– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX opens up with a graphic in memory of “The Natural” Butch Reed, who passed away today at the age of 66. We go to the normal WWE intro video.
– We get a video package showing Bianca Belair and WWE Hall of Famer Edge after their big Royal Rumble Match wins this past Sunday at the pay-per-view.
– We’re live from the ThunderDome at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida as Michael Cole welcomes us to SmackDown, noting that we are officially on The Road to WrestleMania 37 now. He’s joined at ringside by Corey Graves. Graves confirms that Edge and Bianca Belair will both be here tonight.
– We go right to the ring and out comes WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns with Paul Heyman and Jey Uso. The boos pick up as Reigns stops on the stage to raise the title to pyro going off.
Reigns and his crew march to the ring as we see stills from Reigns’ win over Kevin Owens in the Last Man Standing match at the Royal Rumble on Sunday. Reigns poses in the middle of the ring and raises the title as more pyro goes of. Fans start chanting “you suck!” when the music stops. Reigns isn’t a fan of re-capping the past but if you didn’t see the Rumble, he beat Owens, like he said he would because he’s a man of his word. But enough about the past, let’s talk about the future. Reigns says apparently the future is Edge. fans cheer his name. Reigns brings up the WrestleMania main event as we see the WrestleMania 37 sign hanging high. Reigns asks who’s the main event around here and Heyman acknowledges him.
Reigns has two issues here. He being the Tribal Chief of WWE, the main event, why in the hell would Edge waste his time visiting WWE NXT or RAW when he should come straight to Reigns’ show, beg him at his feet and sell him on why he should let you on the island of relevancy. This brings him to his second issue. He asks Heyman why the hell he’s out here first. Where is Edge at? Reigns says Edge makes the mistake of disrespecting him all week but Reigns being a nice guy, a gentleman, he’s willing to let that slide but now Edge is making him wait. Reigns tells Heyman to get Edge’s ass out here. Heyman starts yelling for Edge’s entrance and pyro to start. A ringside crew member shrugs. Heyman says a few words to Reigns and Reigns is upset.
Reigns says Edge isn’t here. He says Edge must think he’s a fool. Does he look like a fool or a man who wants to play games? Reigns yells and asks why would Edge play games with him? Reigns seethes now and says the last man that played games with him was named Kevin Owens, and he’s no longer here because Reigns whipped his ass. He says Owens is history, gone, never to be seen again. The loud boos continue from the crowd. Reigns says he will tell Edge this nicely – you need to understand this because this is your only chance, you’re going to give your decision by the end of the night. Reigns repeats himself and drops the mic as the boos continue. Reigns exits the ring as his music starts back up.
– The announcers talk about Edge and plug tonight’s show, including the Intercontinental Title Triple Threat. Cole says today marks 33 years since WWE Hall of Famers Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant battled on WWE Main Event. Hogan will be here tonight to discuss who he thinks Edge should challenge.
Dominik Mysterio vs. King Corbin
After a distraction by Rey, Dominik wins with a frog splash.
Winner: Dominik Mysterio
This week’s Progressive Match Flo replay shows Sami Zayn handcuffing himself to the barrier during Apollo Crews vs. WWE Intercontinental Champion Big E two weeks ago, and then interfering during the match and attacking both competitors. Kayla Braxton is backstage with Big E now. Big E goes on with his promo and says they are going to fight tonight, but Sami and Apollo are not ready.
Daniel Bryan vs. Cesaro
Cesaro taps Bryan out clean with the Sharpshooter. Cesaro took a nasty gash during the match and bled from the side of his head.
Winner: Cesaro
After the match, Cesaro respectfully fist bumps Bryan while Shinsuke was watching backstage.
Bianca Belair is asked about her family’s reaction to her winning the Rumble and who she will face at WrestleMania. She says her family has been there through the good and the bad, and while they won’t be there at WrestleMania, they will always be with her. As for her opponent, she says that many people have given her suggestions on who to challenge, and she says if she listened to what people had to say, she wouldn’t have made it this far. But she says she will make a decision soon and relish in the moment.
Bayley vs. Ruby Riott
Bayley wins with her driver finisher.
Winner: Bayley
After the match, Bayley makes her exit as the music hits. Billie runs over with her resumes and 8X10s, stopping Bayley but the camera cuts away.
– We see Bianca Belair walking backstage. Back to commercial.
Belair takes the mic but the fans are cheering her on. She says her whole life changed overnight since winning the Women’s Royal Rumble. She’s been doing non-stop press and her phone has been blowing up. Belair says this is the biggest decision of her life. She brings up RAW Women’s Champion Asuka and her success. She then brings up her girl, SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks. She goes on praising Banks and says if she’s going to put the EST in WrestleMania, she has to do it her way. She says this while pointing up at the WrestleMania 37 sign.
Reginald, Carmella’s sommelier, comes out to interrupt. He wants to offer her some advice. He’s quite sure Belair can defeat Asuka, but if she picks Banks, well… he laughs. Reginald is in the ring now. He says Belair can’t beat Banks because she can’t even beat Carmella. The music interrupts and out comes Carmella now. Carmella says Reginald means well, even when he gets a little over-excited. Carmella brags about beating Banks twice and with all Belair’s hype, she’s sure she can do the same to Belair. They have words but the music interrupts and out comes Banks.
Banks says with all due respect, she’s going to stop looking in her rear view and start focusing on the road that’s ahead. Banks says Belair certainly has her attention. Banks has seen Belair has been in two Rumble Matches, setting records both times. She gives Belair for lasting almost an hour this past Sunday, staking her claim to main event WrestleMania. Banks has been watching Belair. She saw Belair pick up Otis, so she knows she’s the strongest. She then saw her chase Bayley and beat her down, so she knows she’s the fastest. But the best? Banks laughs and doesn’t think Belair is the best. Banks says if Belair is going to pick her, then do it because she has it all but she doesn’t have this… the title. Banks takes the title off and raises it in the air. Carmella is between them, rolling her eyes.
Belair says if she does choose Sasha… Reginald gets in the way and says Belair got lucky on Sunday, so if she does choose Banks, she will lose, just like he said. Belair drops the mic and starts whipping Reginald around with her hair. She sends him out of the ring as fans pop. Carmella looks on. Banks laughs. Belair’s music hits as she starts swinging her hair around, pointing up at the WrestleMania sign.
– Still to come, The Hulkster will join us. Also, Edge is here.
– We see Roman Reigns backstage talking with Jey Uso. Paul Heyman says it’s now confirmed that Edge is finally here. Reigns thinks it over as we go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Kayla is backstage with Sami Zayn, who has his film crew with him. Sami accuses Kayla of being a corporate shill and a propagandist. He goes on about the injustices against him and says finally they will get a happy piece of footage for his documentary as he will reclaim his Intercontinental Title and his status as Champion of The People. Sami walks off.
Otis and Chad Gable vs. Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode
Roode and Ziggler win when Roode hits the Glorious DDT on Gable. The Street Profits were on commentary backstage.
Winners: Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler
We rewind a clip of Hogan vs. Andre The Giant 33 years ago. Hogan says Edge has earned the love and respect of WWE and one of Roman and Drew is in trouble when Edge and HulkaMania runs wild on them.
Big E (C) vs. Sami Zayn vs. Apollo Crews – Intercontinental Championship
Big E retains with the Big Ending on Apollo. Apollo looks angry after.
Winner: Big E
Edge says you can’t accomplish something you’ve never dreamed of. He talks about dreaming for the past 7 months while rehabbing his injury. He dreamed of coming here, coming back home. He was dreaming of winning the Royal Rumble and main eventing WrestleMania 37, taking back something he never lost, something he feels is his. Edge goes on about entering the Men’s Rumble at #1 and outlasting 29 of the best Superstars today. So now he finds himself on the precipice of the main event at WrestleMania, and that begs the question – which champion does he choose? It’s an embarrassment of riches. Does he choose WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor, WWE Champion Drew McIntyre or WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns? Fans boo Reigns’ name. Edge says he gets a different answer from his family and his friends. But at the end of the day… the music interrupts and out comes Reigns with Jey Uso and Paul Heyman.
Edge and Reigns stare each other down as the heels march down to ringside. Uso waits at ringside and is now in a staredown with Edge while Reigns and Heyman move over to the steel steps. Reigns and Heyman hit the apron, as does Uso from another entry point. Uso lurks and stares Edge down as fans boo, looking like he’s about to pounce. Heyman is all smiles. Edge asks Reigns if he had to bring back-up, if he’s already sweating him. Edge says he’s out here alone. Reigns takes the mic and says man to man, he gives Edge his word. Without Reigns’ blessing, Heyman will not make a move on Edge. They laugh but Edge stares ahead.
Edge says he’s renting space in Reigns’ head already, he sees it, that’s why Uso is out here. Reigns tells Uso to go back to the bus because he’s got this. Uso exits the ring, as does Heyman, who watches from the apron. Reigns steps closer to Edge and accuses him of disrespecting him, and disrespecting his family. Reigns is only going to say this once – acknowledge me. Acknowledge me as the main event at WrestleMania, acknowledged me as the champion of choice. Say my name. Reigns says that was Edge’s cue, now go.
Kevin Owens suddenly attacks Reigns from behind and quickly drops him with a Stunner as the crowd pops. A stone-faced Owens marches right out of the ring and straight up the ramp as the crowd pops, not stopping to look back. Edge simply places the mic on the mat, looks down at Reigns on the mat, and exits the ring as the post-Royal Rumble edition of SmackDown goes off the air.
