WWE SmackDown 8th of March 2024

Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes are set to respond to The Rock’s challenge to a tag team match at WrestleMania, and Logan Paul is scheduled to appear. Plus, Randy Orton and Kevin Owens will face Austin Theory and Grayson Waller.
The Rock is shown arriving to the building earlier in the day, as are Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, and Seth Rollins.

In-Ring Segment: WWE United States Champion Logan Paul
WWE United States Champion Logan Paul comes to the ring and notes that he wrestled his first WrestleMania right here in Dallas. He says they will witness history tonight. Paul says he is a conqueror, as he came to WWE to take over. He claims that he had the greatest rookie year of all time, and everything he touches turns to gold.
Paul says nobody garners attention like him. He highlights WWE’s success since he arrived and lists some records that have been broken. Paul says that one could almost say that WWE is in its prime. He reveals that he has a surprise and reveals a PRIME energy logo on the canvas. Paul announces that PRIME is the first center-ring sponsorship for WWE, starting at WrestleMania and every PLE afterwards.
Paul brings out KSI, his PRIME business partner. Randy Orton interrupts Paul’s attempt to take a photo; his music plays, but he sneaks into the ring and attacks Paul. Paul escapes, but KSI takes an RKO. Orton drags KSI onto the PRIME logo and drinks some PRIME. He says it’s good, but he dumps it on KSI.

Randy Orton & Kevin Owens vs. Grayson Waller & Austin Theory
Owens gains the upper hand early on, and Waller tags in. Owens tags Orton, and they square off. Orton punches Waller in the corner and knocks Theory off the apron. Owens tags back in, and Theory catches him with a dropkick. Waller hits Orton with a cheap shot, and Theory and Waller take control. They maintain the advantage as they isolate Orton. Owens takes Theory out on the outside, but Waller drops him. Orton plants Waller with a spike DDT. Theory distracts Orton, and Waller regains the upper hand. Owens drops Waller with a Stunner and tosses Theory into an RKO for the win.
Winners: Randy Orton & Kevin Owens
Logan Paul attacks Orton and Owens after the match. He puts on some brass knuckles and goes to punch Orton. Orton counters and goes to punch Paul, but he escapes, forcing Orton to nearly hit Owens. They have a brief staredown while Paul walks away.

A video package hypes up Bayley’s feud with IYO SKY. Kayla Braxton interviews Bayley, who discusses the downfall of Damage CTRL. She says Dakota Kai used their history against her, and she fell for it. When asked about the people who say she may have had it coming, Bayley admits that she has made plenty of enemies. She says most of the things she did, she did for Damage CTRL, but now it’s all backfiring on her. Bayley says she is all alone. As for WrestleMania, Bayley says this has made her more focused, and Damage CTRL was wrong to underestimate her. She vows to break Damage CTRL.

Naomi is shown watching Bayley’s interview. Bianca Belair asks her why, and Naomi says she feels bad. Belair says she doesn’t feel bad, as Bayley created a lot of “mess”. Naomi sympathizes with Bayley, but Belair says Bayley made her bed, so she has to lie in it. Naomi still feels for Bayley, and Belair gets frustrated as she walks away.

Bobby Lashley vs. Karrion Kross (with Scarlett)
Lashley controls the action early on. Kross dumps Lashley with a suplex. Lashley fires back with a suplex of his own and sends Kross out of the ring. He slams him into the barricade and goes to slam him into the ring post, but Scarlett gets in the way. Kross drills Lashley with a stiff shot and sends him into the ring post. Kross grounds Lashley and suplexes him again. He clotheslines Lashley over the ropes. Lashley fires up and slams Kross into the ring post.
Back in the ring, Kross evades the Spear and the Hurt Lock. He floors Lashley with a modified Death Valley Driver. Lashley catches Kross with a spinebuster. The Authors of Pain attack Lashley.
Winner via disqualification: Bobby Lashley
The Street Profits make the save and brawl with the AOP. Lashley and Kross are left alone. Scarlett gets involved, and B-Fab chases her off. Lashley puts Kross in the Hurt Lock, but the AOP attack Lashley. The Street Profits try to make the save again, but the AOP overpower them. Kross and the AOP gang up on Lashley, and Kross slams Lashley. The Final Testament stands tall.

A video package recaps Rey Mysterio’s return. Dragon Lee is shown backstage, and Elektra Lopez confronts him. Lopez says he looks like a little kid dressed up like Rey Mysterio and says there’s no way he will be the next Rey Mysterio. Santos Escobar, Berto, and Angel mock him. Escobar says Legado del Fantasma is the future, and LWO is dead. They shove him down and walk away.

Tiffany Stratton vs. Michin
Michin takes the fight to Stratton. Stratton gains the upper hand, drops Michin, and hits the Prettiest Moonsault ever in a short match.
Winner: Tiffany Stratton

In a taped message, AJ Styles says LA Knight does not deserve to be in the same locker room as him. He says Knight stole momentum at his expense. Styles says he understands that this is a cutthroat business, but he says Knight is overachieving, under-talented, and he needs to be humbled. Knight is shown watching, and he angrily smashes the TV with a chair. He says Styles should have a pair and show up next week.

Tyler Bate is shown playing WWE 2K24. Pete Dunne shows up, and he doesn’t say anything. Bate says he’ll go talk to Nick Aldis to get an update on the situation with the tag team titles.

Dragon Lee vs. Angel (with Legado del Fantasma)
Lee dropkicks Angel and drives him into the corner. He drills Angel with a slingshot kick and stomps him in the corner. Angel lands awkwardly on his leg, and the referee checks on him, but it’s a trap, as Angel blindsides Lee with a kick. He grounds Lee and sends him crashing to the floor with a knee strike. Lee rallies with a flurry offense and stuns Angel with some kicks. He hits a stomp from the tree of woe position. Angel rolls to the outside, and Lee dives onto him. Back in the ring, Angel rocks him with a superkick. Lee scores the win with a hurricanrana.
Winner: Dragon Lee
Berto and Santos Escobar attack Lee. Legado del Fantasma gangs up on Lee and leaves him lying.

Backstage, Dakota Kai and the rest of Damage CTRL respond to Bayley. IYO SKY says it was her era from the start, and Bayley was never part of their vision. Kai says she will see Bayley next week.

Nick Aldis knocks on Cody Rhodes’ locker room, and there’s no answer. He goes off to find him.

The broadcast team runs through the card for next week.

In-Ring Segment: The Rock, Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, And Seth Rollins
Roman Reigns and The Bloodline come to the ring. The Rock comes out separately with a new entrance that has lightning. Reigns tells the crowd that greatness stands before them now. He extends a hand to The Rock, who reluctantly takes it, and they embrace. Reigns tells the crowd to acknowledge them. Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins come through the crowd. After a commercial, they eventually get into the ring.
Rhodes says there’s a lot of bad blood, but he feels lucky to be standing here. He says the four of them should take a moment to “feel this.” Cody brings up The Rock’s challenge and asks if he has the authority to make that stipulation. He notes that The Rock acknowledged Reigns as his Tribal Chief last week. Cody is about to give his answer, but The Rock tells him to shut up. The Rock says he will drop some gospel on them, as he explains that he acknowledged Reigns because they are family. He reiterates his challenge and the stipulations, which state that a win for Cody would spell a Bloodline-free match against Reigns, but a loss would make it a Bloodline Rules match.
Rollins tells The Rock to shut the hell up. He says they know the future of the industry is on the line. He calls The Rock Mr. Mid-Life Crisis and accepts the challenge. Reigns calls Rhodes an idiot and says his story will be over when he loses at WrestleMania 40. The Rock says he is their boss, and if Rhodes loses at WrestleMania, he will never get another shot at the title. The Rock highlights Cody’s family and says Cody was a mistake. The Rock stares down Rhodes as SmackDown ends.