WWE Smackdown results: Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose & The Usos vs. League of Nations

Air Date: December 10, 2015 – Location: Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, FL

The Big News:

Roman Reigns and his friends beat the League of Nations. Also, Ryback vs. Rusev was made official for TLC.

Show Recap:

Non-Title: Roman Reigns (w/Dean Ambrose & The Usos) NC U.S. Champion Alberto Del Rio (w/League of Nations)

Del Rio and company came out to his music, which makes sense, but it was weird watching the WWE Champion come out to somebody else’s song. The match went about 11 minutes. Reigns eventually hit a superman punch but the League pulled Del Rio out of the ring and they were confronted by Ambrose and the Usos. Reigns jumped out and went after Sheamus. It broke down into a giant brawl so the referee called the match (no contest).

Booker asked, “What did you think was going to happen?” and Brennan responded, “I suppose we should’ve expected it.” Yeah, no kidding. The good guys sent the bad guys packing, finished off by Reigns hitting Rusev with a superman punch. The match was alright while it lasted, except for Reigns getting distracted twice by the League. Reigns couldn’t beat the U.S. Champion, but the announcers said he looked ready for Sheamus. After a break, they announced that the two teams would face in an 8-man tag match.

Dolph Ziggler beat Tyler Breeze (w/Summer Rae) via pinfall

Breeze didn’t get a full entrance. They showed Summer in the VIP section trying to will the crowd into caring about this match. Booker and Lawler said Breeze takes after Gorgeous George. Breeze worked over Ziggler’s leg, including the use of a half crab. Breeze went out to presumably try wrapping Ziggler’s legs around the post, but Ziggler posted him. Breeze jumped back in the ring, but Ziggler caught him with a superkick out of nowhere for the abrupt win. This was under 5 minutes.

Non-Title: Lucha Dragons beat WWE Tag-Team Champions Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods (w/Big E) via pinfall

The New Day came out and the crowd all got to their feet. Kofi Kingston announced LeBron James’ lifetime deal with Nike. New Day wanted their own endorsement deal and they showed off Kingston’s wacky shoes, which now have lights. They said their ladder match was unfair but Big E said the Lucha Booties and The Us-ows would be sent back to the kids table.

There was an amusing spot where Sin Cara was sent to the outside and Big E tried to play the trombone in his face, but he didn’t know how. After a break, Kingston swivelled his hips on the apron and again Big E failed to make a sound on the trombone.

Sin Cara made the hot tag after using the same one arm deadlift powerbomb spot that Reigns does. Sin Cara hit a suicide dive on Big E and Kingston and Kalisto hit Xavier Woods with a spinning kick and Salida Del Sol for the win.

Michael Cole hosted a contract signing for the Intercontinental Championship match. Dean Ambrose came out first. There was an attorney already in the ring to represent Kevin Owens. Cole read a prepared statement where Owens’ attorney claimed Smackdown was an unsafe work environment. The attorney signed the contract and Ambrose banged his head on the table. Ambrose said he was expecting to trash talk, flip the table over and get into a brawl with Owens.

Ambrose figured he can still do all of that stuff to the attorney, but before he could sign, Owens jumped him. Owens ripped his shirt off and launched him into the barricade. Ambrose tossed Owens into the steps and Owens jumped back into the ring. Ambrose went after him, but Owens tossed the attorney into Ambrose and ran away. As Owens backed off, Ambrose gave the attorney Dirty Deeds and signed the contract. Owens called Ambrose a bully. This was fine. Ambrose’s lip was busted open which made this better.

2-on-1 Handicap Match: Ryback beat The Ascension via pinfall

Ryback won in 88 seconds with Shellshock on Viktor. Rusev and Lana were on commentary. Rusev called him “the Ryback” at some point. After the match, Ryback confronted Rusev, but Rusev hugged Lana knowing Ryback couldn’t touch him with her in the way and they walked off.

Becky Lynch beat Paige via submission

After a double clothesline spot, Charlotte came out to her music. Paige kicked Lynch and went for the Ram-Paige, but Lynch countered into the Disarmer for the tap-out win. Lame.

The announcers plugged the network and made sure everyone who buys on pay per view feels really stupid. They also showed a video package for Sheamus vs. Reigns at TLC.

Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose & The Usos beat League of Nations via pinfall

LON came out together. Ambrose and the Usos didn’t get an entrance (Reigns came out alone). Booker revealed the secret of knowing which Uso is which. Jimmy wears his face paint on the right, Jey on the left. Lawler said Del Rio might end up looking like Ronda Rousey after the number of times he’s been punched in the jaw tonight.

As the heels worked over Ambrose, Brennan asked if the deck is stacked against Reigns at TLC. It’s a one-on-one match, so no, it isn’t. Reigns made the hot tag, hit a Samoan drop and ten clotheslines in the corner to Rusev, the same sequence we saw earlier against Del Rio. Reigns hit one of his other movies, the superman punch, but Sheamus and Del Rio broke up the cover. The Usos took them out with superkicks and dives over the top rope. Reigns hit Rusev with a spear for the win. Ambrose got absolutely nothing in this match.

Lawler made sure to mention that the Usos, Ambrose and Reigns could all be champions after TLC. That seems unlikely.

Final Thoughts:

Of all the Smackdown shows that have ever aired, this one ranks somewhere in the middle.