Tonight on Smackdown (not) Live’s Christmas episode, it’s Rusev Day! The Worlds Greatest tag team unite. Will Mustafa Ali continue his winning ways? Jeff Hardy attempts to exorcise a Samoan demon. Daniel Bryan is a Grinch and Eight-Man tag team action.
Truthy-Clause meets Grinch Bryan. Can Mustafa win again?
Let’s start the Christmas episode with Truthy-Clause.
R-Truth and Carmella starts off the show with a comedic sketch for Christmas. After naming of Santa’s reindeers, Dancer, Prancer, Tito, Jermaine, Michael. Shortly after Daniel Bryan walks out and goes on about how Global Warming will melt the North Pole and Santa will be no more. R-truth responds with “what an angry little elf” and starts a dance break. Bryan attacks R-Truth and locks in LaBelle Lock to close out the opening.
Mutasfa Ali vs Andrade Cien Almas. Ali wins via Inverted 450 for pinfall.
As soon as the bell rang, Almas hit the match running. Hitting a hard dropkick and following it up with big strikes. Andrade attempts a charge in to the turnbuckle, but Ali flips out and delivers a Hurricanranna. With Ali in short control, Zelina Vega distracts Ali long enough for Almas to throw Ali over the top turnbuckle. Andrade in control now, hits a nice knee to Final Cut combo on Ali. Mustafa trades hard chops with Almas, with welts left on Ali’s chest. After a Mushroom Stomp from Almas to Ali, Mustafa lands a Satellite DDT and the Inverted 450 for another big win.
Eight-Man tag team match. Miz TV unites people. Jeff Hardy attempts to exorcise a Samoan Demon.
The Usos/The Good Brothers vs The Bar/SAnity. Usos?Good Brothers win via Magic Killer for pinfall.
Karl Anderson starts off against Cesaro trading strikes. The exchange quickly was stopped by a big Spinebuster from Anderson, Jey Uso is tagged in and hits his father’s famous hip strike. Jimmy is tagged, but Cesaro tags in Wolfe of SAnity and beats down Jimmy to the commercial break.
After the break, Killian Dain is in control over Jimmy Uso. Exchanging quick tags between SAnity , The Bar, and just laying in to Jimmy. With Wolfe in the ring, Jimmy fights out enough to hot tag Luke Gallows. Luke just cleans house from here on out. Eventually Sheamus and Cesaro take Gallows down with a White Noise/Diving Neckbreaker combo. The Usos break the count up and go on a Super Kick fest. Everyone gets a Super Kick, leading up to Gallows and Anderson to hit the Magic Killer on Cesaro for the win.
Miz TV brings people together.
Miz brings out Shane McMahon and asks what changes will the McMahons make to better the WWE Universe. Shane again explains the same story we’ve heard before, listening to the fans. The Miz then goes on a heartfelt reason on why he needs to team up with Shane. The Miz states that his father never once told him that he was proud of him, despite Miz’s accolades. The Miz’s father one day sees Shane fight and was enamored by Shane’s reckless abandonment in the ring. Miz finishes his story with asking the crowd if they want the two team up and there was a HUGE pop for it. Shane reluctantly agrees, however tells Miz if he ever screws him over, there will be severe consequences.
Jeff Hardy vs Samoa Joe. Joe wins via disqualification from Jeff Hardy.
Both men quickly trade hard shots to each other. Jeff lands a sitting dropkick to Joe in the corner, but Joe fights back. The Samoan Submission Machine then counters Hardy’s Twist of Fate, but Hardy connects with the Whisper in the Wind. Quickly throughout the match you can see Hardy losing his composure, going for more aggressive tactics. The fight eventually spills outside and Hardy getting disqualified. Jeff Hardy refused to stop stomping on Joe, despite the refs warnings. Hardy then attempts to put Joe through the announcers table, but Joe counters quickly with the Coquina Clutch and chokes out Hardy.
Everyday is Rusev Day. But today is special.
Rusev vs Shinsuke Nakamura for the U.S Championship. Rusev wins via Machka Kick for pinfall.
What a Christmas gift the WWE gave us with this match! The two stars lock up, Shinsuke quickly finds an opening and then taunts Rusev. The Bulgarian Brute responds with a few punches and a hard shoulder shot. Nakamura then locks in a quick Triangle Hold, only to have Rusev roll outside to gain composure and a commercial break.
After the break, we witness Rusev using his strength to break out of another Shinuke hold. Rusev hits a big suplex and more afterwards for good measure. Shin then gains control and chokes Rusev between the ropes, while Rusev’s wife Lana looks on. Rusev fights out, attempts to suplex Shin to the outside of the ring. However the King of Strong Style counters with a mid air knee.
After another break, Nakamura is in control with what he does best. Vicious strikes that put down the Brute. Shinsuke seems to be an architect on where he needs to strike next. The Brute then fights out and attempts an Accolade, only for Shin to counter.
What follows is a quick succession of close falls. The crowd is absolutely loving it, chanting “THIS IS AWESOME” throughout the last minutes of the match. After Shin locks in another Triangle Hold, Rusev powers through and hits a Powerbomb. Shin sets up a Kinshasa, Rusev hits a Machka Kick… twice. With the last Machka Kick, Rusev pins Shinsuke for the pin and the U.S Championship. Rusev Day indeed.
