27th December 2016

Information from this page

John Cena returned to SmackDown LIVE with a huge announcement



He’s back!

John Cena kicked off the Wild Card Finals by returning in grand fashion! The 15-time World Champion wasted no time in re-acclimating himself into the thick of things on the brandhaving some fun with the WWE Universe in the process.

He then proclaimed that it was the “My Time Is Now” Era and that he wanted to challenge the winner of the WWE Championship Triple Threat Match tonight between AJ Styles, Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin to a Title Match at the upcoming Royal Rumble!

American Alpha captured the SmackDown Tag Team Championship in a Four Corners Elimination Match



The best tag team on SmackDown LIVE is ready, willing … and champions!

Excitement was at a premium in the Four Corners Elimination Match for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship on the Wild Card Finals.

Heath Slater & Rhyno, The Usos, American Alpha and Randy Orton & Luke Harper all were looking to leave as champions in the always competitive Team Blue Tag Team division and all four teams brought the goods on the Wild Card Finals.

The first elimination occurred when Jimmy Uso hit Heath Slater with a gnarly superkick to pin Slater and eliminate Beauty & The Man Beast.

Next to go were The Usos when Chad Gable caught Jey Uso by surprise with a rollup.
This left American Alpha against The Wyatt Family, who were completely fresh as they had strategically not entered the match up until that point.

Jason Jordan & Gable also had to recover from a blindside attack by The Usos after they eliminated the twins. Jordan & Gable withstood Orton & Harper’s best and after a thrilling series of exchanges, in the end it was an accidental collision between Harper & Orton that allowed Gable & Jordan to capitalize by hitting Orton with Grand Amplitude to become the new SmackDown Tag Team Champions.

After the match, as American Alpha celebrated their huge victory, The Viper & Harper had a tense exchange before Bray Wyatt had to come in and diffuse the situation.

SmackDown Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss def. Becky Lynch



Following Becky Lynch pulling the ol’ okie-doke on Alexa Bliss last week by dressing up as La Luchadora and defeating her, it felt as though the Irish Lass Kicker had momentum on her back as this SmackDown Women’s Championship Match got underway on the Wild Card Finals.

Lynch competed confidently as the two Superstars continued their blossoming rivalry.
However, with the moment never being too big for her, Bliss more than held her own against the experienced veteran.

It seemed like fate was simply on Lynch’s side but, suddenly, La Luchadora (you read that right) appeared.

Bliss and Lynch continued to battle with Lynch looking like she was moments away from winning the championship, but then with Bliss apparently injured and the referee tending to her, the new La Luchadora smashed Lynch’s head into an exposed turnbuckle, allowing Bliss to capitalize with a DDT to retain her title.

Dean Ambrose delivered a sneak attack on The Miz backstage



After The Miz refused to speak to any interviewer other than Renee Young earlier in the evening – following their scandalous exchange regarding her relationship with Dean Ambrose last week – the WWE master of the mic cautiously approached The A-Lister’s locker room to ask a question.

After Miz restrained a very irate Maryse, he and Young proceeded to have an awkward-as-awkward-can-be interview.

This came to an abrupt end, however, when Young’s boyfriend, Ambrose, disguised as a security guard, snuck up behind The A-Lister and began to savagely attack him.

Security attempted to restrain The Lunatic Fringe, but he proceeded to take all of them out as well.

It was announced later in the show that The Miz would defend his Intercontinental Championshp against Dean Ambrose next week on SmackDown LIVE.

WWE Champion AJ Styles def. Dolph Ziggler & Baron Corbin in a Triple Threat Match



Anticipation loomed in this WWE Championship Triple Threat Match, both to see who would prevail victorious and to find out who would go on to defend the title against John Cena at the Royal Rumble.

AJ Styles, Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin were all very much game for the task at hand, delivering an incredibly compelling contest to cap off the Wild Card Finals.

Both Ziggler and Corbin made the most of their opportunity, giving it all they had in the process.
Tables were smashed, incredible counters were made and all three Superstars proved to be warriors.

However, ultimately, Styles proved why he continues to remain at the peak of the Team Blue mountaintop, defeating The Showoff after striking The Lone Wolf with the Phenomenal Forearm and then capitalizing on the End of Days Corbin struck Ziggler with seconds earlier for the win.

Cena arrived as Styles began to celebrate after the contest was over.

The two rivals stared each other down before the Cenation leader, somewhat surprisingly, extended his hand for a handshake.

The Phenomenal One, skeptically, returned the gesture, now with their Royal Rumble clash looming on The Road to WrestleMania.