WWE SmackDown Results 3/15 - Bayley Vs. Dakota Kai, The Rock And Rey Mysterio Appear
Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results for "WWE SmackDown" on March 15, 2024, coming to you live from the FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee!
Last Friday, Cody Rhodes and Seth "Freakin" Rollins accepted The Rock and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns' challenge to a tag team match at Night One of WrestleMania 40, with the former team making sure that The Bloodline will be banned from ringside Rhodes and Reigns' title match the following night should they win while the latter team ensuring that the match will be Bloodline Rules if they win. In light of such, The Rock will be appearing on tonight's show with something on his mind to share.
Two weeks ago, Dakota Kai turned her back on Bayley in the midst of their tag team match with Damage CTRL's Asuka and Kairi Sane as Women's Champion and Bayley's WrestleMania opponent IYO SKY watched on from ringside. The winner of the 2024 Women's Royal Rumble will have her chance to seek her retribution tonight as she goes one-on-one with Kai.
Kai's betrayal wasn't the only notable thing that happened two weeks ago, as Rey Mysterio returned from injury to help Carlito defeat Santos Escobar in a Street Fight. Following such, Rey will be speaking for the first time since.
Speaking of Escobar, he will be competing in a match of his own tonight as he collides with Dragon Lee. Escobar and his Legado Del Fantasma teammates became involved in a backstage altercation with Lee last week, which led to Lee squaring off with Angel in the ring later that night and defeating him via disqualification.
This past Monday, "WWE Raw" and "SmackDown" General Managers Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis announced that Finn Balor and Damian Priest would be defending their Undisputed Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania in a Six-Pack Challenge Ladder Match. Tonight, the first two teams to enter the match will be revealed as Pretty Deadly goes head-to-head with New Catch Republic, and the aforementioned Angel and Berto square off with Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro of LWO in a pair of qualifier matches.
Elsewhere, Grayson Waller will be taking on Randy Orton. The pair encountered one another in a tag team match last week, in which Orton and his partner Kevin Owens emerged victorious over Waller and Austin Theory.
Additionally, per WWE's event page, the aforementioned SKY, Bianca Belair, Bobby Lashley, Jimmy Uso, and LA Knight are advertised to be in town.
We are live! The show kicks off with a video recapping the confrontation between The Bloodline and Seth "Freakin" Rollins and Cody Rhodes last week.
Wade Barrett and Corey Graves then greet audiences at home as The Rock makes his way down to the ring.
We Hear From The Rock
The Rock says he usually torches and scorches every city he's in, but tonight is different. He says he first started his wrestling career in Memphis, and reminisces on the days he spent there. He says that he's finally come back home, and it's been years since he's been there. He says he's going to have some fun with Memphis.
The Rock then says it's time to sing a song, and says the first thing he'll cover in the song is what will happen to Cody Rhodes and Seth "Freakin" Rollins at WrestleMania. He sings that The Rock will layeth the Smacketh Down on them, and sings he'll break their back or beat them with his fanny pack. He says there will be so much drama, and sings that Dusty Rhodes tried raising Cody right, but he turned out to be weird. He sings that Rollins' wife is more popular than he is, and says he'll make his title disappear. The Rock then sings that the Cody Crybabies are obnoxious and brash, and continues to rag on them.
After he wraps up his song, The Rock addresses Cody Rhodes slapping him at the end of last week's show. He says while he smiled at first, Rhodes appeared on "Raw" and chatted with Michael Cole about how he was going to give the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship to his mother. He mocks Rhodes for getting emotional on Monday, then talks directly to Rhodes' mother. He tells her that he'll make him and his family pay, then says The Bloodline will emerge victorious at both nights of WrestleMania. He expresses his confidence with Reigns retaining his title against Rhodes, and tells Rhodes' mother that she will get a belt, but it will be one of his weight belts. He says he'll use it to beat Rhodes, and says he'll tell Rhodes' mother "what can I say except you're welcome?"
Back from the break, Legado Del Fantasma makes their way down to the ring. LWO is already waiting inside.
Legado Del Fantasma (w/ Elektra Lopez) vs. LWO (w/ Zelina Vega) In A WrestleMania Six-Pack Challenge Ladder Match Qualifier Match
Berto and Del Toro begin the action. The bell rings and Berto rocks Del Toro with a superkick. Angel tags in and double teams on Del Toro with Berto. Angel then lands a chop and a kick on Del Toro's midsection, then tags Berto back in. Del Toro delivers a hurricanrana to Berto off the apron, then tags in Wilde. Wilde and Del Toro deliver a double back elbow and a double kick on Berto to send him crashing out of the ring, then send Angel out to join him and fly to level the duo.
LWO gets Berto back inside the ring, and Wilde looks to pin Berto. Berto kicks out, and Del Toro tags back in. Del Toro helps Wilde fly, then delivers a springboard moonsault.
Back from the break, Berto lands a chop on Del Toro and fires off right hands and stomps on him in the corner. Angel tags in and delivers a dropkick to Wilde on the apron as Berto sits Del Toro on the top rope. Berto tags back in, and delivers a double bodyslam to Del Toro off the top with Angel.
Del Toro manages to land a Spanish Fly on Berto, then tags in Wilde. Angel tags in and Wilde catches him and Berto with a double missile dropkick off the top. He lands a neckbreaker on Berto and delivers a back elbow to Angel in the corner, then delivers a hurricanrana to Berto and a superkick to Angel. He then connects with a Tornado DT on Angel and goes for a pin, but Berto breaks the fall. Del Toro delivers a dropkick to Berto off the top rope, but Berto sends him crashing into the barricade on the outside. Berto then tags in, and Berto tosses Wilde over to Angel. Angelo catches Wilde with a kick mid-air, and Berto pins Wilde for the win.
Winners: Legado Del Fantasma
Back from the break, LA Knight makes his way down to ringside to join Kayla Braxton.
We Hear From LA Knight
Braxton asks Knight if he's had any luck on his search for AJ Styles, then asks her if he can take the mic from her. Braxton gives him the mic, and says Styles told him last week that he needed to be more humble. He dares Styles to come to the ringside area and humble him. Styles doesn't appear, and Knight says Styles is nowhere to be found because he's not big enough for this ride. He says Styles can fly to Australia, but can't drive to Memphis. He says if Styles can't show up to "SmackDown", there's one place Styles won't be able to resist showing up to face him in the ring: WrestleMania. He says Styles may say that he walks around owning the place when he doesn't, but he will own him at WrestleMania.
Styles appears out of nowhere and clocks Knight with a chair. He then sits on it and accepts Knight's challenge.
We then head over to Nick Aldis' office and see Logan Paul demand to know what Aldis will do to punish Randy Orton for landing a RKO on KSI last week. He says at the very least, Orton should apologize and Aldis should enforce that to protect himself. Aldis tells Paul to get Orton to apologize himself, and Paul says that's Aldis' job. He then says he doesn't excel that Aldis can do his job when he can't even find him an opponent to defend his United States Championship against at WrestleMania.
Back at ringside, Grayson Waller and Austin Theory make their way out.
Back from the break, we head backstage to The Bloodline and Kayla Braxton, where Jimmy Uso accepts Jey Uso's challenge to a WrestleMania match.
Back at ringside, Randy Orton makes his way down. Logan Paul follows to join the announce desk.
Grayson Waller (w/ Austin Theory) vs. Randy Orton
Waller blindsides Orton from behind as the bell rings. Waller fires off right hands on Orton in the corner, but Orton returns the favor. Waller dumps Orton out of the ring and follows him out there, but Orton sends his head bouncing off the announce desk. He then dumps him into the timekeeper's area, but Waller blindsides Orton with a flatliner on top of the announce desk after Orton becomes distracted by Paul and Theory.
Back from the break, Orton delivers a pair of clotheslines to Waller and follows it up with a scoop powerslam. He then looks to land a hanging DDT, but Waller dumps Orton out of the ring before he can. Orton then sends Waller crashing on top of the announce desk twice and gets him back in the ring. Austin Theory hops up on the apron, and Waller looks to take advantage. He charges at Orton, but Orton moves out of the way and Waller is sent crashing into Theory. Ortn then connects with a hanging DDT on Waller and looks to follow it up with the RKO. Theory pulls Waller out of the ring, but Orton drags Theory inside and delivers a hanging DDT to him. Waller looks to take advantage and hit a rolling stunner, but Orton catches him with an RKO mid-air for the win.
Winner: Randy Orton
After the match, Theory delivers a chop block to Orton and invites Paul in the ring to help beat him down. Paul accepts his offer, and Theory holds Orton in place. Paul then looks to land a right hand, but Kevin Owens runs down to the ring to provide Orton with a hand. He fights off Theory, and Paul slides out of the ring. Owens then helps Orton up, and Orton almost lands an RKO on him presumably thinking it was Paul, Theory, or Waller. Owens then lands a Stunner on Theory, and Orton follows it up with an RKO.
Nick Aldis then appears at ringside and asks Paul if he got an apology from Orton. He then informs Paul that he will be defending the United States Championship against both Randy Orton and Kevin Owens at WrestleMania.
Back from the break, Legado Del Fantasma makes their way down to the ring. Dragon Lee follows.
Santos Escobar (w. Legado Del Fantasma) vs. Dragon Lee
The bell rings and Lee delivers a back elbow and a clothesline to Escobar. He follows it up with a hurricanrana and flies to level Escobar on the outside before the pair get back in the ring and Lee delivers a kick to Escobar's midsection. He follows it up with an enzuigiri and a sit-out powerbomb, then delivers a kick to Escobar's thigh and one to Angel on the outside from the apron. Berto hops up on the apron, but Lee delivers a hurricanrana to level. When he gets back in the ring, he walks into a Phantom Driver from Escobar for the win.
Winner: Santos Escobar
After the match, Legado Del Fantasma continues beating down Lee in the ring, but Carlito runs down to the ring to make the same. Escobar runs Carlito over, but Rey Mysterio marches down to the ring and fires off right hands on Escobar. He connects with a hurricanrana that sends Escobar crashing into the ropes and looks to dial it up for the 619, but Escobar slides out of the ring before he can.
Rey then grabs a mic and says it was supposed to be him and Escobar together. He then challenges Escobar to a singles match next week, and promises to slap the arrogant smile off Escobar's face.
Back from the break, New Catch Republic and Pretty Deadly are already waiting in the ring.
Pretty Deadly vs. New Catch Republic In A WrestleMania Six-Pack Challenge Ladder Match Qualifier Match
Wilson and Bate begin the action. The bell rings and the two lock up. Dunne tags in and stomps on Wilson's arm, then snaps his fingers and stomps on his tricep. Prince trips Dunne on the apron while hte referee is distracted, and Wilson takes advantage. He fires off right hands on Dunne's head, then tags in Prince. Prince and Wilson double team on Orton before Prince fires off right hands on Dunne and Wilson tags in. Dunne executes a Dragon Screw on Wilson and tags in Bate. Prince tags in and Bate lands an uppercut on him. Bate then follows it up with a hurricanrana and uppercuts to both Prince and Wilson in opposite corners. He then delivers a T-Bone suplex and a Shooting Star Press to Wilson before delivering an Airplane Spin to Prince.
Back from the break, Wilson keeps Bate from tagging in Dunne. Bate lands a delayed vertical suplex on Wilson and tags in Dunne as Wilson tags in Prince. Dunne delivers an enzuigiri to Prince, then follows it up with a German suplex and locks in an Arm Bar. Prince counters into a roll up, but Dunne kicks out and stomps on his fingers. He then delivers a kick to Prince's head and tags in Bate. New Catch Republic delivers a double enzuigiri to Prince in the corner, and Bate delivers an uppercut off the middle rope to Prince as Dunne holds him in place. Bate goes for a pin, but Wilson breaks the fall and Dunne fires off chops on him. Wilson levels Dunne, but Bate takes out Wilson. Prince catches Bate with a boot, and Pretty Deadly sends Dunne crashing into the ring post. They then double team on Bate.
Prince tags in and Pretty Deadly looks to land Spilt Milk. Bate escapes and makes the blind tag out to Dunne. He lands a rebound clothesline on Prince and follows it up with the Birming-Hammer on him with Dunne for the win.
Winners: New Catch Republic
Back from the break, Bayley makes her way down to the ring. Damage CTRL follows.
Bayley vs. Dakota Kai (w/ Damage CTRL)
The bell rings and Bayley wastes no time. She fires off right hands on Kai, but Kai rolls out of the ring. Bayley gets her back in and Kai catches her with an open palm strike, but Bayley shoves her into the corner and fires off a stomp on her in the corner. Sane hops up on the apron, but Bayley clocks her. She then trips Kai on the apron and delivers a suplex to her off the apron.
Back from the break, Bayley delivers a running knee to Kai's head. Kai jams her knee into the back of Bayley's head, and Asuka takes a cheap shot while the referee is distracted. Bayley then ascends to the top, but Kai catches her with an enzuigiri and joins her up there. Bayley fights her off and delivers an elbow drop, but Kai responds with a kick to her head. Sane tries to interfere, but SKY pulls her off while the referee is distracted. Kai then delivers a running kick, but Bayley catches her with a powerbomb and fires off right hands. She turns around and SKY is in the ring with her belt. Asuka and Sane look to interfere, but Bayley levels them. SKY then clocks her and the referee calls for the bell.
Winner: Bayley (via disqualification)
After the match, Sane and Asuka join SKY but Naomi runs down to provide Bayley with a hand. Damage CTRL overpowers her, and SKY delivers an Over The Moonsault to Bayley as the rest of Damage CTRL holds her in place. Damage CTRL then stands tall as the show goes off the air.