WWE SmackDown results, recap, grades: Roman Reigns, The Rock to confront Triple H about WrestleMania decision

Paul Levesque is going to have his hands full with Dwayne Johnson and the undisputed WWE universal champion

A power struggle is brewing on WWE SmackDown. Chief content officer Paul Levesque stood firm in his decision to book Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes for WrestleMania 40, but that may ruffle the feathers of Triple H's old foe The Rock.

Levesque kicked off SmackDown on Friday to support Rhodes' rightfully earned rematch against undisputed WWE universal champion Reigns. WWE's creative leader took shots at Reigns and Dwayne Johnson while defending his decision. That set the stage for a dramatic episode of SmackDown. The Bloodline's special counsel Paul Heyman revealed that Reigns and The Rock will appear next week to confront "The Game."

SmackDown also set the stage for a men's Elimination Chamber match to determine Seth Rollins' challenger at WrestleMania. Twelve superstars will compete in qualifying matches over the next seven days on SmackDown and Raw. Plus, Damage CTRL's implosion was another focal point of Friday night.

CBS Sports was with you all night with recaps and highlights of all the action from Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Triple H stands firm on decision; Elimination Chamber qualifications underway

Levesque kicked off SmackDown by clearing any confusion caused by Thursday's press conference in Las Vegas. A chorus of "Rocky sucks!" chants broke out in the crowd. His address was rife with allusions to The Rock and Reigns. Levesque said some people "don't know their role." He accused unnamed parties of asserting their authority where they had none. Levesque said it did not matter where you sit and that decision-making starts and stops with him. Levesque reiterated that Reigns would defend his undisputed WWE universal championship against Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania 40. He capped off his address by saying, "It doesn't matter if you don't like that decision."

SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis and Raw general manager Adam Pearce were also in the ring. Aldis revealed that six male superstars will compete in an Elimination Chamber match on Feb. 24 to determine world heavyweight champion Rollins' WrestleMania opponent. Qualifier matches will take place in the next seven days featuring Randy Orton, Bronson Reed, Kevin Owens, Logan Paul, AJ Styles, The Miz, Bobby Lashley, Ivar, Drew McIntyre, Sami Zayn, Dominik Mysterio and LA Knight.

Backstage, former NXT champion Bron Breakker asked Levesque for advice about signing with Raw or SmackDown. The conversation didn't get far due to Heyman's arrival. It was clear that Levesque was in no mood to talk so Heyman said they'd catch up next week with Reigns and The Rock in person.

Randy Orton def. Sami Zayn after catching Zayn with an RKO. SmackDown's main event was a competitive back-and-forth between fan favorites. Zayn leaned on his agility against Orton's power. An exciting spot saw Orton throw Zayn into the barricade only for Zayn to hop up and retaliate with an Asai moonsault. Zayn nearly secured the win with a Blue Thunder Bomb late in the match but Orton kicked out. The final sequence saw Orton duck between Zayn's legs mid-springboard and surprise him with an RKO. McIntyre and Orton faced off post-match.

The chaos thrust upon WrestleMania's main event was concerning over the last seven days but it seems WWE is pivoting well. Reigns vs. Rhodes had to be the main event once Rhodes won the Royal Rumble. Rectifying that match and turning The Rock heel in response to fan backlash were smart choices. The union between Reigns and Rock will make for compelling programming in the coming weeks. Adding a power struggle between WWE executive Levesque and TKO executive Johnson risks becoming convoluted and overly meta but has potential considering the long history between them. Booking an Elimination Chamber match to crown Rollins' challenger is welcomed and straightforward booking. The fact that Zayn and another top act failed to qualify speaks to how healthy WWE's main event scene is at the moment. Grade: A-

What else happened on WWE SmackDown?

• Drew McIntyre def. AJ Styles via pinfall after hitting a Claymore kick to qualify for the men's Elimination Chamber match.
• Pretty Deadly star in a vignette.
• Bianca Belair def. Michin via pinfall after hitting KOD to qualify for the women's Elimination Chamber match.
• Dakota Kai sided with Bayley, saving her from Damage CTRL.
• Bobby Lashley, Street Profits and B-Fab cut a promo on The Final Testament.
• British Strong Style (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) def. DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) via pinfall after Dunne hit Gargano with Bitter End. Dunne and Bate will challenge Judgement Day for the undisputed tag team titles at Elimination Chamber.
• Dominik Mysterio and Kevin Owens had a verbal altercation ahead of their Elimination Chamber qualifier match.
• Logan Paul threw a tantrum to Aldis and Pearce over having to qualify for the Elimination Chamber. Aldis revealed he'd face The Miz next week.