Either Vince McMahon was trolling the audience or he's crazy like a fox. He could be a crazy troll too. But we can debate that later.
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A Set-Up for Fastlane... AND WrestleMania?!
SD Live 2/26/19
WWE; USA
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SmackDown Thoughts (2/26/19)
- We start off with Daniel Bryan sitting at a table in the ring with Rowan beside him. Stephanie and Shane are in the ring introducing the segment, and there is already a HUGE "Kofi" ovation. Stephanie and Shane run through Kofi's history and emphasize all of his accomplishments. Kofi comes out to a great ovation and continues to work up the crowd. The crowd chants "You Deserve It" at Kofi. Kofi thanks the crowd and the WWE Universe. Kofi promises to win the WWE Champion. Daniel Bryan just stares at Kofi and doesn't say a word through all of this. Daniel signs the contract. Kofi goes to sign, but...
VINCE MCMAHON IS COMING OUT! Vince tells Kofi that he appreciates everything Kofi has done in the past 11 years. HOWEVER... Vince REPLACES KOFI in that match. Vince has no alternative. He has someone that is more qualified. KEVIN OWENS!!!!! Kevin Owens walks into the ring, not even looking at New Day, and sits in the chair. Kevin Owens signs the contract while New Day screams in anger. LOUD "KOFI" chants as The New Day walks to the back. Daniel and Kevin stare at each other going to the break.
(There's one reason for this happening: Kofi Kingston is going to WrestleMania. Plain and simple. Vince saw how popular Kofi is, and he doesn't want to waste Kofi winning the WWE Championship on Fastlane. This is the opposite feeling I have to what happened with Becky Lynch. This is actually a good sign. This allows WWE to have Owens vs. Bryan with perhaps Kofi Kingston getting involved to set up either Owens/Bryan vs. Kofi or Owens vs. Bryan vs. Kofi. The bottom line is that Kofi Kingston actually just got a huge push out of all this, even if it doesn't net the immediate results that the fans want.)
- Kevin Owens tells Stephanie and Shane that Vince recognizes his talent. Kevin wants to team with Kofi Kingston to take on Daniel Bryan and Rowan tonight.
- The Bar is in the ring as Jeff Hardy's theme plays. It's THE HARDY BOYS!!!!! MATT HARDY IS BACK! (So much for Ciampa and Gargano teaming up...) The Hardys get their classic tag team offense in on The Bar as we got to the split-screen commercial break. Jeff Hardy gets tripped up going for Whisper in the Wind by Cesaro, sending him crashing to the floor. Cesaro gets tagged in and mocks the Matt Hardy Leg Drop off the corner. Sheamus and Cesaro continue to beat up Jeff Hardy while working the crowd. Hardy gets swung by Cesaro and put in The Sharpshooter. Sheamus does the chest pounding to Jeff as well. Jeff hits Whisper in the Wind on The Bar.
Tags to Cesaro and Matt Hardy at the same time. Matt hits a lot of his signature moves, including the Side Effect. Sheamus punts Matt Hardy in the face. Twist of Fate to Cesaro. Twist of Fate by Matt to Sheamus Tag to Jeff. SWANTON BOMB! 1-2-3! Great pop by the crowd at the end.
(A really fun tag team match here. Always great to see Matt Hardy (in any form) back in a wrestling ring especially when it looked like the end only a few months ago. The Hardys are the greatest tag team of all time (I said as much earlier in a countdown), and having them back is a boost to any tag team division. That being said, can we get the Broken Hardys? BROTHER NERO, WE HOPE YOU WILL COME!!!!)
- Ricochet and Aleister Black are in the back. And they are interrupted by Lana, manager of their opponents tonight: Rusev and Nakamura. Lana calls Black and Ricochet ordinary and average. Black promises that Nakamura and Rusev will fade to black.
- United States Champion R-Truth comes out to revive the US OPEN CHALLENGE! R-Truth talks about wanting to be like John Cena as a kid. Lol. He's following his example by issuing the Open Challenge. But first, we get the 7-Second Dance Break!
ANDRADE answers the call! SO DOES REY MYSTERIO! Rey jumps Andrade and gets in the ring before Andrade does. Truth has a dilemma right now: Who does he face?! What would John Cena do? Carmella tells Truth that he would face both at the same time. "Damn. He brave!!!!"- Truth! Truth says let's do it! (That R-Truth line was hilarious.)
Andrade vs. Truth vs. Rey is now for the US Championship. Andrade gets hurricanrana'ed out of the ring. Truth hits a spinning forearm on Rey for a 2 count. Truth gets powerbombed on the floor by Andrade while Rey gets hit going for the belly splash through the ropes. We return from break to see ANDRADE GET SMASHED WITH A DOOMSDAY HURRICANRANA BY HIS OPPONENTS! 2 count only! Truth and Rey collide in the ring. Andrade hits the running knees to the face of Mysterio. Truth starts moving around the ring and gets the advantage on Andrade. Truth hits the John Cena Spinning Slam. YOU CAN'T SEE ME! 5 KNUCKLE SHUFFLE! Lol. Zelina and Carmella start going at it. Truth gets rammed into the ring post.
Mysterio comes back and gets Andrade in position. 619 avoided. Back elbow by Andrade! 1-2-Kickout! Moonsault caught by Andrade. Truth pulls Mysterio down. 619 to Andrade! TRUTH ROLLS UP MYSTERIO! 1-2-3!!!! WHAT?!!!!
Andrade and Rey go at it after the match, but neither man gets the advantage over the other.
(I did not see that finish happening. That was great to see R-Truth get a win like this though. That just legitimizes Truth's title run as not just a "fluke" title win. And any match with Andrade and Rey can not fail. You give these guys more than 6 minutes and magic will happen.)
- Charlotte Flair comes out next to address what happened on Raw last night. She compares what Vince McMahon did earlier as being ALMOST as great as placing her in the main event of WrestleMania against Ronda Rousey. "Becky" chants from the crowd. Charlotte is the GOLD STANDARD. (She's... Shelton Benjamin?!) Charlotte would never lay down the title like Rousey did Monday. Becky and Ronda fear Charlotte, according to Charlotte. She cuts a promo on both Becky and Ronda being afraid of her. She fears no one. Charlotte will NEVER quit or lay down that title. Charlotte calls herself the true champion. Next Monday, Charlotte is going to be there to be crowned the NEW Raw Women's Champion.
- Aleister Black and Ricochet take on Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev next. (Black and Ricochet got their entrances. Nakamura and Rusev were introduced during the break.) We start off with Black and Nakamura in a fight between two great strikers. Ricochet gets tagged in and gets help from Black in taking down Nakamura. Ricochet gets knocked down, and Nakamura and Rusev start getting the advantage with frequent tags and strikes on Ricochet. Ricochet escapes the corner and tags in Black to attack Nakamura. Nakamura kicks Black to the floor, and Rusev mows him over to take us to the Split-Screen Break.
Rusev continues to attack Black in the ring during the break. Rusev and Nakamura continue their tag-team strategy of frequent tags and strikes. Black gets kicked between the shoulder blades by Rusev. We return from break to Rusev continuing the punishment on Black. (In fact, this is the most Rusev or Ricochet have sold since coming up to the main roster.) Black tries to fight back, but Rusev just clotheslines Black back down to the mat. Black is able to catch Rusev mocking the crowd and tags in Ricochet. Ricochet goes to work on the heels. Springboard Back Elbow and Standing Shooting Star Press by Ricochet to Rusev. Ricochet goes for the crossbody but gets slammed to the mat. RUSEV CRUSH! Ricochet avoids The Accolade. Tag to Nakamura. Tag to Black. Ricochet dives out onto Rusev. Reverse Exploder by Nakamura. He runs right into BLACK MASS! 1-2-3!
(Nakamura and Rusev got a lot of offense in, even though they lost. I still don't know what to think about their future. I'm sure with the way Rusev and Lana spoke out about being thrown off Total Divas that they are probably not on the greatest of terms with the company. As for Nakamura, he's being totally wasted in this position as well. The Rusev-Nakamura team could be great if given the time. Unfortunately, there seems to be less time than there ever has been on WWE programming.)
- AJ Styles is interviewed in the back. People are saying AJ Styles in a slump. AJ talks about setting the standards for himself. Anything less than perfection is unacceptable to him. AJ takes blame for the rise of Daniel Bryan. AJ says he's going to stop trying. AJ puts over the fact that it took 15 years to get to WWE. AJ is going to step up to the next challenger. He looks up, and there's Randy Orton. "The House that AJ Styles... WHAT?"
- We get another Lacey Evans aisle walk.
- The main event is next as Kofi Kingston and Kevin Owens take on Daniel Bryan and Rowan. Rowan and Kofi start the match. Rowan gets the advantage, and Kofi tags in Kevin Owens. Owens suffers the same fate as Rowan. Owens runs into a HUGE dropkick by Rowan. Bryan gets tagged in and goes to work on his Fastlane opponent (Owens). Owens looks to be in great shape as he gets Bryan in his corner and tags in Kofi. Bryan gets dumped to the floor by Kofi. Owens gets tagged, and he dives over the ropes onto Bryan to set up the commercial break.
We return to see Kofi getting beaten up by Rowan. And as you would expect, Rowan and Bryan continue the beatdown of Kofi. Frequent tags by Rowan and Bryan. Bryan SUPERPLEXES Kofi (ridiculously high, I might add), but he only gets a 2 count. Kofi gets caught in the Labell Lock, but he gets to the rope. Running Dropkicks in the corner by Bryan, but he runs into a Double Stomp by Kofi. Owens tags himself in and goes after Bryan. Clothesline to Bryan in the corner. Dropkick off the corner by Owens. Senton Splash to Bryan. CANNONBALL!!!!!! Rowan gets superkicked off the apron. Pop-Up Powerbomb! 1-2-KICKOUT by Bryan! Owens goes up to the top rope. Rowan pulls him down and throws him over the announce table. Kofi is able to throw Rowan into the ring post. Kofi hits the Trust Fall on Rowan. Back in the ring, Bryan calls for the Running Knee. STUNNER BY OWENS! 1-2-3!!!!
(Good main event match here. Rowan pulled off his part of the match very well, as he usually does in tag team matches. It was great to see Owens back in the ring and looking in better shape than he was when he was injured. Kofi continues to perform at a very high level and is WrestleMania Championship Match-Level worthy. Good set-up for Fastlane here.)
Overall, this was a very good edition of SmackDown. The show moved at a great pace and had some fun matches and surprises. The only segment that seemed to drag was the Charlotte segment, which could have been done in a shorter amount of time or on a pre-taped interview that kept things condensed. But you had Kevin Owens and Matt Hardy returning, a basic set-up for Kofi getting involved in the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania, a few very good matches on this show (especially Truth-Rey-Andrade), and a tease of things to come in several segments (especially Orton-Styles). As much as this show was about Fastlane, it was also very much about WrestleMania.
Until next time, take care of yourselves. Spread some awesomeness.
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