WWE Smackdown LIVE Coverage & Discussion

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AJ Styles to battle Dean Ambrose in a WWE World Title showdown

With No Mercy’s Triple Threat Match fast-approaching, “The Champ that runs the Camp” must put the WWE World Championship on the line one-on-one against The Lunatic Fringe.

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– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown opens with a quick promo before going to the opening video package. We’re live from Cleveland with Mauro Ranallo, David Otunga and JBL.

– We go right to the ring and out comes Randy Orton to a pop.

Orton addresses Bray Wyatt and says Bray does the things he does because he’s afraid. Orton says it’s nothing to be ashamed of because people are afraid of many things… heights, spiders… snakes. Orton says Wyatt is afraid of him. Orton says there’s been enough sneak attacks, he calls Wyatt to the ring if he’s man enough to come face his fears. The lights flash and we go backstage somewhere to Wyatt. Wyatt cuts a promo about how he’s a god and this is his world. Wyatt says he makes the rules and Orton is in no position to make demands. If Orton wants to hurt Wyatt, he better hurry because the sands of time wait for no mortal man. Wyatt is holding an hour-glass. He starts singing “The Whole World” and laughs to end the promo. Orton takes off to the back and it looks like he’s going hunting for Wyatt.

– The announcers hype tonight’s main event. Charly Caruso approaches Dean Ambrose backstage and asks what’s going through his mind. He says a lot is going through his mind but this is a PG show. Ambrose calls his win over John Cena last week old news, just like Cena is. Ambrose says he’s going to turn the face that runs the place into the guy that’s going to cry when he takes back the WWE World Title tonight.

– Still to come, a big eight-man tag team match. We go to commercial.

American Alpha, Heath Slater and Rhyno vs. The Ascension and The Usos

Back from the break and SmackDown Tag Team Champions Heath Slater and Rhyno are out as American Alpha waits in the ring with The Ascension. The Usos are out next with a new theme song.

Jason Jordan starts the match with slams to Jimmy Uso. Chad Gable tags in and works on Jimmy’s arm. Gable slams Uso and Jordan comes back in. Uso nails a forearm and a chop. Uso runs into an uppercut. Jordan with a takedown for a 2 count. Uso backs Jordan into their corner and in comes Jey Uso for some double teaming. Jordan lands on his feet and tags in Gable. The Usos get hit with double monkey flips by Alpha. Gable gets an armbar on the top rope applied to Uso. Gable fights both Usos off but Jey takes out the leg with a chop. Gable sells the leg injury as The Usos stand tall and we go to commercial.

Back from the break and Viktor and Konnor are double teaming Gable in the corner. Konnor covers for a 2 count and goes back to working him over. Jimmy tags back in and beats on Gable in the corner as the referee warns him.

Viktor tags in but Gable sends him to the floor. Konnor rushes in but he also gets dropped. Gable keeps getting closer to a tag but The Ascension pulls Jordan off the apron. Rhyno takes them out on the floor. Gable gets close to a tag again but Uso stops him. They both go down and in comes Slater off the tag. Slater unloads on Jey Uso as fans pop. Slater with a high knee. Viktor comes in and Slater nails him too. Slater with the neckbreaker on Uso for a 2 count as Konnor breaks it. Gable and Rhyno take out Konnor. Viktor with a big uppercut on Rhyno. Jordan sends Viktor over the top to the floor. Slater dodges a superkick and rolls Jey up for a 2 count but Jimmy breaks it with a superkick. The Usos double team Slater and take out his left knee from behind. Jimmy wraps Slater up in a single-leg crab for the win.

Winners: The Usos and The Ascension

– After the match, the heels leave together as we go to replays. They taunt the babyfaces from the floor as they recover in the ring.

– We see John Cena walking backstage. Caruso approaches him for comments and says Cena will be at ringside for tonight’s main event. Cena will be watching the match very closely but using it to prepare to make history at No Mercy because he will finally be able to say the 16-time champ is here. Cena walks off.

– We see Maryse and WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz backstage. He’s having a photo of himself put over a photo of LeBron James. Fans boo. His big homecoming celebration will be later.

– The Wyatts graphic flashes and we go backstage to somewhere strange as Randy Orton is looking for Bray Wyatt, apparently following a path Wyatt has set up. Orton takes a wrong turn and we see Erick Rowan. Back to commercial.

– Back from the break and we see Bray Wyatt. He taunts Orton and says he was never good at following directions. The clock is still ticking.

Carmella and Natalya vs. Naomi and Nikki Bella

We go to the ring and Carmella is out with Natalya. We get a pre-recorded video where Carmella knocks Nikki Bella. Back to the ring and out comes Naomi first for her team. Nikki Bella is out next.

They also air a pre-recorded video from Nikki and Naomi. Naomi starts off with Carmella and they go at it. Carmella moonwalks and dances around. Naomi takes her down and does some moonwalking of her own. Naomi nails a dropkick and in comes Nikki. Carmella heads to the floor to regroup with Natalya as we go to commercial.

Back from the break and Natalya slams Naomi on the floor with a Michinoku Driver. She brings it back in for a 2 count. Carmella ends up coming in and keeping up the attack on Naomi. Carmella with her version of the Bronco Buster for a 2 count. Natalya comes back in for a double suplex and another pin attempt.

Natalya with a few more minutes of good offense on Naomi. Naomi finally gets the tag and in comes Nikki. She floors Natalya and nails a dropkick. Nikki with a kick out of the corner for a 2 count. Carmella nails Nikki in the back from the apron and she goes down. Carmella tags but Nikki brings her in over the top rope. Nikki goes on and scoops Carmella but gets raked in the eye. Carmella kicks Naomi off the apron. Nikki takes Carmella to the corner. Natalya provides an assist but Nikki drops her with a big right. Carmella takes advantage and rolls Nikki up for the win.

Winners: Carmella and Natalya

– Back from the break, Carmella talks trash as Natalya joins her on the ramp. We go to replays. Nikki and Naomi look on from the ring as the winners taunt them.

– We go backstage to Orton, still on the path to find Wyatt. We see “one way out choose wisely” scrawled on an electrical box. Orton opens one door and sees a cardboard stand-up of himself with the eyes cutout and lit up. Orton turns and goes another way. He sees “predator or prey” written on a sheet. Orton looks in another room and there’s Erick Rowan again it looks like. Orton turns back around and walks off but it looks like a handle is shaking on one of the doors he avoided, or maybe it’s the door Rowan was behind. This is getting a bit silly.

– Back from a break and out comes WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz and Maryse for his Cleveland Homecoming Celebration. The ring has a red apron cover and large photos of Miz are on display. Pyro goes off on the stage as they enter the ring. Miz gives her husband a grand introduction before a video package on his career plays.

We come back and Miz announces he’s home to a mixed reaction. He brings up the Cleveland Cavaliers getting a huge turnout when they won the NBA Championship and this is all he gets. He knocks LeBron James and the fans before bragging on his never-ending tour. Miz introduces the only two decent people in the crowd and asks them to stand at ringside – his mom and dad. Fans chant “Mr. Hero” it sounds like, apparently for a restaurant Miz’s dad owns. He acknowledges this on the mic. Miz also points out Dolph Ziggler’s parents at ringside. He says this must be tough for them as they raised a world class loser. Ziggler’s music hits and out he comes to the ring in a hurry.

Ziggler is fired up. They have words and he says Miz cheated to beat him. Ziggler tells Miz to enjoy his tainted title and enjoy the parade. He goes to leave but Miz starts in on the mic. Miz says Ziggler just keeps losing and losing, then asks when will he just stop. Miz says Ziggler’s career makes him absolutely sick and he would be embarrassed if it were his. Miz says Ziggler, his parents, his friends and his city should all be embarrassed of his career because he’s done nothing as of late. Miz says Ziggler just loses and keeps losing. Miz actually feels sorry for him. Miz says he’s done here and mocks Ziggler for asking for title shots, saying he won’t give Ziggler another because Ziggler has nothing else that matters. Miz says everything else is done for Ziggler. Unless he’s going to give up his career, Miz has nothing else to say. Fans boo as he leaves with Maryse. Miz stops at ringside to taunt Ziggler’s parents again. Ziggler tells Miz to stop. He says Miz is right, the ring is all he has. This is his everything, he lives for this and this is what he loves. Sometimes things you love don’t always love you back. You can give and give and give and give but sometimes you get nothing back in return. Ziggler goes on and says he thought he would be a bigger star but he just can’t stop himself. He tells Miz o put the title up just one more time. Fans chant “one more time” as Ziggler looks emotional. Ziggler says if Miz puts the title up, he will put his entire career up. Miz comes back to the ring and wants to make sure Ziggler will be done with WWE because of him. Ziggler says he either walks out champion or he’s done. Miz proposes the match for No Mercy and says if Ziggler isn’t willing to hang up his career, he will hang it up for him. Miz leaves the ring with the title in the air as fans boo. Ziggler looks on and looks down.

– We see Ambrose backstage warming up. Back to commercial.

– Back from the break and we go back to Bray Wyatt. He tells Orton to be careful as he’s watching.

– We go to the ring and out comes SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch. She’s attacked from behind and laid out on the stage by Alexa Bliss. Bliss unloads on Becky and leaves her laying, grabbing the title and saying she doesn’t deserve it.

– They air another Curt Hawkins vignette. Hawkins says he’s making a big announcement next week. Back to commercial.

– Back from the break and there’s another backstage segment with Wyatt. He asks where Orton is and calls him a coward. Wyatt thinks Rowan is standing behind him but we see the person is wearing Orton’s hoodie. Orton lifts the sheep mask and beats Wyatt down but he escapes. Orton kneels down and puts the sheep mask back over his face. Orton starts singing “in his hands” as the camera shakes and his laugh is distorted. The camera fades from Orton in the mask to Wyatt sitting there with a straight face. The announcers are shocked.

– AJ Styles is backstage walking when Charly approaches him for comments on the main event. AJ says tonight is much bigger and more grand than the debate. AJ says he’s already beat up John Cena and beat up Dean Ambrose to get here and tonight, he’s going to beat up Ambrose again and keep the title.

WWE World Title Match: Dean Ambrose vs. AJ Styles

We go to the ring and out comes John Cena for commentary. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and out comes Dean Ambrose. WWE World Champion AJ Styles is out next. We get formal ring introductions from Greg Hamilton. The bell rings and Ambrose unloads on AJ. Ambrose goes corner to corner and drops AJ with a chop. Ambrose with more chops in the corner now. The referee warns him. Ambrose drags AJ’s face across the rope. AJ comes back and kicks Ambrose but gets clotheslined over the top to the floor in front of the announcers. Ambrose tosses AJ on top of the table and beats on him in front of Cena and the announcers. Ambrose goes back in the ring and stands tall as we go to commercial with Cena reminding us that Ambrose can’t win the title on a count out.

Back from the break and AJ has Ambrose down in a headlock. Ambrose fights up and out but they both collide in the middle of the ring and go down. They get up and Ambrose looks to make a comeback. Ambrose catches AJ in the air and slams him over his knee for another 2 count. Ambrose goes to the top but has to roll through. More back and forth. Ambrose knocks AJ from the apron into the barrier. Ambrose nails a big dive out and both are down on the floor now. Ambrose brings it back in the ring but AJ rolls right back out the other side. Ambrose climbs up and nails a big elbow drop to the floor. We go back to break.

Back from the break and they go at it. AJ gets the Calf Crusher locked but Ambrose eventually breaks out. More back and forth. Ambrose with the swinging neckbreaker. They trade shots in the middle of the ring now. They trade more holds and Ambrose drops AJ on his face for a 2 count. Ambrose takes AJ to the top but AJ comes back down. AJ takes control and goes for another pin attempt. Ambrose gets a close 2 count after a big clothesline from the top. Fans chant “this is awesome” as Cena goes on and on about why he feels good about his chances at No Mercy. Styles drops Ambrose with a pele kick. AJ goes to the apron and sringboards in but misses the 450 as Ambrose moves. Ambrose goes to the top and hits the elbow drop for a 2 count.

Ambrose ends up going out after Styles on the floor but lands bad on his leg and Styles nails a running knee to the head. Styles brings AJ back in but turns around out of nowhere and decks Cena. AJ springboards in but Ambrose ducks. Cena hits the ring but the referee holds him off at the apron. Ambrose has AJ rolled up but the referee is distracted with Cena. AJ kicks out. Ambrose is pissed and goes right to the floor and nails Cena for costing him the title. This leads to AJ rolling Ambrose up for the win.

Winner: AJ Styles

– After the bell, Cena hits the ring and argues with Ambrose as AJ leaves. Cena and Ambrose get in each others face now. Ambrose kicks him for Dirty Deeds but Cena hits the Attitude Adjustment. Cena turns around to Styles but he blocks and slams him with the AA. Cena raises the WWE World Title as fans pop and his music hits. We go to replays. SmackDown goes off the air with Cena on the stage while AJ and Ambrose recover in the ring.

WWE Smackdown LIVE Coverage & Discussion - Sept. 27th, 2016