LECLAIR’S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT 3/6: Alt perspective, on-going coverage of Elimination Chamber go-home show, Firefly Funhouse, Tag Team Gauntlet,

LECLAIR’S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT 3/6: Alt perspective, on-going coverage of Elimination Chamber go-home show, Firefly Funhouse, Tag Team Gauntlet,


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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.

3/20 ROH TV REPORT: Briscoes vs. Jeff Cobb & Dan Maff, Alex Shelley vs. Ray Horus, Two Guys One Tag vs. Jonathan Gresham & Jay Lethal

3/26 NXT UK TV REPORT: Jordan Devlin vs. Travis Banks for Cruiserweight Title, Imperium vs. Ashton Smith & Oliver Carter, A-Kid vs. Noam Dar, Nina Samuel vs. Valkyrie

FREE PODCAST 3/26 – WKPWP Thursday Flagship: Keller & Martin talk new Benoit documentary, latest WrestleMania hype, Jon Jones, Gronkowski, AEW, more (166 min)

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