We start with an in-memory of image of the late ‘Soulman’ Rocky Johnson before the show. Johnson passed away this past week at the age of 75. Smackdown takes place from Greensboro, North Carolina. Roman Reigns is slated to face the returning Robert Roode in a tables match. Also, John Morrison faces Big E in his first match in WWE in eight years. However, Kane’s music and pyro show! Kane comes to the ring. He shares how the Royal Rumble is nine days away for the opportunity of a lifetime. Kane shares how the risk and reward are clear. He then continues with how he would watch each one of his opponents in the Royal Rumble faced elimination. It was at this time that Bray Wyatt and his Firefly Funhouse aired. Wyatt tells Kane to tell everyone to say that he’s sorry for bragging about all his Royal Rumble success.
Wyatt doesn’t think that its a good idea to win the Royal Rumble as they would face The Fiend. At this point, Wyatt flashes back to Kane and Wyatt confrontations in the past. When the lights come on, The Fiend comes up from under the ring. The Fiend inches closer and closer to Kane who is outside the ring. As Kane turns around we hear Kane say ‘what took you so long?’ When he turned around Daniel Bryan comes charging into The Fiend with a running knee. Bryan begins a YES chant with Kane coming in the ring and joining along. It was an impromptu reunion of Team Hell No! Bryan is left holding The Fiend’s dreadlocks in his hair.
In a backstage interview, Daniel Bryan challenges The Fiend to a Strap Match at Royal Rumble.
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Big E vs. John Morrison
Kofi Kingston with blonde dreadlocks looks like Chris Bey. They’ve used the slo-mo action with John Morrison’s entrance. He was accompanied to the ring with The Miz. We get a flashback of last week at how Kofi was distracted by John Morrison at ringside. Graves explains how Parkour and what that type of offense would mean. Morrison hits an array of offensive moves both inside and outside the ring.
After the commercial break, Big E faces some of Morrison’s unique offensive moves. Morrison is very fluid in the ring and Big E hits him with a belly to belly suplex. However, the Prince of Parkour makes a comeback. The Miz gets on the apron but Morrison his a somersault off the top rope onto Kingston. Inside the ring, Big E is stunned by Morrison’s knee and then hits Starship Pain from the top rope. He covers Big E for the three count and the win.
Winner: John Morrison
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1218380161382592512
A flashback of the returning Robert Roode is shown. Backstage we get The Uso’s talking to the Roman Reigns. Reigns shares how he has been training for his upcoming match.
The Revival vs The Usos
Dawson locks up with Jimmy Uso in the middle of the ring. Jimmy hits a knife-edge chop. He then tags in Jey who continues the fight. After a momentary tag in Dash Wilder, Scott Dawson is tagged back in. He is relentless in his beatdown. Dawson is then caught with a kick as a hot tag is made into Jimmy Uso. Jimmy hits a crossbody on Scott Dawson. After eliminating Dash Wilder, a top rope splash on Scott Dawson and a three-count pin ends the match.
Winner: The Usos
https://twitter.com/btsportwwe/status/1218349068851777536
During a backstage interview with The Revival, a fight breaks out between Sasha Banks, Bayley and Lacey Evans. Officials pull Evans away.
Backstage we hear Sonya Deville ask Mandy Rose if she can ask Otis could be at ringside for her match.
After this we see Bayley having a backstage segment in the trainers’ room when Producer Adam Pearce comes in and has Bayley replace the injured Sasha Banks.
Bayley vs. Lacey Evans
After the commercial, Bayley comes to the ring visually frustrated that she has to face Evans. As soon as the bell rings, Evans chases Bayley who catches her. Cole says that Bayley is the longest-reigning Smackdown Women’s Champion which seems strange as I thought it was Alexa Bliss. Bayley locks in an armbar on Evans. She follows up by beating down on Lacey Evans. Evans brings the fight to Bayley. She drives in a kick on Bayley knocking her back and into the corner turnbuckle. Evans climbs the top rope, salutes and hits top rope moonsault but gets caught.
Bayley throws Evans out to the barricade. After the commercial break, Bayley is relentless beating down Evans in the corner. Bayley loses focus on Evans and gets caught in the middle turnbuckle face first. However, the Smackdown Women’s champion catches Evans. The champion lays in fist after fist on Evans. Bayley continues her assault despite her frustration. She then climbs the top turnbuckle and attempts a crossbody splash but is caught with a women’s right by Evans! A three count and this match is over.
Winner: Lacey Evans
Shorty G is interviewed backstage about Sheamus’ attack on him. When all of a sudden we hear ‘hey, hey has anyone seen Shorty G’. To which the Celtic Warrior appears as a direct dig at his height. He says that he hears Shorty G squeaking from across the hall. At that point, Shorty charges Sheamus beating down the former World Champion.
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Backstage Braun Strowman is interviewed saying he’s entering into the Royal Rumble. He shares how he is being held back from an opportunity at the WWE Intercontinental title.
Elias appears in the ring but is interrupted by Shinsuke Nakamura, Cesaro and Sami Zayn. Zayn apologizes and tells those in attendance that they have bigger concerns. He says that Nakamura is always willing to fight. That they dictate what is happening here. He points out that Nakamura won the Royal Rumble match. Elias then stops Zayn saying he was multi-tasking saying he was writing a song called blasting him. At this point, Zayn, Nakamura, and Cesaro jump Elias until Braun Strowman comes to his aid.
WWE shares a tribute to Rocky Johnson and his past accomplishments. They spoke about how his son, The Rock would follow in his footsteps.
Sonya Deville w/Mandy Rose vs. Alexa Bliss w/Nikki Cross
With both Rose and Deville awaiting Bliss in the ring, Heavy Machinery’s music is heard. Deville looks ecstatic that Otis and Tucker come to ringside during her match. Bliss takes down Sonya Deville with a right-hand strike. Rose falls off the apron and Otis catches her but Deville gets distracted and rolled up. Bliss pins her costing Deville the match!
Winner: Alexa Bliss
https://twitter.com/otiswwe/status/1218389908425003008
Backstage we see King Corbin and Dolph Ziggler showing their support for Robert Roode.
Tables Match
Roman Reigns vs Robert Roode
Roode attacks Reigns from behind before the match even begins. As the match progresses, Reigns sets up a table until Robert Roode stops him. Roman Reigns picks up Robert Roode but he is stopped and thrown into the steel steps at ringside. A driveby by Reigns takes Roode out. Reigns then attempt to spear Roode but he sidesteps him. Roman then crashes headfirst into the barricade wiping it out.
After the commercial break, Robert Roode attempts to hit a superplex Reigns through a table. Reigns stops him and then picks up Roode but is stopped. However, both men manage to stop the other person’s attempts. Reigns sets up the table by propping it up in the corner. As he appears to set up Roode for a spear, Corbin and Ziggler get involved since the match is a no disqualification matchup since it’s a tables match. At this point, the Usos come to the ring and aid Reigns. The Usos hit a double-splash on Ziggler. In the ring, Reigns spears Robert Roode through a table. Reigns picks the stipulation of his match against King Corbin.
Winner: Roman Reigns
After the match, Reigns says that his stipulation is Fall-Count Anywhere between him and King Corbin at the WWE Royal Rumble.
