WWE SmackDown Results: Top Superstar severely injured; Show ends with massive backstage brawl
Brock Lesnar kicked off SmackDown after a recap of the segment between The Beast Incarnate and Roman Reigns from the Madison Square Gardens show. Lesnar said that things have gotten serious now that Reigns has drawn first blood and the Universal Champion's days were now numbered. Brock Lesnar was now looking for blood.
Paul Heyman came out alone and said that Roman Reigns was not there for the show and it was for Lesnar's safety. The latter wondered if Reigns wasn't there, then who was protecting Heyman and chased after him backstage.
Heyman barely ran into the parking lot and escaped in his car before we saw Sheamus and Ridge Holland show up with Sledgehammers and they had a new friend, NXT Superstar Pete Dunne, or as the duo called him, Butch.
WWE SmackDown Results (March 11th, 2022): The New Day vs. Sheamus & Ridge Holland
Kofi Kingston and Sheamus started brawling off the bat before the match was started with Kingston and Ridge Holland in the ring. The New Day had the early advantage before The Celtic Warrior tagged in and got the beats of the Bodhran.
He took a belly-to-belly suplex before we headed for a break. Back on SmackDown, Kingston got a near fall off an SOS. Holland took out Big E with a massive suplex on the outside while Kofi Kingston tried climbing the ropes but a distraction from Butch saw him taken down.
Sheamus took out Kingston with the Brogue Kick and picked up the win. After the match, Butch hit Kofi Kingston with some big kicks before following Sheamus backstage.
Result: Sheamus & Ridge Holland def. The New Day
We learned later in the night that Big E had suffered a horrible neck injury and would be away from the ring for a while.
Grade: B
We saw Stone Cold Steve Austin accepting Kevin Owens' challenge in a short video from social media earlier this week as SmackDown rolled on. Johnny Knoxville had leaked Sami Zayn's phone number this week and it led to Zayn getting over 10k messages.
Drew McIntyre and The Viking Raiders were backstage and headed for a match with Jinder Mahal and the Happy Folks but Mahal, Shanky, Happy Corbin, and Madcap Moss attacked the trio before the match could start.
McIntyre fought his way out to the ring where he took down Mahal and Moss before hitting Shanky with a Michinoku Driver as Corbin fled the scene.
ronda-rousey" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Ronda Rousey was out next on SmackDown and said that she had some surprises up her sleeve after learning some new moves from her mentor Kurt Angle. Charlotte Flair walked out and said that she only tapped out last week because of her heels and expensive outfit but she won't tap out at WrestleMania.
Rousey said that she'll let her take the heels off this time and it looked like they were going to fight but Flair walked out of the ring. Rousey taunted after her, saying that The Queen won't be able to run away at WrestleMania, she will have to tap out.
Sasha Banks & Naomi vs. Shayna Baszler & Natalya on SmacKDown
Shayna Baszler and Natalya isolated Naomi after the match began and kept her down as they tagged in and out.
Baszler got a kneebar locked in before Naomi made the tag and Sasha Banks came in with a Meteora on Natalya before taking out both opponents at ringside.
In the ring, Banks hit the backstabber on Natalya after a distraction from Zelina Vega at ringside before picking up the win.
Result: Sasha Banks & Naomi def. Shayna Baszler & Natalya
Grade: C
The Usos were out and were followed by Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs and the latter wanted a title shot. The Usos decided that if Boogs could beat Jey Uso in a singles match, they would get the tag title match.
Jey Uso vs. Rick Boogs on SmackDown
Boogs got an early bearhug and transitioned it into a vertical suplex. Jey went for his injured leg right off the bat as Jimmy Uso ran a distraction from the outside.
Rick Boogs got the modified power slam: the Boogs Cruise, before picking up the win. After the match, Jimmy came in with the guitar Boogs had with him at ringside and broke it on Boogs' head.
Result: Rick Boogs def. Jey Uso
Grade: B-
Austin Theory was out at ringside as SmackDown continued and taunted Pat McAfee. The latter ran out of his seat and wiped out Theory, sending him into the apron and over the announce desk.
A group of officials ran to separate the two and Theory tried to run back for round two but was stopped as we headed for a break on SmackDown.
Ricochet (c) vs. Sami Zayn - Intercontinental Championship match on SmackDown
The match kicked off after the break and Sami Zayn was trying to play it safe and keep his distance while trying to keep Ricochet on the mat. Zayn got a big powerbomb before going back to the headlock.
Ricochet went up top after taking down Zayn but the latter got up and dropped him from the top before we headed for a break. Back on SmackDown, Ricochet got a near fall off a counter and Zayn returned the favor with a Blue Thunder Bomb.
He got a fisherman's suplex from the top rope before Ricochet hit the Recoil. The champion followed up with the 630 and picked up the win!
Result: Ricochet def. Sami Zayn to retain the Intercontinental Championship
Grade: B+
Flair and Rousey were brawling in the parking lot on SmackDown and had to be stopped by a large group of officials who took a beating in the process. The Queen dropped Ronda Rousey on the hood of a car and locked in a hold on top of the car before slamming her head on the hood as the show went off the air.
Episode rating: B-
We got a massive brawl to end the show while Big E faced a severe injury on tonight's SmackDown.