411’s WWE Smackdown Report 2.26.19

I bet you thought you seen the last of me…

Yes, it’s true, our Lord and Savior Larry Christ is back and feeling good, but we would much rather ease him in than force him in, so I’ll be doing Smackdown at least for tonight one more time! Since I have this platform, I’d like to remind you all of the upcoming RAW BINGO I have planned! Want to know how to be involved?! It’s simple:

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We start RAW with Shane McMahon in the ring alongside his sister. Daniel Bryan is seated behind a table, and Rowan stands by. Shane wants to highlight the man that is Kofi Kingston. We get a clip of his debut in 2008 then some of his coolest Rumble moments. WE also are reminded that he is a former IC Champ and US Champ, and finally brings up The New Day. Some video clips for each of these mentions are played. Steph claims that two weeks ago, fate shined upon Kofi and brings up the gauntlet match, leading to the Elimination Chamber, culminating in this very moment.

Kofi is introduced, and out comes the man and his buddies. Kofi circles the ring, all smiles. He grabs the mic and there is so much blue in the ring. Kofi says 11 years, and all he has ever wanted was a chance. And after 11 years, it’s happening, bay-beeeeee. This moment would not have been possible if it weren’t for his boys, though, and he pulls in New Day for some love. He also knows none of this would have been possible if it weren’t for the tweets and writings and other forms of demands via the WWE Universe. Come Fastlane, says Kofi, he is going to do what everyone has wanted to see him do for a very long time. He is going to beat Daniel Bryan and become WWE Champion.

Kofi drops the mic on the table and takes a seat. Shane wants Bryan to sign first. Bryan gabs a pen and signs the dotted line (I have no confirmation that it is, in fact, dotted). He then offers the contract over to Kofi, and just as he is about to sign….Vince McMahon’s music hits, and out comes the dude we all know and love. He wants to personally tell Kofi that he is appreciative of what Kofi has accomplished. Truly remarkable. However, it is his job to give all of us the highest caliber competition he possibly can, the biggest box office, therefore he is replacing Kofi with the man he has appointed as more deserving and qualified. He is replacing Kofi with….

Kevin Owens.

Out comes KO!!! He walks straight to the ring, enters it, and sits in Kofi’s seat. Everyone is either shocked or pissed or both, but Kevin Owens signs on the line just before we go to commercial.

This is a blow…

Backstage, KO tells Shane and Steph that it doesn’t matter how long he knew, and that he wants to team with Kofi tonight if at all possible.

In the ring, Sheamus and Cesaro make their entrance. We get a hesitancy before Jeff AND MATT come out for a match!!

Match 1: The Hardy Boyz vs The Bar

Cesaro and Jeff Hardy to start. They work each other’s arms for a bit. Jeff tags in Matt. Matt drops an elbow onto Cesaro’s arm. He drops the arm onto the shoulder. Cesaro with a kick then an uppercut. Tag to Sheamus, who comes in and hits a right then a bunch of hard punches in the corner. Sheamus whips and Matt stops, kicks, and hits a hard right hand. He tags in Jeff, whips, and they hit a double elbow then a double move. Cesaro in, and The Hardyz hit a leg drop/crotch drop. Poetry in Motion OVER THE TOP ROPE from Jeff onto The Bar on the outside.

We come back to Sheamus preventing a tag to Matt. He pulls on Jeff’s arm and tags in Cesaro, who comes in to stomp the head and wihp Jeff into the ropes. Double clothesline and a pin for 1..2..NO!!! Cesaro works the head with a headlock. He hits a knee to Jeff, then goes to knock Matt off of the apron. Tag to Sheamus who gets whipped into an elbow. Another to Cesaro. Whisper in the Wind to Sheamus and Cesaro. Matt calls for a tag. Tag to Cesaro. Tag to Matt. Rights, a hard one, he gets the head smashes in the corner ala DELETE chants. Matt hits a clothesline in the corner, goes for a bulldog, Cesaro pushes, Matt turns, SIDE EFFECT! Pin for 1…..2…NO!!! Matt climbs to the 2nd rope. Elbow dorp and a cover for 1..2…NO!!!! Matt calls for the end. He stands. Sheamus tries to enter. He sends him off the apron, goes for a Twist of Fate, but Cesaro shoves Matt and chokes him up on the ropes. Sheamus with a cheap shot. Cesaro pins, goes for 1..2..NO!!!! Sheamus in, gets Matt on his shoulders. Ceasro to the top rope. He flies over both men and lands into a Twist of Fate from Jeff Hardy!!

Cesaro to the outside. Matt escapes Sheamus’ hold and hits a Twist of Fate! Tag to jeff. Swanton Bomb! Pin for 1..2..3!!!

Winners: The Hardy Boyz
Short, but nice to see Matt back.
Match Quality: *1/2
Personal Enjoyment: *1/2

Total Rating: *1/2

Backstage, Lana walks into the locker room of Ricochet and Black to say that she doesn’t get it. Ricochet loves it, especially the look on the face of people who think he is nothing special. Black says he gets it, Lana fears the unknown, but the only thing she needs to know about him is written on his flesh. Tonight, Rusev and Nakamura will fade to Black.

What’s Up? Up next is a United States Title Open Challenge.

We return to Smackdown to see the official announcement of Honky Tonk Man’s entrance into the Hall of Fame.

R Truth is in the ring and wants to talk about his hero, John Cena! He says that ever since he was a wee little lad, his favorite and hero was John Cena. And in keeping with the tradition of his hero, he is holding an Open Challenge. But first…they dance.

Before Truth can announce anything, though, Andrade is here to answer.

He gets to the end of the ramp before Rey Mysterio’s music hits, and out comes Rey! He rushes down the ramp and shoves Andrade, then slides into the ring. Andrade enters and the ref holds him back, but Truth says he is having a dilemma. He has no idea who to face. In moments like this, he asks himself what would John Cena do? Carmella says that he would face both of his opponents at once.

Truth doesn’t like this idea, and says that Cena is brave. He was thinking, instead, no thank you to both. But instead, he looks to the screen and says “John, I’m going to make you proud. Lets do it!”

Match 2: United States Championship Match
Rey Mysterio vs Andrade vs R-Truth

Andrade sends Rey to the outside immediately. He kicks Truth away, then Rey comes in to send Andrade to the outside. Truth with a spinning elbow. Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Rey is against the ropes. He sends Truth to the outside. Andradre grabs him and hits a powerbomb to Truth on the outside!!! Rey with a baseball slide to Andrade! Rey hits the ropes, slides through the bottom, but Andrade is there to kick him as he slides out!

After a break, we return to Andrade on the shoulders of Truth. Rey flies off the top rope and hits a hurricanrana to Andrade! Rey with a kick to Truth. Truth hits a back elbow. He hits the ropes, and we get a double crossbody in the middle of the ring. Andrade gets Rey into th corner, as Truth backs up into his own corner. Andrade hits some knees to Rey. He goes for Truth, but Truth moves, whips , reverses, and hits a hard lcothelsine. He splits under a right and hits a high kick to Almas. Truth hits the conrer, flies and hits a splash. Almas runs into a protobomb! Truth with a YOU CANT SEE ME!! He hits the ropes. FIVE KNUCKLE SHUFFLE!! Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Truth with a fremans, possibly for an AA, but Zelina holds onto Andrade. Here comes Carmella to knock her of the apron. Truth gets sent to the outside. Rey with a hurricanrana into the ropes. He goes for 619, but Andrade escapes and hits a back elbow! Pin for 1..2…NO!!!

Rey with a springboard, Almas catches him, Truth comes in, looks for a German, but Rey bounces off and kicks both into the ropes. 619 to Almas, as Truth moves!!! He rolls Rey up! 1…2….3!!!

Winner: R-Truth
Man I love this whole Almas Rey thing.
Match Quality: **
Personal Enjoyment: **

Total Rating: **

Almas attacks Rey after the match. Double underhook, but Rey pulls and locks Almas on the ropes. He goes for a 619, but Zelina pulls him out of the way, and Almas walks away calling Rey a donkey.

We come back after a break to a recap of Monday night with Ronda and Becky while Charlotte makes her entrance to Smackdown.

Charlotte brings up Owens being chosen to face Bryan. She says it’s almost as important as when he anointed our Queen to slay the Main Event of Wrestlemania. The crowd chants for Becky, and Charlotte wonders if we are finished. She knows exactly why Mr. McMahon did it. Because she knows her lane and she stays in it, unlike the criminal Becky Lynch, or the quitter Ronda Rousey, she does exactly what is asked of her, and always delivers. Media, charity, live events, the main events, she is the gold standard. On Monday, Ronda laid dow the title that sheso proudly carried. She would never do that. Do you know what she was thinking? She’ll tell us. They fear Charlotte. Becky is worried she will be exposed, and ronda fears another beating of a lifetime. Charlotte fears no one. We go back to November where Ronda claims what a true champion is. Charlotte then says that Ronda and her finally agree on something; Ronda said it all.

The difference between the two of them is that she will never quit, and she will never lay down the title because she is The True Champion. This is why next Monday, she will show up so Mr. McMahon can crown the NEW RAW Women’s Champion; Charlotte Flair.

Match 3: Aleister Black and Ricochet vs Rusev and Nakamura

Black and Shinny to start. A high kick from Shinsuke. He backs Black into the ropes, but Black aint havin it and reverses, sending Shinsuke to the ropes. He goes for a high kick, but Shinsuke ducks under it. He misses a right, a chop, Black rolls over him, but Shinsuke tries for a kick, only for Balck to drop to down and dodge yet another ick! Tag to Ricochet. Drop toe hold from Black and Ricochet goes for a cover for 1..NO! He works the left hand of Shinsuke, tweaking the arm. Shinsuke kicks the back of the kne then tags in Rusev who comes in to stomp away at Ricochet in the corner. Rusev grabs the head, hits a hard right hand to the face, then kicks Ricochet away, calling him Ricky. Tag to Nakamura who hits a high kick. He gets a front faced headlock onto Ricochet. Shinsuke drives some knees into the face of Ricochet. Tag to Rusev. Kick to the back of the leg. Rusev grabs Ricochet and hits a suplex in the middle of the ring. He covers fo 1..2.NO! Rusev cuts the tag off, standing in between Ricochet and Black. Ruse lifts him up, whips him to the corner, and runs right into a kick. Elbow to Shinsuke. He hops over Rusev and tags in Black. Black with some rights, a kick, leg sweep, hits the ropes, dropkick to the head, kip up! He rusn to the ropes, but Rusev distracts, and Shinsuke sends him to the outside over the ropes. Tag to Rusev, and Rusev trucks Black down hard.

Back from a break, and Rusev hits a hard kick to the back of Black. Rusev stomps the hand of Black. He forces Black into the corner and calls him Rookie over and over, which means that’s probably what he was calling Ricochet, too. Oops. Rusev lifts Black up and locks in a bear hug. Black drops an elbow onto the shoulder of Rusev, then another to his head. He hits a third to the head and Rusv drops him. Rusev shoves him into the ropes, Black comes back, and Rusev hits a hard clothesline. Rusev grabs the head of Black and looks for a back suplex, but Black turns into the hold and falls onto Rusev. Black reaches for a tag, gets one! Dropkick off the top! Hurricanrana. Crossbody in the corner. Pump kick to Shinsuke. Kick to Rusev, spinning uppercut to Rusev. Standing moonsault to Rusev and a pin for 1…2…NO!!! He pulls Rusev towards the corner. Ricohet to the top rope. He flips, lands on his feet, side steps a hard kick, goes for a crossbody, but Rusev catches him and drives him down hard into the mat! Pin for 1..2…NO!!! Rusev shouts out YOU DAMN ROOKIES! Haha. Rusev CRUSH!! He stomps the back, looks for The Accolade, but Rusev slips through Right hand from Rusev. Tag to Shinsuke. They look for a double team, but Ricochet hits an elbow to Shinsuke then sends rusev to the outside. Tag to Balck. Ricochet with a flip over the top rope onto Rusev. B

lack locks up from behind, goes for a kick, but Shinsuke hits the reverse exploder. Shinsuke calls for the finish, but he is hit by Black Mass! Pin for 1..2…3111

Winners: Ricochet and Aleister Black
man, all four dudes did well here. Good shit
Match Quality: ***1/2
Personal Enjoyment: ***1/2

Total Rating: ***1/2

Backstage, we get to talk to AJ Styles. He says that he is happy to hear that Roman is in remission. Now then, AJ is a cornerstone of Smackdown, but with all that’s going on, how is AJ moving forward? Is he in a slump? AJ says he is his harshest critic. He sets the standards for him. He says anything less than perfection is a disappointment, and those standards keep him pushing to be the best. Sometimes, he hasn’t been at his best. He is partly to blame for the rise of Bryan, because he had the opportunity to stop him and he didn’t succeed. This doesn’t mean he won’t stop trying. Don’t forget how long it took him to get to the WWE. Nothing was ever given to him. He will stop listening to the critics, pick himself up, dust himself off, and step up and keep fighting to justify his claim that this is the house that AJ Styles built.

Randy Orton enters the frame. He seems bothered. He turns to AJ and mocks his phrase then walks away.

Lacey Evans is here wearing her JC Penney’s best red dress, complete with the Payless white shoes and Macy’s clearance rack hat. She comes to the bottom of the ramp and removes her gloves, then walks back up the ramp waving.

We come back to Smackdown where we head over to RAW and Reigns announcement of a clean bill of health. His real name is Joe.

Match 4: Kofi Kingston and Kevin Owens vs Daniel Bryan and Rowan
Bryan and Kofi to start. Bryan tags in Rowan who overpowers Kofi into the corner. Lockup and Rowan hits a body slam to Kofi. Kofi side steps a rushi n the orner and gets in a barrage of kicks. He hits the ropes and runs into the bearded mountain that is Rowan. Tag from Owens, who enters with a hard right .He gets a bunch more onto the face of Rowan, then runs right into him and flips inside out. Owens kicks out of the coner. Chop and a forearm combo over and over until Rowan sends him into the corner. Owens hits the ropes. Dropkick from Rowan. Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Tag to Bryan who comes in with a kick for Owens. Whip to the ropes is reversed, and Bryan hops over Owens. Owens is there to hit a shoulder, though, knocking Bryan down. Owens with a tag to Kofi. Snapmare to Bryan and Kofi hits the ropes, then a hard kick to the chest of Bryan. Pin for 1..2.NO!! Whip is reversed and Kofi hits the ropes, holds on, then flips Bryan over the top rope. Bryan tumbles to the outside. Tag to Kevin who hits the ropes, then front flips over the top rope to the outside onto Bryan!

We are back, and Rowan rolls Kofi into the ring for a cover but Kofi kicks out at 2. Rowan drives some knees to the back of Kofi, then Rowan crunches his head in between his own two hands. Kofi turns into the hold and hits some rights and lefts to escape. Rowan shoves him then hits an elbow, knocking Kofi down hard. Rowan grabs Kofi up, looks for a pumphandle, gets it and drops Kofi onto his knee. Cover for 1..2..NO!!! Tag to Bryan. Bryan hits an uppercut. He pulls Kofi up against the ropes and pulls back on his nose. Bryan dropkicks Kofi off the apron. Tag to Rowan. He drops down on the outside to grab Kofi and hits a body slam on Kofi on the outside. Damn. He lifts Kofi up and drags him into the ring like nothing. Pin for 1..2..NO!!! Rowan with a stomp to the chest. Rowan with a splash. Cover for 1..2.NO!! Rowan locks the head of Kofi between his legs. He lifts up, sets up for a backbreaker, but instead just smashes Kofi in the corner. Tag to Bryan. Rowan hits Owens. Bryan sits Kofi up on the corner. Right hand to the face. Bryan is up top. Lock up for a superplex. HE HITS IT! Cover for 1..2…..No!!!! Bryan works the left arm, then gets a headbutt to Kofi. Kofi fights out with some right hands. Back body drop but Kofi lands on his feet and rolls Bryan up! Bryan reverses into the LaBell Lock! Kofi is nearing the ropes. He gets a boot on the bottom rope! Bryan releases and grabs the head of Kofi. He sends Kofi into the corner. YES kicks in the corner. Bryan hits the corner and runs with adropkick to the face. He hits the corner and runs with another kick .A third one is stopped with a stomp to the chest!! Kofi rolls to the corner. Tag to Kevin Owens. TAG FROM OWENS! He enters, hits a chop to Bryan. Another. Right. Chop. Whip to the ropes. Back body drop! Brayn in the corner. Hard clothesline. Owens to the 2nd rope. He flies off the corner with a dropkick! Right to Rowan! Senton to Bryan! Right hand to Rowan, sending him to the outside. CANNONBALL TO BRYAN!!! Rowan is in the ring. He grabs the head but Owens kicks and sends Rowan over the top rope by holding on. Rowan lands on his feet. He’s on the apron. SUPERKICK TO ROWAN! TURNS! POP UP POWERBOMB TO BRYAN!!! Pin! 1……..2…….NO!!!! Owens heads to the corner. He’s up top! Rowan is there to grab owens off the corner. He tosses Owens into the announce table! Kofi with a springboard into the arms of Rowan. Kofi slips off and sends Rowans into the post. Kofi to the top rope. He flies and trust falls onto Rowan!

On the other side, Bryan tosses Owens back into the ring. He waits, Owens stands, Bryan goes for a knee, but Owens with a STUNNER!!! Pin for 1…2….3!!!

Winners: Kevin Owens and Kofi Kingston
Missed ya, Owens. Not sure what we’re doing here, but missed ya.
Match Quality: ***1/2
Personal Enjoyment: ***1/2

Total Rating: ***1/2

That’s all, folks.

End Show