It should be an interesting night on WWE SmackDown from Birmingham, Ala. as the Road to WrestleMania gets a couple of big signposts placed down … but will they be the ones we’ve been expecting for so long?
The big attraction for tonight is that WWE says Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns will be face to face. After Rhodes won the Men’s Royal Rumble match, most people figured it was a given that he’d ask for a rematch in Philadelphia against Reigns.
But the creative team at least wants us to think it might zig where we expect it to zag, what with Seth Rollins making his case for Rhodes to challenge for his World Heavyweight Championship instead on Raw. If the goal was to at least plant the seed of doubt that would lead to Rhodes vs. Rollins and The Rock vs. Roman, it worked.
Also, there are rumors that someone else is in Birmingham too, if you catch our drift. This whole situation could get very interesting before the night is through.
Interesting might actually be an understatement for the Damage CTRL saga on SmackDown. Bayley has also won the right to challenge for a championship, but would she really consider going after teammate IYO SKY because she’s too scared to challenge Rhea Ripley? Or might SKY force her hand somehow? We can’t wait to find out.
Buckle up and let’s get into it.
WWE SmackDown results from Birmingham:
(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
- The Bloodline is shown entering the arena and heading for their dressing room before a Royal Rumble highlight package is shown
- Logan Paul thinks he’s done with Kevin Owens but might be mistaken
- Kevin Owens vs. Austin Theory by pinfall after using brass knux that Paul tries to supply to Theory, the difference this time is that he doesn’t let the referee see it; Paul escapes into the crowd to avoid Owens after the match
- Rhea Ripley is shown on her way into the arena, and we see a hype video for Naomi’s return at Royal Rumble; both Naomi and Tiffany Stratton have signed to SmackDown, and Stratton decides to show how unafraid she is of the existing roster by smacking Michin
- Bianca Belair asks Nick Aldis what she has to do to take on IYO SKY once Bayley chooses Rhea, but she’s not happy when Paul crashes their conversation asking about a match
- Santos Escobar is out to dinner with his new Legado Del Fantasma and says his heart is full, but also tells his team their duty is to eradicate Rey Mysterio and the LWO
- Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate def. Pretty Deadly, Legado Del Fantasma (Angel and Humberto) and LWO (Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde); they’ll now face the winner of a similar Fatal Four-Way on Raw, and the winner of that match will get a tag team title shot at Elimination Chamber
- IYO SKY, Asuka and Kairi Sane seem to be plotting against Bayley … but she’s overheard them
- Another version of Seth Rollins’ plea to Cody Rhodes is played, presenting the big question: What kind of champion do you want to be?
- Bayley makes her WrestleMania choice, but it appears she’s done with Damage CTRL
- The Final Testament has a brief clash with Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits, who get help from B-Fab to neutralize Scarlett
- Aldis is working on getting Bron Breakker to sign for SmackDown, but he’s willing to talk to Pearce on Monday first; Jade Cargill stops in to talk to Aldis as well
- Tiffany Stratton def. Michin by pinfall
- The Tribal Chief is here to hear from Cody Rhodes, who looks to be setting aside a WrestleMania challenge to make way for The Rock
Logan Paul learns Kevin Owens isn’t done with him yet
Addressing the boos that greet him, Paul says he doesn’t want to be there either, because “this place sucks.” He admits that he underestimated Kevin Owens, saying he did more damage to him than Floyd Mayweather.
Paul mocks the wrestlers who have suffered injuries, calling himself unbreakable. Mercifully, someone interrupts him, and that someone is KO. After saying Birmingham seems like a great place to him, Owens says he felt good knocking the Maverick around, so now he can focus on taking the title from Logan and getting it sanitized.
“You took the bait, dummy,” Paul laughs, bragging about outsmarting Owens and causing him to get DQed. KO isn’t ashamed about cheating during the match but is a little sheepish about getting caught. Nevertheless, he says he won’t need brass knux to beat Paul next time.
Paul says Owens won’t be getting another title shot and says KO should focus on his match with Austin Theory … which appear to be up next.
Bayley makes her WrestleMania choice as Damage CTRL implodes
Accompanied by Damage CTRL, Bayley makes her way to the ring where both Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce are waiting. The fans are chanting for her, so this would be a good place for a face turn if that’s what awaits.
Bayley says she’s done almost everything there is to do at WrestleMania, but this year is different and special. She says she didn’t get there on her own, support that she never had in any previous year, as Damage CTRL was always there to support her.
When she thinks about Mania, she thinks about moments and beating the best, which brings her to Rhea Ripley. Or she could fight a different fight. Sometimes, she says, it’s more personal and about proving doubters wrong. Sometimes it’s about proving the people you thought were your friends wrong.
Bayley says she picked up some Japanese from all the times IYO SKY, Asuka and Kairi Sane were talking about her behind her back. She grows emotionally asking what happened between them, but the Kabuki Warriors jump her from behind. It’s going badly for Bayley until she produces a metal pipe and has a standoff with SKY, who has her title belt to use as a weapon.
As SKY and the Kabuki Warriors retreat, Bayley says about that announcement … “IYO, I’ll see you at WrestleMania.”
Tiffany Stratton has the prettiest debut ever against Michin
Michin greets Stratton with a furious attack as soon as the bell rings, so this won’t be a walk in the park debut by any means. A gutwrench suplex tosses Stratton backward and is followed by a vertical suplex for a near fall.
Stratton is forced to the floor, where she’s able to trip Michin on the apron and declare it’s Tiffy Time before commercials slide in.
Stratton’s still in control after the break but pays for taking the time to talk smack and has to suffer through a Michin rally. Double knees to the face in the corner force Tiffany to get a boot on the bottom rope for a break.
Tiffany cartwheels into an Alabama Slam and gets a two count. Michin responds with a boot to the face, but Stratton rolls forward and hits the Prettiest Moonsault Ever to wrap up a successful debut.
Cody Rhodes won’t challenge Roman Reigns at WrestleMania … but The Rock might
With the GMs in the ring again to await Rhodes, Reigns and The Bloodline make their way down as well. The fans chant for “Cody” but Reigns wants to be acknowledged first. Roman says he doesn’t like to recap but can’t let go of what Seth Rollins said on Monday. Didn’t he beat everyone competing for the World Heavyweight Championship, after all?
Reigns goes on to mock Rollins for being injured a lot and working too often. he says he won’t beg Rhodes like “the other guy,” saying Cody can either be the best No. 2 in this industry or take another crack at being No. 1.
After a commercial break, Rhodes arrives to ask Birmingham and Rhodes what they want to talk about. If Roman will indulge him, Cody wonders if they can have the ring to themselves.
Cody says he talked to just about everyone this week, from friends to legends. Rhodes says he had Reigns closer to defeat than anyone, and he thinks Roman knows that. One thing he disagrees with Rollins about is that Reigns’ title is the “Hollywood” title, because it’s the same one his father once had in his hands only to be swiftly taken away.
What does finishing the story mean to Roman, Cody wonders? Is it taking the championship or taking everything from him? Cody says he’s coming for Reigns … but not at WrestleMania. After all, one of the people he’s sought council from knows Roman vey well: The Rock.
The Great One moves in close to Rhodes and whispers something in his ear, and the American Nightmare leaves the ring. The show ends with Rock and Roman staring each other down, and a banner promoting a press event for WrestleMania 40 Thursday in Las Vegas.