WWE's SmackDown Live is being broadcast from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on February 27, 2018.
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John Cena opens the show with a promo
Cena opened the show, and he got to the point rather quickly: he wanted a spot on the WrestleMania card, and in particularly, he wanted a spot in the Fatal 5-way championship match at Fastlane to try and get there.
Cena was quickly interrupted by commissioner Shane McMahon, who was trying to explain that while SmackDown was the land of opportunity, Cena couldn't just insert himself into the title match. GM Daniel Bryan was next out, saying that he had an idea of how Cena could earn his way into the match: a match vs. the champion AJ Styles in the main event TONIGHT.
WWE SmackDown Live main event: AJ Styles vs. John Cena
Cena was on fire early, clearly energized by a new chance to get to WrestleMania. This included Cena hitting Styles with a wicked looking tornado DDT where Styles landed awkwardly on Cena's hip.
After a commercial break, the match became much like the matches that Cena and Styles had over a year ago, as both competitors started trading big moves for near falls. Cena hit a TKO and an electric chair facebuster for near falls, while Styles had a neckbreaker and a spinning powerbomb for his own long two-counts.
During another commercial break, Styles hit a Styles Clash for a two count, while Cena hit an AA for another... not sure why both guys are hitting their finishers during a commercial, but why not! Not long after that, Styles hit a Phenomenal Forearm, but Cena STILL kicked out. Cena eventually responded with another AA, and he was ready to hit a third one when Styles was able to get to the ropes and pull himself outside. Cena was eventually able to hit that third AA when he hit Styles with another THROUGH the announcer's table! Cena was going to go for the countout victory, but Styles was able to get into the ring at the count of 9.
An exasperated Cena went for another AA when Styles reversed into the Calf Crusher, instead of tapping out, Cena was able to get out of the submission and hit his fourth AA of the match for the win.
Cena has now been added to the WWE Championship match at Fastlane, which now features Cena, Styles, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Baron Corbin, and Dolph Ziggler.
Baron Corbin def. (pin) Sami Zayn
Kevin Owens was on commentary for this one, something that Shane McMahon clearly wasn't happy with... we know that because they cut away mid-match to Shane and Bryan backstage so Shane could tell us how unhappy he was with that decision.
Match was pretty good, and Owens didn't interfere at all. However, Owens was the victim of some other interference, as Dolph Ziggler ran in to superkick Owens right in the head as payback for last week.
Normally, @FightOwensFight would have the best seat in the house in that chair...
NOT TONIGHT! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/HAMtdn12VG
— WWE (@WWE) February 28, 2018
The distraction allowed Corbin to hit the End of Days on Zayn and get the pin. Just for good measure, Ziggler went in the ring and laid out Corbin before heading backstage.
The Usos vs. The New Day in a promo battle
This was awesome. The New Day were out doing their usual fun-loving pancake shtick when the Usos interrupted. The champs gave an impassioned promo about how they were tired of the New Day's challenges, and about how this was their time to finally get on the main WrestleMania card. Serious: The Usos, despite being with WWE for almost a decade, have not had a match on the main WrestleMania card.
Big E shot back at the Usos, saying that the tag champs had no place to criticize the New Day, and that the Usos not getting on the WrestleMania card before was their own fault, as the New Day had taken advantage of opportunities before while the Usos were "in the back eating catering".
The tense battle of words was cut short when the Bludgeon Brothers interrupted... neither the New Day nor the Usos wanted a part of Harper and Rowan.
John Cena opens the show with a promo
Cena opened the show, and he got to the point rather quickly: he wanted a spot on the WrestleMania card, and in particularly, he wanted a spot in the Fatal 5-way championship match at Fastlane to try and get there.
Cena was quickly interrupted by commissioner Shane McMahon, who was trying to explain that while SmackDown was the land of opportunity, Cena couldn't just insert himself into the title match. GM Daniel Bryan was next out, saying that he had an idea of how Cena could earn his way into the match: a match vs. the champion AJ Styles in the main event TONIGHT.
Best of the rest of SmackDown Live
- Charlotte vs. Ruby Riott for the SmackDown women's championship was made official for Fastlane
- After that was announced, Riott def. (pin) Naomi in a singles match. Charlotte and Riott have now beaten both of the women's tag partners in singles competition ahead of their title match.
- Daniel Bryan "left early" to go be with his wife and kids... a somewhat reasonable request, but doesn't he only work like one day a week?
- Shinsuke Nakamura def. (pin) Aiden English with Rusev at ringside. This made for a very sad Rusev Day.
WWE SmackDown Live results leading up to Fastlane:
WWE SmackDown Live results: (2/20/18)
WWE Smackdown Live results: (2/13/18)
WWE SmackDown Live results: (2/6/18)
WWE SmackDown Live results: (1/30/18)
WWE Royal Rumble 2018 results: Ronda Rousey debuts, WrestleMania main event set, historic returns and wins
