Here are your quick and dirty, editorial-free WWE Smackdown Live results for February 21, 2017. The show featured a battle royal to determine who will challenge Bray Wyatt for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 33, and a new Smackdown Women’s Champion was crowned.
Be back here tomorrow for the full Best and Worst of Smackdown column.
WWE Smackdown Live Results:
— The show opened with Daniel Bryan welcoming Naomi to the ring. He told her how proud he is of her, and that makes what he’s about to do even harder. He said that she will be unable to defend the title within the required 30 days, so he’s asking her to relinquish the championship. She tearfully gave up the title, and promised that when she comes back, everybody is going to feel the glow.
Alexa Bliss came to the ring as Naomi departed and mocked Naomi, then offered to help Bryan figure out what to do about the title. She said he should just give the belt to her. Bryan said this is even harder for him to do, because she is the former champion and it does make sense to give her back the championship … but he’s not going to. He makes a match for the championship between Bliss and Becky Lynch.
1. Smackdown Women’s Championship Match: Alexa Bliss defeated Becky Lynch. Bliss became a two-time champion winning the vacated title by hitting Lynch in the throat behind the referee’s back, then rolling her up with a handful of tights. After the match, Mickie James tried to sneak attack Lynch, but Becky managed to successfully drive her off.
2. American Alpha defeated Breezango. Despite Breezango jumping the current Smackdown tag champs before the bell, American Alpha managed to hit the electric chair bulldog and get the pin. After the match, the Usos appeared in the crowd to taunt the champs and challenged them to a fight … but not tonight.
3. Falls Count Anywhere Match: Natalya defeated Nikki Bella. The two women brawled all over ringside and into the back, where they once again knocked over Maryse. Nikki had the Fearless Lock sunk in on the ramp when Maryse ran out and started attacking Nikki with a pipe. The Miz finally dragged Maryse away, but the damage was done and Natalya pinned Nikki for the win.
4. Luke Harper and AJ Styles won the No. 1 Contender’s Battle Royal to Challenge Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania. The 10 participants in the battle royal were John Cena, AJ Styles, Luke Harper, Baron Corbin, Dean Ambrose, Kalisto, Dolph Ziggler, Mojo Rawley, Apollo Crews, and The Miz. The final four was Ambrose, Cena, Styles and Harper. The Miz, who had been eliminated by Cena earlier, ran back in to eliminate Cena. Ambrose was then eliminated by Harper. Harper and Styles both took a tumble to the ground at the end, and the referees said both men’s feet hit the floor at the same time.
— After the match, Daniel Bryan came out and conferred with the referees. He said the official decision is a draw, but we will determine a winner next week. Harper hit Styles with a Discus Clothesline and posed in front of the WrestleMania sign. Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton then appeared on the TitanTron and Wyatt laughed as the show went off the air.
