SmackDown Live took place in Ontario, California tonight. The show was main-evented by a 10 man battle royal to see who would face Bray Wyatt at Wrestlemania 33. Let’s go ahead and take a look at he results.
Opening segment
Daniell Bryan kicked-off SmackDown. He addressed fans, telling them that we’re now 40 days away from ‘Mania, before caling out Naomi as his guest. The new SmackDown Women’s Champion hobbled to the ring where Daniel Bryan told her that he was about to do was one of the hardest things he had to do as a GM. He informed Naomi that because of the injury she picked up at WWE Elimination Chamber, he would have to ask her to relinquish the title.
Naomi replied that she had a few words to say before she did anything. She thanked Daniel Bryan for the kind words before adding that life changes fast. In a week she had cried both tears of joy and tears of despair and frustration. She added that she felt that she was letting her fans down before handing the title back to Daniel Bryan.
As Naomi was walking back up the ramp, Alexa Bliss’ music hit and she came down to the ring. She said that watching Naomi hand her title to Bryan was amazing. Alexa added that she’d been waiting for her title rematch for the last two weeks and they could finally figure it out now that Naomi was no longer champ. She added that since her arms and legs worked fine unlike Naomi’s, she thought that Bryan should return the title to her.
Bryan refused to hand the title back and told Bliss that she’d have to earn it and introduced Becky Lynch as Bliss’s opponent.
Alexa Bliss vs Becky Lynch (for the SmackDown Live Women’s Championship)
Alexa and Becky started off going back and forth before the Irish Lass Kicker took control. She avoided everything Alexa threw at her, much to Bliss’ frustration. Becky locked in a hamerlock on a frustrated Bliss who finally got some offence in with an STO. Bliss followed it up by driving her knees into Becky’s back before stepping on Becky’s hair.
Becky hit back with a Pumphandle Backplex out of nowhere which led to Bliss rolling out of the ring to regroup. Becky continued her momentum after the commercial break, hitting Alexa Bliss with a Bexploder. She followed it up with a missile dropkick for the 2-count.
Alexa then distracted the referee before hitting Becky with a cheapshot to the throat and rolling Becky Lynch up for the pinfall. We have a new SmackDown Live Women’s Champion – Alexa Bliss.
Alexa Bliss def. Becky Lynch
American Alpha vs Breezango
Breezango jumped American Alpha as they entered the ring looking to take any advantage available. Fandango unloaded on Jason Jordan as the bell rang as he and Fandango double-teamed Jordan. Now the legal man, Breeze locked in a side-headlock before taggig in Fandango. Jordan tagged in Gable at around the same time.
Gable came in and clotheslined Tyler Breeze out of the ring before heading to the top rope as American Alpha hit a Sky High Bulldog to Fandango before Gable pinned Tyler Breeze.
American Alpha def. Breezango
The Usos came out of the crowd and cut a promo on American Alpha after the match. It was a strange promo from the Usos but sort of effectlive. The promo sounded like The Usos tried to copy Enzo a bit but just couldn’t make it their own.
Nikki Bella vs Natalya (Falls Count Anywhere match)
In her pre-match promo, Nikki Bella said that Natalya would forever be known as the ‘Queen of broken Harts’ after tonight.
Nikki immediately took Natalya down when the bell rang whoch led to Natalya rolling out of the ring. Natalya went back into the ring as Nikki followed her. Nikki stunned Natalya before going out and reaching under the ring. She took out a kendo stick and hit Natalya a handful of times before covering her for a 2-count. Nikki then sent Natalya crashing into the barricade before covering her again.
Bella then dumped Natalya over the barricade and into the WWE Universe. Natalya finally got a shot in as she taunted Nikki before sending her face-first into a producton table before dumping her into the production area. Natalya then looked for a suplex onto the hard floor but Nikki sent her crashing down. She followed with a jumping roundhouse kick. Nattie kicked out of the ensuing pin at 2.
Both women then made their way back to the ringside area where Nattie took back control. She drove Nikki into the steel steps before covering her for another 2-count.
Natalya then looked to clear the announcer’s table but Nikki took advantage and hit back with a forearm. Natalya then tried to unsuccessfully powerbomb Natalya through the announcer’s table but Nikki somehow desperately managed to avoid it. Both women made their way back to their feet after which Nikki hit natalya with an Alabama Slam onto the announcer’s table, which didn’t break. Nikki then went for a pinfall attempt right on the table but Nattie kicked out at 2.
Back in the ring, Natalya locked in the Sharpshooter but Nikki reached the ropes. A frustrated Nattie, dragged Nikki out of the ring and hit a snap suplex on the entrance ramp. The duo then brawled all around the entrance ramp before heading to the backstage area. Natalya then drove Nikki Bella straight into Maryse. Nikki Bella replied by driving Natalya into a mirror, smashing it into bits.
The duo then headed back into the entrance ramp where Nikki hit a spear for another 2-count. Natalya tried to lock in a Sharpshooter but Nikki reversed it into the Famous Lock. At this point, an enraged Maryse came out and repeatedly hit Nikki with a pipe. The Miz had to come out and drag Maryse to the back. Who’’d have thought that The Miz would be the voice of reason? Could this set up the fabled John Cena-Nikki Bella vs Miz-Maryse match?
Natalya crawled over to Nikki and covered her for the win.
Natalya def. Nikki Bella
10-Man Battle Royal for the #1 contendership to the WWE Championship
The match started off at a frantic pace as the 10 men tried to topple each other over the top rope. Duelling chants of “AJ Styles-Let’s go Cena” broke out early as Ziggler hit Cena with a Superkick. Ziggler and Styles then tried to eliminate Cena but he held on somehow.
Mojo Rawley and Apollo Crews tried the same routine with The Miz but the wily veteran held on. Ziggler looked to hit a satellite DDT but Ambrose caught him in mid hair and dumped him on the apron. Thankfully for Dolph, he made his way back in fairly quickly.
Cena looked to hit Corbin with an AA but Cena just couldn’t manage it.
Mojo Rawley charged at Corbin who lifted him over the top rope and eliminated him.
Mojo Rawley is eliminated
We came back from commercial to see Kalisto on a roll. He tried to dump Ziggler over the top rope. Ziggler ogt Kalisto on the apron and went for his mask. Ziggler used the distraction to superkick Kalisto and eliminate him.
Kalisto is eliminated
Ziggler, while still on the apron, looked to do the same thing to Apollo Crews, who hit him with an enzeguiri and eliminated him.
Dolph Ziggler is eliminated
An irate Ziggler smashed a chair into Kalisto. A distracted Crews was then eliminated by Corbin.
Apollo Crews is eliminated
Cena went for an AA to Styles who landed on his feet. Harer came in and hit Cena with a side kick while Styles hit Haper with a Pelle Kick. The Miz then hit fiur corner dropkicks as he built momentum. He then hit the “Yes” kicks on John Cena who dodges the last one and eliminated The Miz.
The Miz is elimiated
We came back from commericial to see Cena hit a double German Suplex on Styles and Ambrose. He followed it up with shoulder tackles to Styles before planting him on the mat. Cena then went for the 5 Knuckle Shuffle but Corbin met him with an End of Days. Corbin then charged at Ambrose who dodges him and sent Corbin crashing and burning over the top rope.
Baron Corbin is eliminated
Corbin dragged Ambrose out from under the bottomm rope and hit him with an End of Days on the floor. The Miz, who was already eliminated, came in and threw John Cena over the top rope.
John Cena is eliminated
Luke Harper and AJ Styles were the two men left in the ring. Harper tried his best toss Styles over the top rope as Ambrose came back in. All three men were on the apron at this point trading fists. Ambrose looked to eliminate Styles when Harper hit him with a sidekick to eliminate him.
Dean Ambrose is eliminated
harper went for a vertical suplex while on the apron but hit a lariat instead, almost knocked AJ to the floor but Styles held on. The two men finally got off the apron and back in the ring. Harper looked to lift Styles over the ropes again but Styles locked him into a sleeper before getting back down on his feet.
The two men ended up on the apron again as Harper and Styles both crashed out of the ring but it looked like Styles landed on the floor first. The referee’s couldn’t decide who the winner is but the ending was slightly botched because it looked like AJ clearly landed on the floor a couple of seconds before Harper.
Both men remonstrated with the referees when Daniel Bryan came out to address the situation. Bryan announced that the match would end as a draw for now but a winner would be decided next week.
Luke Harper and AJ Styles draw
Styles went after Harper but Harper wiped him out with a Discus Clothesline. Bray Wyatt appeared on the Titantron after the match and he just laughed as SmackDown went off the air.
