Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for March 17, 2023

"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Cody says that in the last two weeks, the stakes and the ante have been raised, but he does have respect for Roman Reigns. He says that Roman is a great champion and that he looks forward to facing him at WrestleMania, then brings up Kevin Owens, saying he does not want to talk about somebody, but to somebody. He says that there is a lot of respect between himself and Owens, and asks Owens to meet him in the ring. Owens shows up. Owens thanks Cody, but tells him that he knows what is going on and that they have been over this. Cody then asks Owens to hear him out, and says that Sami Zayn should be part of the conversation. Sami Zayn shows up. Cody says he has "an incredible love and respect" for Owens, as Owens bettered his livelihood when he left WWE years ago and introduced him to some friends. He says he could never be able to repay him, but he would like to with this conversation. Owens says he has heard everything Sami has to say, but Sami says he has not heard everything Owens has had to say, as he knows they have both done horrible things to each other but have always come back and forgiven each other. Sami also says he cannot understand why things are different, and asks Owens to open up about why, even if that means screaming at him or punching him in the face, as it may mean the two of them working together again. Owens does not want to be part of the conversation, but Cody says they are in "the people pleasing business," and everybody wants to see Sami and Owens back on the same page. Sami agrees, saying it is in both his and Owens' best interests and that they could do something magical and remarkable in bringing down The Bloodline, and while repairing their friendship may take years, all they need to do is work together. Owens says he understands, but asks why he would want to fight with someone who does not want to be his friends. He thanks Cody for the conversation, but tells him "I'm all set...alright?" He then heads to the back.

Backstage, Kevin Owens is met by Sami Zayn before he can get in his car. Sami asks Owens to forget everything about what he said earlier, as none of it matters, and that they will always be friends and brothers. He says that if Owens does not want to talk to him ever again, that is fine, but he wants him to know that he will always love him.

The Judgment Day (Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley) beat Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar and Zelina Vega). After the match, Dominik Mysterio says his father Rey Mysterio is "nothing but a disrespectful deadbeat of a father" who was never there for him, then Rey Mysterio is seen backstage on the TitanTron. After the commercial break, Rey gets in the ring, and Dominik says he want many nights without a father before Rey asks Rhea to let him speak to Dominik alone. Rhea steps aside as Dominik calls Rey "a sad, pathetic excuse for a father" for suddenly having time for him now and costing him a WrestleMania moment. As Dominik is about to call Rey "a piece of shit," Rey stops him and says he has not been the best father in the world and that he has not been there for him all the time, but says he still loves him and that he is his world. He then says that Dominik will soon realize that this business is selfish, and that he had to make sacrifices to ensure that he and his family had the life they had always dreamed of. Rey also reminds him of how Dominik's famous pedigree always bailed Dominik out when he got in trouble. Rey also reminds him of how Dominik's famous pedigree always bailed Dominik out when he got in trouble. He then breaks down as he says that with his induction in the WWE Hall of Fame, he would love to have Dominik at his side, but says it may be too late. Rey then says that his biggest regret is what Dominik has become, and says that if some disrespectful punk kid acting like Dominik called him out at WrestleMania, he would whip their ass. He then says that unfortunately, Dominik is his son, and that fighting Dominik would be his biggest disgrace as a father, stating that Dominik is not worth it and that he will never fight him, not even at WrestleMania. Dominik asks Rey if it is because he wants to do what he does best - running away from him - and states that Rey is doing what he taught him not to be: "a scared, scared little man."

It is announced there will be two Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Matches - one for the men, one for the women - at WrestleMania, and that there will be qualifiers for those matches.

Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan beats Emma and Tegan Nox to qualify for the women's Fatal 4-Way Tag Team Match at WrestleMania.

Charlotte Flair heads to the ring. Charlotte says the more things change, the more they stay the safe, and that when she was a child, the business was built on "Rhodes as a challenger, Flair as a champion," and two weeks before WrestleMania, Rhodes is still a challenger and Flair is still a champion. She says that this year is her seventh WrestleMania, and while she has always entered as either champion or challenger, she has always been the star. Charlotte also says Rhea Ripley cannot be a star until she can be a champion, and she cannot be a champion until she goes through her, and as she says that the more things change, the more they save the same, Dominik Mysterio and Rhea show up. Rhea tells Charlotte that she is "100% right" and that she chose her, and while she has her reasons for not picking Bianca Belair - which she will get to again - she says that men walk away from her backstage because of her skill and because they fear her. She says that Charlotte is looking at her without an ounce of fear in her eyes and that it pisses her off, and states that Charlotte is current SmackDown Women's Champion and a 14-time women's champion because she is a superstar. Rhea Ripley says she gives Charlotte all the credit in the world, then proclaims that she not only needs the SmackDown Women's Championship, but that she needs to be a star, and at WrestleMania, Charlotte will learn to call her champion and fear her. Dominik gets in Charlotte's face and says "Mami is going to beat you at WrestleMania, and you know it," then Rhea hits Charlotte with a cheap shot. Charlotte then leaves the ring and attacks Rhea Ripley, starting a brawl that officials and security guards try to quickly break up only to be overpowered as Rhea and Charlotte keep getting at each other. Both sides are eventually separated by the barricade

Backstage, Kayla Braxton interviews Sami Zayn, who admits that tonight has been "a heavy night" as one brother drove away from him and another brother wants is waiting to attack him. He says he is fine with whatever happens next and that he needs to take care of business.

Xavier Woods beats LA Knight with the Backwoods.

It is announced that The Great Muta is being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2023.

Backstage, Kayla Braxton interviews LA Knight, who soon notices Rey Mysterio and offers to fight Dominik Mysterio and give him "an LA moment" while calling himself "LA Mysterio." Rey punches him and chews him out in Spanish.

Drew McIntyre vs. Sheamus to decide a #1 contender for the WWE Intercontinetal Championship after Imperium (Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser, Giovanni Vinci) - who show up before the match to watch the match from ringside - attack both men as Gunther gets in the ring and demands both men get up after simultaneously booting each other in the face. Afterwards, Gunther powerbombs Sheamus onto McIntyre's back following the beatdown. As Imperium leave, WWE official Adam Pearce shows up on the TitanTron and says that due to Gunther's actions, his match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania will be a Triple Threat Match.

Jey Uso is in the ring. Sami Zayn soon shows up and asks Jey how he wants to handle their confrontation. Jey says he has a job tonight, but tells Sami that from day one, he did not like or trust him, but then he turned the rest of The Bloodline around except for him. He says that as a boy that it was his job to protect his family, and that the one time he let his guard down for Sami, Sami betrayed him and made him look stupid in front of the whole world. He says that he may always second-guess himself, but he always knew that Sami was "a fake-ass Uce," and as he says that he has no choice, Sami says that Jey has always had a choice but has always chosen to take Roman Reigns' abuse. He says that he refused to take that abuse, then says that Jey is angry at himself and that he didn't get to hit Kevin Owens with the chair first. Jey then punches Sami in the face, starting a brawl. Jimmy Uso shows up and superkicks Sami, and both men run Sami into the ring steps. Kevin Owens' music hits, and Owens shows up behind The Usos before fighting them. Jimmy Uso gets a Stunner, and Jey Uso gets a pop-up powerbomb before Owens screams at him as he rolls out of the ring. Owens and Sami then hug in the ring, as "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes watches backstage, smiling.