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SmackBack: Smackdown Live – Ontario, CA (2/21/17)

We’re a week away from last week’s stunning revelation that Royal Rumble ’17 winner Randy Orton would be relinquishing his prize for the victory – a shot against WWE Champion Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 33 – so as not to fight his Family leader. Tonight’s main event will feature a ten man battle royale to determine who will take Orton’s place as the #1 contender for the WWE Championship and who will go on to face Bray Wyatt at The Showcase of the Immortals. We’re live from Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, California as we begin to solidify Smackdown Live‘s storylines as they converge in Orlando in just a few weeks.

Opening Segment: Daniel Bryan & Naomi

Daniel Bryan comes out to open the show and calls out Smackdown Women’s Champion Naomi. Daniel says that no one knows how hard it is to get injured when you’re at the top of your game, but due to the latest medical reports on her injury from Elimination Chamber, Naomi will have to forfeit her Women’s title, as there’s no way she’ll be cleared to defend it in the required 30 days.

Naomi takes the mic and says she understands, but she feels bad letting everyone down, but she knows she has to do what’s best. With tears in her eyes, she thanks the WWE Universe and hands over the belt to Daniel Bryan, who raises her hands with respect.

As a saddened Naomi begins her walk up the ramp, Alexa Bliss‘ music hits and she struts down, passing Naomi without a glance. She enters the ring and says how much she enjoyed that. Not the crying part, but the end, when she handed over the belt. Alexa says that since she didn’t get her rematch in two weeks, so she has an idea, because after all, she’s a team player. So since she’s healthy, and didn’t get her rematch, how about he just hand the belt back to her?

Daniel Bryan says that he can see that’s it probably the right thing, to give it back to her. But he’s not. Instead, he’s going to give her an opportunity. Tonight, she’s going to compete in a match to crown the next Smackdown Women’s Champion. And that match is right now. And her opponent is…

Becky Lynch‘s music hits and the Irish Lasskicker comes running down as we GO TO COMMERCIAL!

1st Match: Smackdown Women’s Championship: Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch for the Vacant Title

The go at it quickly, trading blows before working to a chain wrestle in the middle of the ring. Becky turns a run of arm drags into an armbar, but Bliss powers out .

Alexa turns things around and begins to beat down Becky, grounding her quick then working her close. Taking her time gives Becky an opening, and she lands a Becksploder suplex, but Bliss rolls out of the ring to regroup.

Back from commercial, and Becky has resumed control of the match, overpowering the smaller Bliss and going for a pin, but only a two count. Bliss stumbles to the corner and fends off a Lynch attack, but Becky recovers and lands a drop kick from the top rope, but follows up with only a two count.

The two battle back and forth, but Alexa Bliss quickly rolls up Lynch after a throat lunge and gets the win, much to the dismay of Lynch.

Your Winner and NEW Women’s Champion, Alexa Bliss, by pinfall, following a roll up.

Mickie James comes down the ramp to congratulate Alexa Bliss, then rushes the ring to attack Becky Lynch. Lynch, fired up from the loss, beats her back easily.

SmackBack: The opening segment felt genuine and sincere, from both Daniel Bryan and Naomi, which would lead one to believe the injury is actually legit and not storyline. Considering that WWE management wanted Naomi Champion going into WrestleMania so a hometown girl would be champ for the media week prior, it seems odd they’d suddenly change direction so suddenly. Add in, the match itself was average, as if it was a late idea. Bliss becomes a 2-time Women’s Champion and Lynch and James seem to continue their beef. Bliss has been a fantastic heel, so it will be interesting to see who gets put into the title picture now that Bliss and Naomi is on hold again. They may not want to put it on Nikki Bella if she’s leaving after WrestleMania for neck reasons, but what other options do they have for a face on Smackdown Live? 

Backstage, Natalya tells Renee Young that she’s going to finally settle this with Nikki Bella and show the world what a lousy wrestler she really is.

2nd Match: Smackdown Tag Team Champions America Alpha (Chad Gable & Jason Jordan) vs. Breezango (Tyler Breeze & Fandango) – Non-Title Match

Breezango attacks American Alpha as they’re entering the ring, before easing up and removing their ring gear. Fandango starts off against Jason Jordan, who gets the upper hand early. He tags in Tyler Breeze early, who continues to ground and pound on Jordan in the middle of the ring.

Jordan turns it around and gets the tag on Chad Gable, while Fandango comes back in, but Alpha gets some tag team offence in, finishing them off with the Steiner Brothers‘ Steinerizer (Manhatten bulldog).

Your Winners, American Alpha, Chad Gable, by pinfall, over Fandango, following a Steinerizer

As American Alpha celebrates, the Usos cut them off, coming down through the crowd, calling American Alpha out. They tell them that they’re going to be stalking them hard until they get those titles. It’s not paranoia, it’s the Uuuuuusooooos.

SmackBack: Better, but Breezango could have used a bit more offence. Interesting to see American Alpha switch up their finisher to the Steiners’ Manhattan bulldog tag team move – visually more appealing than their Grand Amplitude, especially to a live audience. The Usos are just plain crazy right now. I don’t know what they’re talking about. And hey, kids – get off my lawn!

3rd Match: Nikki Bella vs. Natalya – Falls Count Anywhere Match

Nikki spears Natalya right off the bell and the two get physical right off the bell. They soon end outside, where Nikki pulls a kendo stick on Natalya.

They work around to the production side, where Natalya gets Nikki up to do a powerbomb on the production equipment. Nikki counters and back drops her off, followed by a roundhouse kick from the top.

Nikki slams Natalya over the barrier, but Natalya greets her by slamming Bella’s face off the ringpost. She then drives her into the steps, but Nikki kicks out at two on a pin fall attempt on the ground.

Natalya starts to remove all the equipment from the announce table and goes to retrieve Nikki, but the Bella twin fights back, tossing Natalya back into the ring. Natalya slips back out and attempts to powerbomb Nikki Bella onto the announce table. Nikki squirms out and tosses Natalya, but lands awkwardly on a monitor.

Nattie gets up first, but Nikki fights her off, back to the table. Nikki lands an Alabama Slammer on Natalya on the announce table, but Nattie kicks out at two on the table top pin attempt.

Back from the commercial, and Natalya is attempting the Sharpshooter on Nikki Bella, but Nikki gets out of it at the ropes. Nikki leaves the ring and Natalya drags her up the ramp, slamming her as she goes.

At the top, Nikki counters and slams Natalya into the barricade, who then counters whipping Nikki into the backstage area. The two trade turns slamming each other off of crates  and walls, before Natalya hurls Nikki into Maryse, who is just walking by.

Nikki gets back up and tosses Nattie into a full mirror. Nikki picks up Nattie and begins to drag her back to the ring. Nattie breaks free and tries to crawl, but Nikki continues on her. Natalya kicks back, and gets up to attempt the Sharpshooter.

Nikki counters the Sharpshooter into her Fearless Lock, but just as Natalya was about to tap, Maryse comes out of nowhere and slams Nikki with a lead pipe and begins to beat the Bella Twin.

The Miz rushes down and pulls her off, but Natalya takes advantage and pins Nikki for the 1-2-3.

Your Winner, Natalya Neidhart, by pinfall

SmackBack: Dang, Maryse took that first hit from Nikki like a champ. Natalya LAUNCHED her. And kudos to both women involved. There were some stiff, stiff stuff being done, by both sides. One of the hardest hitting women’s matches we’ve seen in years, that’s for sure. Maryse finally interferes into Nikki’s storyline, presumably leading to the rumoured mixed tag match at WrestleMania 33 with Maryse and The Miz vs Nikki Bella and John Cena. So now where does Natalya go? Naomi’s out, and Becky Lynch is facing Mickie James. All the other women are heels. Natalya should crush a few enhancement talent, or even NXT women, the next few weeks and say she has no competition as a wrestler in the WWE, finally issuing an open challenge at WrestleMania. And then that call is answered by Asuka, who debuts at WrestleMania (following her dropping the belt to Nikki Storm). Fun match. Easily the highlight of the night so far.

Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton come on the screen, with Bray telling Randy that he has done all of the sacrifices and has earned the keys to the kingdom. But whomever wins the battle royale tonight gets to be the lamb sacrificed for the slaughter at WrestleMania for the Era of Wyatt.

4th Match: #1 Contender’s Battle Royale: John Cena, AJ Styles, Dean Ambrose, The Miz, Dolph Ziggler, Apollo Crews, Kalisto, Luke Harper, Baron Corbin and Mojo Rawley.

What the f….? Did you say Mojo Rawley? Ok, everyone else makes sense in that it makes all your storylines feel more important if interconnected briefly, but what the heck is Mojo Rawley doing in this? Rhyno would have been a bigger reaction choice. Gotta say, I’m loving Baron Corbin’s “Because…” schtick. I totally want a “Because Baron Corbin” shirt. I don’t think I wanted a Baron Corbin anything 24 hours ago.

These things are a pain to recap. So let’s just say lots of people did things, and it came down to AJ Styles and Luke Harper as the final two, with both falling over at the same time. Controversy erupts as multiple refs start to confer on who they thought hit the floor last.

Finally, Daniel Bryan comes down to the ring to talk the officials. Bryan says that their official decision is that it’s a draw. So he says that next week they will have a winner.

SmackBack: Of note, Cena tossed out The Miz, which caused Miz to snap, who then snuck back in and eliminated John Cena. So add in the prior Maryse attack on Nikki Bella, I’d say there’s your set-up for the WrestleMania mixed tag match. Nicely done. Harper looked like a beast again, and he managed to get more people chanting “Luke! Luke!” than AJ Styles while the refs were conferring on who won. If this means Luke Harper vs. AJ Styles next week on Smackdown Live, I’m all for this ending. This will be another big match for Harper to showcase himself after nearly stealing the show at Elimination Chamber.

 

 

Jamie Greer

Jamie Greer

Jamie Greer joined LWOPW in 2015 and was the site's Managing Editor from 2016 through 2020. After handing over ME duties to Alex Richards, he remains a frequent contributor to the site. He's also written for Pro Wrestling Illustrated, WrestleZone, The Windsor Star, and other publications. He lives in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, with his wife and son.

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