WWE SmackDown Report – 12/27/16

– We’re live from Chicago for the final WWE SmackDown of 2016. Mauro Ranallo welcomes us. He’s joined by JBL, David Otunga and Tom Phillips.

– We go right to the ring and out comes John Cena to a loud mixed reaction.

The music stops and Cena tells them to “let it rain” because he missed this. Cena says no matter where you go, nothing compares to the WWE excitement and few places compare to the Allstate Arena. Fans chant CM Punk. Cena tells them they have to be louder and asks if they’re chanting “Cena sucks!” Cena goes on to hype tonight’s title matches. Cena says he is a fan of WWE Champion AJ Styles and gives him props for the year he’s had but wonders if AJ can do it one more time tonight. This brings Cena to the next question… why he’s here. We hear one fan chanting for The Undertaker. Others pick up on the chants and Cena smirks.

Cena says this shows him lots of people have been speculating and planning his future. Cena says 2016 wasn’t exactly a super year for super Cena. He’s heard that he’s washed up, damaged goods and a part-timer. Cena says a lot of Superstars are saying he’s already got one foot out the door headed to Hollywood, never to come back. Cena’s here to set the record straight tonight – he’s not done, he’s not leaving and he’s sick of this New Era BS. Cena says it’s not the new era, it’s the “My Time Is Now” Era. Cena is really Never Giving Up now. He will be watching the main event closely because he’s challenging the winner to a match at the Royal Rumble. Cena says he did just do that because he’s John Cena… recognize. Cena drops the mic and makes his exit as the music hits.

– Still to come, WWE Champion AJ Styles defends against Baron Corbin and Dolph Ziggler. Also, Alexa Bliss defends the SmackDown Women’s Title against Becky Lynch.

Four Corners Elimination Match for the SmackDown Tag Team Titles: The Usos vs. American Alpha vs. Heath Slater and Rhyno vs. The Wyatt Family

We go to the ring and out comes SmackDown Tag Team Champions Randy Orton, Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper. We go to commercial.

Back from the break and security is lined up outside of The Miz’s locker room. Dasha Fuentes tries to get a word with the Intercontinental Champion but he’s only taking questions from the journalist who slapped him last week – Renee Young. If she wants the scoop, he suggests she gets Renee. Back to the ring and Heath Slater, Rhyno and The Usos wait as Chad Gable and Jason Jordan are out. Orton and Harper will be representing The Wyatts under Freebird rules.

Jey Uso unloads on Rhyno early on for a close 2 count. Jimmy Uso comes in and keeps Rhyno down for another pin attempt. Slater finally gets a tag and unloads on Jimmy. This leads to Slater getting pinned. Slater and Rhyno are eliminated as we go to commercial.

Back from the break and The Usos are in control of Jordan. Gable gets a tag and goes to work on Jey. Gable with an Alphaplex for a 2 count as Jimmy breaks the pin. More back and forth. Gable and Uso trade pin attempts but Gable gets the three count. The Usos have been eliminated.

Harper immediately attacks, sending Jordan to the floor. The Usos get in cheap shots on American Alpha before they’re ordered to leave. Harper brings it back in the ring and Orton goes to work on Jordan with stomps. Orton keeps control as Bray looks on from ringside. Orton catches Jordan with a powerslam for a 2 count. Orton with uppercuts now. Jordan turns it around with a dropkick. Gable and Harper tag at the same time. Gable comes off the top and then nails Orton on the apron. Gable with a German on Harper for a 2 count. Orton drops Gable while Bray has the referee distracted. Harper floors Gable and covers for a 2 count as we go to commercial with Orton tagging in.

Back from the break and Harper has Gable grounded. Harper drops Gable with a back elbow and then catapults him into the middle rope. Gable falls to the floor. Orton ends up coming in and keeping the offense going on Gable. Orton with a slingshot suplex for a 2 count. Harper tags back in and nails a Michinoku Driver for a 2 count. Harper with the Gator Roll now. Gable fights back but Harper catches him in a sidewalk slam for a 2 count. Gable counters a move and sends Harper face first into the turnbuckles.

Orton and Jordan tag in next. They go at it and Jordan connects with a dropkick. Harper comes in but Jordan nails a big suplex. Jordan suplexes Orton for a 2 count as Harper breaks the pin. Jordan pulls Harper to the floor and they trade shots. Gable leaps off the apron with a cannonball and takes Harper down. Jordan takes out Bray. Orton nails the second rope draping DDT on Jordan. Fans chant for the RKO now. Gable knocks Harper off the apron. Orton runs up to the top where Gable is but this leads to Orton knocking Harper off the apron. Gable with a missile dropkick. They hit the double team for the pin and the titles.

Winners and New SmackDown Tag Team Champions: American Alpha

– After the match, Bray looks on as American Alpha celebrates. Orton and Harper argue in the middle of the ring but Bray comes in to calm things down. American Alpha celebrates with the titles and look on from the ramp.

– Still to come, two more title matches. We get a Royal Rumble promo and a replay from last week when Daniel Bryan made tonight’s Triple Threat.

– Renee Young is backstage with Dolph Ziggler as he warms up for the main event. He gets fired up about winning the WWE Title tonight.

– Dasha is backstage with James Ellsworth. He admits it hurts his feelings when people pick on how he looks. Carmella walks up and says she finds Ellsworth uniquely attractive. They leave together.

SmackDown Women’s Title Match: Becky Lynch vs. Alexa Bliss

We go to the ring and out comes SmackDown Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and out comes Becky Lynch as Bliss looks on. We get formal ring introductions from Greg Hamilton.

The bell rings and they go at it with Becky applying a submission early on. Bliss makes it to the bottom rope. They trade several holds and pin attempts. Becky with another submission attempt. Bliss counters and blocks a Disarm Her. Bliss talks some trash and hits the STO. Bliss with another pin attempt. Bliss drops Becky and stands on her back. Bliss with another 2 count. Bliss keeps control until Becky catches her with arm drags and a dropkick. Bliss goes to the floor for a breather.

Becky goes for a baseball slide but Bliss blocks it and beats her down on the floor. They go at it on the floor as the referee counts. Bliss counters and sends Becky face first into the ring post. Bliss makes it back into the ring as we go to commercial.

Becky makes a comeback after the break but misses in the corner. Bliss also misses. Becky with the springboard kick. Bliss with more counters. Becky slams the arm hard and keeps control. Becky goes to the top but Bliss cuts her off. Becky nails a missile dropkick and crawls over for a 2 count. Music hits and out comes La Luchadora, which Becky used last week to trick Bliss.

Bliss takes advantage of the distraction for a 2 count. They trade counters again. Bliss with more offense and pin attempt as Luchadora looks on. Bliss lands on knees as she comes off the top. Becky gets the Disarm Her applied but Bliss gets her foot on the rope. Bliss distracts the referee. Becky tries to unmask Luchadora but gets sent into the exposed turnbuckle. Bliss drops Becky with a DDT to retain.

Winner: Alexa Bliss

– After the match, Bliss celebrates as we go to replays and see how her arm was dislocated during the match. Dasha interviews her after the match. Bliss says she doesn’t know who the masked woman was, it could’ve been Sasha Banks or Nia Jax. She walks off.

– We see what happened between Renee and The Miz last week. Renee approaches his locker room but Maryse answers the door. It looks like Maryse might do something but Miz calms her down and steps out to talk to Renee. Miz sends the security away. Miz declares 2017 will be his year. Dean Ambrose appears behind him and Renee smiles. Ambrose attacks Miz and fights off some of the security.

– Still to come, a Triple Threat for the WWE Title. Back to commercial.

– We see what happened with Natalya and Nikki Bella last week. Dasha is backstage with Nikki now. She defends her life and career, then says she’s going to say what she has to say to Natalya to her face.

– Renee is backstage with Baron Corbin. He calls Dolph Ziggler and AJ Styles “little men” who are about to meet End of Days.

Triple Threat for the WWE Title: Baron Corbin vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. AJ Styles

We go to the ring and out comes Baron Corbin. Dolph Ziggler is out next. Back to commercial.

Back from the break and Dean Ambrose vs. WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz is announced for next week. We get formal ring introductions from Hamilton. The bell rings and Corbin shoves AJ to the mat but gets dropkicked by Ziggler. Back and forth for a few minutes. Corbin avoids another dropkick and knocks AJ to the floor. Ziggler also goes to the floor for a breather as Corbin looks on from the ring. We go to commercial.

Back from the break and Corbin remains in control. He brings AJ back in the ring but AJ counters with a crucifix but that’s broken by a Ziggler superkick. Corbin ends up taking back control with a double clothesline. Corbin stomps away on Ziggler in the corner. Corbin keeps up the attack on Ziggler. AJ blocks an End of Days to Ziggler. Styles fights Corbin now but Corbin rams him back into the corner. Styles fights them both off next. Corbin drops Ziggler with a clothesline. Corbin drops AJ for a close 2 count. We go to commercial with Corbin in control.

Corbin dominated through the break and remains in control. Ziggler and Styles take turns on Corbin now. They knock Corbin to the floor with a double team. They end up on the floor and Corbin launches Styles into the barrier. Corbin slams Ziggler on the floor next. Corbin takes apart the announce table now. This leads to Ziggler and Styles putting Corbin through the table with a double team leg drop & elbow drop combo off the barrier.

Styles and Ziggler go at it and enter the ring now. Ziggler hits the big DDT for a close 2 count. Corbin is still down at ringside. More back and forth. Styles goes for a Styles Clash but can’t hit it. Styles ends up going for a Phenomenal Forearm but Ziggler superkicks him in mid-move. Ziggler with a close 2 count and a superkick for another close 2 count as Corbin breaks it. Ziggler kicks Corbin and nails a swinging neckbreaker, then an elbow drop for a close 2 count. Corbin catches Ziggler in a Deep Six for another close 2 count as Styles breaks the pin. Styles and Corbin go at it now. Corbin nails End of Days but Ziggler superkicks him at the same time. Ziggler with a 2 count.

Corbin launches Ziggler shoulder-first into the corner. Corbin takes Ziggler up top but Ziggler fights him off and knocks him to the mat. Corbin runs back over and crotches Ziggler, sending him to the mat. Corbin with End of Days on Ziggler. AJ with a Phenomenal Forearm on Corbin for the win.

Winner: AJ Styles

– After the match, Styles celebrates with the WWE Title as we go to replays. Styles stands tall with the WWE Title until the music hits and out comes John Cena. Cena rushes to the ring as fans do their own version of his theme song. Cena stares at Styles and takes his shirt off. Styles and Cena met in the middle of the ring. Styles raises the WWE Title. Cena extends his hand for a shake but AJ stalls. AJ lays the title between them. AJ shakes Cena’s hand and picks the title back up, yelling that it’s not going anywhere. Cena’s music hits to another mixed reaction. Cena and Styles have words as we go backstage to Neville cutting a promo on tonight’s 205 Live. SmackDown goes off the air with AJ celebrating as Cena looks on from the ramp.

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