This Sunday, SmackDown Live presents TLC, their brand-exclusive Pay-Per-View that balances Raw’s Hell in a Cell from October. With tonight being the last night before the big event, there is a contract signing for the SmackDown Women’s Championship match, and a #1 Contender’s match between The Wyatt Family and American Alpha for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships.
Contract Signing (SmackDown Women’s Championship)
Becky Lynch successfully defended her SmackDown Women’s Championship on November 8th in Glasgow, Scotland, but Alexa Bliss was pinned with her foot on the rope. Because of the tainted loss, Bliss gets another opportunity at the title at TLC this Sunday. Their last contract signing (originally scheduled for No Mercy) ended with Bliss flipping a table onto Lynch, so this should go well.
Lynch sucker punches Bliss, but the Women’s Champion ends up getting sent through a table.
Dolph Ziggler & Kalisto vs. Baron Corbin & The Miz (w/Maryse)
This match will give us a little taste of what’s to come at the TLC Pay-Per-View. Dolph Ziggler and the Miz have their final match in their surprisingly good saga when Ziggler challenges the A-Lister for the Intercontinental Championship in a ladder match. Along with that, Kalisto and Baron Corbin will square off in a chairs match. Corbin has been screwing Kalisto out of championships since Survivor Series, and this is time for Kalisto to get revenge.
Kalisto tries to pin The Miz after the Salida Del Sol, but Baron Corbin breaks up the pin with a steel chair shot to the back. Winners (via disqualification): Dolph Ziggler & Kalisto
Carmella vs…. nobody
Before the match, Carmella apologizes in advance for what she intends to do to Nikki Bella in their No Disqualification match on Sunday. The Princess of Staten Island continues the trash talk, and Nikki Bella rushes the ring to attack Carmella. Because of the attack, Carmella’s scheduled match never takes place.
The Ambrose Asylum: TLC Edition feat. James Ellsworth
Last week, James Ellsworth defeated AJ Styles in a ladder match to earn a full time SmackDown Live contract. After that historic moment, Dean Ambrose has revived his once dead talk show to ask Ellsworth about the whole thing. Unfortunately, the new Ambrose Asylum has still not replaced the late, great, Mitch (his potted plant).
Not soon after Ambrose’s congratulatory measures, AJ Styles makes his way to the ring. He details exactly everything he plans on doing to Ambrose on Sunday, then he attacks the challenger and his chinless friend. After a Styles Clash from the stairs to the concrete, James Ellsworth is taken out on a stretcher.
Backstage Segment
James Ellsworth is taken to an ambulance after the Styles Clash, and while they head out of the arena, Dean Ambrose blames himself and says that he vows to fix it.
Kane vs. Luke Harper
This match took place on the Survivor Series Kickoff Show, and Luke Harper ended up on the losing end after a chokeslam. Their match last week was incredibly slow paced, thanks to the aging Big Red Machine, and even Luke Harper being a surprisingly agile big man could not help. Hopefully the match tonight is different.
The match feels almost exactly the same, and Kane chokeslams Harper for yet another victory. Winner: Kane
Backstage Segment
Renee Young catches up with Becky Lynch, who has minor injuries from going through the table earlier tonight, but she is just banged up and will be ready for TLC. Young also mentions that Alexa Bliss wants the SmackDown Women’s Championship match to be a tables match, and Lynch accepts.
Bray Wyatt & Randy Orton vs. American Alpha – #1 Contender’s Match (SmackDown Tag Team Championships)
Although American Alpha won Tag Team Turmoil last week, the Wyatt Family entered themselves into the running for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. Whoever wins this match will go on to face Heath Slater and Rhyno for the gold at TLC. If the Wyatt Family wins, it will be interesting to see the developments between them succeeding and Luke Harper failing.
Luke Harper appears out of nowhere and provides enough of a distraction so the Wyatts can take advantage and get one step closer to the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. Winners: Bray Wyatt & Randy Orton
