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My Thoughts on SmackDown (9/13/16): Champ That Runs the Camp

  • We kick off the show with (and I've been waiting a long time to be able to say this) the NEW...WWE WORLD CHAMPION AJ STYLES! Styles proclaims that the champ is here and says that he told us so. He told us that he would beat John Cena at SummerSlam, and he did. He said he was going to beat Dean Ambrose for the WWE World Championship, and he did. Styles says that if tells the crowd anything, then he's right. He says not only is he the face that runs the place, but also the champ that runs the camp. Unfortunately, this brings out John Cena. I already don't like where this is heading. Cena says Styles has what he wants. Not his armband like Styles gives him, but the WWE World Championship, and he's decided he wants to take it back. He quotes Ric Flair and says if he wins the title one more time, he enters the conversation as one of the greatest of all time. He says Styles is the face that runs the place, but he's the man who never quits and says his last goal in WWE is to become a 16-time world champion. Outcomes Dean Ambrose, who says Ambrose made the biggest mistake of his life when he kicked him in the dick and made him his enemy. He says he'll not only get his title back but make Styles life a living hell. Cena interrupts and says Ambrose has no balls, but Ambrose says he doesn't care what Cena thinks or says about him. He says Cena is a lazy part timer and says he's better off doing TV and award shows because he can't keep up in the ring anymore. Ambrose says he'd never back down from a guy like Cena before Shane McMahon comes out. He says Cena & Styles tore the house down at SummerSlam and Styles & Ambrose tore it down at Backlash but says Styles took the easy way out on Sunday. Shane says Ambrose is owed a one-on-one rematch, but at No Mercy, it'll be a triple threat between Styles, Cena, and Ambrose for the WWE World Championship. He also books another match for tonight, Cena & Ambrose vs Styles and a partner of Styles' choosing.
  • The Usos vs The Hype Bros-God, I love seeing a match then seeing the same one two days later. The Usos start off by going after Zack Ryder's leg that they injured at Backlash. Ryder fights out and tags in Rawley, who nails Jimmy Uso with a Pounce and follows it up with a Stinger Splash. However, Jimmy rakes Rawley's eyes, allowing him to hit the superkick and tag in Jey, who hits the top rope splash for the win in quick fashion. They need to change their entrance music, it's way to face-like.
  • We get another Curt Hawkins vignette, only, this time, he actually shows up on screen and tells SmackDown to (hand gesture) FACE THE FACTS!
  • Outcomes The Miz & Maryse. Miz says everyone has been calling him a coward the last few weeks. He says they can call him one all he wants because he still left Backlash with the Intercontinental Championship on his shoulder. He says he's held the title longer than over 100 people and he's made the belt more prestigious than ever before. Outcomes Dolph Ziggler, who says Miz is trying to sell himself as a real champion. Ziggler says that no one will ever see Miz as a top guy because everyone can see through him. Miz says anytime he's on a show he is the main event before saying Ziggler's career is dead. Ziggler says Miz is crushing it right now but says he has an asterisk next to his name. He throws down the challenge; one more match, no gimmicks, no Maryse, no stunt doubles. Just a one on one match. Maryse steps in and everyone boos her, so Miz takes the mic and tells them to shut up, which got a chorus of boos so loud if I didn't know he was on RAW I would've thought Roman Reigns came out. Daniel Bryan comes out and says Maryse cheated on Miz's behalf, so Ziggler will get his rematch. Miz says he's not going to give Ziggler a rematch, or anyone a title match until he gets to renegotiate his contract like he demanded at Backlash before leaving through the crowd.
  • Backstage, AJ Styles walks up to Baron Corbin. Styles asks him to be his tag team partner, but Corbin says he'd rather face him for the title before walking off. Good, Corbin's character is that he hates indy guys, so he shouldn't be teaming up with the biggest indy guy on the roster.
  • Baron Corbin vs Apollo Crews-Crews didn't come out smiling. That might not sound like much, but for Apollo Crews that's major. While Crews poses on the ropes, Corbin knocks him over the top rope and delivers the End of Days to Crews on the outside. This brings out...Jack Swagger? I guess now that his RAW contract ended, he's on SmackDown now. He comes down to the ring and Corbin leaves. Swagger takes the mic and says that he's now on SmackDown and has a stone cold fox of a wife. That's nice, but I bet she doesn't have anything on Karl Anderson's hot Asian wife. Swagger says that he and the fans are going to be a big problem on SmackDown now. I'm sorry but...it's Jack Swagger. Like...who cares?
  • Outcomes the new SmackDown Women's Champion Becky Lynch! God, that feels good to say too. Charly Caruso comes into the ring to interview her. She says she was in the fight of her life on Sunday, but she walked away with the championship.
  • Naomi vs Nikki Bella vs Natalya vs Alexa Bliss vs Carmella in a #1 Contenders match-Nikki Bella quickly spears Carmella out of the ring, leaving Nikki to fight Natalya and Naomi to fight Alexa. Natalya quickly hits Nattie by Nature on Carmella, suplexes Nikki & Alexa, and body slams Naomi. Nikki & Carmella end up being the only two in the ring, but Carmella rolls out. Nikki follows her out and hits a jumping clothesline off the stairs. Back in the ring, Naomi hits an enziguri on Nikki before Nikki hits an electric chair drop on Naomi. Alexa sneaks in to makes the cover, but Namoi kicks out. Alexa tries for a sunset flip on Natalya, but Naomi catches her with an enziguri. Lots of kick outs including Nikki kicking out of the Rear View by Naomi. Outside the ring, Natalya takes out Naomi and Nikki takes out Natalya. Back in the ring, Nikki goes for the TKO on Alexa, but Carmella superkicks her down. Alexa grabs Carmella and throws her out of the ring and makes the cover, getting the win and the #1 Contendership. God, really chaotic match, very hard to keep track of at times. But glad Alexa Bliss won, she's one of my favorites in WWE right now.
  • Backstage, AJ Styles asks Kane to be his tag team partner tonight. Kane laughs at him and walks off.
  • It's time for Heath Slater to sign his SmackDown contract. Shane McMahon says SmackDown is about seizing opportunities, and that's what Heath Slater did. The SmackDown Tag Team Champions Slater & Rhyno come out, with Slater wearing shirt that just says "I Got Kids." Also, his little stat on the side says "Has 7 kids (that he knows of)." That's amazing. Slater signs his contract and yells into the microphone. He thanks Shane & Daniel Bryan and says that he and his family can now move into a double wide! He thanks Rhyno and says that he & Rhyno will take on anyway, anywhere. He thanks all his kid and starts naming them off before the Ascension comes out with horrible face paint. They challenge the champions right now. Slater says they can't do it right now, but Shane decides to have the match now.
  • Heath Slater & Rhyno (c) vs The Ascension for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships-The Ascension start off dominating Slater. They f*ck up an Uranage/diving clothesline horribly before Slater makes the tag to Rhyno. Rhyno hits a spinebuster on Viktor, but Konnor breaks up the pin. Rhyno takes Konnor out and Gore's Viktor for the win. The Ascension had one spot...and they f*cked it up.
  • Backstage again, Styles walks up to Daniel Bryan. He says he's got a partner for Styles...it's James Ellsworth! The first man to get squashed by Braun Strowman on RAW! He's back! I guess he was right, any man with two hands does have a fighting chance!
  • Outcomes Randy Orton. He says Bray Wyatt injured him at Backlash because he is afraid of him. He says he's ready for a fight and challenges Wyatt to come down. Instead, Wyatt appears on the big screen. He says he gave Orton a way out on Sunday, but Orton chose instead to embarrass him. He tells Orton not to sleep before his screen effect plays. When it goes again, Wyatt appears at ringside by the commentary table. Orton challenges him to get in the ring, but the effect plays again, then again, and then Erick Rowan appears in the ring. He attacks Orton, only to get RKO'd
  • AJ Styles & James Ellsworth-Except...NOPE! The Miz comes out and blindsides Ellsworth before hitting the Skull Crushing Finale on the ramp. He tosses Ellsworth away and gets in the ring. Styles shakes his hand.
  • AJ Styles & The Miz vs John Cena & Dean Ambrose-The match starts during the commercial break and we come into Miz working over Cena, hitting the kneeling DDT for a near fall. Miz distracts the referee, allowing Styles to hit an enziguri. Miz hits an Awesome Clothesline, but Cena dodges a second one and makes the tag to Ambrose. Ambrose runs through Ambrose, hitting a clothesline and a backbreaker after catching Styles off a crossbody. Ambrose drops an elbow on Styles for a near fall before tossing Miz into the barricade. Styles manages to hit a Pele Kick on Ambrose before the commercial break. We come back to Ambrose setting Miz up for a superplex. Miz knocks him down and hits a double ax handle and tags in Styles. Styles works over Ambrose until Styles fights out and hits a neckbreaker on Styles. Cena gets the hot tag and runs wild on Miz. Shoulder tackle, shoulder tackle, spin-out powerbomb, and Five Knuckle Shuffle. Ambrose takes Styles out with a suicide dive and Cena finishes Miz off with an Attitude Adjustment for the win. Fine match, nothing special. After the match, Ambrose nails Cena with Dirty Deeds and stares down Styles.
And that's about it. Overall, a pretty good episode of SmackDown. Despite not much wrestling, there were really good promos and a bunch of the wrestling was good (except for the Ascension because for f*cks sake). And I wouldn't really call appearing on screen, looking through his legs, and saying facts a "return" for Curt Hawkins.
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