November 1, 2016
Episode 898
(aired live)
#SDLive
City: Newark, NJ
Venue: Prudential Center
Commentary: Mauro Ranallo, JBL, David Otunga
Ring Announcer: Greg Hamilton
Intro Video
“Take a Chance” by CFO$
Ring Area
James Ellsworth heads to the ring. He thanks Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan for giving him the opportunity to say goodbye. Before he goes, he’d like to apologize to Dean Ambrose for last week. Dean Ambrose heads to the ring.
Ambrose can’t stay mad at Ellsworth. He says Ellsworth doesn’t owe him an apology. Ambrose does warn Ellsworth to never get in his way again though. Ellsworth apologizes anyway, and that’s when AJ Styles heads to the ring.
Styles can’t understand why Ellsworth would apologize to Ambrose. Styles says Ambrose has been using Ellsworth for weeks. Ambrose doesn’t respect Ellsworth. Ellsworth doesn’t owe Ambrose anything, but he does owe Styles. Styles got Ellsworth’s face on a t-shirt. Ambrose says that he likes Ellsworth because he works for what he has and doesn’t take the easy route like Styles. Styles attacks, tossing Ellsworth from the ring and hitting a Phenomenal Forearm on Ambrose.
Video
Last week, Randy Orton helped Bray Wyatt beat Kane and apparently joined the Wyatt Family.
Backstage
Daniel Bryan tries to get Ambrose and Ellsworth to calm down. Bryan says Ambrose gets another shot at Styles tonight, but it’s his last chance. Bryan tells Ellsworth that he is forbidden to go to ringside during Ambrose’s match.
Match 1
No DQ Match
Randy Orton vs Kane
(referee: Mike Chioda)
Result: Randy Orton wins via pinfall after an RKO
Time: 2:08
Match Thoughts
This match was really just to confirm that Orton is now part of the Wyatt Family. The match had barely started when Luke Harper and Bray Wyatt appeared at ringside and attacked Kane. It was over pretty quickly after that.
Ring Area
After the match, Harper attacks Kane. Harper sets Kane up for Bray, but Orton is the one who pushes Kane into Bray’s Sister Abigail. Orton then poses in the corner while Bray poses over Kane.
Video
Baron Corbin doesn’t need family, friends, or fans. He doesn’t give a damn.
Match 2
Alexa Bliss & Carmella vs Nikki Bella & Becky Lynch (SD Women’s Champ)
(referee: Dan Engler)
Result: Alexa Bliss pins Becky Lynch after a DDT
Time: 2:21 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
An okay match. It was short, but it did the job of giving Alexa some momentum going into her title match.
Ring Area
Dasha Fuentes attempts to interview Alexa, but Alexa excuses Dasha from the ring. Alexa and Carmella then talk about Team RAW. Carmella says she should lead Team SmackDown. Alexa then talks about her title match next week, saying she’s going to take the title.
Backstage
Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan congratulate Naomi on being the fifth woman on Team SmackDown. Natalya walks up and says that she should be the coach for Team SmackDown. Shane seems to like the idea, so Bryan reluctantly agrees.
Match 3
Survivor Series Qualifying Match
Spirit Squad vs American Alpha
(referee: Jason Ayers)
Result: Chad Gable pins Mikey after Grand Amplitude
Time: 2:00
Match Thoughts
This was really short, and just short of a squash. Spirit Squad got a little offense, but the winners of this match were never really in question.
Video
Last night on RAW, Paul Heyman got speared by Goldberg (after Rusev got a jackhammer).
Ring Area
The Miz and Maryse are in the ring for “Miz TV.” Miz introduces his guest, Daniel Bryan. Miz wants to talk about Survivor Series. Bryan likes that idea, so he talks about the Tag Team team. Miz impatiently wants to get to the male SS team. Bryan lists Orton, Corbin, Wyatt, Ambrose, and Styles as the team members.
Miz doesn’t like being left of the team or humiliated on his own show. Bryan goes on to say that Team SmackDown needs members who aren’t afraid to fight at any time, and Miz proved that he was afraid to fight last week when he turned down a match against Ziggler. Miz accuses Bryan of being scared to fight. He tells Bryan to go back to moping around John Cena’s house on Total Bellas. Bryan gets angry and tells Miz to sit down and watch as Ziggler fights in an open challenge.
Match 4
Intercontinental Title Match
Dolph Ziggler (IC Champ) vs Curt Hawkins
(referee: Mike Chioda; guest commentary: The Miz w/ Maryse)
Result: Dolph Ziggler wins via pinfall after a superkick
Time: 0:07
Match Thoughts
Superkick. The end.
Ring Area
In the ring, Renee Young congratulates Ziggler on his title defense. Ziggler addresses Miz saying that Ziggler isn’t a fighting champion, saying that he’s been fighting for the title his entire life. Ziggler then issues an open challenge to any superstar on RAW for Survivor Series.
Backstage
Dasha Fuentes asks Dean Ambrose if he can become number one contender tonight (and calls Ellsworth “Ellis”). Ambrose says of course he can. Ellsworth walks up and asks if there’s any way he can go down to ringside. Ambrose says “absolutely not.”
Backstage
Bray Wyatt tells Orton that his motivations for joining the Family have been questioned by some, but Wyatt welcomes him. Orton calls Wyatt a god. Orton’s eyes then flash for some reason.
Match 5
Survivor Series Qualifying Match
The Headbangers vs The Usos
(referee: Ryan Tran)
Result: Jimmy Uso pins Mosh with a schoolboy
Time: 1:24
Match Thoughts
This was another quick match. There was barely anything there, but I guess the finish was alright.
Backstage
Dasha Fuentes asks AJ Styles a dumb question, and Styles gives a sarcastic answer.
Backstage
Dean Ambrose ushers James Ellsworth to the exit from the arena.
Match 6
AJ Styles (World Champ) vs Dean Ambrose
(referee: Dan Engler; special stipulation: If Ambrose wins, he becomes number one contender for the World Title.)
Result: Dean Ambrose wins via pinfall after Dirty Deeds
Time: 10:06 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. Ambrose and Styles had some good sequences and nice counters. I liked Styles’ continued attempts to lock in the calf crusher. James Ellsworth of course appeared during the match, but his appearance actually helped make the match a little more fun. A good main event.
Show Impressions
I liked the main event, but none of the rest of the matches were anything except story line plot points. It almost felt like the writers felt like the matches were getting in the way of the show, so they decided to make them as short as possible.
Match of the Night
AJ Styles vs Dean Ambrose
Every other match was about two minutes or less. Regardless, this was a good match.