Jack Waynick on March 3, 2023
Coming to you live on Friday Nights, it’s WWE SmackDown and Ringside News has got you covered with live results.
Start time for SmackDown is 8:00 PM EST Match-by-match highlights and results from the show will take place on this very page. Feel free to leave any reactions in the comment section below.
Tonight’s SmackDown is set to feature a face to face confrontation between Roman Reigns and his WrestleMania challenger Cody Rhodes. SmackDown will also see two big singles matches as Sami Zayn tgoes one on one with Solo Sikoa and Rhea Ripley takes on Liv Morgan.
It should be interesting to see how things play out on tonight’s show.
SMackDowk kicks off live with Roman Reigns and the rest of the Bloodline making their way out to the ring, except for the absent Jey Uso. Heyman hands the mic to Reigns and we get our obligatory acknowledgment from the Washington D.C. crowd.
Reigns is immediately cut off by the entrance of Cody Rhodes who enters the ring to tell Reigns he is not here to invade, he is here to have a conversation with his Wrestlemania opponent, and that he sees no reason for anyone else to be there. Reigns tells everyone else to leave the ring. Reigns drops both of his title belts on the mat and asks Cody what he would like to talk about. Rhodes congratulates Reigns on the legendary title run he has had. Rhodes says that Reigns has become this impossible mountain to climb, which is something he’s used to, from Stardust to “his friends and their indie show”.
Reigns simply points to his title belts and asks if he’s ever won that title, or even competed for it, because he’s pretty sure he’s done all that and is the most experienced main event of all time. Reigns says he’s been groomed to do this since he was a child, not just by his father, but by Rhodes’ father as well. Reigns says he’s said many times before that Dusty Rhodes is the first person to make Reigns believe in himself, and Reigns does a perfect Dusty Rhodes impression no less. Reigns says Dusty always said he was destined to be the star that he is today, and that Dusty never said anything to Reigns about Cody, like he didn’t even exist. Reigns tells Cody that he misses Dusty too, but if there’s anything Dusty didn’t teach Cody, Reigns himself will. Reigns holds out his hand for Cody to shake.
Cody speaks in disbelief, he says he ” is not even playing on the same field.” Cody calls beating Reigns a necessity, that in this reality, he has to exist and they only way for him to do that is to beat Reigns at WrestleMania and Rhodes shakes hands with Reigns.
*Commercial break*
Rhea Ripley vs Liv Morgan
The match begins with Morgan immediately hitting a drop kick. Morgan hits an arm drag take down and off a springboard dive Morgan is caught and slammed down to the mat. Morgan goes for a tope suicida on the outside but is hit with a right hand from Ripley.
*Commercial break*
The match continues live with Ripley hitting a forearm strike to Morgan’s lower back. Morgan flips out of a back suplex and hits a back stabber. Morgan goes to the middle rope and hits a diving code breaker and Morgan covers for a two count. Morgan goes for the oblivion but Ripley catches her. Morgan escapes and hits with an enziguri. Morgan goes to the top rope and dives but Ripley counters and hits a powerbomb. Ripley hits the riptide and then locks in the cloverleaf and Morgan taps out.
Winner: Rhea Ripley
*Commercial break*
Back live with Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio walking back stage. The two are approached by Santos Escobar. Escobar says he understands why Rey didn’t hit Dominik, but he will. Escobar challenges Dominik Mysterio to a match up next, Escobar walks away after winking at Ripley which greatly angers Dominik as Ripley holds him back.
*Commercial break*
Back live with Santos Escobar making his entrance, Escobar comes out to the ring alone without the rest of Legado Del Fantasma, Escobar also comes out holding the mask that Rey Mysterio had gifted him a few weeks ago.
Santos Escobar vs Dominik Mysterio
The match kicks off with Dominik immediately ducking under the ropes to force the ref to hold Escobar back. Dominik takes advantage and hits Escobar with a cheap shot. Escobar hold Dominik next to the Rey mask and asks him if he respects his legacy, Dominik says no and Escobar proceeds to suplex him off the top rope. Escobar locks Dominik in the surfboard submission.
*Commercial break*
Back live with Dominik sending Escobar to the ropes, instead of going for the 619 Dominik hits a knee to the back of the head. Escobar powers off the ropes with a flurry of strike before Dominik hits a big lariat in the corner. Micheal Cole on commentary says “there would be no Dominik without the legacy of Rey”…. he said it not me. Escobar hits a leg drop and both wrestlers spring off the ropes and have a head to head collision. Dominik grabs brass knuckles and as the ref tries to confiscate them Ripley pulls Escobar out of the ring and hits the riptide and throws him back in the ring. Dominik hits the frog splash and covers for three.
Winner: Dominik Mysterio
After the match, Dominik steals the Rey Mysterio mask and rips it. Rey Mysterio then comes out to confront his son. Dominik again gets in Rey’s face and screams at him to hit him and Rey again refuses. Dominik drops the ripped mask and as Rey goes to grab it Dominik hits a cheap shot to the back of Rey’s head. Dominik and Ripley walk to the back as Rey sits of the floor holding the ripped mask and shaking his head.
*Commercial break*
SmackDown returns with Drew McIntyre in the ring. McIntyre says that with four weeks left until WrestleMania, he still doesn’t have a match. McIntyre says there’s a certain individual he wants, and McIntyre calls out Gunther, and Sheamus then comes out and McIntyre looks just as confused as I am. Sheamus says that McIntyre of all people knows just how much the Intercontinental title means to him and how badly he wants to face Gunther at WrestleMania. Sheamus calls McIntyre abackstabbing bastard. McIntyre says the truth is Sheamus had his chance, and he lost. The two are interrupted by LA Knight, McIntyre and Sheamus continue to argue as the incredibly-over Knight cuts his promo before being interrupted by The New Day. Kingston says that Knight wants a WrestleMania match but he can’t even win a match on SmackDown. Our next participant in this segment is Karrion Kross who comes down to the ring in a full color entrance with Scarlett.
LA Knight uses this distraction to attack Kofi Kingston from behind. All hell breaks loose and it’s once again just Sheamus and McIntyre in the ring. McIntyre dives over the top rope to take Out The New Day and LA Knight. Kross sneaks in the ring to take out Sheamus and be the lone man standing in the ring.
*Commercial break*
Shayna Baszler vs Tegan Nox
The match begins with Nox hitting a drop kick. Baszler goes to stomp Nox’s elbow but Nox counters with a head-scissors take down. Nox gets an inside cradle for a two count. Baszler hits a knee to the face and then locks in an armbar and Nox taps out immediately.
Winner: Shayna Baszler
Michael Cole is recapping the match on commentary when to the shock of both the crowd and commentary team, making his way out to the ring is Bobby Lashley, Lashley walks into the ring as the footage is cut off in the typical Bray Wyatt style.
*Commercial break*
Back live with Lashley in the ring, Lashley says that he doesn’t run from anyone. Lashley said since Wyatt isn’t going to see him face to face, Lashley has come to SmackDown to see Wyatt and Lashley calls for Wyatt to come out to the ring. As a video package is displayed on the titantron Uncle Howdy attacks Lashley from behind. Lashley is able to power slam Uncle Howdy and goes for a spear but the lights cut out and when they come back on Uncle Howdy is nowhere to be seen.
*Commercial break*
Solo Sikoa vs Sami Zayn
Our main event starts with Zayn running to the ring and attacking Sikoa with a series of quick punches. Jimmy Uso runs in the ring and is tossed over and out by Zayn. Zayn then dives over the top rope to take out both Jimmy and Sikoa. Sikoa gets back in the ring and the bell officially rings. Sikoa charges at Zayn who sends Sikoa over the top rope. Zayn follows outside and Jimmy Uso causes a distraction that allows Sikoa to hits a lariat. Sikoa throws Sikoa over the barricade to the timekeeper’s area.
*Commercial break*
Our main event resumes live with Zayn hitting a big lariat to Sikoa. Sikoa knocks Zayn down to the corner and then hits the Rikishi running splash. Zayn fight his way free and goes to the top rope and hits Sikoa with a tornado DDT. Zayn goes back up top to hit a flying cross body. Zayn dodges a running splash in the corner and hits with the Blue Thunder bomb and Zayn covers for two. Zayn goes for the Helluva kick but Jimmy pulls the rope to allow Sikoa to avoid and escape the corner. Sikoa then hits the Samoan Spike and covers for three.
Winner: Solo Sikoa
After the bell Jimmy and Sikoa continue to beat down Zayn. Sikoa grabs a chair and places Zayn’s head through it in the corner. Zayn pops out of the corner and throws the chair to Sikoa and hits Jimmy with the Helluva kick. Zayn then leaves the ring and escapes through the crowd as SmackDown goes off the air.
March 3, 2023 7:00 pm
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