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WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
MARCH 20, 2026
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA AT LENOVO CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY ERIC CORBRIDGE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Mark Nash
Attendance: Wrestletix reports that 12,601 tickets were distributed headed into the show. The arena was set up for 13,448.
CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO OUR POST-SHOW PODCAST
[HOUR ONE]
– The show began with a recap of the contract signing for the WWE Championship match at Wrestlemania between Champion Cody Rhodes and Royal Rumble winner and challenger Randy Orton. Orton turned on his friend Rhodes, viciously attacking him and leaving him bloody and confused.
Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett welcomed everyone to the show. Barrett said that Orton’s actions last week were appalling. Tessitore mentioned that Randy Orton would be here later tonight. The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Lash Legend and Nia Jax were shown arriving to the arena, as were their challengers The Bella Twins. The Men’s Tag Team Champions the MFT group were brooding in the arena somewhere, while their challengers tonight were also shown, with Damian Priest watching R-Truth get his head shaved. Kit Wilson threw a Jelly Roll record on the ground and walked on it, in preparation to call the Grammy winner out tonight. Jelly Roll pulled up to the arena in a truck just as some officials frantically ran by him calling for help.
The cameras followed to see Drew McIntyre ripping Jacob Fatu out of the broken front window of a car in the parking lot. McIntyre repeatedly punched a now bloodied Fatu and called him a son of a bitch. They cut back to the announcers who said things had reached a boiling point in Wrestlemania season.
McIntyre walked out to the ring with a microphone, complaining that he should be in the main event of Wrestlemania. Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis followed next and questioned what the hell was wrong with McIntyre. He said that McIntyre was the most self-sabotaging person he’d ever known in the business, then ran down all the dastardly things he’d done over the past several months. Aldis said that McIntyre was on his way to being unemployed. McIntyre said that while Aldis may think he’s behaving like a child, Aldis’s own son Donovan should be ashamed that he has a stooge for a father. The injured Fatu returned and went down to the ring to get at McIntyre. Fatu cleared off the announce desk and repeatedly headbutted McIntyre. Several officials momentarily broke up the fracas until Fatu ran through them and splashed McIntyre from the barricade through the desk. [c]
(Corbridge’s Analysis: McIntyre was obviously still upset at Fatu and blaming him for McIntyre losing the WWE Championship. Fatu ultimately got the upper hand with the splash through the table. It was hot way to break the monotony of a typical Smackdown “everyone arrives” opening and is setting up a McIntyre vs. Fatu match at Wrestlemania.)
– Damian Priest and R-Truth entered for the opening contest to challenge for the tag team championship. Truth hugged several fans on the way to the ring The MFT group was out next, composed of Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Talla Tonga, J.C. Mateo, and Tonga Loa. Solo was carrying the Wyatt Sicks lantern. Barrett pointed out that tonight Mateo and Tama would be defending the titles in a “Freebird rules” situation.
(1) DAMIAN PRIEST & R-TRUTH vs. SOLO SIKOA & TAMA TONGA (c) (w/Talla Tonga, Tonga Loa, J.C. Mateo) – WWE Tag Team Championship
Priest start with a flapjack on Mateo. Tama illegally came in so Truth combatted him with a flying forearm as Priest held Tama. On the outside, Talla laid out Truth, which distracted Priest long enough for Mateo to clothesline him to the floor. They went to a split screen less than a minute into the match. [c]
Mateo was in control after the break as Truth tried to rally the crowd. Mateo hit a splash in the corner on Priest then knocked Truth to the floor. Mateo charged Priest who retaliated with a spin kick. Priest made a surprisingly hot tag and executed John Cena’s move set including a Five Knuckle Shuffle. Tama slipped out of an AA attempt and made a blind tag to Mateo. Tama dropkicked Truth into a Mateo suplex that led to a nearfall. Priest made the save. Tama quickly deposited Priest back on the floor. Truth rallied with a Stunner and Priest leapt off the ring steps to take out Tama on the outside. Truth locked in an STF on Mateo. Solo distracted the referee allowing Talla to pull Truth through the ropes so he could chokeslam him on the apron. Mateo covered for the one…two…he kicked out!
The lights flickered all of the Wyatt Sicks, minus Uncle Howdy came out and brawled with the MFT up the ramp. Howdy came in from the desk area and put a mandible claw on Solo. Mateo superkicked Howdy and threw him into the barricade. Back in the ring, all four men went at it until Truth hit an AA on Mateo and covered for the three count.
WINNERS: Damian Priest & R-Truth via pinfall in 9:00. Priest and Truth won the tag team titles.
After the match, Priest and Truth were pleasantly shocked. Barrett noted that the MFT retained the lantern but at what cost? Priest and Truth held up the titles on the stage as fireworks went off.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: I thought this might be a possibility to get the belts on the more popular veteran babyfaces prior to Wrestlemania. It will be interesting to see what happens next and who will challenge them. Will it be at Wrestlemania?)
– Cathy Kelley interviewed Nikki and Brie Bella. Brie said that no one should underestimate them. Nikki said they helped paved the way for the tag team titles to exist. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss walked up eating ice cream for some reason. Flair called the Bellas selfish for interfering in their title match last week and then accepting one for themselves tonight. Nikki told them to come out and watch their match to see how real legends get it done. Brie stole Bliss’s ice cream spoon, which is a sentence I did not think I’d ever type.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: I wish I could buy the Bellas for what their worth to WWE history and sell them for what they think their worth. I’d be a very wealthy man.)
– Candice LeRae talked to her comatose/depressed/sleepy husband Johnny Gargano, who was face-down on a crate as usual. Danhausen walked up and scared her. He said he could fix it for twenty human dollars. She pulled twenty bucks out of Gargano’s pocket and gave it to him. When she looked back up Danhausen was gone. The Motor City Machine Guns walked by. Shelley stopped momentarily but Sabin called back at him. Shelley acknowledged that they had a match and caught up to his partner. [c]
– They showed video clips from fan fake reactions on social media to the Orton heel turn last week.
– Cathy Kelley asked Sami Zayn about Orton’s attack on Rhodes. He said that he should be giving his match with Aleister Black tonight 100% of his focus. But he can’t stop thinking about Rhodes. He said that Rhodes always tries to be good and go the extra mile and then he ends up on a stretcher in a pool of his own blood. He then compared that Orton, who he looks up to, who did what he did last week and ended the night with the WWE title in his hands. Sami said that he keeps trying to do things the right way but then the more things go wrong. He said he’s starting to feel like the world he believes in doesn’t exist anymore. Trick Williams interrupted to brag about beating Jacob Fatu last week. Trick said that “when life gives you lemons, you put on your lemon pepper steppers and mind your business while grown folk are talking.” Sami wanted to fight. Trick said he’d check his schedule to see if they could have a match. Sami got in his face.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Sami continues to question his motivations and wonders if it isn’t worth it being a good guy anymore. At some point there will be a crossroads and he will have to make a decision on which way to go. It’s very compelling storytelling.)
(2) THE MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) vs. FRAXIOM (Axiom & Nathan Frazer)
Frazer and Shelley started off with Frazer showing his speed and quickly tagging in Axiom. Shelly tagged in Sabin and they double-teamed, leading to an early cover. Axiom charged out of the corner and Shelley threw him up in the air but he used the momentum to dropkick Sabin. Fraxiom cleared the ring of the Guns. [c]
Axiom swept Sabin’s legs and faceplanted him on the apron. Frazer ran the ropes and somersaulted over the top ropes and took out both Guns, though in reality I’m not sure he made any contact with either of them. Frazer rolled Sabin into the ring and hit a frog splash, then covered but Shelley broke it up. Fraxiom continued to show off supreme teamwork but couldn’t put Sabin away. Axiom perched Sabin on the turnbuckle but Sabin recovered and hit a cross-body onto both members of Fraxiom. The Guns hit their finisher double team neckbreaker and covered, but Frazer kicked out at two. Candice LeRae appeared at the top of the ramp.
Shelly tagged in Sabin and all four men traded kicks. Fraxiom hit stereo multiple stereo dives through the ropes. Back in the ring, Shelley yanked Axiom off the top rope and pulled him to the floor. Frazer rolled up Sabin for a two count, and when Sabin pushed him off LeRae jumped up and clocked Frazer. Sabin rolled up Frazer for the pinfall.
WINNERS: The Motor City Machine Guns via pinfall in 8:00.
Neither Sabin nor Shelley seemed to realize that LeRae helped them out.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: With all due respect to Candice LeRae, who I’m sure is a tough woman, where her normal punch should lead to Frazer being pinned. Hopefully she had brass knuckles or something.)
– Randy Orton walked up to the arena. He was more than fashionably late. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
– Randy Orton entered to a bit of a muted, mixed reaction. But vicious attacks on the top babyface in the company didn’t stop the dumb fans from singing Orton’s theme song. Orton was still wearing the shirt that he was wearing last week, which still had Cody Rhodes’s blood on it. Barrett called Orton’s attack last week “sub-human”, which doesn’t really make any sense. Orton grabbed a chair from ringside and sat on it in the middle of the ring. The crowd was now alive and chanting for Orton.
Orton said that for years when his entrance music hits everyone sings along. The dumb fans cheered. Orton said that felt great so he gave high fives, signed title belts, and how it all puts a smile on his face. He said that smile is the emptiest feeling he’s ever felt in his life. He said that nothing lasts forever and he didn’t want all those things to be his legacy. He wanted his legacy to be how much world championship gold he put around his waist. The crowd cheered that and chanted for him again. Orton said that he knew he could beat Drew McIntyre for the world title and be who he needed to be. But when Rhodes won the title he didn’t know that he could. He said he still loves Rhodes, but last week Rhodes took the burden off of him when he said he needed to be the best version of Randy Orton. Rhodes told him to listen to the voices and be the Viper. Orton said the problem with that is that it can make him lose control, but that he knows he needs that killer instinct to win his fifteenth championship and add to his legacy. He said he’d win it using the RKO, which prompted an RKO chant.
Orton: “I hear voices in my head. They counsel me. They understand. They talk to me. And they tell me that I’m going to beat Cody Rhodes for the WWE Championship.” He repeated himself a few times and said he’d do it at the main event of Wrestlemania. The last line received zero reaction. Tessitore noted that Orton just gave the answer to the question that everyone had been asking all week, which was “why Randy?”
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Orton gave a clear answer of why he did what he did last week, which was that he did exactly what Cody gave him permission to do. We learned almost all of this week last week. This week Orton just confirmed that Cody’s permission is what made him feel free to listen to the voices. It also made Aleister Black right all along, for the record. The more interesting thing to me was that the only heel aspect is that Orton thinks it was okay to viciously attack a friend. The sheep crowd sure bought it. I presume Cody isn’t going to be quite as accepting of Orton’s explanation.)
– Aleister Black made his creepy “emerge from a coffin” entrance alongside his wife Zelina Vega. [c]
– Matt Cardona confronted Orton in the back. Cardona called him out for his attack on Cody. Orton got mad and questioned whether he had some action figures to go play with. He called him a mark-ass stooge and an indie nerd. Orton pretend to leave and then waffled Cardona and told him to stay out of his business that he wouldn’t understand.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: That was rude. Cardona isn’t a stooge.)
Sami Zayn entered to a big of a muted reaction from the crowd. Before the match could start, Trick Williams came out to sit at ringside and watch the match. Black took advantage of Trick posing on the announce desk to blindside Sami from behind right as the bell rang.
(3) SAMI ZAYN vs. ALEISTER BLACK (w/Zelina Vega)
Black hit several strike combinations in the corner until Sami ducked and hit the ten punches on the turnbuckle. Then he hit a whole lot more which took Black to the mat. [c]
Black regained control during the break by catching Sami with a knee as Sami was flying off the ropes. They traded blows as Trick was sipping a drink with his feet up on the announce desk. Black hit another massive knee and covered for a two-count. He locked in a knee submission in the middle of the ring. Sami turned it into a pinning predicament, forcing Black to relinquish the hold. Sami charged for a Helluva kick but Black moved and hit a Meteora, then covered for a nearfall. Black took too much time to gloat and Sami clotheslined him over the top rope to the floor. Sami threw Black twice into the barricade as the referee counted. Sami rolled Black back into the ring.
Sami hit the exploder suplex and the fans booed. Sami went for another Helluva kick but Black escaped to the safety of the floor. Sami went out after him and threw Trick’s legs off the desk. The fans chanted for Trick as he threw his drink at Sami. They stared at each other. Sami debated whether he wanted to return to the ring, then chose to attack Trick first. He finally got back in the ring at the nine count, only to get caught in the face with the Black Mass. Black took his time before covering Sami but still did and got the three count.
WINNER: Aleister Black via pinfall in 9:00.
Tessitore said that Sami’s emotions got the best of him again.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Tessitore said it perfectly. I will point out that Sami didn’t do the “right’ thing here and he lost. I remain convinced that the plan is NOT for Sami to turn heel, but for him to resist all those urges and actually do the right thing when it matters most. My concern is that today’s average fan will reject that.)
– Matt Cardona demanded a match with Randy Orton from Nick Aldis. Aldis wouldn’t give it to him because of how unhinged Orton is right now. Cardona was mad. Carmelo Hayes walked up and asked why his Open Challenge was closed tonight and Aldis said it was because someone made a compelling case to him for a match tonight. He confirmed that it was not The Miz. Ilja Dragunov approached and said that Hayes was right about him and that he needs to take the shots that are right in front of him. Hayes said it was about time and that tonight it would be champagne for one of them, but only pain for the other. Dragunov said he was willing to take pain, whether it was his or Hayes’s. Dragunov was the challenger tonight.
– WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill was shown walking because she was up next. [c]
Cargill was wearing a huge purple fur around her neck. She immediately called out Rhea Ripley. Ripley came to the ring and asked if they were going to talk or do something. She said she didn’t want to talk anymore. Cargill said that Ripley needs the title but she doesn’t need the title, the ring, nor the fans. Cargill said that with or without wrestling she’s still that bitch and that she’s only her to make money. Ripley said Cargill’s been very successful at not making friends, but that she has been fighting for this her whole life. Cargill said she didn’t want to hear another sob story and that without wrestling Ripley is nothing. Ripley said she wasn’t going to let Cargill disrespect the business or anyone in it. She said that since the title has been around Cargill’s waist, that it needs Ripley, so now she is going to take it. Ripley: “Welcome to the big leagues bitch.” Ripley dared Cargill to hit her. Cargill said she’d do that on her time.
Cargill tried to leave but Michin and B-Fab came down to presumably stop her. Michin had her pet kendo stick of course. I’ll name him Ken. In a twist, Cargill, Michin, and B-Fab surrounded the ring to prevent Ripley from exiting. Ripley superkicked B-Fab before she could get in the ring. That allowed Michin to hit her with Ken. They held Ripley so Cargill could kick her in the face. Cargill gave Ripley the Jaded.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: They accomplished what they wanted and it didn’t overstay its welcome. But it was trope after trope. Then it got interesting with the 3 – on 1 surprise attack. If anyone had an eagle eye last week they would have seen B-Fab talking to Cargill in the back of a backstage scene. Now we know why. Ripley winning the title at Wrestlemania is the biggest lock there is, in my opinion.)
– Kit Wilson told the Miz in the back that he had the M.I.Z. core values down and that he’d use them on Jelly Roll tonight. Miz was focused on something else. He said that his family vacation got delayed, then they put him in a middle seat on the airplane, and that he had a sunburn on his back that was killing him. On cue, Danhausen appeared and smack them both on the back to say hello. He wanted to be their muscle to protect them against “Jimmy Jam.” Wilson said they didn’t want his toxic machismo and Miz said to get it through his Dracula brain that he won’t mentor him. Danhausen: “who’s Dracula?” Then he said, fine stay cursed. As Miz was saying there’s no such thing as curses a ladder fell behind him. Danhausen was gone. Miz said that Wilson had to go out by himself and use the M.I.Z. method. Wilson left and when Miz turned around another ladder fell on him.
– The MFTs were in the back and Solo was furious that they lost the tag titles. He yelled at the rest of the MFT and said it was on them that they won’t be at Wrestlemania. Tama told Solo to give the lantern back to the Wyatts because Solo hasn’t been acting like himself. He said that Solo was starting to sound like Roman (Reigns). Before Solo could respond, Jacob Fatu threw Drew McIntyre into a garage door next to them. Officials momentarily broke it up which allowed McIntyre to gouge his eyes before it got broken up again.
– Ilja Dragunov made his way the ring for his long anticipated United States Championship rematch. [c] The champion Carmelo Hayes came out second. Barrett speculated that this is actually in some ways an easier match for Hayes since he at least knows who his opponent was a few minutes ahead of time.
(4) CARMELO HAYES (c) vs. ILJA DRAGUNOV – United States Championship
The felt each other out in the opening minute. Hayes slapped Dragunov to purposely get him psyched up. It worked as Dragunov unleashed chops and kicks, Hayes missed an enziguri. Dragunov leveled him with a Constantine Special and screamed that this was his ring. [c]
[HOUR THREE]
Tessitore reminded viewers that Dragunov repeatedly refused this rematch because he didn’t think he deserved it. He suplexed Hayes and covered for a two-count. Barrett pointed out that Hayes may need to look over at the title because he looked spent right now. Hayes tried to fight back with a couple chops, then hit a Dirty Diana and covered for another two-count. Hayes kipped up and clotheslined him to the floor, then hit a somersault dive over the top rope, which looked better than Frazer’s earlier. Hayes with a frog splash for another nearfall. He struggled with the cover because he’d hurt his ribs on that somersault over the ropes because he crashed rib-first into the desk.
Dragunov took back over with a German suplex and then hit a flying senton that earned him a nearfall. Hayes rallied by catching him with a mid-air First 48 codebreaker but didn’t get all of it because Dragunov landed on his feet. Dragunov immediately hit him with the H-bomb. He went for the pin but Hayes got his feet on the ropes at the last second. Dragunov looked befuddled as they went to a split screen. [c]
Dragunov countered a DDT attempt with a Death Valley Driver onto the ring apron. Ouch. Dragunov was bleeding from the face as he attempted a superplex. Hayes reversed it into a cutter! He threw his body over Dragunov as an attempt to cover, but still only earned a two-count. Barrett pointed out that Hayes was so hurt that he couldn’t execute a basic cover. The fans correctly chanted ‘this is awesome.” They traded heavy blows that kept knocking each other back into the ropes. Dragunov powerbombed the life out of Hayes, but he still kicked out of the cover. He then hit a backbreaker and Hayes again kicked out. Dragunov signaled that this was the end. He charged but Hayes hit the First 48 cleanly this time and covered for the one…two…he kicked out!
Hayes went to the top but Dragunov moved away from a Nothing but Net legdrop attempt and hit Hayes with the Torpedo Moscow. He went for another powerbomb, but Hayes over-rotated and turned it into a sunset flip for the one…two…three!
WINNER: Carmelo Hayes via pinfall in 16:00.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: A terrific match that was worth the wait. The only thing more impressive than their individual athleticism is their chemistry and ability to tell an in-ring story together. I say bring on match #3 at Wrestlemania if they can figure out a reason to have it.)
– Outside the arena, Jelly Roll congratulated Damian Priest and R-Truth for winning the tag team titles. They told him to hit them up later as they go off to celebrate. Jelly kept walking and Randy Orton apologized to him for last week. Jelly said he was worried about Orton and being judged for making bad decisions. He said he wasn’t here to judge Orton but wanted to remind him of how he’d become a better man. Jelly said he didn’t understand why he wanted to return to the version of him that Orton had already beaten. He said he didn’t know who was in Orton’s ear, but that life is not about what you do, but who you do it with. Orton questioned how he would even begin to fix things. Jelly basically said they had to start somewhere. Orton said okay and told him he loved him.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Like him or hate him, Jelly Roll did a good job making his points to Orton. Get ready for Jelly to get the ever-living Jam beaten out of him by Orton very soon.)
– Kit Wilson made his way to the ring to call out Jelly Roll. [c]
Wilson called out Jelly Roll as advertised. Jelly jammed his way out looking angry and Wilson immediately bailed to the floor. Jelly said he wanted to fight and called for a referee. Wilson said that his bravado was two steps ahead of his brain and that they would settle this like civilized gentlemen. He said he fights with his words. Jelly asked if they were about to have a rap battle. Wilson didn’t want to be compared to a rapper. He said that tonight they would have slam poetry. The crowd cheered. Wilson pulled out a notebook and read:
“Jelly, you can talk all you want. No class. Just a couple of ugly face tatoos and a criminal past. But well done on losing that weight and for looking so damn thin. All I see is a melted blob of skin. (the crowd ooh’d at that). You’re fat phobic. You’re toxic, I might even call you a jerk. But hey, at least we have proof that Ozempic does work.”
He continued.
“Jelly, you try to inspire. But to me it’s a little bit silly. Congrats on losing three hundred pounds. Perhaps now you can see your little willy.”
Jelly said that was pretty good and acknowledged that he didn’t bring a book but he might have something for him. Jelly said”
“Oh, Mr. Kit Wilson came in and tried to destroy me. But I don’t have to see my willy. Your mother sees it for me. You talk about Ozempic, that’s really original ya’ll. Hey, Jelly’s really fat, your momma could have told you that. I put my belly on her back.
Jelly started dancing so Wilson clocked him with the microphone. Wilson hit a flying elbow in the corner and a flying corkscrew elbow off the tope rope. Wilson’s music played to end it as Jelly was down in the ring.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: I say Wilson definitively won the slam poetry battle. Jelly’s rebuttals were lame. Next time he should have a marble composition notebook like Mr. Toxic.)
– Kiana James told Giulia that she was still aware that she lost to Tiffany Stratton last week. Chelsea Green rolled up on her wheelchair with Alba Fyre and said “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.” Giulia didn’t want her help and they left. Nia Jax pushed Green’s wheelchair away as she and Lash Legend headed out for their tag title defense. [c]
– Jelly Roll asked Nick Aldis for a match with Kit Wilson. Aldis said he could have one next week in Pittsburgh.
– The Irresistible Forces were in the ring. The Bellas came out to challenge them. Some women and girls cheered, from the sound of it.
– Kit Wilson
(5) THE BELLAS (Nikki & Brie) vs. THE IRRESISTIBLE FORCES (Lash Legend & Nia Jax) (c) – WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
The Bellas started with stereo dropkicks. Jax recovered and took Nikki down with a shoulder block but missed an elbow drop. Nikki tagged in Brie who dropkicked Jax in the back as she was draped over the second rope. She made a quick tag and they hit a double facebuster on Jax. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss came out to Flair’s music. Legend used that distraction to level the Bellas as they went to another split screen. [c]
Brie with a missile dropkick on Jax, then a “Brie Mode’ knee that had little effect. Jax tried to drop her ass on Brie but she moved. To the Bellas credit, the crowd was into Brie doing Yes kicks. Legend went for a pump kick but Brie moved and sent her to the floor. She sent Jax to the floor too and tagged Nikki. Nikki with a cross-body on the floor onto both heels. Back in the ring, Jax gave Nikiki a Samoan Drop off the top rope. Legend splashed her and covered but Brie made the save. Brie hit a Bella buster and she and Jax fell to the floor. Nikki locked Legend in a crossface but the referee was distracted because on the floor Flair stopped Jax from hitting Brie with one of the tag titles. The referee called for the bell.
WINNERS: No contest in 8:00. Jax and Legend retained the tag team titles.
Post-match, Flair and Bliss fought with the Bellas. Jax and Legend got involved too. Legend rag-dolled Charlotte and held her so Jax could hit a legdrop. The heels celebrated as all the babyfaces where sprawled across the ring.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: It’s annoying when referees pick and choose when they will throw out a match or disqualify someone. We saw way more antics on the floor during the men’s tag team title match earlier and the referee did nothing.)
– Randy Orton was on the phone and told someone on the other end that he was going to go to the ring right now to fix it. He came back out carrying the steel chair. He notably shook a kid’s hand and slapped hands with other fans on the way to the ring. Heel turn finalization loading. Orton posed on the ropes before sitting down in the chair. He apparently decided he didn’t like that so he stood up and tossed the chair aside. He said he needed to apologize to Matt Cardona and called him out to the ring. Uh oh. Cardona walked down shaking his head.
Orton apologized to Cardona, even saying that action figures are cool and that he plays video games. He said they go back twenty years and that once again he’s sorry. He said he would apologize to Cody Rhodes next week. He asked Cardona if he would forgive him. They hugged and shook hands. Then he kicked him in the balls and gave him an RKO. Orton threw Cardona to the floor and put him on the announce desk. As he grabbed the steps a bunch of officials ran down and pleaded with him to stop. Orton threw Cardona back in the ring and put his left arm in a chair and then stomped on it. Barrett said that Orton just snapped his arm. The idiot fans chanted “one more time.”
They cut to the outside where Fatu and McIntyre were still fighting. Now they were on the side of a building fighting on a railing. Aldis and some officials ran out and yelled at them to stop. They both fell off the building as the show went off the air.
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