Good evening Fight Fans, we hope your holiday season is going well, and welcome to our coverage of tonight's special Christmas edition of WWE Smackdown! Live! Enjoy the show, and if you're interested you can leave a comment below. Also, if you're interested in exclusive content check out premium service Fightful Select, and if you want to continue the conversation after the show head over to our forums!
-Ｒ-Truth and Carmella come out to start the show and talk about their winning this year's Mixed Match Challenge and about their getting to go on vacation and be number thirty in their respective matches at the Royal Rumble next month. The two dance and sing before Daniel Bryan interrupts them and says that Santa Claus is part of the problem of the deterioration of the environment. Daniel says that the North Pole won't be around in twenty years and there will be no more Santa Claus before Truth tells him that he might end up winning the Royal Rumble and take the title from Daniel. Daniel tells Truth he can't count to thirty before Truth and Carmella dance and Daniel attacks him before leaving as we go to commercial.
Mustafa Ali vs Andrade Almas
Almas immediately dropkicks Ali into the corner once the match starts before hitting a back suplex and chopping him in the corner. Ali comes back with a huricanrrana, but gets distracted by Zelina at ringside before Almas pushes him off of the top rope and down to the floor as we go to commercial.
Ali hits a rolling sit-out facebuster for a quick two count as we return to the action before rocking Almas with kicks, Almas dropping him with a back elbow for a two count. Almas hits a diving stomp for a near fall before they counter each other until Ali hits a tornado DDT and hits the 054 for the pin and the win.
Winner: Mustafa Ali defeats Andrade Almas via pinfall with the 054.
The Usos & Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs The Bar & SAnitY
Sheamus and Karl start the match off before Cesaro and Jey come in and Jey hits a running hip attack in the corner. Jimmy comes in and gets dragged to the corner where SAnitY team up on him before Dain hits a running cross body as we go to commercial.
Dain is in control of Jimmy, Dain clotheslining him before Wolfe comes in and hits a standing moonsault for a quick two count. Sheamus gets the tag and beats on Jimmy before Jimmy comes back with a jawbreaker and drops Sheamus with an enzuigiri. Sheamus rushes to tag Cesaro in who clears the other side of the ring before Luke and Alexander get the tag. Everyone then hits a move before Karl and Luke hit the Magic Killer for the pin and the win.
Winner: Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, and The Usos defeat The Bar and SAnitY via pinfall when Karl and Luke hit Alexander with the Magic Killer.
-The Miz comes out for Miz TV before introducing his guest Shane McMahon and the two talk about the new direction of the company before Miz tries to convince Shane to team up with him. Miz says that he has never heard his father say that he's proud of him and that he told him that they should be a tag team. Miz then asks the WWE universe if they should be a team to the eruption of the fans before Shane agrees to team up with him.
Jeff Hardy vs Samoa Joe
Jeff is in control to start the match before Joe hits a snake eyes onto the top turnbuckle and stomps him before Jeff hits a mule kick into a cardiac arrest for a quick two count. Joe then comes back with a lariat as we go to commercial.
Joe hits an enzuigiri for a near fall as we come back to the action in the ring before locking in abdominal stretch. Joe turns it into a roll up for a near fall before hitting a snapmare and locking in a chin lock. Jeff comes back with an inverted atomic drop into a leg drop and a low dropkick for a two count before hitting the Whisper in the Wind for a near fall. Jeff then hits a Twist of Fate before Joe rolls out of the ring when Jeff goes for a Swanton Bomb before beating on Joe at ringside until the referee calls for the bell.
Winner: Samoa Joe defeats Jeff Hardy via disqualification.
-After the match Jeff continues his assault until Joe locks in the Coquina Clutch and chokes Jeff unconscious before leaving.
United States Championship Match
Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs Rusev
They lock up and Shinsuke backs Rusev into the corner for a clean break before Rusev drops him with a boot and hits him with clubbing blows before Shinsuke counters a suplex and tells Shinsuke to bring it as we go to a break.
Shinsuke locks in a cravat that Rusev powers out of before suplexing Shinsuke for a quick two count and driving his shoulder into the midsection of the champion. Shinsuke drapes Rusev on the top turnbuckle and hits him with running knees for a two count before choking him and hitting a flying armbar. Rusev counters when Shinsuke transitions into a triangle choke for a two count before Shinsuke hits a single leg dropkick that sends Rusev off of the apron and down to the floor as we go to commercial.
Shinsuke has Rusev in a front choke as we come back to the action until Rusev tosses Shinsuke away and hits a fall away slam before hitting a running spin kick for a near fall. Rusev hits a roundhouse kick for a near fall before Shinsuke rolls out of the ring when Rusev goes for the Accolade. Shinsuke sends Rusev into the steps and the announce table before draping him over the apron and hitting a jumping knee drop into a Kinshasa off of the top. Rusev hits Shinsuke with the Machka Kick when he catches Shinsuke coming in with a Kinshasa for a very close near fall before Rusev powers out of a triangle choke. Rusev goes shoulder first into the ring post before Shinsuke hits a running knee for a near fall and Rusev counters another Kinshasa and turns Shinsuke inside out with a lariat.
Rusev then hits another Machka Kick for the pin and the win.
Winner: Rusev defeats Shinsuke Nakamura via pinfall with a Machka Kick to become the new WWE champion.
-After the match AJ Styles meets with Vince McMahon backstage before Vince tells AJ to unleash his inner animal and slaps him before he lays Vince out. AJ is then pulled out of the room as we go off the air.
