Good evening Fight Fans and welcome to our coverage of tonight's edition of WWE Smackdown on FOX! We hope you enjoy the show and be sure to stick around afterwards for the post-show podcast!
-The newly crowned Universal champion Goldberg comes out to the ring to start the show and just says that it's not about who's last, but who's next before Roman Reigns comes out to the ring. Roman then gets into the ring and gets in Goldberg's face before they lock eyes and Roman leaves as Goldberg snarls before we go to a graphic for the return of John Cena as we get a video package for John as we go to commercial.
Bayley vs Naomi
Naomi backs Bayley up, but she immediately exits through the ropes several times before grabbing a mic and cutting a promo while the referee holds Naomi back. Bayley introduces the return of Sasha Banks before attacking Naomi from behind when she's distracted and Bayley rocks her with a kick before dropkicking her. Naomi then hits the Rear View before Sasha runs in and attacks her for the disqualification.
Winner: Naomi defeats Bayley via disqualification.
-After the match Bayley and Sasha attack Naomi before she's saved by Lacey Evans and all four women are separated before they make a tag match on the fly.
Bayley & Sasha Banks vs Naomi & Lacey Evans
We come back from the break to the match already in progress with Sasha and Bayley double teaming Naomi before they cut the ring in half and mock Lacey while chaining together frequent tags and offense. Lacey paces back and forth on the apron before Sasha teases letting Naomi tags her in and instead knocks her off of the apron. Naomi kicks Sasha away and gets the tag to Lacey who drops Bayley boots Sasha off of the apron before hitting a bronco buster and Naomi hits a springboard cross body for a near fall that Sasha breaks up. Lacey and Sasha then brawl at ringside before Naomi pins Bayley with a sunset flip.
Winner: Naomi and Lacey Evans defeat Bayley and Sasha Banks.
Kofi Kingston w/Big-E vs Robert Roode w/Dolph Ziggler
Roode puts Kofi in a headlock before dropping him with a shoulder block and reapplying the headlock. Roode transitions into a hammer lock before Kofi drops him and Roode backs him into the corner before stomping him. Roode whips Kofi into the corner before Kofi lands on his feet when Roode goes for a monkey flip. Kofi dropkicks Roode and backs him against the ropes before Roode drops him and Kofi comes back with a back elbow. E is then ejected from ringside when Roode acts like Big-E attacked him as we go to commercial.
We come back to Roode in control as Mandy Rose looks on from a monitor backstage before Kofi gets to his feet and hits a missile dropkick off of the second rope. Roode rolls out onto the apron and snaps Kofi's throat across the ropes and suplexes Kofi. Roode misses a diving knee drop before Kofi hits a springboard clothesline and several more clotheslines into a Boom Drop. Roode dodges the Trouble in Paradise before Kofi hits a diving cross body for two and Roode hits a uranage for two. Roode sets Kofi on the top turnbuckle before Kofi rogues him off and Roode hits a spinebuster for a near fall.
Roode then goes for the Glorious DDT before Kofi hits the SOS for a near fall that Roode breaks up before Roode rolls Kofi up when he's arguing with the referee.
Winner: Robert Roode defeats Kofi Kingston via pinfall.
-After the match we see Mandy and Sonya watching the end of the match backstage before we cut to Heavy Machinery as we see that Otis was watching the match before being joined by Tucker and they discuss their next move as we go to commercial.
-We come back to the Renee Young in the ring for the contract signing between Shinsuke Nakamura and Braun Strowman, Shinsuke accompanied by Cesaro and Sami Zayn. Sami demands that Braun take a seat before Braun throws the chair out of the ring and Braun and Shinsuke sign the contract. Renee then leaves before Braun moves the table and drops Shinsuke and Cesaro with a single punch before he's out numbered and Sami hits a Helluva Kick before Shinsuke hits a Kinshasa. Shinsuke and Cesaro then put Braun through the table with Sami's help before leaving.
-We get an announcement and graphic for the Universal Championship match at Wrestlemania between the champion Goldberg and the challenger Roman Reigns before Daniel Bryan comes out to the ring as we go to commercial.
-We come back to a video recapping The Undertaker winning the gauntlet match at Super Showdown.
Daniel Bryan vs Curtis Axel
Curtis backs Daniel into the corner and stomps him before hitting a snap mare into a straight arm bar. Curtis traps Daniel in the ropes and hits him with clubbing blows before mocking Daniel and playing to the crowd. Daniel comes back with kicks and gets tossed out of the ring before Curtis sends him into the post. Back in the ring Daniel comes back with a flying clothesline and the Yes kicks before Curtis ducks a buzz saw kick and rolls Daniel up for a near fall. They then exchange pin attempts before Curtis drops Daniel and Daniel locks in a cross face for the tap and the win.
Winner: Daniel Bryan defeats Curtis Axel via submission.
-We new Smackdown Tag Team champions, The Miz and John Morrison come out to the ring to celebrate their defeating The New Day at Super Shodown for the belts before it's announced that their first tag defense will be against The Usos, Lucha House Party, The New Day and Heavy Machinery in an elimination chamber match at the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view.
The Miz & John Morrison vs The Usos
John drops Jey with a shoulder block before Jey sweeps him for a quick two count and tags in Miz who is immediately driven back into the corner and double teamed for two. John kicks Jimmy from the apron when the referee is distracted before Miz hits a DDT and the champions take control. Miz and Morrison hit a double gut buster before Miz drops Jimmy with a boot and locks in a headlock. John gets the blind tag before Jimmy rolls him up for two and sends Miz out of the ring before Miz yanks Jey off of the apron. John then hits a springboard roundhouse for two as we go to commercial.
We return to the action to The Miz and Jey getting tagged and Jey hits a Samoan drop before John gets the blind tag and hits a neckbreaker for a near fall that Jimmy breaks up. Jey sends Miz out of the ring and The Usos hit a double enzuigiri to John before Jimmy hits a suicide dive. Jey goes for a diving splash, but John gets his knees up before rolling Jimmy up for a near fall and John gets trapped in the ropes when The Usos counter Starship Pain. The Usos then hit an avalanche destroyer and diving splash for the pin and the win.
Winner: The Usos defeat John Morrison and The Miz via pinfall.
-John Cena comes out to the ring to an enormous ovation by the WWE Universe before saying that he's there to announce his plans for Wrestlemania. John says that he's doing something different before talking about the passion of the Universe and that he listens to them. John says that Wrestlemania should go on without him before saying that it's not goodbyes forever, but goodbye for now. John says that he's betting on the future and that spots are earned not guaranteed before saying that he's not sure when he'll be back. John lies the mic down and thanks the fans before hugging his family and leaving the lights go out and The Fiend is right behind John.
The Fiend then looks at John before pointing at the Wrestlemania sign and John tips his cap to him before the lights go out and you can hear Bray Wyatt laughing as we go off the air.
