Long before No Mercy got underway, WWE made a huge announcement on Twitter: The WWE World Championship match will start the show. This is presumably because of the timing with the second Presidential Debate, but it is an interesting choice to make the assumed main event the first match on the card (excluding the Kickoff Show). Will SmackDown still try to put on a great show, or will they phone it in because of their competition?
No Mercy Kickoff Show
Curt Hawkins vs… Nobody
Curt Hawkins has had several (terrible) vignettes promoting his debut for SmackDown Live. As he enters the ring, his entrance includes someone saying “cool facts” about him, a la the Chuck Norris memes of yesteryear.
Curt Hawkins did what he said he was going to do, and he stepped foot inside the ring at No Mercy. While most thought this was going to be a debut, he just meant that he was literally going to step foot inside the ring. After doing so, his special “Curt Hawkins Announcement” is that on Tuesday, he will have his first “match.” I expect this to be the kind that sparks a flame, and not an in-ring contest.
Backstage Segment
Alexa Bliss approaches Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan regarding her match tonight. Becky Lynch has a minor injury, and will not be defending her SmackDown Women’s Championship tonight. Lynch will be defending the title against Bliss on November 8th, while Bliss faces a different opponent tonight.
American Alpha & The Hype Bros vs. The Vaudevillains & The Ascension
This match was announced on Twitter before the Kickoff Show, and features the teams in the tag team division that are not part of the SmackDown Tag Team Championship title match later on. If Heath Slater and Rhyno retain the titles tonight, a new #1 Contender will have to be crowned, and this could help jock a team into position.
After most of both teams are send to the outside, American Alpha hit Grand Amplitude on Viktor to pick up the victory. Winners: American Alpha & The Hype Bros
Main Show
AJ Styles (c) vs. John Cena vs. Dean Ambrose – WWE World Championship
AJ Styles won the WWE World Championship from Dean Ambrose at SummerSlam thanks to a low blow, and defends the belt against two men he has already defeated twice. Ambrose looks to win back the title he was screwed out of, and John Cena looks to win the 16th World Championship of his career, tying the record held by Ric Flair.
Dean Ambrose uses the Calf Killer against AJ Styles, and Cena joins in for the STF. Styles taps out, but since they were both implementing holds on Styles, the match continues. After Cena hits Dean Ambrose with an AA from the second rope, Styles rushes in with a steel chair to lay out Cena and pick up the victory. This is the third time this year that AJ Styles has pinned John Cena (imagine saying that 10 months ago). Winner, and STILL WWE World Champion: AJ Styles
Predicted Winner: AJ Styles (1/1)
Nikki Bella vs. Carmella
Nikki Bella upstaged Carmella in her hometown when she returned at SummerSlam from a neck injury, and Carmella has had it out for the former Divas Champion ever since. Carmella has assaulted Nikki Bella at every opportunity, and looks to to the same in a sanctioned match.
Carmella locks in the Code of Silence, but Nikki Bella manages to get to the ropes. Bella then hits the Rack Attack 2.0 to put Carmella away. Winner: Nikki Bella
Predicted Winner: Nikki Bella (2/2)
Heath Slater & Rhyno (c) vs. The Usos – SmackDown Tag Team Championships
Slater and Rhyno won the tag titles at Backlash by defeating the Usos, but Jimmy and Jey have the titles in their sights. After leaving American Alpha (the only other credible team on the roster) out of the picture, The Usos gave themselves another opportunity to gain their third pair of titles.
The Usos try to take out the leg of Heath Slater, but Rhyno was able to take out both Usos before Slater taps out. Slater then tags in his legendary partner, who hits a Gore to retain the titles.
Predicted Winners: The Usos (2/3)
Jack Swagger vs. Baron Corbin
On last week’s episode of SmackDown, the referee thought Baron Corbin was tapping out to the ankle lock, and since that was an error of judgment, the two collide again tonight. Thanks to the shifted match card, this has been bumped up from the pre-show to the main card.
As much as fans might not see it, these Swagger and Corbin have the potential to match the intenstiy seen in the Sheamus vs. Cesaro feud on Raw.
While the referee isn’t looking, Corbin pokes Swagger in the eye, then hits the End of Days to put Swagger away and defeat the former World Heavyweight Champion. Winner: Baron Corbin
Predicted Winner: Baron Corbin (3/4)
The Miz (c) (w/Maryse) vs. Dolph Ziggler – Intercontinental Championship (Title vs. Career)
This match is perhaps the biggest story going into No Mercy. Dolph Ziggler has lost the “big one” over and over again, and he is fed up. If he doesn’t win the big one tonight, he feels that he doesn’t not belong in the ring and he will hang up his boots permanently.
Maryse sends the Spirit Squad to help provide a distraction, but the referee ends up sending all three of them to the back. Ziggler (without a boot) hits The Miz with a superkick, wins his 5th Intercontinental Championship, and saves his career. Winner, and NEW Intercontinental Champion: Dolph Ziggler
Predicted Winner: The Miz (3/5)
Alexa Bliss vs. Naomi
Since Becky Lynch is out of action for the time being, Naomi got an opportunity to step up and take on the current #1 Contender.
Alexa Bliss has the cross armbreaker locked in, and Naomi shifts her momentum to cover Bliss and get the pinfall. Winner: Naomi
Bray Wyatt vs. Randy Orton
For the last two months, Wyatt and Orton have been engaging in “mental warfare,” and that comes to a head tonight. Originally, these two were supposed to face each other at Backlash, but since Wyatt assaulted Orton before their match, he ended up facing (and losing to) Kane instead).
Randy Orton has Bray Wyatt in position for the RKO, when the lights go out and Luke Harper appears out of nowhere. While Harper has Orton distracted, Bray Wyatt hits Sister Abigail and pins the Apex Predator. Winner: Bray Wyatt
Predicted Winner: Bray Wyatt (4/6)
