SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE SMACKDOWN TV REPORT
FEBRUARY 23, 2024
TAPED 2/16 IN SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH AT DELTA CENTER
AIRED ON FOX
Announcers: Corey Graves, Wade Barrett
Attendance: WrestleTix reports that 11,233 tickets were distributed.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
[HOUR ONE]
-They showed L.A. Knight arriving backstage. Then they cut to Liv Morgan arriving backstage. Then they showed Tiffany Stratton arriving in the parking lot.
-They cut to a wide shot from the upper deck of the sold out arena. Corey Graves introduced the show. They didn’t mention that they were in Salt Lake City since this is a pre-taped show that took place right after last week’s episode aired live.
-Bianca Belair made her ring entrance. She twirled her braid as she strutted to the ring and slapped hands with fans. They cut away to a video package on the Women’s Elimination Chamber with scenes of Perth, Australia and soundbites from the participants.
(1) LIV MORGAN vs. TIFFANY STRATTON
The bell rang 6 minutes into the hour. Belair watched from ringside. Stratton ducked out of the ring after the first forearm by Liv and she tried to retreat. As she walked up the ramp and said she needs to go because she’s “so sick of this,” Liv chased her down and threw her into the ringside steps. Liv scored a two count back in the ring after a clothesline. They cut to Belair at ringside for reaction shots periodically. Stratton made a comeback and scored a leverage two count. Graves said Stratton has the advantage of being lesser known. Barrett said she is often underestimated because people judge the book by the cover. Liv knocked Stratton to the floor. Belair had some casual words for her as they cut to a break at 3:00. [c]
Liv avoided a top rope moonsault by Stratton and then bridged her into a near fall. Back at ringside, Stratton rammed Liv into the announce desk. She threw Liv into the ring, then turned and slapped Belair. Belair tried to chased her into the ring, but the ref blocked her. Liv rolled up Stratton, but the ref was distracted. Stratton then shoved Liv into Belair, knocking her to the floor. Stratton then rolled up Liv for the three count.
WINNER: Stratton in 12:00.
-Kayla Braxton interviewed Drew McIntyre backstage. Drew said it seems his entire career has led to this moment. He said if he loses at the Chamber or at WrestleMania, it was all for nothing. He said if he loses, his career would be as useless as C.M. Punk’s return to WWE. Bobby Lashley walked in and snickered. He said he gets it because Punk got so much hype. He pointed at Drew’s t-shirt with Punk’s tombstone on it. He said it’s almost as comical as when he made Drew pass out with a Hurt Lock at WrestleMania 37. He laughed and walked away.
(Keller’s Analysis: Drew was good here. It’s not clear how anyone is supposed to feel about Lashley and he was asked to express himself in a way that doesn’t seem to fit his character here.) [c]
-A video aired of Ashante “Thee” Adonis at home looking at his phone. He told Cedric Alexander to hurry up if they’re going to be a team. He critiqued Cedric’s outfits. They showed a cat watching everything several times.
(Keller’s Analysis: As we’re seeing more of lately in WWE, this is so overproduced, it has no sense of realism with so many cutaway shots and multiple camera angles. I’m sure some viewers got a kick out of the fashion evaluations and the cutaways to the cute cat.)
-They went to Graves and Barrett at ringside. Graves cut to a sponsored video package on The Rock on Smackdown last week.
-Backstage, a giddy Jimmy Uso told Roman Reigns that he should’ve seen the look on Jey’s face last week when he attacked him. Reigns chuckled. Solo Sikoa stood in the background with his arms crossed expressionless. Reigns’s expression changed and he asked Jimmy, “Who sent you to Raw?” Jimmy said Paul Heyman did and he ran the play. Reigns laughed at Jimmy for tattling on Heyman. Reigns said it was actually his call. Reigns said he ran the play right. Jimmy exclaimed, “Touchdown!” Heyman walked up to Reigns and nervously told Reigns that Greyson Waller is there. Reigns told Heyman to bring him to him.
-They showed Bron Breakker warming up backstage. [c]
-They showed the start time for Elimination Chamber in various time zones in the United States. Then they showed Paul Levesque, Naomi, and Rhea Ripley arriving in Perth and enjoying the city.
(2) BRON BREAKKER vs. DANTE CHEN
The bell rang 37 minutes into the hour. Bron landed an early Steinerline. Chen springboarded at Bron, but Bron caught him mid-air and powerslammed him. He dropped his straps and yelled. The crowd barked back at him a la Rick Steiner. He followed with a spear for the win.
WINNER: Breakker in 1:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: WWE took their time, but they must feel the time is right to put him in the mix on the main roster. The Brock Lesnar situation and Punk injury might’ve opened things up for him to get the push WWE wants to give him.)
-Kayla interviewed Damian Priest, Finn Balor, J.D. McDonagh, and Dominik Mysterio backstage. She asked about Priest & Balor defending their titles. Balor downplayed the challenge. Priest said they won’t have anything left but to pick the bones after Dom & McDonagh are finished tonight.
-Dom and McDonagh made their ring entrance. [c]
-Elektra Lopez approached Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro as they were chatting backstage. She said she’s been watching them the last three weeks and it’s sad. She asked where Rey Mysterio is. She said following Rey has made them losers. She said next time maybe their loyalty will be better “if there is a next time.” Angelo and Humberto attacked them from behind. Santos Escobar then leaned down and said they betrayed him and that’s the price they had to pay. Carlito, Zelina Vega, and some officials ran in, so the heels fled the scene.
(3) PETE DUNNE & TYLER BATE vs. DOMINIK MYSTERIO & J.D. MCDONAGH
Dunne and Bate made their entrance. The bell rang 48 minutes into the hour. Dunne yanked on Dom’s fingers on the mat and then stomped on him at 4:00. He then shifted to twisting his ankle. McDonagh yanked the top rope down so Bate tumbled over the top rope to the floor. Dom then knocked Dunne off the ring apron. They cut to a break at 5:00. [c]
Back from the break, Bate made a comeback and hot-tagged in Dunne. Graves mistakenly called him “Butch.” Dom saved McDonagh from a double-suplex. Dunne and Bate attacked him with a barrage of punches. Dom broke up a cover on McDonagh a minute later. McDonagh came back with a standing Spanish fly for a near fall at 12:00.
[HOUR TWO]
Dunne lifted his knees as McDonagh leaped off the top rope. Dunne yanked on McDonagh’s fingers. McDonagh headbutted Dunne, then had the ref try to fix his dislocated fingers as Dom hit Dunne with a 619. Bate punched Dom off the ring apron. Dunne and Bate gave McDonagh a Double Tyler Driver and Bate scored a three count.
WINNERS: Bate & Dunne in 13:00.
-Afterward, Priest and Balor came out to go after a tired Dunne and Bate. Bate knocked Balor off the ring apron. Priest grabbed Dunne and Bate by the throats, but they broke free. Priest and Balor charged into the ring, but Dunne and Bate ducked and escaped. They got in another shot on Dom and McDonagh as they ran to the back.
-They went to Graves and Barrett at ringside. They threw to a video package on the men’s Elimination Chamber match.
-Graves hyped Knight vs. Drew, tonight’s main event.
-Backstage, Grayson Waller and Austin Theory were chatting with Logan Paul. Kevin Owens walked in and asked if they’re just going to keep looking at one another. He called it an odd hobby. KO told Logan to bring the brass knuckles to Australia because he’d love to hit him with them again. KO left. Logan asked why they didn’t just jump him. Heyman walked up to them and said he never liked Owens. Heyman told Waller that it’s his lucky day because The Tribal Chief wanted to talk to him. Theory and Logan were a little jealous.
-The Street Profits made their ring entrance. [c]
-They showed Nick Aldis and a referee helping Dakota Kai walk backstage. Barrett said he wasn’t sure what happened. She was led into the trainer’s room.
(4) THE STREET PROFITS (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins w/Bobby Lashley, B-Fab) vs. AUTHORS OF PAIN (Rezar & Akam w/Paul Ellering, Karrion Kross, Scarlett)
Kross is sporting a man bun. The bell rang 13 minutes into the hour. Dawkins landed a running flip dive onto AOP at ringside and they cut to an early break. [c]
Akam connected with a big boot to Dawkins’ face. Rezar tagged in and scored a near fall after a clothesline/Russian leg sweep combo. Ford broke up the cover. Graves wondered if he was just delaying the inevitable. Dawkins made a comeback and tagged in Ford. Ford took Akam off the top rope with their Super Blockbuster for a near fall. Rezar interrupted the count. Dawkins and Rezar tumbled over the top rope. Ford and Akam battled in the ring. Ford landed an enzuigiri. Kross shoved Ford off the top rope as Scarlett distracted the ref. B-Fab went after Scarlett. Lashley then attacked Kross at ringside. Kross fought back and rammed Lashley’s arm into the ringpost. He then bashed Lashley with a chair from behind. Ford went after Kross, but Akam and Rezar attacked Ford and delivered their sitout powerbomb finisher for the win.
WINNERS: The Authors of Pain in 12:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: Lots of chaos at the end, so the win for AOP was pretty tainted.)
-They went backstage to the trainer checking on Dakota’s knee as Nick Aldis stood by. Bayley walked in and asked what happened. She claimed Damage CTRL attacked her. Bayley said they’re attacking her to get to her. She promised Dakota she won’t let them get away with it. Dakota told her she meant what she said that she has her back and she wants to earn her trust back. Dakota said they’re going to make them pay. Bayley put her arm around her and no longer seemed suspicious of her sincerity.
-Barrett hyped Knight vs. Drew was up next. [c]
-They showed more scenes of Perth, including Ripley examining the stadium and the Chamber structure. They also showed Seth Rollins, Ripley, and Nia Jax at the public press event earlier in the day.
-Backstage, Jimmy told Reigns that he told Jey they are doing just fine without him. Heyman then introduced Reigns to Waller. Waller walked in and said he had something to tell him, “but it’s for your ears only.” The camera cut off before Reigns spoke.
-Graves hyped The Greyson Waller Effect with Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins on the PLE plus the Kickoff Show match with the Kabuki Warriors defending against Candice LaRae & Indy Hartwell. They hyped the main show line-up.
-Knight made his ring entrance. [c]
-Graves hyped the Kabuki Warriors vs. Bayley & Dakota and Carlito vs. Santos Escobar next week on Smackdown.
-A trainer offered to ice Lashley’s elbow, which was heavily taped. Lashley waved him off. Drew walked in and said he’ll pray for him, then left.
(5) L.A. KNIGHT vs. DREW MCINTYRE
Drew made his ring entrance. Logan made his way to the commentary table. The bell rang 43 minutes into the hour. At 2:00 Drew appeared preoccupied with Logan at ringside, who yelled, “Who are you looking at, Drew?” Knight then went after a distracted Drew and clotheslined him at ringside. Drew fired back with an overhead toss on the floor. Owens showed up and sat on the other side of the announce desk. Drew catapulted Knight into the underside of the ring. They cut to a break at 3:00. [c]
Drew and Knight fought back and forth and KO and Logan bantered back and forth. Owens bragged, “I am 39 and I look like I’m 36.” Knight landed a superplex at 10:00 for a two count. Knight got in Logan’s face at ringside. Drew then threw him into Owens. Drew threw Knight into the ring. KO attacked Drew. The ref called for the bell.
WINNER: Drew via DQ or a no contest in 12:00.
-Drew, Knight, Logan, and Owens battled in the ring. Lashley joined in the fight and speared Knight. Logan kicked Lashley. KO gave Logan a stunner. Lashley speared KO. “This is madness!” exclaimed Graves. As Lashley’s music played, Drew surprised him with a Claymore Kick. As Drew’s music played, Randy Orton arrived and hit “an RKO out of nowhere.”
(Keller’s Analysis: The non-finish isn’t welcome. Too much of that lately. Otherwise, a pretty standard brawl with everyone in the Chamber to close the show.)
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