WWE SmackDown Live Results March 8th 2017, Latest SmackDown Live winners and video highlights
SmackDown Live saw the first match of John Cena & Nikki Bella as a team, Randy Orton and AJ Styles battled for the first time, and so much more! Who is moving on to the main event of WrestleMania against Bray Wyatt?
A recap is shown of the last month between Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton, and last week, where Randy Orton turned on Bray Wyatt.
Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan express their disagreements
The SmackDown Live Commissioner and General Manager came out to open the show. Shane McMahon began talking about the confusion and disagreements regarding the Bray Wyatt WrestleMania situation. Bryan said that he believed Randy Orton deserves to go to WrestleMania, while Shane stood up for AJ.
Bryan argued that tradition should have the Royal Rumble winner go on to face the WWE Champion at WrestleMania. Shane McMahon argued that no one has abdicated their Royal Rumble privileges, and Randy’s scheme threw all their plans out the window.
Bryan said that he didn’t agree with Orton’s actions, but because he won the Royal Rumble, he deserves a spot at WrestleMania. Since they disagreed, they set the match between the two.
Bryan hyped the Orton-Styles match as one of the most must-see main events in SmackDown history.
Backstage, AJ Styles ran into Bryan and Shane and told them that everything was a conspiracy against him and that he would harm Randy Orton and it would be on them.
John Cena & Nikki Bella vs James Ellsworth & Carmella
James Ellsworth was in the ring trash talking John Cena before introducing Carmella. Cena made his entrance, followed by Nikki. Nikki and Carmella were set to begin things, but just as the bell rang, The Miz & Maryse came out, and as Nikki turned back to Carmella, she was met with a superkick.
After the break, Carmella still had control over Nikki, with The Miz & Maryse sitting on commentary. Nikki managed to throw Carmella out and was able to tag in Cena. Ellsworth was reluctant to get in the ring with him. Carmella came inside the ring and told Ellsworth to “be a man” and pushed hm towards Cena.
As he slammed Ellsworth, Carmella pushed Cena, and Nikki struck Carmella. The couple then dually hit the “Five knuckle shuffle”, then put the respective competitors on their shoulders and hit their finishers(AA and Rack Attack 2.0) followed by a dual STF, which made them tap out.
John Cena & Nikki Bella defeated James Ellsworth & Carmella
After the match, the couple celebrated, The Miz and Maryse pulled them out of the ring and attacked them. The Miz and Maryse came in the ring, and The Miz cut a scathing promo calling Cena & Nikki’s relationship fake and accused Cena of conveniently being together with Nikki on WWE television because it's Women's month and it will help expand the John Cena brand.
Maryse ended the segment by telling Nikki "Break that, b**ch"