[Triple H] Then.
Now.
Forever.
Together.
[Tessitore] The road to WrestleMania has taken an exciting international detour
to Barcelona, Spain, known for its spectacular culinary scene,
dynamic, expressive architecture, and just like the current WWE universe,
this is a city brimming with excitement.
It's where the where the Mediterranean Sea meets old-world charm,
and now it's where for the first time ever,
Spain hosts Friday Night SmackDown.
We're at the 34-year-old Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona.
Look at this scene here.
It's where Jordan and Magic and Bird took gold, and tonight,
gold could change hands in the ring.
They are rocking in Barcelona.
And in the spotlight is the American nightmare.
Cody Rhodes arriving at Barcelona with so much to unpack regarding John Cena.
Tonight we will hear from Cody as he's the special guest on Miz TV.
And from one Champ to another,
the World Heavyweight Champion, Gunther, has come to Barcelona.
What's next for the ring general on his way to mega Mania match
with Jey Uso.
Plus Carmelo Hayes has a massive challenge ahead of him.
Melo's been tangling with those at the top.
Now he faces one of the best of all time. The Viper is here in Spain.
His first match back in a while, Randy Orton returns
to official ring action
after months on the shelf injured.
And we have a World Championship to decide.
The Street Profits have disrupted the Tag Team division yet again.
Now they're focused on one thing, being on top, but DIY is looking for that
moment of silence, as they like to say.
The Champ's set to show a title reign in Spain.
And The Wiseman's in Barcelona.
Paul Heyman arrives after a wild Monday Night Raw in New York,
a stunning end to that steel-cage thriller.
What will Paul Heyman have to say about Roman Reigns' return?
We are intrigued and we will find out later tonight.
[Garcia] Ladies and gentlemen.
Please welcome the new United States Champion,
LA Knight!
♪ LA Knight ♪
[Tessitore] LA Knight is the United States Champion again and Barcelona, Spain
is celebrating with the megastar.
[crowd chanting] LA Knight! LA Knight! LA Knight!
[Tessitore] Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett with you here for Friday Night SmackDown
as we start off this European tour on the road to WrestleMania.
[Barrett] And let's take you back to exactly why this place is going nuts
for the United States Champ.
This was last week on SmackDown.
LA Knight versus the then Champ Shinsuke Nakamura
inadvertently spray a mist
in the eyes of referee Charles Robinson.
All hell breaking loose in the match,
including a steel chair brought in there that backfired badly on Shinsuke Nakamura
with a BFT connecting to the steel.
Another rep sent to sprint down from the gorilla position,
and three seconds later
it was the megastar who once again reigns as your United States Champion.
[no audible dialogue]
[crowd] LA Knight, yeah!
[Barrett] Tell you what, Joe Tess, they might have to
turn up our mics this evening.
What a raucous atmosphere here in Barcelona.
[Tessitore] It has been 6 years since WWE's been in Spain.
The first time ever Friday Night SmackDown comes here,
and my, oh, my, are they loving it.
[Barrett] That is six years of pent-up energy.
[speaks Spanish]
[Tessitore] Look at this crowd on fire early.
[crowd chanting] Olé, olé, olé!
Yeah.
[crowd] Yeah!
Yeah.
[crowd] Yeah!
-Yeah! -[crowd] Yeah!
[LA Knight] Let me talk to you.
Right now,
you, me, everybody.
[speaks Spanish]
Right now we're making history.
You're talking about the first.
The first SmackDown right here in Barcelona.
[crowd chanting] Olé, olé, olé!
Yeah. My God, tough crowd tonight, huh?
God, you're all way too quiet.
Well let's think about something right now.
The first SmackDown right here in Spain, and my God, I might be the US Champ,
but my God, I'm worldwide.
[crowd chanting]
Well, while I appreciate that, I'm gonna go ahead and get right down to business.
It was way too long that I stood here without this Championship,
but finally, by God,
it's back and it's back in the hands that it should be.
This man with everybody saying…
-[crowd] LA Knight, yeah! -Yeah.
-["Born a King" playing] -And what--
♪ Uso ♪
♪ I was born a king Ran with the pack ♪
♪ I was born a king I was born a king ♪
♪ They talking family first I put that in the past ♪
[Tessitore] A visit from Big Jim for this Barcelona crowd.
Jimmy Uso's been tangling with Drew McIntyre in high stakes matches.
Now a visit for LA Knight.
[Barrett] Jimmy Uso, a man desperate
to climb up the singles rankings here in WWE
just like twin brother, Jey, who is heading for a main event matchup
at WrestleMania, Big Jimmy.
We're gonna make some plays himself.
Once again, the US Championship is back with the megastar.
I'm not out here to congratulate you, Uce. I'm out here to tell you I'm desperate.
Desperate.
You see my road to WrestleMania is running short, Uce.
I get tired of these speed bumps popping up, tired of the detours popping up,
and I figured it out.
The only way to start my road to WrestleMania is to challenge you
right here in Barcelona for the US title.
["Taking It All" playing]
[Barrett] Well, hold that thought, LA Knight.
We got company.
[Tessitore] And I don't think it's the kind of family reunion
that Jimmy's looking for.
Oh.
Hey, y'all.
LA Knight, if there's anybody that deserves a US title shot…
if there's anybody that deserves a US title shot,
that man should definitely be Jacob Fatu.
You see, a couple of weeks ago your ass stole the pin.
That's why that title was not able to come back to this family.
Oh, and big brother Jimmy, how you doing? Good to see you.
Why don't you do me and all of my family a favor?
Step aside since you're known to be the failure of the family.
[chuckling] Yeah.
Failure, huh?
Uce, the biggest failure I've ever done was trust you as my little brother.
Hey, not only that, the biggest failure, bigger than that is you losing
an Ula Fala to the OTC, Roman Reigns. [chuckles]
[crowd chanting] OTC! OTC! OTC!
[Tessitore] Solo, Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga.
[Barrett] Jimmy and LA Knight caught in a pincer movement.
The sneak attack blow, Hanging DDT.
[Tessitore] Hanging DDT from Tama Tonga,
and now LA Knight and Jimmy Uso are outnumbered
and in trouble here in Barcelona.
Oh, but help is on the way. Or as they would say here in Barcelona…
[Barrett speaks Spanish]
[Tessitore] Big Braun Strowman uppercuts Fatu. Right hand on Solo.
Big reception for The Monster. Superkick, Jimmy gets Solo.
And now Fatu wants to be dealt with and he goes flying out.
Oh, oh, I can feel the intensity, boys.
And I can see that you're looking for a fight, and I can also see that
there are 3 of you and 3 of you, so Barcelona…
[speaks Spanish]
How about a Six-Man Tag Team Match, and that starts right now.
[Tessitore] Oh, Solo, Fatu, Tama
against Jimmy, Strowman and LA Knight.
[Barrett] Yeah!
[Tessitore] Friday Night SmackDown started with a visit from LA Knight celebrating
his newly reclaimed US Championship and it's turned
into this Six-Man Tag Team Action.
LA, Jimmy Uso, Braun Strowman against Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu
as Solo was getting the best of things early on.
[Barrett] And little bro battering big bro at this point,
but little bro belies the fact
that little bro Solo grew bigger and meaner than his siblings.
[Tessitore] Jimmy looking to make a statement early.
I got to ask you, Wade, what did you think of what Jimmy said
coming out and telling LA Knight
his intent is to fight for the US Championship.
[Barrett] I've got no surprise whatsoever.
We know the kind of competitor Jimmy Uso is, and we know the kind of--
Oh! Spinning Solo!
[Tessitore] Oh, as his Spinning Solo Slam is delivered
and you can see the impact it made on Big Jim.
[Barrett] And LA Knight better get used to superstars coming straight after him
now he's got the gold. Solo Sikoa made it clear that he felt
Jacob Fatu deserved an opportunity,
which again another act of diplomacy from Solo, who has managed
to get that trio back on track after weeks of animosity between them.
Now this is where they're at their most lethal.
Distraction to the referee,
cheap shots left, right and center.
And now Jimmy Uso getting pummeled.
[Tessitore] And look at the reaction by the Samoan Werewolf, Jacob Fatu.
Tama Tonga comes flying over that top rope right on to Jimmy Uso.
[Barrett] Cackling like a hyena,
incredibly happy with his work thus far, isolated.
Big Jim. And now putting the wood to the mat.
Solo Sikoa, who came out to interrupt Jimmy and LA Knight,
and if anybody deserves a title shot at the US Championship,
it should be Jacob Fatu.
Oh, that running Hip Attack was something extra.
[Barrett] Jimmy Uso knows all about that move,
a move he's perfected himself,
however, being on the receiving end, a very different proposition.
[Tessitore] And remember the verbal assault
as well weighed as Solo saying
Jimmy's always been the failure of the family,
and it's time that he realizes it.
[Barrett] Well, it's become an automatic cheap shot in the locker room
to unfavorably compare Jimmy Uso to his brother
after the past 12 months that Jey has had.
Highly unfair, and Jimmy Uso, every bit the equal of Jey,
hasn't quite had the same opportunities of late, but that might change.
In short order.
[Tessitore] Speaking of Jey Uso, remember we saw Gunther earlier tonight
making his way into this Olympic arena.
We will hear from him a little later on, of course, the WrestleMania 41 opponent,
the Royal Rumble winner, Jey Uso,
as Jimmy trying to get to his feet, desperate for help, and he finds it
in the form of the megastar.
Fatu looks to respond, just throwing him into that corner.
LA Knight able to get out of the way, and deliver.
A Jumping Neckbreaker from LA Knight.
[Barrett] The international language of Kavorka
spread wide here in Barcelona.
[Tessitore] Able to get away from the Samoan drop.
Oh, and he delivers big time with the DDT.
Fatu just sends him, throws him across and the Superkick delivered as well.
[shouts]
[both shouting]
[Barrett] Pain just does not register on Jacob Fatu
the same way it does with everyone else.
This man is almost impervious to punishment,
but that was a game-changing moment.
[crowd] LA Knight!
[crowd, Barrett] Yeah!
[Tessitore] Jumping Reaping Elbow.
[Barrett] Now, a rare sight, Jacob Fatu.
[Tessitore] No BFT deliver there.
Charles Robinson distracted. Meanwhile, Fatu.
Short break for Barcelona. More great tag action to come.
[Tessitore] The road to WrestleMania
has taken us to Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett with you ringside, Six-Man Tag Team Match.
LA Knight, Jimmy Uso, Braun Strowman, and that man Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga
and Jacob Fatu.
LA Knight gets out of the way at the very last second.
[Barrett] Well, this Barcelona audience being incredibly unkind to Solo Sikoa
momentarily took his attention.
That was all the megastar needed.
[Tessitore] He returns that price.
[Barrett] Well, megastar desperate for this chance to make the tag.
He's not a tag competitor by nature, but he needs out of that ring
in the worst way.
There's a fresh… Jimmy Uso and a fresh Braun Strowman denied.
[Tessitore] Tama Tonga drags him back,
but here comes The Monster, Braun Strowman.
[Barrett] An enraged monster whose life has been made hell by this trio
over the past couple of months.
[Tessitore] Just clearing them all out.
Oh, and he wants it and he wants to deliver a Strowman Express.
[Barrett] It's like the running of the bulls
but much, much more dangerous.
[Tessitore] Like bowling pins just crashing down. Taking them all out.
To the roar of this massive crowd, and here comes LA Knight
on the other side.
[Barrett] There, good luck, referee.
This one's coming unglued!
[Tessitore] Oh, Big Jim through the air! The Werewolf is over the announce desk.
Wow, what an attack by Strowman.
He's got Tama Tonga, running Powerslam.
The whole ring shakes.
[bell dings]
[Garcia] Here are your winners.
Braun Strowman, Jimmy Uso and--
[Tessitore, Barrett groan]
[Tessitore] Solo Sikoa on the attack
as LA drags him out of there.
[Barrett] Well, do not drop your guard for a second
around this trio of thugs.
LA Knight doing his best to control things.
Heading out into this audience.
A sneak-attack Samoan Spike and, oh, my God--
[Tessitore] Jacob Fatu is somehow on his feet.
[Barrett] Yeah, of-- [groans]
Of course he is, we should be used to that by now, Joe.
[Tessitore] Oh, and remember what happened a week ago,
and now more between these two big men.
[Barrett] Well, the dogs are off the chain.
All gas, no breaks and no respite whatsoever for Braun Strowman.
[Tessitore] Mighty moonsault lands!
Jacob Fatu.
With more and more reason to get after Braun Strowman and deliver.
[Barrett] Look at those eyes, a cold,
violent warmonger.
[Tessitore] That jump-up moonsault
with 285 explosive pounds crashing down.
He's not going up again.
[Barrett] Jacob Fatu completely incapable of self-restraint.
The problem is we don't have the personnel here to stop it.
[Tessitore] This is outrageous. Fatu again attacking Strowman.
[Barrett] Fatu just makes up his own laws. We have to obey them.
[Tessitore] It has been a constant this year. Fatu and Strowman.
As Tama Tonga's walking him back and…
Oh, no, he doesn't… He's not eyeing more here.
[Barrett] Well, Tama Tonga has just left Jacob Fatu to his own devices.
[Tessitore] That's not a good thing. He's running full speed.
Here he comes, the Samoan Werewolf. Oh, my. Clear the deck.
The Samoan Werewolf. Message sent to The Monster.
Strowman came up with the win for his team,
but Fatu became a human wrecking ball afterwards.
[Barrett] About as hollow a victory as Braun Strowman has ever achieved.
Utterly terrifying from Fatu.
[Tessitore] Incredible start to SmackDown and still ahead tonight…
A week ago, B-Fab and Charlotte Flair found themselves face-to-face backstage
in a heated moment.
Now they're gonna be opposite each other in the ring.
And we know for a fact that it was Naomi who originally attacked Jade Cargill.
We'll get more answers after the emotional fallout between Bianca Belair,
her former tag partner Naomi
and Jade as Cargill sits down with our Cathy Kelley,
that is coming up from right here in Barcelona.
[Tessitore] What used to be a dream team, women's tag team and friendship
is now dealing with issues.
[Belair] You know, I should really feel like
I'm on top of the world right now
after winning Elimination Chamber.
[Cole] Bianca Belair is going to WrestleMania!
But it's really hard to do that when two of your friends are fighting.
[Cole] Jade Cargill is back!
Wait a minute. Jade has attacked Naomi.
What are you doing?
[Cole] Does she believe it was Naomi who attacked her
a number of months ago?
[screams]
Naomi, I know you're back there and I need you to come out here
and give me some answers right now.
Did you attack Jade?
B, you and I really need to be focused on getting our tag team titles back
and you focusing on WrestleMania.
Naomi, stop. It is about Jade right now.
Jade.
Jade, Jade, Jade.
I have been forced to watch Jade succeed off of your excellence,
your experience, your hard work.
While I was left pushed to the side.
-Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop. -She's an opportunist.
Naomi, stop.
B, you asked for the truth.
I feel like your gaslighting me.
Every time I stand up for myself…
-Tell me the truth. Tell me. -…people turn their back
and walk out on me--
Please stop!
Stop.
It is a yes or it is a no.
Did you attack Jade?
I did it.
I did it for you.
No.
I did it for us.
No, no. Don't touch me!
This? Me and you.
We're done.
Why? Because of her?
B, I did this for you. You just don't understand that right now.
The truth is, I wish I would have pushed her harder.
I should have pushed her sooner. Don't walk out on me, you ungrateful…
[Cole] Jade Cargill is here.
[Barrett] The Big Three is done for good.
Get up!
Bianca!
[Kelley] Jade Cargill, thank you so much for granting this interview.
Your first since nearly career-ending attack
at the hands of your former friend and ally, Naomi.
How have these last couple of months been and where are you at
both physically and emotionally?
Physically, Cathy. I'm okay. I'm ready to go.
After Elimination Chamber and SmackDown, seeing Naomi cry about all her struggles
as if she's the victim.
How pathetic.
Thinking that I needed to use anyone to get to where I'm going
as if I needed a handout.
Naomi thought she can dictate what I deserve.
I mean, how's that working out for her right now?
There's clearly a lot of emotions right now. Not to harp on Naomi much longer,
but everyone is wondering how did you know that she was the attacker
and was there a reason that you didn't alert people here sooner?
You know, Cathy, all I can recall,
is being hit from the back and being thrown on a car.
And then as everything grew dark, seeing Naomi just run away.
I mean, that was my big sis. That was our best friend.
We were The Big Three. She just didn't attack me physically.
She attacked my integrity, she attacked my loyalty, she attacked my heart.
I mean, how can you trust anyone after that?
And then to see Bianca tag up with her as if nothing ever happened.
I knew right then I had to take things into my own hands,
but she did get one thing right.
-She should have pushed me harder. -[chattering]
-Look at Chatty Cathy over there. -Because--
Someone remembered to use their voice.
[Cathy] We're trying to do an interview here.
-I don't care, Cathy. I don't care. -Not right now, Liv. Not right now.
This is not the time. This is not the time to do it.
You've been silent for weeks.
This is not the time to do it!
Remember the time you get attacked
because Raquel and I have been getting blamed for weeks because of you.
Not right now, and you better be thankful
that you're even holding those tag team titles
because if I was in that match,
I promise, you would have never held that title.
Oh yeah, is that what you think? Is that what you think?
-[Cargill] Yeah. -That's hilarious. That's hilarious.
Wow. Okay. You're a joke.
Well, since I'm such a joke, I don't need a title to take on that ass,
and I'll be seeing you next week.
Yeah, you wanna see me next week? Okay. Cool, I'll see you next week.
How about you just don't get pushed onto any cars between now and then, okay?
Okay. [laughs]
-Loser, idiot. -I know…
-No. -…you have a lot on your plate.
-This isn't it. This isn't it. -Just a couple more questions.
[stammers]
[speaking Spanish]
…Charlotte, for your sake, I hope you haven't slept on me
'cause I know you've accomplished a lot here in WWE,
but like I told you, I'm here to build my own legacy
and if my legacy has to start with you, that's perfect for me. You know why?
Because that's just how it be. [speaks Spanish]
["Count It Out" playing]
[Tessitore] B-Fab is great. No-nonsense, why-waste-time approach.
Was defending the honor of the entire women's division a week ago and now trying
to take a major step forward in her own career, and this could go far right here.
[bell dings]
[Garcia] The following content is scheduled for one fall!
Introducing first from Hall of Fame City, Ohio,
B-Fab!
[Tessitore] So can this strong confident version of B-Fab
upset the 14-time Champion?
We're gonna find out next.
B-Fab and Charlotte Flair coming your way from Barcelona.
♪ Do it for the ones Fighting for everything ♪
♪ I am the baddest Elite, the status ♪
♪ They counted me out So now I'm a savage ♪
Last time we saw B-Fab in singles action, a highly competitive match.
One against her, the other way against Piper Niven.
That was on 8 January. Did bounce back with a tag-team win,
teamed up with Michin over Chelsea Green. [continues indistinctly]
Would you look at this scene here at the Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona.
And the way they will react to seeing one of the all-time greats.
There is no denying the women's roster has been altered with the return
and the Royal Rumble victory by Charlotte Flair.
["All Hail The Queen" playing]
[Garcia] And her opponent from The Queen City,
Charlotte Flair!
[Barrett] You said it, Joe, a woman synonymous with Championship gold.
A woman associated
almost exclusively with being at the very top of the card.
She's won it all multiple times here in WWE and she is firmly on the road
to WrestleMania.
She has a date with destiny coming up in a few short weeks' time.
Against the WWE Women's Champion Tiffany Stratton, they go head to head
at WrestleMania 41 by virtue of the fact
that Charlotte Flair won the Royal Rumble.
[Tessitore] It's incredible every time she makes her way to the ring
and we put up that résumé of hers.
It looks like a jewelry store display with all the gold and prize collections.
6-time Raw Women's Champion,
now the WWE Women's Championship, as it's known, 7-time SmackDown Champion,
14-time World Champion, and of course most recently,
the return and the victory in front of 76,000 Indianapolis at the Royal Rumble.
[Barrett] Of course everyone can have their opinion,
everyone can have their favorites,
and it's not all about statistics, but statistics alone,
if we just look at that, this woman, Charlotte Flair is unequivocally
the greatest of all time, make no mistake.
And she's gonna have to reach that level if she wants to grab gold
once again at WrestleMania,
but right now you've got your hands full with a hungry B-Fab who has been
demanding opportunities here on SmackDown.
[Tessitore] And of course with the injury that Charlotte recovered from, Wade,
she was out of action for quite some time.
So you got to go back to December 8th of 2023,
the last time she had singles action, that was on SmackDown against Asuka.
Injured a knee in that match. Coming into Royal Rumble
very different than singles action, Wade.
When she won the Royal Rumble, she entered at number 27.
She went about 15 minutes and of course won that, but it's a different beast
when you come back to this.
[Barrett] You are right 99 times out of 100.
However, Charlotte Flair is made of platinum,
does not suffer from ring rust.
And B-Fab is about to learn that the hard way.
[Tessitore] And I will tell you, for those of us
that have had the privilege of watching her,
how hard Charlotte has worked in the gym in her recovery, she is absolutely primed
to be the best she's ever been.
[Barrett] It's the only language Charlotte Flair understands.
She's constantly in competition with one person, and that is herself.
[Tessitore] Meanwhile, what do you make of the attitude of B-Fab?
I sort of like this sort of swing for the fences way about her.
Just determined to make a name for herself,
to take care of a situation and go out there
and face Charlotte Flair in a slot like this.
[Barrett] Well, we mentioned it, Charlotte Flair's been AWOL
for the best part of a year with an injury, however,
to come back and immediately start talking trash about the entire locker room,
somebody has to step up and I like the fact that B-Fab had the moxie to do it.
Huge disparity in résumés between the two of them, but I'll tell you right now,
growing up fighting on the streets of Medellín, Colombia,
B-Fab ain't backing down to anyone.
[Tessitore] Able to get away from that last chop attempt
and deliver the kick is B-Fab.
[Barrett] And clearly Charlotte Flair's been incredibly dismissive of B-Fab,
undoubtedly is gonna be taking B-Fab lightly.
[Tessitore] Into the cover, hooks the leg.
B-Fab bringing some offense to Charlotte Flair here in Spain.
[Tessitore] Charlotte Flair has been bullying B-Fab
for the past few minutes here in the ring in Barcelona.
The European tour is underway. Friday Night SmackDown here in Barcelona.
Monday Night Raw will be in Brussels.
[Barrett] B-Fab has given a hell of an account of herself thus far
just hanging in there this long with Charlotte,
but that disparity in résumés
is really starting to show here.
[Tessitore] And again flipping her over onto her back
and now the kick up for Charlotte Flair.
First time these two have ever gone one on one.
Of course they were both in the recent Royal Rumble, but B-Fab was eliminated
before Charlotte entered the match, as we said at number 27
and going on to be victorious in that evening.
[Barrett] You just see Charlotte is not taking the threat of B-Fab seriously,
incredibly aloof,
toying with this audience who are baying for Charlotte's blood.
Oh, and that has opened up a little window for B-Fab.
[Tessitore] Charlotte was going potentially for the Figure 8 leg lock,
but instead that big kick that just drove her into the corner.
[Barrett] Well, you can be as dismissive as you want, there's a reason B-Fab
is on this roster, and there's a reason B-Fab is opening a lot of eyes,
but now she's getting punked out by the number one contender.
And that's a mistake, a rare mistake from Charlotte.
[Tessitore] But this is the purpose
and intensity that B-Fab displayed backstage
when she stepped to Charlotte.
[Barrett] Yeah, it's the shot you don't hear
that takes you down, Charlotte,
and taking B-Fab lightly is a huge, huge error
for someone with the experience of Charlotte Flair.
[Tessitore] Writhing that shoulder right into her gut, then the suplex,
and now some momentum for the upset seeking B-Fab.
Big sweeping kick and Charlotte crumbles to her knees.
Of course WrestleMania destiny with Tiffany Stratton come April.
[Barrett] Well, B-Fab looking to pull off the mother of all upsets,
but Charlotte Flair, as she always seems to do… Oh! Oh!
[Tessitore] B-Fab into the cover for the upset.
And that shoulder up from Charlotte Flair.
[Barrett] Well, legs for days connecting
almost flush with the kisser of Charlotte Flair,
the experience of Charlotte Flair.
Pulled her head backwards at the last moment,
reducing the impact of that kick just managing to kick out,
but Charlotte is glassy-eyed.
[Tessitore] She is indeed.
Remember, her first singles match on SmackDown since December 8th of '23.
[Barrett] Opportunities are not given at this level, you have to take them.
B-Fab doing their best.
But that super kick to the jaw is a game changing moment, Joe.
[Tessitore] Opportunity for Charlotte Flair, natural selection.
[Barrett] You can count to 300 from here and Charlotte Flair knows it.
What a great fight from B-Fab, but this now is just a procession.
[Tessitore] It is locked in.
It is being arched in the Figure 8 on B-Fab.
[bell dings]
And she's not releasing it, Wade.
Charlotte Flair is not releasing the Figure 8 leg lock on B-Fab.
[Barrett] Well, B-Fab had the audacity to turn this into a fight.
B-Fab gave a hell of an account of her…
[Tessitore] This has gone too far, well too far.
[Barrett] Wait a second.
[Tessitore] Oh!
Hey, that bell was ringing Tiffy time.
[Barrett] Well, it's Tiffany Stratton
who was jumped last week by Charlotte Flair.
Locked in that Figure 8.
These two are meeting at WrestleMania and the gloves are firmly off.
[Tessitore] And now security as well as officials
are in there to break up the Women's Champion Tiffany Stratton,
the Royal Rumble winner and soon to be challenger for Tiffany, Charlotte Flair.
Look at the amount of security to break these two up.
[Barrett] Well, in a matter of about two short weeks, these two have gone
from barely knowing one another to having a burning hate--
[Tessitore] Oh! Charlotte breaks free.
Charlotte was able to break free, elbowing security on the way.
[Barrett] We got about 15 security guards, producers, referees in there,
barely able to pry these two apart.
[Tessitore] Now they are able to separate them.
Stay back. Stay back. Stay back.
[Tessitore] Charles Robinson, veteran referee, security,
and then somehow…
Oh, she pulls at her legs.
[Barrett] By hell or high water,
Tiffany Stratton is getting a pound of flesh tonight
from Charlotte Flair, the number 1 contender.
[Tessitore] Tiffany Stratton, the Women's Champion,
just pulling Charlotte Flair out of the ring
and delivering right hand after right hand.
[Barrett] Well, Charlotte Flair throwing lefts and rights at producers,
referees, desperate to get--
[Tessitore] Oh! Off the steel steps!
And Tiffany ground and pound as she came flying down on the 14-time Champion.
[Barrett] But we don't have any more security guards here,
this is all we've got,
and they cannot separate them.
And now Flair's on top of our announce desk.
And she goes flying down on Tiffany.
And they're back to brawling.
[Barrett] My God, somebody get a stun gun.
[Tessitore] Honestly.
Oh, did you just see that elbow she delivered?
[Barrett stammers] What?
[Tessitore] This is outrageous.
[Barrett] Took about 4 or 5 security guards to get her up.
[Tessitore] We're 36 days away from WrestleMania 41
when they're gonna meet up.
But they're wasting no time. It is boiled over here in Barce…
No way. Are you kidding me?
No way. Oh, my. Tiffy time clears them all out
and Charlotte goes down too and now she's pounding away again.
[Barrett] I think Charlotte's collapsed from sheer exhaustion at this point,
those security guards were holding her up.
It's a long road until WrestleMania.
[Tessitore] Look at Charlotte.
[Barrett] These two are ready to go right now, forget WrestleMania 41.
[Tessitore] They want more and she's being dragged away.
For the longest time I was so focused on the individuals right in front of me.
I didn't realize that somebody was benefiting
every single time I got screwed.
April 7th, 2024, WrestleMania 40, Drew McIntyre defeats Seth Rollins
for the World Heavyweight Championship.
A moment four years in the making, a moment absolutely perfect.
Until it wasn't. I was assaulted from behind.
And Damian Priest cashed in his money in the bank briefcase,
robbing me of my moment.
But it doesn't end there, does it?
No, June 15th, Clash at the Castle, my home country.
A moment more perfect than perfect until it wasn't once again.
Screwed once again, that vulture picked the bones once again.
Fast forward one month.
Time to fight fire with fire. Money in the Bank.
I win the Money in the Bank contract.
I cash in and I get screwed once again and that parasite, that leech Priest
is there to capitalize.
Even when you lost the title, you didn't know how to succeed
unless it was off my back, which brings us to the Royal Rumble.
Soon as my back was turned, eliminated thanks to Priest.
Then Elimination Chamber, my last chance at the title, I claymore John Cena,
I'm about to pin the man who won the match
and, Priest, you can't help yourself, you steal it from behind,
so I dropped your arse.
You wanted my attention. You've got it.
This isn't about the World Championships. You took that from me twice.
This is about putting you down for good.
So you can never take anything from me again.
[Tessitore] Message delivered by Drew McIntyre
and still to come tonight,
our WWE Tag Team Championship,
the Street Profits against DIY tonight,
gold on the line from here in Barcelona.
Of course the news cycle following that John Cena turn in Toronto.
It included reactions from nearly every form of media
and entertainment outlet there was, so of course The Miz has to get in on it.
[Garcia] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the host of Miz TV,
The Miz!
[Tessitore] And when we come back,
it's a very special international edition of Miz TV,
as The American Nightmare, Cody Rhodes is a special guest.
Miz TV from Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Don't go anywhere.
[Styles] Tonight I have the opportunity to become WWE Champion.
When I get an opportunity, I seize it.
[Cole] From the heart of the United Kingdom,
Styles and Mahal.
[commentator] Styles trying to quicken the pace.
This is where Styles feels at home.
[Cole] Across the ring.
[commentators shouting]
[Cole] Styles got a foot on the rope.
Oh! Using the top rope.
[speaking indistinctly]
[commentator] He hit it! He hit it!
Styles has done it again!
[Cole] AJ Styles is the WWE Champion.
[commentator] …in the United Kingdom for AJ Styles.
[Tessitore] It was great to see AJ Styles with Logan Paul the other day at MSG,
and The Miz wasn't bashful about offering up Miz TV
as an outlet for Cody Rhodes right now.
[commentators shout]
[Tessitore] They haven't stopped.
[Barrett] Steady on, Miz.
[The Miz speaking Spanish]
[Tessitore] Oh, The Miz is trying to talk to the crowd.
Meanwhile, Tiffany Stratton and Charlotte Flair are still going at it.
[Barrett] Well, this is the brawl that may never end
until WrestleMania 41.
The baddest of bad blood boiling over between these two women.
[Tessitore] It was nonstop out at ringside moments ago.
Security and officials thought they had it contained, but guess again, Wade.
[Barrett] Well, we have the woman who holds the gold, Tiffany Stratton,
and the woman who believes the gold is her birthright.
The 14-time Champion.
Charlotte Flair, neither woman taking a backward step.
[Tessitore] We got a blonde bash in Barcelona.
As finally security wraps around the waist.
[Barrett] Don't talk too soon.
[Tessitore] …Charlotte Flair, as she was able to push Tiffany Stratton
-out of the way. -Get off me!
And she's begging to get free, and meanwhile, where's Tiff--
-No! -[Barrett] Oh, no!
She's all the way up top on the Videotron.
-[Barrett] Don't do it! -[Tessitore] No!
And a kick for good measure.
[Barrett] Well this one ain't over, but I'm scoring it to Tiffany Stratton.
[Tessitore] Can you believe how high she was able to climb and move down.
There's a new queen in town!
[Tessitore] There's a new queen in town, she screams back at Charlotte Flair.
[Barrett] Follow that, Miz.
Yeah, yeah, I would say it is very awesome.
That is a way to start off Miz TV. Anything can happen.
So with that being said… [speaking Spanish]
Miz TV. My guest tonight should have taken my advice
and accepted the final boss's offer.
Instead… Instead, he got beat up
by two great rappers, Travis Scott
and John Cena.
He is a man who will face John Cena in the main event of WrestleMania,
who unlike me, will not beat John Cena
in the main event of WrestleMania.
Ladies and gentlemen.
Please give it up for the self-proclaimed QB1 of WWE.
He is The American Nightmare.
Cody Rhodes!
["Kingdom" playing]
Wrestling has more than one royal family.
♪ Adrenaline in my soul Every fight out of control ♪
♪ Do it all to get them off their feet ♪
♪ Crowd is here, about to blow Waiting for me to start the show ♪
♪ Out the curtain, lights go up I'm home ♪
♪ Whoa ♪
♪ And my father said ♪
♪ When I was younger Hard times breed better men ♪
[Tessitore] Cody Rhodes has been incredibly open and thoughtful,
and you better believe intense
in detailing his feelings after what happened with John Cena in the final boss,
the attack in Toronto at Elimination Chamber, and, Wade,
we heard it SmackDown at Philly.
The crowd at Madison Square Garden in New York heard it, and now here's
the undisputed Champion in Spain.
[Barrett] Yeah, there's a lot of sympathy for Cody Rhodes
and what's happened to him over the last couple of weeks,
but it has to be said
he did decline the final boss's offer.
Very few would have done so.
Cody Rhodes has made his bed and he's quite happy to lie in it
despite what the likes of The Miz might say,
and there we have it, meeting at WrestleMania 41
-for the W-- -Cut, cut, cut, cut, cut!
Cut the music!
I don't have time
for a sing-along with Cody Rhodes.
I'm going to ask the hard hitting questions right here, right now.
I've already been interrupted by Tiffy time, so I've got some time to go.
[Tessitore] Oh, take that, Miz.
Crossroads. How's that for an episode of Miz TV?
[Barrett] There's no hard hitting questions tonight,
just hard hitting offense
from a pissed off American Nightmare.
I don't wanna talk to The Miz. I don't wanna talk to anybody
unless his name is John Cena.
If you can find it worth your time to join us, John,
on the road to WrestleMania next Monday, just know
I'll be there too.
[Tessitore] Cody is all business.
He only wants to hear from and speak to one man,
and it sure as hell ain't The Miz.
[Barrett] The radio silence from John Cena
ever since that attack at Elimination Chamber
and imminently that will change, perhaps this Monday on Raw.
[Tessitore] Raw on Netflix is gonna be in Brussels.
We're in the midst of the European tour and they're gonna be in the same building.
John Cena and Cody Rhodes will be in the same building
come Monday Night Raw…
Wild times with Cody.
Meanwhile, let's get you to the scene earlier today in GM Nick Aldis' office.
The hell are you thinking misting a referee?
Do you understand, you're lucky that he's such a nice guy because otherwise
I could have a real problem on my hands, do you know what I mean?
I just want a rematch.
Oh, a rematch. You want a rematch.
-You're lucky you're not suspended. -[Priest] Nick.
Do you understand?
Oh, boy.
Where is he? I don't know.
I was told that he left the building.
-Do with that information what you will. -Of course he did.
Not only is he a jackass, he's a smart one at that.
[speaks Japanese]
You got something to say?
[speaks Japanese]
Yeah, I don't know what you just said.
But I'm gonna tell you something in a language that you understand
and the people here in España understand.
[speaking Spanish]
So you know what I said? I'm looking for a fight.
And I wanna give him a beating.
Well, I don't know what he said or what you said,
but if you're looking for a match tonight, that I can do.
Perfect.
["Rise For The Night" playing]
[Barrett] I've gotta be honest with you, I don't think I personally want a match
with this version of Damian Priest, who's a little off the chain right now.
♪ All rise for the rockstar ♪
[bell dings]
[Garcia] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Introducing first from New York City, weighing in at 249 pounds,
Damian Priest!
[Tessitore] A week ago,
Priest and McIntyre traded attacks on each other,
and now it's a match that we didn't see coming.
Priest against the recently dethroned titlist, Shinsuke Nakamura.
That is coming up next. SmackDown from Barcelona moves on.
[Tessitore] Damian Priest has been enjoying this crowd in Barcelona
the past few minutes
as they've been chanting el campeón, el campeón.
It has been a wild scene, SmackDown's first visit to Barcelona, Spain.
It's time to get right back to business for Shinsuke Nakamura.
["Sinister Samauri" playing]
His rivalry with LA Knight produced some incredible moments
including the two title matches. The Knight got the best of him last week
with the BFT on top of that steel chair.
So now it's this version of Nakamura looking to move forward.
[Garcia] And his opponent from Kyoto, Japan, weighing in at 220 pounds,
Shinsuke Nakamura.
[Barrett] Eerie, enigmatic presence from the Japanese superstar
who had, as you mentioned Joe,
a disaster week last week,
losing the United States Championship to LA Knight,
and I would expect an even more vicious side of Nakamura to emerge this week.
[Tessitore] Priest and Nakamura on SmackDown.
So a week removed from losing the title, a week ago against LA Knight.
The first time that Shinsuke was pinned
since April of 2024, that was a match weighed against Sheamus.
[Barrett] Yeah, well, there's now a ton of rage
built up inside Shinsuke Nakamura
and indeed his opponent who, as you mentioned,
has had major issues with Drew McIntyre
over the past several weeks.
These men are about to unleash that rage in front of this rabid Barcelona audience.
[Tessitore] You mentioned the issues with Drew McIntyre.
Drew went into great detail earlier tonight in framing that rivalry
that's been simmering for really the better part of a year.
Of course you consider what happened last year in Philadelphia
at WrestleMania 40
through the recent weeks that we've seen between Damian Priest
and Drew McIntyre.
[Barrett] Yeah, Priest has kind of ruined Drew's career over the past 12 months.
He cost him the Championship at WrestleMania,
eliminated him from behind in the Royal Rumble
although that's perfectly legal,
and then of course pinned him in the Elimination Chamber
and all of that has sat incredibly unwell inside the mind of McIntyre.
[Tessitore] As we saw, to start SmackDown last week
when McIntyre was on the attack.
But then later in the evening Priest attacked McIntyre
as he turns the tables here on Shinsuke Nakamura
with a series of big right hands,
and then the uppercut comes in.
[Barrett] Well, Nakamura's such a unique striker,
there's nothing unique about the striking from The Street King.
It's simple but highly effective.
[Tessitore] And that as well.
Pure power delivered by Damian Priest, el campeón, as they say here.
[Tessitore] The road to WrestleMania has taken Friday Night SmackDown
to here, to Barcelona.
A city with a grand history of outrageous characters like Pablo Picasso,
Salvador Dali, and two of the characters of this game going at it right here,
Damian Priest and Shinsuke Nakamura, very distinct personalities
and styles in the ring.
[Barrett] Damian Priest has had to absorb a massive amount of punishment
to this poison fueled Nakamura, punishing his opponent this evening.
Trying to get himself back in contention for goal,
but it's never gonna be that easy against a slugger like Damian Priest.
[Tessitore] You brought the mental side, Wade,
of Shinsuke Nakamura a week removed from losing
the US title championship to LA Knight.
How do you approach it?
A reset or regroup or just get back on the horse and get back to action?
[Barrett] Well, the way this is going, getting back on the horse appears
to have been the correct move for Nakamura.
-I spoke too soon! -[Tessitore exclaims]
[Tessitore] Damian Priest.
Just what he needed.
[Barrett] A reset for Priest, a reset in this match,
a chance to get some oxygen in the lungs.
Instinctive move here from Priest,
driving the forehead of Nakamura into the mat.
Now who can recover first?
[Tessitore] Center of the ring, toe to toe, Nakamura and Priest.
[Barrett] Priest taking full advantage of that limb length.
Gives a massive striking advantages over almost anybody.
[Tessitore] And he's showing it here.
[Barrett] Opponents' almost never out of range of those fists and those feet.
Or flying elbows for that matter.
[Tessitore] Damian Priest, just gathering momentum,
Broken Arrow and Priest…
Oh, he was looking to line it up.
[Barrett] And that is about the smartest instincts a competitor can have
when your opponent is flowing like that, just attacking you at will.
-Oh, God. -[Tessitore] Oh, no. Here he comes.
Oh, he sends them flying on top of our desk.
[Barrett] And things have changed rapidly in this one.
Now it's Nakamura on the back foot.
Perhaps in the drops of…
What on earth is Damian Priest cooking up here.
[crowd chanting]
[Tessitore] No, he's thinking of going old-school, climbing up top.
He had such momentum moments ago he was looking for the South of Heaven.
Mentor is The Undertaker…
[Tessitore] But there he goes!
-[Barrett] Old-school punishment! -Throw his body off the top rope!
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting]
[Tessitore] And now he's feeling it.
And here it comes.
Nakamura able to get out of the way.
-[Barrett] Tend to that re-- -[Tessitore] Oh!
Oh, boy, but Priest has it blocked.
How long can he keep that hold on?
Nakamura's broken it and the arm might be going next.
Gonna hyperextend that elbow.
Priest gets his way out of there just about.
[grunts]
[Tessitore] Now back to the center of the ring, strike for strike.
Oh, the big lariat just flips them over head over heels.
[Barrett] Second bite of the cherry for Damian Priest was effective
and this signals the end, perhaps, for Shinsuke Nakamura.
[Tessitore] He can sen…
What in the world?
As my view is completely blocked right now
because a 6'5, 280 pound Scottish warrior has come out ringside.
And here's the roll up by Nakamura.
[Barrett] Well, Priest made it clear it was on sight as soon as he saw McIntyre.
And that has allowed Nakamura back into the fight.
And now he's about to put Priest to the sword.
-[Tessitore] He's looking for-- -Thanks to the presence of McIntyre.
[Tessitore] Ooh! He went for a Kinshasa, but it becomes a South of Heaven.
-[bell rings] -And here comes McIntyre.
He just couldn't contain himself, could he?
[Barrett] Well, as far as McIntyre's concerned,
this is a year's worth of cheap shots from Damian Priest
being paid back before our eyes.
[Tessitore] Priest was seconds away from a cover and a likely pinfall victory,
and Drew McIntyre…
And now here they go, Priest and McIntyre!
[Barrett] On sight, just like Damian Priest said.
-[Priest screams] -Oh, thumbs to the eyes!
[Tessitore] Eye gouge!
Kinshasa!
Shinsuke took advantage
and sent The Kinshasa right to the back of the head of Damian Priest.
[crowd chanting]
[Barrett] Apparently a warrior's understanding
between Nakamura and McIntyre, damage done.
You're free to pick the bones now, Drew.
[Tessitore] Look at the face.
[Barrett] And take the pounce, he will.
He said, "Thank you for The Kinshasa. I will gladly now do this."
You cashed in your Money in The Bank,
you eliminated me from the Royal Rumble,
you eliminated me in the Elimination Chamber.
Well, this is what you get, Damian Priest.
[Tessitore] As he sends him right into the barrier as hard as could be.
[Barrett] As spine first
goes Damian Priest, who at this point…
[Tessitore] Oh, man. Full speed!
[Barrett] After a match with Nakamura and Kinshasa.
-And now this. -[Tessitore] Oh, man. Oh, man,
Priest has got nothing left in the tank. Just when he needs something,
Because this is about to get ugly.
[Tessitore] The steel steps!
This is out of control.
The damage that Drew McIntyre is putting on Damian Priest.
That's enough! Drew, you're being sent out.
-That's enough! -[crowd chanting]
[Tessitore] Week after week now.
As Drew explained just why he has such venom for Priest.
[Barrett] McIntyre, who sees himself as the teller of uncomfortable truths,
there is no doubt, in his mind at least,
of the righteousness of The Scottish Warrior who has destroyed,
physically, Damian Priest this evening.
Wh… Priest. What are you doing, Priest? Stay down.
[Tessitore] Look at those eyes of The Scottish Warrior as he sees that Priest
has made it back to the ring and he's gonna join them, Wade.
[Barrett] The Claymore, the pièce de résistance.
On sight? On sight, is it?
I took only one opportunity.
You screwed me this whole year, took advantage of every one of my moments.
I have nothing now but making your life a living hell.
[Tessitore] That's exactly what he's been doing,
a brutal stomp on his head after the Claymore.
[Barrett] Say what you want about Drew McIntyre,
he was always gonna be true to his word,
much to the detriment of Damian Priest.
[Tessitore] Telling Damian Priest, he's gonna make his life a living hell.
As we go backstage to Cathy Kelley.
Thanks, guys. I'm here with the WWE Tag Team champions, DIY.
Now, Tommaso, Johnny, you two have a massive title defense
tonight against The Street Profits.
What makes you two so sure that you are going to walk out of Barcelona
still the Tag Team champions?
Cathy, I'm going to answer your question with a question.
Why is SmackDown the greatest Tag Team division
in all of professional wrestling right now?
Because we are at the top of the mountain and all these other Tag Team's,
they are trying to rise up to our level, Street Profits included.
The Street Profits are the way they are because of us.
We made them better, but they're still not good enough.
Second place, that's the story of The Street Profits.
We want the smoke.
No, in Title Matches, more like we want to choke.
and tonight Barcelona, Spain
is gonna find out what everybody already knows,
the B-T-T-I-T-W is DIY.
I have one more question for you.
How do you say, "moment of silence" en español?
Don't answer that. Nobody cares about your dumb ass moment of silence
just like you didn't care about 20 years of friendship
when you took a couple cheap shots to secure those titles.
Well, now the jokes on you, isn't it?
Because the entire Tag Team division is after the both of you.
You boys think we forgot what you did to win those Championship titles?
Hell no, we haven't.
So just remember this when you're done with The Street Profits,
there's unfinished business between the four of us to take care of.
Yeah, so go get them, guys.
-Don't worry about it. -Yeah, yeah. Good luck.
-Good luck. -Enjoy. Have fun.
Yeah, we're all rooting for you. Okay, bye now.
[Tessitore] They'll be defending their Tag Championships later tonight
and there is The Legend Killer, Randy Orton,
for the first time since October 11th, an official Singles match.
Randy, Carmelo Hayes next.
[Tessitore] What a spectacular visit we're having here in Barcelona.
Of course, the home of tapas, a whole afternoon, vermouth with olives.
And what a crowd that has come out here.
The Pavelló Olímpic de Badalona to see the first Friday Night SmackDown,
-including… Look at this! -[Barrett] Oh!
FC Barcelona!
[Barrett] Absolute royalty in the world of football,
or soccer if you prefer.
And of course, the wonder kid, the 17-year-old Lamine Yamal,
the star of their Euro victory over England, I might add.
We're still pretty upset about that, but wow, what a player. What a future he has.
Welcome to SmackDown, FC Barcelona.
[Tessitore] Let's go backstage to Cathy Kelley.
Yeah, thanks so much, Joe.
I'm here with the Women's United States Champion--
Do you have credentials? She's all clear, girls.
Thank you so much.
As I was saying, the Women's United States Champion, Chelsea Green,
and her Secret Hervice agents, Alba Fyre and Piper Niven.
Now, Chelsea, last week you were in a street fight against Michin
and narrowly avoided defeat
after the debut of your new Secret Hervice agent--
-Uh, Cathy. -Uh…
Have you seen the injustice that I've faced
as your first ever longest-reigning most dangerous United States Women's Champion?
Huh? I've been thrown into matches by Nicholas.
I put my body in harm's way against…
[scoffs] …people like Michin, no less,
so I did what any great leader would do when she has her back against a wall.
I brought out my secret weapon. [chuckles]
And now The Green Administration is in full force.
I'm sorry, you said The Green Administration?
You know what sounds better to me?
And new WWE Women's United States Champion,
Zelina Vega.
[chuckles]
Hold up, habanero.
If you want to get to Chelsea,
you're gonna have to go through us.
Okay, Suzuya Squad, that's fine.
Next week it'll be me and you,
and then you and that title are all mine.
[laughs] Bye.
We'll just see about that, won't we?
-["Voices" playing] -[crowd cheering]
♪ They counsel me They understand ♪
♪ They talk to me… ♪
[Tessitore] Just a few weeks ago when the dome at the Rogers Centre
in Toronto was shaking over the roar of Randy Orton's return
and now Barcelona gets their chance to have it.
-♪ All designed to keep you safe ♪ -[crowd harmonizing]
♪ But when rules start getting broken ♪
♪ You start questioning your faith ♪
♪ I have a voice that is my savior ♪
♪ Hates to love and loves to hate ♪
♪ I have a voice that has the knowledge ♪
♪ And the power to rule your fate ♪
♪ I hear voices cryin' ♪
♪ I see heroes dyin’ ♪
♪ I taste blood that's dryin' ♪
♪ I feel tension risin’ ♪
♪ I hear voices in my head ♪
♪ They counsel me They understand ♪
♪ They talk to me ♪
♪ They talk to me Oh! ♪
♪ They tell me things that I will do ♪
♪ They show me things I'll do to you ♪
♪ They talk to me ♪
-♪ They talk to me ♪ -[bell rings]
[Garcia] This next match is set for one fall!
Introducing first from Saint Louis, Missouri.
Weighing in at 290 pounds,
-The Viper, Randy Orton! -[crowd cheers]
[Tessitore] And, Wade, we he's been out for revenge against Kevin Owens.
[Barrett] Yeah, well, let's take you back. Four months ago, KO destroying the neck
of his former friend, Randy Orton, with a banned Package Piledriver,
yet another overreaction to a perceived slight by the prize fighter
left Orton's career in jeopardy,
but fast-forward to the Elimination Chamber two weeks ago
when the Viper shockingly returned and made a beeline for KO.
And KO had just gone to hell and back with Sami Zayn,
eventually The Viper connected with an RKO but that of course
was not quite enough, not done there, lined up for a banned move of his own,
the notorious Punt.
Oh, KO just about managed to live to fight another day thanks to our security,
but I promise you there is hell
coming in the near future for Kevin Owens, thanks to this man.
[Tessitore] I think it would have sent his head to about Montreal
based on the way he was lining that up.
♪ I feel tension risin’ ♪
♪ I hear voices in my head ♪
♪ They talk to me They understand ♪
♪ They talk to me ♪
♪ They tell me things that I will do ♪
♪ They show me things I'll do to you ♪
-♪ They talk to me ♪ -[crowd harmonizing]
♪ Talk to me, talk to me Talk to me ♪
♪ They talk to me ♪
♪ You got your rules And your religion… ♪
-[music fades out] -[crowd cheering]
["Melo Don't Miss" playing]
♪ 'Cause I'm the greatest Ain't no hatin' ♪
♪ I'm the best here ♪
♪ You want your shot, well I guess you wait 'til next year ♪
♪ I'm at the top Get respect while I get feared ♪
♪ Who got a problem, huh? Tell 'em to step here ♪
♪ 'Cause I'm the greatest No arguing… ♪
[Garcia] And his opponent from Boston, Massachusetts.
Weighing in at 210 pounds,
Carmelo Hayes!
[Tessitore] Wade, it seems like every time Carmelo Hayes opens his mouth,
there's another massive challenge in front of him and that's how we arrived
at this here tonight against The Viper.
[Barrett] Well, Melo got busted talking a little smack about The Viper last week,
behind the scenes on SmackDown,
and he might live to regret those words because The Viper is looking
as poised and intense as ever,
especially considering what KO put him through over the past four months.
But you can't blame Melo, he's a young guy who wants to go
to the very top in short order,
and he's one of those rarities that understands that
if you want to get to the top, you've got to rattle some cages
in order to get yourself attention.
Well, Melo, you've got the attention of The Apex Predator,
and what you do with that attention from here is up to you.
-[Tessitore] Randy Orton… -[bell rings]
out of action for months before we saw his return in Toronto at Elimination Chamber.
His last singles match was October 8th on NXT against Je'Von Evans.
-[chuckles] Look at Melo here. -[crowd chants]
-[Barrett] I mean… -[Tessitore] I mean really.
The body's saying respect, the face though is sneering when close to Melo.
[Tessitore] It always is, isn't it? He always has that one.
[Barrett, Tessitore groan]
[Tessitore] Really?
Against the 14 time World Champion…
[Barrett] You give him the benefit of the doubt.
[Tessitore] Yeah, how about a little return?
Gonna get tossed around this ring.
[Barrett] You got to mind the cojones of Carmelo Hayes though.
Doing that to a future Hall of Famer.
[crowd counting, in Spanish]
[Tessitore] With each right hand.
[counting continues]
[counting stops]
You see his feet just coming off the mat.
And back for more into that ring post and keep in mind with this international…
Oh, this is vintage!
Orton.
Just snapped the front of the desk.
[Tessitore] Joe and Wade with you here. Friday Night SmackDown,
the first SmackDown to ever come to you from Barcelona, Spain,
and it has been a thrilling night.
Randy Orton in action against Carmelo Hayes.
Carmelo Hayes, who at least deserves credit
for his outstanding level of activity.
All right now, his 11th TV match of the year.
That's a tall task to try to attack Orton that way.
And now Hayes goes right to that back of that left leg
and delivers the kick as well.
[Barrett] Well Melo has been on a mission…
-[Tessitore] Hooks the leg. -…to finally grab a legitimate victory
against an A-tier superstar and slowly but surely
he is closing in on that with the future Hall of Famer Randy Orton.
What a 180 in his career, this would be for Melo
who just a month ago was struggling to get any form of victory.
He's been on a hot-streak ever since, really,
since linking up with that loose alliance with The Miz in Melo Don't Miz.
[Tessitore] You just saw the notice that the Hall of Fame ceremony
before WrestleMania is going to be at the spectacular
Fontainebleau in Las Vegas in April.
That is an amazing facility and what a lineup of course headlined
by Triple H to be inducted this year into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Lex Luger also announced already.
As you can see, Carmelo Hayes
getting aggressive with Randy Orton. His first Singles match since October 8th.
First vicious pile driver from Kevin Owens
that put him out of action before his return.
And I'll tell you this, since Melo got the upper hand in this one,
he has done one hell of a job
of giving The Viper zero room whatsoever to operate.
-Oh! -[Tessitore] Oh!
[Barrett] Randy Orton just works to different rules than the rest of us.
Yeah, 6'5'', 290, chiseled.
There are different rules. Snap slam by Orton!
[Barrett] And now Randy Orton on the road to WrestleMania,
starting to tap into that superlative best that only he can.
[Tessitore] He's gonna hang 'em up.
And bring it down.
And this crowd can't get enough, but Carmelo Hayes able to counter.
[Barrett] Melo is one of the greatest movers I've ever seen in that ring,
-and he needed to be there. Oh! -[Tessitore] Oh!
Right out of the air!
Orton!
And Melo gets that left shoulder up.
[Barrett] Oh, God, what a reactionary power slam there from Randy Orton.
Just when it looked like Melo had the wind in his sails, instinctively,
The Viper snapping into one of his finest moves,
Melo just about clinging on in this matchup.
And now it's take-two for Randy Orton, he doesn't miss twice.
[Tessitore] No, he doesn't.
How good does this feel for Randy Orton?
To get back at it in front of a crowd like this.
[Barrett] Four months out and now at his exceptional best already.
[crowd chanting] RKO!
And the chant has started in Barcelona.
Oh, and Hayes bails on it.
[Barrett] Smart from Carmelo Hayes, but if he was really smart,
he'd have kept running.
That ain't smart.
[Tessitore] Oh, look at the look on his face.
-Oh, he snaps down the neck of Orton. -[Barrett] Oh! Bringing it in!
Baited The Viper in brilliance there from Carmelo Hayes, I take it all back.
Now finish the job.
What a career-defining victory this would be
for the young upstart who dominated NXT.
[Tessitore] Is he looking for Nothing But Net?
Is he going for it? Randy gets out of the way.
[Barrett] Yeah, talk about great movers.
Randy Orton wrote the book on great move…
-Boom! -[Tessitore] Oh, my. Hayes!
Into the cover.
[Barrett] Brilliant there from Carmelo Hayes,
you simply cannot defend yourself against something you can't see,
especially from an angle you've never been connected with on a DDT before.
[crowd chanting]
And Orton does not look right at all. Let's not forget that neck injury he had
at the hands of Kevin Owens. That DDT may have…
[Tessitore] Big right hand comes in as Hayes was trying to put himself
in a position again.
Triggering something in the neck of Orton
who looks, for now at least, to have recovered,
but it's something to keep an eye on.
We're getting a banger.
[Tessitore] And this crowd is with them every step of the way.
Barcelona can't get enough of The Viper,
The Legend Killer,
the return of Randy Orton.
A move right out of his father's playbook.
Cowboy Bob Orton, has done massive damage to the spine of many superstars,
-the latest victim, Carmelo Hayes. -[crowd chanting] RKO!
And I think we all know what's coming next.
[Tessitore] So does all of Spain, and here it comes.
Hayes denies it.
Was looking for First 48, gets tossed back.
Denies that attempt as well and delivers it.
Carmelo Hayes…
Oh, out of nowhere!
Absolutely out of nowhere.
RKO.
[crowd counting, in Spanish]
-[bell rings] -Uno, dos, tres indeed.
[Garcia] Here is your winner,
Randy Orton!
[Barrett] And did you see Lamine Yamal's face,
I think young Lamine has a favorite wrestler in the form of Randy Orton.
♪ All designed to keep you safe… ♪
[Tessitore] The best of Barcelona,
FC Barcelona ringside to watch one of the best to ever do it.
[Barrett] That must have felt better than beating Real Madrid.
[Tessitore] And he reaches out his hand for the young up-and-c…
-[Barrett laughs] -No way.
Oh! That's what you get, Melo.
You may have just missed right there.
[Barrett] Understandably.
Melo's brain a little scramble at the end there, one final error for him.
[Tessitore] You know, just when we were seeing
a different version of Randy Orton.
A more compassionate version of Randy Orton with a moment of sportsmanship,
-And now he's snapping. -[Barrett] Oh, God, Joe!
He's gonna punt him.
He's gonna punt Carmelo Hayes into the sky of…
-[Barrett] It's Kevin Owens! -[Tessitore] Kevin Owens!
Kevin Owens just pulled Carmelo Hayes out of the ring.
The first time we've seen KO since the Elimination Chamber
-when he got mugged up by Randy Orton. -[Tessitore] Oh, and he just…
Oh, and he sent Randy Orton's back into the steel post.
[Barrett] Scampering away for dear life.
This one ain't over KO.
[Tessitore] Now let's get you to what happened
earlier tonight on Friday Night SmackDown with Braun Strowman and Jacob Fatu.
Look at these two going at it again.
This was in the midst of a six-man Tag Team match, Wade.
[Barrett] Yeah, absolute hell broke loose.
And then Jacob Fatu after he'd already caused enough damage,
came for one final piece of the puzzle,
completely flattening our timekeeper's area
and indeed the monster Braun Strowman.
[Tessitore] Fatu got the last laugh and a lot of damage done.
Let's go, Jake. Take, take him out. He's not on your level.
Take him out.
Hey, you know what time it is.
Run the play.
-Yeah! -Yeah!
All right bro, let's keep it 100.
Thought you really think you could get with me, huh?
You really think you could touch this?
Man, hell no.
Hey, let me double back on this again.
Remember, lie from coast to coast, lie from post to post.
Oh, bro, I'm about to dog walk your ass.
So, next week…
next week, me and you, Braun, we're about to run this thing back.
Y'know what I mean?
[all] Fatu!
["Prepare to Fight" playing]
-[Barrett] I wouldn't turn up next week. -[Tessitore] He brings it.
[Barrett] If he was yelling at me like that,
there's no way I'd ever get on the plane.
[Tessitore] Gunther, the World Heavyweight Champion,
he's reigned now for 223 days.
[Garcia] Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
the World Heavyweight Champion, The Ring General,
Gunther!
[Tessitore] Five title defenses deep. We'll hear from The Ring General next.
["Prepare to Fight" playing]
[Tessitore] The Ring General, Gunther.
The road to WrestleMania in Europe starts tonight here in Barcelona.
[crowd cheering]
And as the greatest European wrestler of all time.
I just had to be here.
Just one regret. I wish we would be in Madrid instead.
[crowd booing]
Hala Madrid.
Anyway,
the real reason I'm here is I wanna prove a point
because all of you, you love Jey Uso.
Because he's wasting his time dancing around amongst you,
waving his hands like an idiot just to entertain you,
but once this bell rings, there's no substance to it.
It doesn't mean a damn thing.
So I heard…
I heard there's a kid.
They call him the best wrestler all of Spain.
One of the most promising talents in WWE right now.
[crowd cheering]
You all love him, but I'm gonna prove right now
that this doesn't mean a damn thing.
[crowd booing]
So ladies and gentlemen.
Here he is, your national hero, Axiom.
[crowd cheering]
-["Strike Force" playing] -[Tessitore] Wow.
[Barrett] Well this is one half of the NXT Tag Team Champions.
[bell rings]
[Garcia] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Making his way to the ring,
he is one half of the NXT Tag Team Champions…
[speaking Spanish]
…Axiom!
[Tessitore] Lilian Garcia herself, who grew up in Spain.
Yes, Axiom who grew up here in Spain,
the first native Spaniard to be signed by WWE when he started his career
in Spain's White Wolf Wrestling Promotion and now gets this magical moment.
[Barrett] Yeah, this is a man who has conquered
pretty much every wrestling league he's been involved in thus far,
consistently making waves in NXT
including competing against the Hardy Boyz
at NXT Roadblock this past week where he was every inch their equal,
but what a test this is in Singles action for the Spaniard, Axiom.
[Tessitore] By the way, that was awesome at the theater at Madison Square Garden.
NXT Roadblock.
Vic Joseph and Corey Graves and Booker T were going out of their mind
with the energy there as Axiom was getting after it, as you mentioned,
against the Hardys.
[Barrett] Everyone wants to compete in front of their home country fans.
I'm not surprised Axiom heads straight out of it, but I don't know if this is wise.
You've gotta pick your moments in taking on Gunther.
Well, there's simply never a good moment.
[Tessitore] Of course, Gunther himself, was in New York City this week as well,
fresh off of that visit with the surprise attack on Jey Uso after Jey's match,
-put him out in a sleeper hold. -[crowd chanting]
Soccer chants have started here as Gunther goes for the big chop.
Oh, Axiom's actually a hell of a soccer player.
He supports Barcelona, but he was on the books of Real Madrid when he was younger,
training under Zinedine Zidane.
[Tessitore] I mean the reaction from this crowd here in Barcelona…
Man, I gotta tell you, these Euro shows are just flat out events.
[Barrett] This is like a Champions League thing.
[Tessitore] Honestly.
[Barrett] Gunther is a massive Bayern Munich fan.
[Tessitore] Every time WWE comes to Europe, and this is going to be a stretch…
-[Barrett] Oh, nice! -[Tessitore] Oh!
He locks them up.
Look at Gunther's face!
[Barrett] Just when Gunther was going for that big chop,
he may have taken Axiom too lightly here.
A big kick by Axiom.
Well this is much like Charlotte Flair earlier tonight taking B-Fab…
-[Tessitore] Oh, my! -[Barrett] All right, game changer.
Can you believe that jump by The Ring General?
[Tessitore] Gunther in action against Axiom.
Gunther, who has vowed to make these weeks leading up to WrestleMania 41,
a living hell for Jey Uso, and now that's what he's doing
-with Axiom. -[Barrett] Trying to rip the mask
of the luchador, but that was a ligament shredder
[Tessitore] And then to the back of the leg from Axiom
who all of a sudden has some hope.
Well, Gunther stopped trying to win the match and simply tried to humiliate Axiom.
[Tessitore] This is where he's at its best,
-off the top rope from Axiom. -[Barrett] And it's coming back
to bite the World Heavyweight Champion.
Look at this connection, those high octane moves
of Axiom that has taken him to the top in NXT.
He's got a huge future on Raw or SmackDown.
But wow, what a victory this would be.
In the lead up to WrestleMania, how to put yourself on the map.
[Tessitore] And he can deliver some incredible moments, he did that.
With that unsuccessful challenge against the Hardy Boys
for the TNA World Tag Team Championships, with that collaboration that WWE is doing,
he had a top rope springboard moonsault to the floor on the Hardys
outside the ring in New York this week.
And now Gunther, showing you the power, the strength, the skill.
Axiom, able to fight out of and roll into it.
Nearly coming up.
Upset sinking. Brings the knee.
[Barrett] Straight to the jaw of Gunther who is completely rocked.
[Tessitore] Oh! My, oh, my!
[Barrett] The flying pterodactyl connected to the chest.
[Tessitore] And then the Powerbomb, the brutality of Gunther.
-[Barrett] Kick out? -[Tessitore] What a kick out
off the Powerbomb!
How? How Wade?
[Barrett] This crowd cannot believe it.
How many people have we seen come to pin with that tightly step pin,
and that, to answer your question Joe Tess, is the advantage of a partisan
home crowd pulling you through.
[Tessitore] Spain's native son rallying here coming up showing will and heart.
Able to kick out out of that powerbomb that Gunther delivered.
[Barrett] I mean this match should've been long gone and now perhaps attempting
a Spanish fly was Axiom, denied by Gunther.
Maybe get a take-two on this.
[Tessitore] Roof will come off this place if he can hit the Spanish Fly on Gunther.
-[Barrett] Gunther just too strong. -[Tessitore] Oh, no…
-[Barrett] What? -[crowd cheering]
[Tessitore] Axiom finds a way.
[Barrett] Top rope hurricanrana.
[Tessitore] Do you believe?
-[crowd counting] -Hooks the leg!
Golden Ratio kicked out by Gunther.
That is a move that has put away everyone in NXT.
But this is a different level, this is the World Heavyweight Champion.
Bang to the jaw, saliva flying out of the mouth of the champ,
but there is still enough in the tank to kick out.
[Tessitore] That Golden Ratio, the way he flies in with that kick,
all the momentum of that striking power that's delivered.
[Barrett] Well this match could have ended five times by now in both directions,
but we've got to get a winner.
And right now your money has to be on the hometown man.
[Tessitore] One of the great surprises for this massive crowd here in Barcelona,
this level of match
from the Spaniard, Axiom, the first wrestler from Spain
to be signed by WWE and he's putting on a heck of a show,
but now, Gunther again with the Powerbomb.
-[Barrett] Show's over, guys. -[Tessitore] Oh, no.
Oh, my. He just ruined 'em and another's coming his way.
That's gotta be it.
-[Barrett sighs] -[bell rings]
[Garcia] Here is your winner,
the World Heavyweight Champion,
the Ring General, Gunther.
[Barrett] While Axiom had no right whatsoever
putting in that kind of performance against arguably the best on the planet,
the World Heavyweight Champion Gunther.
And there were several occasions he could have stolen.
[Tessitore] Oh!
He's got him in the sleeper.
This is how he put out Jey Uso this week and now he's putting it on Spain's Axiom,
who put on such a spirited, big-hearted effort.
The fun's over now, guys.
This is Gunther getting in WrestleMania mode.
[Tessitore] Gunther, who this week, was the focus of a massive feature
in Sports Illustrated Germany edition this week.
Who's closing in on 36 days of WrestleMania.
[crowd booing]
With Jey Uso, the Royal Rumble winner, who's been tormenting everybody
week after week.
[Barrett] There it is, the date with destiny with Jey Uso,
WrestleMania, 41 for the World Heavyweight Championship.
We're gonna see a lot of these two over the next few weeks.
I, personally, cannot wait to see more of Axiom once they scrape him off the mat.
[Tessitore] All week long we've been wondering about
everything that happened Monday night at Madison Square Garden.
We're gonna get some answers. Roman Reigns returned.
The Wise Man was in a unique position in that steel cage.
It's Paul Heyman joining us live next.
[Cole] Madison Square Garden sold out tonight for yet another epic main event.
Seth Rollins versus CM Punk inside a steel cage.
[Rollins] There is nobody on this planet better than me.
The stakes are much too high. The pressure is on.
[crowd chanting] CM Punk!
[McAfee] And here we go.
[Cole] This is not gonna be pretty, far from it.
You win via pinfall, submission, or escape from the cage
with both feet touching the floor.
Seth Rollins has made his plans clear.
He's obsessed with making sure CM Punk doesn't make it to WrestleMania.
For CM Punk, it's about payback.
Punk going to the top of the cage. Is Punk gonna try to escape here?
Punk just trying somehow to hang on.
[McAfee] How much more do these two men have?
[Cole] These two just want to maim each other.
Here's the cover.
Stomp! Punk has stole Rollins' move.
GTS by Rollins to CM Punk!
And Rollins with a Stomp!
Punk kicked out again!
Super Stomp!
-Oh, my God, Roman Reigns! -[McAfee] Our Tribal Chief!
[Cole] Well, Rollins won the match because Reigns dragged him out to the floor.
This is Roman Reigns remembering the Rumble,
remembering what Rollins did to him.
[crowd chanting] OTC! OTC!
[Cole] Stomp!
The OTC is out for blood.
Oh, I'm gonna end it all for you now!
[McAfee] Roman was about to end it for Seth Freakin' Rollins.
[Cole] And Roman Reigns has lost it.
Spear to Punk.
[McAfee] Roman Reigns is back!
Ladies and gentlemen, my name is…
-Paul Heyman. -[crowd] Paul Heyman!
Tonight I'm gonna hype you on two things
and don't worry, much like the career prospects of a certain architect,
a visionary,
I'll keep this short and sweet.
Today all over the world
is officially Roman Reigns Day.
It's Roman Reigns Day because today is the release
of the WWE 2K25 video game.
I'm sure everyone here tonight will go home and play the video game.
I'm sure everyone at home is going to play the video game,
but please wait till SmackDown is over.
We like to keep our ratings high, especially during my segments.
Item number two.
Apparently there are some people who have a problem
with the fact that it's Roman Reigns Day
or that Roman Reigns is on the cover of the WWE 2K25 video game.
One of these people, when it comes to being my friend,
is the best in the world.
CM Punk.
[crowd chanting] CM Punk!
Unfortunately, it's not CM Punk Day,
it's Roman Reigns Day,
and it sure as hell not, nor will it ever will be
Seth Freakin' Rollins Day.
[crowd singing "The Vision"]
All due respect, I hate that freaking song.
Now if anybody has a fact,
if anybody has a problem with the fact
that I hate that freaking song
or that it's Roman Reigns Day
or that Roman Reigns is on the cover of the WWE 2K25 video game,
then you can say it straight to the face of your tribal chief
in Bologna, Italy because next week.
-Your tribal chief will be… -[crowd booing]
Hey, whoa, whoa, don't boo.
All you have to do is buy a plane ticket on CheapO Airlines
and fly over to Bologna.
It's not like Mussolini is sitting there waiting not to let you through the border.
Next week when Roman Reigns appears live on SmackDown,
you can say anything you want straight to his face
and that's not a prediction, that's a spoiler.
[Tessitore] Well, the Heyman European edition does not disappoint, Wade.
Look, there's two things.
I, just like everyone else, can't wait to play WWE 2K25.
I also can't wait to find out what is the nature of the favor
-that Paul Heyman owes CM Punk. -Yes.
That's what I want to know.
Uh, listen, he mentioned CheapO Airlines.
You can fly all over Europe, six straight TV shows and next week
expect a roaring crowd in Emilio Romano's best city, Bologna.
Get your mortadella and your tortellini in brodo…
[speaking Italian]
Friday Night SmackDown in Bologna.
-And you know who's gonna be there. -We get it. That's your home country.
[Barrett] Can't wait to. Well, fresh off the back of those words from the Wiseman,
it's official. The OTC Roman Reigns will be live next week on SmackDown
from Bologna, Italy.
[Tessitore] And how about this?
Jade Cargill's first match since making her return,
and it comes against Liv Morgan,
who of course has now captured the Tag Team Championship.
Jade and her.
[Barrett] Zelina Vega wants US title gold, but to get there,
she needs to get through The Green Regime first.
Up first, Piper Niven.
-Next week on SmackDown, -[Tessitore] Bologna is a city
that loves a big porchetta,
and we've got a serious, serious, meaty match that fits that.
Strowman, Fatu, continue their heated feud.
That is next Friday Night SmackDown from Italy.
Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
Let's go, baby. Let's go.
Let's go.
-You got a problem? -Problem?
Problema? No. There's no problem.
What made you think we would have a problem with you?
No, no, no, we're here to wish you luck in your title match.
I hope you win.
Because when you do,
We'd love nothing more than to take the titles off of you.
So, like I said…
[speaking Spanish]
[laughs]
[laughs mockingly]
-Hey, Barcelona! -[crowd cheering]
Hey, you already know what it is. [trills]
It's your illustrious Street Profits, and for the last four years,
you know what's mighty funny, Dawks?
That's all we've been hearing, noise. But guess what?
Tonight we put all the critics to sleep and we wake everybody else up.
Talk to them, Dawks.
DIY, tonight is not the time for talking, tonight we walk out.
It's your new WWE Tag Team Champions because the Street Profits are up
-and we want the smoke! -[crowd] And we want the smoke!
Let's go!
["Bring the Swag" playing]
♪ I bring the swag like nobody can… ♪
[bell rings]
[Garcia] The following Tag Team contest is scheduled for one fall,
and it is for the WWE Tag Team Championship.
Introducing first, the challengers, at a combined weight of 492 pounds,
Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford,
The Street Profits!
[Tessitore] It has been since January of '21
since they've held championships.
They get their chance to return to the top next.
The first SmackDown from Barcelona has completely over delivered
for this roaring crowd.
Earlier tonight we saw Charlotte Flair with a victory,
but then an all-out brawl with Tiffany Stratton.
As the night continued on, Randy Orton with a win over Carmelo Hayes,
a visit from Kevin Owens, and then the brutality of Gunther in defeating Axion.
Jimmy, I wanted to talk to you.
We have some things in common.
See, I got a younger brother, and you, I mean…
You guys are twins, but you're obviously the more mature one.
So I wanted to talk to you and did you see the match I just had?
I did.
The guy, and I mean just like Jey, he left it all out there,
just like Jey always does.
But at the end, I choked him out and left him laying like a wet towel.
So if Jey doesn't step back from his decision to face me at WrestleMania,
I'll have to do the same to him.
Jimmy, I'll have to hurt him.
So can you, just the more mature one, have a word with him
-to make the right decision for both… -You know what, Gunther?
I honestly think you got this whole thing backwards, uce.
Yeah, the disrespect,
running up on me talking about I need to go tell Jey this and tell Jey that.
Well, check this out, uce.
At WrestleMania,
The Ring General drops rank, uce.
And will drop the WWE Heavyweight Championship to the Main Event.
Yeah, at Sin City we eatin', uce.
Yeet!
I'm sorry, I was mistaken.
About your maturity.
I tried.
I really did.
[Tessitore] We're 36 days away from WrestleMania 41, Jey Uso and Gunther,
but we are literally a minute away from the WWE Tag Team Championship match.
[Garcia] And their opponent, at a combined weight of 407 pounds,
they are the WWE Tag Team Champions
Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa,
DIY!
[Tessitore] Their second reign as tag team titlists.
DIY has actually seen The Street Profits
interfere with their last two title defenses.
Most notable, of course, that epic two-out-of-three falls match
in front of 76,000 in Indianapolis at the Royal Rumble.
[Barrett] Yeah, and it's actually benefited DIY each time, inadvertently
because they've maintained the gold,
and that was the plan of The Street Profits
because The Street Profits. want to kill two birds with one stone.
A, take out the team DIY who dropped The Street Profits
in a backstage attack several months ago.
And why not take the gold in the process.
So it's been a long game for The Street Profits,
and tonight they hope to make good
on their goals of finally regaining WWE tag gold
after four long years without them.
[Tessitore] That is what is on the line, the WWE Tag Team Championships.
[Barrett] No question, this has been the messiest division
-on any brand whatsoever. -[Tessitore scoffs]
It's basically been a five-way dogfight between every team
who considers themselves number one.
Finally, it seems we've got some order restored
and, of course, whoever wins tonight
has a future date with destiny with the number one contenders, Pretty Deadly.
[Tessitore] It really is hard to describe
how, as you say, messy the division has been with Los Garza and Pretty Deadly
and Motor City Machine Guns, and then you add in these two powerhouses.
Speaking of powerhouses, Angelo Dawkins right from the get-go.
Yeah, I'll tell you this about The Street Profits, while they've been away,
they've clearly put on some size, they've clearly realized
they can be the powerhouse team in this division.
Of course, Tez can fly.
And the assisted moonsault right into the hook of the leg
and the kick out by Ciampa.
Ciampa and Gargano have been tagging together for the best part of ten years.
Unrivaled chemistry and will do whatever they have to do to cling onto the gold
but they better open their eyes because something bad their way is coming.
Oh, and Dawkins meets Johnny with the right hand.
But Angelo… Angelo Dawkins, massive Real Madrid fan, he actually went
to the Real Madrid-Atlético Madrid Champions League game earlier this week,
ended up in the Atlético end with his Real Madrid shirt on.
It didn't seem like the Atlético fans wanted the smoke.
They took one look at the size of Dawkins and thought, "Nah, we'll let that one go."
[Tessitore] That's a hard pass.
[Barrett] But this is why, look at him taking the fight
to both opponents here, Gargano and Ciampa.
It's simply too strong for that attack there from Johnny Gargano!
[Tessitore] Who gets thrown and slammed.
And Dawkins now brings Tez into the fold, who's going up top.
-Wow! -[Barrett] Ooh!
Almost overshot the runway but landed on the head of Johnny Gargano.
So much spring in the heels of Montez Ford
[Tessitore] Big clothesline to close it out
Can you believe how high Tez went? And there is Pretty Deadly.
Number one contenders earned recently by Pretty Deadly.
They await to see who they will get in a title match.
-Wow! -[Barrett] Talk about messy,
this one breaking down, perhaps now Gargano
-is the one with the upper hand. -[Tessitore] Title's on the line.
[Tessitore] There's an argument to be made that the Tag Team division
in SmackDown is the deepest and recently most highly competitive
that there is in the industry and these two now vying for the championship
that is currently held by DIY as Tommaso Ciampa has been all over Montez Ford
[Barrett] Trying to lock in that fairy-tale ending of his,
but Montez Ford just too strong for it at this point in the matchup,
-just when it looked like Tez was-- -[Tessitore] Oh!
[Tessitore] Gets his way out of it and needs that tag in the worst way.
[Tessitore] And here comes Gargano, but Tez able to get out of the way.
[Barrett] Tez now crawling gingerly over to his fresh tag partner,
Angelo Dawkins and… Aw, millimeters away.
[Tessitore] Ciampa drags him back.
Now a chance to get free and here comes Angelo Dawkins,
[Barrett] The absolute slugger of the team,
almost 300 pounds, and he knows how to use it.
[Tessitore] And look at the athleticism from Dawkins.
Get some Gargano.
What a big moment for The Street Profits. They've overcome recent injuries,
they've come back in destructive and disruptive fashion
into the division to take gold! Oh, that left shoulder gets up by Ciampa.
[Barrett] Well Angelo Dawkins looking like an absolute whirlwind in there
channeling himself some Cristiano Ronaldo.
I'm surprised the good people of Barcelona appreciated that one,
one of their big rivals over the years,
but, now it's Montez Ford who was tagged in there.
I don't know if Ciampa is fully aware. He's taken no prisoners either.
-Whoa! -[Tessitore] The teamwork.
And just short of having new champions. As we told you, the number one contenders
are watching on tonight.
Pretty Deadly won a Triple Threat a week ago.
They will face the winner here, eventually.
[Barrett] PD in game mode scouting everything they can,
knowing full well, they're facing whoever wins this,
and it is gonna be a tall order no matter which team.
[Tessitore] Are you kidding me?
450 Splash attempt, but Montez Ford
failed to connect thanks to Ciampa getting those knees up.
[Tessitore] 450 turns into the knees to the gut,
and then the teamwork from Gargano and Ciampa,
but coming in to save is Dawkins.
[Barrett] This is one breaking down in a massive way,
every team hitting their nuclear missiles.
-Somehow… -[Tessitore] You go 450,
you go shatter machine, you got counter after counter,
you have intrigue, you have drama, and you have the World Championships
on the line here in Barcelona.
And just when one member of the team slows down, the other picks himself up,
carries on the pace.
[Tessitore] Tez going up high with the kick.
Gargano fights back.
Oh, that knee up high.
[Barrett] Well, Ciampa is down, Ciampa is perhaps out.
[Tessitore] What a scene here in Barcelona.
The European tour is underway and from start to finish tonight,
this crowd here at the Olympic Arena has been on fire.
Dawkins sends Ciampa into timekeeper,
[Barrett] Almost snapping the lower back of him.
[Tessitore] Oh man! But Gargano goes flying.
Dawkins getting the best of it.
[Barrett] Oh this could be good night for the Tag Team Champions.
[Tessitore] It could be.
Doomsday blockbuster lined up, but Ciampa hits him from behind.
[Barrett] Well just in the nick of time from Ciampa,
but Gargano is not out of danger yet.
Ciampa down too.
Ford wants more!
High flying is Montez Ford.
Now they've got a second chance at glory.
And they deliver!
Oh! And at the last possible second, Ciampa saves it.
[Barrett] Well, just when you write off the Sicilian psychopath,
Tommaso Ciampa back from the death to save his team's Tag Team Championships.
[Tessitore] The looks on the face of the number one contender.
They know they're seeing something special here, high level stuff in Barcelona.
[Barrett] Well, The Street Profits pretty much just hit their best offense,
and they did not get the double.
What is left in the tank of Johnny Gargano?
[Tessitore] Oh, that knee as he came out, perfect timing from Ciampa once again,
now interfering in the efforts.
of Angelo Dawkins. What the hell are you doing, Angelo?
[Tessitore] Gargano gets out of the way.
[Barrett] Goes for the huge swanton, not in his usual playbook.
[Tessitore] And now Ciampa,
who's been so disruptive on the outside, comes back to the inside
trying to line up the fairy-tale ending.
[Barrett] With an added super kick from Gargano.
[Tessitore] To retain the titles.
-Dawkins finds a way. -[Barrett] 2.99.
The weakest kick out in history,
but it's all it took for The Street Profits
to stay alive in this one.
[Tessitore] Each team has given so much.
We are seeing the best of The Street Profits, the best of DIY.
No! Meet in the Middle, goes south.
-Dawkins takes advantage. -[Barrett] Oh, God!
-Tez is live up top. -[Barrett] It's happening!
[Tessitore] Montez Ford, from the heavens!
Do we have new champs?
-Yes! -[bell rings]
[Garcia] Here are your winners
and the new WWE Tag Team Champions,
The Street Profits!
[Tessitore] The Street Profits, now two-times Tag Team Champions.
Four years, two months to wait to be back on top, and now they are.
A new reign starts here in Spain.
Roman Reigns is with us next week in Italia.
[speaks Italian] …for Roman Reigns.
[speaks Italian] We'll see you from Italy. .