For the last Smackdown! of 2016, we are Championship-filled as three titles are on the line! The Tag-Team, Women’s and WWE World Heavyweight will be defended in major-matches! Will Smackdown! close 2016 with new champions, or can the current champions (The Wyatt Family, Alexa Bliss, and A.J. Styles, respectively) walk into 2017 with their belts?
As well, John Cena returns! What will “The Face That Runs The Place” have to say after being absent since No Mercy?
These two major points and more, so read on to find out what goes down!
Tuesday Night Smackdown! Live TV Report for December 27th, 2016 – “Championship Finale”
Introduction Segment: Welcoming and Arena Promo
Mauro Ranallo greets us from Chicago, Illinois, and then John Cena’s music plays. The former “Dr. of Thug-A-Nomics” is back and enters the ring to a chorus of boos. He plays it up and seems to be okay with the boisterous crowd not liking him. Cena gives props to the fans for their reactions as being one of the best, and being “the city of champions.” He goes over the main three matches for tonight, in particular the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. He lists the three competitors – Dolph Ziggler (surprisingly getting boos), Baron Corbin (louder boos), and Champion A.J. Styles (“yes” chants). Cena admits he has taken a liking to Mr. Styles for turning challenger-after-challenger away, and then wonders why he himself is here.
The crowd chants “Undertaker,” and then John tells us he is “setting the record straight” about whether he is with WWE or not. “I’m not done; I ain’t leaving; and I’m sick of this ‘new era’ b.s! It ain’t the ‘new era;’ it’s the ‘MY TIME IS NOW ERA.’ ‘Never give up’ means that when you get knocked down like I did this year, you don’t stay down. You get up, you fire up, and you KICK-ASS!”
Cena announces that he wants to face whoever wins the WWE World Heavyweight Championship Triple-Threat tonight for a Title Match at the Royal Rumble! “I know what you’re thinking – ‘I can’t do that.’ I just did. Why? ‘Cus I’m John Cena. Recognize.” He drops the mike, leaves the ring, and poses at the top of the ramp!
After the announcers go over the Championship Matches themselves, Tag Team Champions The Wyatt Family make their entrance.
Commercials.
Segment #2: Locker Room Promo
Female backstage announcer ? (really can’t remember her name and they didn’t put a graphic up) wants to talk to Intercontinental Champion The Miz, but he will only give Renee Young the time following last week’s events. He calls Young “unprofessional” for slapping him last week.
(Stipulation: When one member of a team is pinned, submits, counted-out, or disqualified, the entire team is eliminated. The last team remaining are the Tag Team Champions.)
Match #1: Four Corners Elimination Tag Team for the Tag Team Championship – The Wyatt Family (Randy Orton and Luke Harper) (with Wyatt Family member and Bray Wyatt) (Champions) VS. The Usos (Jimmy and Jey) (Challengers) VS. Heath Slater and Rhyno (Challengers) VS. American Alpha (Jason Jordan and Chad Gable) (Challengers)
Rhyno and Chad begin with Chad waist-locking Rhyno. He tries a hip-toss, but Rhyno blocks into a clothesline. Gable hits back with an elbow and then a Northern-Lights Suplex for a near-fall! Both Usos switch back-and-forth and work over “The Man-Beast” against the ropes in their corner. Rhyno eventually gets the hot-tag and Heath is all over both Usos! He almost eliminates Jimmy, but is superkicked a bit later and pinned.
Eliminated via Pinfall: Heath Slater and Rhyno
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Jey now has Jordan in a grounding facelock, and then wretches at his chin. Both Alpha and Usos double-wrestle for a bit, and Jordan and Chad double-suplex The Usos! Chad goes for a sunset-flip, but Jey reverses and tries to sit on his shoulders and uses the ropes, but Gable turns into a cover for the 1 – 2 – 3!
Eliminated via Pinfall: The Usos
The Usos are not pleased with their loss, but the referee is finally able to order them away. Randy takes over and controls Jason for a while. He almost gets this with a powerslam but Jordan just raises his shoulder! They both make respective tags and Chad is able to shortly dominate Luke until Bray gets the referees attention and Orton clothesline Gable from the apron.
Commercials.
Harper has Chad in a grounding rear-chinlock, and then elbows him into the ropes. Luke follows with a sling-shot into the middle rope, making him tumble to the floor. Gable makes it back in the ring to break the count, but Harper tosses him out, where Randy follows with a backdrop on the barrier. Orton puts Chad in the ring and slingshot-suplexes him a couple of times; he only gets a two-count though!
Luke is back in and plants Gable with a Michinoku Driver, and then rolls him around in a Gator Headlock! The fans are calling for Jordan, and Chad reverses a powerbomb into a hurricanrana! Gable is able to leap to Jason, who cleans house on both Orton ad Harper! He and Luke battle on the outside, where Chad cannonballs himself onto both! Jason also takes out Bray, but is driven into the mat with a springboard-DDT by Randy!
Gable climbs onto the top turnbuckle; Randy meets him there but miscommunication between Luke and Orton allows Chad to take advantage; he and Jordan slam Orton with their Grand Amplitude double-backdrop finisher, and Chad pins Randy to receive the victory!
Winners via Pinfall and NEW Tag-Team Champions: American Alpha
Post-match, Alpha celebrate outside the ring while Harper and Orton argue; Bray gets in between to stop them getting physical.
Up next, the Women’s Championship will be up for grabs!
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Segment #3: Backstage Promo
Rene Young interviews Dolph Ziggler about his WWE World Championship Match. He compares himself to a “wild card,” and declares that “the ‘wild card’ can change the game.”
Segment #4: Backstage Promo
Dasha asks James Ellsworth about people’s opinions of them. He says he understands the comments they make, until Carmella joins and takes him away, claiming she sees him “uniquely attractive.”
Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss is out and now the Women’s Championship Match will be up next!
Commercials.
Match #2: Single for the Women’s Championship – Alexa Bliss (Champion) VS. Becky Lynch (Challenger)
They lockup and Becky brings her down with an armdrag. Bliss leg-scissor-locks Lynch, but Becky reverses into an Indian Death-lock; Alexa crawls to the bottom rope for a break. They trade wristlocks and headlocks, and then Lynch gives Bliss a shoulder-block running from the ropes. She goes for a sunset-flip and they switch back-and-forth on pin combos for twos; Becky slides out of one and kicks Alexa hard! She clamps on an armlock, and tries the Disarmer, but Bliss reverses into a victory-roll for two! Bliss takes over after a sweep-slam and then pounds away!
Alexa stands on the back of Lynch and stomps her face into the canvas. Bliss runs off the ropes but Becky reverses into a couple of armdrags and then dropkicks her. Alexa goes to the floor and Becky tries a baseball-slide, but Bliss moves. She drags Lynch to the outside and hammers away, and then pushes her into the ring post.
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“Little Miss Bliss” is still governing, running her knees into the back of Becky’s head against the middle rope. She stands on Lynch’s hair and pulls at her arms. She misses a double-kneedrop, and Becky uppercuts back a couple of times and then hits a couple of clotheslines. Alexa voids a running-forearm, but gets hit with a springboard middle-kick. The Champion rolls through an Exploder-Suplex, but Becky rolls through and slams her arm against the mat!
The Challenger climbs the turnbuckle but Alexa meets her there. They punch back-and-forth, and Becky kicks off, and then follows with a rocketing front-dropkick! 1 – 2 – Bliss just kicks out! Mysterious music plays and a woman dressed in the La Luchadore outfit like last week runs out; she distracts Lynch, but Alexa can’t get the pin. They trade covers again, and Bliss lands on Becky’s knees with her Twisted Bliss Splash from the top turnbuckle! Becky turns Bliss into her Disarmer, but Alexa is able to place her foot on the bottom rope to break. We see that Bliss’ arm is bent the wrong way now, and as the referee checks on her, La Luchadore runs Lynch into the ring post. Alexa recovers to DDT Becky and take this one!
Winner via Pinfall and STILL Women’s Champion: Alexa Bliss
Post-match, Dasha inquires who the mystery woman is; Bliss speculates that it is either Sasha Banks or Nia Jax.
Segment #5: Locker Room Promo
Renee Young is with Intercontinental Champion The Miz. She unimpressively asks him about 2016 vs. 2017, which he declares “will be the year of The Miz.” Rene now smiles as the camera has panned to Dean Ambrose, dressed as “security.” Miz turns around they brawl until other security pull them apart. Miz escapes while Ambrose fights away the guards.
Commercials.
Segment #6: Locker Room Promo
Nikki Bella is interviewed by Dasha about Natalya’s turn on Nikki. She says that she is actually OK with it, because of all that she has accomplished. Dasha asks again, and Nikki says she will tell Natalya one-on-one.
Segment #7: Backstage Promo
Rene Young wants to find out if Baron Corbin is feeling any “pressure” about his WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match. He denies it, and says that The Champion, A.J. Styles, is the one who should be pressured.
Baron Corbin and Dolph Ziggler make their entrances prior to the break!
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It is announced that The Miz will defend his Intercontinental Title against Dean Ambrose next week on Smackdown!
Match #3: Triple-Threat for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship – Baron Corbin (Challenger) VS. Dolph Ziggler (Challenger) VS. A.J. Styles (Champion)
Following formal introductions, they measure each other and all go at it! None get a real advantage before a broadcast rest.
Commercials.
Baron is now on top, running Dolph into the corner of the barricade and ramming A.J. into the ring apron. In the ring, he tries End of Days on Styles, but Ziggler runs back in and dropkicks Corbin! A.J. and Dolph wrestle, stopping each others suplexes. They forearm each other, but turn into a double-clothesline from Baron! He yells at Ziggler and then whips him hard into the turnbuckle, and then tosses shim high into a flapjack! He tries End of Days again, but it is Styles that stops it this time!
Corbin whips both into the turnbuckle and runs, but Dolph elbows him. Baron runs again, but A.J. ducks and sends him to the outside. Baron runs back in, clotheslining Dolph and putting Styles to the canvas but he can’t get the following pin!
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Corbin is still dominating until Ziggler and Styles fight back, now deciding to double-team him! They take him to the floor, but Baron avoids more, slamming them both on the mat (Dolph) and into the corner barrier (A.J.). Corbin now tears apart the announcer’s table, but “The Phenomenal One” fires back with a leaping-forearm from the steps, and “The Show-Off” hits him with a superkick to place Baron on the table! BOTH A.J. and Dolph decide to jump off the barrier with an elbow (Ziggler) and leg (A.J.) drop, landing on Corbin through the table!
Dolph and Styles now wrestle and counter each other in the ring. A.J. goes for his Styles Clash, but Ziggler kicks away! He tosses A.J. to the apron, where The Champ jumps onto the ropes; Dolph stops a forearm with a kick and then superkicks! 1 – 2 – Styles JUST lifts his shoulder!
Baron is now back in, and Dolph slugs away on him. Ziggler runs off of the ropes, but right into a Deep-Six spinning-backdrop! 1 – 2 – A.J. breaks it up! Styles and Corbin punch back-and-forth, and then Baron catches Styles in an End of Days position, and Dolph brings Corbin back with a Zig-Zag! Dolph covers but Corbin JUST raises his shoulder!
Baron places Ziggler on the top turnbuckle, but Dolph punches away. Corbin runs back, crotching Ziggler and then driving him into the canvas with End of Days! As he stands, A.J. leaps in with his Phenomenal Forearm, and then covers Dolph to receive the hard-earned victory!
Winner via Pinfall and STILL WWE Champion: A.J. Styles
Post-match, John Cena’s music plays and he runs out. He takes off his shirt and holds out his hand (to boos, for some reason); A.J. holds the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, lays it down, and shakes Cena’s hand! They then mouth-off at each other to close the show.
End of Smackdown! Live
Until next week/year (hehe!), Be Excellent Wrestling-Online Readers and Wrestling Fans!
