WWE Smackdown results: Wrestlemania continues to take shape as Kane reinforces The Authority's rule over Daniel Bryan and The Shield

Director of Operations features prominently on Smackdown while John Cena picks up a momentum-building win over Luke Harper

Kane stands tall over The Shield alongside the New Age Outlaws (Getty Images)

Michael Cole introduces this week’s Smackdown by announcing a Fatal-4-Way tag-team match to determine the number one contenders to the WWE Tag Team Championships. Kane’s haunting music hits as the director of operations enters the ring. Kane says that Daniel Bryan deserved Triple H’s brutal beat down on Raw and that the crowd should blame themselves for making Bryan believe that he is bigger than the WWE.

The Authority’s advocate read a letter from Triple H that explains that the COO regrets that Bryan pushed him to the limit and that he hopes that the WWE Universe will learn to respect The Authority. There has to be respect for the Authority. The former ‘Big Red Monster’ then thanked the fans for attending and welcomed them to Smackdown.

The in-ring action got underway as Fernando from Los Matadores took on Fandango who was accompanied by his dance partner Summer Rae. Summer Rae attempted to distract Fernando by jumping on the apron but El Torito chase the dancer around the ring and ended up distracting Fandango instead. Fernando took advantage of the situation by rolling up Fandango for the win, continuing Fandango’s bad run heading into WrestleMania for the Andre the Giant memorial battle royal.

Dolph Zigger received a huge pop from the crowd as he made his way to the squared circle to face Damien Sandow. The match went back and forth as the technicians applied their signature holds to get the upper hand on each other.

The match ended when Ziggler kicked out of Sandow’s Edgecution finisher to then avoid a snap neckbreaker and apply the Famouser for the three count. Ziggler has really been on a push forward over the past few weeks following a spell in the rafters and is really looking like a contender to steal the show in the Andre the Giant memorial battle royal. 

Bray Wyatt appeared on the ‘Titantron’ and says that it makes sense that John Cena would be scared of him. He furthers that he was born of this world’s hatred and he feeds off its sins. Wyatt says that he is the colour red in a world of black and white. He concludes that he has Cena’s fear in the palm of his hand and that is his power, making the power in his hands and that he will rule Cena’s entire world.

Tag Team Turmoil

The number one contender match for the WWE Tag Team Championships gets underway next as the four teams line-up. Dean Ambrose & Seth Rollins joined Curtis Axel & Ryback, Jinder Mahal & Drew McIntyre, and Cesaro & Jack Swagger in a Fatal-4-Way. The fast-paced match culminated when Ambrose sent McIntyre to the floor as Kane interrupted for the referee to call for the bell to be rung causing a no contest.

The Real Americans and Rybaxel beat down the other members of The Shield while Kane and Reigns fought up the ramp and onto the stage. The New Age Outlaws joined Kane with the attack on Reigns. Kane and the New Age Outlaws then made their way to the ring as they attacked Ambrose and Rollins.

Billy Gunn hit a Famouser to Rollins while Kane hit the choke slam on both Ambrose and Reigns. The Authority figures stood over The Shield in a contrast to last week’s Smackdown. It is now clear that there will be a six-man tag match between The Shield and Kane & The New Age Outlaws at WrestleMania.

The Miz presented the return of Miz TV by announcing that he would be in the Andre the Giant memorial battle royal. Miz then introduced The Big Show who made his way to the ring. Show thanked Miz for having him as he has been compared to Andre the Giant, and could think of no better way of cementing his legacy than to win the Andre the Giant memorial battle royal. Miz brought up Show's horrible nine-loss record at WrestleMania, causing Show to get heated up.

Battle Of The Behemoths

Miz then revealed that he has invited other participants of the match for the show. Titus O’Neill, Alberto Del Rio, Kofi Kingston, Big E, Mark Henry, Cody Rhodes, Goldust and lastly Sheamus all made their way out to the ring. Sheamus called for the talking to stop and for the fighting to begin, to which Miz replied that everyone should be taking out Big Show as he’s the biggest threat.

The call out led to Show grabbing Miz to cause a massive brawl. It came down to Show and Sheamus being the only men standing in the ring. The Miz tried to sneakily toss both men out but Show fought off to become the sole survivor as the giant stood tall heading into WrestleMania.

Smackdown settled down for a singles match between Del Rio and Big E, the Intercontinental title is not on the line here as the both men prepare for their spot in the battle royal on April 6. The Mexican aristocrat took a corner bump before finding himself on the receiving end of a shoulder to the gut. Big E made his comeback with a series of clotheslines and a belly-to-belly suplex.

Big E went for his the Big Ending but Del Rio swiftly reversed it into a backstabber. Del Rio capitalized with a superkick for the win. Michael Cole and JBL then cut to a video package on this year’s newest Hall of Fame inductee, Mr T, who was a prominent feature in the early WrestleManias.

AJ Lee joins the commentary team again this week as Natalya & Summer Rae take on The Bella Twins. AJ discusses her shaky relationship with Tamina, dismissing the disturbance they had with each other on raw. Brie took advantage of the arguing Summer & Natayla by taking them out together and hitting an X-Factor finisher on Natayla for the win.

The losing team continued to argue with each other, leading Natayla to boot Summer from behind as she left ringside. The segment concluded with a stare down between The Bella Twins and AJ & Tamina, furthering speculation that there will soon be a match between AJ and one of the Bellas for the WWE Divas Championship.

Kane Directs His Authority

Kane met backstage with Rybaxel, 3MB and the Real Americans. He revealed that Ryback & Axel and the Real Americans would get tag team title shots for their services. The 3MB got three spots in the 30 man battle royal. The Outlaws then appeared and discussed how good their plan went. Kane was happy that he could count on the Outlaws, and Road Dogg said that he always can as the WrestleMania card continues to shape up.

We have John Cena up against Luke Harper for the main event as Harper is accompanied by Erick Rowan and the man Cena will face at Wrestlemania, Bray Wyatt. Harper slams Cena face first to the mat and covers for 2. Harper picks up Cena, powerbomb countered into a hurricanrana by Cena before Harper hit one of his own followed by a Michinoku driver. Harper failed to cover Cena for the three count and then missed a clothesline to set Cena up for the Attitude Adjustment for the win. Cena slid out of the ring before the Wyatts could attack him to end the show.

This Smackdown really helped shape undercard for WrestleMania as we have The Miz, 3MB, Cody Rhodes, Goldust and Kofi Kingston all now confirmed for the Andre the Giant memorial battle royal. The Real Americans and Rybaxel have been announced to receive a shot at the tag titles, which looks to be presented in a form of a triple-threat with the Usoos. Kane has new allies in The New Age Outlaws to take on a united Shield and John Cena has finally got the upper hand against the belligerent Wyatt Family. WrestleMania is only two weeks away and is turning out to be fully loaded with fresh matchups.