Mandy Rose refused to allow Dolph Ziggler and Otis to treat her like a prize to be won

5 Biggest news stories from WWE SmackDown (March 27, 2020)

From King Corbin throwing Elias off a high railing to Bray Wyatt challenging John Cena to a Firefly Fun House Match at WrestleMania, this week's edition of SmackDown featured several contrasting moments.

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At this point, WrestleMania is approximately a week away, and the effect of empty arena episodes has gradually decreased since its inception. The company is trying its best to keep the show running during WrestleMania season, and last night's SmackDown wasn't a bad event by any means.

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But as a fan, would you want WWE to give their Superstars a break amidst the coronavirus outbreak? Should RAW and SmackDown keep airing under circumstances like these?

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Here are the 5 biggest news stories from this week's episode of WWE SmackDown (March 27, 2020).

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#5: Tamina stood dominant in the SmackDown Women's Championship scenario ahead of WrestleMania 36

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Paige's appearance on last week's episode gave a new direction to the SmackDown Women's Title feud when she announced a Six-Pack Elimination Match for WrestleMania 36.

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Since then, Dana Brooke has dropped out of the equation, and now Bayley will defend her title in a Fatal 5-Way Elimination Match at the Grandest Stage of them All.

Sasha Banks and Bayley weren't in the best of moods at the beginning of last night's show. The biggest elephant in the room is whether or not Sasha will stand with Bayley in a match where The Boss could very well become the new SmackDown Women's Champion.

Before this issue was resolved, Lacey Evans interrupted the proceedings.

Naomi came out after, who is a clear fan-favorite among the babyfaces in the upcoming bout.

Tamina is somehow the "wildcard" here. She knocked down Lacey and Naomi upon her arrival last night. Bayley and Sasha got the message and exited the ring peacefully.

Tamina doesn't have the charisma it takes to win the title at this point. The segment's main purpose was to put her over as a legitimate threat, but we all know that Sasha & Bayley's equation will affect the outcome of their WrestleMania match in the end.

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#4: Daniel Bryan will face Sami Zayn for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 36

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Last week, Sami Zayn's stance on a "mediocre" performer like Drew Gulak prompted him to give the latter a fair chance in a singles match against Shinsuke Nakamura.

The stakes were incredibly high for this bout since Gulak's victory meant that Zayn had to defend his Intercontinental Title against Bryan.

Even at this stage, a lower card performer defeating someone like Shinsuke Nakamura is considered a huge deal. Gulak has benefited a lot since teaming up with Bryan for this program.

Drew Gulak went from making PowerPoint Presentations to rolling up The King of Strong Style for a successful three count on Friday Night SmackDown.

Sure, Bryan assisted by pushing his peer out of the way when Shinsuke had locked on to his opponent for a Kinshasa. But this was the best way to do things without affecting Shinsuke's credibility as a WWE Superstar.

Now, Daniel Bryan is set to face Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 36 with the Intercontinental Championship on the line. In a night filled with gimmick matches, this bout could surprise viewers if both men push themselves to the limit for one night only.

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#3: King Corbin unleashed his dangerous side after pushing Elias off a high railing

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King Corbin has been one of the most consistent heels on Friday Night SmackDown.

But mostly, his act revolves around portraying an annoying heel every week. King Corbin is a pompous figure who is often relegated to comedic segments many times. This is because his heel gimmick is perfectly tailored for a comedy program.

At some point, the character needs to establish himself as a dangerous threat to reach the next level.

Many thought that an impromptu feud with Elias wouldn't do Corbin any huge favors. However, Corbin unleashed his threatening side on last night's episode, where Elias had arrived to sing a song that ridiculed his WrestleMania opponent.

After Elias finished his performance, Corbin assaulted The Drifter out of nowhere.

The whole fiasco reached a tipping point when Elias was forced to hang by a railing high above the ground. This ended when Corbin used his scepter to knock Elias off a railing to the floor.

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Elias and King Corbin's feud was nowhere near the hottest feuds on the Road to WrestleMania 36. But last night's segment was necessary to legitimize this program as something worthy of your time.

#2: Mandy Rose confronted Dolph Ziggler about his cheap tactics against Otis

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Dolph Ziggler baited Otis into snapping against everyone during last week's episode. A few pictures capturing Mandy Rose and Ziggler's relationship were enough to trigger Otis into a rampage last time.

This week, the cameras caught up with Ziggler backstage, who was still basking in glory after messing with Otis in the previous episode.

Soon, Otis barged in and tried to get his hands on Dolph Ziggler. WWE officials held him back, as Tucker calmed his buddy down. It looks like Otis might get his hands on Dolph Ziggler at WrestleMania after all.

Later, Mandy Rose caught up with her onscreen boyfriend and refused to be a prize that Otis and Ziggler seem to be fighting for. She also confronted The ShowOff about his mean tactics against Otis, which proved that Rose has sympathy for Otis even now. After all, he's the most lovable guy on SmackDown.

Even though Mandy walked off with Ziggler at the end of the night, it was clearly established that Mandy Rose is an independent star on the roster, and two guys fighting to "rescue" a girl is simply a thing of the past.

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As unlikely as it may seem, a love triangle has had one of the best buildups on the Road to WrestleMania in 2020.

#1: Bray Wyatt challenged John Cena to a Firefly Fun House Match at WrestleMania

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The Firefly Fun House returned to its fun and demented roots on this week's SmackDown.

Bray Wyatt contemplated about his previous WrestleMania encounter with John Cena. Apparently, the head-shaped lantern - that bears resemblance to Wyatt's "Eater of the Worlds" gimmick - had its chance against John Cena several years ago.

Now, Wyatt had to come up with a new plan to ensure that he can defeat Cena this time around. He proceeded to invent a recipe that consists of a little disappointment, self-loathing, along with The Ramblin' Rabbit puppet, all finely mixed together in a blender. The Rabbit is dead, once again. Bon Appétit.

Wyatt challenged Cena to a Firefly Fun House Match, which will surely play up to The Fiend's cinematic strengths during their WrestleMania encounter.

After the announcement, Bray Wyatt sipped his smoothie. But doing so resulted in an unfortunate side-effect. The Firefly Fun House's playful themes mask the fact that the smoothie is supposed to trigger the dark side of Bray Wyatt's alter-ego.

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John Cena versus "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt may go down as one of the most unique WrestleMania matches in history.

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Edited by
Zaid Khan
 
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