On the last episode of Monday Night Raw, a new match for WrestleMania 32 was announced. The Intercontinental Champion, Kevin Owens, will defend his title in a seven-man ladder match against Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler, The Miz, Stardust, Sin Cara, and Zack Ryder. We also found out that if the Undertaker loses his match against Shane McMahon, this will be his last WrestleMania ever. Tonight’s episode of Smackdown will build up the feuds leading into WrestleMania, and it will also feature “The Beast Incarnate,” Brock Lesnar.
Charlotte (w/Ric Flair) vs. Sasha Banks
Before this match starts, we see Charlotte and her father, Ric Flair (Did you know they were related?), in the ring for a promo, with Becky Lynch joining Mauro Ranallo, Byron Saxton, and Jerry Lawler at the commentary table.
At WrestleMania 32, Charlotte, Sasha Banks, and Becky Lynch will compete in a triple threat match for the Divas Championship. Whoever wins this singles bout will build plenty of momentum going into WrestleMania. With Ric Flair at ringside, Charlotte definitely has an advantage over the undefeated (since being called up to the main roster) Sasha Banks.
During the match, Charlotte sends Sasha Banks into Becky Lynch, and things definitely feel tense. After getting back in the ring, Charlotte attempts the Figure Four Leg Lock on Sasha Banks, but Banks counters into a roll-up for the win in her hometown of Boston. Winner: Sasha Banks
After the match, a riled up Becky Lynch spoils Banks’s celebration by giving Charlotte and Sasha Banks an exploder suplex. After Lynch leaves the ring, Banks is able to pull herself together and hit Charlotte with a backstabber, leaving the Divas Champion as the only one who is not standing tall.
Kofi Kingston (w/The New Day) vs. Sheamus (w/League of Nations)
If you haven’t gotten tired of these two teams being on the screen at the same time, you will be by WrestleMania. There seems to be a segment every episode of WWE television that features a member of The New Day facing a member of The League of Nations in a singles match. If they keep going back and forth with victories for each team, it’ll show that they are evenly matched heading in to the WWE Tag Team Championship title defense. However, it also just makes this combination stale.
King Barrett provides a distraction, leading to Sheamus taking advantage, and hitting Kofi Kingston with an emphatic Brogue Kick for the win. Winner: Sheamus
The Usos vs. The Ascension
You know something is off when I’m relieved to see the Ascension in a match. The Ascension is one of the best tag teams when it comes to in-ring chemistry, but they never connected with the WWE Universe.
The Usos try their best attempt at replicating a “Superkick Party” (a la The Young Bucks from New Japan Pro Wrestling and Ring of Honor), and put the Ascension away, sending a message to the Dudley Boyz. Winners: The Usos
After the match, The Usos bring out two tables, and both Viktor and Konnor each get hit with a splash through a table.
Sami Zayn & Dolph Ziggler vs. Kevin Owens & The Miz
All four of these men are part of the Intercontinental Championship ladder match at WrestleMania, and the team that picks up the win here will definitely have a mental advantage going into the championship match. A few weeks ago on Smackdown, Kevin Owens and The Miz were tag team partners, but Owens walked out on Miz, so their partnership might not be ideal tonight.
Owens starts to walk out on The Miz again, and Stardust, Sin Cara, and Zack Ryder appear at the entrance ramp to force him to walk back. The Miz hits Owens with the Skull Crushing Finale, and Sami Zayn hits the Helluva Kick on The Miz for the win. Winners: Sami Zayn & Dolph Ziggler
After the match, every competitor in the Intercontinental title match hits their finisher, ending with Zack Ryder hitting the Rough Ryder on Kevin Owens, standing tall over all the other competitors.
Roman Reigns vs. Bubba Ray Dudley
This is the first time Roman Reigns has competed in a match since returning from his nose surgery last week. Both Reigns and Bubba Ray Dudley have a match at WrestleMania, and a win over an established veteran can push Reigns even further to the top.
Reigns repeatedly slams Bubba Ray Dudley’s face into the announce table to the point where the referee calls off the match. Winner (via disqualification): Bubba Ray Dudley
After the match, Roman Reigns takes out Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley, making a statement directed toward Triple H.
Golden Truth Update
Not yet.
AJ Styles vs. Tyler Breeze
It is amazing that out of all the matches happening at WrestleMania, Breeze is only in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Breeze has been on the main roster for a few months now, and he has had no creative direction other than pairing up with Summer Rae for a short while. The last thing Breeze did in NXT was face Jushin “Thunder” Liger at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn, a huge honor for any wrestler.
Breeze gets “some” offense in, but after not too long, Styles hits the Phenomenal Forearm for the win. Winner: AJ Styles
In-ring Segment
The main event tonight is not a match, but the appearance of Brock Lesnar. Lesnar and his advocate, Paul Heyman, come to the ring to hype Lesnar’s scheduled Street Fight against Dean Ambrose at WrestleMania 32. Heyman calls out Dean Ambrose for Lesnar, but instead, the Wyatt Family makes their way down to the ring. The Wyatts start to attack Lesnar, and Ambrose interferes, hitting everybody with a kendo stick. Lesnar takes Ambrose’s kendo stick, uses it against him, and hits Ambrose with an F5 to end this episode of Smackdown.
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