Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for March 10, 2023

Backstage, Paul Heyman waits for The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso), who show up. Jey asks Heyman where Roman Reigns is, then Heyman hugs him and says Roman is proud of him and that so is he. Jey asks Heyman to tell Roman he is here. Heyman leaves, then Kayla Braxton interviews Jey about why he turned on Sami Zayn. Jey says he will say what he has to say in the ring tonight, then Jimmy asks Kayla to ask "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes why he is in their business.

Drew McIntyre and Sheamus beat LA Knight, Xavier Woods and Karrion Kross in a Fatal 5-Way to apparently become #1 contenders for the WWE Intercontinental Championship after Woods gets a pump kick and Knight gets a Claymore Kick before being pinned by Sheamus and McIntyre, respectively. Imperium (Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser, Giovanni Vinci) watch from the stage in the latter half of the match. A second referee shows up to count one of the two pins at the same time as the other. After the match, Sheamus and McIntyre have a staredown while the crowd chants "Triple Threat."

Backstage, Kayla Braxton interviews Paul Heyman. Heyman looks off to the side before admitting he was not paying attention, as he is more preoccupied with "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes getting involved in Bloodline business, considering it a sort of counter-attack. He says that The Bloodline goes to him to figure out how to take down opponents, and says that together, The Bloodline cannot be stopped. He then admits Cody is - stylistically - a nightmare to them. Heyman says that Roman Reigns has stated that the most "gangster" thing that The Bloodline can hit Cody with is the truth, and the truth already makes Cody a defeated opponent who will acknowledge Roman Reigns.

Backstage, Sheamus and Drew McIntyre argue until Ridge Holland and Butch have to run in and get Sheamus away from McIntyre.

Rey Mysterio is the first inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2023. Afterwards, Rey Mysterio heads to the ring. Before Rey can say anything, Dominik Mysterio shows up with the rest of The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley). Dominik calls the induction of "a washed up old man" into the WWE Hall of Fame "pathetic" and asks how holidays, birthdays and soccer games Rey missed to make his Hall of Fame career. He then says Rhea Ripley was right and that he is ashamed to be Rey's son. All of a sudden, Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde, Cruz del Toro, Zelina Vega) shows up. Santos Escobar says Rey may have gotten over what Dominik did last week, but he has not. He says that their teams should be having a match later tonight, then proposes having it right now. A referee then shows up to make it happen.

The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Dominik Mysterio) beat Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde, Cruz del Toro) after Dominik hits Rey Mysterio with a baseball slide as Rey argues with Rhea Ripley at ringside, allowing for some cheap tacts that give The Judgment Day the win. After the match, Dominik Mysterio tells Rey that he wants a "man-to-man" with him and asks the rest of The Judgment Day to leave. Rey gets in the ring, and Dominik wants to know why Rey is being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame and not "The Deadbeat Dad Hall of Fame." He then says that at the end of the day, he should have been "Eddie's son." Rey and Dominik have a war of words, then Dominik shoves Rey. As Rey heads out of the ring, Dominik rushes in for a cheap shot, but Rey ducks and Dominik tumbles out of the ring. Rey says he will still not fight Dominik.

Backstage, WWE official Adam Pearce suddenly meets Charlotte Flair, who says that it is WrestleMania season and that she wants any sort of match she can get tonight. Adam Pearce says he will find her a suitable opponent.

The Viking Raiders (Ivar and Erik) beat Braun Strowman and Ricochet after Valhalla helps Erik avoid being run down by Strowman at ringside before creeping out Ricochet for long enough to allow Ivar to recover in the ring.

Backstage, WWE official Adam Pearce meets with Imperium (Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser, Giovanni Vinci). Gunther says Pearce had one job to get him a challenger for the Intercontinental Championship and calls this a dereliction of his duties. Pearce says Sheamus and McIntyre will wrestle next week to decide a true #1 contender for the Intercontinental Championship.

Charlotte Flair beats Shotzi with the Spear followed by the Figure Eight. During the match, Rhea Ripley shows up to watch the match from ringside. After the match, Rhea Ripley gets in the ring and says watching Charlotte Flair tonight reminded her of why she chose her after winning the women's Royal Rumble, then tells her to wipe the smirk off her face, as she sees not only acceptance but insecurity in her eyes. She then proclaims that she will take away the one thing that makes her feel important when she beats her at WrestleMania for the SmackDown Women's Champion. Charlotte says Rhea may have improved, but so has she, and regardless of what people think of that, she will outwork anyone, as she takes this business seriously. She says Rhea may rip apart anyone in her way, but she will not do that to her.

WrestleMania 39 is 22 days away!

The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) head to the ring. Jey Uso asks the fans what they would do if they had to make a huge choice for their family, then says he turned on Sami because he had to. He says he did not want to do it, but he had no choice because Jimmy is his blood. He says that the fans do not know what he is going through, and that the only person he blames is Sami Zayn. Jey then calls Sami Zayn "selfish" and says all Sami had to do was fall in line, and that he knows nothing about that because he is not blood and never will be. Jimmy Uso then says that "the Sami Zayn problem" is rid of and that the only problem is "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes, who soon shows up. Cody says that if The Usos are going to talk about him, they should talk directly to him, then says he answers to the fans, not to Roman Reigns, and that the fans would rather see them fight than hear them talk. Jimmy threatens to put Cody on the shelf like he and Jey did to Sami Zayn if he takes another step, then Sami Zayn shows up from behind and attacks Jey. Cody then gets in the ring and fights Jimmy. Cody and Jey then brawl into the crowd while Jimmy and Sami fight at the announce table, but both fights end up combining in the crowd before Cody and Sami get the upper hand back in the ring. Cody then raises Sami's hand as the show ends.

This week on The SmackDown LowDown: The Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Ridge Holland, Butch)! Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio! The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso)!

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!