WWE SmackDown Results March 17, 2023, Live Updates
Welcome to the live results blog for WWE SmackDown episode of March 17, 2023, which will be live from T-Mobile Center in Kansas. MO.
Two big things are announced in advance for the show. Sami Zayn is set to confront Jey Uso after he turned on him on RAW last week. What does Sami want to ask Jey? He has already made it clear last week that he has chosen his family over Sami. Where will Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens fill in all this?
Drew McIntyre & Sheamus are all set to clash in a qualifier for Intercontinental Championship against Gunther at WrestleMania 39. Will we get a definite winner here? What is next in the storyline for Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley as they head towards their clash for SmackDown Women’s Championship?
Tune in below as we post results from WWE Friday Night SmackDown March 17, 2023 episode with live updates, winners and highlights with complete action.
RESULTS
- Rhea Ripley & Dominik Mysterio defeated Zelina Vega & Santos Escobar in a mixed tag team match via pinfall.
- Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez defeated Tegan Nox & Emma in a tag team match via pinfall to qualify for WrestleMania Tag Team Showcase match.
- Xavier Woods defeated LA Knight in a singles match via pinfall.
- Drew McIntyre vs Sheamus singles match ended in a double disqualification.
LIVE UPDATES
Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn
Cody Rhodes makes his grand entrance to open the show. Cody starts by saying that we could talk about WrestleMania. Temper and stakes have been high since last few weeks on the road to WrestleMania. He respects the current champion Roman Reigns and looking forward to face him at WrestleMania. But, he wants to talk to Kevin Owens right now. He asks Owens to come out. Owens does not come out at once.
Cody says there is respect between them and he wants to talk to him. Owens’ music hits and he comes out to the ring. Owens says he knows what this is about and they already had a discussion about it. Cody says this discussion is not between two people but three. Cody brings out Sami Zayn. Owens is not happy and is arguing with Owens when Sami comes out. Cody stands between KO and Sami.
Cody says he needed help when he was released back in 2016, and Owens showed him the way, told him about some people which made things easier for him. He just wants Owens to have a conversation. Owens says he has heard everything Sami has to say. Sami replies that he has not heard everything from Owens. He don’t understand what has changed this time when they have come along many times despite doing unspeakable things to each other.
Sami wants Owens to get it off so that they can get back to fighting together. Owens tells Cody that he wanted it, and if he is happy now because he wants to leave. Cody says this is not just what he wants; they are in a people-pleasing industry. This is something that everyone wants. The crowd gets behind him. Sami says they need to come together and be the ones to to take down the one. Sami says they need not to be friends and just do it. Owens asks why does he need to find with someone who does not even wants to his friend. Owens leaves the ring as Sami is shocked.
After the break, Kevin Owens is leaving the arena when Sami Zayn runs up to him by his car. Sami tells him to forget about everything he said about The Bloodline and fighting together. Sami says they are not friends but brothers. That’s all he wants to say. Owens is emotional but gets into the car and leaves.
Rhea Ripley & Dominik Mysterio vs Zelina Vega & Santos Escobar
Dominik starts with a dropkick on Escobar as he was a little distracted. Santos comes back with a crossbody after running the ropes. Dominik tags in Rhea who tries to kick Escobar. Escobar grabs her leg and brings her to their corner. Zelina hits Rhea with a crossbody. Rhea rolls to the floor. Escobar hits a senton on Dominik and Zelina hits a suicide dive on Rhea to take us to a break.
Dominik is in control as we return. He unloads in the corner before hitting senton off the ropes. He hits several punches on the mat. Escobar hits a dropkick before hitting a leg drop to get a two-count. Rhea breaks the pin and drops Dominik on top of Escobar. Zelina breaks the pin after this. Both men end up colliding in the middle.
Rhea and Zelina get the tag. Zelina hits a dropkick before a roll-up. Dominik breaks the pin and they end up throwing Zelina to the floor. Escobar gets in and tries to hit a superplex. Rhea hits Escobar with a powerbomb which also brings down Dominik in a superplex. Zelina is on the top and Dominik distracts him. Zelina hits a hurricanrana on Dominik. Rhea picks Zelina up and hits Riptide to get the pinfall.
Winners – Rhea Ripley & Dominik Mysterio
Dominik takes the mic after the match and meets with boos. Rhea encourages him to continue. Dominik tells the crowd that your Hall of Famer is a dead beat of a Dad. We see Rey Mysterio walking backstage on the big screen. We cut to a break.
Rey Mysterio makes his entrance after the break. Dominik says he is finally here and asks Rhea does she know how absent Rey was in his life. Rey asks Rhea that he wants to talk alone with Dominik. Dominik continues to talk about Rey being absent and how he now has time for him in this ring. Dominik accuses Rey of stealing his WrestleMania moment.
Rey stops Dominik from disrespecting him and agrees that he has missed birthdays and Christmas, but he made sacrifices. Rey tries to tell Dominik that only his family will stand beside him when all the glamour is gone. Rey also tells Dominik that it will be Mysterio family name that would bail him out when he gets in trouble.
Rey gets emotional and tells Dominik that he wants him to be by his side in WWE Hall of Fame induction. Rey says he can whoop someone’s ass who has been nothing but a punk, but fighting him would be a disgrace as a father. Rey says Dominik isn’t worth it. Rey leaves the ring. Dominik says he has learnt not to be scared like him. Rey gets emotional on the ramp but continues to walk away.
The commentary team announces that there will be two showcase matches at WrestleMania- fatal 4-way tag team match each for men and women, and the qualifiers start now.
Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez vs Tegan Nox & Emma
Tegan and Raquel start the match. Tegan tries to hit Raquel but hurts her own hand. Liv comes in to keeps control for a while. Tegan hits a knee strike to take over control. She unloads on the mat before Emma tags in. Emma hits a senton in the corner after tagging in. She keeps control over Liv for a while before Tegan tags back in. Tegan drops Liv face first. Liv hits back with a backstabber.
Raquel gets the hot tag against Emma and runs her over. Raquel hits a fallaway slam and spinning elbow to get a two-count. Liv hits a kick to knock Tegan off. Raquel hits a Tihana bomb before Liv tags in to hits Oblivion to get the pinfall.
Winners – Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez
Charlotte Flair Brings out Rhea Ripley
WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair is out to the ring. Flair says the more things change, the more they say the same. When she was kid, a Flair was a champion and a Rhodes was a challenger. And now, this WrestleMania is build around a Flair as a championship and a Rhodes as a challenger.
Flair starts to talk about Rhea Ripley now. She says Rhea can’t be the star until she becomes a champion, and she can’t become a champion unless she goes through her. But Rhea could not get through her three years back and she will not get through her this year. Because more things change, the more they stay the same.
Rhea Ripley comes out with Dominik by her side. Rhea says she chose Flair and not Bianca because she has her reason. When she walks through to the locker room, men and women walk away due to fear….. except for Flair. Rhea says it pisses her off. Rhea says Flair is a 14-time champion for a reason. It’s because she is a superstar, but she needs her SmackDown Women’s Championship. Flair will learn to call her a champion and will learn to fear her.
Dominik gets in between Flair and Rhea and tells Flair that Mami will beat her. Rhea takes a shot at Flair from behind Dominik. Flair and Dominik leave the ring. Flair attacks Rhea on the floor and they start to brawl. Several crew members abd security runs out but Flair and Rhea continue to brawl. The brawling continues for a while until they are separated.
Sami Zayn is interviewed backstage. He says when enough people you love start to tell him that you are the problem, you might want believe it. But, he will handle it himself if he has to. If Jey Uso wants him to pull up tonight, he will pull up.
LA Knight vs Xavier Woods
Woods starts with side slam. Knight drives him into the turnbuckle. Knight stomps at him for a few times. Woods tries to hit some kicks before Knight hits a clothesline to get a two-count. Knight goes for a superplex but Woods counters with several punches. He hit missile dropkick next before a michinoku driver to get a two-count. Knight gets back control and drops Woods face first onto the mat. Woods gets him in the inside cradle to get the pinfall.
Winner- Xavier Woods
The commentary team brings up The Great Muta’s Hall of Fame induction.
After the break, LA Knight is walking backstage. He sees Rey Mysterio and tells him that he does not want to fight Dominik, then he will do it and give him a WrestleMania moment. Knight says he can make Rey proud and call himself LA Mysterio. Rey drops him with a punch and proceeds to say something in Spanish.
Drew McIntyre vs Sheamus – Winner Gets Intercontinental Title Shot Against Gunther
Sheamus makes his entrance. Drew McIntyre follows him. Gunther also comes out to the stage as we cut to a break.
Drew offers a handshake as the bell rings. Sheamus does not shake hands. Gunther and his Imperium buddies near the commentary table. Sheamus hits a shoulder tackle after they lock up. Drew hits back with a knee. He hits a snap suplex next after some chops. Sheamus breaks free of an arm bar. Drew hits punches before Sheamus blocks a hip toss and hits a clothesline.
Back and forth action continues. Drew hits a Michinoku Driver to get a two-count. Gunther is asked to get on the commentary. Gunther says Wade Barrett is just wasting his time by ill-prepared questions. Sheamus hits an Irish Curse Backbreaker. Sheamus goes for 10 Beats of Beltran by Drew blocks it. Sheamus also blocks the Beltran. Sheamus hits a big boot in the corner now. Sheamus goes to the top and Drews connects a swing. Drew hits a superplex as we cut to a break.
Drew hits a chop as we return. Sheamus drops Drew with a lariat to get a two-count. Sheamus gets Drew on the ropes to hit him with 10 Beats of Beltran. Drew ducks Brogue kick and hits a neckbreaker. Sheamus ducks Claymore kick and hits Drew with Brogue kick to get a near fall. They trade shots in the middle of the ring. Drew hits a headbutt and Sheamus hits a knee to his face.
Both men are down in opposite corners. They collide in the middle with Drew hitting Claymore and Sheamus hitting a Brogue kick. The referee starts a countdown. Neither man seems to be getting up. Gunther gets frustrated over the possibility of a double count-out, and gets into the ring. He argues with the referee before shouting at Drew and Sheamus to get up. They get up but Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci attack them at the same time.
Result – Double Disqualification
After beating up Drew and Sheamus for a while, Imperium leaves the ring. Adam Pearce appears on the big screen and announces that Gunther will now have to face both Sheamus and Drew at WrestleMania 39.
Sami Confronts Jey
Jey Uso comes out before the break. Sami also comes out. Jey says from day 1, he did not like Sami and did not trust him. But, they started to weaken up as everyone started to like him one by one starting with Jimmy. But one time he put his guard down, what did Sami do? Sami betrayed him. Jey says Sami was always a fake a## Uce.
Sami gets angry and says Jey said last week that he did not have any choice, but he chooses to take Roman’s voilence week after week. Sami says Jey is not mad about what Sami did, but he is mad that Jey did not get to do it first. Jey gets conflicted for a while before he hits a clothesline on Sami. Sami tries to fight back but Jimmy Uso also comes out and starts to beat up Sami. The Usos hit Sami with a steel step.
Kevin Owens’ music hits and he comes through the crowd behind The Usos. Owens throws Jimmy out of the ring and beats up Jey for a while. The brawling continues as Jimmy returns. Owens hits a superkick to one of the Usos before a stunner on another one of the them. Sami gets slowly and Owens goes to hug him. Cody Rhodes is watching this from backstage and is glad. The Usos watch Owens and Sami from the ramp. The show goes off the air.
