The loud and vocal fans of Chicago were in for a treat as they witnessed three hard-hitting title matches at the Allstate Arena. They got to witness American Alpha as the new tag champs, they got to see interference from a masked Luchadora and they witnessed the best main event on either Raw or Smackdown this year, between AJ Styles, Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin.
We bring you all the action in this recap!
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The Return of John Cena
John Cena kicked off proceedings in Chicago, Illinois. The crowd gave him completely mixed reactions which were deafeningly loud. Cena asked if the ‘CM Punk’ chants were actually ‘Cena Sucks’ chants. A reference to the Chicago Cubs got a negative reaction.
Cena concluded that the city consisted of White Sox fans. Cena said at that point that Chicago is the city of Champions.
Cena mentioned the name of the three contenders for the WWE Championship. Dolph Ziggler’s name got loud boos. Cena pleaded with the WWE Universe to give him a chance, as one kick can change history. Baron Corbin’s name was dropped which was booed too.
Cena says that’s fine because he hated the WWE Universe too! AJ Styles got a great reaction. Cena said it looks like AJ has a lot of fans and added that he was one too!
So Cena asked the WWE Universe what he’s doing in the ring. The audience chanted ‘Undertaker’ in unison. Cena began to act heelish at this point. He said people plan his future all the time and even said he had one foot out of the door, heading to Hollywood. But Cena was not leaving.
He said it’s not the new era, but it was the ‘My Time is Now’ era. Cena wanted the winner of the main event in a match at the Royal Rumble. He said one may think that couldn’t be done. But he can because he's John Cena.
Shades of a heel turn?
#4 Corner Tag Team Elimination Match (Smackdown Tag Team Championship)
Dasha Fuentes was trying to get a word with the Miz. Maryse opened the door to his dressing room. Miz won’t answer Dasha, but only the unprofessional journalist who slapped him last week, Renee Young!
Rhyno vs. Chad Gable started things off. We saw a powerful clothesline by Rhyno. Gable followed up with a brilliant suplex with a neat looking bridge. Jey Uso tagged himself in. The Usos began to double teaming Rhyno. JBL made a comment about The Usos being twins for a long time, which was funny.
Rhyno reversed a sleeper that one of the Usos had put him in and tagged in Slater. Slater looked impressive, coming in with full on steam and leg lariats. Slater went high risk, slipped and fell. The Usos eliminated Slater with a superkick, as Rhyno looked on!
We come back from commercial, and see Jason Jordan in a Sleeper Hold. Somehow Jordan managed to tag in Gable and deliver the Alpha Plex to one of the Usos, but a baseball slide prevents the elimination. There was a fast sequence of moves, with an impressive looking Overhead Belly to Belly Suplex by American Alpha.
American Alpha went for the Grand Amplitude, but Chad Gable pinned one of the Usos in an impressive looking flurry of moves. Angered, the Usos destroy American Alpha after their elimination.
The Wyatts came in for the first time in the match. Luke Harper dragged in Jason Jordan. Usos beat down on American Alpha. Orton stomps on Jordan and hung him on the top rope. Randy Orton was obliterating Jordan with lots of impressive looking moves.
Gable got tagged in. He delivered a brilliant looking German Suplex. But Bray Wyatt distracted the referee by appearing on the apron. Orton used the distraction to knock Gable down.
After returning from commercial, Luke Harper had a side headlock on Chad Gable. He catapulted Gable into the ropes in what looked like an impressive move. Gable was able to return to the ring, just in the nick of time. Harper would toss him out again.
Orton was tagged in and dropped Gable continuously on the barricade. Orton was in fine form, as he hung Gable on the top rope. Harper got tagged in. An impressive Michonoku Driver, followed by a weird looking Gator Roll followed.
Then came a brilliant looking Sidewalk Slam from Harper. Gable made a move in desperation, tagging in Jordan who went all out with Suplexes.
American Alpha were in fine form, as Gable delivered a cannonball off the apron. Jordan followed suit with a leaping clothesline. The action returned to the ring and Randy delivered his traditional DDT to Jordan. The competitors all went to the top rope and inadvertently, Orton knocked off Luke Harper. The Grand Amplitude followed, and we had new Smackdown Tag Team Champions.
American Alpha def. The Wyatt Family, Heath Slater/Rhyno and The Usos to become new Smackdown Tag Team Champions
A fight between Harper and Orton broke out in the ring and was broken up by Bray Wyatt.
Renee Young interviewed Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler spoke about how opportunity after opportunity has slipped him by. and how that makes him the wild card. He added that every once in a while a wild card changes the whole damn game.
Dasha Fuentes interviewed James Ellsworth. She asked him how he felt when people made fun of him. Ellsworth said sometimes it brings him down. Carmella came in and said she finds Ellsworth uniquely attractive, taking him away.
Alexa Bliss vs. Becky Lynch (Smackdown Women’s Championship Match)
The match began with the women locking in. Alexa seemed to have the advantage, but Becky reversed it into a brilliant leg lock. Both of them started trading holds. Soon enough there were sunset flips and the two women traded near falls.
A brilliant looking Matrix move by Becky Lynch changed the pace of the match. At several points of the match, Lynch went for the Disarm-Her, but couldn’t lock it in.
Alexa took advantage and began to ground and pound Becky, eliminating the pretty looking moves. At one point she stomped Becky’s head in. Bliss avoided a baseball side by using the ring apron. As we went into commercial, Bliss drove Bliss into the post.
Alexa had the advantage after the break. But Becky Lynch reversed it with an impressive array of moves. She amped up the aggression with an impressive looking arm lash. Becky then went to the top rope, and Alexa tried desperately to bring her down.
Out of nowhere, Spanish sounding music hit and La Luchadora came in. Becky Lynch was distracted allowing Alexa to roll her up, but she couldn’t capitalise on a near fall. Bliss followed this up with brilliant gymnastic moves. Soon enough, she went to the top rope to deliver the Twisted Blis but fell onto Becky’s knees.
Becky went for her finisher, but Alexa got her foot on the rope. Alexa feigned an injury while La Luchadora went in for a distraction. A DDT from Alexa Bliss allowed her to win the match.
Dasha asked who the woman at ringside is. Alexa said judging by her size, it was Sasha Banks. Dasha said the woman was considerably bigger than Banks. Alexa said it was probably Nia Jax then.
Alexa Bliss def. Becky Lynch
Renee Young went to interview Miz and was confronted by Maryse. When Miz came to answer her question, Ambrose came in from behind and started beating up The Miz. Security interfered but Ambrose took them out too. Subsequently, he picked up the walkie talkie and said ‘all clear’.
Dasha interviewed Nikki Bella. Nikki said she is proud of her achievements, being part of two hit shows. And added that she’ll tell Natalya what she needs to tell her to her face.
Renee Young asked if Baron Corbin is feeling any pressure. Corbin said the only person feeling pressure are the two little guys!
AJ Styles vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin (Triple Threat match for the WWE Championship)
After the initial flurry of moves, nobody looked like they had the advantage. Going in to break, Corbin looked like he had the upper hand. Ziggler was surprisingly wrestling in a pink t-shirt.
Baron Corbin seemed in control, driving Ziggler and Styles into ringside. AJ retaliated with chops accompanied by ‘wooo’ chants from the crowd. Ziggler’s dropkick took out Corbin. There was a series of punches between Ziggler and Styles. But an explosive clothesline from Corbin dismantled both Ziggler and Styles.
At this point, Corbin began trash talking with Dolph Ziggler in the corner. Corbin set AJ Styles up for the End of Days and it was blocked by The Phenomenal One. A furious Baron Corbin then drove AJ into the ringside. It was utter chaos as we cut to commercial.
Corbin was stomping Ziggler and pounding Styles when we were back from commercial. Ziggler and Styles teamed up to punch Corbin and take him out. But Corbin would retaliate and take out both Ziggler and Styles. Corbin set up a table, but a forearm from Styles and a superkick from Ziggler put Corbin on the table.
Both double teamed Corbin on the table.
Styles and Dolph now began to take it to one another with the big man out. A DDT from Dolph took out Styles for a near fall. But Styles would counter with an Ushigaroshi. AJ tried to follow it up with a Phenomenal Forearm but was stopped by a hard hitting kick by Dolph Ziggler, who delivered a superkick soon after.
A near fall followed. Corbin entered the match but looked exhausted. Gathering his momentum, Corbin delivered a Deep Six, but AJ broke up the fall.
Then followed the move of the year. An end of days and Zig Zag at the same time. Somehow, Baron Corbin kicked out of this predicament too. In the series of offence that followed, Dolph got crotched on the top turnbuckle. Corbin capitalised on his momentum with an End of Days on Ziggler.
At which point, a phenomenal forearm destroyed Corbin. AJ Styles pinned Corbin to pick up the win.
AJ Styles def. Baron Corbin and Dolph Ziggler
Cena’s music hit and he came to ringside. He stretched his hand for a handshake. AJ hesitated but ended up shaking Corbin’s hand. We went off the air with Neville cutting a promo for 205 Live.
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