Credit: WINC
– The post-Royal Rumble edition of WWE SmackDown on FOX opens up with a look back at Saturday’s Rumble Premium Live Event. We see how Brock Lesnar won the 30-Man Royal Rumble Match and then on RAW announced that he will challenge WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 38. We’re now live from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma as Michael Cole welcomes us to SmackDown. He’s joined at ringside by Pat McAfee.
– We go right to the ring and out comes The Bloodline to mostly boos – WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos, and Paul Heyman. They all stop at the entrance-way as the pyro goes off. Heyman carries Reigns’ title in the air as the group marches to the ring now. We get a video package of highlights from Reigns’ DQ win over Seth Rollins at the Royal Rumble.
The Bloodline enters the ring and more pyro goes off. Reigns takes the mic to mostly boos now. Heyman speaks first and says he’s here tonight to serve as the special counsel to our Tribal Chief. Heyman goes on with his grand introduction and says they came here to acknowledge what really happened. Heyman says there was on plot or conspiracy, this was not done to make Brock Lesnar was look foolish, but he does like a damn fool anyway, this was history unfolding before our very eyes. Heyman admits he made the biggest mistake of his career several weeks back in Chicago, when he told the greatest champion in WWE history that he needed to be protected from Lesnar. Heyman says he got fired and hit with a Superman Punch for it, and he acknowledges he got what he deserved for it.
Heyman goes on and says he saw an opportunity so he took it. Reigns couldn’t make WWE Day 1, so he got Lesnar into the WWE Title match and he became WWE Champion. Lesnar and Reigns were then on separate brands, everyone in their places. Heyman asks how stupid was Lesnar going for Reigns. He says Lesnar looks like a schmuck and now acts like one. Heyman knew he screwed up with The Tribal Chief and was stuck with a happy Saskatchewan who just wanted to suplex everyone. Then we got to The Rumble and Lesnar took current WWE Champion Bobby Lashley to Suplex City, but then Reigns showed up and proved a Goat can always slay a Beast. Heyman goes on and says Reigns came to him, offering the hand of forgiveness, the hand of love, the hand of family, the hand of The Bloodline, the hand of acknowledgement, and Heyman handed Reigns the WWE Title, and he smashed Lesnar in the face with it, and because of that, Lashley pinned Lesnar and became champion.
Heyman says now everyone has to acknowledge that there will not be a Title vs. Title match at WrestleMania because Lesnar does not get what he wants, but he will do what Reigns wants him to do, and at WrestleMania 38 he will acknowledge Reigns. Heyman says this is how it’s done. He turns to Reigns and says, “I, Paul Heyman acknowledge you, Roman Reigns, as my Tribal Chief.” The boos get louder. Heyman says this is Oklahoma City’s chance to show history. He calls on the city to acknowledge Reigns as The Tribal Chief. Fans boo until the music interrupts and out comes WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg. The pyro goes off and Goldberg makes his way to the ring to a big pop.
Reigns and his crew all look shocked as Goldberg enters the ring. Fans chant “Goldberg!” now. He takes the mic and says he acknowledges Reigns… as his next victim. Fans pop. Goldberg proposes a match between the two, for the title, at WWE Elimination Chamber. He says – you’re… next. Goldberg drops the mic and faces off with Reigns as the music starts back up. Fans chant “Goldberg!” now as Goldberg watches The Bloodline exit the ring.
– Cole and McAfee hype tonight’s show, including Ronda Rousey’s first blue brand appearance.
Ridge Holland vs. Ricochet
Holland launches Ricochet into the corner and he hits hard. Holland goes on and charges but Ricochet side-steps, sending him to the floor. Ricochet misses a baseball slide and Holland scoops him, dropping him face-first over the edge of the apron.
Cesaro comes over and has words with Sheamus. The referee counts but Holland brings Sheamus back in. Ricochet takes advantage of the distraction from ringside, dropping Holland from the ropes for the pin to win.
Winner: Ricochet
– After the match, Sheamus and Holland seethe at ringside as Cesaro and Ricochet celebrate. We go back to commercial.
