WWE Smackdown 2/23/2024

WWE Smackdown 2/23/2024

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2024/02/wwe-smackdown-2162024.html 

We see Drew McIntyre, Tiffany Stratton and Liv Morgan enter the arena from earlier in the day.

The girls in The Chamber all quickly talk about why they will win it. Bianca says she's the best. Raquel said it's the beginning of her era. Liv says she will win and if you don't like it, you can cry about it. Naomi says she blazes her own path and got better and stronger in every way. Tiff says she strives on the big stage. Becky says she's the man and the best to ever do it. 

Liv Morgan vs Tiffany Stratton

Tiff takes a spinning forearm and slides out saying it's Tiffy time. She said The Chamber is tomorrow and she needs to go. Tiff walks up the ramp and is thrown into the rails. Tiff is thrown into the steps. Tiff spinning lariats her in the ring and bangs her head off the buckles.

Liv backcrackers her then runs into a boot. Tiff double stomps her then throws her. Tiff hits a corner splash then takes a crucifix bomb. We go to break and return return. Tiff chinlocks her and mocks her, asking if she wants to cry about it. Liv fights back and shoulders her over. Liv pump kicks and step up enzugiri's her.

Liv step up knees her then 2nd rope codebreakers her. Tiff spinebusters her for 2. Liv double footpresses her in the corner then Liv does a very unusual russian legsweep style move. Tiff jawbreakers her then does her cartwheel alabama slam for 2.

Tiff is caught going up top and Liv flips off the ropes to sunset bomb her. Tiff goes out, next to Bianca who is watching. Tiff bangs Liv's head off the commentary table then Tiff slaps Bianca. Liv goes for the pin and is pushed off into Bianca, knocking her off the apron. Tiff then rolls up Liv and wins it.

Big win here for Tiff over Liv. Kind of lose/lose booking wise as neither one of these girls needed to drop a fall here. Liv had a pretty good showing and hung in well there with Tiff. 

Drew McIntyre is interviewed about Elimination Chamber. He said the title needs him as much as he needs it. He said if he loses at The Chamber, his career was all for nothing and as useless as Punk's entire WWE career. Bobby Lashley comes in and laughs at Drew's line. He said it's as comical as Wrestlemania 37 when he beat him up and made him pass out. He then walks out laughing as Drew stares on.

We go to the home of Ashantee "Thee" Adonis. He makes fun of Cedric Alexander's outfits. He tells him his shirt is whack and he can't get jiggy with it. Ced then puts on Ashantee's gear and Ashantee says they are done. We skip ahead to hours later. Ced is wearing leather pants, a vest and Bret Hart style sunglasses. He thinks he looks silly but Adonis loves it.

The Bloodline are in the back laughing about what Jey did to Jimmy on Raw. He mocks Jey and said he kicked him right in the face. Roman asked Jimmy who sent him to Raw and Jimmy said it was Paul. He said Paul called the play and he ran the play. Roman said he tattled on Paul then Rmoman said he made the call. Roman said he ran the play to perfection. Paul says Grayson Waller is here and we cut away.

Bron Breakker is warming up in the back.

Bron Breakker vs Dante Chen

This is the first SD match for both of these guys. Bron slams him down and throws him into the corner. Dante dropkicks him and is shouldered over. Bron runs the ropes fast and lariats him. Dante springboard crossbodies and is slammed off of it. Bron hits a big spear and gets the win.

It was a quick squash where Bron got to show off and be dominant. Him and Chen did fine here but there wasn't a lot of time. 

The Judgment Day minus Rhea are interviewed in the back. Finn says Bate and Dunne have no chance against them. Priest says the only thing left to do after Dom and JD take care of business tonight is to pick the bones.

Wilde and Cruz talk in the back then Elektra Lopez walks in. She said it's sad and said the LWO is basically dead. She asks what following Rey has done for them. She said it's just a result of their choices and maybe next time, their loyalties will be better, if there is a next time. Wilde and Cruz then get jumped by Legado del Fantasma. Santos said they turned their backs on him and this is the price to pay.

Judgment Day (JD McDonaugh and Dominik Mysterio) vs Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate

Dunne has new music. Bate and JD start us off. Bate rolls out of a wristlock then JD grabs him by the hair in a headlock. JD shoulders him over then Bate headscissors him and uses the ropes to spin him. Bate flips him off the backroll and JD takes a back body drop.

Bate comes off the 2nd rope and rolls of Dunne's shoulders onto JD. JD snapmares him then Dom slingshot swantons him. JD is thrown into the corner and bumps to the floor. Bate does a corner handstand and boots Dom out of it. Dunne double knee drops Dom's arm then pulls on his fingers. Dunne bangs Dom's knee off the mat then twists the foot and stomps it.

Dom has both arms stomped into the mat. Bate messes up an up and over and JD pulls him over the top to the floor. JD PK's him from the apron. We go to break and return. Bate hits shots to JD's gut then Dom stomps Bate. Dom hits 2 of 3 amigos then Bate suplexes him.

Dunne hits flying step up enzugiri's and germans JD. Dunne stomps his fingers and buzzsaw kicks him. Dunne release suplexes him. Dom saves JD on a suplex then takes shots from both opponents. Bate airplane spins Dom then dumps him over the top. Bate airplane spin drops JD.

JD takes a double kick in the corner then a rebound lariat + german. Bate and Dom are sent over the top. JD is sunset flipped off a devil inside attempt. Dunne flips out of a german then takes a standing spanish fly for 2. JD top rope moonsaults onto Dunne's knees then headbutts him. Dom 619's Dunne then Dunne splits JD's fingers. JD takes a double tiger driver and is pinned.

It was fine with fast paced action but it went a little longer than it needed to. They got a lot of time for this one.

Finn and Priest come down after. Finn is knocked off the apron. Priest grabs both Bate and Dune then takes punches and a double forearm off the apron. Bate and Dunne then slip out when Priest and Finn get in, hitting shots on Dom and JD on their way out.

We get a chamber video for the Men. Drew said he needs to win and Owens says he will fight anyone and everyone. Lashley says he will destroy everyone else and reign supreme. Logan says he's the greatest US champ, rematch Seth and become a double champ. LA Knight says everyone else will get dropped. Orton said 5 victims will see the most destructive letters in sports entertainment - RKO.

Austin Theory, Grayson Waller and Logan Paul talk in the back. They talk about how good they look. Kevin Owens walks in. He asks if they are just standing here looking at themselves. Kevin said he hopes they find a way to find the brass knuckles in Australia so he can use them on him. He said he'd also like it if he gets caught with them and sent out of Australia. Logan asks why they didn't just jump him. Paul Heyman then comes in, asks if that was KO and says he never liked him. Paul then says The Tribal Chief wants to talk to Waller. Logan and Theory then say they want to talk to The Tribal Chief. I didn't like Logan and Theory basically being mad they weren't selected to speak with Roman as it makes them look like jobbers.

Dakota Kai is limping and being helped along by Aldis and a ref. She's headed to the trainer's room.

The Street Profits vs The Authors of Pain

Ford and Akam go at it. Ford dropkicks both AOP members then is pounded on in the corner. Razar elbows Ford in the neck then Dawkins dropkicks Razar. Razar takes a double shoulderblock then Ford is flipped onto Razar. Razar hits punches on Dawkins' gut then Razar is thrown out. Dawkins dumps Akam out then tope con hilos both AOP members.

We go to break and return. Razar twists Ford's head then Ford is pendulum'd into a knee. Razar nails Ford on the apron and clubs his back. Ford misses an enzugiri then throws Razar into the post shoulder first. Dawkins hits lariats on Akam then flying back elbows him. Dawkins spinning splashes him then hits a double underhook twisting drop.

Akam face kicks Dawkins then Dawkins takes a lariat + russian legsweep combo for 2. Ford is back body dropped to the floor. Akam takes a doomsday device blockbuster for 2. Dawkins lariats Razar over the top and goes with him. Ford enzugiri's Akam. Ford goes up top and is pushed off the top. B-Fab and Scarlett and Lashley/Kross fight outside. Kross is sent into the rail and bangs Lashle's arm off the post. Kross chairs Lashley's arm on the post. Ford grabs Kross but is face kicks by Akam. Ford takes a powerbomb + neckbreaker combo and is pinned.

There wasn't anything wrong with the match but it was missing something. I think the crowd didn't really know who to cheer and I think the pace could have maybe picked up a bit.

The Final Testament pose after. Kross says "I told ya, now is time" into the camera.  

Dakota Kai is worked on in the back and Bayley asks for a minute alone with her. She asks her what happened and Kai said she was jumped by Damage Ctrl. Bayley says this is because of her and they are using Kai to get at her. Kai says she let her down while Bayley says she let her down. Bayley says they won't get away with this. Kai says she has her back and if she has to earn her trust back then so be it. Kai says they will make them pay.

The Bloodline talk in the back. Grayson Waller comes in. Roman said he has something to tell him but it's for his ears only.

Bobby is in the trainer's room in the back with his crew. Drew McIntyre walks in and says he will prya for him.

LA Knight vs Drew McIntyre

Logan Paul comes out before this starts and joins the commentary team. Drew and LA lock up and roll on the ropes. Logan taunts the fans who chant "Logan sucks". LA hits shots on Drew then takes some back. LA 2nd rope lariats him then neckbreakers him. LA hits corner stomps on him.

LA rolls Drew up then Drew headbutts him. Drew is back body dropped over the top then LA lariats him off the apron. Drew belly to belly suplexes him on the floor. Kevin Owens comes down and also joins the commentary team. LA is catapulted into the steel frame of the ring.

We go to break and return. LA tries to go up and over on Drew but is kicked. Drew hits chops on LA then throws him on a suplex. Drew stomps the head then LA hits punches. LA atomic drops him then hits a nice lariat. LA ddt's him for 2. Drew clubs LA's back and goes up top. LA runs up the buckles and superplexes him for 2.

Drew future shock ddt's him then LA bangs Drew's head off the commentary table. LA has words with Logan then Drew throws LA into Owens. Owens goes after Drew and causes a disqualification. Drew pushes Owens into Logan. Al 4 men fight in the ring and LA hits a BFT on Drew. Lashley comes in and spears LA. Logan flying kicks Lashley in the shoulder then KO stunners Logan. Lashley spears Owens and then Drew claymore kicks him. 

Drew poses then Randy Orton comes down and RKO's him. 

The match was so-so and nothing too great as often is the case with LA Knight matches. No botches though. I did like the post match fight after with everyone in The Chamber getting involved.

Overall thoughts: I liked the show overall. It made me more interested in the PPV than I was going into it so that's a win. Nothing was awful here but nothing was that great either.