Tonight’s episode of SmackDown LIVE opens up with a video package looking at what took place last week with The SmackDown LIVE Women’s Division and The Battle Royal.
We are live from The Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas as Tom Phillips welcomes us to the show. He is joined by Corey Graves & Byron Saxton.
SmackDown LIVE General Manager Paige is already in the ring for The First-Ever Women’s Triple Threat TLC Match Contract Signing Segment. We see tables, ladders and chairs all around the ring. Paige welcomes us to SmackDown LIVE.
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She begins by saying that SmackDown LIVE is the brand that makes history and she is proud to sanction The First-Ever Women’s TLC Match for The SmackDown Women’s Title. Paige then says that but it is not just a TLC Match, it is a Triple Threat Match and she introduces the participants, starting with Asuka before moving on to Charlotte Flair and saving The Smackdown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch for last.
Lynch says that she makes history every time she steps foot in the ring and she plans on doing the exact same thing at TLC. Lynch then says that being put through a table or having a chair bent over her back or a ladder bent off her skull, none of that compares to the pain she has endured to get here today, so it doesn’t matter to her if your opportunity was earned or not, she couldn’t care less and she’s gonna do anything it takes to win.
Charlotte then tells her to change the song, because it has been the same every week and she can spin it how she likes but the fact is she picked up the ball that she dropped at Survivor Series and destroyed Ronda Rousey with one kendo stick and she is pretty sure it took Nia Jax one punch to break her face. Lynch jaws at her and Flair tells her to shut up and imagine what’s gonna happen with tables, ladders and chairs.
Becky then says that she will own Flair just the same and Asuka interrupts, saying that Lynch already beat Charlotte and has never beat her. Asuka then says that at Survivor Series, Becky chose wrong and Asuka claims that she would have beaten Ronda Rousey and at TLC she is gonna beat her. Charlotte scoffs at the idea that Asuka could beat Ronda since she beat her streak at WrestleMania, to which Asuka tells her that she got lucky one time.
They jaw at each other. Paige settles them and Lynch says that neither of them could beat Rousey or her before signing the contract and leaving. Flair then says that she is gonna beat both of them and Asuka fires back in Japanese. Charlotte then says that she shattered Asuka’s mystique at WrestleMania and will finish her at TLC. Paige orders them to sign and they do so. Asuka then suggests that she might break Charlotte right now.
Paige tries to restore order but Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville make their entrance and questions her methods to make history with these two undeserving women instead of the two women she personally groomed for stardom. Mandy then points out that Charlotte lost at Survivor Series and Sonya points out that Asuka only won the battle royal by a fluke after she made one tiny mistake.
Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville then says that if they want to see fire and desire, they are looking right at it and what happens if Charlotte & Asuka don’t make it to TLC. Paige tells them that they are past idle threats and books a tag match between them for right now.
Or, well, after the commercial break.
Back from the commercial break and The Miz rolls up on SmackDown LIVE Commissioner Shane McMahon to complain about WWE Champion Daniel Bryan being on MizTV.
He says that he is gonna do a great job as host but he wants Shane to do his job and be part of the best tag team in the world. McMahon then says that they are not partners and The Miz needs to use his mental acumen to get answers out of Bryan. Miz then says that he will do it but Shane owes him and McMahon denies this thought.
Asuka & Charlotte Flair vs. Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville: Asuka starts this one off with a hammer lock on Sonya, then they trade shoulder blocks and take-downs. Sonya takes control, then Mandy tags in to continue the offense on Asuka. Mandy wastes some time, then Asuka fires back with a series of strikes. Mandy shoots back with a forearm to the face, but Asuka shuts her down with a kick to the head. Charlotte tags in now and snapmares Mandy down before putting the boots to her. Charlotte misses a shot in the corner and Mandy drops her face-first into the middle turnbuckle. Charlotte comes back and throws Mandy outside, then Sonya runs in and Charlotte throws Sonya to the outside too. Charlotte hits a dive on Mandy and Sonya at ringside, then she exchanges words with Asuka. Becky comes out to the stage for a closer look at this match. Back in the ring, Mandy & Sonya turn things around on Asuka. Becky sits at ringside now with her Women’s Title belt to watch. Sonya hits a running knee strike to Asuka for a two count. Mandy tags in for a knee strike of her own to Asuka for another two count. Mandy clotheslines Asuka back down and she looks for a back suplex, but Asuka escapes and drops Mandy. Sonya and Charlotte tags in and Charlotte hits a series of strikes. Charlotte hits a belly to back suplex and then nips up. Charlotte hits a spear on Sonya, then Mandy runs in and Charlotte throws her out over the top rope. Mandy drops Asuka at ringside, then hits a cheap shot on Charlotte from the apron. Asuka gets on the apron and drops Mandy, then Charlotte swings for Mandy but hits Asuka instead. Asuka returns the favor and hits Charlotte, which leads to Sonya pinning Charlotte for the three count. Winners: Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville
After the match, Becky looks on as Rose and Deville celebrates. Asuka throws her hands up. Becky raises the title at ringside and smiles as Flair recovers. We go to replays. Becky continues raising the title in the air, looking at her TLC opponents.
Commentary hypes up MizTV, Jeff Hardy vs. Randy Orton and Xavier Woods vs. Cesaro vs. Jey Uso to send us to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial break and Jon Stewart is shown sitting in the front row.
Xavier Woods vs. Jey Uso vs. Cesaro (Triple Threat Match): Woods and Jey Uso dumps Cesaro to the outside early on, then they go at it with each other. Cesaro comes back in, but Woods and Jey Uso drops him again and sends him back down to the ringside floor. While at ringside, Cesaro rips up The New Day’s orange commentary table. Woods and Jey Uso fight on the turnbuckle, then Cesaro breaks it up. Jey Uso takes Cesaro down, then he hits a Samoan Drop on Woods. Jey Uso follows up with the butt bump in the corner on Woods, then he goes for one on Cesaro but Cesaro rolls out of the way. Cesaro rolls out to ringside and Jey Uso hits a suicide dive on him. Woods then hits a tornado DDT off the apron on Jey Uso on the floor. Back in the ring, Woods hits a facebuster on Cesaro for a two count. Woods looks for the Honor Roll, but Cesaro blocks it. Cesaro misses a shot in the corner and Jey Uso kicks him in the face out of nowhere. Woods hits a flying elbow drop on Cesaro and pins, but Jey Uso breaks it up. Woods and Jey Uso trade right hands in the middle now, until they run the ropes and collide. Jey Uso hits a shoulder block, then Cesaro drops him. Cesaro hits Woods with a right hand and puts Woods on his shoulders, then he grabs Jey Uso by the legs and swings Jey Uso around while Woods is still on his shoulders. Cesaro drops them both, then he puts Woods in the Sharpshooter. Jey Uso breaks it up and boots Cesaro in the head. Woods tries to steal the pin on Cesaro, but Cesaro kicks out and throws Woods to the outside. Jey Uso then immediately superkicks Cesaro and pins for the three count. Winner: Jey Uso
After the match, The New Day checks on Woods at ringside as Jimmy enters the ring to celebrate with his brother. Sheamus checks on Cesaro. The Bar raises the titles as the three teams have words ahead of their match at TLC.
We head backstage where Rusev & Lana are being interviewed as footage of Rusev being attacked by Shinsuke Nakamura from last week is shown. Rusev says that Nakamura is terrified of his wine barrel chest, his biceps bigger than Mount Fuji and his traps like double decker taco supremes. Rusev then says that he is hungry, but not for food, for The WWE United States Title. Rusev then says that Nakamura holds onto it like a toy, but it’s not a toy, it’s honor, courage and tradition, things that Nakamura doesn’t have. Rusev then says that Nakamura is not avoiding it this time, because once he gets his hands on him, he is gonna feast on him on the greatest holiday of them all. Rusev Day.
Commentary hypes up MizTV and we go to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial break and commentary hypes up free agent Lars Sullivan and we get another video vignette of him.
In the ring, The Miz welcomes us to another must-see edition of MizTV with his usual introductory speech or he tries to, when Carmella & R-Truth come out for a dance break before leaving immediately. The Miz does his gimmick and introduces WWE Champion Daniel Bryan. The Miz starts by asking how he should refer to Bryan before saying that he is gonna stick with Daniel but there is something new about him. The Miz then says that Bryan seems more confident, like his eyes have been opened and like he has realized that The Miz was right all along.
Bryan then says that everybody thought the old Daniel Bryan was very smart, but how smart could he have been if he constantly catered to the opinions of these people and allowed their expectations to subvert his dreams, but he realized that he doesn’t care about these people and let his dreams take control. Bryan then says that he doesn’t have a lot of intellectual peers, The Miz included, but he has books where he can consult the great minds of history. Men like Alexander Hamilton and Bryan takes a moment to decry the fickle, fickle sheep, reciting “What?” chants from twenty years ago, but Hamilton said that giving the mindless masses power is dangerous both to them and society, but you know what’s even more dangerous? The theoretical knowledge of the old with the wisdom and brutality of the new Daniel Bryan.
The Miz then says that the only reason Bryan has the title is he did what The Miz said and that is whatever it takes. Bryan then runs The Miz down for dancing around the issue and says that he kicked AJ Styles in the groin, to be clear, one man in the groin on one day. While these people harm the earth every day with their needless consumption, drinking their water bottles and eating their meat that causes permanent change to the climate.
If you wanna count sins, Bryan yells, he kicked one man in the groin on one day, but these people commit countless atrocities against the earth and future generations every day, every week, every month, every year, so count the sins. The Miz is befuddled and says that for eight years Bryan has painted him as the bad guy and he had everyone fooled, but not him. He saw right through and he demands a simple answer for a simple question, is he champion because he listened to what The Miz said, yes or no?
Bryan answers in the affirmative and then in the negative. Yes and no, over and over, before saying that it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that the old Daniel Bryan is dead. The Yes! Movement, with these logos (the side-plates from the title, that he casts down), is dead and your WWE Champion is the new Daniel Bryan. He calls the crowd fickle again.
AJ Styles’ music hits. He hits the ring but Bryan throws The Miz into him and makes a break for it. Styles kicks The Miz once for good measure before heading over and pulling Bryan back over the barricade and they end up back in the ring with The Miz, who pulls AJ aside and hits the Skull-Crushing Finale.
Commentary hypes up Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy once again and we go to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial break and we are informed that AJ Styles vs. The Miz will be our main event for later on tonight.
We get a picture in picture promo from Randy Orton saying that Rey Mysterio’s entire existence has been shredded and now he has to stomp on Jeff Hardy one last time.
Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy: The opening bell sounds and Jeff immediately takes the fight to Orton and pummels on him in the corner. Orton tries to grab onto Jeff’s ear but Jeff fights him off. The fight spills out to ringside and Jeff hits a back suplex on Orton. Back in the ring, Hardy boots Orton in the face and hits the Whisper In The Wind for a two count. Hardy hits the inverted atomic drop and a leg drop and dropkick for a two count. Hardy goes for the Twist of Fate, but Orton fights him off and elbows Hardy in the face. Orton hits the draping DDT off the middle rope, but then he wastes some time. Orton looks for the RKO, but Jeff shoves him off. Hardy and Orton both block some shots before Jeff drops him and then goes to the top turnbuckle. Orton meets him there and looks for a superplex, but Jeff fights out and slams Orton’s face into the turnbuckle. Jeff follows up with the Twist of Fate, then he goes to the top rope. Orton rolls out of the ring and Jeff climbs down. Jeff dropkicks Orton through the ring ropes, then follows him out to ringside. Jeff clears off the announce table, then slams Orton’s head onto it. Jeff back suplexes Orton on top of the announce table. Jeff then climbs up to the top turnbuckle as Orton lays on the table. As Jeff reaches the top rope, Samoa Joe appears on the big screen. Samoa Joe is in a bar somewhere and he tells Jeff that he is keeping an eye on him and to keep up the good work. The distraction leads to Orton rolling back in the ring and hitting the RKO on Jeff for the three count. Winner: Randy Orton
After the match, Orton exits the ring as his music hits. We go to replays. Hardy stumbles to his feet as Joe appears on the big screen again. Joe is here to warn us about excess and says that everything is best in moderation. He plays more mind games with Hardy while pouring a beer. Joe says that the choice is clear – choose to drink responsibly. Joe sends a “cheers!” to Hardy before drinking the beer. Hardy rolls out of the ring and greets some fans at ringside on his way to the back.
Commentary hypes up our main event and we go to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial break and we are informed that The Bar have challenged The Usos to a rap battle for next week, plus Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka has been booked.
During entrances for the main event, Daniel Bryan is interviewed backstage. He says that the new Daniel Bryan doesn’t run, everything he does, he does with purpose and now he is going to commentary.
And we are going to a commercial break before the match can begin.
Back from the commercial break and our main event is underway.
AJ Styles vs. The Miz: Daniel Bryan joins the commentary table at ringside before the opening bell. The bell sounds and Miz starts off strong in this one. AJ ducks a shot and shuts down Miz with a big dropkick. Styles and Miz trade strikes now and Miz drops AJ with a knee to the body. Daniel Bryan freaks out at Byron at ringside and yells at him about bottled water and wanting his daughter to kick Byron in the groin. The Miz misses a shot and AJ kicks him in the face. Miz fights back and kicks AJ off the apron down to the ringside floor. Back in the ring, AJ fights back and hits a neckbreaker for a two count. AJ calls for the Styles Clash, but Miz reverses it and slams AJ face-first into the turnbuckle. Miz follows up with a DDT for a two count. AJ fights back and throws Miz over the top rope down to the ringside floor, then AJ follows up with a flying forearm smash on the floor. AJ locks his sights on Daniel Bryan and the distraction leads to Miz slamming AJ into the ring steps. Miz takes AJ back in the ring and hits the Skull Crushing Finale for a two count. The Miz is shocked that AJ kicked out and he starts working over AJ’s left knee now. Bryan gets a cheap shot on AJ while The Miz distracts the referee, but AJ kicks Bryan away. Miz goes to grab AJ, but AJ catches him in the Calf Crusher and The Miz taps out. Winner: AJ Styles
After the match, AJ celebrates as his music hits but Bryan enters the ring and takes his knee out. Bryan drags AJ to the corner and repeatedly slams his knee into the ring post. Bryan pulls AJ out and sends him face-first into the ring post. Bryan slams AJ’s face into the announce table now, mocking him. Bryan rolls AJ back into the ring and follows him, stalking him from the corner. AJ gets up but Bryan takes his knee out from behind again with a running shot. Bryan applies his Heel Hook submission now as AJ screams in pain. The referee tries to get Bryan to break it but he won’t. More referees run down and the hold is finally broken. Bryan stands tall as fans boo. AJ looks to get up but Bryan nails a kick to the head. Bryan stomps away on AJ now. Bryan runs a victory lap around the ring as the boos continue. Bryan stomps away on AJ’s head now. Bryan leaves the ring and grabs his title. He goes over to Hamilton and bullies him into announcing him as our WWE Champion, the new Daniel Bryan. Bryan stands on the announce table and raises the title as the boos continue. Bryan takes the mic and asks the people if they don’t approve or what. Fickle. The people don’t cheer? Fickle. The people don’t love the new Daniel Bryan? Fickle. Fickle. Fickle. Bryan goes on chanting “fickle!” as AJ slowly gets up in the ring. Bryan runs back into the ring and attacks AJ some more. Bryan applies the heel Hook again as AJ screams out in pain, saying that he gives up. SmackDown goes off the air with referees trying to get Bryan to break the hold.