WWE’s Super ShowDown event is officially in the books. There were title changes, surprise run-ins, unplanned matches and shocking finishes. Several storylines came to a head and others were ignited, so the Road to WrestleMania sure looks a lot different now in the wake of the Saudi PPV.
Here’s a recap of what happened and how it will affect the WWE landscape in the long run.
Goldberg def. "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt
This was, by far, the most controversial match of the night. Goldberg, at age 53, defeated the near-invincible Fiend with just one jackhammer. It had previously taken curb stomps, weapons and other extreme measures to even subdue the Fiend for a two count, let alone a clean win.
Social media was in an uproar after the match, with countless people bashing WWE for “burying” Wyatt after months of building his character up. Actor Macaulay Culkin even got in on the criticism, replying “amen” to a tweet that mockingly said, “Super Showdown was all about building new stars” like Goldberg and Brock Lesnar. Culkin claimed he canceled his trip to WrestleMania 36 in Tampa on account of what happened.
A strong showing from Goldberg was expected Thursday, but the Fiend was ultimately predicted to go over. The crowd in attendance was all for the Goldberg win, though, and popped loudly afterward. It was the second time that the Hall of Famer has won the Universal Championship. He’s rumored to face Roman Reigns for the title at WrestleMania.
Brock Lesnar def. Ricochet
Brock Lesnar’s dominance over WWE continued Thursday with a quick and decisive win over Ricochet. The entrances seemed longer than the match itself, and Lesnar was able to put the high-flyer away with just a few suplexes and his patented F-5. Although the outcome was predictable, Ricochet was unable to pull off a single offensive move after being stopped by Lesnar in his tracks while attempting a running dropkick at the opening bell.
It’s unclear where Ricochet goes from here, but Lesnar’s fate is certain. The Beast will be facing off against Royal Rumble winner Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 36.
Seth Rollins and Murphy def. The Street Profits
Rollins and Murphy were able to retain Thursday in a high-paced, entertaining matchup for the Raw Tag Team Titles. The pair was predicted to go over on the Street Profits, and that’s exactly what happened. The rivalry had been brewing for quite some time now and things finally came to a head in Riyadh.
Rollins and Murphy’s fates are now up in the air. They don’t have a clear storyline heading into WrestleMania other than their recurring beef with Kevin Owens, and there hasn’t been anything else developing for them. Perhaps tension will grow within the ranks? There are a lot of people out there who feel the Authors of Pain (AOP) are more deserving of the tag team titles than Rollins and Murphy. The Street Profits, meanwhile, will likely continue their quest for main roster gold.
The Miz and John Morrison def. The New Day
An excellent match between two great tag teams, which ended with a predictable heel finish that saw John Morrison use a chair on Kofi Kingston to allow Miz to go for the pin. It’s the first title win for Morrison since he returned to WWE and the first win for Miz and Morrison as a team in over 10 years. It’s unclear where they go from here but New Day will surely be granted a rematch at some point in the near future. Maybe the upcoming Elimination Chamber event on March 8?
Undertaker def. AJ Styles to win Tuwaiq Trophy Gauntlet match
Well, nobody saw this coming. Some kind of an appearance was expected after Undertaker was caught on camera in Saudi this week. But to have the Deadman actually come out and compete in the Tuwaiq Trophy Gauntlet match, and win no less, was a pretty huge shock to everyone. His rumored WrestleMania match against Styles was all-but-confirmed Thursday, with Taker chokeslamming and pinning Styles for the win. The Phenom didn’t even take off his hat or coat.
The Gauntlet match also saw the return of Andrade, who had been suspended for several weeks due to a failed wellness check. He only lasted a few minutes in the match, though, and was defeated by R-Truth. Truth wound up eliminating three competitors.
Roman Reigns def. King Corbin (Steel Cage Match)
The months-long feud between Roman Reigns and Baron Corbin finally came to a head Thursday, with Reigns defeating Corbin in steel cage match. WWE promised to end the rivalry once and for all at Super Showdown, but the company has been promising the end of this feud for months now. Reigns got the win by hitting Corbin with a Superman punch while wearing a chain around his fist. The victory may serve as a sign of things to come. Reigns will have an opportunity to become No. 1 contender for the Universal Championship at the Elimination Chamber next month when he competes inside the street structure.
Bayley def. Naomi
In what turned out to be one of the best matches of the night, SmackDown Women's Champ Bayley defeated Naomi in a hard-hitting test of technical prowess. The women became just the second pair to publicly wrestle in Saudi Arabia. Bayley was able to get the win by using Naomi’s shirt to keep her limbs grounded on the mat, which allowed her to bust out an innovative face-plant.
Bayley’s future is also currently in limbo — and other than Naomi, she doesn’t have a clear opponent yet for WrestleMania. Raw superstar and Royal Rumble winner Charlotte Flair is slated to go one-on-one with Rhea Ripley for the NXT Championship at Takeover Tampa, and Raw champ Becky Lynch is expected to defend the title against Shayna Baszler.
Mansoor def. Dolph Ziggler
Many fans saw this result coming, with the success of the homegrown star Mansoor on Saudi soil. Ziggler had come out to the ring with his buddy Robert Roode in tow, only to have him ejected from ringside. Ziggler put up a good fight but there was no way Mansoor was losing here. There were plenty of good back-and-forths between the two men but nowhere near the action that people expected from them.
Angel Garza def. Humberto Carrillo
The cousins went toe-to-toe in this aerial attack match, which came early in the show. Fans were very disappointed by their performances, with many claiming they had seen better showings on Raw. Garza was able to get the pin and continue down the Road to WrestleMania victorious. He’s set to team up with Andrade to face Carrillo and Rey Mysterio on Raw next week.