WWE SmackDown live results: Contender’s tournament begins
WWE SmackDown will take place at London’s OVO Arena.
Last week, Drew McIntyre survived the Three Stages of Hell to become the new Undisputed WWE Champion after a war against Cody Rhodes as he took advantage of a returning Jacob Fatu on the warpath and escaped the steel cage. Tonight, we’ll hear from the new champion.
Also on tonight’s show, four #1 contender’s qualifying matches for McInytre’s newly-won title, with the winners to face each other in a fatal four-way match on Saturday Night’s Main Event next week, and the winner of that match going on to the Royal Rumble to face McIntyre for the WWE Title.
These four matches tonight include: Randy Orton vs. The Miz, Damian Priest vs. Solo Sikoa, Sami Zayn vs. Ilja Dragunov, and Matt Cardona vs. Trick Williams.
U.S. Champion Carmelo Hayes’ Open Challenge also continues tonight, with a new challenger stepping up to see if they can defeat the champ.
Our coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern.
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– Over a shot of London, England, the voice of Joe Tessitore greeted us to tonight’s SmackDown. We then got the pre-requisite arrivals of wrestlers including Randy Orton, The Miz, Damian Priest, Solo Sikoa, Matt Cardona, Trick Williams, Ilja Dragunov, and Sami Zayn. Those aforementioned stars will compete in four separate #1 Contender’s Qualifying Matches later tonight.
– In the arena, we went to a shot of commentary as Tessitore was joined by Corey Graves. They discussed the events of last week’s SmackDown, where we got a new Undisputed WWE Champion after Drew McIntyre survived Three Stages of Hell.
The new Undisputed WWE Champion arrives
A procession of bagpipe players appeared at the top of the stage and played a jaunty tune before our new Undisputed WWE Champion, Drew McIntyre, made his way to loud cheers from the London crowd. McIntyre himself seemed quite moved by the fans’ reaction to his victory as he took his time to make his way to the ring to bask in the cheers. In the ring, he posed with his title as pyro went off on the stage.
After a while, McIntyre took the mic and said that he prayed for this and it happened as the fans chanted “you deserve it” to him. He said that it’s been a rough couple of years in the U.K., but there’s only one man that can bring everyone together, that being the first and only British-born WWE Champion. McIntyre talked about the love and support he’s received in the past week or so in Europe has been overwhelming, but… he only had one thing to say about all that: “screw you”.
McIntyre complained about how nobody was there when he was fired or when Roman Reigns and the Bloodline were screwing him over and when CM Punk screwed him over. Drew said that there was only one person to thank in all of this, and that person was himself. He then turned his attention to the former Undisputed WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes, pointing out that there is no rematch for the title after he had a provision signed before the Three Stages of Hell match last week. As McIntyre declared the era of the “Dangerous and Unpredictable Drew McIntyre” to be here, he was interrupted by Randy Orton, who got a massive reaction from the Wembley Arena crowd.
Orton entered the ring as McIntyre said that he assumed Randy was out to congratulate him. Orton cut right through it and said that he wasn’t here for that, instead to remind McIntyre of the time that he declined kick his head through the announce table a while ago. While McIntyre hesitated, Orton won’t and he’d take the Undisputed WWE Title courtesy of the three most dangerous letters in sports entertainment: R.K.O.
Jacob Fatu’s theme hit, as the man himself made a beeline for the ring and went after McIntyre right away. The brawl was on as Fatu went after McIntyre through the crowd. Meanwhile in the ring, The Miz snuck up on Orton and hit a Skull-Crushing Finale on him as we’re told that their #1 Contender’s Qualifying match will be up next after the break.
Interesting opening segment, and McIntyre immediately going to heeling on the British fans was kind of funny.
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#1 Contender’s Qualifying Match: Randy Orton vs. The Miz
We returned from commercial with the match already in progress as Miz hit his signature DDT for a two-count. Orton rolled out of the ring and poked Miz in the eye to gain a brief advantage. Orton attempted the back drop onto the announce table, but Miz escaped and hit his own version of Orton’s announce table slam.
As the action spilled back into the ring, Miz and Orton exchanged punches to the face to one another before the latter struck with a hard lariat, followed by the scoop powerslam. As Miz rolled onto the apron, Orton looked like he was going to hit his draping DDT, but his opponent escaped out of it. However, Miz could not avoid the announce table back drop from Orton this time around. This was then followed up by another back drop across the table as the crowd wanted to see it one more time. Orton obliged and slammed Miz onto the table.
Back into the ring, Orton hit the draping DDT on Miz and looked like he was about to put an end to things as he stalked his foe. Orton’s RKO was countered into the Skull-Crushing Finale by Miz, but that wasn’t enough as Orton kicked out at two. Miz attempted another SCF, but Orton escaped it and eventually got the RKO for the three.
Randy Orton def. The Miz
Just a standard match with Orton playing his greatest hits in a match that Miz realistically did not stand a chance in.
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– Backstage, Drew McIntyre skulked about with his Undisputed WWE Title clutched firmly in his arms. He was confronted by Ilja Dragunov and called his shot for the title once he beats Sami Zayn later tonight to advance to the SNME Fatal Four-Way. McIntyre didn’t have time for it as he was looking to escape that “mentalist”, Jacob Fatu. He promised to knock out Dragunov’s teeth at the Rumble if he made it that far.
– We got a Progressive Insurance-sponsored recap of the Wyatt Sicks/M.F.T.s eight-man tag match from last week.
WWE SmackDown recapper. Former NXT PLE/WWE Saturday Night's Main Event/fill-in recapper.