The March 26th, 2019 edition of WWE SmackDown Live took place at the Mohegan Sun Arena Uncasville, CT.
– The New Day comes out to the ring with microphones to kick off tonight’s show. They talk about how great of an experience it has been for them performing for the fans as The New Day. Big E say due to the countless obstacles put in Kofi’s way, they’re considering walking away. Woods says they can’t make that decision until they get some answers, and the only person with those answers is Mr. McMahon, so they ask Mr. McMahon to come out and talk to them face to face. Vince McMahon comes out to the ring and starts to address Kofi, but then Daniel Bryan immediately interrupts. Bryan steps out on the stage with Rowan and tells McMahon to let The New Day quit if they want, because they’re a stale novelty act. Bryan says Vince created The New Day, and he can create a new group by pulling up three guys from NXT and having them throw waffles into the crowd. Bryan again calls Kofi nothing but a B+ player, and says Vince’s instincts about Kofi not being Championship material are correct. Woods and Bryan start exchanging words, and Vince tells everyone to shut up. Vince gets in the New Day’s faces and tells them there’s not a bone in their body telling them to quit. Vince says Kofi is still in his view a B+ player, and his only question is if Big E and Woods are a B+ tag team. Vince asks if Big E and Xavier think they can put Kofi in the WrestleMania main event. Vince tells Kofi he’s done having opportunities, but if Big E and Xavier can win a Tag Team Gauntlet match tonight, then Kofi is in at WrestleMania. Bryan on the stage does not look happy with this news.
– Becky Lynch does an interview backstage about winning last night’s Beat The Clock challenge, and her upcoming main event match at WrestleMania. Becky’s interview time is interrupted by Charlotte’s music hitting and Charlotte coming out to the ring. Charlotte cuts a brief promo on the ramp taking issue with Becky’s comments about her, and saying she’s going to prove tonight that she’s deserving of the WrestleMania main event.
– Charlotte vs. Asuka (c): Asuka’s SmackDown Women’s Title is on the line in this one. The announcers act surprised that this match was made for the Women’s Title. Charlotte starts off strong and pulls Asuka down to the mat by her hair. Asuka fights back and hits a kick to the midsection, and Charlotte rolls outside for a breather. Back in the ring, Charlotte fights back and hits some knee drops on Asuka. They run the ropes and Charlotte looks for a spear, but Asuka shuts her down with a version of the Codebreaker. Asuka and Charlotte trade strikes in the middle of the ring now. Asuka throws Charlotte in the corner for a splash, then she hits a German suplex and a superkick. Asuka hits a running kick to the face for a two count. Asuka follows up with a series of kicks, but then she misses a running hip attack. Charlotte comes back with a big boot to the face for a two count. Charlotte looks for a Moonsault off the top, but Asuka blocks it and looks for the Asuka Lock, but Charlotte quickly fights away. They trade strikes and pin attempts, then Charlotte looks for the Figure Eight. Asuka fights out and connects with a kick to Charlotte’s face for a two count. They fight up to the top rope and Charlotte hits a flying Spanish Fly for a two count. Charlotte wastes some time and Asuka applies a triangle choke. Charlotte reverses into a sit out powerbomb for a two count. Charlotte looks for the Figure Four, but Asuka fights out and looks for the Asuka Lock. Charlotte fights out and applies the Figure Eight for the win via submission.
Winner & new SmackDown Women’s Champion: Charlotte
– AJ Styles does an interview in the back where he talks about facing Kurt Angle tonight in his final match on SmackDown Live. AJ says he’s honored to be Kurt’s last match on SmackDown, and he’s privileged to be part of Kurt’s career. AJ says this isn’t a warm-up match for WrestleMania, and he’s taking it very serious.
– AJ Styles vs. Kurt Angle: AJ and Kurt shake hands before the match. Kurt starts off with a German suplex on AJ early on, then he looks for the Olympic Slam but AJ escapes. AJ looks for the Calf Crusher and locks it in. It looks like Kurt is going to tap, but he reverses the hold into an Ankle Lock. AJ fights out and slams Kurt into the turnbuckle. Randy Orton then runs in and hits the RKO on AJ Styles.
Winner via DQ: AJ Styles
– Orton stomps on AJ after the bell, until Kurt Angle gets up behind him and hits the Olympic Slam on Orton. Orton falls out of the ring and Kurt checks on AJ.
– We see footage of Rey Mysterio and his son doing an interview with WWE.com.
– The Miz comes out to the ring and gets on the mic. The Miz says going into WrestleMania this year, is him ripping apart Shane McMahon. He says Shane has lit a fire in him like he’s never had in his 13 years in WWE, because Shane made this personal. The Miz wants Shane in a Falls Count Anywhere match so he can show what he’s capable of. Shane McMahon comes out to interrupt, and he has security guards along with Sanity, Primo Colon and Shelton Benjamin. Shane tells ring announcer Greg Hamilton to announce him and do it right, and Greg does. Shane says the security here is to protect Miz from him, and Shane can’t believe The Miz is dumb enough to ask for a Falls Count Anywhere match with Shane. Shane puts an image of him grabbing Miz’s dad up on the big screen. Shane says he’s watched the footage of him turning on Miz over and over, and every time it makes him feel great. Shane says he’s going to beat Miz all over Met Life Stadium, because he accepts the challenge. Shane says his only regret is that he didn’t do more harm to Miz’s father for spawning such a great mistake when he impregnated Miz’s mother. The Miz exits the ring now and fights his way through the security guards on the ramp, but they’re able to hold him back. The Miz finally fights them off, then he comes face to face with Shelton and Primo. They start brawling on the ramp and Miz drops Shelton and Primo. Sanity then runs over and pummels on Miz at ringside, as Shane briefly watches from the stage and then leaves. The Miz starts fighting back and they brawl into the crowd. The Miz fights them off and heads to the back.
– We see a replay of Vince booking the Tag Team Gauntlet match for Big E and Xavier Woods tonight, where if they win Kofi gets a WWE Title shot at WrestleMania.
– They show a pre-taped promo from The Iiconics talking about competing in a Fatal 4 Way for the Women’s Tag Titles at WrestleMania.
– Tag Team Gauntlet Match: Kofi is barred from ringside. Xavier Woods and Big E start off in their first match of the gauntlet against Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. Woods and Anderson start this one off trading blows, and Woods stuns Anderson with a superkick. Big E gets the tag and cleans house. They hit the Up Up Down Down on Anderson for the three count within moments of starting the match. Anderson and Gallows are now eliminated. We see members of the SmackDown locker room watching on a monitor backstage with Kofi.
The second team in this gauntlet challenge is Shinsuke Nakamura and Rusev. Lana is at ringside. Nakamura starts off against Woods and hits a hurricanrana on him. Nakamura comes back with some knee strikes for a two count, then Rusev tags in and pummels on Woods. Nakamura tags back in and puts the boots to Woods until Woods reverses a suplex attempt and tags in Big E. Big E drops Nakamura and hits the running splash on him. Big E misses a shot and Nakamura dumps him outside, then Nakamura tags in Rusev. Rusev follows Big E out to ringside, and Big E slams Rusev into the ring steps. Back in the ring, Nakamura cheap-shots Big E and Rusev kicks him in the head. They hit a double team suplex on Big E, then Nakamura knees him in the face. Woods runs in and drops Nakamura, then he dumps Rusev out to ringside and hits a baseball slide dropkick on him. Back in the ring, Nakamura looks for the Kinshasa, but Big E dodges it and throws Nakamura into the ring post. Woods tags in and they hit the Up Up Down Down on Nakamura for the three count. Rusev and Nakamura are now eliminated.
Cesaro and Sheamus are the next team in the gauntlet. Sheamus and Cesaro trade tags frequently in the opening moments and take turns working over Big E on the mat. Big E starts to fight back, but Sheamus shuts him down and prevents him from getting the tag to Woods. Big E finally fights back and knocks both Sheamus and Cesaro out to ringside. Cesaro gets back in and Big E hits a back body drop on him. Xavier finally gets the tag and he knocks Sheamus off the apron, then hits some kicks on Cesaro in the ring. Woods dumps Cesaro outside, then Sheamus runs in but Woods shuts him down with a DDT. Woods hits a suicide dive on to both Sheamus and Cesaro at ringside. Back in the ring, Woods hits a flying leg drop off the top on Cesaro, but Sheamus breaks up the pin attempt. Big E tags in and hits a powerbomb on Sheamus. Woods and Cesaro tag in, and Cesaro hits an uppercut on Woods for a two count. Cesaro chokes Xavier over the middle rope, then Sheamus hits a cheap shot behind the ref’s back. Sheamus tags in for a double team attempt, but Big E breaks it up. Woods rolls up Sheamus in a small package pin for the three count. Sheamus and Cesaro are now eliminated. Sheamus stomps on Woods, then Sheamus and Cesaro beat down Big E. Cesaro slides a table in the ring, and Sheamus sets it up. Cesaro and Sheamus hit a double chokeslam on Big E through the table.
The Usos come out next, and it appears they are the next challengers in the gauntlet match. The Usos wait while the referee throws the broken table pieces out of the ring. Woods tries to help Big E to his feet, but Big E is still down. The Usos get on the mic and talk about the wars they fought against the New Day, and they know Kofi deserves to fight for the WWE Championship. The Usos say they forfeit, then they leave the ring. We see Daniel Bryan in his locker room freaking out and kicking chairs and kicking his TV. Rowan then starts smashing chairs too.
Daniel Bryan and Rowan are the next team in the Gauntlet match, and ring announcer Greg Hamilton tells us they’re the last team in the gauntlet. Rowan and Bryan hit the ring and immediately start beating down both Big E and Woods. Rowan takes Woods out to ringside and slams him face-first into the ring apron, and on the other side of the ring Bryan is slamming Big E’s knee into the ring post. Back in the ring, Big E starts to fight back, until Bryan takes him down and applies a half Boston crab. Woods comes flying in with a dropkick on Bryan to break up the crab. Woods then dumps Rowan outside and hits a suicide dive on him. Back in the ring, Bryan looks for a running knee strike in the corner, but Big E dodges it and hits a side suplex. Big E picks up Bryan and hits the Big Ending, but Rowan breaks up the pin. Rowan knocks Woods off the apron, then tags himself in. Rowan hits a version of the Rock Bottom on Big E for a two count. Bryan yells at Rowan to clear off the announce table. Bryan walks over to Woods, and Woods hits a tornado DDT off the apron on Bryan. Rowan comes over and looks for the Iron Claw on Woods, but Woods shoves Rowan into the ring post, then Big E comes out and shoves Rowan into the ring post. Big E clotheslines Rowan over the announce table, and then he flips the whole announce table over on top of Rowan. Big E and Woods get back in the ring, and the referee counts out Rowan who is pinned under the announce table.
Winners: The New Day
– It looks like Kofi Kingston will now be competing for the WWE Title at WrestleMania. Kofi comes out to celebrate with Woods and Big E as we go to replays.
– We go backstage for an interview with Vince McMahon. He says that yes this means Kofi is going to WrestleMania, and now the question is can a B+ player defeat Daniiel Bryan for the WWE Championship.
– Back to the ring, members of the SmackDown locker room come out to celebrate the win with Kofi. The New Day celebrates in the ring as Bryan recovers on the floor and SmackDown goes off the air.
