Welcome to the Fightful.com live discussion & coverage for the 2/3/2023 edition of Friday Night SmackDown on Fox. We will bring full results and breakdowns for every match and segment on the show. Follow Fightful on Twitter.com/Fightful and Facebook.com/FIGHTFULONLINE
Here's what is set for the show.
Preview.
WWE SmackDown (2/3/2023).
- WWE SmackDown Women's Championship Match: Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Sonya Deville.
- Undisputed WWE Universal Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns Speaks.
- Women's Elimination Chamber Qualifier Match: Shayna Baszler vs. Shotzi vs. Natalya vs. Zelina Vega.
- SmackDown Tag Team Tournament Final: Braun Strowman & Ricochet vs. IMPERIUM (Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci).
- Fallout from the 2023 Royal Rumble.
Refresh the site for the latest updates as the show happens.
Live Coverage.
- After a video recap of The bloodline attacking Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn at the 2023 Royal Rumble, Kayla Braxton tried to interview Undisputed WWE Universal Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns, but Reigns ignored her. Paul Heyman told Braxton they could not confirm nor deny Jey Uso exiting the Bloodline, but thanked her for wearing black & red (The Bloodline's colors).
- Michael Cole & Wade Barrett welcomed the audience to the broadcast before transitioning to the opening match.
SmackDown Tag Team Tournament Final.
Braun Strowman & Ricochet vs. IMPERIUM (Ludwig Kaiser & Giovanni Vinci) (w/ Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER).
Strowman & Vinci began the match locking up before Strowman slammed Vinci onto the mat. Kaiser tagged in before the two tried to double-team, but Strowman attacked Kaiser & Vinci to send them outside. Vinci & Kaiser talked strategy with the Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER before Kaiser came to the ring. Ricochet hit a dropkick & a chin breaker on Kaiser, but Vinci distracted Ricochet to allow Kaiser to hit an uppercut on Ricochet. Strowman tackled Vinci before confronting GUNTHER on the outside, but Kaiser attempted a Tope Suicida on Strowman before Strowman caught him on his shoulders. Vinci saw Strowman catch Kaiser and hit a walk-rope dive on Strowman before the commercial break.
Back from the break, Vinci slammed Strowman into the ring post before Kaiser &Vinci hit a double-basement dropkicks on Strowman on the corner for a near fall. Kaiser laid in the punches on Strowman before Vinci tagged in and immediately locked in a Guillotine choke on Strowman. Strowman broke the hold with a back-drop before Ricochet tagged in and hit a diving cross-body, the Tijeras, a corner spear, a diving lariat, and a standing Shooting Star Press on Vinci for a near fall on the hot tag. Ricochet went for the Recoil, but Vinci pulled Ricochet's beard and attacked him. Kaiser tagged in, but Ricochet hit a backflip elbow strike before Strowman pounced Vinci & Kaiser out of the ring. Ricochet hit a dive on Kaiser & Vinci thanks to Strowman before GUNTHER pushed Ricochet. While Strowman chased down GUNTHER, Kaiser & Vinci hit a lariat to the leg/ lariat to the neck combo on Ricochet while the referee was distracted before the second commercial break.
After the break, Kaiser hit an uppercut on Ricochet, but Ricochet responded by hitting a series of punches at Kaiser. Ricochet hit a cross-body on Vinci, but Kaiser caught him with a PK Kick before the two hit stereo dropkicks on Strowman to get a near fall on Ricochet. Ricochet evaded the IMPERIUM Bomb before going for a suplex on Kaiser, but Kaiser evaded before hitting an enziguri kick on Ricochet from the top rope before tossing Ricochet into Vinci to hit a Brainbuster on Ricochet for a near fall, thanks to Strowman pulling Vinci out of the ring. Strowman & Kaiser tagged in, with Strowman hitting three shoulder tackles & a veal on Kaiser before hitting a tackle on Vinci. Strowman hit a lariat on Kaiser before hitting the Monster Bomb on Kaiser. Strowman got Ricochet on his shoulders before Ricochet hit a Swanton Bomb off Strowman's shoulders for the pinfall win, winning the Tournament and becoming the #1 Contenders for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships next week.
Winners: Ricochet & Braun Strowman.
- There was a video package recapping Rhea Ripley winning the 2023 Women's Royal Rumble from the #1 Spot & challenging SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair for WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles.
- Kayla Braxton interviewed SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair backstage ahead of WrestleMania 39 & ahead of her title match against Sonya Deville, but Deville interrupted her and ran down North Carolina. Deville said that she would go to WrestleMania and face Rhea Ripley, but Flair told her to save it for their match.
- There was footage of Rey Mysterio (w/ NXT Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) & Dominik Mysterio (w/ Finn Balor & Damian Priest) racing as promotional work for NASCAR. Rey won the race before Rey, New Day & Judgment Day exchanged words after the race.
WWE SmackDown Women's Championship Match.
Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Sonya Deville.
Flair's second title defense began with Flair & Deville locking up before Flair did a takedown followed by a shoulder tackle on Deville. The two locked up again before Flair hit a waist-lock takedown into a lateral press on Deville for a near fall. The two exchanged wrist locks before Flair skimmed the cat in the corner and hit a big boot before hitting a diving cross-body on Deville for a near fall. Flair went for a corner splash on Deville, but Deville evaded and slammed Flair onto the mat before the commercial break.
After the break, Deville hit a rising knee strike on Flair for a near fall before locking in a headlock on Flair. Flair hit a snap-mare to break the hold before hitting two forearm strikes, but Deville responded with a knee to the abdomen. Flair slammed Deville's face onto the corner before hitting a lariat, five chops, a back suplex into a kip-up, a forearm strike, a knee drop onto Deville's knee, and a running boot on Deville for a near fall. Flair tossed Deville onto the apron, but Deville slammed Flair's leg into the top rope before hitting a pump kick on Flair for a near fall. Flair hit a backbreaker on Deville, but Deville dropped Flair and hit a diving pump kick on Falir for a near fall. Flair got an Inside Cradle on Deville for a near fall before hitting a front-flip lariat on Deville. Flair went for Mooonsault Press, but Deville evaded and got Flair in a Schoolboy for a near fall. Deville went for another pump kick, but Flair evaded and locked in Figure Eight for the submission win & title retention.
Winner: Charlotte Flair (AND STILL SmackDown Women's Champion.
- There was a video package of Cody Rhodes returning to WWE & winning the 2023 Men's Royal Rumble before saying that he would challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
- Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa, Paul Heyman & 1/2 of the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions Jimmy Uso were backstage. Reigns asked Jimmy where Jey was, but Jey told him he did not know where he was. Jimmy told Reigns that he had not heard from him, but guaranteed that Jey would be there for their match next week against Strowman & Ricochet. Heyman confirmed to Reigns that it was WrestleMania season before Reigns demanded Sikoa & Jimmy look for Jey immediately.
- There was a video recap of the career of current NXT Tag Team Champion Kofi Kingston in celebration of Black History Month. Fellow New Day stablemate Big E was also in the video package. You can help donate to Kingston's GoFundMe for the CLICK Project to assist students in Ghana here.
Brawling Brutes (Butch & Ridge Holland) vs. Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) (w/ Valhalla).
Butch & Ivar began the match before Ivar leaned Butch into the corner before he laid the punches on Butch. Ivar slammed Butch to the corner with an Irish Whip before tagging in Erik. Butch got Erik in an abdominal stretch before tagging in Holland, who hit a corner splash and a shoulder tackle on Erik. Erik hit a forearm strike on Holland, but Holland responded with a stalling suplex. Holland & Butch hit the double-20 Beats for the Battering on Erik before Butch went for a Springboard dive on Erik, but Erik evaded before Valhalla distracted Butch enough to allow Erik to attack Butch before the commercial break.
After the break, Butch snapped Erik's fingers before getting back in the ring with a flip before tagging in Holland. Holland hit two exploder Suplexes, a headbutt, an overhead belly-to-belly suplex & a headbutt on Erik before hitting an Alabama Slam on Ivar for a near fall. Ivar hit a series of back elbows on Holland before Butch hit a pump kick on Ivar & a boot on Erik, but Erik responded with a lariat & a rising knee on Butch for a near fall. Butch & Ivar got on the top rope before Butch hit a Frankensteiner on Ivar off the top rope for a near fall. Butch went for a Moonsualt Press, but Ivar caught him before Butch rolled over into a sleeper hold on Ivar, but Erik dropped Butch. Ivar hit a Spin Kick on Holland on the outside before Erik & Ivar hit the Ragnarok on Butch for the pinfall win.
Winners: Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) (w/ Valhalla)
- Drew McIntyre & Sheamus appeared on the ramp before the two immediately attacked the Viking Raiders. McIntyre & Sheamus stood tall on the ramp.
- There was a video recap of the Mountain Dew Pitch Black Match between LA Knight & Bray Wyatt from the 2023 Royal Rumble event & Uncle Howdie diving on Knight on the lighting section.
- Bray Wyatt was in a backstage vignette before Uncle Howdie got his shoulder and flinched the camera.
Women's Elimination Chamber Qualifier Match.
Shayna Baszler vs. Shotzi vs. Natalya vs. Zelina Vega.
Shotzi brawled with Vegan while Natalya & Baszler brawled in the corner. Shotzi got a roll-up on Natalya for a near fall before Vega pulled Shotzi out of the ring. Vega & Natalya bralwed in the ring before Vega hit a Code Red on Natalya for a near fall. Baslzer got Vega and hit a Gut Wrench Suplex before hitting a backbreaker on Shotzi. Baszler got Shotzi's arm, but Natalya attacked Baszler from behind. Vega dropped Baszler off the apron, but Baszler greeted her with a lariat. Back in the ring, Baszler hit a vicious knee strike on Natalya for a near fall before the commercial break.
Back from the break, Baszler & Shotzi exchanged strikes before Shotzi got a Schoolboy for a near fall. Shotzi hti a Question Mark Kick before hitting a senton on Baszler to her back into a Tope Suicida on Baszler to the outside. Vega hit a Moonsault on Baszler & Shotzi to the outside before Natalya got herself & Shotzi back in the ring. Natalya got a Sharpshooter on Shotzi, but Vega hit a Bulldog on Natalya to break the hold. Baszler locked in the Kirafuda Clutch on Vega before locking in the Clutch on Natalya, but Natalya tossed Baszler out of the ring before Natalya locked in he Sharpshooter on Vega for the submission win, joining Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Asuka & Nikki Cross in the Women's Elimination Chamber.
Winner: Natalya.
- Paul Heyman, Jimmy Uso & Solo Sikoa told Roman Reigns that they could not find or hear from Jey Uso, who had been MIA. Reigns told them that he felt that he was being pulled in two different directions before apologizing to everyone in the room, but told them that they needed to be as strong as they were before Royal Rumble. Reigns instructed Sikoa & Jimmy to go to the Bloodline Bus for some catering while he attended some Bloondline Business with Paul Heyman.
- Undisputed WWE Universal Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns & his council Paul Heyman came to the ring to address the state of the Bloodline after the events of the 2023 Royal Rumble event. Reigns asked the crowd from Greenville, South Carolina to acknowledge him, but the crowd did not oblige and instead rained him with chants for Sami Zayn. Reigns told the crowd that he would have preferred to talk about Cody Rhodes, but the crowd made him focus on the past (that being Zayn). Reigns said that he saw greed through Zayn's eyes on Survivor Series: War Games, the same looks he would get from a Restaurant. Reigns said that Zayn used his time, his Bloodline & his Island of Relevancy to take, but Sami Zayn came from behind and immediately attacked Reigns. Reigns hit knee strikes on Zayn before stomping away at him. Heyman gave Reigns a chair, but Zayn caught him with a spear getting the chair. Zayn swingged the chair, but Reigns rolled out of the ring. Zayn got a microphone and told Reigns that he was wrong about him & that he did not want anything from him until now. Zayn told Reigns that he was coming for the Undisputed WWE Championship, but Jimmy Uso & Solo Sikoa attacked Zayn from behind. Sikoa hit the Samoan Spike on Zayn before Jimmy placed a chair in Zayn's neck. Sikoa went for the hip attack, but Reigns stopped him before talking to Zayn face to face & took off the chair off Zayn's neck. Reigns told Zayn that Jey was not here because he broke up his Bloodline. Reigns told Zayn that he wanted him in the 2023 Elimination Chamber event to make a lesson out of him before telling Zayn that he would see him soon. Reigns stood over Zayn to end the broadcast.
- Check out the post-show podcast for a full review of the show on Fightful's YouTube & Twitch channels. You can check Fightful's Results Section here.
