By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Friday Night Smackdown on Fox
Aired live on February 14, 2020 from Vancouver, British Columbia at Rogers Arena
[Hour One] The AC/DC opening aired (when you feel her sting)… The broadcast team of Michael Cole and Corey Graves introduced the show and noted that there were 14,382 fans in attendance. They hyped Roman Reigns teaming with a partner of his choosing, hyped the Otis and Mandy Rose date, and an appearance by Hulk Hogan via satellite…
Alexa Bliss was accompanied by Nikki Cross on the “A Moment of Bliss” talkshow set on the stage. Cross asked Bliss to name her celebrity crush for Valentine’s Day. Before Bliss could answer, Cross guessed Brad Pitt. Bliss said that’s exactly who she was going to say. When Bliss asked Cross to name her celebrity crush, she told her not to be naughty.
Bliss introduced Carmella as her guest. Carmella moonwalked onto the set and said she would surprise everyone by beating Bayley to win the Smackdown Women’s Championship. Bliss brought up an exchange that Carmella and Bayley had on social media through the week. Carmella said they used to be best friends. Bliss had older photos of Carmella and Bayley shown on the big screen and asked what happened. “Sasha Banks happened,” Carmella said.
Bayley made her entrance. Bayley told Carmella that it was nauseating. She said it’s not about Banks, it’s about Carmella. She said she’s pitied Carmella ever since they were in NXT. Bayley heeled on all three women. Carmella got upset and called for their match to start immediately. Carmella headed to the ring, then Bayley followed… [C]
Powell’s POV: Whatever chemistry that Bliss and Cross had together early on disappeared once Bliss’s character became a real friend. That said, I like the simple storyline set up for the Smackdown Women’s Championship. Bayley and Carmella needed this.
1. Bayley vs. Carmella for the Smackdown Women’s Championship. Cole noted that Bayley entered the match with a 266-day title reign. There was static noise and a brief visual “glitch” early in the match. Four minutes into the match, Carmella performed a suicide dive, then rolled Bayley back inside the ring. Carmella followed with a cross body block for a two count. Bayley rushed to ringside. Carmella followed to the floor, but Bayley dropped her on the broadcast table and then smiled heading into a break. [C]
Bayley hit her Bayley to Belly finisher and went for the cover, but Carmella kicked out. Cole said it was a nonchalant cover. Graves wondered if it was more a case of Bayley not having much left in the tank. Carmella caught Bayley on the ropes and flung her off with a huracanrana, then covered Bayley for a two count. Carmella got more two counts, then caught Bayley with a superkick. Bayley rolled to ringside to avoid being pinned and ended up running Carmella into the ring post.
Back inside the ring, Carmella caught Bayley in the Code of Silence. Bayley broke out of it by hitting the arm that Carmella puts her weight on while applying the hold. A short time later, Bayley pinned Carmella while using the ropes for leverage to steal the win.
Bayley defeated Carmella in 14:00 to retain the Smackdown Women’s Championship.
After the match, Carmella protested to the referee and was attacked from behind by Bayley, who left her lying. Naomi made her entrance dressed in pink and sporting pink hair. Naomi got in Bayley’s face. Carmella shoved Bayley into Naomi. Naomi got up and kicked Bayley, then Carmella kicked Bayley, who ended up at ringside. Naomi and Carmella showed a little tension while Naomi’s music played…
Powell’s POV: A nice opening match with an invested live crowd. It’s still strange to me that Naomi took the loss last week since they obviously want her in the title picture. Why not have Dana Brooke take that loss? Anyway, it looks like they are setting up a potential Triple Threat.
Cole hyped the Daytona 500 coverage for Fox… The broadcast team set up footage of King Corbin being a dick in the production truck and then pouring a drink over the head of a fan along the entrance aisle. Cole announced that WWE management fined Corbin and suspended him from competing on this week’s show… [C]
Powell’s POV: I wish Dolph Ziggler’s entrance theme could poor 2,000 cases of beer on a fan’s head and be suspended from an episode of television for each bottle poured.
Kayla Braxton interviewed Bayley about her “controversial” win. Bayley said the referee raised her hand in victory. She said the next time she defends her title will be at WWE Super ShowDown and said it doesn’t matter who she faces…
Cole spoke at ringside about Lacey Evans and Natalya having the first women’s match in Saudi Arabia. Cole transitioned to footage of an emotional Evans clip from a new WWE YouTube show… Graves hyped Renee Young interviewing Evans on next week’s Smackdown in Phoenix…
Otis was shown preparing for his date when he got a text. Tucker showed up. Otis said Mandy was running late, which gave him more time to get ready. Otis asked if he was crazy to think that Rose could actually like him. Tucker said that if she truly deserves him, she will like him for all that he has to offer. The Rose and Otis date graphic was shown and drew some cheers from the crowd…
Sheamus made his entrance for a handicap match… [C]
2. Sheamus vs. Shorty G and Apollo Crews in a handicap match. Crew’s entrance was masked by a commercial, and G’s entrance was televised. G and Crews went after Sheamus and worked him over before the bell. Once the match started, they remained on the offensive for a bit. G went for an ankle lock at one point, but Sheamus kicked him away.
G and Crews performed dives onto Sheamus at ringside. Back inside the ring, G performed a missile dropkick and then crews followed up with a standing shooting star press for a near fall. Sheamus came back with a Brogue Kick that knocked G off the apron. Crews rolled up Sheamus for two count, then Sheamus ran him through the ropes and into the post. Sheamus followed up with a Brogue Kick and scored the pin…
Sheamus defeated Shorty G and Apollo Crews in 3:25 in a handicap match.
No One’s POV: I can’t believe this Shorty G gimmick hasn’t worked out for Chad Gable.
Carmella was interviewed by Braxton in a backstage area. Carmella demanded a rematch due to the way Bayley won. She promised that she would become the next Smackdown Women’s Champion…
Footage aired of Mandy Rose arriving at a restaurant and being seated by a waiter… Hulk Hogan was shown on camera and Cole hyped his appearance via satellite as coming up… [C]
Cole hyped Keith Lee for WWE Backstage. Renee Young, Booker T, and Mark Henry were shown as hosts in the graphic…
Graves hyped “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt vs. Goldberg for the WWE Universal Championship at Super ShowDown. Graves set up a Goldberg video package…
Cole introduced Hulk Hogan, who appeared via satellite. Cole noted that Hogan will become a two-time WWE Hall of Famer when he is inducted as part of the NWO in April. Hogan spoke about it being strong.
[Hour Two] Cole asked Hogan whether Goldberg had a shot to defeat The Fiend. Hogan said he felt the power of Goldberg when Hogan was in his prime. Hogan said that The Fiend better try to survive the power of Goldberg.
Hogan was interrupted by an “FFH” (Firefly Fun House) mock NWO video. Wyatt stood on the Funhouse segment and played air guitar with his title belt like Hogan did. He ripped off his sweatshirt and had a “Not Cool To Eat Your Friends” Mercy the Buzzard t-shirt underneath. The Huskus pig puppet showed up. Wyatt fed him a piece of candy and said, “I hope it’s not too sweet.”
Hogan was shown smiling and said Wyatt is funny, but when you get in the ring with Goldberg, it’s no joke. Hogan wished him luck. “I don’t need luck, I have a fiend,” Wyatt said. “And if you’re not careful, brother, please remember that there can always be room for one more.” Wyatt held up a Hogan picture with the eyes crossed out and held it next to his Wall of Friendship. Hogan checked out, then Wyatt laughed and said bye…
Otis was shown backstage holding a bouquet of roses while taking last minute instructions from Tucker… [C]
Powell’s POV: Hogan has spoken about his desire for one more match and has been laying it on extra thick with the show being held in Tampa, but I don’t see a Hogan vs. Fiend title match happening with the Elimination Chamber match listed as being for a shot at the WWE Universal Championship. I guess they could have Wyatt drop the title and then face Hogan, but I can’t say the match appeals to me in the least.
Footage aired of Rock making his return on February 14, 2011 and being interrupted by Michael Cole on behalf of the anonymous Raw general manager… Cole noted that Rock’s daughter Simone Johnson is training at the WWE Performance Center…
Sami Zayn and Cesaro stood in the ring and multiple security guards were at ringside. Zayn and Cesaro were about to do their own musical performance, but when they were about to start, Elias strummed his guitar to interrupt them. Zayn grumbled that Elias was interrupting his protest. Elias said he was staging a counter protest.
Zayn had Elias join them in the ring and then he and Cesaro started their musical performance. They stopped and got pissed when the fans sang “Walk With Elias.” They started again and this time Zayn stopped to tell Cesaro that he needed less cowbell (funny). When the crowd wanted more cowbell, Cesaro tossed it down.
Elias went after Cesaro, but he lost the numbers game. Braun Strowman came out for the save. When Strowman was about to get Zayn, a security guard stopped him. Strowman chased the security guard into the ring where Elias clotheslined him. Strowman and Elias tossed the security guard onto the other security guards (who oddly all looked a lot like independent wrestlers)…
Powell’s POV: The big and rowdy crowd had a lot of fun with this segment. Who knew that WWE would be such a hot ticket item in Canada on Valentine’s Day?
Naomi cut off a Kayla Braxton interview request. She said Bayley has never beaten her and she knows that she’s the next Smackdown Women’s Champion…
Mandy Rose was shown waiting at the restaurant while Graves expressed disbelief that Otis hadn’t arrived yet… [C]
A John Cena video package aired to promote his Smackdown return in two weeks…
The broadcast team hyped Carmella vs. Naomi for a shot at the Smackdown Women’s Championship at Super ShowDown. They also hyped that Goldberg will appear in person next week. They set up a video package on Otis and Rose’s history…
Otis was shown arriving at the restaurant with a bouquet of roses in hand. Otis slicked his hair back. They cut to Rose, who had a hand put on her shoulder. She assumed it was Otis, but it was actually Dolph Ziggler, who took a seat across from Rose. Otis spotted the two of them seated at the table, dropped the roses, and then left the restaurant…
Cole touted WrestleMania coming to Los Angeles (Inglewood) next year…
The Miz and John Morrison made their entrance for the main event. They mocked the Usos “welcome to the Uso penitentiary” line. They said it seems the penitentiary wardens were unable to be there. Miz said he’s always there where you cheer him or fear him. Morrison said he’s been back for one month and he’s also always there. Miz said Roman Reigns and his partner would find out that they are the greatest tag team of the 21st Century.
Reigns made his entrance while Cole sounded like he was giving himself a hernia while yelling, “Here comes the Big Dog.” Reigns received his usual pyro while the broadcast team questioned who his partner would be. A video package focused on the Corbin and Reigns feud and the loser eats dog food six-man tag match. A graphic for Reigns vs. Corbin in a cage match at Super ShowDown appeared on the screen.
Daniel Bryan made his entrance as Reigns’ tag partner. King Corbin walked down the steps in the crowd and held up a ticket. Graves noted that Corbin was barred from competing. Corbin made his way to the floor heading into a break… [C]
3. Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz and John Morrison. Corbin was seated in the front row. Graphics listed Fox’s XFL coverage for this weekend. Bryan threw his kicks at Morrison. Cole said Miz tried to steal the kicks. Graves said Miz “reimagined” the kicks and said that’s what Hollywood does these days. Clever.
Miz ended up running Bryan into the barricade in front of Corbin. Reigns walked over and became distracted by Corbin, allowing Miz to hit him from behind. Morrison performed a corkscrew dive onto Reigns and Bryan. [C]
An XFL ad aired for the Saturday game on Fox. Late in the match, Miz did a big buildup for a move and then ran into a Superman Punch. Reigns speared and pinned Miz to win the match.
Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan defeated The Miz and John Morrison in 13:20.
Reigns got to his knees. Corbin hit Reigns with his scepter. Corbin went to the stage where his king platform was waiting…
Powell’s POV: An entertaining tag team main event. Logic suggested that Miz and Morrison would go over in cheap fashion or at least wouldn’t lose clean since they are the actual tag team and, more importantly, they are challenging for the tag titles at Super ShowDown. But Vince McMahon doesn’t care about tag teams, continues to be obsessed with Roman Reigns, and hasn’t booked in a logical manner in quite some time. Overall, Smackdown was a livelier show thanks to the big and hot live crowd. I will be back with my audio review for Dot Net Members coming up shortly. Let me know what you thought of the show by assigning it a letter grade in our post show poll available via the main page.
So mandy was running late, but was at the restaurant first, I know this is the least of smackdowns worries right now. But jesus christ wwe continuity is really not that hard
Right? It’s no wonder they can barely be arsed to provide continuity from week to week when they can’t even remember what’s written on the same fucking page of the script. No surprises though. This is the samecompany that laughed a writer out of the room for keeping a script bible.
So mandy was running late but arrived at the restaurant first, I know this is low on the list of what’s wrong with smackdown right now. But jesus christ wwe continuity is really not that hard!
It’s certainly possible they botched this. It’s also possible that they will have Mandy claim that she lost her phone and then eventually reveal that Ziggler stole it.
Possible I guess, but more likely vince will treat us all like we are stupid and don’t remember what order things happen in
“Cole noted that Bayley entered the match with a 266-day title reign.”
What? Bayley won the title back from Charlotte in early October. She’s held the title 4 and 1/2 months at best. How do they get to 266 days(!)? Who in WWE is doing the math on this?
In her two reigns as Smackdown Women’s Champion, Bayley has held the title for 266 days
It’s her combined Reigns.
I loved the little Easter egg in the Hogan bit that said “Hulk Hogan- Boomer”
Logic says Miz and Morrison should beat Reigns and Bryan who are by far the top two babyfaces on Smackdown? That’s almost like having Power and Glory beat Hogan and Warrior. Good thing Vince has the book.
That’s not what I was suggesting. I’m not a fan of Miz and Morrison losing clean. This would have been a good spot for a DQ or count-out or a distraction finish to protect M&M heading into their tag title match.
Corbin was right there, and they had him hit Reigns with the scepter, but did it after Reigns got the clean win?!
Agree, just have him clobber him for the DQ