SmackDown Live visited La Crosse, Wisconsin, last night for the brand exclusive live event. The main event for the night was the WWE Championship bout between Bray Wyatt and AJ Styles.
Elsewhere on the card, Baron Corbin and Dean Ambrose faced off for the Intercontinental Championship, and Alexa Bliss defended her SmackDown Women’s Title in a Fatal Four Way Match. The blue brand went all guns blazing, despite a no-show from the likes of John Cena, Nikki Bella and The Miz.
Becky Lynch also missed the show as she was at UFC 209 cheering for her partner Luke Sanders.
With everything said, it was a solid show, which upheld the reputation of the blue brand.
#1 Heath Slater and Rhyno vs. Breezango (Tag Team match)
The Fashion Police kicked off the party in LaCrosse for their match against the team of Slater and Rhyno. The former SmackDown Tag Team Champions were well received by those in attendance, while Breezango inspired a decent response. A short but fun match!
Result: Heath Slater and Rhyno won via pinfall
#2 Kalisto and Mojo Rawley vs. The Ascension (Tag Team match)
It was the second of three tag team matches that were featured on the show and was quite frankly the most forgettable of the lot. The match in itself was decent, but the crowd was dead for this one.
In the end, Kalisto and Rawley picked up an easy win. After the match, Rawley was seen taking a victory lap with Kalisto on his shoulders. Crazy stuff!
Results: Kalisto and Mojo Rawley defeated The Ascension
#3 Apollo Crews vs. Curt Hawkins (Singles match)
This one was over as soon as it began. Another squash match for Hawkins and oh boy was he squashed!
Result: Apollo Crews won via pinfall
#4 American Alpha vs. The Usos (Tag Team match for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship)
What a match! Ever since they won the tag titles, American Apha have been a force to reckon with. The Usos held their own but were shot down by the brilliance of Chad Gable and Jason Jordan.
Result: American Alpha retained
#5 Alexa Bliss vs. Mickie James vs. Tamina Snuka vs. Natalya (Fatal Four Way for the SmackDown Women’s Championship)
A great outing for the ladies of the blue brand. The Wicked Witch got an amazing response from the LaCrosse crowd while the others inspired a lukewarm reaction. WWE took an unconventional route for this matchup as all the women involved in the match are currently heels in their respective storylines. Anyhow, in the end, Bliss retained.
Result: Alexa Bliss retained
#6 Dolph Ziggler vs. Apollo Crews (Singles match)
This is perhaps the worst booked storyline of the blue brand, yet the two men had a good outing. Crews has more or less been a victim of bad booking and once again the match between him and Ziggler failed to establish anything. Anyways, the wrestling part was good but the storytelling was woeful.
Result: Dolph Ziggler defeated Apollo Crews
#7 Dean Ambrose vs. Baron Corbin (Singles match for the Intercontinental Championship)
Massive pops for Dean Ambrose. The Lunatic Fringe was all pumped up for his bout against The Lone Wolf. And the match lived up to the hype. Despite the loss, Corbin looked the menacing Superstar everyone wants him to be.
Result: Dean Ambrose retained via pinfall
#8 Bray Wyatt vs. AJ Styles (Singles match for the WWE Championship)
A stunning performance from Styles and Wyatt. The crowd came back to life for this one. Huge pops for both the Superstars and what followed was the perfect way to conclude the night of great wrestling. To simply put it together it was without a doubt the match of the night.
In the end, Wyatt won after he countered the Phenomenal Forearm into a perfectly executed Sister Abigail.
Result: Bray Wyatt retained via pinfall
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