A historic edition of SmackDown Live saw women main event in a steel cage for the first time in the brand’s near 18 year history, a major return that will rock the Women’s division, and a hometown hero returning, only to get taken down. The blue brand had yet another rollercoaster show that did not fail to deliver. Below are the results
Shane McMahon’s Big Announcement
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The SmackDown Live Commissioner kicked off the show. He started talking about the Royal Rumble and the competitors, naming each one, inciting a reaction from the crowd. He said that in 4 weeks time, the WWE Championship will be defended inside the Elimination Chamber. AJ Styles then came out looking disgusted about having to defend at Elimination Chamber. Shane said that it is only if he is still champion at Royal Rumble.
AJ sounded disgusted again and told Shane that his decision was “dumb”. As he fought Shane’s decision, the crowd erupted into chants of “AJ Styles”. Shane praised AJ but said his attitude wasn’t “phenomenal”. John Cena came out, and before he could say anything, AJ started throwing tantrums about “SmackDown Live being against him”.
The Miz then interrupted and said that he will beat Dean Ambrose for the Intercontinental Championship, or he wins the Royal Rumble or Elimination Chamber, he will get to where he belongs – the main event of Wrestlemania. AJ Styles and The Miz started trading back and forths. John Cena injected in and tried to provoke more tension between the two. He subtly went to the corner.
After another big burn by Styles, Cena asked The Miz if he was going to let anyone talk to him like that. Shane McMahon made a matchup between AJ Styles and The Miz, which was next.
AJ Styles vs The Miz
Before the match started, Dean Ambrose approached Shane McMahon backstage talked about wanting a new Intercontinental Championship title belt due to the smell it sustained from The Miz and also said he wanted The Viper, so Shane set up a match between him and Orton for later in the night.
John Cena was on commentary. The two competitors first tried to overpower each other. AJ got the initial momentum on his side and looked to Cena on commentary to seem to try and prove a point. When AJ Styles tried attempting a Phenomenal Forearm, Maryse distracted him, and The Miz big booted him to the ground.
The Daniel Bryan taunts from The Miz then began. The Miz gave AJ a thumb to the eye, and then a DDT. AJ Styles countered a Skull crushing finale to a small package. He then hit the Pele kick on The Miz, who went crashing outside.
AJ threw The Miz against Cena and then started attacking him, prompting a Disqualification.
The Miz defeated AJ Styles by Disqualification
After the match, AJ ran away from Cena, and The Miz started attacking Cena from behind, but Cena countered it into the Attitude Adjustment. Styles tried to give a Phenomenal forearm to Cena, but Cena dodged it and gave him an AA as well. He held the championship in the air.
Nikki Bella calls out Natalya
Nikki Bella said her and Nattie should finish what they started right then and there. When Natalya didn't be, Nikki Bella said that she wasn’t surprised. Natalya started calling Nikki from another place, which turned out to be one of the crowd entrance.
Nattie played a video on the titantron. Natalya went to the merchandise stand, asking where Nikki’s shirt was. She asked where her merchandise was, and pitted her not having merchandise on Nikki. She said that “if I don’t have merchandise, she won’t have merchandise”. Nikki then came in and started attacking her, while security was trying to break them up. Nikki even slapped one of the guards, and they eventually managed to break the two up.
Alexa Bliss was asked by Dasha Fuentes whether she was afraid. Alexa said she wasn’t scared when she put Becky through a table. She said that once she beat Becky, her face would be something no one would ever forget.
An extended video package of Kurt Angles’s Hall Of Fame induction played.
Dean Ambrose vs Randy Orton
Dean Ambrose made his way out first, followed by The Wyatt family. A highlight of the previous week was shown where the miscommunication between the Wyatt Family led to Bray getting mule kicked by Luke Harper. This is the first time Ambrose and Orton went head to head in over two years. Ambrose started with the offence, even getting some ground-and-pound on Randy.
Ambrose started off with rest holds on Randy. Orton then countered into a headlock of his own. The match started very slow paced, and Orton started to work on Ambrose’s leg. Orton was dominant until a while later when he hit a rebound clothesline on Randy. Harper was tempted to interfere and attack Ambrose, but Bray stopped him. It didn’t take long for Orton to get more offence in, and he slammed Ambrose onto the announcer’s desk.
After the commercial break, the two exchanged a lot of back and forths, when Ambrose attempted a rebound lariat, Orton hit him with a scoop slam. Ambrose attempted Dirty deeds, which he tried to counter into an RKO, but Ambrose countered that into a rebound lariat. Orton still ended up dominating and hit the DDT from the middle rope. Harper came in the ring and tried to attack Ambrose, but Bray reasoned with him to stay out. Ambrose took advantage and pinned Randy Orton with the small package.
Dean Ambrose defeated Randy Orton.
After the match, Orton was furious, and a brawl between Harper and Orton was teased, with Bray once again serving as the voice of reason. Bray even struck Harper before he went further. He told Randy to get ready for a strike as well. The crowd was chanting “RKO”, and Harper then departed.
Dasha Fuentes then interviewed Becky Lynch backstage. She quoted Alexa’s face from their prior interview. Becky said that she remembered Alexa Bliss’ face two weeks prior when she tapped her out. She said she never ran away from a fight, and they will find out what Alexa is later in the night, and she said it wouldn’t be the champion.
King’s Court with Dolph Ziggler
Jerry Lawler said that he was glad to be back. Lawler introduced Dolph Ziggler and said that he had faded away. Lawler said that he knew what Ziggler's problem was, and pointed out that he believed a change in attitude would win him matches. He said that he went down the wrong path because he lost to Kalisto anyway. Ziggler was silent, and Lawler played a highlight from last week where Ziggler attacked Kalisto and Apollo Crews.
Ziggler continued to be completely silent and was about to walk away. Lawler prompted Ziggler to come and talk. Ziggler said that he knew Lawler would try to make Ziggler look bad in front of his friends and family in his hometown. He said that he had a video package himself. He played a video of him dropping elbows on Lawler’s chest before he had a heart attack.
Ziggler said that Lawler was right in blaming Ziggler for his heart attack. He said it took Lawler years to face him man-to-man, and that if he didn’t stop with the questions, he would finish what he started from back then.
Lawler said he had one more question for him. He asked him how it felt that no matter how many times he changed his attitude, he would always be a loser. Ziggler turned around and superkicked Jerry’s chest. JBL came running to assist Lawler. As Ziggler was walking away, Lawler got up and screamed at him to come back. Ziggler walked away.
The main event was announced as next.
Bray Wyatt said that all 3 of them will be entering the Royal Rumble. He said that a broken family is no family at all. He said that next week Luke Harper and Randy Orton will have a match, and they would be stronger than ever.
Alexa Bliss(c) vs Becky Lynch – Steel cage match for SmackDown Women’s Championship
Alexa attempted to escape the cage from the get-go, but Becky would not let her. Becky tried to escape from the top but Alexa pulled her leg down. Becky Lynch got herself and Alexa down on the floor when both were on the top ropes.
After the commercial break, Alexa had a hold of Becky. It didn’t take long for Becky to get the momentum, hitting a missile dropkick from the top rope. Becky attempted to escape from the top, but Alexa just managed to get her back then. Becky used the steel cage as leverage for a side kick, and then hit the Bex-Plex from the second turnbuckle. The move was met with “This is awesome” chants by the crowd.
Alexa tried to escape through the door, but Becky held Alexa back and kicked her continuously. Alexa dragged Becky back, but as Becky was escaping, La Luchadora was standing by the door. She came in and attacked Becky as she was submitting Alexa Bliss. Alexa hit the snap-DDT to retain the championship.
Alexa Bliss defeated Becky Lynch to retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship.
After the match, they beat down Becky Lynch. When Becky fought back, she unmasked Luchadora, who turned out to be Mickie James. They successfully beat Becky down, and the unmasked Mickie James raised Alexa Bliss’ hand in triumph as SmackDown Live came to a close.
