Good evening Fight Fans, and welcome to our coverage for tonight's edition of WWE Smackdown on FOX!
- We open tonight's show with a recap of last week's that ended with Jey Uso and Roman Reigns attacking Shinsuke Nakamura and forcing Adam Pearce to cover him to win an opportunity to face Roman at the Royal Rumble in two weeks time.
- In the locker room Roman and Paul Heyman go over the contract for the Universal Championship match at the Royal Rumble before Paul says that he's going to handle it for him.
- Before the match Jey gets on the mic and says that The Bloodline call the shots and run the show on Smackdown before threatening Adam Pearce. Jey says that the locker room should thank Roman for everything they receive backstage and the spotlight he's put on the brand. Jey declares that he's going to win the Royal Rumble and take the WWE Championship from Drew McIntyre or Goldberg. Jey then tells Shinsuke that he should thank the family since they let him survive before calling him out. Shinsuke comes out to the ring and gets on the mic and says that if Roman is the big dog, Jey is Roman's little puppy before Shinsuke drops Jey with a kick and sends him out of the ring before posing as we go to commercial.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Jey Uso
Shin goes right after Jey and drops him before hitting a jumping knee drop for two before locking in a standing side headlock. Jey comes back with a clothesline and a scoop slam for two before they exchange strikes and Jey whips Shin into the corner. Shin drops Jey with a spin kick and knees him in the ribs before hitting a front suplex and more knees into a rear chin lock before hitting Good Vibrations. Cesaro then comes out to the ring Shin sends Jey out of the ring before hitting a baseball slide and sending Jey into the post as we go to commercial.
We come back to Cesaro at the announce table as Jey is now in control, Cesaro saying that he couldn't make it in time to save Shin last week. Jey eyes Cesaro and stomps Shin before Cesaro declares for the Royal Rumble and Jey stomps Shin in the corner before hitting a running hip attack. Shin comes back with a single leg dropkick and several kicks before hitting a kitchen sink into a sliding knee and a sliding German suplex for two. Jey comes back with a Samoan drop for two before Jey rocks him with a flurry of strikes into a neckbreaker for two before Shin hits a diving knee off of the second rope for two. Jey superkicks Shin when he goes for a Kinshasa before going for a dive and Shin gets his knees up before Shin runs into the post and Jey rolls him up with a leverage pin for a near fall.
Shin then rolls Jey up before hitting a Kinshasa for the pin and the win.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura defeats Jey Uso via pinfall.
- We get a graphic for Rey Mysterio versus Baron Corbin and the debut of Bayley's new talk show with special guest Bianca Belair.
- Backstage Adam and Sonya are talking before Paul walks up and hands him the contract for the title match at the Royal Rumble before telling him that the match will be contested under no disqualification. Adam then says that he knows it's ridiculous, but he's going to sign it anyway before he does and hands it to Paul as we go to commercial.
- Backstage Jey argues with referee Charles Robinson over his not counting three for him with his feet on the ropes before Jey threatens Charles and leaves.
- This week's Progressive Match Flo recaps Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode winning the Smackdown Tag Team titles from The Street Profits. We go backstage to an interview with the former champions who say that they were champions for three hundred and twelve days before mocking the new champions. The Street Profits then says that they're going to take the belts back in a rematch.
- Roman Reigns meets with Apollo Crews as Paul returns the contract to Roman and Roman refuses to sign it, saying that he wants a Last Man Standing match instead. Roman then tells Paul to make Adam sign the contract in the ring later tonight before handing it back to Paul who leaves.
Natalya (w/ Tamina) vs Liv Morgan (w/ Ruby Riott & Billie Kay)
Natalya takes control early before Liv counters a suplex attempt into an inside cradle for a near fall before Natalya drops her with a clothesline for two. Natalya sets Liv on the apron before Liv hits a sunset flip for two before rocking her with kicks and following up with a running knee in the corner. Natalya comes back with a clothesline for a near fall before Liv gets two off of a roll up and hits Natalya with a Code Breaker for a near fall. Billie then gets into the ring to avoid Tamina and gets in Liv's way before Natalya rolls her up for the pin and the win.
Rey Mysterio (w/ Dominik Mysterio) vs Baron Corbin (w/ The Knights of the Lone Wolf)
Rey counters a chokeslam before Corbin whips him into the corner and drops Rey with a right hand before hitting a back suplex for two. Rey comes back with a bulldog before Corbin slides him out of the ring and clotheslines Rey at ringside before shoving Dom when he stands up. Back in the ring Corbin gets two before choking Rey in the ropes and stepping on him before Rey comes back with a diving seated senton. Rey hits a head scissors before Corbin counters a 619 into the Deep Six for a near fall before dropping Dom with a right hand at ringside. Rey then hits another 619 before Dom gets onto the apron and Rey stops him from getting into the ring before Corbin sends Rey into Dom and pins Rey with The End of Days for the pin and the win.
Winner: Baron Corbin defeats Rey Mysterio via pinfall.
- We get a graphic for Daniel Bryan versus Cesaro later tonight as we go backstage to Paul informing Adam that Roman wants him to sign the contract in the ring later tonight as we go to commercial.
- We come back to Bayley in the ring for the debut edition of her new talk show before she introduces special guest Bianca Belair. Bayley congratulates Bianca for her WWE Network special before showing highlights of Bayley beating her last month before mocking her accomplishments before joining the WWE. Bayley says that she's clearly the best since she beat Bianca last month before Bianca challenges her to a match and Bayley challenges Bianca to an obstacle course challenge. Bianca then accepts and dances around Bayley before the two exchange words off of the mic.
- We see Daniel Bryan and Otis training earlier today before being interviewed about Daniel's loss to Shinsuke last week before Cesaro shows up. Cesaro says that Shinsuke felt sorry for him when they shook hands before Daniel challenges Cesaro to a match up next as we go to commercial.
Daniel Bryan vs Cesaro
DB and Cesaro run the ropes and exchange wrist locks before Cesaro rocks DB with a back elbow and an uppercut into a running uppercut in the corner. Cesaro whips DB into the corner before missing a running move in the corner and DB hits a running dropkick in the corner into a bulldog. DB grounds Cesaro and focusing on joint manipulation before Cesaro briefly comes back with a scoop slam and DB flips Cesaro into the ropes. DB then hits a diving cross body off of the top before accidentally kicking the post as we go to commercial.
We come back to Cesaro in control before DB comes back and focuses on the injured arm of Cesaro before locking in the Yes Lock. Cesaro counters the hold and stomps DB before swinging him and locking in a sharpshooter before DB counters into the Yes Lock a second time. Cesaro gets to the ropes for the break before tapping before Cesaro hits a twisting superplex for a near fall before DB counters the Neutralizer. DB then hits the Yes Kicks before Cesaro counters a flying knee into a pop-up uppercut into the Neutralizer for the pin and the win.
Winner: Cesaro defeats Daniel Bryan via pinfall.
- Backstage Carmella is interviewed where she mocks Sasha Banks who is nowhere to be found tonight before Sasha attacks her and the sommelier Reginald gets between the two. Sasha then says that Carmella can have her rematch for the title if she can have a match against Reginald first.
Apollo Crews vs Sami Zayn
Apollo immediately dropkicks Sami and hits an overhead suplex as Big E is seen on commentary before Sami sends Apollo over the top rope. Apollo sends Sami into the announce table and hits a moonsault off of the table before rolling Sami back inside and going up top. Sami crotches Apollo on the top turnbuckle and knocks him down before hitting a diving elbow for several two counts before getting his knees up when Apollo goes for a standing moonsault. Sami then rolls Apollo up with the tights for a near fall before Sami hits an exploder suplex into the corner before Apollo rolls him up with the tights for the pin and the win.
Winner: Apollo Crews defeats Sami Zayn via pinfall.
- Apollo and E have an exchange of words at ringside before we go backstage to see Adam with the contract as he makes his way out to the ring up next as we go to commercial.
- We come back to the announcement of Big E defending his Intercontinental Championship against Apollo Crews next week as well as the obstacle course challenge between Bayley and Bianca Belair.
- Roman, Paul and Jey make their way out to the ring before Adam reluctantly comes out and sits at the table before Roman gets next to him. Roman says that he wants Adam's chair and Jey makes him get up before Adam sits on the other side. Roman signs the contract before Adam takes it and leaves after saying that he's waited all night for Roman to sign it as Roman wonders what he's talking about. Adam limps up the ramp before turning around and saying that he's not going to be able to compete and that the card is subject to change. Adam then says that he's got the perfect replacement before Kevin Owens comes out onto the stage and signs the contract as we go off the air.