WWE Smackdown 3/1/2025

WWE Smackdown 3/1/2025

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/03/wwe-friday-night-smackdown-3142025.html

Note - I watched the international version of this. There's no real breaks during the matches so what I see may be different than what you see.

We are in Bologna, Italy. We see various wrestlers arrive.

Randy Orton comes out and gets a big pop. He goes to talk on the mic then Kevin Owens interrupts. KO says he was wrong. He says Orton didn't deserve to get hit with a piledriver but Cody and Sami did. He said Orton picking Cody's side made him do something he regrets. He says Orton should relate as he has done the same thing. He says they can put this in the path if they can forgive each other. He says he was trying to stop Orton from himself when he pulled out Melo last week.

KO says Orton doesn't want to be the guy who kicks people in the head anymore and he saved him from doing that. He says they should look towards the future and the future is Wrestlemania. He says he can't think of a better moment than them becoming tag champs at Mania. 

Orton says he should get out of the ring and beat up KO to Mania. He says what KO is intriguing but he should shove it up his @ss. He says it used to be Fight Owens Fight but now it's B!tch Owens B!tch. Orton says he's glad KO dropped him on his head as he hears voices in his head and they counsel him and understand. He says he will kick KO's head off his shoulders at Mania.

Thoughts: This was a good segment with Orton having a good comeback on Owens here.

Damian Priest and Jimmy Uso vs Drew McIntyre and Shinsuke Nakamura

DP goes after Drew in the aisle. They hockey fight. SN join in and Jimmy Uso hits a dive on them. The match then officially starts.

Uso hits shots on Drew and kicks him in the gut. Uso chops him. Drew catches his splash and belly to belly suplexes him. Drew foot chokes Uso then catapults his throat into the 2nd rope.

SN bangs Uso's head off the commentary table and flying kicks him onto it. SN running knees him then pumping knees Uso in the corner. Drew chops Uso then does a chin and armlock on him. Drew suplexes him.

Uso hits chops and Drew back elbows him. Uso samoan drops him. SN and DP get in. DP flying back elbows SN then flapjacks him. DP flying forearms SN. DP walks on the ropes and crossbodies SN. SN spinning heel kicks DP.

DP lariats SN for 2. Uso dropkicks Drew through the ropes and takes a running knee from SN. DP hits a south of heaven chokeslam on SN and pins him.

Thoughts: It was just average. This wasn't really anyone's best effort and they didn't do anything too wild here.

Drew nails DP from behind after and pounds on him. Drew claymore kicks DP. Drew tells DP he's putting him down everytime he gets up until he stays on the ground.

LA Knight and Braun Strowman talk in the back. LA says he hopes Braun smacks down Fatu. He tells him he will watch as Fatu's crew likes to use  the numbers. Braun says he was told the winner gets a shot at LA's US Title. He says he likes that as the US Title will ensure he gets to Mania.

We get a split screen talk between Tiffany Stratton and Charlotte Flair. Flair says Tiff finally looked like a star last week and says she brings the best out of everyone. She says she chose Tiff as she felt sorry for her. Flair syas everyone is compared to her and says Tiff is not that special. Flair says it will be the pinnacle of Tiff's career and she will just shine her light on an undeserving girl. She says Tiff has not earned the chance to compare herself to her.

Tiff says Flair used to be one of her biggest supporters. She says she saw her face to face and says Flair knows Tiff is here to take her throne. Tiff says Flair finds the hottest thing and throws water on it. Flair says Tiff isn't even the hottest thing on SD and throws water on it. Flair says Tiff has always been beneath her struggling. Tiff says Flair is struggling with the fans who don't like her. Flair says Tiff will be lucky to have a job when she's her age. Tiff says it's Tiffy Time now.

Thoughts: This was definitely not rehearsed and Flair kind of buried Tiff in this one and clearly won the debate. 

Winner gets a US Title shot - Braun Strowman vs Jacob Fatu

BS shoves him in the corner and hits shots to the gut. BS headbutts him then misses a charge. Fatu hits uppercuts and spears to the gut. BS back elbows him. Fatu boots him out of the corner then takes a back body drop.

Fatu is lariated off the apron. BS boots Fatu in the ring. BS corner splashes Fatu. BS runs at Fatu around the ring and is sent over the commentary table. Fatu flying lariats him off the apron.

Fatu backs BS' head off the commentary table and hits headbutts. BS' head is banged off the steps. Fatu is sent into the steps. BS is kicked as he gets back in the ring. Fatu dropkicks him in the knee then running lariats him. Fatu head cranks BS.

Fatu hits headbutts to the back of BS' head. Fatu superkicks him then samoan drops him. Fatu then sentons him for 2. Fatu corner hip attacks BS. BS flying lariats Fatu then hits clotheslines. BS then clubs him in the chest.

BS runs around the ring and pounces him onto the commentary table. BS spinebusters him. Tama Tonga comes out and is thrown into the ring. Solo Sikoa then hits BS and BS wins by DQ.

Thoughts: I saw the international version so I saw the full match. It was okay and they did what they were supposed to but it wasn't their best work. The finish really was stupid with Solo and Tama costing their own buddy a title shot. At least Fatu got mad about it.

Fatu is mad and Solo tries to get him to join in on the beatdown of Braun. Fatu does. Braun fights back and takes a flying back elbow from Fatu. LA Knight then comes out and punches Tama in the aisle. LA hits shots on Fatu and Solo then is hit by Tama from behind. The faces clear off the heels.

We go to break and return. Fatu is mad in the back, rightfully. He's kicking and throwing stuff around. Solo tries to explain and Fatu gets mad. Solo says they were trying to help. Fatu asks who were they trying to help? Fatu tells him to watch it.

Piper Niven vs Zelina Vega

Piper misses a corner charge and misses an elbow drop. Vega rolls and kicks her on the mat. Vega boots her in the gut. Piper pulls her into shoulderblocks. Vega legsweeps Piper then gets on her back with a choke. Piper throws her down.  

Piper gets on the buckles and is pulled down on the top buckle. Vega forearms and clubs her. Vega hits corner punches. Piper uranages her. Piper chokes Vega on the ropes and Chelsea Green slaps Vega.

Piper catches her on a crossbody and slams her. Piper hits another slam. We go to a break and return. Vega rolls her up for 2 and is shouldered over. Piper throws Vega into the corner. Piper puts her in the million dollar dream and headbutts her.

Vega boots her out of the corner. Piper gorilla presse sher but Vega gets her back for a choke. Vega does an octopus to her in the air. Vega rolls her up for 2. Vega urakes her then meteora's her in the back of the head. Vega 2nd rope meteora's her.

Piper is tripped into the ropes then Bega his a ddt on her. Green is knocked off the apron. Vega 619's Piper. Alba Fyre distracts Vega and Piper crossbodies Vega to win.

Thoughts: This was long, slow and boring. There was just not a lot of excitement in this one and there was nothing really on the line to make me care.

Jade Cargill has a new hairdo and is interviewed in the back. She says Liv wanted to try her and she will show her tonight. She says when she's done with Liv, all eyes are on Naomi. She says this is a preview of what she will do to Naomi.

Liv Morgan vs Jade Cargill

Liv runs at Jade and is facekicked. Jade goes after Raquel outside. Jade sends Liv into the rails. Jade catches her and hits a codebreaker. Liv and Raquel go to leave and Jade nails Liv from behind.

Jade misses a corner charge. Liv tries a step up knee but is powerbombed for 2. Jade is distracted by Raquel and takes a backcracker. Jade is thrown into the post shoulder first.

We go to break. Live poses with her titles on the ropes and Jade rolls her up. Liv dropkicks her. Liv chokes her on the ropes. Jade boots her then Liv hits a codebreaker for 2.

Liv chinlocks her and Jade bangs her into the buckles to get her off. Liv suplexes Jade then turns it into three amigos. Liv's oblivion is blocked and she takes a german. Jade throws her and kicks her. Jade hits flying back elbows in the corner then spinebusters her. Jade hits an F-5 for 2. Naomi gets on the apron, in new gear and distracts Jade. Naomi hits Jade with a title while Raquel distracts the ref. Liv hits oblivion and wins.

Thoughts: It wasn't that good as expected. Jade didn't have real good offense and she couldn't throw her around since she was the face.

Naomi comes in and pounds on Jade after. 

Naomi piledrivers her over the 2nd rope then pushes her off the apron into the commentary table.

Drew McIntyre is interviewed as he leaves. He said he didn't start things with Priest but he will end it. He talks about Priest screwing him multiple times over the last year. Drew says he wants someone to explain to him how he's wrong. He says DP is as tough as he is stupid. He says he will see him in London.

Seth Rollins then walks up to Drew outside. He laughs at him. 

The Street Profits come out to talk. Ford says they are thew new tag champs for the first time in 4 years. Dawkins says it's about time. He says doubts crept in and they questioned each other. He says holding the titles made it worth it though. Ford says he knows he can always count on his brother.

Legado del Fantasma come out. Santos says The Profits finally captured gold. He says it's too bad it will end abruptly. He says Los Garza are p!ssed and ready to take the titles. Pretty Deadly then come out. Kit says they earned the chance to call themselves #1 contenders. Elton says Legado needs to step aside. Santos says this is personal and tells them to stay out of it.

Ford says PD already had their title shot but it seems like they want to get into a fight. Ford says let's get loco, chico tonight. Ford and Dawkins then say they want the smoke.

The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Motez Ford) vs Los Garza (Angel and Berto)

Angel chops and pounds on AD. Angel hits boots to the gut and kicks him. Angel misses a corner charge and takes punches from AD. Angel boots him out of the corner.

We go to break and get a video on Rey Fenix. We return and Ford rolls into a splash on Angel. Berto spin kicks Ford in the face and chops him. Ford takes a double team drop and a double superkick. Angel takes off his pants and throws them at AD.

Angelo pounds on Ford on the ropes. Ford is put in tree of woe then is stomped by both opponents. Ford tags in AD. AD hits lariats on his opponents. He then corkscrew splashes Berto and spin kicks him. AD is pulled over the top by Santos and AD is tope'd by Berto.

AD and Berto trade in the ring. Berto chokes AD over the 2nd rope and Santos hits AD. AD is sat on the apron for a PK from Angel. Angel pulls AD's arms back. Angel dropkicks AD for 2.

AD takes a double team then a punch for 2. Berto slams AD then standing moonsaults him. Angel kicks AD in the leg. AD is in the gori special and Berto slingshot flips into a cutter on AD. AD flapjacks Berto and tags to Ford.

Ford lariats Berto several times. Ford spinebusters Berto for 2. Ford and Los Garza are on the buckles. Ford flips out of a 2nd rope double gorilla press. Ford superplexes Berto for 2. Angel dropkicks AD then takes a spinebuster. Berto is back body dropped to the outside.

Santos gets on the apron and is hit by AD. AD then tope con hilos all of Legado. Ford top rope frogsplashes Angel and pins him.

Thoughts: It was a longer one. It wasn't anyone's best work but it was okay. It wasn't quite as high flying as you would expect but The Profits did win here as expected. I was surprised Pretty Deadly didn't get involved in this somehow. 

We see Paul Heyman arrive.

Pretty Deadly and DIY talk in the back. PD says htey will challenge The Profits at home in England next week.  DIY says the differences between the two teams made their relationship stronger. DIY says they will make sure PD wins next week and in return, they will be first in line for a rematch. PD says "no boy' to this.

The Motor City Machine Guns walk in. They tell DIY welcome to the back of the line where they are waiting to beat their @ss.

Paul Heyman and Roman Reigns come out. Roman says he loves the fans. He says CM Punk screwed him at The Rumble so he screwed Punk last week. He said Seth Rollins tried to kill him at The Rumble, so he tried to kill Seth last week. He says he will be here another 20 minutes and says if anyone wants to confront him, let him know.

Seth Rollins comes out. Seth says Roman messed up and doesn't understand how dangerous Punk is to the future of this company. He says Roman should have let him finish Punk when he had the chance. Seth says it has never been about Punk but about Seth and Roman.

Seth says there's not one without the other with him and Roman and says they can't co-exist in the same space at the same time. Seth says their story has a lot of pages written and it's time they added another chapter.

CM Punk comes out. Punk says neither of them have beaten him without the other's help because they can't. Punk says he didn't screw Roman and says it was every man for himself in The Rumble. He says Roman wouldn't have made it to The Rumble if he didn't save his family at Wargames.

Punk tells Paul that Paul owes him a favor. He thanks him for delivering Roman on a silver platter to him tonight. Roman looks at Paul. Punk nails Roman from behind. Seth then beats up Punk. Roman hits both. A ref comes to try and break it up. 

The three continue to fight and more refs and officials try to break it up. Punk stands on the commentary table and tells them to come on. Punk points at the Mania sign and says he's the best in the world. Paul says "oh no". Punk and Roman fight outside. Seth then topes them and security. Seth then points at the Mania sign and says let's do it.

Roman hits Punk and Seth with the steps. Roman stands on the steps and points at the Mania sign. The three then fight to end the show.

Thoughts: It did what it was supposed to but I was surprised we didn't get more mic work than what we did. There's a lot of story to tell here and they didn't get that into it before the inevitable fight broke out. 

Overall thoughts: I watched the international version of this so I saw all the stuff during the breaks. It was a long and not terribly exciting show. Everything got tons of time but nobody really went all out or did their best stuff. I probably liked The Profits/Garza match best but it could have been better. The main event segment didn't get the time it needed and they didn't go all in on the story they needed to tell which was disappointing. Tiffany also got somewhat buried here by Flair which wasn't good. I'd give this one a 5 out of 10 and wouldn't recommend it. Nothing was awful (though the Jade match was bordering on being bad) but nothing was that great either.