- A highly anticipated episode of SmackDown Live happened coming off a critically acclaimed episode the previous week. There was an Intercontinental Championship match, a contract signing, and another highly anticipated match. Did SmackDown Live live up to the previous week’s defeat of Raw?
The Miz and Maryse demand an apology from Renee Young
The first SmackDown Live of 2017 kicked off with The Miz & Maryse. The Miz began to praise himself, Maryse and the Intercontinental title. He said his only New Year’s resolution is to be more forgiving, and then called out Renee Young demanding an apology. He threatened to not let the show go on unless Renee came out. The crowd started chanting “We want Ambrose” and The Miz said he wanted Renee.
Right after, Ambrose came out, and The Miz put Maryse as his shield while he stood outside the ropes. Maryse then slapped Dean Ambrose. The “it” couple fled, and Ambrose said that the hardest part of his night was over, because Maryse hits harder than The Miz does.
Baron Corbin vs Dolph Ziggler
Ziggler started off with the offence, but it didn’t take long for Corbin to turn the tables. One spot saw the referee accidentally count to 3. The commentators focused more on talking about the year that Corbin and Ziggler have had. Corbin continued to be dominant while Ziggler got the offence in time and again only.
After the commercial break, Corbin still had control and took a hard shot at Ziggler which saw a near fall. Shortly after this, the momentum fell towards Ziggler’s side, where he hit the stinger splash and an elbow. One of the following spots saw Corbin hit a vicious clothesline on Ziggler which saw another near fall. The crowd was fully behind this match, more on the side of the Show Off.
Ziggler managed to land a Zig-zag on Corbin, but Corbin kicked out once again. Another attempt at offence towards Corbin saw The Lone Wolf counter it into The End Of Days, and pick up the win.
Baron Corbin defeated Dolph Ziggler
After the match, Corbin tried to attack Ziggler with a steel chair, but Kalisto came out for the save and cleared Corbin from the ring. When Kalisto turned his back, Ziggler superkicked him and turned heel in the process. He told Kalisto that he didn’ t need him in a frustrated voice.
Carmella was backstage and James Ellsworth approached her. He struggled to finds words to say, jumbling his sentences but managed to wish her luck for her match later. He gave his t-shirt to Carmella, and Carmella told him to escort her to the ring for their match.
Rhyno, Mojo Rawley, and Apollo Crews were backstage talking, Ziggler stormed backstage and Apollo Crews told him that his attack on Kalisto was uncalled for. Ziggler told him to mind his own business, but Apollo Crews said that Kalisto was his friend, so he was making it his business. Ziggler headbutted Crews and they began to fight. Rhyno and Mojo Rawley broke things up.
Becky Lynch vs La Luchadora
Becky Lynch started dominantly against La Luchadora. La Luchadora went under the ring and rapidly came out from the other side, clearly another Luchadora. the other one was clearly Alexa Bliss who failed to hit a sparkle splash. Becky Lynch tapped her out. Becky then unmasked the shorter Luchadora who was Alexa Bliss. The other Luchadora came out and attacked Becky. Alexa hit a DDT on Becky and she and the other Luchadora departed.
Becky Lynch defeated La Luchadora(Alexa Bliss)
The contract signing between AJ Styles and John Cena was next.
AJ Styles-John Cena contract signing
General Manager Daniel Bryan made his way out. John Cena made his way out first. AJ Styles told Daniel Bryan that he and Bryan are cut from the same cloth and that John Cena is different. He called out Cena for getting a title shot despite being absent for 4 months last year. Bryan mentioned SmackDown Live beating Raw in the viewership the previous week and said that they wanted to keep the momentum going by giving the biggest possible match for the Rumble.
He said that it was the match everyone wanted and the match everyone was going to get. Bryan told AJ that he didn’t know what AJ was worried about because he has 3 victories over Cena. Bryan then departed. AJ told Cena that the tables had turned from when they first met. He then said that SmackDown Live beat Raw in the ratings because he was the champion and not Cena.
Cena said that he had a lot of respect for AJ. AJ cut him off and told him he didn’t want to hear about it. He mentioned Cena taking back his comments on The Rock being a phoney on Talking Smack. AJ said that Cena wasn’t wrong, he was right, and that Cena was a phoney. He credited John Cena for being great before. He then told Cena that he would never be as great as The Rock would be in Hollywood, and he would never be as good as Styles in the ring and signed the contract.
The crowd erupted into Cena chants.Cena said that the biggest part of being humble is admitting when he is wrong. He then said that AJ made the biggest mistake by pissing him off and that he would push back. Cena said he lost all respect for Styles, calling him a chump. He cut a different style promo than he usually does, calling AJ a “punk little b*tch”.
Cena cut a promo about passion, and told AJ that he was no different from anyone who said: “Cena sucks”. He said that they chant “Cena sucks” and “has been” could never be him. He said that he is John Cena, “recognised” and signed the contract.
Baron Corbin came out and announced his participation in the Rumble, and that he would leave Wrestlemania as WWE champion. Cena said that he knew AJ wasn’t going to fight but he would pick a fight with Corbin. Before he could get his hands on Corbin, AJ blindsided Cena, attacking him from behind. AJ then left while Corbin was standing by the ropes.
Backstage, Maryse confronted Renee Young and slapped her, telling her to never slap her husband again.
Carmella vs Aliyah
Aliyah from NXT made an appearance. Carmella(with James Ellsworth ringside) totally dominated Aliyah. Aliyah got a brief but of offence and went on the top rope, but Ellsworth held her feet, making her go down. Carmella then hit Aliyah with a kick, and then put her in the Code of silence for the win.
Carmella defeated Aliyah by submission
American Alpha vs Breezango
American Alpha’s first match as SmackDown Tag Team Champions. A squash match that saw Chad Gable pinned Tyler Breeze with a Gran Amplitude after less than a minute.
American Alpha defeated Breezango
The screen cut to a gloomy room where The New Wyatt family are standing. Bray Wyatt told them to enjoy their moment until reality hits them. They announced that next week they will come to reclaim the SmackDown Tag Team Championships.
American Alpha vs The New Wyatt family set for next week for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships.
Nikki Bella addressing Natalya was promoted next
Nikki Bella addresses Natalya
Nikki Bella told Natalya that she didn’t despise Natalya, and it had nothing to do with her looks or the man she was with, but that she and Brie worked hard to get where she is. She called out Natalya for using her family legacy, and Natalya and Nikki traded back and forth jabs at each other. Natalya said that beauty fades, and once Nikki’s beauty faded, John would leave her. Nikki attacked Natalya and left.
Dean Ambrose was walking backstage, and Dasha Fuentes asked him about Maryse slapping Renee. Ambrose said that what he wanted the most was the Intercontinental Championship. He made his way out to the ring.
The Miz(c) vs Dean Ambrose – Intercontinental Championship Match
Dean Ambrose started by chasing The Miz who was fleeing away. He started with some heavy-hitting offence on The Miz followed up by chest slaps. Ambrose showed an extremely frustrated side, man-handling The Miz. Thanks to Maryse’ distraction outside, The Miz managed to get his first offence on The Lunatic Fringe, throwing him towards the steel steps.
After the commercial break, there was a lot of back-and-forth offence, with Ambrose getting most of it. The Miz attacked Ambrose's knee and started working on it, teasing a figure-4 leg lock. However, Ambrose countered it, nearly hitting the dirty deeds. When Ambrose was about to jump from the top ropes, Maryse distracted The Miz, and when Ambrose jumped, The Miz caught him and hit the Skull crushing finale, but Ambrose kicked out.
The Miz began with the kicks of Daniel Bryan. Ambrose, however, managed to hit the Lunatic lariat on The Miz. Outside the ring, Maryse slapped Ambrose. The referee was about to call for a disqualification, but Ambrose stopped the referee and demanded he didn’t make it a DQ. The referee then demanded Maryse leave ringside. The Miz hit Ambrose from behind with the Intercontinental Championship, but Ambrose kicked out.
The Miz then went for the Skull Crushing Finale, but Ambrose countered it into the Dirty Deeds, and pinned The Miz to 3, winning the Championship.
Dean Ambrose defeated The Miz to become the Intercontinental Champion
