SmackDown Highlights – Any Man With Two Hands

Tonight was… Boy, tonight was something. SmackDown featured an upstart wrestler, not even signed to the WWE, achieving victory over the World Champion. It featured the Spirit Squad in a match. Not only that, Luke Harper spoke for an extended period of time. Plus, Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon issued a Survivor Series challenge to Raw.

It most certainly did not feature the advertised debut of Curt Hawkins, but, well, James Ellsworth was in action, so I’d call that a wash. We also saw renewed aggression between Carmella and Nikki Bella, as well as American Alpha and the Usos, setting up the feuds that will start carrying us forward.

We’ve got full results below courtesy of Thomas Hall, as well as video highlights of all the matches and announcements.

Results
Dolph Ziggler b. Spirit Squad – Superkick to Kenny
Naomi b. Carmella – Rollup
Jimmy Uso b. Chad Gable – Rollup with assistance from Jey Uso
James Ellsworth b. AJ Styles – Pin after Dirty Deeds from Dean Ambrose
Wyatt Family b. Randy Orton/Kane – Sister Abigail to Orton

Smackdown
Date: October 11, 2016
Location: SAP Center, San Jose, California
Commentators: Mauro Ranallo, John Bradshaw Layfield, David Otunga

We open with a pay per view recap, focusing as the Smackdown World and Intercontinental Title matches.

Here’s Dolph Ziggler to get things going. The fans tell Ziggler that he did it and Ziggler says WE DID IT. Ziggler didn’t know how things were going to go until Sunday and check your cable guide if you don’t believe him. (My cable guide for this show says “and a look at Dolph Ziggler’s exit from WWE.”) He didn’t know if Sunday was going to be his last time but he pulled it off one more time.

httpss://youtube.com/watch?v=FAxIstGqcdg

Cue Miz and Maryse with Miz going on a rant about how this is just the second act of the story. This is the Empire Strikes Back before he beats Ziggler once and for all. Miz gets in a great line about how people like him get the girl and the gold and he’s already got the girl. Ziggler shows us a clip of Miz crying on Sunday but Miz says he isn’t done with Ziggler….and neither are there. Cue the Spirit Squad and it’s time for a handicap match.

Dolph Ziggler vs. Spirit Squad

httpss://youtube.com/watch?v=vOKkIpdClPg

Non-title with Ziggler clearing the ring in about thirty seconds before we go to a quick break. For a bonus, we can actually see what’s going on during the breaks via a split screen. Back with the Squad in control and Kenny putting on a chinlock. Mikey gets caught in a sleeper before a double DDT plants both cheerleaders. A superkick knocks Kenny silly (Mauro: “OH MY GOD! HE KILLED KENNY!”) for the pin at 6:43.

Result: Dolph Ziggler b. Spirit Squad – Superkick to Kenny (6:43)

Post match Miz goes after Ziggler but Heath Slater and Rhyno of all people make the save.

We see a WW2K17 version of Miz vs. Ziggler from Sunday.

httpss://youtube.com/watch?v=eQNt3ZJ5Ziw

Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan have a special announcement for Survivor Series: a five on five Raw vs. Smackdown Survivor Series match, a five on five Raw vs. Smackdown tag team Survivor Series match and a five on five Raw vs. Smackdown women’s Survivor Series match.

Naomi vs. Carmella

httpss://youtube.com/watch?v=XZjAPyZnPJc

Carmella jumps her before the bell and we take a break. We come back joined in progress with Carmella holding Naomi in a chinlock and talking trash as Alexa Bliss is shown watching backstage. Naomi’s dancing kicks have Carmella reeling but she pulls Naomi off the middle rope to take over. Cue Nikki Bella (who Carmella attacked earlier today) for a distraction though and Naomi rolls Carmella up for the pin at 2:57 shown.

Alexa says she can beat Naomi any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Bryan comes in and says she can prove that next Tuesday.

Jimmy Uso vs. Chad Gable

httpss://youtube.com/watch?v=sbNjLGqQBt0

Gable takes him to the mat and works on an armbar but gets superkicked in the ribs. The Samoan drop keeps Jimmy in his comfort zone and we hit a chinlock. Gable pops right back up and hits a spinning top rope clothesline to show off a bit. A cross armbreaker over the ropes has Jimmy in trouble but Jimmy grabs a rollup with Jey holding him in place for the pin at 2:50.

Result: Jimmy Uso b. Chad Gable – Rollup with assistance from Jey Uso (2:50)

The Hype Bros talk about picking up women and Ghostbusters when the Ascension interrupt. Evil staring ensues and a tag match is probably set up for later.

Here’s AJ Styles to brag about his win on Sunday. He beat Dean Ambrose and John Cena in a single match and that’s simply phenomenal. The fans are a bunch of losers for wanting to cheer Cena when he’s off trying to be Kelly Ripa’s co-host or for cheering someone as weird as Ambrose. Most champions would take a year off after a win like he had at No Mercy but AJ isn’t even taking a night off. Instead he’s giving someone a chance tonight so bring out his opponent. Cue Ambrose but that’s not who AJ meant. Ambrose accuses Dean of ducking him but AJ has a newcomer in mind.

httpss://twitter.com/WWE/status/786011867000938497

AJ Styles vs. James Ellsworth

httpss://youtube.com/watch?v=F_2wiehFKNA

Non-title of course. Dean kind of wants to see this because Ellsworth 3:16 says if you’ve got two hands, you’ve got a fighting chance. AJ wants Dean gone but here’s Bryan to say hang on a second. The match will take place and Ambrose will be the guest referee. Dean steals the referee’s shirt and makes AJ hold everything in his pockets, including a flask and Tic-Tacs.

The bell rings and we get a weapons check before going to a break. Back with barely any contact having taken place, which makes me wonder why bothered ringing the bell before the break. Dean won’t let him use a closed fish but AJ argues that everyone uses it in WWE. James throws a right hand and AJ is so incensed that he chases AJ around the ring. Back in and Dean trips AJ so Ellsworth can get a rollup for two.

httpss://twitter.com/WWE/status/786015094345916416

The Calf Crusher makes Ellsworth tap but Dean stops to take a phone call. JBL: “HE CAN’T HEAR THAT BEHIND HIM???” Ellsworth is thrown outside but Dean throws him back in, only to stop to flirt with a good looking woman. Back in and the Styles Clash gives AJ two as Dean stops to stare at him before three. Dirty Deeds lays AJ out and Ellsworth gets a very close two. Dean heads outside to steal a soda before giving AJ another Dirty Deeds. A fast count gives Ellsworth the pin at 10:34.

Result: James Ellsworth b. AJ Styles – Pin after Dirty Deeds from Dean Ambrose (10:34)

Randy Orton asks Kane if he wants to go on the ride through his nightmares. Kane agrees, but says Orton has issues.

httpss://twitter.com/WWE/status/786014786077143040

Royal Rumble By the Numbers video.

AJ yells at the bosses so he’ll take issues into his own hands. Daniel says he has an idea for Ellsworth for next week.

httpss://twitter.com/WWE/status/786018827112845312

Wyatt Family vs. Kane/Randy Orton

httpss://twitter.com/WWE/status/786024538257494016

Before the match, the Wyatts say the world being crazy has brought them back together. Tonight Randy and his monster can join them in the abyss. Bray hammers on Kane to start so Kane throws him into the corner for right hands of his own. A big boot looks to set up the chokeslam but Bray bails to the floor and we take a break.

Back with Orton superplexing Harper and making the tag to Kane. That goes bad for the masked one though as he gets double teamed in the corner with the Wyatts starting in on his ankle. Kane easily fights them off and brings Orton back in to clean house. The elevated DDT plants Wyatt but Orton gets distracted by the big guys fighting outside.

The referee yells at Kane, allowing Harper to superkick Orton down. Wyatt misses the backsplash though…and there go the lights again. They come back on to have Harper in Kane’s place on the apron, allowing Wyatt to hit Sister Abigail for the pin on Orton at 10:49. Kane is nowhere to be seen. JBL: “You don’t just lose a 7ft tall superstar!”

Result: Wyatt Family b. Kane/Randy Orton – Sister Abigail to Orton (10:49)

httpss://twitter.com/WWE/status/786024010781863936