Welcome to the Fightful.com live discussion & coverage for the 3/18/2022 edition of WWE 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 on Facebook.com/FIGHTFULONLINE
- The show begins with an "In Memoriam of Scott Hall" graphic, after he passed away on March
- This would be followed by a video package highlighting the feud between Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns, including a recap of the segment between Brock Lesnar and the advocate of Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman.
- The transmission would begin with the WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns entering the ring after his absence in the previous week, premiering a new T-Shirt. He was accompanied by SmackDown Tag Team Champions, The Usos, and Paul Heyman into the ring. Reigns requested the city of Charlotte, North Caroline to acknowledge him, and they proceeded to do so. He mentioned that the episode of SmackDown was the first time he would encounter the WWE Champion, Brock Lesnar, since he "smashed him" on the March 5, 2022 house show on Madison Square Garden
After being promoted for the show for over a week, Paul Heyman would reveal that Lesnar would not make it to the show due to climate concerns during his flight four hours before the show. Reigns stated that he was as disappointed as the crowd as he wanted to smash him, but proceeded to state that Lesnar was scared of him. Reigns proceeded to say that there is not a man that can touch me. After this, Heyman interrupted Reigns continuously by stating that Lesnar's plane actually landed and that he was on his way to the arena. Reigns told Heyman to end the segment because he was going home, and everyone in the ring proceeded to leave the ring. Backstage, The Bloodline, Heyman included, would enter a black car before Lesnar showed up with a forklift, going through the car before the commercial break.
After the commercial break, it was shown that Lesnar dragged the Bloodline's with his forklift, while the Blodline would escape in a brown truck, but not before Lesnar ripped the door off the truck. After all this, Lesnar would pick up his cowboy hat and take the truck door as a souvenir.
- Lesnar would make his way to the ring with the truck door in hand, before stating that he was a little riled up. He stated that Reigns shouldn't unleash the Bipolar Beast. He would continue to say that Reigns can run and hide but Lesnar was going to do more than rip some doors off, and that he was coming for blood.
Shinsuke Nakamura & Rick Boogs vs. Los Lotharios (Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo)
The match begins with Nakamura and Carrillo exchanging taunts before Nakamura whit a knee on Carrillo before hitting a knee on Carrillo's abdomen for a near fall. Carrillo got a headlock on Nakamura before Garza tagged in from both Nakamura and Carrillo's back and clobbed him and kicked him before taking off his pants. He would throw his pants on Boogs. Carrillo would tag back in before doing a leaping senton on Nakamura, before a double dropkick on Nakamura for a near fall. Nakamura attempted an inseguri kick, but he fell and got hit with a running elbow by Carrillo. Garza tagged in, kicked Nakamura in the stomach, and did a Splash to the corner before Carrillo tagged back in. Carrillo got Irish whipped on Boogs to do a dropkick on him, before hitting a right hand on Nakamura for a near fall. Rick Boogs would tag in by hitting axe handle hits on Garza before dead-lifting Carrillo. He would throw Carrillo's body on Garza before hitting the Boogs Crews on Garza for the pinfall victory.
Winner: Rick Boogs & Shinsuke Nakamura
Viking Raiders & Drew McIntyre vs Happy Corbin, Shanky & Jinder Mahal
Prior to the match, Happy Corbin would be interviewed backstage saying that nothing can bring him down, which lead to Madcap Moss today the following: “What’s an episode of Happy Talk that puts everyone to sleep? Nappy Talk”. The joke brought Corbin's mood down enough to have Shanky replace Moss in the trios match.
The match itself began with Erik and Shanky exchanging strikes before Shanky hit a clothesline on Erik. Mahal would tag in, but got connected with a spinebuster and a corner splash from Erik, before being clotheslined by Ivar. Corbin tagged in for Mahal and proceeded to exchange strikes with Ivar. Corbin hit Ivar with a spinebuster of his own, before hitting a cheap shot on McIntyre before the commercial break.
After the commercial break, Mahal kicked Ivar in the head before locking in the Kalas choke. Ivar would escape with a jumping Vader Bomb and tried to make the tag, but Corbin attacked Ivar from behind to neutralize the Viking Raider. Mahal tried to attack McIntyre from behind, but he got hit with a Glasgow's Kiss from McIntyre before the Scottish Warrior stared down Corbin. From out of nowhere, Ivar tagged in McIntyre and confronted Corbin, which led to Corbin tagging in Shanky and running away from the ring. Mcintyre connected multiple shoulder tackles on Shanky, sent Mahal outside, connected a Michinoku Driver on Shanky, and ended the sequence with a Claymore on Shanky for the pinfall victory.
Winner: Viking Raiders & Drew McIntyre
- After the match, Smai Zayn was backstage and challenged Johnny Knoxville to a "Anything Goes" Match, after Knoxville interfered in the Intercontinental Championship match between him and Ricochet and exposed Zayn's phone number to the public.
Sasha Banks & Naomi vs Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan
The match begins with Banks and Morgan locking up, before Naomi and Banks exchanged tags to neutralize Morgan. Banks attempted an arm drag on Morgan, but Morgan stood up and pushed Banks to the ropes. Morgan and Banks exchange roll-ups before attempted dropkicks on each other, before Morgan did a kip-up to the surprise of Banks. Naomi tagged in before a Split-Leg drop for a near fall. Rhea Ripley tagged in and hit a running dropkick on Naomi for a near fall. Naomi did a headlock on Ripley before tagging in Sasha Banks, who proceeded to hit a knee on Ripley. Ripley hit a vertical suplex on Banks for the near fall. Morgan got Irish whipped on Banks for the near fall, but Naomi tagged in and hit a chin breaker on Morgan. Morgan sent both Banks and Naomi out of the ring before tagging in Ripley, whom proceeded to hit a cannonball on both Banks and Naomi before the commercial break.
Coming back from the break, Ripley was in control of proceeding before attempting another vertical suplex, but Naomi would escape and hit a spring-rope kick on Ripley. Banks and Morgan tagged into the match and Banks connected a Meteora into the turn buckle on Morgan, followed by a top rope Meteora for a near fall. Ripley tagged in and hit a top rope drop kick on Banks for the near fall, and she attempted a Riptide before getting hit with a back-stabber, and a combination of a Splash from Banks an a spring-rop emoonsault form Naomi for another near fall. Banks and Naomi attempted to hit a Superplex on Ripley, but Morgan came in and turned it into a Tower of Doom. After this, Shayna Baszler and Natalya came into the ring and attacked Naomi and Banks before also attacking Ripley and Morgan. Carmella and Queen Zelina came into the ring to join them in the attack, but Natalya and Baszler confronted the Women's Tag Team Champions with their sights on the titles to end the segment.
Winner (via Disqualification): Sasha Banks & Naomi
- Johnny Knoxville was shown from in a recorded video discussing the challenge made by Sami Zayn earlier in the night, proceeding to accept the stipulation suggested by Zayn. Sami Zayn vs Johnny Knoxville will be set under "Anything goes" rules on Wrestlemania.
- Backstage, Sonya Deville caught up to Shayna Baszler & Natalya and said that she love their attack in the en dof the tag team match. She proceeded to add the team of Baszler and Natalya to the Women's Tag Team Championship match, with the match now been as follows: Shayna Baszler & Natalya vs Sasha Banks & Naomi vs Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley vs Women's Tag Team Champions, Queen Zelina & Carmella.
- After a video package recapping what happened between Pat McAffee and Austin Theory on the March 11, 2022, McAfee walked out of Mr. McMahon's office to make his way to the ring. McAfee said that watching Raw on the United States of America Network changed his life immediately, stating that it inspired him. He revealed that Michael Cole called him to ask him if he wanted to join SmackDown, which he responded with a hell yeah. After this, Austin Theory came into the ring to interrupt McAfee's speech, which led to McAfee apologizing to Theory for whooping his ass, for his parents raising for raising a douchebag, and that Theory was a punk-bitch. Theory pushed McAfee off before leaving the ring.
Kofi Kingston vs Ridge Holland (w/ Butch & Sheamus)
Before the match, a video package was shown recapping the match of New Day vs Sheamus & Ridge Holland, which highlighted Big E's injury during the match, with Big E saying that he broke his neck and it was displaced, thank everyone who reach out after the events of the previous week.
Kofi Kingston started the match by jumping on Holland, leading to Kingston hitting a jumping uppercut on Holland. Holland shoved Kingston to the ground before sending Kofi to stand on the apron outside. Kofi lowered the top rope, sending Holland to the outside, which followed with a spring-board Crossbody on Holland before the commercial break.
Elbow to the chest, followed by a modified bulldog choked. Kingston escaped the hold and proceeded to do a series of kick and chops, before hitting the Boom-leg drop on Holland. Kingston attempted the trouble in paradise, but missed and was sent to the turnbuckle. Kofi got on the top rope, but Butch pushed Kingston off the top rope. The referee would catch both of them and proceeded to kick out both Sheamus and Butch out of the match. Kingston rolled up Holland for a near fall and hit a Meteora. Kingston threw the baton of Sheamus on Butch, which led to Butch running to the ring and distracting Kofi. Holland hit a elbow on Kingston and connected a Northern Grit brainbuster for the pinfall victory.
Winner: Ridge Holland
- In the main event segment, Charlotte Flair stated that you always have a plan you are a queen, continuing to call Ronda Rousey a one-trick pony. She told Rousey that her legacy is bigger than Rousey, telling her that she willhave to pop another baby after Rousey loses on Wrestlemania. She called Rousey to come into the ring in front of Flair's hometown, and the Royal Rumble winner abliged. Flair attempted to hit Rousey with a Kendo stick, but she reversed it into an arm-bar attempt, and they continued to brawl outside. Flair attempted a big boot before Rousey caught the move into a Ankle Lock. Flair escaped the lock by hitting Rousey with a kendo stick, proceeding to choke out Rousey with a kendo stick-assisted sleeper hold. After that, Flair hit a powerbomb on the announcer's table on Rousey, leaving Flair standing tall to end the show.
