LECLAIR’S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT 3/6: Alt perspective, detailed coverage of tag team gauntlet, Firefly Funhouse, N.W.O. on Moment of Bliss, more

LECLAIR’S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
MARCH 6, 2020
BUFFALO, NY AT KEYBANK CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON FOX NETWORK

Announcers; Michael Cole, Corey Graves

-The show opened with a recap of John Cena’s return and subsequent interaction with The Fiend on last week’s Smackdown.

-Michael Cole welcomed the audience to Buffalo after the show’s signature intro and pyro display. He and Corey Graves previewed the show, including a brand new episode of the Firefly Funhouse, and a tag team gauntlet match to determine the final team to enter the Elimination Chamber match on Sunday.

-Alexa Bliss’ music hit and she and Nikki Cross were already seated in the ring for A Moment of Bliss. Alexa welcomed the audience to the show and quickly ran down a list of names already announced for this year’s Hall of Fame. Eventually, she welcomed the N.W.O. –  Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, and Sean Waltman. Cole made sure to clarify that Hulk Hogan is included in this induction as well.

Nash, Hall, and Waltman took their seats next to Bliss and Cross. Bliss congratulated them and commented on the fact that they’re now each two time Hall of Famers. Cross said she’s their biggest fan. She stood up to take a selfie with the N.W.O. Bliss turned her focus to Waltman, asking what to call him, running through his characters. Waltman told her to call him “Hall of Famer.”

Bliss talked about some of the N.W.O.’s biggest rivalries. She brought up Bill Goldberg. The crowd booed. She asked Kevin Nash what Roman Reigns needs to do to beat Goldberg at WrestleMania. Nash said he’d forgotten he’d beaten Goldberg. He said he spoke with Roman on the phone and told him he needs “Scott Hall and a cattle prod” in order to beat Goldberg. Shinsuke Nakamura’s music cut Scott Hall off.

Sami Zayn appeared on stage, flanked by Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro. He said 1997 was a great year, but it’s time to talk about the future. He said he, Nakamura, and Cesaro are the future. Sami said they were going to win the Intercontinental title from Braun Strowman at Elimination Chamber. He said Nash and Hall know all about the prestige of the Intercontinental title, and Waltman knows because he got used to carrying it in their bags.

Nash, Hall, and Waltman made fun of Zayn for taking two weeks off due to a stomach flu. Things got heated, and the trios ended up standing face to face. Zayn told them it wasn’t going to happen. He said they want to use the three of them to become relevant again. Sami said their only objective is destroying Braun Strowman.

Braun Strowman’s music hit and he appeared on the stage. Cesaro rushed up the ramp and gave him a big boot. Strowman quickly recovered and tossed Cesaro into the staging. He threw Nakamura into the crowd barricade, then began stalking Sami Zayn. Zayn returned to the ring, only to bump into the N.W.O. Sami grabbed Alexa Bliss and pulled her in front of him, then skirted under the ropes and out of the ring. Strowman tossed a chair at him. Strowman promised all three would “get these hands.” Strowman “2-Sweeted” Nash, Hall, and Waltman.

(LeClair’s Analysis: Surely there could be something better for Bliss and Cross to do than host this show. Bliss is one of the best promos in the company, and yet she’s relegated to hardly talking and playing awkward host to these uneventful, often pointless segments. Nash, Hall, and Waltman seemed to have nothing to talk about until Zayn and company headed to the ring. It seemed like this may have set up a six man tag match for WrestleMania, to have Zayn, Nakamura and Cesaro lose again.)

-Naomi headed to the ring after the break, set for tag action. Her partner, Lacey Evans followed, followed by the Women’s Champion Bayley and her partner, Sasha Banks. Michael Cole reminded the crowd that Naomi pinned Bayley during last week’s match.

(1) NAOMI & LACEY EVANS vs. SASHA BANKS & BAYLEY

Sasha Banks and Lacey Evans began the match. Sasha quickly ducked a lock up and tagged in Bayley. She and Sasha double teamed Evans in the corner and traded quick tags. Bayley headed to the outside to pull Naomi off the apron. In the ring, Sasha took Lacey down, then headed outside to join Bayley. Banks tossed Naomi into the barrier. Cole sent the show to commercial.

Sasha had Lacey Evans grounded when the show returned from commercial, working over her leg. Banks tagged in Bayley, who continued to work over the left leg. Evans finally kicked Bayley away and tried to rush to the corner to tag Naomi, but Banks and Bayley cut her off. Lacey eventually rolled through Sasha’s offense and tagged in Naomi.

Naomi dove over the top rope onto both Banks and Bayley. Banks, the legal woman, returned to the ring. Naomi hit her with a springboard cross body for a two count. She followed it up with her leaping kicks. Banks blocked one and delivered a kick of her own. Naomi quickly regained control, giving Banks a bulldog into the turnbuckle. Naomi followed up with a sunset flip pin, but Bayley broke up the count.

Naomi caught Banks with a kick and went for a split-legged moonsault, but Bayley knocked her down from the apron. Banks hit Naomi with the Backstabber for a three count.

WINNERS: Sasha Banks & Bayley in 7:00

(LeClair’s Analysis: Very little of this match actually aired, so it’s hard to make much of a judgment one way or another. Naomi’s leaping kicks looked especially bad here. I don’t see how either team was helped, given that the opposite result occurred in the same match last week. Just 50/50, sloppy booking that has plagued the women’s division for quite some time now.)

-Backstage, Kayla Braxton welcomed The New Day to the set. Big E screamed loudly in Kayla’s face. Kayla went over the stakes for the tag team Gauntlet match later in the night. She asked Kofi if he could recreate Kofi-Mania. Kofi said he has to focus on what’s in front of him. Big E said they know how hard it is to win a gauntlet match, but compared their stamina to “a moose in mating season.” They led their usual “New Day rocks” chant.

-Sheamus headed to the ring. Cole said he’d be in action after the break.

-Backstage, Sasha Banks and Bayley walked down a hallway talking about running through the Smackdown Women’s division. Bayley said she planned to skip WrestleMania and go straight to the Hall of Fame. Sasha said she planned to dedicate her new album to Bayley, her role model. Bayley said there’s no one from the past, present, or future who can touch them.

-In gorilla position, Apollo Crews approached Shorty G and told him he didn’t need his help. G said they have a common goal – t0 stop Sheamus. He said if Crews needs him, say the world. Crews stared at G, but said nothing. Apollo Crews headed to the ring to face Sheamus.

(2) SHEAMUS vs. APOLLO CREWS

Sheamus quickly tossed Apollo Crews over the top rope onto the apron and tried to beat his chest, but Crews fought free, returned to the ring, and took Sheamus down with a dropkick. He followed it up with a standing moonsault for a quick two count.

Sheamus quickly recovered and gave Crews an uppercut, then backed him into the corner. Crews fought out and rolled through a backdrop attempt. Sheamus spun around and dropped Crews immediately with a Brogue Kick for a three count.

WINNER: Sheamus in 2:00

(LeClair’s Analysis: Nothing match in a feud that is apparently continuing, despite having not been shown on TV in weeks.I’m not sure what they’re attempting to accomplish with anyone involved in this.)

-Backstage, Drake Maverick approached Drew Gulak and told him he wants to face Daniel Bryan. Gulak said Bryan has 163 weaknesses, and began to site one. Bryan approached Gulak from behind. Bryan challenged Gulak to a match at Elimination Chamber.

-After the break, Carmella headed to the ring to team with Dana Brooke. Cole made mention of this being an opportunity to find footing in the women’s division and potentially challenge Asuka and Kairi Sane. Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville headed to the ring. Dolph Ziggler accompanied them.

(3) CARMELLA & DANA BROOKE vs. MANDY ROSE & SONYA DEVILLE (w/ Dolph Ziggler)

Carmella began the match with Mandy Rose. The crowd broke into a “we want Otis” chant. Carmella ducked a shot from Mandy and moonwalked out of the corner. The two women locked up. Mandy took control, hung her up in the ropes and tagged in Sonya Deville.

Deville took Carmella down and covered her for a two count. Deville shoved Carmella around and talked trash then grabbed a grounded chin lock. Deville wrapped her legs and wrenched the hold. Carmella slowly turned over and fired punches at Deville. Back on her feet, Carmella hit Sonya with the Mella-Go-Round and followed it up with a side kick. She tagged in Dana Brooke.

Brooke and Carmella dropped Deville with a double hip toss. Brooke hit Deville with a handspring back elbow out of the corner, followed by a rough looking blocked kick. Deville tagged in Mandy. Mandy caught Brooke with a running knee for a quick three count.

WINNERS: Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville in 3:00

(LeClair’s Analysis: Again, nothing to this match. At least Mandy and Sonya finally seemed like viable competitors, albeit against competition that is hardly treated like a threat. This seemed like more of a way to establish Rose and Ziggler’s newfound “relationship” more than anything else. There was also passing mention of the women’s tag team titles, which have largely been ignored for months. Perhaps they’re trying to set up challengers for the WrestleMania pre-show.)

-Cole and Graves teased a new episode of the Firefly Funhouse, coming ip next.

-After the break, Cole and Graves tossed to footage from John Cena’s return on last week’s Smackdown.

The recap led directly into Firefly Funhouse. Bray revealed a new wall, full of pictures of John Cena. He said people are wondering “why John Cena?” Ramblin’ Rabbit popped up. He said John Cena destroyed Bray Wyatt six years ago at WrestleMania, leading to a downward spiral in Bray’s professional and personal life.

Bray laughed nervously and said “yowie wowie,” seemingly unsure of himself. They showed a clip of Cena winning the WrestleMania 30 match. Bray said time can either hurt or heal you. He said if it wasn’t for John Cena, the Firefly Funhouse wouldn’t exist. He thanked Cena and said he forgives him.

Bray said there’s a catch. “John Cena also helped create something else,” Bray said. He said that something else is built on pain and fueled by vengeance and he’s waiting for WrestleMania. Bray said “he” isn’t so forgiving. Wyatt got close to the camera. “Let me in,” he said. He laughed and waved goodbye.

(LeClair’s Analysis: I’m not sure this added any level of intrigue to the match, though I appreciated them bringing up Bray’s loss to Cena six years ago at WrestleMania. I dislike the idea that Bray, nor the Fiend, seems to care in the slightest that he lost the Universal title to Goldberg, though, with a character like this, perhaps it’s simply better to not acknowledge something that most people seemed to dislike. I’m intrigued by this matchup at WrestleMania, but only of The Fiend comes out on top. He needs a major win following the Super Showdown debacle.)

-Cole and Graves threw to tonight’s “Progressive Match Flo”, a recap of Goldberg’s Universal title win and Roman Reigns’ subsequent challenge for WrestleMania.

-Backstage, Kayla Braxton welcomed King Corbin. Corbin said he’s there to talk about his plans for WrestleMania. He was interrupted by Elias strumming his guitar. Elias said Corbin’s voice was annoying, so he was trying to tune it out. Corbin said he wouldn’t give Elias 50 cents if he was on the corner begging for change. Corbin said if Elias keeps up this fantasy, he’ll have to answer to the king.

(LeClair’s Analysis: Hopefully this is an angle they can get through well before WrestleMania. Neither of these guys are particularly compelling workers, and I can’t imagine matches between the two would be of much intrigue. Though, I will say, at this point, I welcome anything that gets Corbin out of the spotlight and into a lower card program for a while. He’s been grossly over-utilized and terribly overexposed.)

-Heavy Machinery was shown backstage warming up. They stumbled upon Mandy Rose. Otis apologized for not showing up, but confirmed that he’d received texts saying she’d be late. Mandy said it was too late, and she didn’t appreciate being stood up. Tucker patted Otis and told it would be alright. Otis looked dejected.

-After the break, Greg Hamilton introduced the Tag Team Gauntlet and its stakes. The winning team will enter the Elimination Chamber match last on Sunday. New Day headed to the ring first to open the match.

(4a) THE NEW DAY (Kofi Kingston & Big E) vs. HEAVY MACHINERY (Tucker & Otis)

Tucker began the match with Kofi Kingston. They traded quick holds. Tucker dropped Kofi with a shoulder tackle. Kofi recovered and took down Tucker with a leaping elbow. Tucker and Kingston traded shots in the corner. Tucker caught Kofi with a monkey flip, but Kofi quickly sprung to his feet.

Tucker and Kofi traded dropkicks, leading to a stalemate. Kingston tagged in Big E. E pointed to Otis. Tucker tagged him in. Big E gave Otis a shoulder tackle, but Otis wasn’t phased. Otis hit one of his own, sending Big E reeling. They traded a couple more. Otis dumped Big E with a scoop slam. He tagged in Tucker and Heavy Machinery scooped up Big E. Kofi leaped in the ring. Heavy Machinery hit bot members of New Day with double vertical suplexes, then clotheslined the pair over the top rope to the floor. Tucker Irish whipped Otis into both Big E and Kofi, dropping them. Cole sent the show to commercial.

Big E and Otis were both down in the ring when the show returned from break. Both men made tags. Kofi dropped Tucker with a dropkick, then a leaping clothesline. Kofi followed up with a Boom Drop, then set up for Trouble in Paradise. Tucker ducked and shot Kofi into the ropes. Kofi leaped off the second rope and hit a dropkick, then kicked Tucker to the outside. Kofi tagged in Big E.

Big E launched Kofi out of the ring onto Tucker, but Tucker caught him and dropped him to the floor. Big E went to the outside, but got caught with a dropkick from Tucker. Tucker tossed Big E back in the ring. Otis scooped him up, and Tucker returned to hit the Compactor for a three count.

WINNERS: Heavy Machinery in 9:00

(4b) HEAVY MACHINERY (Tucker & Otis) vs. LUCHA HOUSE PARTY (Gran Metalik & Lince Dorado)

Metalik and Dorado immediately flew off the ropes with a double team takedown of Otis. Otis tried to scoop slam Dorado, but Dorado slid out. Otis tagged in Tucker. Dorado tried to give Tucker a leaping arm drag, but Tucker rolled through it and dropped Lince.

Tucker grabbed Dorado’s arm and began working it over. Tucker eventually sent Dorado into the ropes. Gran Metalik tagged himself in. Dorado caught Tucker with a kick. Tucker wandered to his corner and tagged out. Metalik tried chopping Otis, but Otis stood tall. Dorado joined in. Otis dropped them both and danced.

Lucha House Party was able to toss Otis to the outside. Metalik and Dorado flew off the top rope onto both Otis and Tucker on the floor below. Cole threw the show to commercial.

Tucker scored a two count on Dorado fresh out of the break. He locked in a half crab. Dorado kicked Tucker in the head to break free. Tucker backed him into the corner. Dorado moved out of the way as Tucker charged at him in the corner. Tucker crawled and tagged in Otis, who slammed Dorado with a waist lock takedown. Otis scooped up Dorado and applied a bearhug.

Dorado broke the hold with a jawbreaker. He sidestepped Otis to send him tumbling to the outside. Otis returned quickly. Dorado caught Otis with a springboard stunner. Otis tagged Tucker. Dorado tagged Metalik. Metalik caught Tucker with a big boot and a running bulldog. He hit a missile dropkick for a two count.

Metalik grabbed a chin lock. Tucker broke it quickly. Metalik tagged in Dorado, who hit a diving splash off the top rope for a two count. Tucker tackled Dorado and stomped at his chest, then hit a running splash for a two count. Tucker knocked Metalik off the apron and hit a capture suplex on Dorado before tagging in Otis. Otis dropped Dorado and set up, then executed the Caterpillar elbow drop for a three count.

WINNER: Heavy Machinery in 12:00

Cole sent the show to commercial before the next match began.

(4c) HEAVY MACHINERY (Tucker & Otis) vs. THE USOS (Jimmy & Jey)

The match was already in progress when the show returned from break. Jimmy Uso had Tucker grounded in an arm lock. Tucker broke free and tried to give Jimmy a scoop slam, but Jimmy broke free and tagged in Jey. Jimmy quickly spilled to the outside with Otis. Jey dropped Tucker with a super kick and covered him. Tucker rolled through the cover into one of his own and scored a surprise three count.

WINNERS: Heavy Machinery in 2:00 (incomplete due to commercial)

(4d) HEAVY MACHINERY (Tucker & Otis) vs. THE MIZ & JOHN MORRISON

Miz and Morrison circled the ring. Miz slid in and gave Tucker a boot, then cornered him with shots before quickly tagging in John Morrison. Morrison hit a quick springboard kick for a near fall, then another knee to the face. Morrison tagged in Miz. Miz caught Tucker with a boot.

Miz tagged in Morrison off of a slingshot. Morrison hit a spinning springboard elbow for another near fall. Morrison continued to toy with Tucker, kicking him down each time he rose from the mat. Morrison mounted Tucker and pounded away. Tucker fought to his feet. Morrison tried to shoot the half, but Tucker caught him with a big clothesline. Morrison tagged in Miz and tried to cut Tucker off. Tucker caught Miz with a dropkick.

Miz rolled to the outside and ripped Otis off the apron. Miz cornered Tucker and delivered the “it” kicks before Morrison tagged himself in. The two traded clotheslines and tags. Morrison hit a top rope spinning elbow and covered Tucker. Otis broke up the count.

Morrison and Miz double teamed Tucker to the outside. Miz gave Otis a dropkick through the ropes. Tucker rolled up Morrison for a three count.

WINNERS: Heavy Machinery in 5:00

Miz and Morrison attacked Tucker immediately after the pinfall. Miz hit him with a Skull Crushing Finale. Otis tried to make the save, but the champions took him down and tossed him to the outside. They drove him through the the timekeeper’s barricade area.

Backstage, Mandy Rose stood in gorilla watching the match unfold. Dolph Ziggler approached and told her not to worry about “that guy.” His music hit. He and Robert Roode headed to the ring. Cole said the finals would take place next.

(4e) HEAVY MACHINERY (Tucker & Otis) vs. DOLPH ZIGGLER & ROBERT ROODE

Robert Roode was working over Tucker when the show returned from commercial. Otis was shown at ringside, still down. Roode slapped a headlock on Tucker. The camera pulled back to show the whole arena. Roode tagged in Ziggler, who quickly took down Tucker for a near fall.

Ziggler talked trash to Tucker and gave him a big dropkick. The crowd started another “Otis” chant. Ziggler tagged in Robert Roode again. Roode whipped Ziggler into Tucker, who stumbled out into a neckbreaker from Roode. Roode and Ziggler traded tags again, continuing to work over Tucker.

The crowd began to stir as Otis returned to his feet on the outside. Roode dropped to the floor to meet him. Otis slammed Roode’s head off the announcers desk. Otis crawled back to the corner. Tucker began pushing Ziggler toward the corner. Dolph blocked the attempt and dropped Tucker with a neckbreaker for a near fall.

Roode returned to the apron and received a tag. Tucker sidestepped an oncoming Ziggler then hit Roode with a big clothesline. He crawled to the corner and tagged in Otis. The crowd exploded. Otis dropped Roode with a pair of shoulder tackles, then a back body drop. Otis dropped Ziggler off the apron.

Roode tried to punch Otis, but Otis danced through it. He started doing jumping jacks, then gave Roode an overhead capture suplex. Roode gave Otis a dropkick into the corner and tagged in Ziggler. Otis shoved Dolph off the apron again. Otis set up for the Caterpillar on Roode, but Ziggler cut him off with a super kick. Ziggler covered Otis for a three count.

WINNERS: Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode in 6:00

The show cut to black almost immediately after the bell.

(LeClair’s Analysis: There was some good action here at times, particularly during the opening match with New Day. The Lucha House Party match ran too long, the Usos match never really got going, and the final two matches were simply trying to tell the story of the grueling nature of Heavy Machinery’s performance thus far. The match felt largely inconsequential, though, with the Elimination Chamber match being announced sort of at random last week with a bunch of teams who had little to no momentum going in. This was Tucker and Otis’ night, the crowd wanted to cheer them, and it felt like they cut them off at the feet by giving Ziggler and Roode the win. I realize that this feud is only just beginning, and Tucker and Otis are likely to get a win at a later date, but losing to Roode and Ziggler here made their gauntlet performance seem unimportant.)

FINAL THOUGHTS: This felt like a show comprised largely of filler, extended video segments, and altogether listless and lackadaisical creative. The tag team gauntlet match had very little at stake given the state of the tag team division and the lack of build to the Elimination Chamber match, and the undercard was filled with messy wrestling and meaningless segments and promos. This show felt the lack of major stars, undoubtedly. The sole upside was the rising stock of Heavy Machinery and the crowd’s continued interest in Otis. They received a bigger reaction than New Day tonight, which is certainly indicative of their trajectory. Their performance was admirable and the crowd was engaged, but it felt like they were cut off at the feet a bit with the finish. Overall, one of the weaker Smackdowns in a while that failed to push the agenda of Elimination Chamber in any meaningful way.