By Brandon Albright, @B_Rock1978
What's up wrestling fans, welcome to this week's Smackdown Live recap. It's the first Smackdown Live of 2018 and things are moving full steam ahead to this year's WWE Royal Rumble.
Last week, the WWE United States Championship Tournament kicked off with Bobby Roode and Jinder Mahal winning their matches and advancing to the Final Four. Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable earned themselves a WWE Smackdown Live World Tag Team Championship match. Kevin Owens scored a non title victory over the champion AJ Styles. Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan also continued to have their problems with each other running the show. Let's get to this week's recap, live in Orlando, Florida.
** Smackdown Live Card **
- WWE Smackdown Live World Tag Team Champions The Usos defended their titles against Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable.
- The Bludgeon Brothers battled Breezango.
- Xavier Woods battled Aiden English in the United States Championship Tournament.
- The Riot Squad battled Nattie Neidhart, Tamina and Carmella in a six woman tag team match.
- WWE World Heavyweight Champion AJ Styles battled Sami Zayn in a non title match.
** Smackdown Live **
- The Champ That Runs The Camp: AJ Styles kicked off Smackdown Live in the ring for a promo. Styles wishes us a Happy New Year and says that main eventing Wrestlemania 34 is his New Year's Resolution. Styles calls out Daniel Bryan to explain why Sami Zayn wasn't banned from ringside last week. Bryan arrives, but immediately gets interrupted by Shane McMahon. Shane apologizes to Styles for what happened last week. Shane asks Bryan why he allowed Zayn at ringside. Before Bryan can give any explanation, Shane cuts him off, accuses Bryan of helping Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn with their "Yep Movement" and announces that he will be at ringside tonight when Styles battles Zayn. Bryan says that we might as well let Owens at ringside too and Bryan will be there too. Bryan gets a "Yes" Chant going to end the segment.
- "WWE Smackdown Live World Tag Team Championship Match": The Usos (c) vs. Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable: The first match of the night saw the tag team titles on the line as Benjamin and Gable got their shot against The Usos, after becoming the #1 Contenders last week. The match closes out with Jimmy and Benjamin trading shots. Benjamin is tossed outside as Jey unloads on Gable. Gable is sent outside and Jey hits the Uso Dive. The Usos both run the ropes, but Benjamin trips up Jey and sends him into the apron. Benjamin and Gable power bomb Jimmy off the top rope and score the pinfall to win the titles.
- "WWE Smackdown Live World Tag Team Championship Match": The Usos (c) vs. Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable: Benjamin and Gable believed to have won the tag team titles, however, there was a huddle at ringside with the referee of the match and a second referee from backstage. Jey Uso was the legal man in the match and Jimmy was the one that was pinned. The referee restarted the match after learning of the mess up. The match closes out with both teams brawling outside. Jey with a Samoan Drop and Benjamin hits a spine buster. Benjamin and Gable attempt another top rope power bomb on Jey, but Jimmy saves him with an Uso Kick. The Usos hit double Uso Kicks and an Uso Splash off the top rope to retain their titles in this controversial match.
- Breezango vs. The Bludgeon Brothers: The second match of the night saw another match between Breezango and The Bludgeon Brothers. Before the match can even start, The Bludgeon Brothers attack Breeze and Fandango and beat them down. The Ascension hit the ring to help, but suffer the same fate and get beaten down by Harper and Rowan. The Bludgeon Brothers celebrate as the match ends in a No Contest.
- "United States Championship Tournament": Aiden English vs. Xavier Woods: The third match of the night saw the United States Championship Tournament continue. Before the match, The New Day, Aiden English and Rusev argued backstage about who was winning their match tonight. The winner of this match will battle Jinder Mahal in the Final Four. The match closes out with English getting a near fall power bomb on Woods. Woods counters a super face buster and back drops English to the mat. Woods hits the elbow drop off the top rope on English and scores the pinfall to advance to the Final Four.
- "Six Woman Tag Team Match": The Riot Squad vs. Nattie Neidhart, Tamina and Carmella: The fourth match of the night saw the women's division in six woman tag team action. The match closes out with Tamina knocking Liv Morgan off the apron and then super kicks Ruby. Tamina then plants Sarah Logan with a Samoan Drop. Tamina goes to the top rope, but gets shoved off by Liv as Ruby distracted the referee. Sarah hits a knee to the back of the head on Tamina and scores the pinfall. After the match, Ruby announces that The Riot Squad will be in the Royal Rumble and then gets interrupted by Charlotte. Charlotte calls Ruby a dreamer and then brings out Naomi and Becky Lynch. All six ladies brawl at ringside. Charlotte hits a running boot on Sarah. Naomi lays out Liv and then Becky hits the Bexploder on Liv and Ruby.
- AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn: The main event of the show saw Styles battle Zayn. Kevin Owens, Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan were all at ringside for this match. The match closes out with Styles and Zayn trading shots that ends with a Styles Pele Kick. The referee gets knocked outside as Styles attempted a Phenomenal Forearm. Styles rolls up Zayn, but Owens distracts the referee until Shane comes over and stops it. Styles argues with the referee about missing the pinfall. Shane gets on the apron and orders the referee to eject Owens. Bryan interrupts and says that if Owens is getting ejected than so should Shane. Styles knocks Owens off the apron. Zayn hits the Helluva Kick on Styles and scores the upset pinfall. After the match, Styles tells Bryan and Shane to stop bickering and he's sick of others getting involved. Styles demands a Handicap Match against Owens and Zayn. Styles then is stunned as Bryan announces it for the WWE Royal Rumble with Styles' WWE World Heavyweight Championship on the line to end the show.
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