WWE Smackdown Live Match Ratings And Podcast Notes For 3/27/18 From Sean Ross Sapp

Rusev & Jinder Mahal (w/ Sunil Singh) defeated Randy Orton & Bobby Roode
5.25/10

• Sunil Singh comes out heavily bandaged, and Jinder says he can't wrestle. Rusev will replace him.
• They had the balls to carry this match through two commercial breaks. Fortunately at the beginning of the match they had a willing crowd.
• Solid tag team work here from three guys most people haven't seemed to care about, and Rusev, who replaced one of them.
• Things devolve and Randy Orton ends up hitting an RKO on his own partner. Rusev capitalizes and cracks Orton in the face with a kick for the victory.
• Rusev should absolutely be added to the WrestleMania United States Championship match. This match, however, took up a quarter of tonight's show, and will maybe get a few minutes of talk time.
• Jinder Mahal says he'll get Rusev a ticket for WrestleMania to celebrate. Rusev says he's getting himself added to the championship match at WrestleMania. Later, it's announced that he actually pulled it off.

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Becky Lynch defeated Ruby Riott (w/ Riott Squad)
4.75/10

• Lynch runs circles around a ponytailed Ruby Riott, who takes a powder out of the ring. 
• Riott gains an advantage, but Lynch fights from underneath and comes back. Logan distracts her, and Riott hits the headscissors into the buckle.
• The ref picks up on Riott using the ropes to pin, and Becky pins Riott after running her into Liv Morgan.
• A predictable attack after the match, but Lynch chucks them all over the top rope. 

Daniel Bryan

• Daniel Bryan gets a great ovation. He makes a challenge to Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens for WrestleMania. If they can beat Bryan & Shane McMahon, they'll be reinstated to Smackdown Live. Bryan wants to give Owens and Zayn a fair opportunity, because Smackdown Live is the land of opportunity. 
• Daniel says that he's sick of wearing blazers or cardigans and wants to kick Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens' ass at WrestleMania.
• Shane McMahon confirmed tougher than Brock Lesnar because he battles through diverticulitis for the love of the game.
• Owens and Zayn agree to the challenge on Twitter. 

New Day (w/ Kofi Kingston) vs. Bludgeon Brothers
NA/10

• New Day cut a promo about Bludgeon Brothers making their road to WrestleMania a little bit foggier. 
• Rowan lands a cool pumphandle backbreaker on Woods, then yanks Big E off the apron and attacks Kofi. In the ring Harper kills Woods with a big boot. 
• Rowan grabs the mallet, but The Usos come out and attack him. The Bludgeon Brothers re-emerge with their damn hammers. 

Dolph Ziggler defeated Tyler Breeze (w/ Fandango)
NA/10

• Fandango runs laps around the ring.
• As much as I hate Mickie James' flappy pants, I hate Tyler Breeze's tassles more.
• Zig Zag, end. Ziggler superkicks Fandango, too.

Shinsuke Nakamura (w/ AJ Styles) defeated Shelton Benjamin (w/ Chad Gable)
6/10

• Shinsuke Nakamura is seen backstage approaching AJ Styles. He wants AJ Styles at his best at WrestleMania, and Styles agrees to fend of Chad Gable in Nakamura's match with Gable tonight.
• Dumb text screen phone promo for Gable & Benjamin. Bummer.
• After a few minutes and a commercial break of introductory work, Nakamura pieces together a good combo and his corner knees. Benjamin follows with a corner knee and a Northern Lights suplex.
• Chad Gable gets yanked off the apron by Styles.
• Nakamura counters Paydirt with an armbar into a triangle. Shelton goes into a half crab, then Nakamura into a triangle. 
• Nakamura wins with a couple of Kinshasas.
• Shinsuke takes to the mic and says that he appreciates Styles being there at ringside, but he only brought AJ there so he could see how he's going to lose at WrestleMania. Styles says he's not playing games at WrestleMania, and this is a dream match for him at WrestleMania because they'll "tear the house down." Shouldn't Styles want to beat him in 3 seconds instead? Nakamura calls Styles too emotional.
• Gable and Benjamin attack Styles, and Nakamura teases hitting a knee to the face, but stops short and opts to taunt his WrestleMania opponent instead. I didn't think the post-match to this was too bad. They're limited in what they can do with Nakamura.