We are just one week away from Wrestle Mania, on the heels of the Grandest Stage of Them All.

The main event is set: Roman. Edge. Daniel Bryan. Universal Championship.

Edge In-Ring Segment

The WWE Hall of Famer, 2021 Royal Rumble Winner, Edge, is headed to the ring with a microphone in his hand.

Edge says that the chaos around this main event is unnecessary. He says Bryan weaseled his way into “HIS” championship match. But Edge takes the blame for not seeing Bryan coming, therefore “lesson learned.”

Edge says that after last week, he took a long look in the mirror, and for the first time in 9 years, he finally saw The Rated-R Superstar looking back at him.

He claims that he will not hesitate the next time he has Roman Reigns or Daniel Bryan set up for the con-chair-to.

Meanwhile, the main event for tonight has been set; Daniel Bryan will battle Jey Uso in a street fight, as The Tribal Chief sicks his guard dog on the underdog.

Rating: 3/5

This is the Edge that WWE fans have been clamoring for since his return last year. He has been one of the reasons SmackDown has been must-see TV for the last couple of months.

Backstage with Edge

After Kayla Braxton asks Edge about the main event street fight tonight, Edge says he wouldn’t feel bad about Bryan missing WrestleMania if he gets hurt tonight.

Rating: n/a

Why would Edge feel bad about getting the singles match he feels he deserves? Seems redundant to his previous promo.

In-Ring with Alpha Academy

Chad Gable says that he and Otis are on their way to the peak of the WWE Tag Team Division, and they’re going to peak…hard.

Rating: 2.5/5

Cool to see Chad Gable get a bit of mic time, it’s a rare and appreciated sighting.

Street Profits/The Mysterios vs. Alpha Academy/Ziggler and Roode - 8-Man Tag

Dives everywhere! The action is non-stop as Rey, Dominick and Montez Ford are using their speed and high-flying abilities in the early minutes of this match.

Otis has really dialed in on his in-ring work since partnering up with Chad Gable, targeting the neck and back of Angelo Dawkins throughout this match.

Montez Ford is one of the most charismatic and fun superstars in the entire tag team division. The guy is nothing but energy.

Otis and Gable picked up the victory, along with Ziggler and Roode, when Otis hit an enormous frog splash from the middle rope.

Rating: 2/5

Despite a really strong showing from Alpha Academy, establishing them as a serious title contender, this match did nothing for any of the other three teams participating.

Backstage with Adam Pearce, Sonya Deville and Paul Heyman

Heyman says that he was asked by Roman Reigns to address a legal liability. He says that Jey Uso could do some serious damage, not only to Daniel Bryan, as well as the WrestleMania main event. Sonya Deville cuts Pearce off as he begins speaking, saying that Heyman makes an excellent point. Heyman thanks her and walks away.

Rating: n/a

In-Ring with Seth Rollins and Cesaro

Seth Rollins, clad in a questionable pink and blue suit, stands in the ring with Cesaro and Corey Graves.

Graves asks Cesaro if this match will be Cesaro’s breakthrough opportunity.

Cesaro promises that he will not fail, whatever it takes. He says that “swing” is in the air.

Graves asks Rollins if he’s embarrassed about the swinging that Cesaro has put Rollins through. Rollins is not phased, he says that during WrestleMania, he is unshakeable.

After some squabbling, Rollins kicks Graves out of the ring. He is sick and tired of Cesaro trying to provoke him. Cesaro tells Rollins to “take a swing,” but Rollins instead storms off.

Rating: 2/5 

This segment accomplished nothing, I would have rather seen Rollins in action tonight. It seems like WWE is just buying time leading up to Mania. This promo would have been less out of place NEXT Friday on SmackDown.

Shayna Baszler vs. Natalya

Hooray…Shayna vs Nattie.

Never mind, Natalya just picked up the victory with a small package. In less than one minute.

Rating: 5/5 for brevity

I seem to have spoken too soon.

A brawl between Shayna and Nia, Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke, the Riott Squad, Naomi and Lana and Natalya and Tamina has broken out and seemingly every woman on the roster has joined the hoopla.

And in the back, Carmella is approached with a resume by Billie Kay. Carmella accepts the resume, and Kay giddily walks away.

Rating: 0/5

Almost every woman on the roster, outside of Bayley, Sasha Banks, Peyton Royce, Lacey Evans, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley and Asuka are involved in the Nia/Shayna storyline and I’m really not happy with the treatment of the Women’s Division in WWE lately.

Four of these women are in championship matches at WrestleMania, and one of them is injured. That’s only four women remaining for the entire division.

In-Ring with Sami Zayn

It is time for the red carpet trailer premiere for Sami Zayn’s conspiracy documentary.

Zayn is thrilled to finally show the world what he’s been talking about. He’s also quite proud to have famous YouTube personality and podcaster Logan Paul here at the WWE Thunderdome.

Logan Paul comes down to the ring, and Zayn thanks him for “standing in solidarity against moral injustice.”

Paul is excited to see the evidence, and just to be invited into the WWE ring.

Zayn invites Paul to a WWE ring once again, this time to WrestleMania, which Logan Paul accepts.

The trailer for Sami Zayn’s conspiracy film “Justice for Sami” actually plays out more like a descent into Sami Zayn’s madness. That being said, I’d watch this film.

Sami is emphatically enthusiastic about his trailer and asks Logan Paul about it.Paul says it’s compelling, but he says that Kevin Owens approached him in the locker room. Owens told Paul that

Zayn is delusional, and he’s starting to believe KO.

Zayn loses his composure, and as he begins to calm down, Kevin Owens attacks him from behind and hits the stunner.

Rating: 3/5

Although Paul came off a bit like a plank of wood, Sami Zayn continues to do his best acting work, some of the best in recent WWE history, as he carries his story all the way to Mania.

Backstage with Edge, Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville

Edge approaches the pair of WWE officials, thanking them for making the street fight. He lets them both know that he will be on commentary for the main event.

Rating: n/a

Backstage with Kevin Owens

Kevin Owens tells an interviewer that he just sent a message to Sami Zayn, and the entire WWE and anyone else watching, that he can stun anyone at any time. 

Sami Zayn then attacks Owens from behind, throwing him into the backstage scaffolding.

Rating: 2.5/5

Revenge from the previous assault just one segment ago.

Carmella vs. Bianca Belair

Carmella strikes before the bell rings, as she beats Belair around the ring. We cut to commercial after Belair is thrown into the steel steps. Can she compete tonight?

Yeah.

When we come back from the break, Carmella’s got Belair by the hair, as she hangs over the ropes in a submission hold. 

Highlight: Belair gets her hair tied by Carmella around the bottom rope, and Carmella beats her down while Belair is knotted up.

Belair’s got one of the most energetic and athletic comebacks in the WWE, certainly the most impressive in the women’s division.

KOD for the WIN for Belair.

Banks tries to attack from behind, wearing a wild full bodysuit and knee-high boot heels, but Belair fights her off. 

Rating: 2/5

A decent but quick match from these two, Carmella is a solid victory for Belair as she heads into her WrestleMania debut.

Backstage Frenzy:

Backstage with King Corbin

Corbin speaking directly to the camera says that he deserves respect. He vows to put down Drew McIntyre this Monday night on Raw, and go on to win the WWE Championship at WrestleMania. 

Backstage with Apollo Crews

Crews feels he was disrespected in his last match against Big E. He challenges Big E to a “Nigerian Fight” at WrestleMania for E’s Intercontinental championship.

Backstage with Paul Heyman and Edge

Paul tells Edge that they’re on the same page about WrestleMania and that he wants Edge to have an equal opportunity for the Universal title. Edge cuts him off, saying that he’s headed out for commentary.

Rating: 3/5

Between Corbin clarifying his motive from Monday, setting a stipulation for the Intercontinental Championship match at Mania, and sowing further dissension between Edge and his opponents, these were all effective uses of backstage promos.

Daniel Bryan vs. Jey Uso - Street Fight

Edge is here on commentary as “Main Event Uso” heads to the ring first, followed by Daniel Bryan.

Bryan goes right after Uso, doesn’t even take off his shirt.

Uso takes it off for him and smacks him with it.

The two competitors fight for a while right in front of Edge ringside, which draws the attention of The Rated R Superstar.

Highlight: Uso hits DB with a steel chair while Bryan is attempting a suicide dive to the outside.

Shortly through the match, Roman Reigns, flanked by Heyman, comes down the ramp to watch this match firsthand.

As the action continues, Jey Uso’s now trademark aggressiveness rears its head. 

Uso heads under the ring and finds a steel chain, and rocks Daniel Bryan with it, not once but twice. Hits the frog splash for what looks like a victory, but Bryan kicks out.

Uso continues the beatdown, throwing steel steps in the direction of Bryan, and throwing Bryan into the steel steps.

Highlight: Daniel Bryan reverses a suplex, and hits one of his own off the steel stairs to the floor.

Daniel Bryan shifts into another gear. He is laser-focused, beating Uso with that steel chain, and continuing to share glares with both Roman Reigns and Edge. 

Bryan taps Jey Uso with The YES! Lock, and immediately goes after Edge on the outside.

After taking out Edge, he marches down towards Roman Reigns. 

Reigns throws his chair at Bryan but misses. He then takes Reigns down with a running knee and locks Reigns in The YES! Lock. Reigns writhes in pain, Bryan is unhinged.

WWE Officials separate the two men, and Bryan stands tall on the top rope as SmackDown goes off the air.

Rating: 3.5/5

Overall:

Rating: 2.35/5

This was a weird show. While some segments really made tonight feel like a filler episode, there were a few segments that really bridged our next two episodes before WrestleMania very successfully. The main event, and everything that had to do with it, was highly effective. Showing Bryan stand tall was the right thing to do for any doubters of his deservedness.

On the other hand, everything going on with the Women’s division, having just 60 seconds dedicated to the Big E - Apollo Crews feud, and the relatively boring Cesaro vs. Seth Rollins interview…that all fell flat.