WWE SmackDown
March 17, 2023
T-Mobile Center
Kansas City, MO
Welcome to our live coverage of WWE SmackDown. As always, we will have the results up immediately after every match. Refresh this page often to see updated results.
Tonight on WWE SmackDown:
– Sami Zayn confronts Jey Uso
– Cody Rhodes will be on the show
– Intercontinental Title Opportunity: Drew McIntyre vs Sheamus
– Santos Escobar & Zelina Vega vs Dominik Mysterio & Rhea Ripley
Our live coverage begins at 8PM EST
Cody Rhodes came to the ring. He said he has the utmost respect for Roman Reigns and he looks forward to beating him at WrestleMania. He called out Kevin Owens and then he called out Sami Zayn. Cody told Owens he respects him because when he left WWE, it was Owens who gave him the contacts to go outside of WWE and make a living. He can’t repay him for that, but he would like to try to repay it now. He asked that Owens and Zayn have the conversation. Owens told Cody he’s heard everything Zayn had to say. Zayn told Owens he hasn’t heard everything that Owens had to say. As many times as they’ve turned on each other, they’ve always found their way back and is wondering why this time is so different. He asked Owens that whatever he needs to say or do to him, do it so they can get past this and get back to working together. Owens told Cody that he heard him out and asked Cody if he got what he wanted. Cody said it doesn’t matter what he wants, it’s what everybody wants and that’s to see them back on the same page. Zayn said the people want it and it’s in both their best interests to be together to bring down The Bloodline. He said we don’t even need to do this as friends, we just need to work together. Owens said he’s heard him say this for weeks so they can take down The Bloodline. He asked Zayn why would he fight for someone who doesn’t even want to be his friend. Owens thanked Cody, but said he’s all set and left the ring.
Owens was headed out of the arena in the parking lot. Zayn caught up with him. Zayn said they are friends, they will always be friends, and they are brothers. If he never wants to talk to him again, he wants him to know that he loves him. Owens went in his car and left the parking lot.
Santos Escobar & Zelina Vega vs Dominik Mysterio & Rhea Ripley
Vega got a cross body off the top rope onto Ripley and hit her with a knee to the face. Vega gave a hurricanrana to Dominik. Ripley then hit Vega with the Riptide and pinned her.
Winners: Dominik Mysterio & Rhea Ripley
After the match, Dominik said your Hall of Famer is nothing but a deadbeat dad. Rey Mysterio came to the ring. Rey asked Rhea if he could have a moment with his son alone. Dominik said so now that we are in a ring, that’s when he will spend time with him. He called Rey a sorry excuse for a father. Rey said he hasn’t been the best father in the world. He’s missed all the special days and hasn’t been there all the time for him, but he still loves him. Dominik is his world, but soon he will find out this business is selfish. He’s made sacrifices so him and his sister could have the life he only dreamed of. Whenever Dominik made mistakes, the Mysterio name bailed him out. He said he’s being inducted into the Hall of Fame and would love nothing more than for him to stand by his side on that stage. His biggest regret is what Dominik has become. If some ungrateful, disrespectful, pathetic, punk ass kid called him out at WrestleMania, he would gladly whoop their ass. Unfortunately, he’s his son and fighting him would be the biggest disgrace as a father. He’s not worth it. He’s not going to fight him now and he won’t fight him at WrestleMania either. Dominik told Rey so he’s going to run away from his son again.
Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez vs Emma & Tegan Nox
Rodriguez hit the Tejuna bomb on Emma and Morgan then hit the Oblivion on Emma to pin her. As a result of this win, Morgan and Rodriguez are now a part of a Fatal 4-Way tag team match at WrestleMania.
Winners: Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez
In the ring, Rhea Ripley told Charlotte Flair she chose her. She didn’t choose Bianca Belair because she has her reasons, but she will get back to that. When she walks through the locker room, men and women turn and walk away because they fear her, except Charlotte, and that pisses her off. She wants her title because she not only wants to be a star, she needs to be a star. After WrestleMania, Charlotte will learn to call her champion and she will learn to fear her. Dominik got between the two and was starting to trash talk Charlotte when Ripley sucker punched her. As Dominik and Ripley were leaving the ring, Charlotte charged at Ripley and clotheslined her. They brawled until official broke them up.
Backstage, Zayn said one guy who that once considered him his brother just drove off on him in the parking lot and another guy who once considered him his brother is probably waiting to take him out the second he steps in his ring. When people who once loved him tell him he’s the problem, you start to believe it. If he brought this on himself, then it’s time for him to handle this by himself.
Xavier Woods vs LA Knight
Woods gave Knight a suplex powerbomb for a near fall. Knight hit Woods with a neckbreaker and face first forward suplex. Knight went for another suplex, but Woods rolled him up for the win.
Winner: Xavier Woods
They showed footage of Great Muta who will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2023.
Backstage, LA Knight told Rey Mysterio that if he isn’t going to fight his son, then he will give his son an LA moment. He will call himself LA Mysterio and be a deadbeat dad. Rey then punched Knight.
Winner to face Gunther for the Intercontinental Title at WrestleMania:
Sheamus vs Drew McIntyre
Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser, and Giovanni Vinci made their way to the ringside area before the match. Sheamus hit McIntyre with the Brogue Kick at the same time McIntyre hit Sheamus with the Claymore Kick. The referee was counting to 10, and at 9, Gunther got in the ring to stop the count. Gunther urged the both of them to get up and asked them who’s it going to be at WrestleMania. Kaiser and Vinci attacked Sheamus and McIntyre as they were starting to get up. McIntyre threw Vinci out of the ring. Gunther dropkicked McIntyre. Sheamus threw Kaiser out of the ring. Gunther clotheslined Sheamus. Gunther then powerbombed Sheamus on top of McIntyre. Adam Pearce told Gunther he will defend the Intercontinental Championship against Sheamus and Drew McIntyre in a Triple Threat match at WrestleMania.
In the ring, Sami Zayn came to the ring to meet Jey Uso. Zayn asked Jey how he wants to do this. Jey said he has a job to do tonight, but he’s going to hear this. From day one, he didn’t like Zayn or trust him and didn’t want him around his family. But after time, they started liking him, but he didn’t like him. He was trained to protect his family, and the one time he let his guard down, Zayn betrayed him and made him look stupid. He had no choice. Zayn said Jey keeps saying he has no choice, but that’s a lie because he had a choice, but he chose to take Roman Reign’s abuse. Zayn said he loved his family, but he wasn’t going to take that every week like he did. He doesn’t think Jey is mad at him, but rather, he’s mad at himself. He’s not mad that he hit Roman Reigns with that chair. He’s mad that he didn’t get to hit him first. He told Jey that he always has a choice. Jey then slugged Zayn and they started a brawl. Jimmy Uso then came in to attack Zayn. Jey hit Zayn in the head with the ring steps. Kevin Owens music played. As the Usos turned to look at the entrance ramp, Owens appeared from behind and attacked the Usos. He gave Jimmy a stunner and a popup powerbomb to Jey. Owens then hugged Zayn. They showed Cody Rhodes in the back watching on the monitor with a smile on his face.
