This is the final pit-stop before this weekend’s annual Royal Rumble pay per view for SmackDown Live. We’re live from the Huntington Center in Toledo, OH.
We kick things off with the Miz complaining to Daniel Bryan backstage about not being treated well enough by the management. Bryan books Miz in a match against Dean Ambrose and makes it a Lumberjack match. The match is for Dean Ambrose’s Intercontinental Championship.
Randy Orton vs Luke Harper: A video showcasing the history between both the opponents is shown and both are out to the ring at the same time, led by Bray Wyatt interestingly. Wyatt takes his place in a rocking chair at ring side. The match starts off with trading of right hands between both the opponents and they take things to the outside.
Harper continues the beat down on Orton right in front of Bray, but he doesn’t even look. Orton connects with a series of clotheslines and hits a DDT once the action goes back into the ring. Orton takes things to the outside again, and back drops Harper into the barricade and onto the announce table. Bray throws Harper back into the ring to prevent the count out. Orton connects with a suplex off the top rope and a spinning power slam for a two count. Harper retaliates with a Michinoku Driver for a two count again.
Orton goes to the hit the RKO, but Harper rolls up Orton for another two count. Harper connects with a super kick for another two count! Orton ducks a lariat from Harper and hits the RKO for the win.
Post-match, Orton shakes hands with Bray and hugs Harper but hits the Sister Abigail on him!
Renee Young is in the ring and introduces Mickie James, who runs down a list of her accomplishments and cuts a heel promo on Becky Lynch. Becky comes out and beats down Mickie till Alexa Bliss comes out and saves Mickie. Mickie hits a spinning heel kick on Becky and Alexa follows it up with the Twisted Bliss off the top rope.
A footage of Carmella shopping with James Ellsworth is shown. Ellsworth strangely is in his in-ring gear at the shopping store. Carmella gets fed up as Ellsworth tries several outfits and insists that she would pick clothes for him. She picks a shiny gold shirt, gold chain and a hat for him.
10-man Battle Royal: Rhyno tries to eliminate Heath Slater almost immediately but he hangs on and yells at Rhyno. The Vaudevillains charge at them and they duck, allowing the Vaudevillains to be eliminated. Mojo Rawley eliminates Curt Hawkins next. Slater eliminates Viktor, and Konnor eliminates Slater. Mojo meanwhile eliminates Rhyno and Konnor next. We are down to Mojo Rawley, Fandango and Tyler Breeze. Breezango double team on Mojo and they almost eliminate Mojo but he survives. Mojo ducks a super kick from Breeze and Fandango takes the kick, eliminating Fandango. Mojo throws Breeze to the outside to win the battle royal.
AJ Styles comes out and complains about the Royal Rumble poster and his positioning on the poster. He complains about Cena being in the front and him being somewhere behind in spite of him being the WWE Champion. He says that Shane has no respect for his champion and calls out John Cena. Even before Cena can say anything, AJ shows a clip from the Today Show where Cena bashes AJ.
AJ cuts a promo on Cena and says nobody missed him when he was gone and that he has been holding WWE down for over a decade. AJ on the other hand has been around only for six months. Cena says he was never built for the indy wrestling scene and that he was built only for the WWE. He says his time is now and that AJ will learn that this Sunday.
Dolph Ziggler vs Kalisto: Ziggler connects with a neck breaker; Kalisto ducks a clothesline and retaliates with a spinning heel kick. He springboards off the middle rope for another kick, but Ziggler catches him mid-air and hits the super kick for the win in a very short match.
Post-match, Ziggler grabs a chair and JBL stands up and gets in his face. Apollo Crews comes out and clotheslines Ziggler and chases him to the back.
Naomi vs Natalya: The match does not take place as Natalya gets into a fight backstage with Nikki, where Nikki gets the better of her. Naomi issues an open challenge to anyone and Alexa Bliss comes out. Alexa cuts a promo on Naomi and decides that Naomi does not deserve a match and heads backstage.
Dean Ambrose vs The Miz: The intercontinental championship is on the line for the match and this is a lumberjack match. Lumberjacks attack both the opponents early on. The heel lumberjacks pull Ambrose to the outside when he goes for the Lunatic Lariat early on, allowing the Miz to hit a DDT back in the ring. Ambrose is attacked by the heels again, but he fights them off. Ambrose connects with an elbow off the top rope for a two count and the action spills to the outside. Miz and Ambrose go back into the ring, but Maryse grabs Ambrose’s leg, leading to the Miz connecting with a flying knee for a two count.
Miz follows it up with a series of drop kicks in the corner, till Ambrose ducks from one and throws Miz to the outside. The lumberjacks beat down on the Miz till Ambrose connects with a splash off the top rope onto all of them at ringside. The Miz connects with a kick to the head of Ambrose and Ambrose retaliates with the Lunatic Lariat. Corbin breaks up the pin and all of the lumberjacks hit the ring at once. Corbin throws all the lumberjacks to the outside and Ambrose throws Corbin outside.
The Miz rolls up Ambrose, but Ambrose gets out and hits the Dirty Deeds for the win.
- 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
