This is the Fightful.com live coverage for tonight's episode of WWE Smackdown! Live! We are just three weeks away from the biggest event of the year, Wrestlemania, and tonight after a heated confrontation last week between himself and AJ Styles backstage, Shane McMahon looks to address what he plans to do about the Phenomenal One. John Cena and Nikki Bella look to get their revenge on The Miz and Maryse after they attacked them after their match last week, and Dean Ambrose looks to get payback on Baron Corbin after he tried to kill him by putting him underneath a forklift! An exciting show as always, so be sure to come back here at 8PM EST for all of the action!
-We open with a video recapping how Smackdown! Live went off the air last week and the confrontation AJ and Shane had backstage, then AJ comes up to Daniel and asks where Shane is, but he's not there yet. AJ comes out to the ring and talks about all of the hoops he had to jump through to get to main event Wrestlemania. AJ says that he admitted that he lost to Cena, but he never got his rematch, instead getting a triple threat and then an Elimination Chamber match. AJ talks about the battle royal and the match he had with Luke Harper, saying that Randy doesn't get arrested for burning down Bray's house, he gets to main event Wrestlemania. AJ says that he had the best year last year and that he put Smackdown! Live on the map and why the fans are there and why they subscribe to the network. AJ says he doesn't have a Mania match, saying that he and Shane are going to have a conversation about his career, assuming that he even has one.
Becky Lynch vs Natalya
Becky takes Natalya down repeatedly, then beats on her before Natalya rolls out of the ring, Natalya quickly getting back into the ring and Becky beating on her in the corner until the referee makes her back off. Becky slaps Natalya, then hits her with a forearm and a thrust kick in the corner, then locks in an STF, but Natalya gets to the ropes immediately before rolling out of the ring as we go to commercial.
Becky hits an elbow drop for a quick 2 count as we come back, Natalya rolling out of the ring, Becky coming after her, but Natalya slams her onto the floor before rolling her back into the ring. Natalya chokes Becky in the ropes, then a snapmare into a dropkick for a quick 2 count, following up with a headlock that Becky powers out of. Natalya whips Becky into the corner, then they exchange strikes before Becky comes back and drops Natalya repeatedly, then locks in The Disarmer for the tap and the win.
Winner: Becky Lynch via submission
-After the match Carmella attacks both of them out of no where, then she and James leave. We see AJ in the parking lot waiting for Shane to arrive as we recap John Cena at the Kids Choice Awards.
-We come back to Carmella being interviewed about why she did what she did, Carmella saying that she's the next champion before leaving.
-Next we get a segment of Miz TV where Miz shows how he and Maryse attacked Cena and Nikki, then shows his segment on Talking Smack. Miz says that Cena is the most selfish, plastic, manipulative person he's ever met, then Maryse says that she and Nikki were best friends until she stabbed her in the back. Maryse says that she had a contract to be on the first season of Total Divas, saying that Nikki said she could help her get better money, then takes the deal off of the table, saying that she tried to negotiate with WWE. Maryse says that Nikki said she would take care of it because she's dating Cena and she's untouchable. Maryse says that Nikki took her contract, money and years and time she will never get back for her sister to be on the show.
Maryse says she's going to make Nikki suffer and expose her for what she really is, a lying, backstabbing bitch as Cena and Nikki come out to attack them. Miz and Maryse leave as soon as they get in the ring, Nikki getting on the mic and saying that Maryse is crazy and that they were never best friends and that Maryse stabbed her and Brie in the back. Nikki says that Maryse steals the fans money holding onto Miz, saying she's a brainless blow up doll and offers Maryse the chance at a match, Miz saying that Nikki can't make matches and that Maryse has nothing to prove. Daniel Bryan comes out and says that he wanted to punch Miz in the face, then goes on to make a match between Miz and Maryse and Cena and Nikki at Wrestlemania.
-We see AJ still waiting backstage for Shane to show up.
Alexa Bliss vs Mickie James
They shove each other to start the match, then lock up and roll around on the mat before the referee gets between them and breaks them up, Alexa kicking Mickie and smashing her face into the turnbuckle and stomping her in the corner immediately after. Mickie turns it around and stomps on Alexa, then Alexa chokes Mickie in the ropes before Mickie sends her out of the ring. Alexa sends Mickie into the ring post, then to the floor as we go to commercial.
Alexa has a side headlock on Mickie as we come back, Mickie powering out and putting Alexa in a single leg Boston crab, but Alexa is quick to get to the ropes. Mickie hits a snapmare into a sliding dropkick for a quick 2 count, then a fisherman's suplex for another quick 2 count. Alexa hits an STO, then throws Mickie across the ring by her hair repeatedly before playing to the crowd, Mickie coming back with a huricanrrana and a series of kicks. Alexa catches Mickie coming in and hitting a sunset flip for a near fall, then Mickie goes for the Mick DT, but Alexa rolls her up for another near fall, then drops her with a right hand. Alexa goes to hit Mickie with Insult to Injury, but misses before Mickie hits Alexa with a Mick Kick for the pin and the win.
Winner: Mickie James via pinfall
-We see AJ being interviewed as he still waits for Shane to arrive as he attacks him as soon as he gets out of his car, smashing his head through a car window before leaving as we go to commercial.
-We get a recap of what just happened before we went to commercial, then we see Shane being examined and refusing to go to the hospital, opting to go to the trainers room. We then see AJ leaving the locker room before Daniel says that he's firing him, then Daniel has him escorted out of the building.
Mojo Rawley vs Dolph Ziggler
Mojo backs Dolph into a corner, showing off his power, sending Dolph out of the ring, first out of one side, then the other before Mojo grabs his hair, Dolph bringing him down across the top rope and dropkicking him for a quick 2 count. Dolph gives up on the match after a few minutes and walks away and to the back, allowing Mojo to get the count out victory.
Winner: Mojo Rawley via count out
-We recap AJ attacking Shane for a third time, including a camera angle where Shane's head goes through the car window from the inside.
-Randy Orton comes out and compares himself to a viper, saying that an RKO wouldn't be enough so he decided to join Bray and devised a plan to get close to him and earn his trust. Randy said he had to find out how to be as evil as possible, destroying Sister Abigail, saying that he could feel Bray's power being stripped away and that the New Face of Fear had fear written all over his face. Randy says that the only thing Bray fears is being alone and now he is alone, but the job isn't over and he has to finish what he started at Wrestlemania. Bray appears on screen and says that Randy is absolutely right, saying that he was helpless, naked and stripped of all of his power. Bray says that Sister Abigail is the spawn of Satan and that she gave him her power and now he is god and that now it's his duty to purge the world of infidels, that he's born again in her ashes thanks to Randy. Bray then rubs her ashes on himself before he screams and disappears off of the screen as we go to commercial.
-We then get a recap of Baron Corbin attacking Dean Ambrose with a pipe, then a forklift.
-Corbin gets interviewed next to a forklift and says that Dean came looking for him so he put him in the hospital. Corbin says that if Dean can show up to Wrestlemania he'll take his Intercontinental Championship and put him down for good.
American Alpha vs The Usos
Gable and Jey start it off, AA tagging in and out frequently and double teaming Jey for a quick one count. Jordan keeps a front headlock on Jey, then takes his down as we see Shane backstage in a side by side shot, then Jey tags in Jimmy after a scoop slam, both Usos being dropkicked to the floor as we go to commercial.
Jey gets tagged in as he clotheslines Jordan at ringside, then smashes his face into the mat before rolling him back into the ring for a quick one count. Jey tags Jimmy in and they hit a backbreaker elbow drop for a quick two count, then Jimmy tags Jey back in, Jey trying to keep Jordan away from Gable in his corner with a front, then a rear headlock before Jordan powers out of it as we see more of Shane making his way through a door backstage at first, but he turns around and walks the opposite way, seemingly making his way to the ring. Jimmy and Gable get tagged in, then Gable drops both of them, hitting Jimmy with a series of German suplexes, then hits Jey with a belly to back suplex. Gable sends Jimmy out of the ring, then Jordan gets tagged in, but Jimmy takes out Gable before Jimmy hits Jordan with a superkick allowing Jey to roll him up for the pin and the win.
Winner: The Usos via pinfall
-Shane makes his way to the ring as we go off of the air, saying that AJ has an opponent for Mania now.
