9/27 WWE Smackdown Report

A video package opens the show focusing on tonight’s Backlash rematch with AJ Styles defending the WWE World Championship against Dean Ambrose.
The Smackdown intro hits. We go live to Quicken Loans Arena.
Randy Orton is out first to kick off the show. Orton grabs a mic as a loud “RANDY” chant starts up in Cleveland. “Bray Wyatt…I know why you like to talk about fear.” Orton talks about Wyatt sneak attacking people and he knows why Bray does these things. “You, yourself, are afraid,” said Orton. He said it is nothing to be ashamed of. Orton talks about certain kinds of phobias like heights, spiders and snakes. He said Bray Wyatt is afraid of him. Orton calls out Wyatt to the ring “if you’re man enough and face your fears.”
The Wyatt Family graphic hits the screen and the lights go out. Bray Wyatt appears on the screen. He has a story for Randy about Hansel and Gretel. Wyatt said he has left behind his very own bread crumbs and it will not leave Randy home, but rather the world Wyatt created. He calls himself a God and talks about how he makes the rules. Wyatt said Orton is in no position to make demands. “You want to hurt me Randy? Come on. But hurry. Because the sands of time they wait for no mortal man,” adds Wyatt.
Wyatt starts singing he’s got the whole world in his hands and laughs. The lights come back on inside the arena and Orton leaves the ring heading to the back.
Mauro Ranallo, JBL and David Otunga talk about our WWE World Championship main event between champion AJ Styles and challenger Dean Ambrose.
Backstage, Dean Ambrose is asked about tonight’s championship match. Ambrose said he has a lot of things going through his mind. He talks about AJ Styles bragging about beating John Cena at SummerSlam and notes how he beat Cena last week.
WWE Smackdown Tag Team Champions Heath Slater, Rhyno and American Alpha vs. The Usos and The Ascension in an eight man tag team match is up next.
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Eight Man Tag Team Match
Heath Slater, Rhyno and American Alpha vs. The Usos and The Ascension
We start with Jason Jordan and Jimmy Uso. Jordan with takedowns on Jimmy. Chad Gable tags himself in. Jordan drops Jimmy down and Gable works over the left arm of Jimmy. Gable with a big takedown on Jimmy and tags Jordan back in. Jimmy with a right hand and chop to Jordan. Jordan catches Jimmy with an elbow. Jordan with a double leg takedown on Jimmy and keeps him grounded working over the left arm. Tag to Jey Uso. Jordan flips out of a double arm drag attempt. Gable is in. Double monkey flips by Alpha on the Usos. Gable with an armbar over the top rope on Jey. Gable with shots to Jimmy on the outside. Jey with a chop block to the bad knee/leg of Gable on the outside.
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We return live with Jimmy working over Gable back inside the ring. Jimmy misses a shot in the corner. Gable tosses both members of the Ascension out of the ring who jump in trying to cut off a hot tag. Jimmy is holding Gable back. The Ascension pull Jordan off the ring apron. Rhyno with a dive on Konnor and then a shot on Viktor. Both Jimmy and Gable collide and are down. The crowd is begging for a Heath Slater hot tag. Hot tag to Slater! Slater with shots to both Usos. Slater with left jabs to Jey and then a running high knee. Leg lariat by Slater on Viktor and a neckbreaker on Jey. Konnor breaks it up. Gable with a forearm on Konnor and Rhyno catches him with a belly-to-belly. Viktor with a leaping uppercut on Rhyno. Jordan clotheslines Viktor out. Jimmy with a superkick to Slater when he tagged himself in. Jey follows it up with a jumping dropkick to the knee of Slater. Jimmy locks up the legs of Slater in a half Boston Crab submission. Slater taps.
Winners: The Usos and The Ascension
Backstage, we see John Cena walking around and it’s revealed he is going to be at ringside for tonight’s main event. He said it doesn’t matter who walks in No Mercy as champion because he will walk out the new 16-time champion.
We see The Miz ordering a poster of himself holding the WWE Championship be put over a Lebron James poster. The fans in Cleveland boo this loudly.
Randy Orton is backstage in a dark area of the arena. He finds something made of a sticks in the shape of an arrow pointing to a part of the backstage area. When the camera pans back, the arrow is pointing another direction and we see a masked Erick Rowan.
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Backstage, Bray Wyatt said Randy Orton was never good at following directions.
Natalya and Carmella vs. Nikki Bella and Naomi
We start with Naomi and Carmella. Naomi with a quick headlock takedown. Carmella mocks Nikki doing her dance. Naomi with a drop toe hold and smacks Carmella. Naomi kicks Carmella away in the corner. Naomi with a dropkick on Carmella and tags in Nikki. Nikki with a jawbreaker to the knee. Carmella bails and Natalya checks on her at ringside.
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We are back live and Natalya hits a Michinoku Driver on Naomi on the outside. Back inside, Carmella gets the tag and Carmella and Natayla double team Naomi. Carmella locks up the head of Naomi on the middle rope. Carmella mocks Nikki and Natalya gets in a cheap shot. Naomi with a small package on Carmella for a two count. Carmella sends Naomi to the corner face first, charges and connects with a modified Bronco Buster. Tag to Natalya as they both hit a double northern lights suplex. Natalya gets a two count on Naomi. Naomi with a roll up on Natalya for a two count. Natalya cuts off a hot tag to Nikki. Natalya with knees to Naomi in the corner. Naomi with an elbow to Carmella. Natalya with a dropkick to the face of Naomi. Hot tag to Nikki. Nikki with a huge shoulder tackle on Natalya and follows that up with a kick to the head. Nikki with a corner clotheslines and then a springboard kick to the head. Carmella with a shot to the lower back of Nikki. Tag to Carmella. Nikki tosses Carmella inside the ring over the top rope. Nikki has Carmella up. Carmella rakes the eyes, kicks Naomi off the ring apron and Nikki sends Carmella to the corner. Nikki with a forearm to Natalya. Carmella with a takedown into a pinfall for the win.
Winners: Natalya and Carmella
After the match, Carmella trash talks Nikki Bella.
Backstage, we see Randy Orton in a dark part of the arena. He sees a door that says “I Am A God.” He sees another door that says “Predator or Prey.” Orton opens the door that says “I Am A God” and finds a cardboard cut out of himself inside the room with the eyes cut out. Orton then opens the “Predator or Prey” door. We can see Erick Rowan waiting for him inside around the corner. Orton shuts the door and leaves. We see Rowan trying to open the door from inside the room.
The Miz’s Homecoming Celebration is up next.
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The Miz’s Homecoming Celebration
WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz and Maryse are headed to the ring. When they get inside the ring, Miz raises his title up on the corner and a huge display of pyro goes off.
Maryse grabs a mic and introduces the prodigal son of Cleveland, your Intercontinental Champion, The Miz. A video package airs focusing on The Miz’s WWE career.
Back live, Miz grabs a mic and says, “Cleveland…I’m home.” He talks about the Cleveland Cavaliers winning the NBA Finals. Miz talks about millions showing up for the Cavs and this is all he gets? He talks about this city being so desperate for a title and embracing a traitor like LeBron James. Miz talks about celebrating his world tour as the reigning Intercontinental Champion in WWE. He points out his parents sitting front row. Maryse lets Miz know that Dolph Ziggler’s parents are here tonight as well. He said this night must be hard for them because they created a loser.
Dolph Ziggler’s music hits and he walks out to interrupt. Ziggler says Miz can’t talk to his parents like that and he can’t talk to his city either. He tells Miz to say it to his face. Miz talks about beating Ziggler over and over again. Ziggler brings up Miz cheating. Miz said the record books will show all of his title reigns, his hot wife and Hollywood career. He asks what the record books will show about Ziggler. Miz brings up Ziggler continuing to losing and asks when he plans to give up on his “mediocre career.” He talks about Ziggler being the warm up act and how his career makes him “absolutely sick.”
Miz tells Ziggler his parents and city should be embarassed of him. He talks about Ziggler just continuing to lose and actually feels sorry for him. Miz expects Ziggler to ask him for one more match and the answer is no. He said unless Ziggler plans to give up his career then he has nothing to say to him. Miz walks up to Ziggler’s parents and adds, “You must be so proud.” Miz heads to the back with Maryse when Ziggler tells him to wait. He says everything Miz said was right and this ring is all he has. Ziggler said some times things you love don’t always love you back. He talks about fans asking why he still does it. “You put that title up one more time…and I’ll put up my entire career,” said Ziggler. Miz wants to clarify that Ziggler will indeed put his career on the line and wants to make sure he doesn’t go to RAW or NXT, but he is gone from WWE because of him. Ziggler says the title or his career. “I either walk out champion or I’m done. Either way. Either way I’ll be out of my misery,” said Ziggler. Miz agrees to the title match in two weeks at No Mercy. He said if Ziggler isn’t willing to hang up his career then he will do it for him. Miz drops the mic and heads to the back.
Backstage, we see Dean Ambrose warming up for the main event tonight.
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Backstage, Bray Wyatt is still addressing Randy Orton. He said the door is wide open. Wyatt tells Randy to be careful and starts laughing.
WWE Smackdown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch is making her entrance when Alexa Bliss attacks her from behind. Bliss throws the face of Lynch off the entrance ramp, grabs the Smackdown Women’s Championship and says she deserves it.
AJ Styles defends the WWE World Championship against Dean Ambrose later tonight.
A new Curt Hawkins video package airs. He has a big announcement next week.
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Backstage, Bray Wyatt said he is disappointed in Randy Orton. “The viper has no fangs. The viper has no poison. I hoped for better.” He asks where Randy is. We then see Orton standing behind Wyatt with a mask on. Orton removes the mask as Wyatt is laughing. Orton starts attacking Wyatt. Wyatt runs away and Orton starts laughing. Orton picks the mask back up and takes a seat. He puts the mask back on and starts singing.
WWE World Champion AJ Styles talks backstage about his title defense up next. He talks about all eyes and ears being on the Presidential Debate last night and how all eyes and ears will be on AJ Styles. Styles proclaims he will retain tonight.
John Cena heads to the ringside area to join Mauro, JBL and Otunga on commentary.
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WWE World Championship Match
AJ Styles (c) vs. Dean Ambrose
We get ring introductions for the challenger Dean Ambrose and champion AJ Styles.
Ambrose with a takedown and right hands early on Styles. Ambrose with chops to Styles in the corner. Styles fires back with a kick to the face. Ambrose clotheslines Styles over the top rope. Ambrose tosses Styles on the announce table right in front of John Cena. Ambrose throws some big right hands and returns to the ring and Styles slides off.
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We return live as Styles has a headlock on Ambrose keeping him grounded. Styles and Ambrose connect with a double clothesline in the middle of the ring. Ambrose with shots on Styles. Ambrose levels with Styles with a clothesline off the ropes. Styles catches Ambrose with a boot. Ambrose catches Styles leaping off the corner and connects with a backbreaker for a two count. Ambrose counters a Calf Crusher attempt by Styles and gets a Texas Cloverleaf submission applied. Styles pulls himself and gets to the bottom rope. Styles with a jawbreaker on Ambrose off the top rope. Ambrose then catches Styles with a forearm sending him flying to the ring barricade. Ambrose with a suicide dive catching Styles on the outside. Ambrose tosses Styles back in and Styles rolls back out. Ambrose goes up to the top turnbuckle, jumps and takes out Styles at ringside with a flying elbow.
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As we return live we see Styles working over the left knee/leg of Ambrose. During the break we see Styles drove the left knee of Ambrose into the mat. Styles gets the Calf Crusher applied on Ambrose. Ambrose finds a way to escape. Styles goes for a Styles Clash and Ambrose counters with a back body drop. Styles avoids Dirty Deeds, throws body shots and Ambrose with a swinging neckbreaker. Styles and Ambrose exchange shots. Ambrose gets the better of Styles with elbows. Styles now gets the better of Ambrose with body kicks. Styles with a jumping forearm, avoids a lariat from Ambrose and Ambrose takes the back of Styles driving him down in a front facebuster for a two count. Ambrose props Styles up on the top turnbuckle. Styles slides out, trips up Ambrose, gets Ambrose up on his shoulders in a torture rack and spins him off his shoulders into a powerbomb for a two count. Styles with a kick to the head of Ambrose and yells out “you’re next” at Cena. Ambrose crotches Styles up on the top rope, gets up on the second rope and catches Styles with a clothesline! Styles hangs on to the ropes and connects with a Pele Kick to Ambrose. Styles drags Ambrose out, gets on the ring apron, springboards up and misses a 450 splash attempt. Ambrose is now going up top, jumps and connects with a flying elbow over Styles. Styles kicks out. Ambrose with a right hand that sends Styles out of the ring. Ambrose launches himself over the top rope, Styles moves and then connects with a running high knee. Styles sends Ambrose in the ring and then gets in a cheap shot on Cena at ringside. Styles springboards off the ropes, Ambrose moves, Cena is up on the ring apron, Ambrose has a roll up, the referee is distracted, Cena jumps off, the referee counts the pinfall and Styles kicks out. Ambrose jumps out and gets in a quick shot on Cena on the outside. Ambrose is back inside the ring and Styles rolls himup to get the pinfall.
Winner and still WWE World Champion: AJ Styles
After the match, AJ Styles bails and John Cena jumps in the ring. Cena gets in the face of Dean Ambrose. Ambrose goes for Dirty Deeds and Cena counters into an AA. Styles is back in and goes for a Styles Clash on Cena. Cena counters and hits another AA. Cena grabs the WWE World Championship and holds it above both Styles and Ambrose.