Dolph Ziggler vs the Miz: Ziggler takes Miz to the outside and unloads a beat down on Miz. Miz hits Ziggler with a clothesline after back and forth punches once back in the ring, following it up with a big boot. Miz connects with a series of drop kicks, mocking the Daniel Bryan’s YES chants. Ziggler blocks the fourth drop kick and hits a splash, following it up with a neck breaker and elbow drop for a near fall. Miz retaliates with a power bomb for a two count. He follows it up with a big boot for another two count. Miz somehow manages to get Ziggler into the figure four leg lock, but Ziggler gets to the ropes. Maryse causes the distraction on the referee, allowing the Miz to hit Ziggler into the exposed turnbuckle. Miz hits a sit down power bomb for the near fall. Ziggler avoids the round house kick and hits the zig zag for a two count.
Miz locks in the figure four again, but Ziggler fights out and hits a super kick on the Miz. Kenny and Mikey from the spirit squad, the same guys seen on last week’s episode of SmackDown Live come running down to the ring and distract the referee. Ziggler hits them with a super kick walking into a skull crushing finale from the Miz. The Miz only gets the near fall. The referee ejects Maryse, Kenny and Mikey from ring side. The Miz is distracted by the events at ring side. This distraction allows Ziggler to hit the super kick on the Miz for the win. Ziggler keeps his job, and is also your new Intercontinental Champion!
Naomi vs Alexa Bliss: This is a filler match for Becky Lynch’s injury. Alexa cuts a promo on Becky before the match and Naomi is out to challenge her. Bliss controls the match initially, but Naomi comes back with her signature kicks. Naomi connects with a split legged moonsault for a near fall. Alexa comes back with a forearm to the face and goes for the cross arm breaker, but Naomi gets the roll up pin on Alexa for the win.
The main event of the night is Randy Orton vs Bray Wyatt. Pretty decent event thus far. Great matches as usual by the SmackDown Live roster. Curt Hawkins also made an appearance as a part of the pre-show. May expect him to have matches regularly from this week’s episode of SmackDown Live.
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Randy Orton vs Bray Wyatt: Orton tries to go for the RKO in the initial moments, but Bray is able to avoid. He rolls to the outside and laughs creepily. Wyatt goes for the sister Abigail on Orton, but Orton is able to avoid it this time. They take the action to ring side, where Orton goes for the RKO, but Wyatt is able to push him off the announcers’ table. Wyatt continues to beat down on Orton, rolls him back into the ring and hits the Senton bomb for the two count. Wyatt follows it up with a splash to get another two count. He hits a DDT off the apron for another two count. They go for each other’s finishers but are able to counter the moves. Wyatt throws Orton the outside again. Wyatt sets up Orton for the Senton splash on the steps but Orton backdrops Wyatt into the barricade and throws him into the ring. Orton hits his branded middle rope DDT. Lights go out and we see Luke Harper standing right in Orton’s face when the lights are back on! Creepy! Wyatt comes from behind and hits the sister Abigail for the win.
After the match, Wyatt and Luke Harper hug each other.
Our overall rating: 4/5. Most of the finishes were unexpected. The start up match was phenomenal, although it was a let down to see such a great match finish with just one chair shot. The best matches of the night were Orton vs Wyatt, Miz vs Ziggler and Naomi vs Bliss. Look forward to see what RAW does to tackle SmackDown Live’s surging popularity.
- Updated card for the WWE Royal Rumble pay per view - January 28, 2017
- WWE SmackDown Results – 01/24/2017 - January 26, 2017
- WWE RAW Results – 01/23/2017 - January 24, 2017
