Breezango & Tye Dillinger defeated Mojo Rawley, Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin. (Kickoff Match)
Mojo Rawley, Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin didn’t mince words when they said that Fandango, Tyler Breeze and Tye Dillinger were fretting away their hard-earned opportunities on funny business like The Fashion Files. Rawley even went so far as to call them, respectively, “a joke,” “a clown” and “a perfect disappointment.” So, Breezango and Dillinger went ahead and beat their detractors on the WWE Fastlane Kickoff.
Not only that, they went ahead and won the match in thoroughly entertaining fashion – a walking, talking rebuke to the dour, all-business mentality of Rawley, Gable & Benjamin. It was clear from early on that The Fashion Police weren’t about to let the opportunity for shenanigans pass them by; Fandango threw on some headgear to roll around with Gable, while Breeze rode the former SmackDown Tag Team Champion like a pony.
The fun stuff did land them in trouble for a bit. Prince Pretty found himself overwhelmed by all three of his opponents, Rawley especially. Luckily, Dillinger was there when things got particularly serious, tagging in and singlehandedly turning the tide for his squadron. Thanks to some timely interference from Breezango that dispatched Gable & Benjamin, The Perfect 10 even scored the decisive pinfall on — who else? — Rawley, by throttling the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal winner with a knee to the side of his face. Consider the opportunity fulfilled. (Via WWE.com)
Not only that, they went ahead and won the match in thoroughly entertaining fashion – a walking, talking rebuke to the dour, all-business mentality of Rawley, Gable & Benjamin. It was clear from early on that The Fashion Police weren’t about to let the opportunity for shenanigans pass them by; Fandango threw on some headgear to roll around with Gable, while Breeze rode the former SmackDown Tag Team Champion like a pony.
The fun stuff did land them in trouble for a bit. Prince Pretty found himself overwhelmed by all three of his opponents, Rawley especially. Luckily, Dillinger was there when things got particularly serious, tagging in and singlehandedly turning the tide for his squadron. Thanks to some timely interference from Breezango that dispatched Gable & Benjamin, The Perfect 10 even scored the decisive pinfall on — who else? — Rawley, by throttling the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal winner with a knee to the side of his face. Consider the opportunity fulfilled. (Via WWE.com)
Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Rusev.
It’s Nakamura day.
Men’s Royal Rumble Match winner Shinsuke Nakamura knocked off SmackDown LIVE’s resident folk hero Rusev in the opening contest of Team Blue’s final stop on The Road to WrestleMania. The win sends Nakamura into The Showcase of the Immortals with the wind at his back, while The Super Athlete suffers a setback in his own efforts to turn Rusev Day into a 365-day affair.
Rusev also failed to avenge Nakamura’s earlier defeat of Aiden English, though The Artiste had recovered enough from his brush with WWE’s Rockstar to introduce Rusev with his customary serenade (now with rapping!). That was about the only showmanship from the typically gregarious Bulgarian, however. In one of his most impressive showings ever, Rusev both suppressed all of his recent crowd-pleasing instincts and shrugged off Nakamura’s own mind games in an effort to bait The King of Strong Style into a fight.
Nakamura answered with an unusual tactic, targeting The Bulgarian Brute with an early array of holds and submissions rather than his signature knees and elbows. One maneuver in particular — a heel hook — left Rusev stumbling around the ring, and Nakamura didn’t begin to throw his signature strikes until The Lion of Bulgaria had been sufficiently whittled down.
That said, Rusev’s considerable strength advantage certainly kept him in the thick of the fight. Not only was he able to muscle his way out of Nakamura’s holds as his stamina began to wane, but one Machka Kick in particular sent The King of Strong Style into a full flip mid-sprint. Even when Nakamura used his speed to escape the Accolade, it took a pair of Kinshasas — one to the back of the head, and one to the jaw — to finally put the match away.
Nakamura now heads to WrestleMania on the back of some wily planning, strategic maneuvers and maybe, just maybe, a little luck. But come April 8, it may take more than that to win the day. (Via WWE.com)
Men’s Royal Rumble Match winner Shinsuke Nakamura knocked off SmackDown LIVE’s resident folk hero Rusev in the opening contest of Team Blue’s final stop on The Road to WrestleMania. The win sends Nakamura into The Showcase of the Immortals with the wind at his back, while The Super Athlete suffers a setback in his own efforts to turn Rusev Day into a 365-day affair.
Rusev also failed to avenge Nakamura’s earlier defeat of Aiden English, though The Artiste had recovered enough from his brush with WWE’s Rockstar to introduce Rusev with his customary serenade (now with rapping!). That was about the only showmanship from the typically gregarious Bulgarian, however. In one of his most impressive showings ever, Rusev both suppressed all of his recent crowd-pleasing instincts and shrugged off Nakamura’s own mind games in an effort to bait The King of Strong Style into a fight.
Nakamura answered with an unusual tactic, targeting The Bulgarian Brute with an early array of holds and submissions rather than his signature knees and elbows. One maneuver in particular — a heel hook — left Rusev stumbling around the ring, and Nakamura didn’t begin to throw his signature strikes until The Lion of Bulgaria had been sufficiently whittled down.
That said, Rusev’s considerable strength advantage certainly kept him in the thick of the fight. Not only was he able to muscle his way out of Nakamura’s holds as his stamina began to wane, but one Machka Kick in particular sent The King of Strong Style into a full flip mid-sprint. Even when Nakamura used his speed to escape the Accolade, it took a pair of Kinshasas — one to the back of the head, and one to the jaw — to finally put the match away.
Nakamura now heads to WrestleMania on the back of some wily planning, strategic maneuvers and maybe, just maybe, a little luck. But come April 8, it may take more than that to win the day. (Via WWE.com)
United States Championship: Randy Orton defeated UNITED STATES CHAMPION, Bobby Roode.
In the leadup to WWE Fastlane, Randy Orton made no bones about why he was challenging Bobby Roode for the United States Championship: It was the one title he’d yet to hold, he wanted to fill out his trophy case, and The Glorious One was just the guy who was unlucky enough to be in his path.
Consider the Grand Slam completed. The Apex Predator slithers into the illustrious club for the first time despite an outstanding effort from Roode, who came into the match with just as much to prove, in his own way, as Orton. The Glorious One traveled a hard road to get to this point and wanted to walk into WrestleMania as U.S. Champion, so he had no desire to cede his prize to a WWE lifer. When the bell rang, Roode opted to prove his bona fides by trying Orton at his own game, chopping away at The Apex Predator with the same kind of quick-strikes and close-quarters combat that Orton used against him.
It seemed to be working, too: Roode’s response to a near-miss RKO was to send Orton scurrying with a Glorious DDT attempt, leaving The Viper to fume and, perhaps, reevaluate his game plan in the face of a tougher fight than he expected. Roode found his best footing in the match when he turned on the jets, peppering Orton with clotheslines, neckbreakers and, in one instance, a top-rope clothesline that were grouped so close together The Viper had no room to breathe. Whenever Orton got going, Roode opted for space, giving himself some much-needed time to recover and strategize.
It was when Roode turned into the aggressor that he played his way right into Orton’s hands. By pursuing The Viper outside the ring, Roode found himself thrown into the barricade and dropped on top of it. His later attempts to go big led to both the showdown’s defining moment — a superplex so textbook that commentator Byron Saxton called for a second instant replay — and its conclusion, when The Glorious One leapt headfirst into the waiting jaws of a match-ending RKO.
That maneuver handed Orton the championship, but the end of the contest only intensified the drama that has swirled over the U.S. Title as of late. Jinder Mahal, who has christened himself the “Uncrowned United States Champion” thanks to his recent wins over both Orton and Roode, confronted the new champion and attacked him mercilessly until Roode dispatched him with a Glorious DDT. Roode then administered the same maneuver to a beaten Orton as well before leaving in frustration. So Mahal makes his presence known. Roode gets the last word in defeat. And having worked 16 years for this particular prize, Orton may yet find that he’s hit his Grand Slam into a very crowded field. (Via WWE.com)
Consider the Grand Slam completed. The Apex Predator slithers into the illustrious club for the first time despite an outstanding effort from Roode, who came into the match with just as much to prove, in his own way, as Orton. The Glorious One traveled a hard road to get to this point and wanted to walk into WrestleMania as U.S. Champion, so he had no desire to cede his prize to a WWE lifer. When the bell rang, Roode opted to prove his bona fides by trying Orton at his own game, chopping away at The Apex Predator with the same kind of quick-strikes and close-quarters combat that Orton used against him.
It seemed to be working, too: Roode’s response to a near-miss RKO was to send Orton scurrying with a Glorious DDT attempt, leaving The Viper to fume and, perhaps, reevaluate his game plan in the face of a tougher fight than he expected. Roode found his best footing in the match when he turned on the jets, peppering Orton with clotheslines, neckbreakers and, in one instance, a top-rope clothesline that were grouped so close together The Viper had no room to breathe. Whenever Orton got going, Roode opted for space, giving himself some much-needed time to recover and strategize.
It was when Roode turned into the aggressor that he played his way right into Orton’s hands. By pursuing The Viper outside the ring, Roode found himself thrown into the barricade and dropped on top of it. His later attempts to go big led to both the showdown’s defining moment — a superplex so textbook that commentator Byron Saxton called for a second instant replay — and its conclusion, when The Glorious One leapt headfirst into the waiting jaws of a match-ending RKO.
That maneuver handed Orton the championship, but the end of the contest only intensified the drama that has swirled over the U.S. Title as of late. Jinder Mahal, who has christened himself the “Uncrowned United States Champion” thanks to his recent wins over both Orton and Roode, confronted the new champion and attacked him mercilessly until Roode dispatched him with a Glorious DDT. Roode then administered the same maneuver to a beaten Orton as well before leaving in frustration. So Mahal makes his presence known. Roode gets the last word in defeat. And having worked 16 years for this particular prize, Orton may yet find that he’s hit his Grand Slam into a very crowded field. (Via WWE.com)
Natalya & Carmella defeated Naomi & Becky lynch.
One is a former SmackDown Women’s Champion. One is a potential champion in waiting. And even if Charlotte Flair is the one holding down the throne, Natalya & Carmella will not be so easily forgotten as WrestleMania 34 approaches in earnest.
The Queen of Harts and Ms. Money in the Bank claimed victory over Becky Lynch & Naomi in a fast-paced tag team match that came about in the most no-frills way possible: Some good old-fashioned trash-talk. As it turned out, the only thing that flew faster than the insults were the fists, and Natalya & Carmella came into the bout showcasing their surprisingly crisp teamwork, with The Queen of Harts using power maneuvers to soften up Naomi for Ms. Money in the Bank’s rope-a-doping.
Carmella proved to be a breakout Superstar in the match, pulverizing Naomi with a Bronco Buster into the corner, an armbar over the top rope, and a series of clubbing blows to the back while Natalya directed traffic. A fresh Becky Lynch provided much-needed relief for Naomi, and they clearly had some chemistry of their own. But Becky & Naomi were a step behind their opponents from the jump, and Natalya & Carmella’s slightly crisper teamwork ended up being the deciding factor.
While the referee was preoccupied with Naomi on the ring apron, Carmella called for Natalya to hand her the Money in the Bank briefcase, seemingly so she could use it for a cheap shot against The Irish Lass Kicker. Lynch knocked Natalya off the apron, but the whole episode turned out to be little more than an expertly-laid trap, as Becky focused her attention back to Carmella only to be met with a whip-fast superkick that ended the match. In a war of insults and maneuvers alike, perhaps it’s fitting that the self-proclaimed trash-talker got the last word. (Via WWE.com)
The Queen of Harts and Ms. Money in the Bank claimed victory over Becky Lynch & Naomi in a fast-paced tag team match that came about in the most no-frills way possible: Some good old-fashioned trash-talk. As it turned out, the only thing that flew faster than the insults were the fists, and Natalya & Carmella came into the bout showcasing their surprisingly crisp teamwork, with The Queen of Harts using power maneuvers to soften up Naomi for Ms. Money in the Bank’s rope-a-doping.
Carmella proved to be a breakout Superstar in the match, pulverizing Naomi with a Bronco Buster into the corner, an armbar over the top rope, and a series of clubbing blows to the back while Natalya directed traffic. A fresh Becky Lynch provided much-needed relief for Naomi, and they clearly had some chemistry of their own. But Becky & Naomi were a step behind their opponents from the jump, and Natalya & Carmella’s slightly crisper teamwork ended up being the deciding factor.
While the referee was preoccupied with Naomi on the ring apron, Carmella called for Natalya to hand her the Money in the Bank briefcase, seemingly so she could use it for a cheap shot against The Irish Lass Kicker. Lynch knocked Natalya off the apron, but the whole episode turned out to be little more than an expertly-laid trap, as Becky focused her attention back to Carmella only to be met with a whip-fast superkick that ended the match. In a war of insults and maneuvers alike, perhaps it’s fitting that the self-proclaimed trash-talker got the last word. (Via WWE.com)
SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONShip: SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS, The Usos vs. The New Day ended in a No Contest.
One team has never won at WrestleMania. The other has never made a WrestleMania. And a third team isn’t about to be left behind on The Road to WrestleMania so easily.
The long-awaited, rivalry-renewing clash between The Usos and The New Day ended in indecisive fashion when The Bludgeon Brothers came calling and put a brutal end to what had been shaping up to be among the most unpredictable of the instant classics between ya boys and the Day One twins. That’s because, before Harper & Rowan hit the scene, The Usos and The New Day seemingly resorted to a game of one-upsmanship by stealing each other’s moves.
Sporting the alignment of Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston — the same combo who first took the titles from The Usos in 2017 — New Day pulverized The Usos with the likes of the sprinting stinkface and superkick-Frog Splash combo. The Usos answered with a Boom Drop from Jimmy Uso and a Midnight Hour to Kingston that The Dreadlocked Dynamo managed to kick out of. The champs seemed to have the upper hand when they thwarted a Double Uce attempt and took out all three New Day members with stereo dives over the top rope to the outside.
And that’s when The Bludgeon Brothers arrived. Harper & Rowan wasted no time in absolutely destroying all five Superstars in a truly monstrous manner, using each other’s bodies as weapons against both champions and challengers. It was Woods who caught the final maneuver of the onslaught — a Double Powerbomb onto the steel steps — and a medical crew quickly swarmed ringside to tend to the two tag teams, loading Woods onto a stretcher in the process. It was later reported that he apparently suffered "multiple thoracic contusions" as a result of the attack.
It bears mentioning that, because of The Bludgeon Brothers’ interference, the title match itself ended in a no contest. And a night that began as a battle for supremacy may well turn into a fight for survival. (Via WWE.com)
The long-awaited, rivalry-renewing clash between The Usos and The New Day ended in indecisive fashion when The Bludgeon Brothers came calling and put a brutal end to what had been shaping up to be among the most unpredictable of the instant classics between ya boys and the Day One twins. That’s because, before Harper & Rowan hit the scene, The Usos and The New Day seemingly resorted to a game of one-upsmanship by stealing each other’s moves.
Sporting the alignment of Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston — the same combo who first took the titles from The Usos in 2017 — New Day pulverized The Usos with the likes of the sprinting stinkface and superkick-Frog Splash combo. The Usos answered with a Boom Drop from Jimmy Uso and a Midnight Hour to Kingston that The Dreadlocked Dynamo managed to kick out of. The champs seemed to have the upper hand when they thwarted a Double Uce attempt and took out all three New Day members with stereo dives over the top rope to the outside.
And that’s when The Bludgeon Brothers arrived. Harper & Rowan wasted no time in absolutely destroying all five Superstars in a truly monstrous manner, using each other’s bodies as weapons against both champions and challengers. It was Woods who caught the final maneuver of the onslaught — a Double Powerbomb onto the steel steps — and a medical crew quickly swarmed ringside to tend to the two tag teams, loading Woods onto a stretcher in the process. It was later reported that he apparently suffered "multiple thoracic contusions" as a result of the attack.
It bears mentioning that, because of The Bludgeon Brothers’ interference, the title match itself ended in a no contest. And a night that began as a battle for supremacy may well turn into a fight for survival. (Via WWE.com)
SmackDown Women's Championship: SMACKDOWN WOMEN'S CHAMPION, Charlotte Flair defeated Ruby Riott by Submission.
Like many a queen before her, SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair weathered the riot(t) and retained her throne at WWE Fastlane, turning away a strong challenge from Ruby Riott to send herself to WrestleMania … where an unexpected challenger awaits.
Riott, a relatively untested Superstar who was mounting her first title challenge in WWE, had hoped to do nothing less than bring down the “myth” of Charlotte Flair. She didn’t quite do that, though she did make The Queen look mortal, thanks to a perfectly-scouted game plan that will surely do wonders for Riott’s own fledgling reputation in WWE.
Key to Riott’s efforts was the presence of The Riott Squad, who appeared out of nowhere after they apparently declined to accompany to their ringleader to the bout. The lingering threat of Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan forced Naomi and Becky Lynch to even the odds at ringside, but Riott began to dismantle the champion anyway with an array of moves that ranged from what commentator Corey Graves dubbed a “stage-dive senton” to a modified straitjacket with her knees burrowed into the small of Flair’s back. Each time Charlotte tried to mount a comeback, Ruby answered, making it seem for a good long while that a new champion was imminent.
Unfortunately, The Riott Squad got a little too cute for the ref’s taste; the official ended up ejecting all four ringside enforcers to bring the match back to a one-on-one affair. By that point, Charlotte had begun to rally, and she used her environment to her advantage as well, sending Riott face-first into the turnbuckle with what appeared to be a reverse Alabama Slam and putting her away with the one-two punch of a spear and Figure-Eight Leglock. (Via WWE.com)
Riott, a relatively untested Superstar who was mounting her first title challenge in WWE, had hoped to do nothing less than bring down the “myth” of Charlotte Flair. She didn’t quite do that, though she did make The Queen look mortal, thanks to a perfectly-scouted game plan that will surely do wonders for Riott’s own fledgling reputation in WWE.
Key to Riott’s efforts was the presence of The Riott Squad, who appeared out of nowhere after they apparently declined to accompany to their ringleader to the bout. The lingering threat of Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan forced Naomi and Becky Lynch to even the odds at ringside, but Riott began to dismantle the champion anyway with an array of moves that ranged from what commentator Corey Graves dubbed a “stage-dive senton” to a modified straitjacket with her knees burrowed into the small of Flair’s back. Each time Charlotte tried to mount a comeback, Ruby answered, making it seem for a good long while that a new champion was imminent.
Unfortunately, The Riott Squad got a little too cute for the ref’s taste; the official ended up ejecting all four ringside enforcers to bring the match back to a one-on-one affair. By that point, Charlotte had begun to rally, and she used her environment to her advantage as well, sending Riott face-first into the turnbuckle with what appeared to be a reverse Alabama Slam and putting her away with the one-two punch of a spear and Figure-Eight Leglock. (Via WWE.com)
SmackDown Women's Champion, Charlotte Flair to battle Asuka at WrestleMania.
It was then, however, that Charlotte’s destiny became clear: Asuka, the Women’s Royal Rumble Match winner who had been presumed to be challenging Raw Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss at WrestleMania, instead surfaced in a SmackDown ring with no warning given. The undefeated Empress of Tomorrow went face-to-face with The Queen and gestured to the WrestleMania sign, indicating that she had chosen to challenge Flair at The Showcase of the Immortals.
The selection didn’t just flip the script on WWE fans who thought they already had their match, it turned Charlotte’s world upside-down as well. The Queen is used to being the dominant force that opponents scout and plan for. Now, with Asuka lying in wait, the only question is whether Charlotte is the one who’s ready. (Via WWE.com)
The selection didn’t just flip the script on WWE fans who thought they already had their match, it turned Charlotte’s world upside-down as well. The Queen is used to being the dominant force that opponents scout and plan for. Now, with Asuka lying in wait, the only question is whether Charlotte is the one who’s ready. (Via WWE.com)
WWE Championship: WWE CHAMPION, AJ Styles defeated Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler, Baron Corbin & John Cena. (Six-Pack Challenge)
The dream (match) is alive.
AJ Styles survived a Six-Pack Challenge against John Cena, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin to both keep his WrestleMania match with Shinsuke Nakamura intact and clear the decks of any would-be usurpers seeking to spoil what has become one of the most highly-anticipated contests in WWE history.
That means no Road to WrestleMania for John Cena, who hopped from Raw to SmackDown LIVE specifically to get into this match in the hopes it would lead him back to The Showcase of the Immortals. The 16-time World Champion adopted an all-or-nothing mentality from the first five seconds, when he Attitude Adjusted everyone in sight to bring the field down to himself and Styles. Unfortunately, that also made him a target for each of his opponents as well; the field turned on The Cenation Leader the second everybody recovered, and he spent the majority of the match attempting to fight his way back into the advantage.
Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin had essentially designated themselves as the spoilers of the Six-Pack Challenge and competed accordingly. Looking to prove he was still worthy of the spotlight, The Showoff largely surfaced each time a Superstar was exhausted or distracted, hoping to punch the quickest ticket possible to The Showcase of the Immortals and his first WWE Title. Corbin, the self-proclaimed “dream crusher” who just wanted to ruin everybody’s day, was the first to get dirty, chasing Dolph through the arena and tackling him into the penalty box before bringing a set of steel steps into the equation in the closing minutes. (He ended up eating an Attitude Adjustment atop them.)
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, meanwhile, couldn’t stay out of each other’s way. Zayn had promised to “lay down” for Owens if given the opportunity, and it appeared as though he would fulfill that pledge, spread-eagling on the mat when the action came down to him and KO. However, Owens didn’t believe him, of course, which led to a renewal of their fight-forever hostilities that ended up dovetailing in disastrous fashion with the ringside presence of SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon. The Prodigal Son was trash-talked by Zayn and accidentally superkicked by Owens, leading him to break up later pinfall attempts by both Superstars that
would have unquestionably ended the showdown.
As for Styles himself, the WWE Champion was acutely aware of the disadvantage he possessed heading into a Six-Pack Challenge — namely that he did not need to be pinned or submitted to lose his title. As a result, he opted to keep himself in the thick of the action at all times, breaking up pinfalls left and right. His overzealousness did land him in trouble, namely a whirligig Deep Six from Corbin and an AA from Cena through the announce table that took The Phenomenal One out of the running.
That said, he was ready to go when the moment arose. As the battle drew on, strategy went out the window and it invariably came to who could hit their biggest move uninterrupted first. Ziggler was dispatched with an Attitude Adjustment by Cena, who was felled in turn by a Pop-up Powerbomb from Owens. Before KO could make the pinfall, however, Styles ascended from the ashes and swooped down with a crushing Phenomenal Forearm that earned him the 1-2-3.
As Styles celebrated in the ring and Shane stalked coldly past a fuming Zayn and Owens, there remained one elephant in the room that the cameras couldn’t help but find. Or, more accurately, the corner: Cena, dejected, a grimace across his face while The Phenomenal One danced in the glory he had hoped to take for himself. Cena was characteristically humble in defeat, true, but his dream, for now, is done. The dream, however, lives on. (Via WWE.com)
AJ Styles survived a Six-Pack Challenge against John Cena, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin to both keep his WrestleMania match with Shinsuke Nakamura intact and clear the decks of any would-be usurpers seeking to spoil what has become one of the most highly-anticipated contests in WWE history.
That means no Road to WrestleMania for John Cena, who hopped from Raw to SmackDown LIVE specifically to get into this match in the hopes it would lead him back to The Showcase of the Immortals. The 16-time World Champion adopted an all-or-nothing mentality from the first five seconds, when he Attitude Adjusted everyone in sight to bring the field down to himself and Styles. Unfortunately, that also made him a target for each of his opponents as well; the field turned on The Cenation Leader the second everybody recovered, and he spent the majority of the match attempting to fight his way back into the advantage.
Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin had essentially designated themselves as the spoilers of the Six-Pack Challenge and competed accordingly. Looking to prove he was still worthy of the spotlight, The Showoff largely surfaced each time a Superstar was exhausted or distracted, hoping to punch the quickest ticket possible to The Showcase of the Immortals and his first WWE Title. Corbin, the self-proclaimed “dream crusher” who just wanted to ruin everybody’s day, was the first to get dirty, chasing Dolph through the arena and tackling him into the penalty box before bringing a set of steel steps into the equation in the closing minutes. (He ended up eating an Attitude Adjustment atop them.)
Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, meanwhile, couldn’t stay out of each other’s way. Zayn had promised to “lay down” for Owens if given the opportunity, and it appeared as though he would fulfill that pledge, spread-eagling on the mat when the action came down to him and KO. However, Owens didn’t believe him, of course, which led to a renewal of their fight-forever hostilities that ended up dovetailing in disastrous fashion with the ringside presence of SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon. The Prodigal Son was trash-talked by Zayn and accidentally superkicked by Owens, leading him to break up later pinfall attempts by both Superstars that
would have unquestionably ended the showdown.
As for Styles himself, the WWE Champion was acutely aware of the disadvantage he possessed heading into a Six-Pack Challenge — namely that he did not need to be pinned or submitted to lose his title. As a result, he opted to keep himself in the thick of the action at all times, breaking up pinfalls left and right. His overzealousness did land him in trouble, namely a whirligig Deep Six from Corbin and an AA from Cena through the announce table that took The Phenomenal One out of the running.
That said, he was ready to go when the moment arose. As the battle drew on, strategy went out the window and it invariably came to who could hit their biggest move uninterrupted first. Ziggler was dispatched with an Attitude Adjustment by Cena, who was felled in turn by a Pop-up Powerbomb from Owens. Before KO could make the pinfall, however, Styles ascended from the ashes and swooped down with a crushing Phenomenal Forearm that earned him the 1-2-3.
As Styles celebrated in the ring and Shane stalked coldly past a fuming Zayn and Owens, there remained one elephant in the room that the cameras couldn’t help but find. Or, more accurately, the corner: Cena, dejected, a grimace across his face while The Phenomenal One danced in the glory he had hoped to take for himself. Cena was characteristically humble in defeat, true, but his dream, for now, is done. The dream, however, lives on. (Via WWE.com)