With WrestleMania around the corner, the crew of SmackDown Live has one more stop before the “Grandest Stage of Them All”. Fastlane is less than a week away and we saw the superstars of SmackDown gear up for their last test before Mania. It was a great show and if you haven’t seen it, here is your SmackDown Summary provided by Sports Al Dente, your designated WWE liaisons.
Opening Segment
SmackDown’s Women’s Champion, Charlotte Flair kicks off the show, introduced be Dasha Fuentes. Ruby Riott enters, flanked by the rest of the Riott Squad. Riott cuts a promo, calling Charlotte “the perfect women”. Riott claims she’s come to SmackDown to destroy the myth of Charlotte Flair. They go back and forth on Charlotte’s legacy and Riott claims that Flair’s legacy will be brought down on Sunday.
The Riott Squad look like they’re going to attack Charlotte and are interrupted by Charlotte’s Mix Match Challenge partner, Bobby Roode. Roode is out to be on commentary for the next match, Randy Orton vs. Jinder Mahal.
Randy Orton vs. Jinder Mahal
Roode on commentary continues to say he respects Orton. Orton goes for an RKO early; Mahal manages to escape to the outside and the show cut to commercial.
Roode continues to say he respects Orton and disrespects Mahal. Orton throws Sunil Singh over the announce table, throws Mahal into Roode at ringside. Randy goes for the RKO on Mahal, gets distracted by Roode, whos on the apron. Mahal hits Orton with the Khallas and pins Orton for the win.
Backstage Segment
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn run into each other in the locker room. Owens reminds Zayn that he said he would lie down for Owens at Fastlane. Zayn says that his time will come, that he will lie down for Owens. Zayn reminds us that Owens is close to being a Grand Slam Champion and when that does happen, Zayn says he’ll be the happiest person in the world.
Backstage Interview w/ Nakamura
Nakamura is asked if he’s afraid that the SmackDown Championship at Fastlane will change his match at WrestleMania. He’s interrupted by Rusev and Aiden English. English sells his throat injury and Rusev claims English can no longer sing his songs. Nakamura says that at Fastlane when he beats Rusev, it will be “Nakamuraaaa Dayyyyyyyy”
Becky Lynch vs Carmella
The segment starts with a video of Becky, Natalya, and Carmella in the back. The three bicker back and forth. Lynch claims that this week she will get Carmella trending and tapping. Carmella starts the match strongly and has a couple early pinfalls. Lynch hits a Bexslpoder followed by a Dis-Arm-Her.
We go backstage to find Natalya and Naomi trading quips. Naomi challenges Natalya to a tag team match at Fastlane with Carmella and Lynch being their partners, respectively
AJ Styles Mic Segment
Styles enters the ring with a mic and looks to talk a bit. Styles says he’s not going to complain that his match at Fastlane isn’t fair but instead, he’s going to fight. The video cuts to footage from RAW of John Cena claiming that he’s going to break Ric Flair’s record on Sunday. Styles says he doesn’t want Cena to win and Styles says he wants his WrestleMania moment. Styles goes on to say that his match with Nakamura will be “nothing short of phenomenal”
Styles is interrupted by Dolph Ziggler. The two go back and forth on who deserves the SmackDown Championship more. Ziggler tells Styles that he can take his dream match and “shove it”. Styles challenges Ziggler to a match and what was scheduled to be the main event starts a little early
AJ Styles vs. Dolph Ziggler
Both men go for their finishers and try to end it early. Ziggler hits a high dropkick and takes advantage of the match. Styles hits a Phenomenal Forearm onto Ziggler whose on the outside and we cut to commercial. We return to find Styles on the outside and Ziggler trying to recover. Ziggler hit AJ with the Famouser and both men are down.
From the apron, Ziggler catapults Styles into the ring post and we cut to another commercial. We return from commercial and shortly after, Styles is hit with a Zig-Zag. The match ends in disqualification after Owens and Zayn attack the two competitors. Just as Styles and Ziggler begin to fight, Shane Mcmahon’s music hits and he announces the main event, a fatal five-way between Styles, Ziggler, Owens, Zayn, and Baron Corbin.
Fatal Five-Way
We come back from commercial to find the match has already started. Zayn and Owens dominate the match in the early goings. All the superstars hit their signature moves and everyone is down as we cut to commercial. KO is in control and takes advantage until Ziggler hit him with a superkick. Corbin hits Owens with the Deep Six but the pin is broken up by Styles and everyone is down again.
Styles hits Zayn with a reverse DDT, goes for a Phenomenal Forearm but the pinfall is broken up by Corbin. Zayn hits Owens with a shocking Helluva Kick for the win. After the win, Dasha Fuentes asks zayn “why?” Zayn replies that he is the best and at Fastlane, he will prove it.
Conclusion
This was a great night of matches that got me excited for Fastlane. The matches and promos were all good. The Fatal Five-Way was superb, with a shocker for an ending.
The Styles-Ziggler match was a little sloppy and some of the promo segments could have been better but both of those things are nit-picky. As I said, this was a great show and if I were to give it a letter grading, it would be a B+. This was a solid go-home show and I don’t know about you, but I’m hyped for Sunday.