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WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT: ROMAN HAS AN OPPONENT FOR ROYAL RUMBLE, TWO TITLE MATCHES, AND THAT WAS ABOUT IT

We are in St. Petersburg, Florida and your announcers are Michael Cole and Corey Graves.

Universal Champion and Table of WWE Roman Reigns makes his way to the ring and he is joined by his chairs Paul Heyman and Jey Uso.

Finally, Roman takes the mic from Paul Heyman.  

Roman says he wants to talk about last week.  A lot of discussion about what we did to KO.  I want to start by saying that I like Kevin Owens.  He is a pain in my ass, but i respect someone as ambitious as Kevin Owens.  Someone who won't lay down but gets back up.  He is like a cockroach.  I didn't want anything bad to happen to him.  Kevin backed me against the wall and I did what I had to do.  Roman says he loves the entire roster.  Being on top, you have to care about everyone.  I care about their well-being and their families.  That is why I do what I do.  I put food on everyone's table.  

Kevin isn't able to come to work now, but it isn't my fault.  There is somebody to blame and if you are going to point fingers, it should be pointed at Adam Pearce.

Roman calls for Adam Pearce to come out.  

Paul tells the production assistant at ringside to bring out Adam Pearce and Paul says this is making for some bad TV.

Adam Pearce finally comes out because he forgot that he does not have any entrance music.

Adam wants to know what can he do for Roman.

Roman has Adam watch a video package.

Roman asks Adam what does he have to say for himself.  

Adam asks Roman what does he want him to say?  

Roman says he wants Adam to be a man.  He says he has witnesses here and he said that he was done with Kevin Owens.  We were moving on.  Who did KO go to?  He went to his friend Adam Pearce to ask for a favor.  You would think that if you have a friend for that long, you would look out for their well-being.  What do you do around here?  Roman says he knows because of who he is.  Check the stats.  We do our job.  You are supposed to be managing the talent and making the right decisions, but you put Kevin back in the deep end in the shark tank.

What happened?  Now he isn't here and cannot provide for his family.  You did that.  You are the blame.  Because I am a good guy and a gentleman, I give you the chance to redeem yourself.  What do you do?  You book a gauntlet match?  Adam Pearce makes the choice for the Head of the Table like he cannot make his own choice?  I have been doing this for years.

Adam says he is trying to put the best challengers in front of you.  That is part of my job.

Roman wants everyone to give Adam a round of applause for doing a good job.  He asks if Adam will put himself in the Gauntlet Match.

Adam says that is a conflict of interest.

Roman says it sounds like Adam thinks he is stupid.

Adam says Roman is not stupid.

Roman asks Adam if he is stupid or a fool.

Adam never said Roman was stupid.

Roman asks if Vince McMahon is stupid.

Adam asks what are they doing out here.

If Adam Pearce and Roman Reigns is not stupid, then that means Roman Reigns is stupid.  That is where the problem lies.  If you think I am stupid, you are insulting me.  If you are insulting me, you are not respecting my family.  When that happens, there are consquences.  

Adam says he has total respect.

Roman steps back and he smiles at Adam and says 'my mistake'.  Nobody in this ring is stupid.  Maybe right now, you're perfectly safe.  

Roman leaves the ring.

We go to commercial.

Match Number One:  Apollo Crews versus Big E for the Intercontinental Championship

Crews with a drop kick and a kick to the head for a near fall.  Crews pulls Big E into the corner and Crews goes up top for a splash but Big E moves and Crews rolls through.  Big E with a back elbow.  Big E with a splash on the apron.  Crews lands on his feet on a belly-to-back suplex.  Crews with forearms and shoulders in the corner.  Crews with a splash into the corner and he follows with a German suplex.  Crews holds on and hits a second and third German suplex for a near fall.  Big E rolls to the floor and Crews kicks Big E from the apron and Crews with a moonsault.  

They return to the ring and Crews gets a near fall.  Crews backs Big E into the corner and puts him on the turnbuckles.  Crews sets for a superplex and hits it.  Big E and Crews both get their legs up for an inside cradle and the referee makes the three count.

There is confusion over who won the match and we go to commercial.

We are back with a look at the end of the Intercontinental Title Match when there was a double pin.  

The referee says that it was a double pin and therefore a draw so the title stays with Big E.

Crews argues with the referee and Big E wants Crews to shake his hand.

Crews slaps Big E and demands the match be restarted.

Match Number Two:  Big E versus Apollo Crews for the Intercontinental Championship AGAIN

Big E with two belly-to-belly suplexes and a Warrior Splash.  Crews goes to the apron and Big E goes for the spear but Crews gets his knee up.  Crews goes up top and hits a frog splash for a near fall.  Big E misses a clothesline and Crews with a rollup for a near fall.  Crews with a kick and boot to the temple followed by a spinebuster and standing moonsault for a near fall.  Big E with a rollup for a near fall and then Big E turns it into a Stretch Muffler.  Crews kicks Big E.  Crews escapes a Big Ending and hits an enzuigiri.  Big E with a side head lock take down to counter the Toss Power Bomb.   Big E with a UranagE followed by the Big Ending for the three count.

Winner:  Big E (retains Championship)

Adam Pearce is on the phone and Sonya Deville shows up.  Adam thanks Sonya for helping him and he is surprised that she accepted the job.  Sonya says a lot has happened over the last year and she wants to start things over.  She is not bitter over losing a Loser Leaves WWE match.  Sonya says that Pearce has Raw and Smackdown to deal with and he is going to be in a match tonight.  Adam says that he is not wrestling tonight because he hasn't wrestled in six years and he doesn't know if he could beat the referee.

We go to commercial.

Alyse Ashton is in the back with the newest entrant in the Women's Royal Rumble, Bianca Belair.

Bayley shows up and she asks Bianca how many people did she eliminate last year.  Bianca says eight.  Bayley says Bianca did not eliminate her but Bianca points out that Bayley wasn't in the match.  Bayley says she will be in the Royal Rumble Match.  Bianca will squander her chance.  Bianca says if she won last year, she would have been honored to challenge Bayley but Bayley does not have the title now.  Bianca says Bayley has squandered her title.

We are back and Carmella is sipping some champagne and she talks about pinning Sasha last week.  Carmella commends Sasha on her hustle to be the top superstar of 2020.  Carmella says she took some time off last year so that is why Sasha won.  Carmella says things come naturally to her.  When it comes to talent, you can't touch me Sasha.

Match Number Two:  Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler versus Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins for the Smackdown Tag Team Championships

Dawkins and Ziggler start things off and Ziggler goes for the leg but Dawkins blocks it and Dawkins with a waist lock.  Ziggler with a side head lock but Dawkins with a top wrist lock and side head lock.  Dawkins with a shoulder tackle and drop kick.  Dawkins gets a near fall.  Dawkins with an arm bar and Ford tags in and they hit a double shoulder tackle.  Dawkins flips Ford onto Ziggler with a moonsault but Ford holds his knee before getting a near fall.

Roode tags in and they kick Ford in the corner.  Roode with a forearm to the back and he chokes Ford in the ropes.  Roode sends Ford into the turnbuckles.  Ford with punches and kicks.  Roode with a kick to the injured leg.  Roode is sent to the apron and Ford with a punch to send Roode to the floor.  Ziggler is sent to the apron and Ford with an elbow.  Ford with a plancha onto Ziggler and Roode but Ford collapses when he tries to get back to his feet.

We go to commercial.

We are back and Dawkins kicks Roode while Ford is trying to work out his injured leg.  Dawkins with a suplex and exploder.  Dawkins with a spinning splash into the corner and a bulldog for a near fall.  Dawkins cheks on Ford and Roode with a punch while Dawkins waits for Ford to get back on the apron.  Ziggler tags in and hits a drop kick.  Ziggler gets a near fall.  Ziggler chokes Dawkins in the ropes.  Roode punches Dawkins while the referee deals with Ziggler.  Ziggler with a front face lock into a Gator Roll.  Ziggler rakes the eyes and Roode tags in.  Roode kicks Dawkins. Roode with a neck breaker and he gets a near fall.  

Roode kicks Dawkins in the ribs.  Roode with punches and an Irish whip.  Ziggler tags in and Ziggler goes into the turnbuckles when Dawkins moves.  Roode is sent to the floor by Dawkins.  Dawkins crawls across the ring to try to make the tag but Roode pulls Ford off the apron to stop the tag.  Ford with punches and he sends Roode into the ringside barrier.  Ford returns to the apron and Dawkins kicks Ziggler away and tags in Ford.  Ford with punches and chops to Ziggler.  Roode tries to attack but Ford with a back body drop.  Ziggler lands on his feet on a belly-to-back suplex attempt.  Ford with a discus clothesline for a near fall. 

Ford goes up top and Roode distracts Ford long enough to allow Ziggler to hit a super X Factor but Ford kicks out at two.  Ford with a super kick on Ziggler but Roode makes the save.  Roode kicks Dawkins and Dawkins sends Roode to the floor.  Dawkins is sent to the apron by the referee.   Dawkins punches Roode on the apron and Ziggler knocks Dawkins off the apron.  Ford with a sunset flip for a near fall.  Ziggler kicks Ford in the leg and Roode with a fisherman's suplex for a near fall.  Roode sets for the GLORIOUS DDT but Ford counters with an enzuigiri.  Ziggler tags in and they hit a spinebuster and Zig Zag combination for the three count.

Winners:  Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode (new champions)

After the match, Roode and Ziggler push Ford and Dawkins to the floor 9but if this was the Royal Rumble, they would still be in the match since it was through the middle rope)

Coverage continues on Next Page

 

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