5 Biggest Winners & Losers From WWE SmackDown Live (Oct 11)
In which James Ellsworth pins AJ Styles. Yes, really...
No Mercy 2016 was never set up to be a groundbreaking, landscape-changing card, but it provided another consistent night of high level wrestling from WWE’s SmackDown crew. John Cena failed to match Ric Flair record of 16 world titles, Dolph Ziggler saved his WWE career (and became Intercontinental Champion), and for the first time since dinosaurs roamed the Earth, Bray Wyatt won on WWE PPV.
It provided more than its fair share of surprises, the fallout began last night, and it went exactly as you’d expect. SmackDown Live was another good-but-not-great show that outshone Raw’s meek effort, and kicked off the build towards Survivor Series.
He might have lost in the Triple Threat at No Mercy, but Dean Ambrose’s business with AJ Styles is far from over, and last night saw him plunge the WWE World Champion to a level of embarrassment he’s never experienced before. John Cena was absent, meanwhile, and the war between The Miz and Dolph Ziggler looks set to rumble on through November.
Furthermore, SmackDown officially laid down the gauntlet last night. Shane McMahon & Daniel Bryan proposed not one, but three traditional 5-on-5 matches between Raw and SmackDown superstars at Survivor Series. WWE’s inter-brand rivalry is finally manifesting onscreen, and the blue brand have fired the first shots.
Another successful week for the apparent “B show”, but who were the real winners and losers?
Let's find out.