Introduction: Office Promo
General Manager Daniel Bryan is shown when The Miz and Maryse barge in. Miz is displeased with Toledo and their accommodations; Daniel makes a joke that they all laugh mockingly at. Bryan does give Miz a little reward, which is to face Intercontinental champion Dean Ambrose in a rematch for the title tonight! He adds more wrestlers to it, making it a Lumberjack match!
We go live to the arena, where Tom Phillips, John “Bradshaw” Layfield, Mauro Ranallo, and David Otunga recap The Wyatt Family’s seemingly self-destruction.
The Wyatt Family – Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton, and Luke Harper – make their entrance for Luke and Randy’s match with each other, next!
Match #1: Single – Randy Orton VS. Luke Harper
(Note: Bray Wyatt sits in the aisle in his rocking chair.)
They lock up into the ropes, both trading positions. Orton gains a little momentum after clotheslining Harper from out of the corner. He drives Luke to the canvas with his Draping DDT, but Harper rolls out of the ring to avoid a potential R.K.O. They brawl around the ring, and then Luke kicks Randy. Both are down until Bray tosses them back into the ring, stopping the count-out.
Commercials.
Harper now has Orton in a rear chinlock, and goes to the top turnbuckle. Randy stops him and brings him off of the turnbuckle with a suplex! 1 – 2 – Luke gets his shoulder up! Harper slugs at “The Viper,” but Randy counters a run with a powerslam for a near-fall! Luke fires back with a Michinoku Driver, but only gets two!
They counter each other again, and Luke goes for a powerbomb, but Orton hops out. He tries an R.K.O. as Harper went for his Discus Lariat; Randy counters into a roll-up, but can’t get this! Harper goes for another Discus, but this time Orton drives him with the R.K.O.! He covers for the victory!
Winner via Pinfall: Randy Orton (with Bray Wyatt)
Post-match, Bray shakes Orton’s hand and then hugs Luke; he suddenly drives Luke to the mat with his Sister Abigail! Randy and Bray walk away.
Video Promo
A recap of the Women’s Championship Steel Cage Match from last week airs, which includes the revelation of Mickie James as La Luchadora. Up next, she will be out to talk about that.
Commercials.
Later tonight, WWE World champion A.J. Styles is going to “call-out” his Royal Rumble challenger, John Cena.
Arena Promo
Rene Young is in the ring and introduces Mickie James, who made her main-roster return last week. Mickie touts her career accomplishments, and then rips on the new women’s division, except for Smackdown! Women’s champion Alexa Bliss. She is not pleased with Becky Lynch, and says that Alexa saved her (Mickie).
Becky marches out and sweeps up Mickie; they fight for a bit until women’s champion Alexa Bliss cuts off Lynch in the crowd. Her and James double-team Becky back in the ring, and the women’s champion dives off of the top turnbuckle with her Twisted Bliss finisher.
Commercials.
Video Promo
Carmella took Jams Ellsworth clothes shopping last week; James has his own “style,” which Carmella disapproves. Instead, she fits him with some “G” attire.
Match #2: Battle Royale – Heath Slater VS. Rhyno VS. Viktor VS. Connor VS. Curt Hawkins VS. Mojo Rawley VS. Simon Gotch VS. Aiden English VS. Tyler Breeze VS. Fandango
(Stipulation: Winner is entered into the Royal Rumble match)
(Note: Baron Corbin is on commentary.)
Rhyno tries to throw Heath over, but then they both pull down the ropes to eliminate The Vaudevillians as they ran over! It ends up being Mojo and Breezango as the last few; Mojo avoids a superkick from Tyler, letting Fandango eat it instead. He then tosses Breeze over to win!
Winner via Elimination and now in the Royal Rumble: Mojo Rawley
Video Promo
Reporter Dasha Fuentes interviews Nikki Bella in the parking lot about Natalya’s allegations. Nikki defends her position with John Cena until Natalya walks up. She chucks Nikki into a truck!
Commercials.
Arena Promo
WWE World champion A.J. Styles makes his entrance. Before he can start, the fans chant loudly “A.J. Styles.” He has a picture brought up on the Titantron of the Royal Rumble poster. A.J. points out that John Cena is up front while he is near the back.
Styles doesn’t wait anymore and calls out John! The man answers, joining A.J. in the ring. John starts, but Styles cuts him off. He shows some video footage of Cena on The Today Show, where they talk about his match at Royal Rumble, but don’t name A.J. Styles – they only refer to him as “the guy from Atlanta.”
Back live, “The Phenomenal One” continues to berate John for their different positions in the company. Cena fires back about his own path to WWE and the usual saying that critics have about him, and then storms away with A.J. silent.
Commercials.
Match #3: Single – Kalisto VS. Dolph Ziggler
Kalisto forearms a bit first, and then flips out a bit later. He springs off of the middle rope but is superkicked! Dolph gets the 1 – 2 – 3!
Winner via Pinfall: Dolph Ziggler
Post-match, Dolph takes a chair and goes for JBL but is stopped by Apollo Crews.
Up next, Natalya will wrestle Naomi.
Commercials.
Match #4: Single – Naomi VS. Natalya
Naomi awaits Natalya, but video shows Nattie and Nikki scrapping backstage. Back in the ring, Naomi still wants a match, so Women’s champion Alexa Bliss responds.
Bliss claims she is not going to wrestle and dismisses Naomi as unworthy. Naomi declares she wants to be the women’s champion.
Winner: No Contest due to no official start
Up next, the Intercontinental Championship Lumberjack match!
Commercials.
Backstage Promo
Dasha is with Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose. She questions his plans, to which he says he will “trust my instincts,” both tonight and at the Royal Rumble.
Miz, Maryse, and some of the Lumberjacks make their way to the ring.
Commercials.
It is announced that there will be a six-woman match at Royal Rumble, featuring Nikki Bella, Naomi, and Beck Lynch wrestling Natalya, Mickie James, and women’s champion Alexa Bliss.
Match #5: Single with Lumberjacks for the Intercontinental Championship – The Miz (with Maryse) (Challenger) VS. Dean Ambrose (Champion)
(Note: The Lumberjacks are Baron Corbin, Breezango, The Usos, The Vaudevillians, Curt Hawkins, American Alpha, Apollo Crews, The Ascension, Kalisto, Mojo Rawley, Rhyno, and Heath Slater)
Dean hits Miz with a fist in the head and then kicks away in the corner. He chops him against the ropes, but then Dean goes to the outside where he has to fight some of the Lumberjacks. Miz capitalizes with kicks and yells at the Lumberjacks “that’s how it’s done!”
Commercials.
Miz and Ambrose are on the second turnbuckle in a suplex position. Dean headbutts Miz, but is assaulted by the Lumberjacks. Miz tries a kick in the ring, but Ambrose counters into a roll-up for two. Dean is thrown to the floor again where the Lumberjacks beat him up again. Miz DDT’s back in the ring, but only can get two!
Both go back-and-forth with each other and the Lumberjacks. Maryse clutches Dean’s leg, allowing Miz to run at him with a knee! 1 – 2 – Ambrose lifts his shoulder! He hits a hard clothesline for a near-fall, and then the Lumberjacks enter to punch-up each other! When the ring is cleared, Dean drives Miz to the mat with his Dirty Deeds DDT! He covers to receive the victory and retain!
Winner via Pinfall and STILL Intercontinental Champion: Dean Ambrose
Dean celebrates to close the show.
End of Smackdown! Live
