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The semi-finals are finally upon us. Each one of these teams is two wins away from an all expense paid vacation to anywhere in the world, along with the #30 spot in both of the Royal Rumble matches.
Due to an illness, Finn Balor was taken out of the Mixed Match Challenge, forcing Bayley to find another partner. Luckily she was able to team up with Apollo Crews, who looked to make a big splash and step his career up by getting that late spot in the Royal Rumble. However, the two would have to face Team Mahalicia, who have been on a roll lately.
Would Alicia Fox and Jinder Mahal advance to the finals at WWE TLC, or could Apollo Crews and Bayley make magic happen tonight?
Bayley & Apollo Crews vs Alicia Fox & Jinder Mahal w/The Singh Brothers
Fans chanted for Bayley immediately, but Crews and Mahal began the match anyway. Mahal had a hard time overpowering Crews, as both looked to be evenly matched. Crews had agility on his side, though, which allowed him to nearly pin Mahal twice.
Fox decided to tag herself in, bringing Bayley in on the other side of the ring. Bayley quickly rolled Fox up three times, almost pinning the former Diva's Champion. Bayley and Crews clearly held the upper hand in this bout. Fox, Mahal, and the Singhs argued outside the ring, but when Fox went back inside, she took over with some tough strikes.
Another roll-up gave Bayley a two-count, and she fought over to Apollo Crews. Crews and Mahal stepped inside, and the former WWE Champion began to beat down the former Titus Worldwide member.
It didn't take Crews long to pick up some steam, using his speed and athleticism to avoid Mahal for a while, but a bad landing from a standing moonsault allowed Mahal to take over once again. Mahal sent Crews into the turnbuckle and continued to punish him while Fox and the Singh Brothers chanted for him.
Apollo attempted to break out of Mahal's grasp, but a devastating clothesline sent Crews back down to the mat, where Mahal locked in a headlock. After a few minutes, Apollo fought out, breaking Mahal's clutch and taking him down with an enzeguiri. Crews made it to his corner and it was time for Bayley and Fox to get back in the ring.
Bayley came in like a house on fire, pelting Fox with a bevy of fists, followed by a running knee into the corner. A rope hung stunner left Fox dazed, allowing the former Raw Women's Champion to connect with the Bayley-To-Belly.
The Singhs pulled Fox out as the ref almost hit the 3-count, but for some reason didn't call for the disqualification. Crews and Bayley beat down the Singhs and Jinder Mahal. However, a running big boot from Alicia Fox would put Bayley down for the count.
Results: Team Mahalicia defeated Bayley & Apollo Crews via pinfall.
Once the lowest team on the totem pole on Raw's side, the team of Alicia Fox and Jinder Mahal have made it to the finals of the Mixed Match Challenge, meaning they are one win away from the most coveted spots in the WWE.
Backstage, Mahal and Fox argued about their vacation destination. Fox said that their winning streak is because of her work as captain of the ship. Asuka interrupted the interview, already gloating over Team Mahalicia before she and The Miz even wrestled in the SmackDown semi-finals.
With Raw's bottom team making it all the way to the finals, it wouldn't be too shocking to see R-Truth and Carmella shock the world tonight. Though, to do that, they'd have to run through a red-hot duo in The Miz and Asuka. Asuka ended SmackDown the victor of a three-woman brawl between herself, Charlotte Flair, and SmackDown Champion Becky Lynch.
In fact, the only real issue the team had was The Miz's complete overconfidence and need to be the center of attention. Would the huge egos of the A-Lister and The Empress be too much to handle, or would Team Awe-Ska go on to the finals of the MMC, possibly leading to the team winning both seasons of the show?
Awe-Ska vs Fabulous Truth
The Miz and Asuka began the match by arguing about who would start first, which didn't give the commentary team a lot of confidence. The Miz eventually forced Asuka to tag in her partner, and R-Truth almost picked up the win while he was to Asuka.
Truth beat down the former WWE Champion with a slew of right hands, followed up by an arm drag. R-Truth sent The Miz out with a clothesline, setting up the 7-second dance break. Truth and Carmella then invited to dance, much to the chagrin of The Miz.
The distraction allowed Truth to continue to beat down his former tag team partner. A well-placed boot to a running Truth allowed The Miz to get back in the game. Miz hung Truth up in the middle rope, running into the back of his head with his knee, getting a two-count.
Miz attempted to keep Truth away from Carmella, believing that Asuka was the weak link in their team. Another boot to Truth's face almost sent Awe-Ska to the finals at TLC. Miz planted Truth with his patented swinging DDT. Thankfully for Truth, Carmella broke up the pin.
Miz connected with the IT Kicks to Truth's chest, but the former US Champion avoided the final kick, nearly getting a pinfall off of the schoolboy. Truth set himself up in the corner, allowing The Miz to hit two running dropkicks. However, going for his corner clothesline, Truth countered with a clothesline of his own.
R-Truth finally tagged in Carmella, bringing the former SmackDown Women's Champion face to face with Asuka. Asuka avoided a bronco buster and dropped Carmella with a knee. Carmella barely got her shoulder up and managed to fight out of Asuka's clutches. Miz tagged himself in, allowing R-Truth to connect with the Lie Detector.
Carmella tuned up the band for her superkick, but The Miz put Asuka in the way. Mella kicked The Miz, and Truth connected with the Axe Kick, but The Awesome One kicked out. Asuka and The Miz clean house, sending their opponents outside. Asuka began berating The Miz, who denied any wrongdoing.
Fans began chanting "Asuka's Gonna Kill You" as the former NXT Women's Champion began stalking her partner. Asuka finally had enough, lighting up Miz with her striking combination before leaving him behind. Truth capitalized, hitting the Unprettier for the win.
Results: Fabulous Truth defeated Awe-Ska
Awe-Ska suffered their second, and probably the final loss in MMC history tonight, this time with The Miz suffering the pinfall. The finals of the MMC will take place at WWE TLC this Sunday, December 16th.
Somehow, the number #4 seeds of both Raw and SmackDown made it to the finals of the event, and we could see R-Truth & Carmella or Jinder Mahal & Alicia Fox enter the Royal Rumbles at #30.
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