WWE delivered a star-studded show with the March 15 episode of WWE SmackDown.
The Rock appeared on Friday night. Plus, Randy Orton faced Grayson Waller, and Bayley battled Dakota Kai, among other matches.
The results are below.
WWE SmackDown Results
A video package hypes up the showdown between The Rock & Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins from last week.
In-Ring Segment: The Rock
The Rock comes to the ring with his heel Rock theme. He says he usually tortures every city he’s in, but tonight was different, as Memphis was the place where The Rock started his wrestling career. He jokes about his “Flex Kavana” name. The Rock says they’re going to have some fun, as it’s the home of the blues. He highlights the band he has with him and says this song is about what will happen to Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40. He sings that he’s going to lay the SmackDown on Cody and his best friend, the clown. He jokes he could beat them with his fanny pack.
The Rock sings that there will be so much choice that Rhodes won’t have a choice but to cry to his mom. He brings up Cody’s mom and calls himself a mama’s boy. The Rock says this is a story about how Cody was born. He sings that Cody turned out weird, and he shows Stardust on the video screen. He jokes about Dusty Rhodes being on drugs and using cheap condoms as he says Cody was a mistake. The Rock calls Seth Rollins the living embodiment of cringe. He says it’s no wonder that Seth’s wife is more popular than him and threatens to make Rollins’ title disappear.
Rock makes a joke about Ja Morant and turns his attention to the Cody crybabies and says they had to pay cash for sex. He says Cody will bleed, and those “crybaby bitches” can cry about it. Rock sings that they can all kiss his ass. He says there are some lines that you don’t cross, and they can all kiss the ass of “The Final Boss”.
The song ends, and The Rock gets serious as he brings up Cody slapping him on SmackDown. He notes that Cody had grown some balls, and he was waiting to see how he would respond. He criticizes Cody for crying. The Rock turns his attention to “Mama Rhodes” and says he will make Cody Rhodes and his family pay at WrestleMania 40. He says that the title will be staying with Roman Reigns, and he will give his belt, covered in Cody’s blood, to his mom at WrestleMania. He says he will whisper in her ear, “What can I say except you’re welcome?”, in a clear nod to Moana.
WrestleMania 40 Qualifying Match: The LWO (Joaquin Wilde & Cruz Del Toro) vs. Legado del Fantasma (Angel & Berto) (with Elektra Lopez)
Angel and Berto control the action and isolate Cruz early on. The LWO rally and dive onto their opponents at ringside. Del Toro gets a two-count with a springboard moonsault. Berto gains the upper hand and grounds Cruz again. Angel knocks Joaquin off the ropes with a cheap shot. Angel and Berto press Cruz off the top rope, sending him crashing to the floor. Cruz rallies with a Spanish fly. Wilde fires up with a flurry of offense. He drops Angel with a tornado DDT.
Angel and Berto take control again and get the win with a double-team maneuver on Wilde.
Winners: Legado del Fantasma (Angel & Berto) (with Elektra Lopez)
After a commercial, Kayla Braxton interviews LA Knight. He calls out AJ Styles and dares AJ to come humble him. Nobody answers, and Knight says Styles isn’t big enough for this ride. He questions Styles for not showing up and calls him the biggest mark of them all. Knight says he knows somewhere where he can’t help but to show up, and that’s WrestleMania, as he challenges Styles to face him there. Knight says he will own Styles’ ass at WrestleMania. Styles attacks Knight from behind with a chair and accepts the challenge.
Backstage, WWE United States Champion Logan Paul asks Nick Aldis how Randy Orton will be punished for his actions last week. Paul says he thinks that Orton should apologize. Aldis says Paul should request that apology in person. Paul takes a shot by saying that he can’t trust Aldis to do his job, as he hasn’t found him an opponent for WrestleMania.
After a commercial, the clip of Logan Paul announcing that SummerSlam will be in Cleveland plays.
Jimmy Uso responds to Jey Uso’s challenge in an interview. He looks back on their WrestleMania match last year and says they will face each other this year.
Randy Orton vs. Grayson Waller (with Austin Theory)
Orton and Waller face off. Logan Paul comes to ringside and joins the commentary team. Waller punches Orton in the corner. Orton turns it around and punches Waller. They head to the outside, and Orton sends Waller into the timekeeper’s area. Waller gains momentum by slamming Orton into the broadcast table. Orton fires up and slams Waller onto the broadcast table. Theory distracts Orton, but “The Viper” dodges Waller, sending him crashing into Theory. Orton drops Waller with a spike DDT.
Theory saves Waller from an RKO, but Orton hits him with a spike DDT. Orton pins Waller with an RKO.
Winner: Randy Orton
Austin Theory attacks Orton after the bell. He grabs Orton, inviting Paul into the ring. Paul gets ready to punch Orton, but Kevin Owens makes the save. Owens goes to help Orton up, and Orton nearly RKOs him, thinking it’s someone else, but he stops. Owens hits Theory with a Stunner, and Orton drops Theory with an RKO. Paul starts leaving, and Nick Aldis announces that Paul will face Orton and Owens at WrestleMania 40.
Backstage, Dakota Kai vows to break Bayley, and anyone who feels sorry for her has lost their mind. She says this is all Bayley’s doing, and they had to cut Bayley loose for Damage CTRL to grow stronger. Kai says that Damage CTRL runs SmackDown.
Santos Escobar vs. Dragon Lee
Lee takes the fight to Escobar and gains the upper hand as he stuns Escobar with a kick. He gets a two-count with a powerbomb. Lee kicks Angel as he tries to interfere, and he takes Berto down with a hurricanrana. Lee gets back in the ring, and Escobar pins him with a Phantom Driver.
Winner: Santos Escobar
Legado del Fantasma attacks Dragon Lee, and Carlito makes the save. Escobar attacks him, and Rey Mysterio comes down and gains the upper hand as they brawl. He challenges Escobar to a match next week and says he will slap the smirk off of his face.
WrestleMania 40 Qualifying Match: New Catch Republic (Tyler Bate & Pete Dunne) vs. Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince & Kit Wilson)
Dunne controls the action early on. Prince sneaks up and trips Dunne on the apron, which helps Wilson gain the upper hand. Pretty Deadly isolates Dunne. Dunne rallies and tags Bate, who clears house with a flurry of offense. He hits a standing Shooting Star Press and hits the Airplane Spin in Prince. Bate slams Prince with a suplex. Dunne fires up with a series of strikes. Bate and Dunne double-team Wilson. Bodies are flying as the teams trade strikes.
Pretty Deadly slam Dunne into the ring post and hit Bate with a double-team. Bate drills Wilson with a clothesline. Bate and Dunne hit him with the Burning Hammer for the win.
Winners: New Catch Republic
The broadcast team hypes up the card for next week.
Bayley vs. Dakota Kai (with Damage CTRL)
An early flurry of offense leads to Bayley controlling the action early on. Damage CTRL distracts Bayley. After a commercial, Kai gains the upper hand and grounds Bayley. Asuka interferes as Bayley is clearly outnumbered. Bayley tries to rally, but Kai catches her with a boot.
They battle on the top rope. Bayley wins the exchange and hits a flying elbow drop for a two-count. Damage CTRL distracts Bayley, and Kai rocks her with a kick.
Bayley counters Kai and hits a powerbomb. She sends Kai to the outside. IYO SKY gets in the ring, and Bayley fights off Asuka and Kairi. IYO attacks Bayley, forcing the referee to call for the bell.
Winner via disqualification: Bayley
Naomi makes the save. Damage CTRL outnumbers her and keeps attacking Bayley. IYO hits the Over The Moonsault on Bayley.
Damage CTRL stands tall as SmackDown comes to an end.
