The October 25th, 2016 edition of WWE SmackDown aired live on the USA Network from the Resch Center in Green Bay WI.
– SmackDown opens up with Dean Ambrose talking to James Ellsworth backstage in the locker room. Ellsworth says he wants to return the favor, and be in Ambrose’s corner against AJ tonight. Ambrose politely declines, and says they’ll hang out later.
– Bray Wyatt def. Kane: This one is going to be a No Disqualification match. Lots of back-and-forth brawling inside and outside the ring in the opening minutes. Kane blocks a chairshot at ringside and throws Bray into the ring steps. Kane clears off the announce table and goes to chokeslam Bray into it, but before he can the lights cut out and Luke Harper interferes. Harper makes the save for Bray, and he drops Kane with a big boot and a clothesline. Wyatt takes control of the match, and hits a variation of the Rock Bottom in the ring for a two count. Bray goes for the Sister Abigail, but Kane breaks out and attempts a chokeslam. Bray fights him off, and they both clothesline each other. Randy Orton’s music hits and The Viper hits the ring. Harper gets in the ring, but Orton stares him down and Harper leaves. Kane and Orton get ready to attack Bray as he gets back up to his feet, but instead Orton swerves us and hits the RKO and Kane. Orton walks to the back, and a stunned Bray Wyatt pins Kane for the win.
– AJ Styles cuts a promo backstage saying Ambrose will have to be carried out of the arena tonight after he’s done with him. Styles adds that if Ellsworth gets involved, he’ll be missing “more than his chin” after.
– Renee Young is in the ring to welcome back Becky Lynch. Becky comes out for an interview, but is very quickly interrupted by Alexa Bliss. Alexa sends off Renee and cuts a promo on Becky. They start brawling and Alexa ends up hitting a DDT on Becky, then spraypainting a stripe down her back.
– The Hype Bros def. The Ascension: Ryder starts off against Viktor and hits some double knee strikes early on. The members of the Ascension take turns working on Ryder until Mojo Rawley gets the hot tag and cleans house. The Hype Bros hit the Hype Ryder on Viktor for the win after a short back-and-forth match.
– Randy Orton is backstage being interviewed about him RKOing Kane. Orton says “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.”
– Nikki Bella def. Natalya: Natalya dominates the majority of the match, working on Nikki’s back with a series of submission moves and stretches. Nikki comes back with an enziguri, but Natalya drops her again and puts her in the surfboard submission. Nikki powers out and puts Natalya in the STF for the win via submission. Immediately after the match, Carmella hits the ring and lays out Nikki.
– The Miz is out with The Spirit Squad next to address the state of the Intercontinental Championship, which he no longer has. They get in the ring and halfway through Miz’s promo, Ziggler interrupts. Heath Slater and Rhyno interrupt very shortly after Ziggler, and the three of them confront The Miz. The Miz says Ziggler holding the IC Title is an embarrassment. The Miz challenges Slater and Rhino to put their Tag Team Titles on the line against The Spirit Squad. Slater says The Miz is trying to trick them and avoid the challenge, but Rhino grabs the mic and says “you’re on!”
– Heath Slater & Rhyno (c) def. The Spirit Squad: Slater & Rhyno’s Tag Team Championships are on the line in this one. The Miz and Ziggler are both on commentary. The Spirit Squad members take turns working on Slater in the opening minutes of the match and keeping him grounded. Rhyno gets the hot tag and starts working on Kenny, but eventually Mikey tags in and they double team the former ECW Champion. Slater kicks Kenny to the outside, then knocks him into The Miz at ringside. Rhyno hits a belly to belly suplex on Mikey then the Gore for the win.
– James Ellsworth is sulking backstage because he can’t be in Dean Ambrose’s corner tonight. Ambrose sees him, and tells him he can come out to the ring with him after all, which cheers up Ellsworth.
– AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose: Ellsworth is at ringside in Ambrose’s corner for this one. AJ throws something at Ellsworth at the start of the match, and Ambrose takes advantage by laying out AJ and stomping a mud hole in him in the corner. Ambrose continues the offense on Styles and clotheslines him to the outside. While he’s at ringside, AJ shoves Ellsworth into the ring steps. Ambrose rolls out to check on Ellsworth, and AJ decks Ambrose with a flying forearm. AJ goes for a suicide dive, but Ambrose ducks and rolls back in the ring. Ambrose immediately follows up with a suicide dive of his own on Styles, then throws him back in the ring. Ambrose hits a clothesline and a fisherman’s suplex for a two count. Ambrose gets AJ in the Boston Crab, but AJ gets out and then suplexes Ambrose out to the floor. Back in the ring, Ambrose reverses a superplex and hits a flying elbow off the top rope on Styles. Ambrose and Styles trade strikes in the middle of the ring until Ambrose drops him with a swinging neckbreaker. Styles ducks a clothesline and hits his patended springboard moonsault inverted DDT for a two count. Ambrose reverses a Styles Clash attempt into a roll up for a two count, then drops AJ with a clothesline. Ambrose hits a top-rope superplex on AJ, but he’s unable to follow up on it as AJ gets him in the Calf Crusher. Ambrose fights his way out of the hold, but AJ locks it back in. Ambrose reaches the ropes to break the hold, and he’s selling his leg hard. AJ diverts his attention to James Ellsworth for a moment and hits a sliding dropkick through the ropes that drops Ellsworth at ringside. Ambrose goes for a Dirty Deeds but Styles gets out and hits the Pele kick. AJ goes for the Styles Clash, but Ambrose reverses and throws AJ outside. Ellsworth gets pumped up and hits a superkick on Styles at ringside, costing Ambrose the match. The referee rules it a DQ and calls for the bell. Ellsworth apologizes to Ambrose, who is furious about the loss. AJ heads to the back with his World Championship belt. Ellsworth cries at ringside as SmackDown goes off the air.
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