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It was the turn of the SmackDown Live roster to continue with its live event responsibilities as top Superstars from the Blue Brand were in action at the Monroe Civic Center Arena in Monroe, Louisiana.
The house show was headlined by a WWE Championship match between Kofi Kingston and Dolph Ziggler. Bayley put her SmackDown Women's title on the line against Charlotte Flair in the other championship match of the night.
Roman Reigns, Finn Balor and Daniel Bryan were some of the biggest names from SmackDown who were not present at the show. Despite their absence, WWE managed to put on a decent card that kept the fans in attendance entertained throughout the night.
The fans also got to witness a mixed tag team match. Liv Morgan teamed up with Shelton Benjamin to take on Carmella and R-Truth in a light-hearted contest. Talking about R-Truth, the 9-time 24/7 Champion almost lost his title to Matt Hardy at the show.
The card featured a total of eight matches with more emphasis given to individual moments than cohesive in-ring action.
Here are the results and highlights of the show:
#1. The B-Team (Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel) vs. Heavy Machinery (Otis & Tucker)
Most house shows usually open with matches that feature intense in-ring action. However, WWE changed the norm this time around and kickstarted the show on a comedic note.
Otis and Tucker were the stars of the show as usual as their amusing shenanigans made this match a fun-filled encounter. The babyfaces got the win in the end.
Result: Otis & Tucker def. Bo Dallas & Curtis Axel
#2. Elias vs. Aleister Black
The humorous opener was followed by a singles match between Aleister Black and Elias. The Drifter did his job of garnering heat before the match.
Black didn't walk a mile with Elias as the Dutch Superstar got the win in this one.
Result: Aleister Black def. Elias
#3. Andrade (with Zelina Vega) vs. Apollo Crews
Andrade and Apollo Crews are two of the most talented in-ring competitors that the WWE has to offer and thankfully, they didn't disappoint. It was a fast-paced match which saw the heel get the win over Crews.
Crews may not be getting any TV time whatsoever but the former Titus Worldwide member is at least been given the opportunities to showcase his skills on the live event circuit.
Result: Andrade def. Apollo Crews
#4. Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn vs. The New Day (Big E and Xavier Woods)
This was a match that we'd already seen before at Stomping Grounds and just like the PPV that went by, it was surprisingly quite good. Actually, it shouldn't come as a surprise to anymore considering the talents involved here.
Owens and Zayn put on a solid tag team match against Big E and Woods at the end of which the connaisseurs of pancakes got the three-count.
Result: New Day def. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
#5. Mustafa Ali vs. Erick Rowan
The unlikely pairing of Erick Rowan and Mustafa Ali faced each other next. Ali was quite over with the fans, however, his popularity sadly didn't lead him to victory.
Rowan pulled off a surprising win over the high-flying babyface, which goes against the usual trend at live events. By the looks of it, WWE wanted to maintain strong booking afforded to the SmackDown Tag Team Champion.
Result: Erick Rowan def. Mustafa Ali
#6. Carmella & R-Truth vs. Liv Morgan & Shelton Benjamin
WWE booked a mixed tag team match up next that featured the underutilized duo of Liv Morgan and Shelton Benjamin.
There were many jestful moments in the match which even forced Carmella and Truth to break character and crack up at one point. It was an enjoyable showing from all four superstars with Mella and Truth picking up the win. You are guaranteed to be entertained when the real MVP of the WWE R-Truth is around.
Result: Carmella & R-Truth def. Liv Morgan and Shelton Benjamin
In another segment featuring Truth, Matt Hardy nearly defeated him for the 24/7 title before the B-Team broke up the pin.
R-Truth would, later on, escape the arena in a futile disguise along with Carmella.
#7. Bayley (C) vs. Charlotte Flair (WWE SmackDown Women's Championship)
The women's title showdown between perennial rivals Bayley and Charlotte Flair was easily the match of the night. Bayley and Charlotte showed off their seamless chemistry in an extremely well-worked bout.
Bayley got some of the best reactions of the night while Charlotte was the heat magnet as usual. At the end of the captivating contest, Bayley got the pinfall over Flair and retained her SD Women's title. The women put on a solid co-main event from start to finish.
Result: Bayley def. Charlotte Flair to retain the title
#8. Kofi Kingston (C) vs. Dolph Ziggler (WWE Championship)
Kofi Kingston and Dolph Ziggler faced each other for the WWE title for the umpteenth time. It was better than their matches on TV though as the live event crowds are more intimate and involved with the in-ring action.
No surprises here as the champion retained his title after a respectable outing for both men.
Result: Kofi Kingston def. Dolph Ziggler to retain the WWE title
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