Post by Steveweiser on Dec 13, 2016 8:48:21 GMT -5
SmackDown is LIVE... but 205 Live... isn't. We start tonight in Washington DC with two hours of the Blue Brand, and last week's advertised main event is being promoted for this week instead.
A slight ankle injury sustained during the TLC Match win over Dean Ambrose kept AJ Styles out of his scheduled title defence against James Ellsworth last week. This week, Styles has seemingly been cleared, so the WWE Championship (farewell "World") match is now set for tonight. Ellsworth is somehow 3-0 against Styles, but all three of those wins were as a result of Ambrose looking out for him. However, Ellsworth cost Ambrose both the WWE Title and the Intercontinental Title in the past week, so it shouldn't only be Styles that Ellsworth should concern himself with. However, Ellsworth is Ambrose's only route to the title at this point in time, so the Lunatic Fringe may well be conflicted...
Things aren't good between former SmackDown Tag Team Champions Heath Slater and Rhyno. After losing the rematch for the titles against new champions Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton, the two fell apart during an appearance on Talking Smack, with both men claiming responsibility for winning the titles, and blaming the other for losing them. As it's more likely they face each other than try again to go for the titles, we'll need new challengers for the Wyatt Family. American Alpha and The Hype Bros seem likely, though The Usos or even Breezango could spring a challenge. But will anyone cope with Wyatt, Orton and Luke Harper looking dominant?
While Becky Lynch continues to chase Alexa Bliss for a rematch for the SmackDown Women's Championship, Nikki Bella finds herself in a dilemma. Natalya is angry that Carmella claims she attacked Bella backstage at Survivor Series, though Carmella gave a reason on Talking Smack to explain why it was Natalya and not her who did the dirty deed. Nikki is not buying Natalya's denials, but isn't exactly out to trust Carmella all of a sudden. What will be the next step in finding out whodunnit?
The Miz finds himself without a proven challenger for the Intercontinental Title. He defeated Dean Ambrose last week, thanks to James Ellsworth, and per the terms of last week's stipulation, Dolph Ziggler can never challenge him again. And how The Miz will let EVERYONE know about this. What will be put in place to find a challenger for the Awesome One this week?
We have another special guest, and this one's a bit bigger than Sophia Grace. Comedian Gabriel Iglesias, who is no stranger to making WWE appearances, will be on to promote his upcoming 20th Anniversary standup tour, what and who will he get himself involved with? All this and much more tonight from 8/7c on USA!
Then we head back in the time machine to last night in Philadelphia, as due to WWE taping Tribute To The Troops tonight to air tomorrow on USA, WWE had to tape 205 Live (hence "205 Taped") before RAW. Here's what's on tap...
*Jack Gallagher vs. Drew Gulak
*Lince Dorado vs. Mustafa Ali
*NON-TITLE MATCH: Rich Swann vs. TJ Perkins
Ahead of the Triple Threat Match for the Cruiserweight Title this Sunday at Roadblock: End of the Line, The Outlandish Rich Swann will be in non-title action tonight against one of his challengers this Sunday, former Cruiserweight Champion TJ Perkins. The winner of the Cruiserweight Classic fell to Brian Kendrick last night on RAW, so Perkins will have to prove his worthiness of being in the title match on Sunday by defeating the current champion - if not, he's the obvious weak link of the match.
Following stating ahead of time that he would interfere in a match before doing so, in a gentlemanly manner of course, Jack Gallagher is in action against Drew Gulak, though Gallagher's foe Ariya Daivari won't be far behind. And Lince Dorado, whose match with Daivari got halted by Gallagher's involvement, is up against CWC standout Mustafa Ali. All this is available from 10/9c on the WWE Network, followed immediately by Talking Smack!
A slight ankle injury sustained during the TLC Match win over Dean Ambrose kept AJ Styles out of his scheduled title defence against James Ellsworth last week. This week, Styles has seemingly been cleared, so the WWE Championship (farewell "World") match is now set for tonight. Ellsworth is somehow 3-0 against Styles, but all three of those wins were as a result of Ambrose looking out for him. However, Ellsworth cost Ambrose both the WWE Title and the Intercontinental Title in the past week, so it shouldn't only be Styles that Ellsworth should concern himself with. However, Ellsworth is Ambrose's only route to the title at this point in time, so the Lunatic Fringe may well be conflicted...
Things aren't good between former SmackDown Tag Team Champions Heath Slater and Rhyno. After losing the rematch for the titles against new champions Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton, the two fell apart during an appearance on Talking Smack, with both men claiming responsibility for winning the titles, and blaming the other for losing them. As it's more likely they face each other than try again to go for the titles, we'll need new challengers for the Wyatt Family. American Alpha and The Hype Bros seem likely, though The Usos or even Breezango could spring a challenge. But will anyone cope with Wyatt, Orton and Luke Harper looking dominant?
While Becky Lynch continues to chase Alexa Bliss for a rematch for the SmackDown Women's Championship, Nikki Bella finds herself in a dilemma. Natalya is angry that Carmella claims she attacked Bella backstage at Survivor Series, though Carmella gave a reason on Talking Smack to explain why it was Natalya and not her who did the dirty deed. Nikki is not buying Natalya's denials, but isn't exactly out to trust Carmella all of a sudden. What will be the next step in finding out whodunnit?
The Miz finds himself without a proven challenger for the Intercontinental Title. He defeated Dean Ambrose last week, thanks to James Ellsworth, and per the terms of last week's stipulation, Dolph Ziggler can never challenge him again. And how The Miz will let EVERYONE know about this. What will be put in place to find a challenger for the Awesome One this week?
We have another special guest, and this one's a bit bigger than Sophia Grace. Comedian Gabriel Iglesias, who is no stranger to making WWE appearances, will be on to promote his upcoming 20th Anniversary standup tour, what and who will he get himself involved with? All this and much more tonight from 8/7c on USA!
Then we head back in the time machine to last night in Philadelphia, as due to WWE taping Tribute To The Troops tonight to air tomorrow on USA, WWE had to tape 205 Live (hence "205 Taped") before RAW. Here's what's on tap...
*Jack Gallagher vs. Drew Gulak
*Lince Dorado vs. Mustafa Ali
*NON-TITLE MATCH: Rich Swann vs. TJ Perkins
Ahead of the Triple Threat Match for the Cruiserweight Title this Sunday at Roadblock: End of the Line, The Outlandish Rich Swann will be in non-title action tonight against one of his challengers this Sunday, former Cruiserweight Champion TJ Perkins. The winner of the Cruiserweight Classic fell to Brian Kendrick last night on RAW, so Perkins will have to prove his worthiness of being in the title match on Sunday by defeating the current champion - if not, he's the obvious weak link of the match.
Following stating ahead of time that he would interfere in a match before doing so, in a gentlemanly manner of course, Jack Gallagher is in action against Drew Gulak, though Gallagher's foe Ariya Daivari won't be far behind. And Lince Dorado, whose match with Daivari got halted by Gallagher's involvement, is up against CWC standout Mustafa Ali. All this is available from 10/9c on the WWE Network, followed immediately by Talking Smack!
