Renee Young started tonight’s Talking Smack alone because Daniel Bryan was tending to his general manager duties. She gave an update on Dean Ambrose who was released from a local hospital after being attacked by Baron Corban.
After this update, Daniel Bryan joined her. He explained that Randy Orton deciding not to fight Bray Wyatt threw a monkey wrench into the plans. After talking with Shane McMahon it was decided that next week on SmackDown there will be a Battle Royal to decide the number one contender. Daniel Bryan blames Renee Young for jinxing the main event of WrestleMania because after Elimination Chamber she said that the match was set in stone.
First Guest: Alexa Bliss
Alexa Bliss was a bit confused by why Naomi was celebrating tonight. She says that what took her months took Naomi years. Bliss does not believe that Naomi is really injured. She thinks that the champ is buying time so she can keep the title longer. Bliss tells the hosts that if this is true then she will really injure her doing their rematch. She adds that she will be a nice champ and buy Naomi a ticket to WrestleMania so she can sit with her family.
Bliss says that she is not discrediting her but Naomi should not celebrate 8 years of failure. She believes that by the end of this year she will be two time Women’s Champion so imagine what she will be in 8 years.
Young asks the former champ if she is worried about burn out. Of course, she is not because champions do whatever it takes to win. She also does not fear injuries because she is not Naomi and that she is better than Naomi.
Daniel Bryan reminds her that she was not better than Naomi Sunday. Bliss tries to come up with an excuse for losing and says it was because the New England Patriots lost. Daniel Bryan tells her that they won. She says that she knew that because she watched it on the plane and that she was tired.
Before Bliss leaves, Daniel Bryan has a little fun at her expense and tells her that now she can be ready for the rematch because now she knows that the Patriots won. Bliss tells him that he is rude.
Next, the hosts talk about Natalya and Nikki Bella. The GM says that he decided to make an all falls count anywhere match because the two could not contain themselves. They got counted out Sunday because the fight got outside of the ring. He hopes that this will resolve their differences.
Daniel Bryan says that he does not understand why Baron Corban is upset with Dean Ambrose. He believes that Corban should focus on getting better instead of blaming Ambrose. He is also upset because James Ellsworth did not get to wrestle. Young does not think it is fair to have Ellsworth face Ambrose. Bryan tells her that he is a Superstar who is getting paid. So he should wrestle.
Second Guest: Apollo Crews
Young gives Apollo Crews a recap of what Dolph Ziggler said in a backstage interview. Crews says that he is confused by Ziggler’s attitude because when he first came to the main roster Ziggler helped him. He thinks that Ziggler made it personal be trying to take away what he loves, wrestling.
They watch a recap of his match at Elimination Chamber. Crews says that he was worried that Ziggler might have broken his ankle. He was hoping that it was not the end for him because he loves WWE. Crews knows that there is a time for him to whip the smile off of his face and get serious. Ziggler is making him do that.
Bryan gives Crews a moment to tell the audience about his story. Crews’ parents are from Nigeria and they moved to the US. He went to private school where he learned about friendship. That is where he learned to take it seriously.
He tells the audience that his ankle is going to be ok and he is going to be back strong. He says that Ziggler better watch out.
Young reminds everyone about the Battle Royal for next week and brings on AJ Styles.
Third Guest: AJ Styles
AJ Styles tells Daniel Bryan that his rematch was supposed to be a one-on-one match. The GM asks if he told Styles that it would. Styles says that Shane McMahon told him it would be. He does not understand why Bryan has to make everything hard on him.
The general manager tells him that he does what is best for the fans. Styles believes that his rematch should have happened before John Cena’s rematch. He wants his one-on-one rematch. Daniel Bryan tells him there will be a Battel Royal next week and he can win it.
Styles accepts that he will take it because they will not give him his rematch. Bryan tells him that he should have been patient because he was going to get one. Young tells him that patients is a virtue. Styles looks at her and tells her that she has no say in what goes on. She admits that she does not but she is trying to make things less awkward. To make it less awkward Styles gets up and leaves.
The show ends with the hosts reminding the viewers of the Battle Royal and Natalya vs. Nikki Bella on next week’s SmackDown Live.
