WWE SmackDown results, recap, grades: Randy Orton, AJ Styles and LA Knight lay out The Bloodline

Roman Reigns' Royal Rumble challengers united to take out the champion's muscle

Roman Reigns is at a disadvantage at the 2024 Royal Rumble but his odds of remaining champion are getting worse by the week. Title challengers AJ Styles, LA Knight and Randy Orton found common ground on WWE SmackDown and laid out The Bloodline.

Reigns' "Island of Relevancy" might consider more diplomacy in the future. SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis punished The Bloodline for repeatedly ruining main event matches. Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa and a partner of their choosing -- in Reigns' absence -- were booked against Knight, Orton and Styles. Unfortunately, no one cared to rescue The Bloodline from a handicap match.

SmackDown also featured lots of development beyond the main event scene. Damage CTRL is doing damage control, WWE's newest faction has a name and Butch might be reverting to a more beloved moniker.

CBS Sports was with you all night with recaps and highlights of all the action from Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The Island of Relevancy is a lonely one

SmackDown looked to kick off with a rare singles match but it never came to fruition. Cameron Grimes walked the ramp for a match with Grayson Waller but never made it to the ring. The Bloodline laid out Grimes before addressing the Lincoln crowd. Paul Heyman accused Aldis of villainy for booking Reigns in a fatal four-way title match at the Royal Rumble. SmackDown's general manager wouldn't hear it. Aldis blamed The Bloodline for ruining main events in consecutive weeks. He insisted the four-way match was a done deal before reminding Heyman that he and Aldis are not equals. Aldis said the group couldn't ruin this week's main event because they would compete in a three vs. three match against Reigns' Rumble challengers. Heyman demanded the microphone but Aldis refused to let go. Heyman leaned over and reminded Aldis that Reigns was not present. Aldis said Heyman had until the end of the night to find a partner to team with Sikoa and Uso. If not, the main event would be a handicap match.

Heyman tried to woo Carlito with an apple. Carlito declined to team with The Bloodline but took the apple anyway. Pretty Deadly later offered their services before being reminded that there was only room for one of them and quickly backed out. Heyman's final bid was for Bobby Lashley's services. Heyman leaned on their longtime friendship, but Lashley said he'd only share a ring with The Bloodline if he was fighting Reigns.

Heyman informed Uso and Sikoa that he couldn't find them a partner but expressed total faith in them. Uso was concerned but Sikoa wasn't. Orton made his entrance shortly after but was taken out by The Bloodline. The match proceeded as a traditional tag team match in Orton's absence.

Knight, Orton and Styles def. The Bloodline (Sikoa and Uso) via pinfall after Orton returned for the match and hit an RKO on Uso. Ongoing tensions between Knight and Styles immediately flared. They argued about who would start the match. Uso tried to blindside them but it spurred his opponents to get along. The title challengers started well before Sikoa and Uso isolated Styles from his teammate. Styles later found reprieve but wouldn't tag Knight, accusing his partner of trying to screw him out of a big moment. Uso cracked Knight with a super kick during the discourse. Styles found himself again at a disadvantage. Orton's music hit as he hopped on the ring apron and received the hot tag. An RKO secured the victory for his team.

Sikoa tried to attack Orton post-match but Styles intervened with a Phenomenal Forearm. Knight was upset with Styles but the heroes united to lay out The Bloodline. Uso and Sikoa ate finishers before the latter was powerbombed through the announcers' table. Heyman made a call to Reigns to close the show.

Professional wrestling will always get credit for multi-pronged storytelling. Aldis standing up to The Bloodline is quietly becoming one of WWE's best feuds. SmackDown's top stable has no allies and more enemies than they can count. Styles and Knight butted heads but got along long enough to take out their common enemies. Heyman's abysmal recruiting efforts were fun to watch and a highlight of the week. The only thing I'd like to see is more focus on the challengers. Orton, Knight and Styles were given no screen time outside of their matches these past two weeks. It's nearly unfathomable that Reigns loses at the Royal Rumble but it'd be nice to have something to cling onto beyond his statistical odds of losing. Grade: B+

What else happened on WWE SmackDown?

• Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo def. LWO (Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro) via pinfall with a rope-assisted roll-up. Carlito and Santos Escobar brawled during the match.
• Logan Paul threatened to sue Kevin Owens if he used his cast in their United States title match at the Royal Rumble. Owens invited Paul to hash it out next week on "The Kevin Owens Show."
  
• Tyler Bate tried to convince Butch to team together moving forward but Butch refused. They also teased reverting to Butch's original ring name, Pete Dunne.
• Bianca Belair def. Bayley via pinfall after hitting KOD as Damage CTRL watched on. Bayley was upset with the lack of support but Dakota Kai said the referee had his eyes on them.
• Lashley and the Street Profits called out Karrion Kross, The Street Profits, Scarlet and Paul Ellering. The villainous faction cut a sinister promo naming themselves The Final Testament.
• Carmelo Hayes vs. Austin Theory ends in a no-contest after an accident occurred. Theory attempted a seated springboard Spanish fly that resulted in Theory's head being sandwiched between Hayes' and the mat. The match was booked after Theory and Grayson Waller interrupted Hayes' negotiations with Aldis.