WWE Friday Night SmackDown Full Results (February 17th, 2023)

Tonight’s WWE Smackdown live from the sold out Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Michael Cole welcomes us and he’s joined at ringside by Corey Graves. We see the Elimination Chamber structure hanging high above the ring for tomorrow’s Premium Live Event. The announcers hype Sami Zayn’s big homecoming for later tonight.

– Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler defeated Natalya and Shotzi via submission in tag team match. After the match, Rousey and Baszler stand tall to boos. Natalya recovers at ringside but she’s still down. Rousey and Baszler exit the ring together while taunting the crowd.

– Still to come, Sami Zayn’s homecoming, and a look at what’s happened with The Bloodline. Also, it looks like Bray Wyatt and Uncle Howdy are here as we see them flash across the screen.

– We get a video package on some of Sami Zayn’s history with The Bloodline.

– We go back to the ring and Hit Row is already waiting with mics. “B-Fab” Briana Brandy, Ashante “Thee” Adonis and “Top Dolla” AJ Francis begin rapping to boos. Dolla mentions how Montreal didn’t show them any love last time they were here. They continue rapping and the screen flashes an interruption, perhaps for Bray Wyatt? They go on rapping until the lights go out. The lights come back up now but they’re low, the arena is lit up by fireflies from the fans. 

Bray Wyatt is standing on one side of the apron, Uncle Howdy is on the other. B-Fab retreats while Dolla and Adonis get ready to fight. Howdy and Wyatt enter the ring. Howdy decks Adonis while Wyatt tosses Dolla to the floor. Adonis stumbles around into a Mandible Claw from Wyatt. Wyatt then sends Adonis into a Sister Abigail by Howdy. Wyatt and Howdy stand tall now. Wyatt says hello to Montreal. Fans pop and chant “thank you Wyatt!” now. Wyatt says now that he’s once again in control of himself, in control of hiss family, he wanted to be the first to tell us this – tomorrow night at WWE Elimination Chamber… Bobby Lashley or Brock Lesnar, whichever walks out of their match alive, whichever is the winner, just know… you should run. Fans pop as the screen abruptly cuts to black.

– We see Drew McIntyre backstage getting hyped up with The Brawling Brutes.

– We see the Kansas City Chiefs and quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrating their NFL Super Bowl LVII win with a custom WWE Title belt.

– Tonight’s Progressive Match Flo video looks back at last week’s Fatal 4 Way to crown a new #1 contender to WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER. Madcap Moss defeated Rey Mysterio, Santos Escobar and Karrion Kross to earn tonight’s title shot.

– Madcap Moss at backstage with Emma now. He says no one expected him to win the Fatal 4 Way last week. Emma says she did because nobody wins like Moss and nobody has a physique like him, so now it’s his time to shine. Moss says it is just his time to shine and as many doubters he has, they were wrong last week and they can keep being wrong until they realize Madcap is a Superstar.

– Michael Cole sends us to “combat sports journalist” Ariel Helwani, who is in the hometown crown with some fans who are very excited to see Sami Zayn tonight.

– Drew McIntyre and Sheamus defeated The Viking Raiders via pinfall. After the match, Drew and Sheamus stand tall, an angry Valhalla looks on. Sheamus and Drew hit the corners to pose now.

– The announcers send us to another video on Sami Zayn’s history with The Bloodline, starting with what happened at the Royal Rumble. Still to come, Sami Zayn returns home later tonight.

– Kayla Braxton at backstage with Rey Mysterio. We see last week’s post-show video where Rey and Santos Escobar exchanged masks. Escobar handed a mask to Rey and said this doesn’t mean he doesn’t want Rey’s legacy, but this is the ultimate show of respect and he respects who Rey is. Rey hands a mask to Escobar and says he hopes this will let Escobar create his own legacy. Rey says something about respect in Spanish, then they embrace. Rey tells Braxton that he knows that meant a lot to Santos and if he’s being honest, it meant the world to him as well. 

Rey says competition is always welcome in WWE and respect is… Karrion Kross interrupts with Scarlett as fans boo in the arena. Kross says once upon a time he wanted to be a father but then after the lack of respect and look of disgust he saw in Dominik Mysterio’s eyes for Rey, Kross thought to himself, maybe that’s not for him because unlike Rey, Kross can walk around this place and not hide his face in shame under a mask for being a pathetic excuse for a father. Kross goes on as Rey stares up at him, seething. Kross tells Rey to do something about it… Tik, Tok. Kross walks off as an angry Rey looks on.

– Asuka defeated Liv Morgan via submission. After the match, Asuka stands tall but Carmella rushes in and superkicks Asuka. Natalya drops Carmella. Cross with the neckbreaker on Natalya. Raquel with the Texana Bomb to Cross. Raquel approaches Liv in the corner and offers a hand to help her up. Raquel points up at the Elimination Chamber but Liv stuns her with the Ob-Livion, then Asuka drops Liv with a kick. Asuka and Liv face off in the middle of the ring now. Liv laughs and blows a kiss at Asuka, then exits the ring. Asuka laughs now.

– We go back to Ariel Helwani in the crowd. He’s with fans who are chanting for Sami Zayn. They’re ready to raise a banner in Zayn’s name and party like it’s… 1993.

– Imperium at backstage with Kayla Braxton now. She asks about what Madcap Moss had to say earlier tonight. WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER says he could care less what Moss said, he made it this far and that’s very good for him, but one impressive win and words of encouragement from a girl doesn’t change anything. GUNTHER says he’s dominated for 250 days and just like everybody else who challenges him on that sacred mat out there, Moss will fall to The Ring General. Imperium heads out.

– GUNTHER defeated Madcap Moss via pinfall and successfully retained his WWE Intercontinental Championship. After the match, GUNTHER stands tall with the title in the air as the music hits. Moss and Emma look on from the entrance-way.

– Sami Zayn makes his way to the ring to a huge hometown pop from the Montreal crowd. Zayn stops and stands on the stage to take it all in as fans begin singing his theme song. Zayn then rushes the ring, almost slips on the top turnbuckle, then hits the ring as the “Ole!” chants start up. Zayn walks around the ring for a few minutes as fans chant and sing. A “you deserve it!” chant starts up now.

Fans chant “Sami!” now. It looks like Sami is finally about to speak but the “ole!” chants drown him out again. We’re having some audio issues but it sounds like Sami addresses his friends in French to start. He says tomorrow night will be once in a lifetime. He addresses Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns next but says something in French, which causes the crowd to erupt.

Sami says it’s not just Sami vs. Reigns tomorrow night, it’s Reigns vs. Sami and the entire city of Montreal. The crowd goes wild. Sami screams out an says Roman is going down tomorrow night at WWE Elimination Chamber. Sami tosses the mic as the music starts back up. The final Friday Night SmackDown before WWE Elimination Chamber goes off the air with Zayn playing to the crowd as thy cheer him on.