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WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT: OWENS IS READY FOR SUNDAY, HOW MANY IMPROMPTU MATCHES DOES IT TAKE TO GET TO THE CENTER OF A TOOTSIE POP, AND ALMOST AN HOUR OF BRYAN AND STYLES

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

Daniel Bryan is in the ring.

Daniel welcomes everyone to Smackdown and to Royal Rumble weekend..  He says now that we are getting so close, he can feel the excitement starting to boil inside of him.  He says he has accomplished a lot in his career, but there is one accomplishment he has not done and one mountain he has not been able to climb, the Royal Rumble match.  Winning means being able to fight the WWE or Universal Champion in the main event of Wrestlemania.  No one knows more about how life changing it can be to be in the main event of Wrestlemania than him. 

Daniel says to climb that mountain one more time involved him going through 29 other men to win the Royal Rumble match.  Daniel says he doesn't know how many more Wrestlemania moments he has left, but he knows if he wants to accomplish his dream one more time, it involved going to the main event of Wrestlemania and winning the Royal Rumble match.  Thanks to Chad Gable and Otis, I am ready.  I am mentally focused.  My cardio is great and my hips are loose.  I am ready for number one or number thirty.  It is every man for himself.  That countdown starts and the buzzer sounds.  You will see friends throwing each other over the top rope.  You will see enemies working together.

AJ Styles and Omos make their way to the ring.

AJ says you will see AJ Styles throw 29 other superstars over the top rope so he can be in the main event of Wrestlemania.

Daniel points out that this is Smackdown and AJ is a Raw superstar.  Daniel says he is glad to see AJ but he wants to know why is AJ Styles here.

Omos says it is the Brand to Brand Invitational.

AJ says he is the gatekeeper for Raw.  Since he declared he is getting into the Royal Rumble, everyone is following his footsteps.  They had to go through him first and he crushed their hopes and dreams.  AJ says you don't look ready for the Royal Rumble.  You have your sportscoat on and AJ wonders if Daniel is the GM again.  Does Bryan have one foot out the door yet?

Daniel says he loves being in this ring and he will prove it to AJ.  Let's go one on one in a match tonight.

AJ says he has been getting ready for the Royal Rumble beating everyone on Raw and he would love to get one more warm up tonight.

AJ pushes Bryan and Bryan starts to get up but he is met by Mount Omos.

Daniel says that if he was a man, he would come out tonight for their match without Omos.  Daniel says with or without Omos, he is going to kick AJ's ass.

We take a look back at what happened last week between Bayley and Bianca Belair to warrant their wrestling match tonight.

Kayla Braxton is in the back and she mentions the return of AJ Styles, but she is with Bayley.  

Kayla asks Bayley about last week and Bayley says Kayla is better than that.  Did you see how that ended.  At the end, Bianca was on the floor holding her arm after being sent into the basketball hoop.  Bayley says she is proud of Bianca after watching the Chronicle about Bianca.  Bianca ran away from so much during her life.  She will not win tonight or on Sunday so after that, she can crawl into the darkEST hole of her life.

Match Number One:  Bianca Belair versus Bayley

They lock up and Bianca backs Bayley into the corner and gives a clean break.  Bayley with a kick and arm wringer into an arm bar.   Belair with a slam but Bianca tries to shake some feeling into her arm.  Bayley with a waist lock into an arm bar.  Bianca with a suplex and she gets a near fall.  Bayley goes to the apron to avoid Bianca.  Bayley with a kick to the leg and forearms to the back.  Bayley sends Bianca to the mat.  Bayley with a sliding clothesline for a near fall.  Bayley with a kick to the head and Bayley with a divorce court for a near fall.  The referee holds Bayley back and then Bayley grabs Bianca's hair.

Bianca punches Bayley and follows with more forearms and kicks.  Belair sends Bayley into the turnbuckles and follows with forearms.  Bayley kicks Bianca's arm from the apron.  Belair with a drop kick followed by a standing moonsault to the back for a near fall.  Bayley rolls to the floor as we go to commercial.

We are back and Bianca catches Bayley on a leap frog and sends Bayley into the turnbuckles and then hits a face plant from a power bomb position for a near fall.  Bianca with shoulders in the corner but Bayley kicks the arm and goes for a tornado Divorce Court for a near fall.  Bayley with a knee for a near fall.  Bayley stands on the shoulder and works on the arm.  Bayley stomps on the arm while she has Bianca in a hammer lock.  Bayley goes up top and hits an elbow drop to the back for a near fall.  

Bayley with more rollups and then she gets a near fall with a La Magistral.  Bayley with a jackknife cover and Bianca bridge and connects with a forearm.  Bianca gets Bayley up for the Glam Slam but Bianca's arm gives out.  Bianca hot shots Bayley into the turnbuckles followed by KOD for the three count.

Winner:  Bianca Belair

After the match, Kayla interviews Bianca on the stage about her last week.

Bianca says Bayley has been trying to make me apologize for being myself all of these months.  I will never apologize for being me.  You are not my role model, but she was Smackdown Women's Champion for 380 than who better to prove herself to.  I beat Bayley after all that has happened.  She says this is the biggest win of her career.  The only thing that can top me beating Bayley is winning the Royal Rumble.

AJ Styles and Omos are in the back and Cesaro stops by.

Match Number Two:  Baron Corbin versus Dominik Mysterio

Dominik attacks Corbin from behind.  We go to commercial.

Corbin runs Dominik into the turnbuckles as the bell rings.  Dominik with punches to Corbin.  Corbin sends Dominik into the corner and Dominik avoids Corbin and he goes to the floor and kicks Corbin when Baron tries to get back into the ring.  Dominik with a slingshot knee and a pescado.  Dominik punches Corbin and goes for a wheelbarrow move but Corbin blocks it and hits a belly-to-back suplex.  Corbin with a belly-to-back suplex as he looks at Rey.  Corbin punches Dominik.

Corbin runs into boots from Dominik but Corbin with a clothesline.  Corbin goes shoulder first into the ring post when Dominik moves.  Dominik goes to teh turnbuckles and hits a missile drop kick.  Dominik with a slingshot senton for a near fall.  Dominik with punches but Corbin with a punch.  Dominik with a kick and he sends Corbin into the ropes and Dominik goes for a 619 but Corbin grabs the legs and Dominik lands on his feet and Corbin blocks a head scissors take down.  Corbin is sent into the turnbuckles on a head scissors but Corbin sends Dominik into the ropes on a back body drop.

Dominik with a tornado DDT for a near fall.  Corbin rolls to the apron and he avoids a springboard drop kick and Corbin drops Dominik on the top rope.  Corbin with End of Days for the three count.

Winner:  Baron Corbin

After the match, Corbin exits the ring by Rey Mysterio and then Corbin grabs Rey as he tries to get into the ring but Rey sends Corbin into the ring steps and then hits a seated splash off the apron.

Big E and Sonya Deville are in the back and Big E wants to know what his Royal Rumble number is and he uses a dollar to bribe her, along with an Arby's coupon.

Miz and John Morrison are here and they want to know where Adam Pearce is.  

Sonya wants to know what is up and Big E wants to know why did they bring their Raw stench on the show.

Miz mentions the Last Man Standing Match and Miz says that things could go down.  Morrison says that Miz is biding his time.

Sonya says she has some Rumble stuff to do.

Big E appreciates the pop culture references but he has Rumble things to do.

Morrison attacks Big E but Big E fights off Miz and Morrison while Big E is wearing a Christmas sweater.

We go to commercial.

We are told that Sasha Banks will defend the Smackdown Women's Title on Sunday at the Royal Rumble.  We see footage of last week's 'match'.

Kalisto stops Sasha Banks in the back as she continues to walk and Reginald shows up with a bottle of wine.  

Reginald says he comes in peace and is bearing gifts.  He says it is from Carmella and it is the perfect pairing for losing your title.

Sasha says there is something she likes about Reginald.  Maybe it is the way he speaks French or the way that he finds the perfect wines for Carmella.  Sasha wants to know what is the perfect wine for Carmella to drink with a BROKEN Jaw.  Sasha gives the wine back to Reginald because she says he looks like he could use a drink.

We have a video package for the Last Man Standing match on Sunday.

We see Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns preparing for their FINAL SHOWDOWN and that is next.

We go to commercial.

Coverage continues on Next Page

 

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