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This week's episode of Mixed Match Challenge gave us the SmackDown side of the quarterfinals. Team Fabulous Truth somehow found their way into the traditional part of the tournament and faced off against Charlotte and Jeff Hardy.
Charlotte's original partner, AJ Styles, was replaced a few weeks ago by the Charismatic Enigma. That hasn't caused any real issues, however, as Hardy and Charlotte remain the only undefeated duo on the Blue Brand's side. All four teams tonight are fighting for a chance at the #30 spot in both the men and women's Royal Rumble matches...along with an all expenses paid vacation.
Would R-Truth and Carmella pick up their second win of the tournament, or would Charismatic Flair (that's the best I've got) send Fabulous Truth home tonight?
#1 Charlotte & Jeff Hardy vs Carmella & R-Truth
Truth and Hardy began the bout, with Hardy still exhausted from the beat downs he received from Randy Orton and Samoa Joe earlier in the night. Truth and Hardy faced off in a mini-dance battle before continuing the match.
As Hardy began a "Delete!" chant, Carmella tagged herself in. The Princess of Staten Island had a pretty good record against the Queen and hoped her experience would help her topple Charlotte. A few chops stunned the former SmackDown Women's Champion, but Carmella caught Flair with a tilt-a-whirl headscissors.
Charlotte sent Mella to the outside, followed by Hardy dropping Truth, who joined his partner at ringside. Hardy and Flair went for a double baseball slide, but Fabulous Truth avoided, then slid inside for a dance break.
As they finished, Charlotte connected with a forearm to the back of Carmella's head. Charlotte brought her old rival to the corner, proceeding to walk a mudhole Stone Cold style.
Charlotte locked in some head scissors on Carmella, then proceeded to pound her head into the mat. The Queen sent Carmella flying with three tosses through the head scissors position, then went for a moonsault. Carmella stopped her, sending her crashing to the mat with a handspring super hurricanrana.
Truth and Hardy were tagged in, with Truth getting the best of Hardy in the early exchange. An Axe Kick from Truth almost sealed the deal, but Charlotte pulled him off, breaking up the pin.
Carmella took Charlotte to the outside, but the distraction allowed Hardy to connect with the Twist of Fate. Carmella tried to sacrifice herself and stop the Swanton Bomb, but Charlotte pulled her out. Truth avoided the Swanton Bomb and rolled Hardy up for the pin in a shocking upset.
Results: R-Truth & Carmella defeated Jeff Hardy & Charlotte via pinfall
Fabulous Truth is now two wins away from locking in their slots at #30 in the Royal Rumbles. For the second week in a row, the #1 seed has been eliminated.
Next week, Jinder Mahal and Alicia Fox will take on Finn Balor and Bayley in the semi-finals. Team B'N'B are the current favorites in the tournament, but two back to back weeks of upsets could spell disaster for Balor & Bayley.
The Miz and Asuka have only lost one time throughout the two seasons of the Mixed Match Challenge. The winners of the original MMC, Team Awe-Ska came in as the original favorites of the SmackDown brand. However, a loss to the team Fabulous Truth just beat, Hardy and Charlotte, broke their undefeated streak.
With the only team to defeat them knocked out of contention, could The Miz and Asuka make their way to the finals at TLC? They first had to face the husband and wife duo of Jimmy Uso and Naomi tonight, and the 2-2 team looked to work pull out a miracle.
#2 Day One Glow (Naomi & Jimmy Uso) vs Awe-Ska (Asuka & The Miz)
Things were tense with The Miz and Asuka after their first loss in the Mixed Match Challenge, as both wanted to prove that they weren't the weak link in the team.
Asuka and Naomi started off the match. Naomi brought Asuka down with a snapmare countered by the Empress into a head scissors leg lock. Naomi broke out but was struck down by a shoulder block from the former NXT Women's Champion. Asuka attempted the Asuka Lock but was countered. Naomi escaped, only to be stuck inside the Ankle Lock. She broke out again, connecting with a devastating enziguri to the jaw.
Asuka dropped Namoi with a dropkick after the two shook, then tagged in The Miz. Uso and The Miz traded holds early on, but The Miz was sent across the ring multiple times by arm drags from the former Tag Team Champion. Uso ran into a boot in the corner, allowing the A-Lister to gain control.
The Miz connected with two running hesitation dropkicks to a seated Uso, but some gloating allowed him to regain composure. Uso caught The Miz when he went for his patented corner clothesline with a pair of clotheslines of his own, followed by a superkick to the gut, an uppercut, and a Samoan Drop.
Uso ran in with the hip attack in the corner, seemingly knocking the 8-time Intercontinental Champion unconscious. The Miz stopped Uso from hitting the Superfly Body Splash, then spiked him with the kneeling DDT.
The Miz told Asuka that he didn't trust her anymore because she was the one who lost, all the while keeping Uso locked in a guillotine choke. He fought over to Naomi, but The Miz dragged him back by the hair. An enziguri dropped The Miz, allowing him to tag in Naomi.
Naomi dropped Asuka with a clothesline and a spinning elbow, followed by a headscissors takedown. Naomi blocked a hip attack in the corner with her knees, then sent Asuka down with a Bubba Bomb. Asuka escaped the pin but was almost knocked out by a springboard enziguri.
The Miz broke up the pin and was then sent to the outside by Jimmy Uso, who was knocked off the apron by Asuka. A Rear View from Naomi almost picked up the win for Day One Uce, but Asuka broke out again, then rolled into the Asuka Lock.
Results: Awe-Ska defeated Day One Uce via submission.
Next week, the odds-on favorites on the SmackDown side will take on the surprisingly impressive Fabulous Truth in the semi-finals. The Miz and Asuka are two wins away from winning the Mixed Match Challenge back to back.
