Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for March 8, 2024

At the start of the show, it is revealed that The Rock, Roman Reigns and the team of "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes are all flanked by security.

Logan Paul heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Logan calls Dallas, Texas his "city of firsts," as it hosted his first WrestleMania, then says that he is a conqueror and that he joined WWE to take over, not take part. Logan also brags about how he has the bet rookie year ever and how everything he touches turns to gold and has broken every record since he debuted. He says that he is "the secret sauce" and that business has boomed in WWE, and that one could say that the WWE is in its prime. Logan then announces that he has put a decal of a bottle of a Cherry Freeze Prime on the center of the ring, and that he has partnered with WWE to become its very first center-ring sponsor for WrestleMania and beyond. He then introduces fellow Internet influencer KSI, then says a moment this big deserves a big photo. A photographer gets on the apron to take a picture of Logan and KSI, then Randy Orton's theme hits. Randy Orton sneaks up on Logan and KSI from out of nowhere. Logan Paul avoids an RKO and flees the ring, and KSI figures out what is happening and does not turn around, and he falls victim to Orton. Orton then takes the bottle of Prime that was in KSI's hand, drinks it, comments that it is very good, then pours it on KSI.

Triple H shows off the YouTube Red Diamond award for reaching 100 million subscribers on YouTube. It is one of only ten channels to ever reach that number.

Kevin Owens and Randy Orton beat Grayson Waller and Austin Theory following a Stunner to Grayson and a pop-up powerbomb lift into an RKO on Theory. After the match, Owens and Orton are attacked from behind by Logan Paul, who then pulls out brass knuckles. Orton soon takes them away after kicking him in the breadbasket as Logan goes for a punch, and Logan is forced to flee after ducking a punch and almost causing Orton to inadvertently punch Owens.

Backstage, Kayla Braxton interviews Bayley. Bayley says she is hanging on by a thread and that she never thought Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Iyo Sky, Asuka, Kairi Sane) would betray her, and now she is left wondering if their friendship was real. She also says Dakota Kai used their history against her when she was at her most vulnerable. She says that she has made a lot of enemies over the past few years, and while she did a lot of things to get attention and get to the top, she did a lot of things for Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai. She says that everything is now backfiring and she is all alone. Bayley says her title match with Iyo Sky has made her most focused and that Damage CTRL has made a big mistake, as she knows how to adapt. She says that she made Damage CTRL with all her heart, and she will do everything to break it.

Backstage, Naomi has watched Bayley's interview when Bianca Belair shows up. Bianca says that Bayley had it coming to her, but Naomi says she feels bad for Bayley, as she has been in Bayley's position and knows what it is like to have a faction and have it all fall down. Bayley says it is easy for Naomi to feel that way as she was not in WWE during Damage CTRL's (Bayley, Dakota Kai, Iyo Sky, Asuka, Kairi Sane) reign of terror.

Bobby Lashley beats Karrion Kross by disqualification following interference by The Authors of Pain (Akam and Rezar). After the match, The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) show up and brawl with The Authors of Pain, and B-Fab shows up to slap and chase after Scarlett when she gets behind Lashley. Lashley puts Kross in the Hurt Lock, but The Authors of Pain break it up, and they and Kross gang up on Lashley and lay him out.

Backstage, Elektra Lopez and Santos Escobar encounter Dragon Lee as he is on the phone and make fun of him for thinking he can be the next Rey Mysterio, then Humberto and Angel show up from the other side. Escobar then says Rey is gone and is the past while Legado del Fantasma (Escobar, Humberto, Angel, Elektra) is the future. When Escobar says Dragon Lee is nothing, Dragon Lee tries to strike him only to be shoved to the ground.

It is announced that The U.S. Express (Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham) have been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024.

Tiffany Stratton beats "Michin" Mia Yim.

We hear from "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles, who says he flew across the world to attack LA Knight in the Elimination Chamber after watching LA Knight walk around like he owns the place when he does not deserve to be in the same locker room as him. He admits he found Knight's shtick funny until he got momentum at his expense, and while he knows that WWE is a cutthroat place to be, Knight is overachieving, undertalented in a dire need of humbling, and he is more than phenomenal enough for the job. Meanwhile, Knight has watched this from a television screen backstage, and he smashes the television with a metal folding chair.

Backstage, Tyler Bate is playing WWE 2K24 when Pete Dunne shows up to watch. Tyler says he will talk to General manager Nick Aldis and handle the tag team title situation, then hands a stone-faced Dunne the controller, who then plays.

Dragon Lee beats Angel with a hurricanrana into a sit-down pin to counter a pop-up powerbomb attempt. After the match, Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Humberto, Angel) gang up on Dragon Lee, then Escobar blames what they have done to him on Rey Mysterio.

Backstage, we hear from Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, Iyo Sky, Kairi Sane). Dakota Kai says she has always been the brains, and Kairi Sane says that if Bayley were smarter, she would have caught on faster. Asuka says that they have been in control from day one, and Iyo Sky says it her era from the start. Dakota says that they will see Bayley next week.

Backstage, General Manager Nick Aldis finds out that Seth "Freakin'" Rollins and "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes are not in their dressing room despite security guarding the only door in and out.

The Bloodline (Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman, Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa) heads to the ring. Afterwards, The Rock makes his entrance. Roman declares that greatness stands before the fans and hugs the fans before declaring "Acknowledge us." Suddenly, Cody Rhodes' theme hits, and Cody and Seth "Freakin'" Rollins show up through the crowd. After the commercial break, Cody and Rollins get in the ring, and it is just them, The Rock and Roman Reigns as Jimmy Uso, Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa step out and watch from ringside. Cody admits it is tense and that there is a lot of bad blood, but he feels lucky to stand in the ring and that everyone should take a moment to feel this. He tells The Rock that he has heard his challenge and the stipulations for their tag team match at WrestleMania, then asks if he has the authority to make that stipulation as he has acknowledged Roman Reigns as his Tribal Chief. Before Cody can give his answer to the challenge, The Rock tells Cody and Rollins to shut up, then says he acknowledged Roman because it is what family does before reiterating the stakes of their tag team match. Rollins tells The Rock to shut up as he asks if they accept, then tells The Rock that he had his time and will not have theirs before telling him that they accept. Roman laughs and asks Cody if he will let Rollins answer for him before saying that he must be an idiot, then says that when he beats Cody at WrestleMania, that will be it, and Cody's story will be over as he does not get another shot. The Rock says he will make sure Cody does not win and that Rollins' title will go away, for he is the chairman of the board, and ensures that if Cody loses, he will never get another shot at Roman for the undisputed title. He then says that his and Roman's family are looking down proudly before stating that Cody's father is looking down before calling Cody a mistake. Cody slaps The Rock in the face, and the show ends.

This week on The SmackDown LowDown: Naomi! Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Humberto, Angel, Elektra Lopez)! LA Knight!

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