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Less than a week away from WWE Fastlane, SmackDown looked to provide some answers before the PPV including who else would be on the card. The main-event was originally supposed to be AJ Styles vs Dolph Ziggler but was later changed during the show.
Ruby Riott takes a shot at Charlotte
Dasha Fuentes was in the ring to start things off. She invited both Charlotte Flair and Ruby Riott out ahead of their title match at Fastlane.
Ruby took the mic and said that it all started on 14th November. When Charlotte won the SmackDown Women's Championship, she became the first woman to win the RAW, SmackDown, NXT and Divas Championship.
Riott announced that she started the Riott Squad two weeks after Charlotte won her title to destroy the myth that Charlotte was the personification of the women's revolution.
Charlotte replied that she had the weight of expectation on her shoulders. She didn't need to be successful for the sake of being successful but to be transcendent.
Riott replied that when she took Charlotte's crown on Sunday, she'd just be another beach blonde failure with a famous last name.
As Charlotte got in Riott's face, Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan surrounded her. As things looked like they were about to go south, Bobby Roode came out to join his Mixed Match Challenge partner and friend, Charlotte.
Randy Orton vs Jinder Mahal
US Champion Bobby Roode was on commentary for this match as the two former WWE Champion's faced each other. Orton got the better of Mahal early on but Jinder did not look happy. The Modern Day Maharaja lashed out and kicked Orton in the gut but Orton tried to take him out with an early RKO which made Jinder retreat and roll out to ringside as we headed to a commercial break.
Orton and Mahal went back and forth as we came back from the break. Orton soon took control and went to hit the draping DDT but Jinder fought out. Orton hit him with a Fallaway Slam instead, following it up with a backreaker.
Orton and Mahal continued to brawl at ringside. Orton planted Sunil Singh on the announcer's table before sending Mahal headfirst into Bobby Roode. Orton then hit Mahal with the draping DDT and motioned for the RKO.
An enraged Bobby Roode got on the apron as Orton was about to hit the RKO. Mahal pushed Orton into Roode before hitting Orton with the Khallas to pick up the win.
Jinder Mahal def. Randy Orton
Becky Lynch vs Carmella
Miss Money In The Bank started off well. After an initial back and forth Carmella got frustrated and slapped Becky across the face before applying an interesting rope-assisted submission. Carmella broke it off before the 5-count and hit Becky with a running knee.
Just as Carmella was starting to look comfortable Becky hit her with the Bexplex before locking in the Dis-Arm-Her, forcing Carmella to tap out in seconds.
Becky Lynch def. Carmella
Natalya was backstage with Naomi when she announced her intention to challenge the winner of Charlotte vs Ruby Riott for the SmackDown Women's Championship.
We got a segment backstage where Rusev accused Nakamura of injuring Aiden English's voice. Rusev challenged Nakamura to a match at Fastlane. Nakamura accepted.
AJ Styles addresses the WWE Universe
AJ had some harsh words for John Cena. AJ called out Cena for always running his mouth. Styles replied to what Cena said on RAW, saying that he intended to carry his title into WrestleMania to defend it against the best, who in his opinion was Shinsuke Nakamura.
AJ added that at Fastlane, he wasn't fighting for himself, he was also fighting for the fans.
Dolph Ziggler, one of AJ's opponents from Fastlane, interrupted. Ziggler mocked AJ and said that he used to be cool. Dolph added that AJ wasn't phenomenal but he was desperate. AJ replied and said that Dolph's assessment was rich, coming from someone who was still reaching their full potential in WWE.
Dolph went on to talk about how he had been stepped upon and looked over and about how he'd never had a singles match at WrestleMania.
AJ's response was to bring ahead the main-event.
AJ Styles vs Dolph Ziggler
AJ tried to put Dolph away early but Ziggler rolled out of the ring to regroup. The match was hard fought and neither man was ready to concede ground. Ziggler tried to wear down Styles with a headlock but Styles counters and then lands a dropkick of his own. Beautiful.AJ hit Dolph with a springboard forearm at ringside to take us into the commercial.
During the break, Styles fell awkwardly after being pushed off the apron. Ziggler tried to take advantage and Styles tries to counter but Ziggler still had control. Styles unloaded with a forearm and then a clothesline and then landed another forearm. Ziggler replied with a Famouser after putting a thumb to the eye of Styles, but Styles kicked out. Ziggler then threw AJ facefirst into the post from the apron.
Back from commercial, it looked like Dolph would hit the Styles Clash but AJ broke free. He looked to hit a superkick but Ziggler hit a Zig Zag, AJ kicked out.
Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens attacked Styles and Ziggler at this point.
Match ends in DQ
Shane McMahon came out and announced a Fatal-5-Way match with all 4 men in the ring and Baron Corbin. So, basically, the Fastlane main-event without Cena.
AJ Styles vs Dolph Ziggler vs Kevin Owens vs Sami Zayn vs Baron Corbin
When we came back from the break, it was complete carnage on the outside as the five men tried to destroy each other.
Baron Corbin was on a roll, taking everyone to the cleaners as he landed multiple punches on Ziggler and Owens. Owens and Zayn capitalized on Corbin going to the outside as they threw him into the steps.
Owens hit a senton on Ziggler and The Showoff just about kicked out. Owens and Zayn double teamed Styles, and the WWE Champion just about kicked out once again, as Zayn and Owens embraced in the middle of the ring.
Back from the break, Zayn is superplexed, while Styles and Ziggler are powerbombed from the top rope. Zayn landed a Blue Thunder Bomb on Ziggler and Styles just about broke the count.
Corbin was on a roll once again as he cleared house. He hit a choleslam-backbreaker to Zayn and a Deep Six to Owens. Styles broke up the pin.
Owens then landed a German Suplex on Ziggler and then a cannonball on Ziggler and a KO Bomb on Corbin, and Styles once again broke the count. Ziggler landed a DDT on Owens and a Zig Zag on Corbin, and a Superkick on Zayn, but Styles broke the count once more.
Owens then helped Zayn knock AJ Styles off the apron. Zayn suddenly hit KO with a Helluva Kick before pinning him for the win.
Sami Zayn def. AJ Styles, Kevin Owens, Baron Corbin and Dolph Ziggler
