Since the brand split, SmackDown has been a more compelling show than Raw, and this week is no different. To headline the show, SmackDown Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss will be defending her title against Becky Lynch in a steel cage. Also, Shane McMahon says he has a huge announcement.
Opening Segment
As advertised, Shane McMahon kicks off the show to reveal his huge announcement. In four weeks time, the WWE World Champion will be defended inside the Elimination Chamber. For those who don’t know, this is a unique take a on cage/Hell in a Cell match where after five eliminations, the winner is declared champion. After hearing the news, AJ Styles (the current WWE World Champion) makes his way down to the ring.
John Cena and The Miz come out to make their case for the Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania, and while the Miz and Styles start to insult each other, Cena encourages it. After a couple minutes of this, Shane McMahon decides that the war of words will be settled in the ring, right now.
The Miz (w/Maryse) vs. AJ Styles
Arguably the best two SmackDown starts of 2016 compete against each other. The last time Styles and Miz met, Styles quite literally knocked the Miz’s teeth out of his mouth with a spinning backfist. The WWE and former Intercontinental champs have a pretty good match until Styles throws Miz into John Cena, who is sitting at commentary. John Cena then throws the Miz into the barricade, then proceeds to hit both of them with Attitude Adjustments. Winner (via disqualification): The Miz
In-ring Segment
Nikki Bella enters the ring to call out Natalya after their brutal brawl last week. Natalya appears at the top of the stands, then she goes to the merchandise table in the arena to take all of Nikki Bella’s merch and throw it in the garbage. Bella has had enough of Natalya’s almost insane ramblings, and after spearing Nattie through a merchandise table, security has to stop the two women from brawling all over the arena.
Dean Ambrose vs. Randy Orton (w/Luke Harper & Bray Wyatt)
For the first time in two years, Dean Ambrose goes one-on-one with Randy Orton. The Lunatic Fringe has some unfinished business with the Wyatt Family from a few weeks ago, but he does not want to go for the leader immediately. First, he wants to get through Orton (and presumably Luke Harper as well).
The Wyatts are having their own issues after losing, and failing to reclaim, the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. During both championship match losses, Randy Orton and Luke Harper have had miscommunications that have almost led to violence within the Wyatt Family. Bray Wyatt has managed to calm them down for now, but it almost seems inevitable that it won’t last.
Dean Ambrose hits a suicide dive on Luke Harper outside of the ring, and Harper comes back into the ring to get some revenge. Orton and Wyatt stop Harper, but Ambrose rolls up Orton to steal the win. Winner: Dean Ambrose
The King’s Court feat. Dolph Ziggler
SmackDown is taking place in Memphis, Tennessee, which happens to be the hometown of WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler. Since Lawler is around for the show, he is hosting “The King’s Court,” his talk show. Lawler asks Ziggler about his recent actions (attacking Kalisto and Apollo Crews), but The Showoff doesn’t answer any of his questions.
Ziggler says that Lawler wants to make him look bad because they had a match 4 years ago, the same night Lawler suffered a heart attack. Ziggler thinks Lawler blamed him for the heart attack, and after Lawler insults him (which he deserved), Ziggler hits Lawler in the chest with a superkick. Lawler dares him to get back in the ring, but the Showoff decides just keep walking to the back.
Backstage Segment
Bray Wyatt appears on the screen two make two big announcements. First, the Wyatt Family will enter the Royal Rumble. Second, Luke Harper and Randy Orton will settle their differences in the ring next week. No matter who wins, Wyatt believes that his family will end up stronger because of it.
Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Becky Lynch – SmackDown Women’s Championship (Steel Cage Match)
Raw’s Women’s Division touts about how much history it makes, but SmackDown’s women have been making some history of their own. For the first time since the early 2000s, two women are competing in a steel cage match for the Women’s Championship. Becky Lynch earned this opportunity by submitting Alexa Bliss (disguised as La Luchadora) two weeks ago. The steel cage stipulation was chosen to try to avoid any La Luchadora shenanigans.
Well, that didn’t work. While the cage door was opened, La Luchadora snuck her way in and hit Becky Lynch with a spinning kick to break the Disarm-her. Alexa Bliss takes advantage to hit a snap DDT and to retain the title. Winner, and STILL SmackDown Women’s Champion: Alexa Bliss
Alexa Bliss and La Luchadora attack Lynch after the match, but Lynch fights back just long enough to rip off La Luchadora’s mask to reveal the identity. After weeks of tormenting Lynch, the mystery woman turns out to be Mickie James.
