WWE Smackdown Live Coverage And Results (1/2)

Welcome to the first Smackdown of 2018 and this week Smackdown is coming to us live from the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida and we begin with a video re-cap of last week's main event featuring AJ Styles vs Kevin Owens.

Tonight: AJ Styles vs Sami Zayn; The Usos vs American Alpha 2.0

We kick off the first Smackdown of the new year with the WWE Champion AJ Styles making his way out to the ring. Styles wishes everyone a happy new year and welcomes the WWE Universe to the House That AJ Styles built which elicits an "AJ Styles" chant. Styles says he's made a couple of New Year's Resolution. First, carry the WWE Championship all the way to Wrestlemania and walk out with the championship around his waist

His second resolution is to beat Sami Zayn tonight. The question is, will the same man who allowed Sami Zayn to be in Kevin Owens' corner allow Kevin Owens to be in Sami Zayn's corner tonight and that man has volunteered to give us an answer. Smackdown Gm Daniel Bryan makes his way out to the ring and we get a "Yes" chant

Daniel has the mic but before he can speak, Shane McMahon comes out. Shane says Happy New Year and says last week he had the best intentions. The crowd starts a "Shane-O-Mac" chant followed by "Daniel Bryan" chant. Shane says last week he ejected Sami Zayn from the Kevin Owens-AJ Styles match and he's sure they can all agree that they rather see a match be determined by a wrestler's ability and skill rather than interference and apologizes for causing AJ's loss last week

For months, he's been accused of having a vendetta against Kevin Owens which is not the case. He asks why in the world Daniel would allow Sami Zayn to be in Kevin Owens' corner. He does think Daniel will allow Kevin to be at ringside and if that's the case Shane will be out at ringside. Daniel says if Shane is going to be out at ringside then so will Kevin Owens and if both Shane and Kevin are going to eb at ringside then so will Daniel Bryan. Shane says I guess we're starting the new year off with a bang.

Tonight: US Championship Tournament: Aiden English vs Aiden English

Up Next: Smackdown Tag Team Championship: The Usos vs American Alpha 2.0

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1. SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP: THE USOS VS AMERICAN ALPHA 2.0

Benjamin with a cheap shot to Jey and Jimmy with a right hand. Jimmy to the top rope and a suplex by Shelton. Gable with a moonsault onto Jimmy as we go to break

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Split Screen: Nearfall by Gable and now Benjamin in as he delivers a right hand to Jimmy. Benjamin with a crossbody in the corner and now Shelton has the single leg crab locked in. Jimmy inching closer to his corner for the tag but Benjamin pulls him back to the middle tagging in Gable who continues to work over the left leg. Jimmy with a series of right hands to Gable breaking the hold. Benjamin and Gable now with the double team and Benjamin with a nearfall. Back to work on the leg for Gable and Jimmy connects with a series of kicks from the good leg as we come back from commercial break

Jimmy drops Gable and makes the tag to Jey who sends Shelton to the outside. Benjamin pulls Jey out of the ring and slams him into the barricades. Jimmy sends Gable to the outside. Jimmy looking to fly but Shelton intercepts him with a knee and plants Jimmy. Gable with the three count and we have new Smackdown Tag Team Champions

The winners of the match and NEW Smackdown Tag Team Champions: American Alpha 2.0

Post Match: We take a look at the replay and the official recognizes that Gable and Jimmy weren't the legal men in the ring and therefore orders the match to be restarted

-Commercial-

2. SMACKDOWN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP: THE USOS VS AMERICAN ALPHA 2.0

We're back and the match has been restarted as The Usos take it to American Alpha 2.0. Samoan Drop to Benjamin and Benjamin is thrown into the corner.

Gable pulls Benjamin out of the way of an Uso splash. Benjamin with a nearfall. Spinebuster by Benjamin and setting up for the powerbomb but Jey is saved by a superkick from Jimmy. Double superkick by The Usos and Jimmy to the top rope delivers a splash for the three count

The winners and still Smackdown Tag Team Champions: The Usos

Backstage: Renee is with The Guardian Angels and she asks Kevin Owens if Shane down at ringside will affect the outcome of tonight's match and Owens says what's the difference. Last week they were in Chicago, this week they're in Orlando. That's different. What won't be different is last week Kevin Owens beat AJ Styles and tonight Sami Zayn will beat AJ Styles

Sami says Shane accuses Daniel Bryan of having favortism towards them when all he's doing is being a good General Manager and it doesn't matter if Shane and Daniel are out at ringside in the end it will still be the Sami and Kevin Show. Kevin says tonight Sami Zayn is going to destroy the house that AJ Styles built when he beats the WWE Champion

Tonight: The Welcoming Committee vs The Riott Squad

Up Next: Breezango vs The Bludgeon Brothers

-Commercial-

3. BREEZANGO VS THE BLUDGEON BROTHERS

The Bludgeon Brothers immediately on the attack. Rowan with a clothesline to Breeze and Harper with a clothesline to Fandango. Rowan whips Fandango into a waiting Harper clothesline. The Ascension make their way out and The Bludgeon Brothers clear the ring with a boot to Konnor and deliver the Bludgeon Bomb to Viktor

No Match

Backstage: Xavier is blindfolded and swinging a baseball bat around. Theres a birthday cake in front of Woods and he takes the blindfold off and gets ready to blow out the candles but Rusev and Aiden English walk in and Aiden says he wishes for every day to be Rusev Day and tonight he is going to beat Woods. Rusev then says The New Day are acting like children, stuffing their faces with cake and tells Woods what he thinks of Xavier's wish and blows out the candles

-Commercial-

Vignette: Mojo Rawley says next week when he beats Zack Ryder in the United States Championship Tournament, Ryder will be in the past where he belongs

4. US CHAMPIONSHIP TOURNAMENT: XAVIER WOODS VS AIDEN ENGLISH

Side headlock by Aiden on Woods. Woods with an irish whip and English with a shoulderblock. Waistlock by Aiden and Woods with a back elbow. Chop by Woods and down goes Aiden. Woods sends English to the outside. Aiden bounces Xavier's head off the stairs and a nearfall on Woods as Jinder Mahal and the Singh Brothers look on from the back.

Snapmare into a chinlock by Aiden. Woods is up to one knee to both feet and flips Aiden over with a hiptoss and connects with a kick. Chops by Woods to English. Englsih with a kick. Xavier picks English up on his shoulder and delivers a backbreaker. Roll up by Woods reversed by English. English with a nearfall as he drags Woods to the corner. Aiden to the top rope. English picks Woods up but Woods counters and delivers a back body drop from the top rope. Woods on the top rope delivers an elbow drop to Aiden English for the three count

The winner of the match: Xavier Woods

Backstage: Natalya says tonight The Welcoming Committee will send the Riott Squad running and remind them that before there was a Riott Squad, there was a Welcoming Committee.

-Commercial-

5. THE WELCOMING COMMITTEE VS THE RIOTT SQUAD

Side headlock takedown by Natalya onto Liv Morgan. Liv with a headscissors and Liv with a side headlock takedown. Natalya goes to work on the arm and Liv counters it with an irish whip. She ducks one clothesline but Natalya connects with the discus clothesline. Natalya looks for the sharpshooter as Liv escapes to the outside

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Split Screen: Liv back in the ring and Natalya goes after her but gets planted with a right hand. Ruby tags in and picks Natalya up. Natalya drivers her into the corner and Carmella tags in. Carmella ducks a clothesline and takes Ruby down with a flying hurricanrana. Dropkick and back elbow to Ruby. Ruby tags Sarah in. Sarah with a chinlock on Carmella.

We switch back to full screen as Sarah tries to weae Carmella down. Carmella trying to get to her feet but Sarah keeping her grounded. Carmella with a jawbreaker and she goes for a tag but Sarah with a punch to Natalya. Tamina tags in and unloads with kicks and clotheslines. Samoan Drop on Sarah Logan. Tamina goin gto the top rope. Ruby slides into the ring for the distraction and Liv trips Tamina as Sarah delivers a knee to the back of the head for the three count

The winners of the match: The Riott Squad

Post Match: Ruby says she bets everyone in Orlando believes in magic but magic isn't real. It's phony just like the WWE Universe. They go through every day life pretending to be happy when in reality they're miserable and why they need a dose of reality. The Riott Squad is real, their destruction is real which is why Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan are joining her in the Women's Royal Rumble Match. Charlotte Flair makes her way out.

She congratulates The Riott Squad on their victory but disagrees with Ruby's speech because she is a dreamer and believes in her dream. Ruby says she believes in reality so Charlotte gives her a dose of reality. Actions have consquences and introduces them to someone who wants to give them a dose of reality and brings out Naomi. Charlotte then introduces them to someone who wants to make them pay for their action and brings out Becky Lynch and a brawl ensues and Naomi, Charlotte and Becky clear the ring sending the Riott Squad retreating up the ramp

Up Next: AJ Styles vs Sami Zayn

-Commercial-

6. AJ STYLES VS SAMI ZAYN

Styles with a clothesline as the bell rings and he follows with shoulders in the corner. Zayn is sent into the turnbuckles. Styles with a suplex and he gets a near fall. Zayn punches Styles but Styles with chops. Zayn with a back body drop and he gets a near fall. Zayn with a chop. Styles with chops and Zayn with a forearm and punches. Styles with a Phenomenal Drop Kick and Zayn goes to the floor. Styles goes to the floor and Shane tells Kevin to back up when Kevin wasn't doing anything. Daniel gets in the middle of things between Shane and Kevin. Styles sends Zayn back into the ring.

Zayn kicks Styles as he gets back into the ring and Zayn with a fisherman's buster for a near fall. We go to commercial.

-Commercial-

We are back and Zayn with a rear chin lock. Styles gets to his feet but Zayn takes him back to the mat and holds on to the reverse chin lock. Styles with elbows and Zayn with a forearm. Styles with strikes and a clothesline followed by a flying forearm. Styles with a clothesine into the corner and a pump handle gut buster for a near fall. Styles gets Zayn on his shoulders but Zayn with elbows and he goes to the apron. Zayn drops Styles on the top rope and then Zayn goes up top but Styles crotches him.

AJ gets Zayn on his shoulders and hits the Ushigoroshi but Styles gets a near fall. AJ sets for the Styles Clash but Zayn drops down to a knee. Styles goes for a power bomb but Zayn escapes and Zayn with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Zayn sets for a Helluva Kick but Styles meets him in the center of the ring and Styles applies the Calf Crusher. Zayn tries to get to the ropes but Styles pulls Zayn into the center of the ring. Zayn gets to the ropes to force Styles to release the hold. Zayn with forearms but Styles with a forearm of his own. Styles with a Pele Kick after an exchange of forearms. Zayn sends Styles to the apron and Styles with a forearm. Styles sets for the Phenomenal Forearm and he leaps over Zayn. The referee goes to the floor when Styles sets sets for an O'Connor Roll. Styles has a crucifix cover but Zayn kicks out because the referee was not in position.

Shane pushes Owens and the referee sends Owens to the back. Daniel tells Shane if Owens is leaving, he can leave too. Styles kicks Owens and Zayn with a Helluva Kick for the three count.

The winner of the match: Sami Zayn

Post Match: AJ asks if this is the way it is going to be. AJ says he does not know whose side Daniel Bryan is on, but stop bickering like children. He is the champion and he wants to entertain these people without anyone involved. AJ suggests making a handicap match.

Daniel says at the Royal Rumble, AJ Styles will defend the title against both Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens in a handicap match.

--END SHOW--