WWE SmackDown results, recap, grades: Randy Orton strikes down his Royal Rumble opponents

Orton may hear voices but he's been the voice of reason up until this Friday

Randy Orton is Royal Rumble ready. Orton stood tall over AJ Styles, LA Knight and Roman Reigns on WWE SmackDown ahead of their fatal four-way match for the undisputed WWE universal championship.

Next Saturday's pay-per-view officially has a world title match after all four parties signed a contract on Friday night. Reigns has The Bloodline in his back pocket, but Orton is holding all the cards heading into next week's go-home show.

Other highlights from this week's show include a brawl between United States champion Logan Paul and challenger Kevin Owens, as well as another WWE women's tag team championship title defense by Katana Chance and Kayden Carter.

CBS Sports was with you all night with recaps and highlights of all the action from State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

The coiled, calculated viper strikes

Feigns told Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa backstage that he was there because they failed to deal with his title challengers last week. Sikoa said he'd solve the problems tonight.

SmackDown general manager Aldis kicked off SmackDown with the undisputed WWE universal championship contract signing. Styles was introduced first and signed the contract. Knight entered next and jotted his signature. Orton was the final challenger to put pen to paper. Unfortunately, Reigns did not follow the script. The champion's theme song blared through the arena but special counsel Paul Heyman stood alone at the entrance. Heyman said Reigns would not sign the contract because their attorney has yet to look it over. Aldis threatened to book a triple threat match for the vacant title if Reigns refused to sign. Heyman ripped Aldis for doing a mediocre job as GM. Heyman said the board of directors would never strip Reigns and that "The Tribal Chief' runs the show. Heyman demanded that Reigns defend his title in a one-on-one match instead. That led to an intense verbal altercation between Knight and Styles, both of whom felt entitled to a singles match with Reigns. A fight broke out as WWE officials separated the two.

Styles later demanded a one-on-one match with Knight on Friday. Aldis agreed to book it.

Deeper into the show, Reigns berated Uso for having too much fun and failing to defend The Bloodline's name. Sikoa took responsibility for the group's shortcomings last week against Knight, Orton and Styles. Sikoa said as the "Tribal Heir" it was on him to fix things. Styles ran into his O.C. compatriots Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows and Michin. Gallows informed Styles they'd still have his back despite a lack of communication between the group in recent months.

Knight def. Styles via disqualification after Sikoa hit Knight with a Samoan Spike. It was a short but competitive match between Knight and Styles. Unfortunately, Uso and Sikoa intervened early and laid out both men. Knight ate a Samoan Spike to officially end the match. Sikoa hit Styles with his finisher post-match. Sikoa got on the microphone after and said two down, one to go.

Orton def. Sikoa via pinfall after striking with the RKO. Sikoa performed well but was overwhelmed by Orton's veteran savvy. Uso tried to interfere in the match but was foiled by Styles and Knight. That allowed Orton to zero in and catch Sikoa with an RKO. 

The three challengers faced off afterward. Knight clocked Styles with a punch. Orton has been the voice of reason amid the turmoil but he had enough. Orton surprised Knight with an RKO before planting Styles with one as well. Reigns appeared out of nowhere and laid out Orton with a Superman punch. Aldis, who was ringside, presented the fatal four-way contract to Reigns. The undisputed champ signed it. Instead of handing it to Aldis, Reigns disrespectfully tossed it to the floor. He turned around to deliver a spear to Orton but ate an RKO instead. Orton stood tall over his three challengers to close the show.

Another solid episode of SmackDown is in the books. It was great to see the tension between Styles and Knight overflow; although, it would have been nice to afford them time for a longer match. Heyman refusing to have Reigns sign the contract was a refreshing twist from the usual contract-signing formula. Aldis continued to stand up to The Bloodline, a story thread that is quickly becoming a highlight of SmackDown. It was fitting for Reigns to sign the contract only when he felt he had an advantage over his peers. It was very on-brand. Orton looks like a million bucks right now and it's the right move considering he's the most compelling challenger at the moment. Grade: B+

What else happened on WWE SmackDown?

• Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo) def. LWO (Carlito, Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro) via pinfall after Escobar rolled up Carlito with a schoolboy pin.
• Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits cut a promo on The Final Testament.
  
• British Strong Style (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) def. Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince and Kit Wilson) via pinfall after Dunne hit Prince with Bitter End. Dunne officially shed his Butch moniker.
• Logan Paul stood tall after brawling with Kevin Owens on "The KO Show."
  
• WWE women's tag team championships -- Katana Chance and Kayden Carter (c) def. The Unholy Union (Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn) via pinfall by hitting Afterparty on Fyre. Post-match, Asuka and Kaira Sane confronted the champions.
  
• The Final Testament starred in a vignette teasing a match with Lashley and the Street Profits next week.
• Carmelo Hayes challenged Austin Theory to a rematch but Grayson Waller accepted it instead.