Sasha Banks and Naomi vs. Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley

We go back to the ring and out comes Sasha Banks and Naomi. They hit the ring and pose on the apron as pyro goes off. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and we get a clip of last week’s show-closing brawl with SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey. Flair will have a challenge for Rousey later tonight. We go back to the ring and WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Carmella and Queen Zelina Vega are sitting next to the announce table. Out comes RAW Superstars Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan to the ring for the next match. Cole says they are now called Liv 4 Brutality.

The bell rings and Liv starts off with Banks. They lock up and Banks twists her arm up, then tags out to Naomi. Naomi ties the arm up and tags in Banks for a quick double team. Banks taunts Morgan and they lock back up, trading more holds. They run the ropes and Liv counters a hip toss. They then face off and have words in the middle of the ring. Banks takes control and launches Liv out of the corner. They tangle some more and Liv rolls Banks for a 2 count, and again.

Liv and Banks collide with dropkick attempts. Liv kips-up and Banks nods at her. Banks offers her hand for a shake and Liv shakes. Banks pulls Liv into a headlock. Naomi tags in and takes Liv down with a head-scissors. Naomi goes on and hits the split-legged moonsault for a 2 count.

We see Vega and Carmella having words at ringside. Liv takes Naomi down and in comes Ripley with a basement dropkick to the face for a 2 count. Naomi counters Ripley as they tangle in the middle of the ring now. Naomi ducks a clothesline and tags out. Banks stuns Ripley and fights her way in. Banks goes to work on Ripley now. Ripley blocks a suplex attempt and hits one of her own, holding Banks in the air for a minute or so, then dropping her to the mat. Banks kicks out at 2. Liv tags back in and they double team Banks in the corner. Liv covers for a 2 count.

Naomi tags back in and drops Liv face-first into the mat. Liv sends Banks to the floor as she runs in. Liv also sends Naomi to the floor as she charges. Ripley tags in and leaps off the apron with a cannonball, taking Naomi and Banks down in front of Vega and Carmella. Liv and Ripley stand tall for a pop as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Ripley covers Naomi for 2. Vega and Carmella are still having words at ringside. Naomi and Ripley tangle now. Naomi with a big springboard kick. Banks and Morgan rally from the apron now. They both tag in and unload on each other. Banks with the double knees in the corner, then the second rope Meteora for a close 2 count. Banks can’t believe it. Banks looks to put Liv away but Liv nails a step-up enziguri to drop her.

Ripley tags in and nails a missile dropkick to Banks for a close 2 count. Ripley can’t believe it now. Banks blocks the Riptide and drops Ripley with a Backstabber. Banks tags out and nails a splash from the top. Naomi follows up with a split-legged moonsault from the top but Liv breaks the pin up just in time. Banks and Naomi toss Liv to the floor.

Fans chant “this is awesome!” as Banks and Naomi take Ripley to the top for a double team. They go for the double superplex but Liv comes back in and brings them all to the mat. Vega and Carmella are shocked. Natalya and Shayna Baszler suddenly hit the ring and attack the other four Superstars as the referee calls the bell.

No Contest

– After the bell, Natalya and Baszler destroy the others. They send Ripley into the ring post and then drop Liv as she tries to make the save. Vega and Carmella hit the ring to join the brawl. It comes down to Natalya and Baszler standing tall, while the champs also stand tall and raise their titles in the air. The crowd boos everyone. Natalya points up at the WrestleMania sign as she and Baszler taunt the champs.

30-Woman Royal Rumble Match

We go back to ringside and Jimmy Smith is with Corey Graves and Byron Saxton. There’s still debris all over the ringside area due to what happened in the opener. Mike Rome does the introductions and out first is Sasha Banks to a pop. Out next comes former WWE Women’s Champion Melina making her return, red carpet entrance and all.

Banks and Melina have some words and taunt each other in the middle of the ring. Melina kicks but Banks catches it and kicks her in the face. Banks grabs Melina and easily tosses her over the top rope for a pop. Melina has been eliminated. Banks drops a split and mocks Melina some more, while Melina also does a split on the floor at ringside. Tamina Snuka is out next.

Banks attacks Tamina from the apron as she approaches the ring, then nails a Meteora from the apron to the floor. Banks brings Tamina into the ring and tries to dump her over the top rope but Tamina pounds on her and saves herself. Banks catches Tamina in a big Bulldog off a counter. Tamina is down in the corner when Banks nails the running knees, and then for a second time. Banks works on dumping Tamina again but she hangs on. Tamina levels Banks with a headbutt. The music hits and out comes former WWE Divas Champion Kelly Kelly next.

Banks gets sent to the apron but she hangs on. Kelly enters and goes at it with Tamina, nailing her handspring back elbow into the corner. Tamina comes out of the corner and flattens Kelly while Banks watches from the corner. Banks attacks Tamina while she works on Kelly. Banks and Kelly tangle and Banks eliminates Kelly. Kelly has been eliminated and Banks laughs at her. Aliyah is out next.

Banks and Aliyah go at it now. Aliyah with a Thesz Press and big right hands. Tamina stops Aliyah’s celebration and they go at it but Aliyah nails an enziguri. Banks tries to dump Aliyah over the top rope now. Aliyah fights back but Banks drops her with a knee. The timer starts up and the next entrant is Liv Morgan. She rushes the ring and starts fighting. Banks and Morgan tangle now. Liv almost kicks Banks out of the ring but Banks hangs on. Tamina saves Banks and sends Morgan to the corner. Morgan with a missile dropkick to Tamina. Banks goes back to work on Aliyah but Morgan saves her. Liv drops Banks and Aliyah in the corner and points at the WrestleMania 38 sign. All four are fighting in the corner now. Banks with the three suplexes to Aliyah to pay tribute to WWE Hall of Famer Eddie Guerrero. The music hits and out next comes WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Queen Zelina Vega.

Tamina stops Vega from trying to dump Banks. Tamina works on Banks now but Vega comes back and dumps Banks to the floor. Banks has been eliminated. Bianca Belair is out next to a pop. She rushes the ring swinging her hair. Belair runs over Liv, then dropkicks Tamina. Fans chant for Belair as she crushes Tamina’s head into the ring post. Belair counters Liv and sends her to the apron but she hangs on. Belair springboard kicks Liv on the apron and hits a moonsault to Vega. Tamina stops Belair from knocking Vega to the floor. The timer starts up and the next entrant is WWE 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke, who comes out with Reggie. Brooke goes in and attacks Aliyah but can’t get her out. Brooke tries to dump Vega but Tamina stops her. Brooke with kicks to Tamina now.

Brooke dropkicks Tamina and shows off some. Brooke with a springboard elbow to Belair in the corner. Brooke with a big neckbreaker to Liv. Vega and Brooke brawl now. Belair is trying to eliminate Aliyah. Liv tries to dump Belair while she’s busy. The next entrant is former WWE Women’s Champion Michelle McCool. McCool enters the ring and runs wild. Brooke gets knocked out but Reggie catches her and saves her, putting her back on the apron. McCool with offense, including a Faithbreaker to Vega or maybe Belair. McCool eliminates Brooke but Tamina drops McCool from behind. Sonya Deville is out next at #11.

Deville comes out with her jacket on so she’s an official. Deville joins the announcers for commentary. Natalya is out at #12. Natalya enters but Liv attacks her and unloads. Natalya sends Liv to the apron but she fights back in. McCool works on Aliyah in the corner. Belair scoops Natalya but she hangs on. Tamina scoops Belair. Natalya comes from behind and dumps them over but Belair hangs on. Tamina has been eliminated. Belair and two others try to dump Natalya but she hangs on. The next entrant is Cameron to her Funkadactyls music. Deville teases eliminating Cameron because she might be Naomi’s friend. Deville takes her jacket off and looks on while Cameron delivers moves to others. Deville rushes the ring and flattens Cameron while rag-dolling her. Deville sends Cameron to the apron but she hangs on. Deville runs her into the ring post and Cameron is eliminated.

Naomi is out next at #14 and Deville looks a bit worried. Naomi goes over and checks on Cameron, then enters the ring and brawls with Deville. Naomi with the big springboard kick to Deville. Naomi sends Deville to the apron and then kicks her off. Deville has been eliminated. Natalya comes from behind but Naomi blocks the elimination. The next entrant is WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Carmella at #15.

Carmella slowly walks around the ring and takes her time. She stops and talks to Corey Graves. Belair works on McCool in the ring now. Aliyah works on Liv. Out next at #16 is Rhea Ripley to a big pop. Ripley grabs Carmella from ringside and rolls her in, then goes to work. Natalya levels Ripley with a clothesline. Naomi and Natalya double team McCool. Vega and Carmella double team Ripley. Ripley sends htem to the apron and then eliminates them both at the same time. Ripley continues to dominate, slamming people face-first into the mat. The next entrant at #17 is SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair.

Belair and Naomi are close to eliminating Natalya. Flair enters the ring and levels Ripley, then Aliyah. Flair eliminates Aliyah and continues dominating other Superstars. Flair kicks Naomi to the apron but she hangs on and looks to perform a stunt but Deville runs over and yanks her to the floor. Naomi has been eliminated.

Flair and Liv go at it now. McCool, Belair and Liv try to dump Flair. The next entrant at #18 is WWE Hall of Famer Ivory. Ivory comes out in her RTC gimmick and goes on about how it’s been a long time but not much has changed and it’s hard to look at these little girls, these wayward, lost little girls. Ripley approaches Ivory and scoops her. Ivory is still ranting on the mic while Ripely places her on the mic, then shoves her to the floor. Ivory has been eliminated, while still crying on the mic.

WWE Hall of Famer Brie Bella is out at #19. Brie runs wild on various Superstars as fans cheer her on. Brie yells out and tries to dump Natalya but she hangs on. Liv works on McCool. Brie works on Natalya. Belair and Ripley double team Flair. The next entrant at #20 is Impact Wrestling Knockouts Champion Mickie James and she brings her title belt with her. McCool drops Mickie before she can get in and they go at it in the ring. Mickie drops McCool and then kips up. Alicia Fox is out at #21. Fox enters the ring with dropkicks and axe kicks. Flair works on dumping Natalya but she hangs on. Mickie ended up dumping McCool but it didn’t look planned possibly. Nikki A.S.H. is out at #22.

Ripley waits for Nikki but she runs in from the other side. Nikki grabs Ripley from behind and dumps her to the apron but Ripley fights back and fights back into the ring. Nikki goes under the bottom rope to the floor. Flair decks Ripley from behind. Summer Rae enters at #23 and goes at it with Natalya. They trade big slaps and Rae levels her with a big kick. Flair levels Rae as she celebrates. Natalya eliminates Rae. WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella is out at #24. The Bella Twins run wild together. The Bellas drop Belair face-first into the mat. They miss a high-five together but then dump Fox. Fox has been eliminated. Sarah Logan is out at #25.

Logan unloads and takes out both of The Bella Twins. Liv and Logan share a moment for their time in The Riot Squad but The Bellas attack her. The Bellas eliminate Logan. Liv flies at them but they send her to the apron. Liv fights but The Bellas eliminate her as well. The next entrant at #26 is WWE Hall of Famer Lita. The Bellas wait to fight but Lita takes them both out. Mickie drops Lita from behind as fans go wild for Lita. Lita sends Mickie to the apron but she fights back in. Lita with a big DDT and Mickie is eliminated.

Flair and Lita face off and then go at it. Out next at #27 is WWE Hall of Famer Molly Holly. Nikki A.S.H. immediately attacks Molly at ringside and destroys her, sending her into the ring steps. Lita and Flair are on the top turnbuckle fighting now. Nikki brings Molly into the ring and rag-dolls her some. A.S.H. eliminates Molly. The #28 entrant is Ronda Rousey and out she comes to a huge pop. The others in the ring are also shocked, including Flair and The Bellas. Rousey rag-dolls Nikki and Nikki at the same time, then eliminates Nikki A.S.H. with a superkick. Nikki B pleads from the apron. Brie swings at Rousey but misses and hits Nikki. Brie then accidentally eliminates Nikki. Rousey unloads on Brie now. Shotzi is out at #29.

Rousey eliminates Brie. Rousey unloads on Belair in the corner now. Ripley decks Rousey from behind. Natalya and Flair go at it. The final entrant out at #30 is Shayna Baszler. Rousey and Baszler have a moment and Baszler drops Ripley, taking her from Rousey. Baszler runs wild on various Superstars, slamming Lita on her face. Rousey goes back to work on Ripley while she’s down. Rousey and Baszler smile at each other again but then size each other up to fight but Flair interrupts and drops Baszler. Natalya grabs Rousey but Rousey knees her against the ropes. Rousey sends Natalya to the apron but she hangs on. Shotzi bumps into Rousey and Rousey kicks her in the head, then eliminates her. Shotzi has been eliminated. Rousey works on Natalya but Belair comes over and dumps Natalya. Natalya has been eliminated by Belair. Natalya runs back in and attacks Rousey but Rousey sends her back out.

Lita drops Flair with a Twist of Date. Ripley attacks Lita against the turnbuckles. More action between Lita and Ripley. Lita goes to the top for a Swanton but Ripley kicks her to the apron. Flair runs over and kicks Lita to the floor to boos. Lita has been eliminated. Ripley works on dumping Rousey but she hangs on. Ripley fights off Flair and Rousey. Ripley sends Rousey into the ring post but Flair kicks Ripley to the floor. Ripley has been eliminated. Belair tries to dump Flair now but she comes back in. The action between the remaining Superstars continues. Belair tries to KOD Baszler to the floor. Flair runs over and dumps them both. Baszler and Belair have been eliminated.

Flair and Rousey face off in the ring now as fans pop. They go at it and Flair charges but Rousey immediately dumps her over the top rope to the floor. Flair has been eliminated.

Winner: Ronda Rousey

– After the bell, a shocked Flair looks on from ringside as Rousey’s music hits. Fans cheer her on and Graves says she is going to WrestleMania 38. We go to replays. Rousey poses in the ring and looks up at the WrestleMania 38 sign, pointing at it as the fireworks go off. Rousey makes her exit and stops to turn around as fans cheer her on.

– We go right to the ring and out comes SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair to a very mixed reaction. Mike Rome does the introduction, replacing the recently released Greg Hamilton. Flair stops and poses with the title in the air as the pyro explodes. She heads to the ring as fans boo and cheer her on.

Flair says as things change, the more they stay the same. She introduces herself as champion and says what is that, 6 times now? She’s not keeping count, taunting the crowd about how no one can do what she does. Flair says she’s not the face of SmackDown, she’s the face of this whole company. She goes on about her success in the industry and says no one, she means no one, is going to change that. She says when anyone else in the locker room wins a title, it’s treated like the biggest thing ever, but when she wins a title, it’s treated like just another Friday.

Flair says after last week’s drama, order has finally been restored to SmackDown and that’s exactly what these women need. They need a mentor, someone to lead and guide them, someone to bring out the best in them, and that’s Flair. The music interrupts and out comes Sasha Banks to a pop. Banks poses on the apron as the pyro goes off.

Banks laughs at the idea of Flair being a leader and says no one is buying that. She says Flair only cares about holding the other women down, not helping them. Banks says Flair knows what she wants, so when is her title shot? Flair hushes her and says this is the new era of SmackDown. Fans boo. Flair says it’s a little selfish of Banks to think she deserves a title shot because Flair has given her chance after chance but always beats her. Flair talked to Sonya Deville earlier and decided a new face deserves an opportunity. Banks wonders if Flair is scared. The music hits and out comes Shotzi in her TCB (Taking Care of Business) Tank.

Shotzi stops at ringside and says if Flair is looking for someone she’s never faced before, then she’s the girl. Fans cheer Shotzi on and chant her name now. Flair says Shotzi did come to the ring in a tank, so she must be ready for battle. Flair says Shotzi is going to get her match, right now. Shotzi launches her missile into the ring as Flair stares her down and Banks looks on. Cole confirms that this will be a Championship Contender’s match. We go to commercial.

Championship Contender’s Match: SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Shotzi

Back from the break and Sasha Banks watches from ringside as SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair goes at it with Shotzi in this non-title Championship Contender’s Match. Flair slams Shotzi and controls her. They go back and forth but Shotzi shows Flair up and howls to taunt her. They trade holds on their feet now as fans chant for Shotzi, who is looking to secure a title shot with a win here.

Flair shows off some more and dropkicks Shotzi to the face while she’s down. Flair with a “Wooo!” before slamming Shotzi face-first into the turnbuckle. Shotzi mounts some offense with a jawbreaker, a second rope attack and a basement dropkick for 2. Shotzi shows some frustration as Banks barks encouragement from ringside.

Shotzi unloads in the corner now. Flair runs into an elbow in the corner. Shotzi goes to the second rope but Flair takes her leg out and Shotzi lands hard on the back of her head. Flair covers for 2. Flair keeps control but Shotzi rolls her up out of nowhere for a 2 count. Flair comes right back with a clothesline. Flair grounds Shotzi now.

Flair gets sent to the corner and then the apron but she nails a boot to the face. Shotzi with an enziguri and a running senton while Flair is leaning against the ropes. Shotzi goes to the top but Flair rolls to the floor for a breather. Fans boo. Shotzi runs the ropes for a suicide dive but Flair meets her at the ropes with a forearm to the face. Banks comes over and Flair mocks her in her face. Flair turns around to Shotzi going for a suicide dive again but she botches it and barely connects, getting hung up on the ropes and falling out as they both tumble to the floor with an awkward fall in an attempt to salvage it. Shotzi still sits up and howls as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Shotzi is down at ringside as Banks cheers her on. Flair goes to the top for her moonsault but Shotzi runs back in the ring and rocks Flair. Shotzi runs back up to the top and hits a big hurricanrana for a close 2 count. Shotzi dodges a big boot and nails a big right hand. Shotzi goes on but Flair kicks out at 2. Shotzi ends up on the apron but Flair levels her to the floor with a big boot.

Banks barks orders as Shotzi drops Flair at ringside, telling her to bring it back in. Flair kicks out at 2. Flair rolls Shotzi back for a 2 count. Shotzi misses the enziguri and Flair rolls her for the Figure Four but it’s blocked for a 2 count. Fair gets hung up on the top rope when going for a big boot. Shotzi slams her with a belly-to-back suplex for a 2 count. Shotzi charges into the corner but Flair catches her with the backbreaker.

Flair goes to the top for the moonsault but has to land on her feet as Shotzi moves it. Flair continues and nails the follow-up moonsault for 2. Flair drops Shotzi with a right hand and then nails Natural Selection for the pin to win.

Winner: Charlotte Flair

– After the match, Flair heads out with her title as a disappointed Banks looks on. Banks enters the ring and checks on Shotzi but Shotzi shoves her to the mat and screams at her, blaming her for the loss. Flair tries to come from behind from the floor but Banks catches her and Flair retreats. Banks turns back around to Shotzi attacking her. Shotzi mounts Banks and beats her up on the mat. Shotzi throws Banks from corner to corner, stomping away and screaming at her. Shotzi runs and dropkicks Banks from the apron to the floor. Shotzi slams Banks head-first into her tank, then launches her into the barrier. Shotzi sends Banks into the front of the tank again as the boos continue. Shotzi brings Banks back into the ring and goes to the top for the Ball Pit senton. Shotzi talks some more trash as the boos continue. Shotzi stands over Banks, howls out, then welcomes her to the Ball Pit.

– We go right to the ring and out comes Sasha Banks to a pop. She hits the ring as pyro goes off, and the announcers talk about how she returned last week, then turned on SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair.

Banks says she’s back and that means it’s Boss Time on SmackDown. Banks says she came back for the spotlight she deserves. Some fans boo now. Banks says the spotlight she created, and she promises she will never let anyone steal that spotlight again. She shows a video package on what happened last week.

Banks says she exposed Belair last week and it was so easy. She’s been watching Belair make mistakes for weeks. She goes on and says Belair would be nothing without her. There would be no ESPY Award, no chilling with Megan Thee Stallion, and no WrestleMania 37 main event. Banks says Belair cried before their WrestleMania match because she was standing across from greatness. Banks says anyone else would’ve thanked her, but Belair didn’t, she wasn’t grateful at all. Banks sat at home and thought about the disrespect each week, so she came back to WWE for one thing – to make Belair pay. Banks goes on but the music interrupts and out comes Belair to a pop.

Belair swings her hair and speaks from the stage. She says Banks won’t be standing or talking when she comes and gets in the ring. Belair dismisses the idea that she’d be nothing without Banks, and reminds Banks how she begged Belair to pick her after she won the Royal Rumble so they could headline WrestleMania. Belair says Banks just doesn’t want her to shine, but she’s been shining and representing. Belair enters the ring and Banks rolls out. Belair taunts her and asks if she’s going to take another 4 months off.

Banks stands on top of the announce table and says she can do what she wants, when she wants, because when you’re a legend… Belair says Banks is one of the greatest to lace up a pair of boots, and if she wants the title, it’s on. Fans pop. The music interrupts and out comes Zelina Vega. She says this is not happening right now. Vega taunts Belair and Banks as she enters the ring. Belair says she will see Banks at SummerSlam, but she will face Vega tonight. Belair’s music hits and she exits the ring as Vega and Banks look on. Vega vs. Belair for the title is confirmed for tonight.

Championship Contender’s Match: SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair vs. Zelina Vega

We go back to the ring and out comes SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair to a pop. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and out comes Zelina Vega as she looks to win this match and secure a title shot from the winner of Sasha Banks vs. Belair at SummerSlam. The bell hits and Belair drops Vega first and continues to toss her around the ring. Vega turns it around and covers for a 2 count.

Vega mounts Belair with strikes now. Belair turns it over and mounts Vega with rights and lefts now. More back and forth now. Vega gets sent to the floor as the referee counts. Belair attacks as Vega comes back in. Vega scoops her for a slam but Vega scrambles to the apron, then gets knocked off to the floor. They go at it on the floor and Belair presses Vega high in the air above her but the music interrupts and out comes Banks.

Banks dances around at the entrance, taunting Belair. Vega takes advantage of the distraction, dropping Belair at ringside. Vega brings it back in for a close 2 count. Banks look on from the ramp and laughs as we go back to commercial.

Back from the break and Belair counters Vega and levels her with a clothesline. Vega blocks a sidewalk slam and takes Belair down by her arm. Belair powers up but Vega counters. Belair counters that and slams Vega face-first into the mat. Belair slams Vega and nails a moonsault for a close 2 count. They go on and Belair overpowers with a big suplex. She holds it for another but Vega counters the next attempt, dropping her into a DDT for a close 2 count.

Vega with a running knee to knock Belair out of the ring. Vega leaps from the apron but Belair catches her and swings her head-first into the barrier. Belair tosses Vega back into the ring and hits the Kiss of Death for the pin to win.

Winner: Bianca Belair

– After the match, Belair stands tall and raises the title in the air as we go to replays.