Welcome to the Fightful.com live discussion & coverage for the 3/17/2023 edition of Friday Night SmackDown on FOX.
We will bring full results and breakdowns for every match and segment on the show. Follow Fightful on Twitter.com/Fightful and Facebook.com/FIGHTFULONLINE
Here's what is set for the show.
Preview.
WWE SmackDown (3/17/2023).
- Sami Zayn Confronts Undisputed Tag Team Champion Jey Uso.
- Intercontinental Championship - #1 Contender's Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus.
- 2023 Men's Royal Rumble Winner Cody Rhodes Appears
- Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar & Zelina Vega) vs. Judgement Day's Rhea Ripley & Dominik Mysterio.
Refresh the site for the latest updates as the show happens.
Live Coverage.
- Wade Barrett & Michael Cole welcomed the audience to the broadcast before transitioning to the opening segment.
- 2023 Men's Royal Rumble Winner Cody Rhodes made his way to the ring to cut a promo. Rhodes asked Kansas City what they wanted to talk about, but stated that he respects Undisputed Universal Champion Roman Reigns before saying that he was looking forward to beating Reigns at WrestleMania. Before addressing Reigns, Cody Rhodes called out Kevin Owens of all people. Owens made his way to the ring and got a microphone. Owens said that he had an idea of where this was going, but Rhodes said that this was a conversation to be had between three instead of two. Rhodes called out Sami Zayn to moderate the two to have a chat.
Zayn, Rhodes & Owens stood in the ring before Rhodes revealed why he had the two in the ring: he wanted Zayn & Owens to reconcile. He stated that when he was released by WWE back in 2016, Owens was there to help him out and join with some friends of his elsewhere, alluding to The Elite. As the crowd chanted for them to hug it out, Zayn said that he had not heard everything Owens had to say about him and wanted to hear him out as to why their reconciling has been difficult this time and told him everything he needed to do so that they can work together again. Owens asked Rhodes if he heard what he wanted to hear, but Rhodes responded that they were in the people-pleasing business and the fans wanted to see them reunite. Owens responded that he did not want to work with someone who did not care of being his friend before walking out the ramp.
- Kevin Owens was in the parking lot heading to his car before Zayn confronted him backstage. Zayn told him that they were brothers and that if he did want to talk to him, he understood but wanted to let him know that he loved him. Owens was bamboozled by this and drove out of the arena.
Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar & Zelina Vega) vs. Judgement Day's Rhea Ripley & Dominik Mysterio.
Dominik hit a dropkick on Escobar and laid in the punches on him to begin the match. Escobar responded with running forearm strikes before attacking him to send him out of the ring. Ripley went for a boot kick on Escobar, but Escobar caught hit before Vega tagged in and hit a Hurricanrana on Ripley to send her to the outside. Escobar laid out Dominik outside before Vega hit an Asai Moonsault off the middle turnbuckle on Ripley to the outside before the commercial break.
Back from the break, Escobar whipped Dominik into the corner, but Dominik hit an enziguri before hitting a springboard Senton Atomico on Escobar for a near fall. Escobar hit a dropkick on Dominik before hitting a backbreaker into a standing leg drop for a near fall. Ripley came in and slammed Dominik over Escobar for a near fall, thanks to Vgea breaking the pin. Dominik & Escobar ran the ropes before Escobar hit a headbutt on Dominik's chest. Vega & Ripley tagged in, with Vega hitting a basement dropkick, a running knee, a Tornado DDT & a Schoolboy Roll-Up on Ripley before Dominik pulled Ripley off. Escobar went for a Superplex on Dominik, but Ripley connected Escobar and hit the Tower of Doom on Escobar & Mysterio. Vega hit a diving cross-body on Ripley before hitting a Diving Hurricanrana on Dominik to send him to the outside, but Ripley got back up and hit the Riptide on Vega for the pinfall win.
Winners: Rhea Ripley & Dominik Mysterio.
- After the match, Dominik continued to state that Rey Mysterio was nothing more than a deadbeat dad. Mysterio walked down the ramp to confront Dominik before the commercial break.
After the commercial break, 2023 WWE Hall of Fame Inductee Rey Mysterio confronted Dominik & Rhea Ripley in the ring. Dominik continued to say he went too many nights without a father, which led to Rey requesting Ripley to leave them alone. Dominik called Rey a scared & sad excuse of a father before being about to call him a piece of shit, but Rey interrupted him and admitted that he may have not been the best father in the world and acknowledged his mistakes, but admitted that it did not stop him from loving Dominik. Rey said that Dominik will learn the business is selfish and that the Mysterio last name bailed him out. Rey said that he would have loved nothing more than having Dominik next to him in the Hall of Fame, but Rey said that his biggest regret was seeing what Dominik had become, a punk-ass kid calling him out. Rey said that if it was anyone else, he would have gladly whooped their ass, but because Dominik was his son he state that fighting him would be his biggest disgrace as a father before saying it was not worth it. Rey said that he would not fight Dominik at WrestleMania or ever, but Dominik asked if it was because he was running away as always.
WrestleMania Showcase Match
Raquel Rodriguez & Liv Morgan vs. Tegan Nox & Emma.
Raquel slammed Nox onto the mat to begin the mat. Nox slapped Raquel in the face, but Raquel responded by slamming Nox into the corner. Morgan & Raquel hit consecutive corner splashes on Nox before Morgan hit an enziguri kick on Nox for a near fall. Nox dropped Morgan before hitting a PK Kick on Morgan's arm. Nox & Emma hit consecutive sentons on Morgan in the corner before Emma hit a Butterfly Suplex on Morgan for a near fall. Nox tagged back in and hit a facebuster on Morgan before kicking Morgan in the face, but Morgan laughed it up before hitting a backstabber on Nox. Emma & Raquel tagged in, with Raquel hitting two clotheslines before hitting a swinging lariat, a Fall-Away Slam & a Corkscrew Elbow drop on Emma for a near fall. Morgan hit a Code Breaker on Nox, but Emma tossed Morgan out of the ring with a Bandera Toss. Emma went for La Mistica on Raquel, but Raquel reversed it into the Tejano Bomb before Morgan tagged in and hit the Oblivion on Emma for the pinfall win.
Winners: Raquel Rodriguez & Liv Morgan.
- SmackDown Women's Champion Charlotte Flair came to the ring to cut a promo, with her pointing out that she was coming as the champion while Cody Rhodes was coming in as the challenger, similar to their fathers. Flair then said that Rhea Ripley could not go through her because the more things change, the more they stayed the same. Ripley & Dominik Mysterio interrupted Flair and said that Flair was right because she chose Flair. Ripley then said that everyone walked away from her in fear because she is dangerous, but Flair was the exception because she stared at Ripley without an inch of fear, which pissed Ripley off. Ripley said that she needed the SmackDown Women's Title and that she would make Flair learn to fear Ripley at WrestleMania. Ripley clubbed Flair in the face, which led to Flair & Ripley brawling on the outside before referees, Kenny Dykstra & "Lil Petey Pump" Pete Williams came in to split them up.
- Sami Zayn was interviewed backstage by Kayla Braxton, saying that it was time to "pull up" on Jey Uso ahead of their segment later in the night.
Xavier Woods vs. LA Knight.
Woods got a headlock on Knight to begin the match, but Knight tossed Woods over his head before slamming him to the bottom turnbuckle. Woods ran the ropes before going for a rolling forearm, but Knight caught him with a jab before hitting a DDT for a near fall. Knight placed Woods on the top rope, but Woods dropped Knight off the top rope before hitting a diving dropkick on Knight. Woods got Knight and hit a Falcon Arrow on Knight for a near fall. Woods got Knight in a Fireman's Carry, but Knight evaded and slammed Woods into the corner before hitting a neck-breaker and a facebuster on Woods for a near fall. Knight went for a suplex, but Woods reversed it with an Inside Cradle for the pinfall win.
Winner: Xavier Woods.
- There was a brief recap of the induction of Keiji Muto, famously known as "The Great Muta" being inducted to the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2023.
- LA Knight walked around backstage before Kayla Braxton tried to get an interview, but instead Knight confronted Rey Mysterio and told him that he would beat Dominik and call himself "LA Mysterio" to be a deadbeat, but Rey responded with a slap before saying "No te metas conmigo pendejo (Don't mess with me asshole)".
Intercontinental Championship - #1 Contender's Match.
Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus.
IMPERIUM (Ludwig Kaiser, Giovanni Vinci & Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER) were at ringside to watch the match.
The match began with the two Banger Bros locking up until Sheamus leaned McIntyre into the corner and got a headlock on him before Sheamus hit a shoulder tackle on McIntyre. McIntyre hit a snap-suplex on Sheamus for a near fall. McIntyre went for a hip toss, but Sheamus blocked it and hit a lariat for a near fall. Sheamus got a wrist hold on McIntyre, but Sheamus slammed McIntyre into the corner. Sheamus went for a suplex, but McIntyre blocked it. The two exchanged chops before Sheamus got McIntyre and hit the Irish Curse on McIntyre for a near fall. Sheamus got McIntyre in the corner and went for the Beats of the Battering, but McIntyre blocked it. Sheamus brought McIntyre and got him in a Fireman's Carry, but McIntyre evaded before Sheamus slammed McIntyre into the corner. Sheamus climbed to the top rope, but McIntyre met him there and hit a Superplex on Sheamus before the commercial break.
Back from the break, Sheamus hit a Tilt-to-Whirl Powerslam on McIntyre for a near fall. McIntyre tossed Sheamus to the apron, but Sheamus got McIntyre and hit the 10 Beats of the Battering before taunting the crowd & IMPERIUM. Sheamus got back in the ring and went for the Brogue Kick, but McIntyre evaded and hit a neck-breaker on Sheamus into a kip-up. McIntyre went for the Claymore, but Sheamus caught him with a V-Trigger for a near fall. The two exchanged forearm strikes in the ring before McIntyre hit the Gasgow's Kiss, but Sheamus responded with a headbutt of his own. The two were in opposite corners before the two got back up and laid each other out with stereo-Pump Kicks on one-another. The two were down as GUNTHER demanded them to get back up. GUNTHER got in the ring and stopped the referee's count before demanding the two to get back up on their feet. It was all bait as Vinci & Kaiser attacked McIntyre & Sheamus from behind, ending the match in a No Contest. IMPERIUM laid out Sheamus & McIntyre before Powerbombing Sheamus onto McIntyre's back. After that, Adam Pearce made the Intercontinental Title a Triple Threat match for the title.
Result: No Contest.
- Sami Zayn confronted Jey Uso in the ring and asked Jey how he wanted to handle the situation. Jey Uso told him that, from Day 1, he did not like or trust Zayn but was surprised that Reigns, Heyman, Solo Sikoa & Jimmy gained his trust. Jey said that he was thought to protect his family and that Zyan made him look like a fool. Jey told him that he had no choice, but Zayn refuted that he had always had the choice to betray the Bloodline and that Jey was mad he did not betray Reigns before Zayn. The two exchanged punches before Zayn hit a THesz Press, but Jimmy Uso attacked Zayn attacked from behind. Jey & Jimmy slammed the stairs on Zayn, but Kevin Owens made his return to the arena and made the save for Zayn. Owens hit lariats on Jey & Jimmy before raining the punches on Jey & Jimmy. Owens tossed jimmy out of the ring before hitting him with a Stunner and hitting a Pop-Up Powerbomb on Jey. Owens & Zayn were in the center of the ring and they stared at each other before Zayn & Owens finally hugged it out.Ownes & Zayn stood triumphant in the ring to end the broadcast.
- Check out the post-show podcast for a full review of the show on Fightful's YouTube & Twitch channels. You can check Fightful's Results Section here.
