October 18, 2016
Episode 896
(aired live)
City: Denver, CO
Venue: Pepsi Center
Commentary: Mauro Ranallo, JBL, David Otunga
Ring Announcer: Greg Hamilton
Video
Last week, AJ Styles named James Ellsworth as his opponent. After getting a win over Styles with the help of Dean Ambrose, James Ellsworth will get a World Title shot tonight.
Backstage
Dean Ambrose gives James Ellsworth one of his brand new shirts.
Ring Area
Randy Orton heads to the ring. Orton says that fighting Bray Wyatt is like fighting quicksand. He feels like he’s losing his mind. As much of a problem is that for Orton, it’s an even bigger problem for Bray. On the tron, Bray Wyatt lies in a casket surrounded by black sheep. Bray Wyatt is having fun in their feud. Also, “he’s here.”
Match 1
Randy Orton vs Luke Harper
(referee: Mike Chioda)
Result: Randy Orton wins via DQ when Bray Wyatt attacks
Time: 4:56 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
This could have been an okay match, but it was just more mind games. Bray Wyatt came out mid-way through the match in a casket, and he attacked Orton not long after that.
Ring Area
Bray Wyatt opens the casket at ringside, presumably to put Randy Orton in it, but Kane is already inside. Orton and Kane beat up Wyatt and Harper, but the Wyatts disappear when the lights go out.
Backstage
Andrea D’Marco welcomes AJ Styles. Styles is upset about having to defend his title against James Ellsworth. He’s afraid that Dean Ambrose will find a way to make WWE as bad as WCW when David Arquette won the title. He vows to take Ambrose apart piece by piece.
Match 2
Alexa Bliss vs Naomi
(referee: Jason Ayers)
Result: Alexa Bliss wins via pinfall after Twisted Bliss
Time: 6:45 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. Alexa needed a good showing, and she got one. It showed how she can use her brains to beat someone who might be a little tougher then her.
Ring Area
Renee Young asks Alexa Bliss about Becky Lynch. Alexa says the fairy tale is over.
Ring Area
Apollo Crews is already in the ring for a match (with Dan Engler as ref). Curt Hawkins heads to the ring and gets on the mic. He calls Apollo Crews “Apollo Lose,” so Crews punches Hawkins. Hawkins is upset, so he leaves without competing.
Ring Area
Carmella heads to the ring. She complains about Nikki Bella getting more attention than her until Nikki’s music plays and she heads to the ring. Nikki tells Carmella that she wants to hear what she has to say, so Carmella insinuates that Nikki is only getting attention because she’s John Cena’s girlfriend.
Nikki tells Carmella she should be ashamed for trying to take away her accomplishments by saying her career is what it is only because of her relationship with Cena. Carmella responds by showing a cut of Total Bellas that shows Nikki as a needy girlfriend. Nikki applauds Carmella for her editing skills, then talks about training hard to come back from her neck injury. Carmella gets in the last word by telling the “truth” about Nikki.
** I like it. It’s very much like an internet discussion made into a feud, which could be bad, but I like that they’re directly confronting a lot of the arguments against Nikki. I mean, she’s not even close to my favorite wrestler, but I respect how she’s taken it upon herself to improve over the years. And yeah, her relationship with Cena doesn’t hurt, but I don’t think she’s using him, and I think she would be where she is with or without him. **
Backstage
Renee Young asks James Ellsworth how he’s feeling. He’s nervous, but he knows his life is about to change forever.
Match 3
Spirit Squad & The Miz w/ Maryse vs Dolph Ziggler (IC Champ) & Heath Slater & Rhyno (Tag Champs)
(referee: Mike Chioda)
Result: Kenny pins Heath Slater with a shoolboy (after a punch by The Miz)
Time: 6:35 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
This was a fine six-man tag. The ending could have been better (it didn’t take much for the pin to happen), but other than that I enjoyed the match.
Backstage
Natalya wants to be in the 5-on-5 women’s match at Survivor Series, but Daniel Bryan asks her why he should put her on the team. Natalya makes a case by quoting Whitney Houston and showing Bryan pictures of her cat.
Match 4
Jack Swagger vs Baron Corbin
(referee: Jason Ayers)
Result: Baron Corbin wins via pinfall after End of Days
Time: 1:39
Match Thoughts
Jack Swagger got destroyed. This was practically a squash match.
Backstage
Natalya is still showing Daniel Bryan pictures of her cat when Dean Ambrose walks up in a referee shirt. He’s excited about being the ref in tonight’s main event, but Bryan tells him he can’t ref a World Title match. He can do anything else he wants though. Ambrose says he’ll do that.
Match 5
WWE World Title Match
AJ Styles (World Champ) vs James Ellsworth
(referee: Dan Engler; ring announcer, time keeper: Dean Ambrose)
Result: James Ellsworth wins via DQ (Styles wouldn’t let Ellsworth out of the corner)
Time: 8:29 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
As a comedy match, it was alright. There was one moment that was kind of fun, but it was really more about seeing a guy who really should never be in the position he’s in get the moment of a lifetime. That’s really the only good thing here, because a match like this doesn’t do much for the Ambrose/Styles feud in my opinion. I understand that it annoys Styles, but there’s not much development. It seems like a placeholder until they figure out the next turn in the story.
Show Impressions
This show was okay. It didn’t feel like a lot happened, but it will be remembered for the title match.
Match of the Night
Alexa Bliss vs Naomi
There wasn’t really a lot to choose from on this show. As far as quality wrestling, this show was pretty light. Still, this match was fine.