WWE SmackDown Live
Episode 1024
#SDLive
Original Air Date: April 2, 2019
Event Date: April 2, 2019
(aired live)
City: Baltimore, MD
Venue: Royal Farms Arena
Commentary: Tom Phillips, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton
Ring Announcer: Greg Hamilton
Ring Area
In the ring, Kevin Owens welcomes us to a very special edition of the Kevin Owens Show. First, Owens introduces Randy Orton who heads to the ring. Next, Owens introduces AJ Styles as he heads to the ring.
After all three men sit down, Owens asks Orton if he’s proud of ruining the match between Angle and Styles last week. He is proud of what he did. Who wants to see an old man wrestle a man who thinks he’s at the top of his game anyway? Styles thinks that’s funny coming a guy who’s been in WWE nearly twenty years and has only learned one move. Orton says when you know a move as deadly as the RKO, all you need is one.
Orton talks about indie guys like Styles working in front of dozens of people for tens of dollars while Orton was wrestling at Wrestlemania. Styles says that’s right. Orton was in WWE getting suspended for drug tests while Styles was performing for his fans. Orton says that if Styles was as good as he thinks he is, then he would have been in WWE a long time ago.
Orton talks about Styles’ legacy. His legacy won’t be about working hard to make a dream come true, it will be about being a “corporate bitch.”
Kevin Owens leaves the ring. Styles and Orton slowly stand up. Styles strikes first, and the two men brawl. Styles goes for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Orton counters it into the RKO.
Backstage
New Day looks at Kofi Kingston’s WWE Title match contract.
Match 1
Aleister Black & Ricochet & The Usos (SD Tag Champs) vs The Bar & Rusev w/ Lana & Shinsuke Nakamura
(referee: Jason Ayers)
Result: Jimmy Uso pins Rusev after tandem superkicks (Jimmy & Jey)
Time: 10:28
Match Thoughts
Good match. Ricochet and Black had some nice offense early, the bad guys dominated the middle portion of the match, and The Usos pushed towards the finish. This was fun.
Ring Area
After the match, Alexa Bliss comes out to the stage. Alexa says that SmackDown Live has lost its spirit of competition. She addresses The Usos, reminding them about their forfeit in the gauntlet match last week. The Usos’ actions will have repercussions, therefore The Usos will defend their titles in a fatal four way tag title match against the three teams The Usos just competed with.
The ring breaks out in a brawl. Ricochet and Aleister Black end up being the last team standing in the ring as the brawl comes to an end.
Ring Area
The IIconics head to the ring. Billie Kay is excited about the state of the SmackDown tag teams. Peyton Royce talks about The Usos defending in a fatal four way match. Billie points out that The IIconics are also competing in a fatal four way tag title match. They both think about all of the possibilities of who they can pin at Wrestlemania. Regardless of who they beat, they will ensure that Wrestlemania is iconic.
Ring Area
The Miz heads to the ring. Miz says Wrestlemania means different things for different people. For The Miz, Wrestlemania means retribution. Miz says he is the best version of himself. If you want proof, watch Miz and Mrs. tonight (he assures us that wasn’t a cheap plug).
Miz says he requested a Falls Count Anywhere match because what he’s going to do to Shane McMahon can’t be contained in a wrestling ring. Miz isn’t fighting for himself anymore. He’s fighting for his dad. Miz points out that Shane has a father too, and he concludes that makes Shane a son of a bitch.
SAnitY heads to the ring for a handicap match. Shane McMahon comes out before the match can begin. Shane wants to see this match up close, but before that happenes, Shane wants to be introduced properly. He’s introduced again, and the match begins.
Match 2
Falls Count Anywhere Three on One Handicap Match
The Miz vs Eric Young & Killian Dain & Alexander Wolfe
(referee: Charles Robinson; on the stage: Shane McMahon)
Result: The Miz pins Eric Young outside the venue after running a rolling cart into his head
Time: 5:41
Match Thoughts
This was fine for what it was. It feels weird watching Miz wrestle like this. He was able to hold his own agsints three guys while not backing down or resorting to tricks. I think they could make Miz work as a good guy without changing him completely. Yet, here we are.
Outside the Venue
After the match, a police car pulls up with its lights flashing. Becky Lynch steps out of the car and walks inside.
Video
A look at RAW last night when all three women in the Wrestlemania main event were arrested.
Ring Area
In the ring, Corey Graves introduces Becky Lynch. Becky heads to the ring.
Becky enters the ring, takes a mic, and leaves the ring. She stands on the announce table as she ignores Corey Graves and addresses the crowd. She briefly talks about how she made it to the main event of this year’s Wrestlemania. The revolution that started with a slap at last year’s Summer Slam explodes when Becky Lynch takes all this Sunday.
Backstage
Daniel Bryan and Rowan study Bryan’s title match contract.
Backstage
Nikki Cross, Naomi, The Hardy Boyz, Heavy Machinery, Asuka, R-Truth, and Carmella are all hanging out together.
Match 3
Mixed Tag Match
Naomi & Asuka & Nikki Cross & The Hardy Boyz & Heavy Machinery & R-Truth & Carmella vs Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows & Shelton Benjamin & EC3 & Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville & Andrade & Zelina Vega & Lana
(referee: Danilo Anfibio)
Result: the match ends in a No Contest when everyone starts brawling
Time: 4:27 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
This was a big mess of a match, but it was short. It was kind of fun.
Ring Area
After the match, the brawl continues. Everyone starts throwing everyone over the top rope. Asuka ends up being the last person standing in the ring.
Video
A look at the matchup for the Universal Title.
Backstage
Big E holds a platter of pancakes while New Day talks about stuff with each other.
Match 4
Samoa Joe (US Champ) vs Ali
(referee: Mike Chioda)
Result: Samoa Joe wins via KO with the Coquina Clutch
Time: 2:25
Match Thoughts
This was short and pretty one-sided. It made Joe look strong headed into Wrestlemania, so it was fine. Ali can do a lot more than this match though, and hopefully he’ll get the chance one Wrestlemania season is done.
Ring Area
Daniel Bryan and Rowan head to the ring. Michael Cole is set to oversee the contract signing between Bryan and Kingston, so New Day comes out and heads to the ring next.
Daniel Bryan speaks first. Bryan says he isn’t here to stop Kofi from signing the contract, he is here to educate the masses. Bryan gives everyone a life lesson. He tells us all to resist being complacent like Kofi Kingston. Bryan also tells us to not be a bystander in our own life like Kofi Kingston was a bystander in his.
Bryan’s final life lesson is to not mistake a fad for reality. Bryan has been in Kofi’s spot before. He tells Kofi that the fans supporting him are parasites. Once they are done sucking all the positivity out of Kofi, they will discard him. Kofi better suck all this in right now, because this is the best it’s ever going to be for him.
Kofi stands up. He has a life lesson for Bryan. Kofi says Bryan doesn’t know anything about him. Kofi watched Bryan become champ within two years of him being in WWE. Kofi wasn’t watching as a bystander. He understood what was happening. Kofi hasn’t had a singles match for the WWE Title in his entire WWE career, but that’s okay. It’s okay because it’s all led to right now.
Kofi tells Bryan that he knows what comes next. Next, Kofi beats Bryan and becomes the WWE Champ. Kofi signs the contract and throws it at Bryan.
Show Impressions
Much like RAW this week, this was a fine final show before the PPV. Nothing big really happened except for mayber the announcement of the SmackDown Tag Title match. Other than that, tonight was just a way to coast into Wrestlemania by touching on some of the matches without really changing anything.
Match of the Night
Eight Man Tag Match
Tonight was light on wrestling, but this was a good match.
Official Results: https://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/2019-04-02