SmackDown Live took place in Seatlle, Washington tonight. The main event saw John Cena take on Randy Orton, which is still supposed to main event Wrestlemania. The go-home show to Elimination Chamber did a brilliant job of hyping up the PPV and Raw can actually learn a lot from the way SmackDown book their go-home shows. Now, without further delay, let’s get right to the results.
Daniel Bryan addresses the WWE Universe
SmackDown Live kicked off with GM Daniel Bryan coming out to address the fans. SmackDown came to us from Daniel Bryan’s home-state and the crowd were even more vociferous for Bryan than usual. This was the same arena where Bryan announced his retirement last year.
Bryan came out and spoke about his retirement until he was interrupted by The Miz. Miz came out and told Bryan to leave and become a go-home dad since he couldn’t wrestle any more. Bryan replied that not being able to wrestle never stopped The Miz from entering the ring.
In the face of loud ‘Daniel Bryan’ chants, Miz did his best to announce his Elimination Chamber plans. Miz and Bryan were soon joined by Baron Corbin, who’s been on a roll recently.Corbin came out and told Miz that he needed to learn when to shut up. Miz told Corbin that they should work together in the Chamber on Sunday, to which Corbin replied that he wanted to take Miz out on the spot.
Ambrose’s music hit at this point. He came down to the ring with a mic and told Miz he looked like a shoe in his outfit. Ambrose then told Corbin that he’d stolen the “motorcycle sounds” from his theme music but he had a long way to go before he was in Ambrose’s shoes. He finished off by saying that he would be right at home in the Elimination Chamber.
Former WWE Champion AJ Styles came out to join the fray at this point. He said that it looked like facts didn’t matter all of a sudden, or at least that’s what it seemed like according to the promos in the ring. He added that he would leave Elimination Chamber as WWE Champion.
At this point Daniel Bryan booked Miz, Corbin, Ambrose and Styles in a Fatal-4-Way match.
AJ Styles vs Dean Ambrose vs The Miz vs Baron Corbin
The match started off at a frantic pace with the 4 men at each other’s throat from the opening bell. Corbin dominated the early stages and was all-over the other 3 men. He deposited the Miz in the corner before hitting AJ Styles with a nasty forearm before Ambrose hit him with the Bulldog.
Miz then hit Ambrose and Styles with the ‘Yes Kicks’ but Ambrose dodged the last kick and rolled Miz up only for Styles to roll Ambrose up in return. The three men traded roll-ups before they finally reached for the ropes for a deserved breather as we headed to commercial.
Following the commercial, we returned to action to see Miz attempting a Superplex on Ambrose. Styles joined Miz on the top turnbuckle to look for a double-superplex only for Corbin to enter the fray as he hit a Tower Of Doom. Unfortunately, Corbin couldn’t capitalize and Miz hit him with repeated kicks in the corner. Miz then hit Styles with a running dropkick to Styles in the opposite corner. Miz then looked to hit Corbin with one but Corbin hit him with a Deep Six.
AJ Styles then attempted a Styles Clash but Miz broke out of it and hit Styles with a running knee for the nearfall. Ambrose came in at this point and hit Miz and Styles with a bulldog-clothesline combo before hitting Corbin with a suicide dive. Following this, Ambrose sent Styles crashing into the barricade and hit Miz with an atomic drop on said barricade. Dean then sent Corbin face-first into the turnbuckle.
Back inside the ring, Styles hit Ambtose with the springboard moonsault DDT before hitting Miz with a Phenomenal Forearm. As Styles went to cover Miz, Maryse pulled him out of the ring. When Styles turned around, Corbin came in and hit him with the End of Days before covering him for the pinfall.
Baron Corbin def. AJ Styles, Dean Ambrose and The Miz
We got a Luke Harper promo after this. Harper said Orton had stolen his family from him and now he had nothing to lose. However, he added that just cutting the head off the Viper wouldn’t be enough and he’d eliminate Orton at Elimination Chamber.
Dual interview with Natalya and Nikki Bella
We then got a double interview with Natalya and Nikki Bella. Nikki said that Natalya she used to know was dead to her to which Natalya replied that Nikki had no friends, only followers. She added that she wanted to expose the poor wrestler that Nikki Bella was which also promising that no amount of make-up would cover what she’d do to Nikki at Elimination Chamber.
Nikki’s response was to call Natalya a “crazy cat lady” before accusing her of coasting on her family’s reputation. Natalya replied that after Elimination Chamber, Nikki would be sitting with her pregnant sister and mope that she couldn’t have her own baby. Nikki replied and said that since wrestling is the only thing Nattie was ever good at, it would be even worse after Nikki bear her.
Nattie added that now that Cena was champ again, he would have less time for Nikki. She finished off by saying that if she wasn’t married, Cena would have married her instead of dating Nikki Bella. At this point, Nikki Bella stormed off and the interview ended.
Apollo Crews vs Dolph Ziggler
Apollo Crews was all over Dolph when the match started. He sent Ziggler shoulder-first into the turnbuckle before attempting a corner Spear which Ziggler dodges, sending Crews crashing into the corner.
Ziggler then attempted a Superkick but Crews rolled Ziggler up and somehow managed the 3-count.
Apollo Crews def. Dolph Ziggler
As Crews was celebrating after the match, Ziggler hit him with a Superkick to the back of the head. He then got a steel chair and hit Crews across the back twice. Kalisto then came out to help his friend but things didn’t end nicely for Kalisto as Ziggler hammered him across the back with the chair too.
Dual contract signing between Bekcy Lynch, Naomi, Mickey James and Alexa Bliss
Renee Young introduced the women coming out for the first ever dual contract signing in SmackDown Live history. Mickie James came out first along with Alexa Bliss. They were followed out by Becky Lynch and Alexa Bliss.
As Renee introduced the 4 women, Mickey James cut her off and said that there were only two elite women on SmackDown Live – her and Alexa Bliss. She accused Becky of stealing her thunder, saying that Becky had taken all the credit for the women’s revolution. James then added that she not only created the women’s revolution but that she also created Becky, adding that without Mickey James there would be no Becky Lynch.
Becky replied that she used to respect the hell of out Mickey until she came back and joined Alexa Bliss. She added that when it got too tough her, Mickey walked away and at Elimination Chamber, she would walk right through her.
Alexa replied that Becky had class but all of it was low before adding that the only thing that ran through Becky’s veins was toxic orange hair dye. She then burned Naomi by saying that she’d completely forgotten about her.
Naomi’s reply was that she’d pinned Alexa twice. She then reminded Alexa that they were two months away from Wrestlemania which was taking place in her home town of Orlando, Florida this year. Naomi finished off by saying that Alexa needed to get ready to feel the glow before kicking her in the head.
The situation broke down quickly from this point as the 4 women brawled before the faces cleared the heels from the ring. Naomi followed this up with a crossbody splash over the ropes and into James and Bliss as she and Becky Lynch stood tall ahead of Elimination Chamber.
American Alpha, Breezango and Slater-Rhyno vs The Usos, The Vaudevillians and The Ascension
Chad Gable and Jimmy Uso started us off by Aiden English tagged himself in almost immediately. Gable instantly went for a roll-up but Jimmy Uso broke the count. English hit back with knees to Gable’s gut before hitting a side kick.
English then headed to the middle rope and looked to hit a moonsault which Gable dodged and hit the head scissors before tagging in Jordan. Alpha looked to clean house when Tyler Breeze tagged himself in. Breezango double-teamed The Vaudevillains as we headed to commercial.
We came back from commercial to see The Usos all over Heath Slater. Aiden English then got tagged in as he hit Slater with a side-kick before Viktor tagged himself in. Viktor then hit Slater with a huge knee before English got tagged back in. English and Viktor then almost came to blows as Slater tagged in Rhyno.
Rhyno hit Slater with a massive spinebuster as things broke down into a massive brawl. The Usos cleared the ring of Breezango before American Alpha dumped them out of the ring too. They then hit stereo Alphaplexes to the Vaudevillians before Jordan launched Gable out of the ring.
Viktor then came in and hit Jordan with a spinning elbow before Rhyno hit Konnor with The Gore. Viktor took advantage and hit Rhyno with a jumping knee from the middle rope to pin him.
The Usos, The Vaudevillians and The Ascension def. American Alpha, Breezango and Slater-Rhyno
John Cena vs Randy Orton
The match started off by Orton and Cena locking up. Orton then pounced on a downed Cena and throwing repeated punches. Bray Wyatt provided words of encouragement as Orton had Cena in a headlock.
Cena got tossed out of the ring by Randy Orton. Orton then followed Cena, who was directly in front of Bray Wyatt and punched him yet again. Orton then bangs his hand on the Steel steps and proceeds to drive Cena onto them as we cut to commercial.
We came back from commercial to see Orton hit Cena with a Full Nelson before Cena hit back by tossing Orton out of the ring. Cena then bounced Orton’s head off the steel steps. He then had Orton in the Fireman’s Carry but Orton broke out and sent Cena crashing into the announcer’s table.
Back in the ring, Cena hit back with a 5 Knuckle Shuffle out of nowhere before hitting the Attitude Adjustment. Orton kicked out of the pin attempt at 2. Cena then headed to the top rope but Randy Orton met him there and hit a Draping DDT off the top-rope. Orton followed it up with an RKO but Cena kicked out at the last moment.
Orton attempted another RKO but Cena broke out of it and attempted the Attitude Adjustment nly to end up knocking out the referee in the attempt. With the referee down, Cena locked in the STF and Orton tapped. Wyatt came in and attacked Cena at this time as Orton and Wyatt beat Cena down.
Cena looked to hit back with a clothesline on Orton but Wyatt hit him with a Sister Abigail in return. At this point, Luke Harper came out to confront Bray Wyatt. Harper hit Wyatt with a Discus Clothesline. Orton came in and attempted an RKO on Harper who pushed him away and into the path of John Cena who hit Orton with another Attitude Adjustment for the win.
John Cena def. Randy Orton
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