WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from February 11 (2024)

Goldberg returned a week ago to set up a showdown with Universal champion Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber, and he made another appearance Friday night on Fox to help hype the blockbuster main event.

What did the WCW icon have to say about his impending showdown with The Tribal Chief, and would Reigns have a response for the Hall of Famer?

That question loomed over a broadcast that also featured Charlotte Flair defending her SmackDown Women's Championship against Naomi and the latest in the feud between Sami Zayn and Shinsuke Nakamura.

WWE official Sonya Deville kicked off the evening's broadcast, nursing a left arm injury following the Fujiwara armbar from Ronda Rousey last Friday night. She announced that she petitioned to have Rousey fined $100,000.

This brought out Adam Pearce, who revealed an email from Vince McMahon himself that barred Deville from further abusing her powers and getting involved in Naomi's SmackDown Women's Championship match against Charlotte Flair later in the night. If she persisted, her job would be in "serious jeopardy."

This brought out Naomi, who rightfully stated the email didn't say anything about her not touching the WWE official. Naomi slapped Deville to close the segment.

Grade

C+

Analysis

Vince McMahon writes the longest emails of all time.

Beyond that, this was a suitable segment that finally halted some of Deville's abuses of power, gave Naomi a moment of revenge and set up a match for later in the night that should be relatively one-on-one.

For Naomi, it was a segment months in the making. It was nice to see her walk the eye confidently, stand opposite Deville and show her the lack of respect the WWE official afforded her since last September.

Last week's match was so nice, WWE Creative booked it twice.

Kingston and Big E dominated early and often, putting an exclamation point on their offensive entering the commercial break. During the timeout, Angel and Humberto seized control, laying out Big E and cutting him off from his tag team partner.

A hot tag to Kingston sparked a babyface comeback. In a cool spot, Big E hoisted Humberto up for a powerbomb, and Kingston came off the top rope with a double stomp. Angel broke up a two-count. The perfect timing by the Latin Lothario allowed his team to stay alive. His rollup on Kingston earned The Lethal Lovers the upset victory.

Result

Los Lotharios defeated Kingston and Big E

Grade

B-

Analysis

Los Lotharios have been a great team, despite their lack of consistent television push, and there is no better way to provide them some much-needed credibility than by having them knock off two former WWE champions clean in the middle of the ring.

While this may not have been up to the level of their match a week ago, it was still a damn fun contest that further demonstrated the extraordinary chemistry of the teams and sets up a potential rubber match in the near future.

Hopefully, the strength of the ring work does not embolden WWE to overexpose the matchup because it is a rare one that could inject the blue brand's tag team division with a freshness it can desperately use.

Backstage, Michael Cole interviewed Roman Reigns about The Tribal Chief's Universal Championship defense against Goldberg at Elimination Chamber. Unfazed by the Hall of Famer's accomplishments, he claimed, "If I was in WCW, everyone would be winning…because they'd still be in business.”

When the topic of discussion turned to Brock Lesnar, Reigns laughed it off and asked why they were still talking about him.

The Head of the Table ended the segment by promising to "Goldberg" Goldberg at Elimination Chamber.

Grade

A

Analysis

Short, sweet and to the point.

Reigns looking past Goldberg will likely backfire on him, but it is fun to see him vow to squash the legendary figure, just as he has squashed so many over the course of his career.

The bigger takeaway was in Reigns' response to the mention of Lesnar. He scoffed, appearing amused by the idea of Lesnar still being discussed in the same breath as him. Might his hubris come back to cost him at WrestleMania, when they clash one last time for the top prize in professional wrestling?

Originally slated to be a "Dungeon Style" match, the showdown between Aliyah and Natalya was nothing more than another one-on-one encounter between the two.

An intense Nattie attacked early, but Aliyah absorbed it and fought back. A late-match surge came to a sudden and abrupt end when The Queen of Harts trapped her in the famed Sharpshooter and forced the tapout.

After the match, Natalya sought to add further punishment, but Xia Li made the save, fending off the heel and standing tall.

Result

Natalya defeated Aliyah

Grade

C-

Analysis

The match was too short to be meaningful and the inexplicable disappearance of the advertised stipulation showed just how invested the creative team was in the contest.

At least the arrival of Li suggests a new rivalry for Natalya, one that should help with the development of Li into a bona fide main roster star. Hopefully it does not spell the end for Aliyah, who is a great underdog babyface.

Sami Zayn introduced the latest edition of his In-Zayn live podcast.

He threw to video of Johnny Knoxville visiting the WWE pop-up shop in Los Angeles and defaming Zayn merchandise. From there, Rick Boogs and Intercontinental champion Shinsuke Nakamura made their way to the ring, just seven days before The Artist defends his title against Zayn.

A verbal exchange gave way to interference between Boogs' electric guitar and the microphone, sending a jolt up his arm. With Nakamura checking on his friend, Zayn rocked him with a Helluva Kick and left his foe lying.

Grade

C

Analysis

Zayn single-handedly elevated this one to "C" level because the content was not good. At all.

There is nothing about this feud that feels like a program for one of the most important titles in the company. Instead, it feels like the backdrop for Knoxville to reappear and set up a WrestleMania program with Zayn.

While that may be good for Zayn's exposure to a newer, larger audience, it doesn't do much for the legitimacy of the IC title.

With Madcap Moss sidelined by a black eye, Happy Corbin went it alone Friday, battling Cesaro in singles competition.

A back-and-forth match ensued in which neither man enjoyed a sustained advantage. Cesaro tried for the Neutralizer at one point, but Corbin back body dropped him out of it. Moments later, the unbeaten and obnoxious heel flattened The Swiss Cyborg with End of Days for the pinfall victory.

Backstage, Drew McIntyre interrupted Moss' eye exam and revealed that their match at Elimination Chamber will be a Falls Count Anywhere match.

Result

Corbin defeated Cesaro

Grade

B-

Analysis

This was a really fun little match that came from out of nowhere.

Corbin is an underrated worker, and his style meshed well with Cesaro's, resulting in a match better than it had any right to be.

The revelation that Moss and McIntyre's match at the premium live event will be a Falls Count Anywhere match spruces things up a bit after we just witnessed the bout back at Day 1. No, the stipulation will not affect the outcome, and nor should it. This will be all McIntyre, and it will put him in a position to challenge Roman Reigns coming out of Elimination Chamber.

Michael Cole sat down with Goldberg, who dismissed the idea of Roman Reigns beating him in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, at Elimination Chamber. He vowed to beat Reigns, take the Universal Championship, and destroy Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania.

Back in the arena, Naomi hit the ring for her shot at history as she challenged Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women's Championship. The challenger started red hot, overwhelming The Queen early and controlling the opening moments of the match heading into the break.

Flair fought back, wrestling the advantage by slowing the pace and grounding the challenger. She worked a headscissors that allowed her to maintain control. Naomi exploded with a blockbuster for a close two-count, but Flair sent her knees-first into the ring steps ahead of another break.

The resilient Naomi found herself in a position to put pressure on the champion while seeking her first title reign in five years. She bulldogged Flair into the turnbuckle, but the powerful Flair drove her opponent into the mat with a powerbomb for a two-count.

Flair missed one moonsault, ate the knees on another attempt, and Naomi delivered the Rearview for a dramatic near-fall that brought the New Orleans crowd out of its seat. Nearfalls off a headscissor and split-legged moonsault had fans buying into the idea that Naomi would dethrone The Queen.

Late, Naomi tried for another Rearview, only for Flair to chop block her and deliver Natural Selection for the win.

After the match, Naomi unloaded on a braggadocious Sonya Deville, only to be jumped by Flair. Ronda Rousey made the save, clearing the ring to a big pop to close out the show.

Result

Flair defeated Naomi to retain

Grade

A

Analysis

This was a damn good, legitimate Match of the Year candidate.

Flair and Naomi tore the house down with a wildly dramatic match that had the fans believing a title change was imminent. That is a testament to the performers themselves but proof positive that the months of positioning Naomi as a sympathetic babyface forced to overcome the unfair treatment at the hands of WWE official Deville has worked.

The loss did not hurt Naomi by any means. She hung with the best women’s wrestler in the world, coming within seconds of winning. If anything, the emotion she showed throughout the match will only further endear her to fans who appreciate how much she loves wrestling.

The post-match points to a tag team match pitting Naomi and Rousey against Flair and Deville. If so, that is a blockbuster encounter that, stateside, would be hot enough to headline a premium live event.