WWE SmackDown Live
Episode 1017
#SDLive
Original Air Date: February 12, 2019
Event Date: February 12, 2019
(aired live)
City: Toledo, OH
Venue: Huntington Center
Commentary: Tom Phillips, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton
Ring Announcer: Greg Hamilton
This episode is dedicated to the memory of Pedro Morales (1942-2019)
Ring Area
The show immediately opens with a video of Vince McMahon suspending Becky Lynch and replacing her with Charlotte Flair in the RAW Women’s Title match at Wrestlemania. When he introduces Charlotte in the video, Charlotte comes out live in the arena and heads to the ring.
Charlotte says Wrestlemania has been her destiny since day one, then she points to the sign. Charlotte doesn’t feel bad for Becky. She thought Becky was smarter than she’s been. Charlotte says everyone knows that she is the backbone of the women’ division. She is a warrior and a winner. Charlotte says Vince chose her because it was a smart business decision. He knows not to risk the biggest match of the year on a “flash in the pan” like Becky.
Charlotte dedicates her upcoming match to her best friend Becky Lynch.
Backstage
New Day discusses something over a platter of pancakes. Also, Big E is dressed in hockey gear… with no pants.
Match 1
Carmella & Naomi vs The IIconics vs Sonya Deville & Mandy Rose
(referee: Mike Chioda; stipulation: the team pinned or submitted will start in the Elimination Chamber)
Result: Naomi pins Mandy Rose after a split-legged moonsault
Time: 8:58
Match Thoughts
Good match. The best part was that The IIconics tagged out immediately at the start of the match and made sure that they never got tagged back in. So that left the match as essentially Rose and Deville versus Carmella and Naomi. The match was good and evenly fought. I think I liked this triple threat more than the triple threat on RAW.
Ring Area
After the match, The IIconics attack Naomi and Carmella. The beating is quick, and The IIconics stand alone in the ring after tossing their opponents out to the floor.
Video
From WWE.com, Bayley says that what happened to Sasha on RAW is not going to stop her in the Elimination Chamber.
Video
Nia Jax and Tamina aren’t worried about any of their opponents on Sunday.
Video
Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan have a bond like no other team.
Selfie Promo
Mustafa Ali reveals that he has not been medically cleared to compete in the Elimination Chamber. Ali says he’s taken a lot of hard hits lately, but his story is far from over. He will not stay down.
Ring Area
The Miz heads to the ring with Shane McMahon to host McMiz TV. Miz welcomes everyone to the show, and Shane welcomes their guests, The Usos. Jimmy and Jey head to the ring.
Shane offers The Usos some seats, but The Usos prefer to stand. The Usos wonder how much of a team Shane and Miz really are. Jimmy and Jey decide to do a tag team test where they guess each other’s favorite things. Jimmy and Jey get everything right, so Shane and Miz do the same thing. Shane and Miz get everything correct as well, because Miz whispers the answers to Shane.
Things get heated when Miz mes a comment about Mandy Rose towards Jimmy. Shane tries to calm things down, but Jimmy doesn’t want to be touched. Shane gets in Jimmy’s face. Miz starts to talk, but Jey slaps the mic out of his hand. Jey welcomes Se and Miz to the Uso Penitentiary, but Shane says the title belts are the only things that really matter when it comes to being the best in the world. The Usos superkick Shane and Miz, then they walk away.
Backstage
New Day encounters Mr. Bootyworth as they walk towards the ring area.
Video
WWE celebrates Black History Month.
Ring Area
Daniel Bryan heads to the ring with Rowan. Bryan knows a lot of people want him to lose the WWE Title on Sunday, but those people are lying to themselves. They are fickle, and they need somebody like the new Daniel Bryan to show them how to live their pathetic lives. They need Bryan as champ.
Bryan doesn’t want to participate in the Elimination Chamber match, but his sacrifice is necessary so that he can continue being the WWE champ. Bryan is interrupted by New Day as they come out and head to the ring.
Match 2
Gauntlet Match
Daniel Bryan (WWE Champ) w/ Rowan vs Kofi Kingston w/ Xavier Woods, Big E vs Jeff Hardy vs Samoa Joe vs AJ Styles vs Randy Orton
(referee: Jason Ayers; stipulation: the winner will enter the WWE Title Elimination Chamber match last)
Result: Randy Orton wins and will be the final entrant in the Elimination Chamber match
Fall 1: Kingston pins Bryan after Trouble in Paradise (20:30*)
Fall 2: Kingston pins Hardy with the SOS (24:52**)
Fall 3: Kingston pins Samoa Joe with a counter to the Coquina Clutch (34:16***)
Fall 4: Styles forces Kingston to submit to a calf crusher (44:12****)
Fall 5: Orton pins Styles after the RKO (45:14****)
Time: 45:14 (4 breaks)
* = 1 commercial break
Match Thoughts
Great match. This was a character-defining moment for Kofi Kingston. Kingston was the iron man in this gauntlet, and he believably lasted nearly the entire match. The first matchup with Daniel Bryan was probably the most interesting, because not only was it a great fight, but it showed that Kingston is on the same level as the current champ. Then, Kingston’s successive matchups showed his heart, determination, and desire. At one point he yelled that he has waited too long for this opportunity. It’s clear that he’s not going to go down without a fight. This match made me want Kofi to win more than ever.
I saw the end of the gauntlet match coming from a mile away, but I’m not too upset about it. The sudden ending made sense, and it kept the focus of the match squarely on what Kofi Kingston did.
Show Impressions
This show was mostly the gauntlet match, but that’s not a bad thing. The gauntlet match and the triple threat tag match were both very entertaining, and the McMiz TV segment was fun (mostly because The Usos were in it).
I feel bad for Mustafa Ali not being able to compete in the Chamber, but I think it’s better this way. Kofi deserves this (and he deserves to win), and Ali will get his chance later. Ali is still in the chasing phase, while Kofi has been at the top level for a very long time. I think the story of Ali being out and Kofi being in is so good that there might not be any real injury to Ali. This could have all been planned to set up a surprisingly good story heading into the Chamber while setting up a big comeback for Ali later on. After all, the injury angle already worked for Ali in 205 Live when he was put out by Itami, only to come back and have one of the best matches of the year.
Match of the Night
Gauntlet Match
Easily the best match of the night, and one of Kofi Kingston’s most engaging performances that I can remember (and that’s saying a lot).
Official Results: https://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/2019-02-12