My Thoughts on SmackDown (2/22/17): Silicone Insincerities

(Sorry this review is later than normal. My power went out all day yesterday so I couldn't watch the show live.)

• We kick off the show with Daniel Bryan. He brings out Naomi, who he puts over as someone who scratched & clawed and finally became the SmackDown Women's Champion. Unfortunately, Naomi's knee injury will put her out of action for over 30 days and she will have to vacate the Women's Championship. Ah yes, that 30-day clause that WWE chooses to enforce at random times. Remember when Brock Lesnar won the WWE Championship and didn't defend it for like four months? Naomi says she reached the top of the mountain, and unfortunately, she's getting knocked off the top right now. In tears, Naomi hands the title to Bryan, who gives her a hug. Naomi says everyone will feel the glow when she comes back. As Naomi walks to the back, outcomes Alexa Bliss, who says Naomi giving up the title is perfect. She says that since she didn't get her rematch against Naomi, Bryan should give her the title back. Instead, Bryan decides that Bliss will fight for the vacant title against Becky Lynch.
• Alexa Bliss vs Becky Lynch-SmackDown Women's Championship-The two trade shoves before trading near falls. Lynch hits a step-up enziguri for a near fall before catching Bliss' foot on a leapfrog and locking in a headlock. More near falls before Lynch hits two arm drags and locks in an armbar. Bliss escapes and hits an STO before working over Lynch. Bliss continues to control the match until Lynch hits a Bexploder suplex for a near fall before the commercial break. We come back to see Lynch hit the Flying Firearm followed by another Bexploder for a near fall. Lynch hits a missile dropkick for a near fall before Bliss tries to crawl out of the ring. Lynch drags her back, dragging the ring skirt in the ring in the process, only to get chopped in the throat by Bliss will the referee is fixing the ring skirt. Bliss rolls up Lynch and gets the win with a handful of tights. Above-average match, glad the title is back on Alexa Bliss. After the match, Mickie James congratulates Bliss before trying to blindside Lynch, but Lynch gets the upper hand and boots her out of the ring.
• We get promos from some of the competitors in the battle royal to determine the #1 contender for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania.
• Dean Ambrose says he's not worried about Baron Corbin right now, he's only focused on winning tonight and getting the opportunity Corbin robbed him of at Elimination Chamber.
• Kalisto says he's fought his entire life to make it to the WWE
• The Miz lists all his accomplishments. Although I'd argue whether or not starring in any of the Marine movies is something to brag about.
• Renee Young interviews Natalya. She says people only like Nikki Bella because everything about her is fake. Her laugh, her smile, and her "silicone insincerities." Get it, boob jokes! She says she'll expose Nikki worse than she exposes herself every time she wrestles. 
• American Alpha vs Breezango-Breezango rushes American Alpha before the bell, allowing them to isolate Jordan when the match actually starts. Breezango beats down Jordan until Jordan lands on his feet on a suplex and tags in Gable. Gable clotheslines Breeze out of the ring before he & Jordan hit the electric chair/bulldog combo (the Steinerizer) on Fandango for the win. Immediately after the match, the Usos cut a promo on American Alpha from the crowd. They call them the "soon to be former SmackDown Tag Team Champions." They say they have nothing to lose and that American Alpha can't prepare for them. Really good promo by the Usos.
• Backstage, AJ Styles gloats to a guy backstage that he's going to the main event of WrestleMania.
• More promos from the competitors in the battle royal tonight
• Dolph Ziggler says the "new era" is canceled and nobody can replace him. He then superkicks down the green screen he was standing in front of.
• Mojo Rawley says nothing of note
• Luke Harper says he followed Bray Wyatt for years, but now he is free. He says when he wins, there will be nowhere left for him to run.
• Renee Young interviews Nikki Bella. She says more than just a pretty face and it's going to get ugly tonight. 
• Nikki Bella vs Natalya in a Falls Count Anywhere match-Nikki spears Natalya right away. Nikki follows up with a knee to the face for a near fall before grabbing a table from under the ring. Natalya boots Nikki while she tries to grab it and shoves it back under the ring. Nikki gets a near fall off a roll up before beating down Natalya with a kendo stick for a near fall. Nikki throws Natalya over the barricade and the two fight into the crowd. Natalya tries for a suplex off the barricade, but Nikki kicks her down before hitting an enziguri off the barricade for a near fall. Nikki brings Natalya back to ringside, but Natalya rams her into the barricade before throwing her into the stairs for a near fall. Natalya teases using the kendo stick but opts instead to tear apart the announce table. Natalya tries to powerbomb Nikki through the table, but Nikki fights out of it before Alabama Slamming Natalya on the table for a near fall before the commercial break. We come back to see Nikki escaping the Sharpshooter in the ring. Outside of the ring, Natalya suplexes Nikki on the ramp for a near fall before taking her backstage and throwing her into crates for a near fall. The two continue to fight backstage, where Natalya throws Nikki into Maryse. Nikki then drives Natalya through a mirror for a near fall before bringing her back out onto the stage. Nikki spears Natalya for a near fall before trying to bring her back to the ring. Natalya knocks Nikki down and goes for the Sharpshooter, but Nikki avoids it and locks in the Fearless Lock, aka the STF, which she does better than Cena. Suddenly, Maryse runs down and beats down Nikki with a pipe until the Miz runs down and brings her backstage. Natalya crawls into the cover and gets the win. Pretty good match.
• More promos from the battle royal competitors
• Baron Corbin says the spotlight will be on him tonight when he takes his place in the main event of WrestleMania
• Apollo Crews says Dolph Ziggler can't keep him down and he won't be kind tonight.
• Bray Wyatt & Randy Orton appear on the screen. Wyatt says Orton has earned all of Sister Abigail's secrets for his sacrifice and that whoever wins tonight will be his sacrificial lamb at WrestleMania.
• 10-Man Battle Royal-#1 Contendership for the WWE Championship-Mojo Rawley is the first man eliminated, getting back body dropped by Baron Corbin out of the ring. Kalisto tries to throw Dolph Ziggler out, but Ziggler holds on and pulls Kalisto onto the apron, where he superkicks Kalisto to the ground to eliminate him. Ziggler is then eliminated by Apollo Crews after an enziguri. Ziggler responds to this by grabbing a chair and beating down Kalisto. This distracts Crews, allowing Corbin to toss him out of the ring. Crews attacks Ziggler and chase after him with the chair. Back in the ring, everyone hits their big moves before the Miz hits four running dropkicks in the corners. Miz starts the Daniel Bryan kicks on John Cena, but Cena dodges the last one and throws Cena over the top rope before the commercial break. We come back to see Cena hit a double German suplex on AJ Styles & Dean Ambrose. Cena goes for the Five Knuckle Shuffle on Styles, only to run right into the End of Days from Corbin. Corbin then gets sent over the top rope by Ambrose. In response, Corbin drags Ambrose out of the ring under the bottom rope and hits the End of Days on Ambrose. In all the commotion, the Miz runs back in and tosses Cena out of the ring. Styles & Luke Harper go back and forth trying to eliminate each other before Ambrose runs in and almost eliminates them both. All three of them fight on the ring apron before Harper superkicks Ambrose to the ground, leaving only Styles & Harper. Harper attempts to suplex Styles to the outside from the apron, but Styles holds on. The two fight on the apron before they fall back into the ring. Harper tries to eliminate Styles with a fireman's carry, but Styles counters it and locks in a sleeper hold. Harper tries to suplex Styles out of the ring, but Styles lands on the apron and gets Harper on the apron. Styles tries to knock Harper's hand off the turnbuckle, but Harper pulls him down to the ground, causing them to both fall and hit the ground "at the same time" (Harper pretty clearly hit the floor after Styles did.) As Styles, Harper, and the referees argue about the result, Daniel Bryan runs down to the ring. Bryan says that the official decision is a draw and the #1 contender will be determined next week. Styles shoves Harper, so Harper lays out Styles with a discus clothesline. Bray Wyatt & Randy Orton appear on the screen, and Wyatt laughs at Harper to close the show.