Sean Ross Sapp's Smackdown Live running blog!
WWE World Championship
AJ Styles (c) vs. James Ellsworth
- 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.
Get exclusive pro wrestling content on Fightful Select, our premium news service! Click here to learn more.