The post-Royal Rumble edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown opens up with a look back at how Sami Zayn turned on Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns at the Royal Rumble. Kayla Braxton is now outside of the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina, waiting on The Bloodline. A SUV pulls up and out comes The Bloodline – Reigns, Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champion Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa, and Paul Heyman.
Braxton asks Roman Reigns about the status of Jey Uso but Roman Reigns and the others just keep walking. Paul Heyman stops at Braxton and says that was such a cold-blooded question from such a warm-hearted lady, but at this time they cannot confirm or deny the status of Jey in The Bloodline. Heyman thanks Braxton for wearing their colors tonight, red and black. He then follows the others into the arena.
We’re now live from inside the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville as the pyro goes off. Michael Cole welcomes us and he’s joined at ringside by Wade Barrett, no sign of Pat McAfee yet. They say Roman Reigns will give a State of The Bloodline Address tonight.
Here The WWE Friday Night SmackDown Full Results
– Braun Strowman and Ricochet defeated IMPERIUM via pinfall and earned the SmackDown Tag Team Titles match against The Usos. After the match, Strowman and Ricochet celebrate. The announcers confirm Strowman and Ricochet vs. Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos with just the SmackDown Tag Team Titles up for grabs on next week’s show.
– Michael Cole sends us to a video package on the Women’s Royal Rumble, with a focus on winner Rhea Ripley and her dominance. We also see the Monday Night Raw segment where Rhea Ripley challenged SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair to a match at WrestleMania 39.
– Kayla Braxton is backstage with Charlotte Flair now. Kayla asks about WrestleMania 39 and Flair says the match with Rhea Ripley will be epic, but tonight her focus is on Sonya Deville. Flair goes on about how you can’t ignore someone as persistent as Deville, but tonight we’re in Charlotte, NC, and… Deville interrupts and knocks the local fans. She promises to win the title and go on to defend against Ripley at WrestleMania 39 because Hollywood needs a star. Flair tells Deville to save her trash talking for the ring.
– We see stills from the Royal Rumble.
– We see how Rey Mysterio and WWE NXT Tag Team Champions The New Day were with NASCAR’s Clint Bowyer at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Thursday night. Dominik Mysterio, Finn Balor and Damian Priest interrupted, and they had words. This led to a father vs. son race around the track, which Rey won by a half car length. Dominik yelled at his dad after the race and threw a helmet at him, saying he cheated and the result would’ve been different is Rhea Ripley was there. The two sides get into it but race officials have to pull them apart.
– Charlotte Flair defeated Sonya Deville via submission and successfully retained her SmackDown Women’s Championship. After the match, Charlotte Flair stands tall and continues her celebration in front of the hometown crowd.
– Michael Cole sends us to a video package on Cody Rhodes’ Royal Rumble win.
– The Bloodline at backstage now, and the mood is tense. Roman Reigns asks Jimmy Uso about where Jey Uso is. Jimmy doesn’t know. Reigns asks if he’s talked to Jey, Jimmy says he never heard from his brother. Reigns asks if the others think this is disrespectful like he does. Reigns says not only does Jey walk out but he doesn’t care enough to communicate. He says it’s one thing to walk out but to not hear from Jey for an entire week?
Reigns asks Jimmy if they have a title match next week, and says it doesn’t make any sense for Jey to walk out on his obligations. Reigns asks Jimmy again – have you talked to your brother? No. Jimmy says Jey will be there, Reigns needs to chill out. Reigns says Jey may be there for Jimmy, but what about all of us, what about the entire Bloodline? Reigns asks Solo Sikoa if he’s talked to his brother. Solo just stares head. Jimmy says if he hasn’t talked to Jey, no one has.
Roman Reigns says he doesn’t think everyone understands the urgency that is needed here. Roman Reigns asks Wise Man if this is not WrestleMania Season? Yes it is, my Tribal Chief. Roman Reigns looks at Jimmy Uso, who is on the couch next to him, and says he won’t find Jey Uso on the couch. Reigns wants to know where Jey Uso is, so find him now.
– Viking Raiders defeated Butch and Ridge Holland via pinfall. After the match, The Viking Raiders stand tall and Valhalla enters the ring to join Erik and Ivar. The Vikings are on the stage now heading to the back when Drew McIntyre’s music hits and out he comes with Sheamus. Sheamus and McIntyre unload on Erik and Ivar on the entrance-way, sending them into the set and lighting. They send The Vikings to the back, then come back out and pose to a pop.
– Michael Cole sends us to a video package of highlights from the Mountain Dew Pitch Black match at the Royal Rumble, which saw Bray Wyatt defeat LA Knight. Wyatt is backstage sitting in his rocking chair now. Uncle Howdy appears next to him, but he’s standing up and we can’t see his face. Howdy places his hand on Wyatt’s shoulder, and Wyatt looks up at Howdy. Howdy suddenly leans over and looks at the camera as we abruptly cut back to the ring.
– Natalya defeated Shotzi, Zelina Vega and Shayna Baszler via pinfall and qualified for Raw Women’s Championship Elimination Chamber match. After the match, Natalya stands tall and celebrates. She joins Morgan, Rodriguez, Asuka and Nikki Cross as confirmed entrants in the Chamber. The final spot will be determined on Monday Night Raw with Carmella vs. Mia Yim vs. Candice LeRae vs. Piper Niven.
– The Bloodline at backstage. Paul Heyman tells Roman Reigns that Jey Uso’s phone is going to voicemail, and Jimmy Uso has had no luck calling him either. Reigns just doesn’t understand, of all the times for this to happen, it happened when they were doing so good, no problems, no hiccups. Reigns asks if they know how much he has on his plate, if they understand the stress and burden of his position. Jimmy nods. Reigns feels like he’s being pulled in two different directions, like he’s being spread too thin right now.
Roman Reigns says he loves them and he apologizes for speaking the way he did earlier. Jimmy says don’t worry about it. Reigns says he needs them and he needs us to be as strong as we’ve ever been because if we’re not, there’s no more of this – Reigns holds up his 1. Reigns says Heyman had sushi and steaks sent to the bus, so he wants Jimmy and Solo Sikoa to go have dinner while he goes to the ring to handle business. He asks if they understand, and they nod. Reigns tells them to enjoy, and he will get up with them later. Jimmy thanks Heyman, then exits with Sikoa.
– WWE announced for next week is Rey Mysterio vs. Karrion Kross vs. Santos Escobar vs. Madcap Moss to determine the new #1 contender to WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER.
– We go back to the ring and out comes Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns with Paul Heyman to cheers and boos. Reigns stops and poses on the stage. Reigns then marches to the ring and raises his finger in the air. Before Roman Reigns can speak a “Sami!” chant starts for Sami Zayn. Reigns calls on Greenville to acknowledge him and it sounds like most cheer. Fans chant “Sami!” again and Heyman looks a bit concerned. Reigns was going to ask who they want hm to talk about but it’s pretty obvious. Reigns says he would rather talk about Cody Rhodes, the guy who won the Royal Rumble, the #1 contender, someone who actually deserves his attention.
Roman Reigns says but you simple folks have reduced me to talking about the past. A “Sami!” chant starts back up. Reigns says fine, he will talk about Sami but remember there are two sides to every story and we’re going to hear his. Reigns goes back to WarGames, when he looked Sami in the eye and told everyone he saw everything he needed to see. He says he saw greed, the same thing he sees with every person he interacts with these days.
Roman Reigns goes on about how if a restaurant is lucky to have him these days, the entire staff says says they want this or that, not what can we do for you. Roman Reigns says he did the same for Sami Zayn, he gave him the opportunity of a lifetime but Sami just used him, used his Bloodline, and used his Island of Relevancy, no different than you fans because all you do is want, you can never give back.
A man in all black and a hoodie suddenly drops Reigns from behind. The man stands up and takes the hoodie off, it’s Zayn. Fans go wild. Sami picks Reigns up but Reigns fights back and delivers knee shots to beat him down. Reigns stomps away on Sami as fans boo now. Reigns has Heyman hand him a steel chair. Heyman tells Reigns to end Sami. Reigns goes to swing the chair but Sami cuts him off with a Spear. Sami is fired up as the crowd erupts, and chants “Sami!” again. Sami swings the chair but Reigns quickly rolls out of the ring. A shocked Reigns looks on from the ramp as Heyman joins him.
Sami screams Reigns’ name and says he was wrong, Sami never wanted anything from Roman Reigns until now. Sami wants something from Reigns now and he’s going to take it because he’s coming for Reigns and the Undisputed WWE Universal Title. Fans pop big. Sami turns around to Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champion Jimmy Uso leveling him with a superkick. Solo Sikoa joins in and they beat Sami down. Sikoa with a Samoan Spike. Reigns slowly makes his way back to the ring. Sikoa beats Sami down in the corner. Jimmy wraps a chair around Sami’s neck in the corner now. Solo charges for the Umaga splash into the chair but Reigns stops him.
Roman Reigns looks down at Sami and asks him if he wants something. A “we want Jey!” chant starts up now. Reigns asks Sami if he hears that. Reigns says he doesn’t have Jey because Sami broke up his Bloodline, his right hand man isn’t here because of Sami. Reigns goes on in Sami’s face about how he broke his family up. Reigns is going to give Sami what he wants, but he wants Sami at WWE Elimination Chamber in Montreal. Reigns says Sami broke up his family so he wants to destroy Sami in Montreal, in front of all his family, his friends, his child and everyone else close to him.
Roman Reigns mushes Sami’s face down in the corner as fans boo. Reigns says he will see Sami in Montreal. Roman Reigns grabs the title belts and taunts Sami Zayn with them. Roman Reigns raises the titles in the air now while Samo Zayn is still down in the corner. Reigns talks trash about Sami Zayn to the crowd. The post-Royal Rumble edition of Friday Night SmackDown goes off the air.
