'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Well, with the road to WrestleMania well and truly hotting up after the announcement earlier in the day that Daniel Bryan had been medically cleared to return to the ring, this SmackDown was highly anticipated - but boy, did it live up to expectation!
Daniel Bryan opens SmackDown Live
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Well, in a truly beautiful moment, SmackDown Live opened with Daniel Bryan returning to the ring to an absolutely astounding ovation.
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The loudest Yes chants heard since WrestleMania XXX, a standing ovation from the commentary team, and some wonderful chants of "Daniel Bryan" ringing around the arena.
Bryan signposted that Shane McMahon suffered a horrendous attack at the hands of Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens last week, but noted that the pair weren't there yet, so he was going to talk about something else.
Bryan then cut an emotional promo, reminiscent of his retirement speech about how grateful he is, but on a less sombre note than two years ago.
Bryan thanked his fans, and his wife Brie, and spoke about how everything seems impossible until it becomes real.
He thanked the WWE and their doctors for giving him a second chance, he also thanked every single person in attendance and watching at home for the support, and thanked Brie for all of her support.
Then, in the words of the former WWE Champion, on to the fun stuff.
Bryan said he did not know exactly when or where he would get back in the ring, before looking at the WrestleMania sign - prompting a rapturous "WrestleMania" chant from the WWE Universe.
He then asked if that sounded like a good idea, but said he didn't know if that would happen.
The promo came to an emotional end as Bryan asked the WWE Universe, "Will Daniel Bryan compete in a WWE ring again?" to a roar of "YES!" from the WWE Universe.
SmackDown had a lot to live up to after a monumental opening segment.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Rusev
In a Fastlane rematch, the first match of this week's SmackDown Live saw Royal Rumble Winner Shinsuke Nakamura go up against the man who is celebrated every day of the year in Rusev!
WWE Champion AJ Styles joined the commentary desk for this one to scout his WrestleMania opponent in Nakamura as the crowd was split with some very loud, duelling chants.
Much like at Fastlane, this was a highly competitive, highly physical match that saw the pair exchange some physical strikes.
Forearm met with forearm, kick met with kick. Rusev, The Super Athlete, looked incredibly strong and, of course, athletic - even dominating The Artist for a portion of the match.
Of course, we saw some trademark taunts from Nakamura as he strutted his stuff in between the aggression.
Nakamura soon cleared his path on the road to WrestleMania when he took over and upped the tempo and intensity with some kicks to the chest of Rusev.
Nakamura went for the Kinshasa, Rusev hit a drop toe hold and tried to lock in the Accolade, but the Artist escaped to take a kick to the face, kicking out at two.
If that wasn't impressive enough, both men evaded each other's strikes before Nakamura brought down Rusev with an incredible armbar takedown, the pair exchanged roll-ups with Shinsuke getting the three count.
After the match, Aiden English attacked Nakamura but, before Styles could help even up the numbers...not that he was in a hurry to do so, Nakamura cleared house and the pair had a staredown ahead of their WrestleMania dream match.
Next, we went backstage to see Charlotte Flair watching a promo video building up her match with Asuka at WrestleMania.
Natalya walked in to interrupt and say that she could see that Flair is scared of Asuka, but The Queen hit back by saying she's excited to face her strongest competition in the Empress of Tomorrow at WrestleMania.
Natalya took offence and told Flair she's better than both champion and challenger. The Canadian Superstar said, "Asuka is only undefeated because she hasn't faced me yet."
Flair issued a challenge to Natalya for tonight, which the former SmackDown Women's Champion duly accepted.
We then went to Nakamura telling Styles he did not need his help, with a huge grin on his face, and AJ Styles saying he knows, he saw. The pair exchange a pack and forth before we go back to the ring for the next match.
Baron Corbin vs Tye Dillinger
This match was quite a short one, but Dillinger managed to get a fair bit of offence in. Corbin looked very powerful, though, and manhandled Dillinger at times - even catching him off the top rope from a crossbody.
The commentators slipped in that both men would be at WrestleMania as competitors in the Andre The Giant Battle Royal Match.
It looked like it could have all been over in less than a minute as Corbin went for the End of Days, Dillinger awkwardly managed to counter, but he got thrown from the ring as a result.
Dillinger came back in and was met with the End of Days. Corbin wins.
Charlotte vs Natalya
Well, following on from an earlier promo segment, SmackDown Women's Champion took on former champion Natalya.
As expected, this was a really good match. Flair brought some wonderful athleticism and Natalya always puts on a technical masterclass.
We saw strikes, holds and blocks aplenty with Natalya even trash-talking Tom Philips. Delaying is never a great idea against someone of Flair's calibre, though, and Charlotte took advantage.
The longer this match went, the more physical it got with Natalya stompin' a mudhole in Flair before running the ropes and kicking off from her back, but The Queen met her foe with a clothesline off a kip-up.
These two really have great chemistry in the ring and it showed yet again tonight in a highly competitive match where no-one held back.
Flair delivered a multitude of chops to The Hart Dungeon graduate before wiping her out with a big boot.
She went for a moonsault, but Natalya was playing possum and managed to get up to counter.
Natalya then hit a really impressive spinning sit-down powerbomb, but only got a two count for her worries.
However, we know that neither of these ladies traditionally ends a match with a pinfall, and Natalya locked in the Sharpshooter.
Flair got to the ropes, though, but was then caught by a discus lariat immediately after.
She tried for a Figure four, no doubt into a Figure eight, but it never got that far. Both women ended up on the outside and Charlotte almost took Natalya's head off with a clothesline.
Both women got back into the ring and Flair locked in the Figure four, with both women striking each other throughout.
Flair ended up outside the ring with Natalya still in it in a modified Figure 4.
Charles Robinson broke the hold and Natalya wiped out Charlotte with a superplex, and with both women down...
Carmella's music hit!
Ms. Money In The Bank never got her title shot, though, as Flair hit her with a big boot before the referee made it official, but the distraction was enough for Natalya to win via roll-up after what was a pretty great match-up.
Jimmy Uso vs Harper
Well, it's been a tough few weeks for SmackDown Champions The Usos, and The New Day, at the hands of the Bludgeon Brothers.
After Harper and Rowan decimated all five men during their Fastlane match, Big E and Jimmy Uso were the only two men cleared to face Harper and Rowan on last week's SmackDown where things, again, did not go to plan.
Well, this week, Jimmy Uso asked for a one-on-one match against Harper - and WWE obliged.
Before the match, The Usos cut a promo in the ring where they received a warm reception from the crowd.
The Usos recapped the past few weeks of action saying two of the best tag teams of the past decade, them and New Day, were battling to go to WrestleMania as champions, but the Bludgeon Brothers only wanted to hurt them - but they're still here and still have their titles.
This match started with Harper decimating Uso and, although the Tag Team Champion did put up a valiant performance, it didn't ever seem to get much better for him.
Harper did end up on the outside and Jimmy Uso drove him into the board on the apron - and a plethora of interference saw a close call and a near fall for Jimmy Uso! Rowan got on the apron to distract Uso, also distracting the referee, leaving Jey to cheapshot Harper.
Jimmy would hit Harper with some powerful kicks, but the Discus Lariat would signal the end for Jimmy Uso and give Harper the win.
Next, Jinder Mahal made his way to the ring to speak about his inclusion in the WWE United States Championship Match at WrestleMania where the former WWE Champion will go up against Randy Orton and Bobby Roode in a Triple Threat Match.
Mahal cut a typical heel promo in the ring, saying he could be anywhere in the world as he's a huge star before The Glorious One interrupted him to say he doesn't deserve respect, and all he deserves is being beaten by Roode at WrestleMania for the United States Championship.
Before Roode could say it would be glorious, though, current WWE United States Champion Randy Orton interrupted and joined his foes in the ring.
Orton told Mahal that he isn't a great champion because without the help of "his little stooge" he sucks. The Modern Day Maharaja then took off his jacket before throwing Sunil Singh to the wolves to accommodate his escape.
Singh ate a DDT from the apron and a Glorious DDT, before the pair turned on each other and countered each other's finishing moves and the segment ended in a stand-off between the three men.
A tag team match is then confirmed for next week's SmackDown Live between Mahal & Singh and Orton & Roode.
Becky Lynch and Naomi vs Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan
Next up, we had another women's match as we saw two members of The Riott Squad go up against two former SmackDown Women's Champions in Becky Lynch and Naomi.
The early stages of this match saw Logan and Morgan go to work on Lynch, double-teaming the Lass Kicker and viciously beating her.
Logan was ejected from the ring but, before Lynch could make the tag, Ruby Riott threw her back in, only for Logan to be caught in the Dis-Arm-Her.
Liv Morgan tried to break up the submission move but Naomi wiped her out with the Rear View. Logan tapped out to give Lynch and Naomi the win.
All four women and Ruby Riott were also confirmed as entrants in the Women's Battle Royal at WrestleMania.
Daniel Bryan confronts Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
Well, Bryan did say earlier in the night that he would address Zayn and Owens' actions from last week when they assaulted Shane McMahon.
SmackDown Live ended with the Smackdown GM calling both men to the ring to confront them.
Owens entered the ring to immediate hug a stern-faced Bryan with Zayn following suit.
The pair congratulated Bryan and said they're only there because he's been cleared, otherwise they'd have no need to be on SmackDown as Shane McMahon couldn't be there.
Zayn went on to thank Bryan for being "fair" when the locker room and Shane were all against them, hyping up the General Manager's in-ring return too.
Zayn goes on to say there's no A or B show, because any show with the three of them on it is the dream show, and that they could be a dream team.
Bryan turned everyone's attention to a replay of last week's assault on Shane McMahon which left the commissioner gasping for air, only for Owens and Zayn to chuckle at the footage.
The former WWE Champion asked if the pair found it funny, with Owens saying he's man enough to admit they got carried away before Zayn said McMahon deserved it.
Bryan told the pair their attack was a big deal. He told the pair they were two of the best performers of this generation and admitted he had been living vicariously through Owens and Zayn because they "came from the same place" and have known each other for 15 years - but spoke of the severity of the attack on Shane O'Mac.
Bryan said he didn't understand the attack as the pair had won, they'd got a singles match at WrestleMania - something the pair would have never dreamed of a decade ago - as well as Shane leaving the company too, but Bryan said they still felt the need to assault their boss and he doesn't get it.
The General Manager said Shane was right, and that he's been fired from WWE twice and came back a better man.
The SmackDown General Manager apologised, but told Owens and Zayn that they were fired from WWE.
Bryan shook Zayn and Owens' hand, before the pair turned on him. Owens hit Bryan with a cheap shot and Zayn started pummelling him - but Bryan started hitting both men with Yes kicks, snap German suplexes and corner dropkicks galore.
The numbers game eventually caught up, though, and Owens held Bryan in place for Zayn to deliver the Helluva Kick.
Owens and Zayn then manhandled Bryan before chucking him outside the ring, with Owens powerbombing the Smackdown GM on the apron.
Bryan was then placed on a stretcher and wheeled out of the arena to chants of "Daniel Bryan" from the WWE Universe.
One thing is for sure, next week is must-see!
