Show: WWE SmackDown
Location: Toledo, OH at the Huntington Center
Date: 1/24/17
Airing on the USA Network
Welcome to SmackDown Live. We see Daniel Bryan about to take a bite of an apple, but The Miz walked in. Miz complained about his locker room. Bryan teased putting his locker room in the bathroom. Bryan booked Dean Ambrose vs. Miz for Intercontinental Title. Miz wanted it to be a No DQ match, but Bryan turned him down and made it a lumberjack match.
Tom Phillips hyped the tension that has been building for weeks now between Randy Orton and Luke Harper, which sets up our opening contest.
Singles Match: Randy Orton vs. Luke Harper
They start brawling to begin the match. Orton hit a powerslam, and Harper rolled to the floor. Orton landed a series of right hands and then a back suplex on the barricade. Orton slammed him onto the announcer’s table, but Harper caught him with a big boot. We’re back with Harper hitting a powerslam. Harper went to the top rope, but Orton cut him off and hit a superplex for 2. They exchange strikes. Orton with a powerslam for 2. Harper with the Michioka Driver for 2. Orton blocked a powerbomb and hit an RKO for the win.
Winner: Orton.
Post-match, Bray Wyatt hit Harper with Sister Abigail.
-Commercial Break-
Renee Young interviews Mickie James in the ring. James brought up bringing Trish Stratus winning the Women’s Championship from Trish Stratus and that she is a five-time champion. She refused to answer the question regarding why she helped Alexa Bliss. James said that she is tired of all of the newer wrestlers made the women’s revolution. She said that Bliss was the only one who remembered who she is. James said that she respects Bliss and if it wasn’t for her then she wouldn’t be here right now. James doesn’t like that Lynch thinks that she is the face of the women’s revolution. James said that she here to reinvent herself because she matters. Lynch walks down to the ring and attacks James. Bliss then ran through the crowd and beatdown Lynch along with James. James told Lynch to always be one step ahead.
-Commercial Break-
We see a video of Carmella taking James Ellsworth shopping. Ellsworth noted that he hasn’t seen so many nice clothes since he went to court. He ended up dressing as a rapper. A total comedy skit.
-Commercial Break-
Battle Royal Match To Earn Spot In Royal Rumble: Heath Slater, Rhyno, Simon Gotch, Aiden English, Curt Hawkins, Konnor, Viktor, Mojo Rawley, Tyler Breeze, Fandango
The Vaudevillians were eliminated immediately. Rawley eliminated Hawkins with a right hand. Rhyno dumped Viktor to the floor then Konnor speared him out of the ring. Fandango then dumped out Slater and Konnor. The final three comes down to Tyler Breeze, Fandango and Rawley. Breeze super kicked Breeze out of the ring and Rawley dumped him to the floor.
Winner: Rawley
-Commercial Break-
AJ Styles cut a promo about being unhappy about not being featured on the poster of the Royal Rumble. He then called out John Cena, who walked down to the ring. Styles then showed a clip of Cena talking about facing some guy from Atlanta at the Royal Rumble on the Today show. Styles said that no one missed Cena while he was gone and that he is the guy that replaced Cena. Styles said that he is the better wrestler and he knows it because every time they wrestle each other, he beats Cena. Styles said that Cena is a sorry excuse for a wrestler. He wants to know what he has to do to get respect from the fans. He said that he has fought for everything he has and at the Royal Rumble he will be putting his foot up Cena’s ass. Cena said that he doesn’t complain about people booing him. He said Styles blames him for his losses. He said that Styles has been here for six months while he has been here for well over a decade. He said he wasn’t built for the indy scene but rather for the WWE. Cena said that he gets done more in a day than Styles does in a career. He just does his thing and shuts up everyone. Cena told Styles to photoshop him on the poster and that Styles is just a guy not a guy from Atlanta. Cena said that Styles let him be WWE Champion. Cena said that Styles just wants to be him and that his time is now.
-Commercial Break-
Singles Match: Dolph Ziggler vs. Kalisto.
Ziggler countered a springboard move and hit a super kick for the win.
Winner: Ziggler.
Post-match, Ziggler grabbed a chair. Apollo Crews ran down and made the save.
-Commercial Break-
Naomi was supposed to wrestle Nikki Bella, but Natalya and Bella were brawling in the back. Naomi got on the microphone and called out anyone for a match. Bliss said that she is not out here to answer her challenge. Bliss noted that Naomi hasn’t been on TV in like three months and asked who she was. Naomi challenged her to a fight, but Bliss turned her down.
-Commercial Break-
Intercontinental Championship Lumberjack Match: Dean Ambrose © vVs. The Miz.
They start brawling to begin the match.
-Commercial Break-
We’re back with Miz tossing Ambrose to the floor. The heel lumberjacks attacked him. Back in the ring, Miz hit a DDT for 2. Miz hit a series of kicks. Ambrose fought back and landed an elbow drop off the top rope for a near fall. Ambrose sent him to the floor and hit an outside dive. The lumberjacks tossed Miz back into the ring. Maryse held onto Ambrose’s foot, and Miz hit a running knee strike for a near fall. Miz with a series of dropkicks. Ambrose dumped him to the floor. Miz tried to escape, but the lumberjacks held him back. Ambrose took them all out with an outside dive. Back in the ring, Miz kicked him in the head, but Ambrose no sold it and hit a clothesline. Corbin attacked Ambrose. A brawl broke out between the lumberjacks. The ring cleared and Ambrose hit the Dirty Deeds for the win.
Winner: Ambrose.
Ambrose celebrates in the ring to close the show.
Thanks for watching along and we will see you next time.
