SRS Smackdown Blog: Title Matches, James Ellsworth, Smackdown Christmas

Sean Ross Sapp's Smackdown Live running blog!

WWE World Championship
AJ Styles (c) vs. James Ellsworth

Josh Alexander, Sinner, And Saint Align As The Northern Armory On TNA iMPACT!
  • This was hilarious. AJ Styles caught a kick, punched him a few times and Ellsworth sold dead. Great.
  • Styles dropped Ellsworth across the announce table, and it looked nasty.
  • Styles unleashes a fantastic ass kicking on Ellsworth. I really enjoyed this
  • This beatdown needed to happen. The quick result needed to happen. AJ is an outstanding champion.
  • Dolph Ziggler comes out with full on 1989 Warrior/Kerry Von Erich hair and yadda yadda.
  • Baron Corbin comes out and says Ziggler wastes chances, ends up hitting him with the End of Days. A lot of crying about what people deserve doesn't get anyone over.

Intercontinental Championship
The Miz (c) (w/ Maryse) vs. Apollo Crews

  • So after like, months with jack shit, Crews is back on Smackdown in an IC title match after a Tribute to the Troops win.
  • Crews hit a sick German Suplex on Miz.
  • This was a really good athletic display from Crews.
  • Maryse gets tossed, but it's inconsequential. I'm cool with that.
  • Miz cheats to win. It gives Crews a reason for a rematch and gets Miz over as a heel. 
  • This was my favorite Crews match in WWE.
  • Miz calls out Renee Young for sleeping with Dean Ambrose. Oh shit! Great reaction. Great reaction when she slapped him, too. 
  • This was a fantastic segment from everyone involved. From Crews to Young to everyone in between.

Women's segments

  • Carmella's reaction to being called a snitch was great.
  • Natalya throws Carmella into a Christmas tree. I'm not ever going to get tired of seeing that stuff.
  • Natalya admits to attacking Nikki, calls her a bitch a couple of times.
  • She starts with a kickass promo that trails off at the end, but brings it back by getting a great reaction when she says Cena will never marry her.
  • THE BURNS ARE A PLENTY TONIGHT!
  • Backstage, Alexa Bliss has a good segment with Daniel Bryan where he books her in a title match against Becky Lynch next week, and an opponent tonight. She's really, really good.

Dean Ambrose vs. Luke Harper (w/ Wyatt Family) 

  • I've seen this match on TV 8 times before. Too much. Either way, I'm sure Ambrose will win.
  • Harper using the Torture Rack as a setup submission? I don't know how I feel about that. Cool on him for using the move, but it's one that used to submit people immediately in title matches.
  • Ambrose wins, Wyatts jump him. Not sure what to make of that Wyatt Family finishing move.

Alexa Bliss vs. La Luchadora 

  • It's Becky in a mask, and she wins with a DisArmHer.
  • Lynch changed up her move set for this and did it really, really well.
  • Everything La Luchadora did was more organic than Kalisto. 

Ryan Phillipe. Mojo vs. Curt Hawkins

  • "Have you guys seen Randy Orton around anywhere? Have you seen him?"- Ryan Phillipe.  "No"- Stage hand ten minutes after Orton was on TV.
  • Curt Hawkins and Mojo Rawley confront each other. Mojo is a way better talker but comes off as a superdouche.
  • Curt Hawkins says he'll beat Rawley with.....Cruel Intentions. Aw son of a bitch.
  • This match was short and doody. Phillipe gets in the ring. Thanks, Smackdown. My wife found out her childhood crush is like 5"7'. Points for me!

Backstage segments, More

  • James Ellsworth is backstage comically iced and bandaged. He can't even talk. Carmella is taking care of him. Oh boy.
  • Really cool video package highlighting John Cena's return. 

Top Contender's Match
Dolph Ziggler vs. Baron Corbin

  • This match is nothing special, it follows the Smackdown format of a babyface defending number one contendership, because they're dumb
  • AJ Styles realizing he's slept on Baron Corbin until he sat in the booth is kind of interesting.
  • Corbin's Deep Six is one of those moves that needs to finish someone
  • Why would Corbin not get back in the ring? Dumbass.
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