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My Thoughts on SmackDown (12/20/16): Charismatic Cat

  • AJ Styles (c) vs James Ellsworth-WWE Championship-This is actually happening. True story: My brother, who doesn't watch wrestling much, walked in saw this part of the review and just said "Who is that?" This led to me realizing how difficult it is to explain why exactly James Ellsworth is in WWE. Styles shoves Ellsworth away before yelling that he deserves better than this. He then blocks No Chin Music before striking Ellsworth to death for the win. Afterward, Styles takes Ellsworth and slams him into the announce table and beats him down around ringside. He throws Ellsworth into the exposed ring frame before slingshotting him into it and walking off, only to come back for to suplex Ellsworth into the barricade. Styles takes the mix and apologizes for making the crowd watch him beat up Ellsworth...NOT! Styles says he's got everything right now and is ready for 2017. Dolph Ziggler then comes out, says he's next in line for a title shot and rags on Styles for losing to Ellsworth three times before tonight. Baron Corbin's out next, and he says he deserves the title shot against Styles, not Ziggler. Ziggler says he earned his title shot, but Corbin says he only earned it because he wasn't there. Corbin says Ziggler steals opportunities and wastes them before punching Ziggler and hitting the End of Days. So...where does Ellsworth go from here? Seriously, his story with Styles is over, and it looks like Dean Ambrose is going to be doing stuff with the Miz, so what's next? It's not like they're going to put a title on him, right?...Right?...somebody, please tell me I'm right.
  • Backstage, Dolph Ziggler demands a match against Baron Corbin, so Daniel Bryan gives it to him, with the stipulation that if Corbin wins, he gets Ziggler's title shot.
  • The Miz (c) with Maryse vs Apollo Crews-Intercontinental Championship-Crews got a jobber entrance...for a title match. Guess who is not winning this match. Crews gets a few near falls with cradles before getting one off a dropkick. Another near fall off a jackknife cover before Miz rolls out of the ring, only to receive a baseball slide from Crews. Crews then hits a moonsault off the apron and a crossbody back in the ring for another near fall before the commercial break. We come back Crews hitting a knee lift and a jumping clothesline. Crews gets a near fall off an enziguri before going for the spin-out powerbomb, only for Miz to escape. Crews gets another near fall off a roll up followed by ANOTHER off an Olympic slam. Miz dodges a Stinger Splash in the corner before Maryse tries to interfere, but the referee catches her and ejects her from ringside. Crews gets a near fall off a roll up before hitting an awesome locking pop-up German suplex for another. Crews goes for the spin-out-powerbomb, but Miz flips out and accidentally hits the referee with his feet. Miz takes the opportunity to poke Crews in the eye and hit the Skull Crushing Finale for the win. After the match, Renee Young asks Miz if his obsession with Dean Ambrose cost him the Fatal 4-Way last week. Miz turns it on her and says she's obsessed with Ambrose since she's the one sleeping with him. Renee slaps Miz before walking off.
  • The announce team announces that due to Zack Ryder's injury, the Hype Bros are no longer the #1 Contenders for the Tag Team Championships. Instead, Randy Orton & Bray Wyatt will defend the titles against American Alpha, the Usos, and Heath Slater & Rhyno next week. Shouldn't the Ascension get the title shot? I mean, Konnor was the last one eliminated by Ryder last week, so shouldn't...eh, nevermind, it's the Ascension, no one cares.
  • John Cena returns next week.
  • Outcomes Natalya. She says she's tired of the rumors before asking Nikki Bella to come out. She does, only to be followed immediately by Carmella. Carmella says if she attacked Nikki at Survivor Series, she'd be bragging about before making fun of Nikki's boobs. Carmella grills Natalya, revealing things Natalya said to Carmella about the Nikki. Natalya admits to saying these things before chasing after Carmella. Carmella runs to the back before Natalya comes back and admits to attacking Nikki. She says she despises Nikki and says the Bellas only got what to where they are because they're pretty. She says Nikki less charisma than her cat and is nothing, which is why John Cena won't marry her. She also calls her a bitch a few times.
  • Backstage, Alexa Bliss limps into Daniel Bryan's office and demands Becky Lynch be punished for injuring her. Bryan instead says he got off the phone with the trainer and they said Bliss is fine so Becky will get another shot at the title next week. He also says that Bliss has a match tonight, and if she refuses to compete like she did last week, then she'll be stripped of the title
  • Dean Ambrose vs Luke Harper with Bray Wyatt & Randy Orton-Ambrose starts with a quick dropkick before throwing Harper out of the ring. Ambrose goes for Dirty Deeds quick, but Harper blocks it and slingshots Ambrose in between the ropes before the commercial break. We come back to Ambrose blocking a superplex, only to receive a spinning side slam from Harper for a near fall. Harper locks in an over-the-shoulder crossface before hitting a backbreaker for a near fall. Harper locks in a Torture Rack, but Ambrose escapes and clotheslines Harper. Harper blocks a bulldog before hitting Snake Eyes to the middle turnbuckle and superkicking him out of the ring. So Harper hit a superkick, the Lawn Dart, and used Gargano Escape? Someone's been watching too many Johnny Gargano matches. Ambrose turns the tables and takes out Wyatt & Orton with a suicide dive, only to get back in the ring to get powerbombed by Harper for a near fall. Ambrose avoids the discus lariat and goes for Dirty Deeds, but Harper blocks it. Ambrose still manages to cradle Harper for the roll up win. Afterward, the Wyatts attacks Ambrose, ending with Wyatt kissing Ambrose on the forehead before sending him into an RKO from Orton. The Wyatts leave via graphic effect before the Miz & Maryse come out so Miz can deliver a Skull Crushing Finale to Ambrose.
  • Alexa Bliss vs La Luchadora-La Luchadora is most definitely Becky Lynch under a mask. manages to out wrestle Bliss at first until Bliss just clocks her in the mouth. Bliss starts beating down La Luchadora until La Luchadora locks in the Dis-Arm-Her for the submission win. La Luchadora unmasks to reveal herself as Becky Lynch.
  • Backstage, Ryan Phillipe from Shooter wanders around backstage looking for Randy Orton. Mojo Rawley walks up to him and warns him about Orton now. Like, does Phillipe not watch the show or something? How does he not know Orton's hanging out with the spooky cult guys? Curt Hawkins literally appears out of nowhere and confuses Phillipe for Mark Whalberg. He literally just pops up from below the camera. Hawkins then makes fun of Rawley for Zack Ryder getting injured and says he'll beat him with cruel intentions while staring at Phillipe.
  • Mojo Rawley vs Curt Hawkins-Or "Chad Hawkins" as Mauro Ranallo said. Unfortunately, now that Ryder is out, the only tolerable thing about Mojo Rawley is also gone. Hawkins also gets a jobber entrance. Honestly, I didn't pay any attention to this match, I was more focused on the commentary team talking about Shooter with Ryan Phillipe. JBL brings up the fact that David Otunga is an actor, so Phillipe says that if Otunga's wife Jennifer Hudson wants to be on Shooter she can. That was funny. Rawley won with a running punch in the corner before celebrating with Phillipe in the ring. Also, quick question, why did WWE even bring back Curt Hawkins? They clearly didn't have any ideas for him. Same goes for Jinder Mahal. Like, what are the benefits to having them on the payroll when you can pay a local guy less money to do the same job as them...doing a job.
  • Backstage, Dasha Fuentes says that James Ellsworth has been taken to a medical facility. This is immediately disproven as Ellsworth walks out of the trainer's room covered in bandages and in a boot. She tries to interview him, but he just grunts in pain. Carmella runs over and escorts Ellsworth away.
  • Dolph Ziggler vs Baron Corbin-#1 Contendership for the WWE Championship-Before the match, AJ Styles comes out and takes a seat at the commentary table. During the entire match, Styles not so sneakily cheers on Ziggler because he doesn't want to face Corbin. Ziggler takes the fight right to Corbin, who quickly rolls out of the ring to catch his breath. My cable then proceeds to go out because, despite working fine all day, it has to go out during the show I'm trying to review. It came back on right before a commercial break. We come back to Ziggler fighting off Corbin and sending him into the ring post before hitting the Famouser for a near fall. Corbin rams Ziggler into the corner before going for a powerbomb, but Ziggler rolls through for a near fall. Corbin then hits an STO for a near fall before Ziggler gets a near fall off a roll up, which Corbin responds to with a brutal clothesline for a near fall of his own. Ziggler rolls onto the apron and gives Corbin a neckbreaker in between the ropes before hitting a Zig Zag for a near fall. Ziggler sets up Corbin on the top rope, but Corbin fights out and hits Deep Six for a near fall. Corbin takes Ziggler to the outside and throws him around ringside before throwing him into AJ Styles. Ziggler hits a superkick on Corbin as the referee counts them both out, ending the match in a double countout. Styles proceeds to take a chair and batter Ziggler & Corbin before Daniel Bryan comes out. Bryan announces that Styles will defend the WWE Championship in a triple threat match against Ziggler and Corbin. 

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