Detailed Results
After suffering a seven-on-four beatdown at the hands of the newly formed League of Nations, which consists of WWE World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus, King Barrett, Rusev, & United States Champion Alberto Del Rio, along with WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day, SmackDown would kick off with Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose, & The Usos in the ring. Roman tells The Usos that they’re more like “brothers” than cousins before telling Dean Ambrose that they’ve traveled the world together and they’ve been through some memorable fights and that’s why he considers Ambrose his “brother”. Roman then says that The League of Nations cannot help Sheamus at WWE TLC, saying that he will take back what is his and that is the WWE World Heavyweight Championship before saying that he doesn’t feel like waiting for a fight, calling out Sheamus and The League of Nations! The League of Nations would answer the call as WWE World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus, King Barrett, Rusev, & United States Champion Alberto Del Rio come out to the stage as Sheamus says that he enjoyed hearing Reigns talk about his family, saying that he’s a “big admirer” of Roman Reigns. Sheamus continues, saying that Roman had a “great night” at Survivor Series, saying that Roman only held the title for five minutes and fifteen seconds, but at least he got a new t-shirt out of it. Not in the mood for jokes, Roman Reigns dares Sheamus to come to the ring and fight.
The champion responds by saying that he came out there to “extend the olive branch” and try to make peace with Roman, but since Roman doesn’t want to be their “friend”, they were granted a match pitting The League of Nations against Reigns, Ambrose, & The Usos in an 8-Man Tag match. This brings out WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day, who continue to rub in Roman’s brief title reign at Survivor Series, calling Roman a “ruiner” before The Usos dare The New Day to come fight them. Xavier Woods then reveals that Dean Ambrose and The Usos have to “earn” the right to be Roman’s tag team partners in the main event, saying that Ambrose and The Usos will have to beat the members of The New Day to earn their spots in the main event and, if Ambrose and The Usos fail to beat The New Day, then Roman will have to face The League of Nations on his own!
Following a loss to Dolph Ziggler on RAW, the opening match of the night would see “Prince Pretty” Tyler Breeze, with Summer Rae in his corner, square off with “The Man That Gravity Forgot” Neville with Dolph Ziggler a guest on commentary. In the end, Neville looked to have the win secured, but interference from Summer Rae would let Tyler Breeze score with the Unprettier, pinning Neville to pick up the win.
After a loss to her best friend, Divas Champion Charlotte, after some underhanded tactics, Becky Lynch was in action on SmackDown as “The Lass Kicker”, with Divas Champion Charlotte in her corner, would go one-on-one with Brie Bella, with Alicia Fox in her corner. During the match, Becky Lynch was trying to pull Brie Bella away from the ropes and, during this, Brie would inadvertently strike Charlotte on the outside. Becky would then lock in the Dis-Arm-Her on Brie in the ring, but Charlotte would enter the ring and pull Brie out of the hold, pummeling Brie with right hands, resulting in Brie getting the win by disqualification. An outraged Becky would then pull Charlotte off of Brie with Charlotte trying to explain that Brie hit her, sparking an argument between the two friends.
Backstage, Neville is confronted by The Miz, who says that Neville lacks a strong personality, saying that Neville can turn it around. The Miz then offers to teach Neville how to have “charisma” and “personality”. A doubtful Neville asks The Miz why he is suddenly so interested in his career and The Miz explains that he used to know someone like Neville, saying that he took Daniel Bryan under his wing and Bryan ended up main eventing WrestleMania. The Miz then says that all Neville has to do is let the audience in and “be awesome”, giving Neville his card and a DVD of his latest movie.
In a match that would drastically alter the main event of SmackDown, “The Lunatic Fringe” Dean Ambrose would team with The Usos to face WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day in a 6-Man Tag match and, if Ambrose & The Usos win, then they will join Roman Reigns in the main event, but if they lose, then Reigns will have to go it alone against The League of Nations! During the match, Jimmy Uso would appear to tweak his injured knee and The New Day was quick to take advantage as Xavier Woods hits a running knee to the face of Jimmy, pinning Jimmy to pick up the win for the WWE Tag Team Champions and, as a result, Roman Reigns will have to face all four members of The League of Nations by himself!
After the re-emergence of their longtime friend Tommy Dreamer led to an all-out brawl with The Wyatt Family that ended with Bray Wyatt going through a table on RAW, D-Von Dudley, with Bubba Ray Dudley & Tommy Dreamer in his corner, would go one-on-one with the leader of The Wyatt Family, Bray Wyatt, with Luke Harper, Erick Rowan, & Braun Strowman in his corner. In the end, it was Bray Wyatt planting D-Von Dudley with Sister Abigail, pinning D-Von for the win. After the match, Bray Wyatt would pick up D-Von again, threatening to hit a second Sister Abigail if Bubba Ray & Dreamer entered the ring. The Wyatt Family would then set a table up in the corner as Bubba Ray & Dreamer would covertly pull a couple of kendo sticks from under the ring, waiting for their opportunity before rushing the ring and wearing The Wyatt Family out with the sticks. However, The Wyatt Family would withstand the assault before Luke Harper drops Dreamer with a super kick and Braun Strowman locks in his triangle choke on Bubba Ray, leaving Bubba Ray motionless in the ring. The Wyatt Family then picks Tommy Dreamer up as Erick Rowan charges at Dreamer, sending “The Innovator of Violence” through the table in the corner! The Wyatt Family then piles The Dudley Boyz in the middle of the ring before Bray Wyatt kneels next to them and shouts “follow the buzzards”.
Then it was time for the main event as Roman Reigns would be forced to go it alone against all four members of The League of Nations, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus, King Barrett, Rusev, & United States Champion Alberto Del Rio in a 4-on-1 Handicap Match with Dean Ambrose & The Usos banned from ringside. Early on in the match, King Barrett would repeatedly find himself arguing with the referee and, as a result, the referee would make the bold call to kick Barrett out of the match, ejecting Barrett to the backstage area! During a wild match, Roman Reigns would find himself on the outside with the three remaining members of the League of Nations as Roman would toss Rusev over the ringside barricade and toss Alberto Del Rio over the announce table, barely making it back into the ring before the referee’s ten-count as Roman picks up the win by count-out. After the match, King Barrett would come out to ringside, distracting Roman Reigns long enough for Sheamus to hit Reigns with the Brogue Kick. As the League of Nations looks to beat down Roman, Dean Ambrose & The Usos make the save, clearing the ring of the League of Nations before helping Roman Reigns to his feet as Reigns, Ambrose, & The Usos stand tall in the ring.
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