. Michin spin kicks and pendulum up kicks her. Tiff finlay rolls her and hits the prettiest moonsault ever for the win.

I'm glad Tiff got the win here, but I thought she should have gotten more in. She really didn't get much but the finish in and Michin kicked her around like a jobber.

The Bloodline come out and talk before Cody's big decision for Mania. Roman asks the crowd to "acknowledge me". Roman said he doesn't like to recap as he wants to move forward. He said he can't let some of the things said on Monday slide though. Roman is mad that Seth said he had "thee title". Roman said he beat everyone competing for that title and said that makes them their number 2's. He said that should make it the loser bracket title. Roman said Seth said he's the guy then said, "you can't be running around here for 2 years in your wife's clothes and say you're the guy".

Roman said Seth said he's a workhorse but he broke his back trying to carry that shoe 3 months in. Roman then mocks him limping. Roman said he works less than Seth, 10x less. He said he still makes 10x more than him though. Roman asks the crowd if they want Seth Rollins' money or Tribal Chief money. Roman said Cody's an idiot with his values and said he doesn't care about the money. Roman said he won't beg him like the other guy. He said he can either be the very best #2 or take a crack at #1 again.

Okay, I have to interject here. That was a horrible promo. He absolutely buried Seth and that title 10 feet deep, saying a whole bunch of stuff that is true. Seth does have the secondary title and Roman did beat just about everyone challenging for it. It totally devalues the title and he just made it seem worthless. It was completely unnecessary and I can't believe they let him say that.

Cody Rhodes comes out and we go to break. We return. Cody asks Roman what do we want to talk about. Cody asks if they can have the ring to themselves and Roman agrees. Cody said he talked to friends and family this week and said Roman cheated him. He said he had Roman and thinks Roman knew it. Cody said Seth called Roman's title "The Hollywood Title". Cody said that title was held by Bruno and then put in his dad's hands and taken away. Cody said he still wants that title.

Cody asks what is finishing the story? Cody said Roman said all of this was his. Cody asks if finishing the story is taking the title from Roman or taking everything from him. Cody said he wants Roman's title and said he wants everything. He said he is coming for Roman but not at Wrestlemania. Cody said he took council from friends/family. He said he talked to someone who knows Roman well then The Rock came out.

The Rock and Cody shake hands and Cody leaves. The Rock and Roman stare down. They go face to face and they advertise a press event for Thursday. The show then ends.

This segment was absolute garbage. It made no sense. Why would Cody pass up the shot at Roman after saying he wanted it? It made Cody look like a total fool.

I just can't believe they did this. This was probably the biggest segment and moment of the year and they totally botched it. We'll have to see if they cover for this somehow, but this is definitely close to being an all-time bad moment.

The Rock also looks really bad coming out of this. He became one of the bosses of WWE a few weeks ago and has already inserted himself into the Mania main event and made his daughter the NXT GM.

Overall thoughts: This show sucked. Roman buried The Raw World Title and Seth Rollins 10 feet deep, then Cody made himself look like a fool by saying he wanted Roman then giving it away. The Final Testament looked stupid in their debut. Tiffany didn't have a great debut and while the Bayley segment was good, it could have been done better. We also didn't see AJ Styles, LA Knight or Randy Orton here.