SmackDown came to us tonight from Corpus Cristi, Texas and kicked-off backstage with AJ Styles with Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon. AJ asks them who was in the Elimination Chamber before Shane McMahon confirms the participants of the Elimination Chamber match - John Cena, AJ Styles, Bray Wyatt, Baron Corbin, Dean Ambrose and The Miz.
Ambrose bemoans that he won’t get a one-on-one rematch when Dean Ambrose comes in. Ambrose wants a rematch with Styles which Shane books for later on in the night.
John Cena kicks-off SmackDown Live
John Cena comes out first to celebrate his 16th world championship. He starts of by saying sorry to AJ Styles, saying that he was wrong about Styles. He added that AJ is a top level elite WWE Superstar. Cena then moved onto add that there was no time to waste with the Elimination Chamber was just two weeks away.
Cena then challenged the SmackDown roster to “come get some” as the Wyatt’s music hit and Bray and Randy Orton came out. Wyatt came out and addressed the children, saying that everything was okay now that the champ was there. He then added that this was a vicious cycle and nothing had changed with fate handing Cena the championship that he blindly coveted.
He then said that the era of the Wyatt’s would begin at Elimination Chamber when he won the Royal Rumble, which Randy Orton agreed. The crowd chanted “Randy sucks” briefly as they made their way down to the ring.
As the Wyatt’s were about to enter the ring, the lights went off and Luke Harper appeared behind Cena. On seeing this, Wyatt and Orton backed off a little as Shane O’ Mac’s music hit. He announced a tag-team match between The Wyatt Family and Cena/Luke Harper.
John Cena and Luke Harper vs Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton
John Cena and Bray Wyatt start off. Cena goes for an early AA which Wyatt avoids and tags in Cena. Cena pointed at the Wrestlemania sign as Orton came in but Harper tagged himself in too. He took the fight to Orton early, hitting him with a dropkick before catapulting Orton’s throat into the rope.
Harper and Wyatt faced off briefly before Harper hit Orton with a back suplex on the announce table. Orton then tagged Wyatt in as Luke Harper and Bray Wyatt faced off. Harper backed off and tagged in a perplexed Cena.
Wyatt took down Cena with an elbow before grounding and pounding him as we headed to commercial.
We came back from commercial to see Bray Wyatt hit John Cena with a running senton before tagging Orton back in. Orton hit the draping DDT to Cena before showing off for the fans and Luke Harper. Harper then signaled for an RKO but Cena countered and hit a clothesline as both men went down.
Orton tagged in Wyatt who blocked Cena’s tag and then slapped Cena across the face. He then went for another running Senton and missed. He tagged in Orton who hit a Powerslam as the fans chanted “RKO”. Cena then hit multiple shoulder tackles before hitting the 5-knuckle shuffle. He then went for the AA but Orton countered. Things threated to break down between Orton and Harper as Harper attacked Cena. Harper then went for a Sister Abigail on Harper who countered but Wyatt then hit the Sister Abigail on his second attempt.
Cena then came in an attempted the AA on Wyatt but Orton came in and hit Cena with the RKO. He then pinned Cena clean for the win.
Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton def. John Cena and Luke Harper
James Ellsworth came out saying that he had something very important to say. He introduced his F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S “moon-walking, trash-talking” boo Carmella before accompanying her to the ring. Her opponent Delilah Dawson was waiting for her in the ring.
Carmella vs Delilah Dawson
Carmella took control early, tossing Dawson around by the hair. Ellsworth and Carmella laughed at Dawson who rolled Carmella up before hitting her with forearms. She then went for a boot but Ellsworth grabbed onto her foot from outside.
Carmella used the distraction to lock in the Code of Silence and Dawson tapped out almost immediately.
Carmella def. Delilah Dawson
Kalisto vs Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler took down Kalisto almost as soon as the match begins but Kalisto hit back almost immediately. He then hit an enzeguiri as we got a backstage shot of Apollo Crews watch the match.
Ziggler then took back control and hit a Hangman’s Neckbreaker before yelling into Kalisto’s face. Kalisto hit back with a spin kick but Dolph grabbed onto the ropes. He raked Kalisto across the face before hitting him with a Superkick out of nowhere to pin Kalisto for the win.
Dolph Ziggler def. Kalisto
Ziggler went for Kalisto’s mask after the match as Apollo Crews came out to help his friend. Ziggler high-tailed it and ran into the crowd.
Becky Lynch and Naomi vs Alexa Bliss and Mickie James
Micke James looks to start off with Becky Lynch but she immediately tags in Alexa Bliss. Bliss goes to work on Becky before going to work in Becky Lynch. Bliss then hits Naomi with the standing moonsault into the double knees but it looked like she may have hurt herself a little.
Both women made tags as Becky Lynch came in and took the fight to Mickey James. She hit James with a springboard kick to the head before heading to the top rope. Alexa Bliss distracted her for a second but that was enough for Mickey James to make a comeback.
James booted Becky in the head before going for the pin which was broken up by Naomi before we headed for a commercial.
We came back from commercial to see Alexa Bliss in complete control and all over Becky Lynch. She then tagged James back in, who put the boot to Becky’s throat and isolated her in the corner. Becky tried to fight back with a couple of right hands only for Mickey James to hit her with a hurracanra for the 2-count.
Lynch finally made the tag to Naomi who came in and hit Alexa with a variety of moves. Excellent hot tag as Naomi pulled out a bunch of new moves, planting Alexa face-first into the mat. Bliss hit Alexa with a cheapshot as she and Mickey James tried to double-team Naomi.
Becky came in and took down Mickey James as the two of them went out of the ring. Naomi went to the top rope and hit Bliss with the Springboard Split-Legged Moonsault to pin Alexa Bliss for the second time this week. Really impressive from Naomi.
Becky Lynch and Naomi def. Alexa Bliss and Mickey James
American Alpha issued an open challenge for their SmackDown Tag-Team Championships. It was answered by The Usos. The Ascension answered the call after The Usos came out. They were followed out by The Vaudevillains. Even the ‘fashion police” Breezango and Slater/Rhyno answered the call.
The situation then broke down into a brawl as referees came out to try and contain the situation. The ring slowly cleared as only American Alpha and Slater/Rhyno were left standing. Completely pointless segment.
Daniel Bryan is backstage where he called Natalya and Nikki Bella. Natalya showed up with bodyguards to face Nikki and the two bickered which led Daniel Bryan to scream at them to shut up before announcing that Natalya and Nikki would face-off at Elimination Chamber.
Dean Ambrose vs AJ Styles
The Miz is at ringside for this match, on commentary, as Ambrose and Styles start off. The two trade hammerlocks before Ambrose takes Styles down with a shoulder tackle.
The two then continue trading hammerlocks before Ambrose took Styles down with a headlock. The crowd were vociferous for this match as Styles locked in a headlock of his own before taking Ambrose down with a shoulder tackle. Ambrose hit back with a bodyslam before locking in a Cloverlead before transitioning it into a modified Regal Stretch but Styles reached the ropes.
Styles rolled out to ringside and hit an oncoming Dean Ambrose with a Superkick. He then smashed Ambrose’s face into the table before rolling him back into the ring. Styles then hit a running forearm before sending Ambrose shoulder-first into the ring post.
Ambrose hit back with a flying clothesline and followed it up with a back bodydrop. As head headed to the top rope, Baron Corbin’s music hit and predictably, one more commercial break.
As we came back from the break, we saw that Corbin was only there to join commentary as the match continued. The Miz commended Corbin for coming out to scout AJ and Dean for the upcoming Elimination Chamber match.
Styles hit a running forearm to Ambrose who was in the corner. Styles then went for another which Ambrose dodged and he hit a neckbreaker to take Styles down. Ambrose picked up the pace with a flurry of quick clotheslines. He then took Styles to the top rope but Styles slipped out and sent Ambrose face-first into the turnbuckle. Styles then looked for the Argentine Backbreaker but Ambrose slipped out and clotheslined Styles out of the ring. He looked to follow it up with a tope suicida but Styles caught him in the jaw with a forearm.
Styles then looked for the springboard DDT but Ambrose broke out of it and hit a release back suplex as The Miz and Baron Corbin continued to argue on commentary. Meanwhile, Styles caught Ambrose in a crucifix pin for a 2-count and followed it up with a Ushi Goroshi for another nearfall.
Styles then attempted to hit the Styles Clash but the Lunatic Fringe reversed it and the two traded pinning attempts before Ambrose hit Styles with a running lariat. Ambrose then headed to the top rope again and launched himself at Styles, catching him in the face with his elbow.
The Miz and Corbin started brawling at ringside at this point as Ambrose tried to pin Styles in the ring. He saw that the referee was distracted and he launched himself through the ropes and into Corbin. He then took out The Miz before heading back into the ring where Styles hit him with a Styles Clash for the win.
AJ Styles def. Dean Ambrose
The Miz entered the ring after the match and hit Ambrose with a Skull Crushing Finale. As The Miz gloated, Corbin came in and hit him with an End Of Days. He then hit Ambrose with an End of Days for good measure.
