Aleister Black defeated Randy Orton in a singles match Friday night as WWE SmackDown emanated from the Amerant Bank Arena in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The event, largely focused on building toward the February 28th Elimination Chamber premium live event, also saw Trick Williams qualify for the Men’s Elimination Chamber match, and Kiana James secure a spot in the Women’s Elimination Chamber match.
The night’s main event saw Black secure a victory over Orton, though the finish was marred by interference. According to live coverage, the match involved a back-and-forth exchange, with Orton initially dominating before Black mounted a comeback. The interference, involving Zelina Vega, ultimately led to Orton taking the loss.
Earlier in the evening, Trick Williams defeated Carmelo Hayes and Damian Priest in a triple threat match to earn the fifth spot in the Men’s Elimination Chamber. The match was described as “tremendous,” with all three competitors showcasing their skills. Williams’ victory sets him up to face Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, LA Knight, and Je’Von Evans at Elimination Chamber, with the winner earning a shot at Undisputed WWE Champion Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 42.
In the women’s division, Kiana James qualified for the Women’s Elimination Chamber, defeating both Charlotte Flair and Nia Jax in another triple threat match. The win was considered somewhat surprising, given the established status of Flair and Jax. James will now join Rhea Ripley, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, and Tiffany Stratton in the Chamber.
Other matches on the card included Tama Tonga defeating Ilja Dragunov, and a singles match between Oba Femi and Kit Wilson. The Femi-Wilson match followed a previous encounter on February 6th where Femi defeated Wilson in 48 seconds. The rematch was set up after Wilson’s poem reading was interrupted by Femi.
A segment involving Johnny Gargano and a mystery box led to a match being scheduled between Candice Lerae and Jordynne Grace for next week’s SmackDown. Rhea Ripley was originally scheduled to face Iyo Sky, but the match was changed to Ripley facing Giulia, though the match ended in a disqualification due to interference from Jax and Legend.