The first episode of SmackDown Live after Elimination Chamber came to us from Anaheim, California. The show was stacked as usual and headline by a massive WWE Championship match. Without delay, let’s get straight to what happened on the show.
Bray Wyatt comes out for the first time as WWE Champion
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Bray Wyatt came out to chants of “You deserve it”. He came out and addressed the crowd saying that he knew that this day would come – the day he would be WWE Champion. He then added that at this moment he had the whole world in his hand. The crowd replied by singing “He’s got the whole world in his hands”.
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Wyatt went on to say that too much power could be scary but not for him. He told the fans that if they walked by his side, he’d lead them to paradise but if they stood in his way, they’d burn before finishing off by welcoming the fans to the ‘era of Wyatt’.
John Cena’s music hits. He comes out and says that Bray brainwashed the fans into getting behind him but no one deserved anything and they had to earn everything. Cena added that the title was a target on Wyatt’s back and then reminded Wyatt of the fact that they had a title match when AJ Styles’ music hit.
Styles said that Cena may have gotten to skip lines everywhere but not when it came to his title rematch. Styles then reminded Cena that he’d beat him several times before adding that he knew that he could beat Wyatt too. AJ then demanded a one-on-one match with Bray Wyatt for the WWE Championship when Daniel Bryan’s music hit.
The first thing Daniel Bryan did after coming out was congratulating Bray Wyatt on winning the WWE Championship. He said that since both Cena and Styles were owed a rematch, they would face Wyatt in a triple threat match in the main event for the WWE Championship.
American Alpha vs The Ascension
Chad Gable starts off with Viktor. Gable outwrestles Viktor in the opening stages and sends him reeling back to his corner. Viktor came back only to be hit with multiple waist lock takedowns. Viktor gets frustrated and takes a shot at Jason Jordan as all four men start to brawl. American Alpha head to the top rope and hit stereo shoulder takedowns before clotheslining Konnor and Viktor out of the ring.
When we returned from the commercial we saw Viktor in control of Gable with a headlock locked in. Viktor then drove Gable sternum first into the corner before tagging in Konnor who hit a massive corner clothesline. Konnor followed it up with a side headlock as the crowd chanted “Gable”.
Konnor then tagged in Viktor who tried desparately to stop Gable from making the tag but failed. Jordan came in and planted Viktor face-first into the mat before hitting both Konnor and Viktor with Alphaplex’s. Jordan the missed a corner spear after which Konnor and Viktor double-teamed Gable for a nearfall.
The Ascension then looked to finish Gable off with the Fall of Man but Jordan came in took Konnor out. American Alpha then hit Viktor with the Grand Amplitude as Gable pinned him for the win. Another impressive performance from my boys, American Alpha.
American Alpha def. The Ascension
The Usos appeared on the titantron after the match, sending out a message to American Alpha.
We got a backstage segment between James Ellsworth and Dean Ambrose after this.
Dean Ambrose vs James Ellsworth
Ellsworth is out to introduce his ‘lady friend’. He tells the fans to stop booing because he was Carmella’s only boo. At this point Dean Ambrose’s music hit and even JBL was happy to see him.
However, Ambrose never made it out on his feet as we saw Corbin dragging Ambrose out. Corbin went for the End of Days on the ramp but Dean fought back before Corbin Deep Sixed him onto a pile of equipment.
Match never started
We got a backstage promo segment with Nikki Bella and Natalya after this. The situation soon broke down into a brawl and a frustrated Daniel Bryan booked a Falls Count Anywhere match between the duo for next week’s SmackDown.
Becky Lynch vs Mickie James
Mickie James starts off the match by targeting Becky’s arm once again, just like she’d done at Elimination Chamber. The two women lock arms and Becky takes Mickie down with a waistlock takedown, Mickie gets back up but Becky puts her down again. Becky locks in a hammer lock on Mickie.
Becky continued working on Mickie James’ arm, clearly looking to set up for the Disarmer. Becky then hit Mickie with a springboard sidekick as she’s on the apron, sending her crashing to the floor. The Irish Lass Kicker then headed to ringside as both women hit each other with clothesline taking each other down as we headed to commercial.
We came back from commercial to see Becky in a side headlock. Mickie dragged her back down to the mat as Becky tried to get to her feet and followed it with a cover for a 1-count. Following the failed pin attempt, she locked in another side headlock. Mickie followed it with a flapjack, planting Becky face-first into the mat.
James headed to the top rope but Becky avoided her offence and hit the Bexploder Suplex for a nearfall. With James down at ringside, Becky followed her out. It looked like James had an injured shoulder but she turned around and hit an unsuspecting Becky Lynch with a Mick Kick for the win.
Mickie James def. Becky Lynch
Naomi was out with Renee Young next. Naomi announced that she’d picked up an injury at Elimination Chamber. She told Renee that she realized she had an injury only after returning to her hotel room after Elimination Chamber. Naomi told the fans that what didn’t kill her only made her stronger and she’d been working for 8 years to become champion.
At this point Alexa Bliss came out and told Naomi that the injury was only in her head and she would show Naomi who the real champ was in front of her family at Wrestlemania 33. Bliss added that she’d give Naomi a week and if she didn’t get a title shot by then, she’d grab it.
Bray Wyatt (C) vs AJ Styles vs John Cena (for the WWE Championship)
John Cena and AJ Styles came out first, followed by the champion, Bray Wyatt who was in for a rude shock. As the lights came on, Luke Harper appeared and he attacked Wyatt before the match, laying him out before heading to the back.We came back from commercial to see the WWE title match already underway. Cena hit a backbody drop on AJ Styles before signaling for the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Wyatt dragged Cena out and sent him crashing into the steel steps as AJ Styles hit Wyatt with a Phenomenal Forearm.
Chants of “AJ Styles” broke out as Styles and Wyatt went at it in the ring. Styles hit Wyatt with shoulder charges in the corner and followed it up with a running forearm for a 2-count. Wyatt hit back with a bodyblock before throwing Styles out of the ring.
Cena came back in at this point and planted Wyatt on the mat before hitting the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Cena then went for the Attitude Adjustment but Wyatt looked to reverse it into a Sister Abigal only for Styles to hit him with another Phenomenal Forearm. Cena caught Styles with an Attitude Adjustment right after the forearm for a nearfall.
Cena then charged at Bray Wyatt who hit him with a Sister Abigail and covered him only for AJ Styles to break up the pin.
We came back from commercial to see AJ Styles hit Bray Wyatt with a splash on the announcer’s table which failed to break it. Styles then followed it up with a legdrop which broke the table. AJ then looked to set up the Phenomenal Forearm but Cena caught him in midair and hit an Attitude Adjustment. Cena looked to hit a second AA but Styles transitioned it into a Calf Crusher.
Cena reversed the Calf Crusher into an STF but Wyatt hit Cena with a running Senton during the STF. Wyatt then went for a Sister Abigail but Cena hit in with an Attitude Adjustment. Wyatt somehow kicked out before he 3-count. Styles then came in from behind and hit Cena with a Styles with a Styles Clash but Cena kicked out before the 3-count too.
Styles then looked to finish Cena off with a Phenomenal Forearm but Cena knocked him off balance and out of the ring. Wyatt immediately hit Cena with a Sister Abigail and pinned him to retain the WWE Championship. This was an epic WWE Championship match that I couldn’t believe was on free TV. Incredible.
Bray Wyatt def. AJ Styles and John Cena
Randy Orton came out as Bray Wyatt was celebrating. The two of them faced off as Orton walked to the ring. He told Wyatt that as long as Wyatt was his master he refused to face him at Wrestlemania before swearing his undying loyalty to Bray. Bray replied by saying that Orton now had the keys to the kingdom. The two of them posed as SmackDown faded off-air.
