WWE SmackDown Results 12/22 - AJ Styles Vs. Solo Sikoa, North American Championship Match
Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results for "WWE SmackDown" on December 22, 2023, coming to you from the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin!
Last week, AJ Styles made his surprise return following the main event match between Randy Orton and Jimmy Uso. While it looked as though Styles would side with Orton and LA Knight after Styles helped them fight off Jimmy and the rest of The Bloodline, Styles ultimately blindsided Knight. In light of such, Styles will be making his return to competition as he collides with Solo Sikoa.
Styles won't be the only member of The O.C. in action tonight, as Michin will be joining forces with Zelina Vega, Bianca Belair, and Shotzi to square off with Damage CTRL in an Eight Woman Tag Team Holiday Havoc Match. The two parties have been at odds with one another over the past few weeks, coming face-to-face with one another several times both at ringside and backstage.
The North American Championship will be on the line, as titleholder Dragon Lee defends against Butch. Lee dethroned Dominik Mysterio to win the title earlier this month at "WWE NXT" Deadline, and has since successfully retained over Tyler Bate, Joe Coffey, and Charlie Dempsey.
Two semi-finals matches in the United States Championship Tournament are set for tonight as Logan Paul continues the search for his new Number One Contender. Carmelo Hayes will be going head-to-head with Kevin Owens while Santos Escobar squares off with Bobby Lashley. The former two men defeated Grayson Waller and Austin Theory last week respectively while the latter two men defeated the aforementioned Lee and Karrion Kross two weeks ago.
We are live! Michael Cole, Corey Graves, and Kevin Patrick greet audiences at home as AJ Styles makes his way down to the ring.
We Hear From AJ Styles
Styles says that Randy Orton and LA Knight both want matches with Roman Reigns, and he says he doesn't blame either one of them. With that being said, he says he doesn't give a damn about the two of them. He says he's number one when it comes to getting his hands on Reigns and he wants to do so at the Royal Rumble.
Knight's music hits and he appears. He says he's not here to argue with Styles about who gets their match with Reigns first, then says he can have Reigns once he gets him first. He says the first person on his list after last week is Styles, and Styles reminds him that he's faced Reigns twice before. He says if he'll drop him or anyone else who gets in his way.
Orton's music hits and he makes his way down to the ring. He says he can appreciate the issues both Styles and Knight have with Reigns and The Bloodline, but he was put on the shelf for eighteen months by them. He says while he was happy to be home, he missed his second home and nothing will get in his way. Knight cuts him off and says all three of them have been taken out by The Bloodline. He says no one remembers that he's included in the group.
Nick Aldis then appears and says all three of them have a legitimate claim to face Reigns. He announces that the three of them will square off in a Number One Contenders Triple Threat Match two weeks from now at the "SmackDown" New Years Revolution special, with the winner receiving their match at the Rumble. All three men agree to take part, and Styles warns Knight and Orton to stay in the back during his match later tonight against Solo Sikoa.
Bianca Belair, Shotzi, Zelina Vega and Michin then make their way down to the ring. Damage CTRL follows.
Bianca Belair, Shotzi, Zelina Vega and Michin vs. Damage CTRL (w/ Dakota Kai) in an Eight Woman Tag Team Holiday Havoc Match
The bell rings and all eight women waste no time going after one another. Belair fires off boots on SKY in the corner as Vega brawls with Sane on the outside. Belair looks for a vertical suplex on SKY, but SKY escapes. Belair lands a single leg dropkick and a delayed vertical suplex, then goes for a pin. Bayley breaks the fall, but turns into a boot from Shotzi. Shotzi grabs a present and unwraps it to reveal a chair. Bayley grabs the chair and sets it up in the corner, then looks to suplex Shotzi on top of it. Shotzi escapes and looks to deliver a drop toe hold to Bayley into the chair, but Bayley stops her momentum before she can. Shotzi then delivers an arm drag and an enzuigiri, then delivers a senton to her spine from off the chair.
Michin holds the middle rope open as Shotzi delivers a tope suicida to SKY and Bayley on the outside. Vega slides in the ring, and Asuka and Same blindside the two with Candy Cane Kendo Sticks. Belair and Shotzi do the same to them, then grab a table from under the ring. SKY and Bayley attack them before they can set it up, then use the table to level both of them.
Back from the break, everyone is getting hit with German suplexes off the middle rope. SKY looks to hit Vega with a vertical suplex on the outside, but Vega counters into a DDT. Michin delivers a powerbomb to Asuka in the ring, but SKY levels her with a dropkick off the ropes. Belair pins Bayley, but Bayley kicks out. Belair then dumps her out of the ring, but gets rolled up by SKY. Belair kicks out and puts a present on SKY's head. She gets SKY up on her shoulders in an Electric Chair position, and Shotzi lands a dropkick on her from the top. She goes for a pin, but Asuka kicks out.
On the outside, Sane opens up a present to reveal the lid of a trash can. She clocks Shotzi with it, then sends her crashing into a Christmas tree. Vega then hits her with a chair across her spine, but Kai tosses a pumpkin pie in her face and Asuka spits the blue mist into her face. Bayley dumps Belair out of the ring, where Asuka is waiting with kicks. Sane joins in, and Bayley calls for them to toss Belair back in the ring. The pair then open a big present on the outside to reveal Isla Dawn. Alba Fyre pops out of a second one, and the two attack Sane and Asuka. Fyre and Dawn then deliver their finisher to Sane.
Back in the ring, Bayley sets up for the Bayley-To-Belly. Belair lands on her feet and hits the KOD. SKY catches her with the Over the Moonsault, but walks into an Eat Defeat from Michin. Michin sets her up on a table, then ascends to the top and delivers a leg drop for the win.
Winners: Bianca Belair, Shotzi, Zelina Vega and Michin
We head backstage to The Bloodline's lounge. Jimmy Uso is hyping up Solo Sikoa for his match later tonight as Roman Reigns asks Paul Heyman to bring Nick Aldis to him.
Back at ringside, Dragon Lee heads down. Butch follows.
Dragon Lee (c) vs. Butch for the North American Championship
The bell rings and the two lock up. Butch sends Lee crashing into the mat hard, then delivers a knee to Lee's arm. He then goes to work manipulating Lee's fingers and joints, but Lee connects with a hurricanrana and a kick to his face from the apron. The action then spills to the outside, and Butch sends Lee crashing onto the apron.
Back from the break, Butch delivers a stomp to Lee's tricep. Lee responds with a hurricanrana off the apron on the outside, then gets him back in and delivers a dropkick in the corner. Butch lands a powerbomb, and the pair exchange chops with one another. Butch rocks Lee with an enzuigiri, then follows it up with a snap German suplex. Lee hits one of his own, then lands a powerbomb. Butch ascends to the top, but Lee trips him. Butch snaps his fingers, but Lee responds with a double stomp off the top. Butch lands a pop-up right hand and sets up for The Bitter End, but Lee escapes and sends him crashing into the mat. He follows it up with Operation Dragon for the win.
Winner (and still): Dragon Lee
After the match, the pair shake hands.
Kevin Owens then makes his way down to the ring.
Back from the break, we head backstage and see Roman Reigns talking to Nick Aldis. Reigns expresses his frustrations with not being consulted by Aldis in regards to the Number One Contenders Triple Threat Match and Solo Sikoa's match with AJ Styles. Aldis makes it clear that he's in charge and says Sikoa will be fine considering he's beaten John Cena clean in the past.
Back at ringside, Carmelo Hayes heads down.
Kevin Owens vs. Carmelo Hayes in a Semi-Finals Match for the United States Championship Tournament
The bell rings and the two lock up. They take turns locking one another in submission holds before Owens fires off a few strikes on Hayes in the corner. Hayes responds with a few forearms and runs the ropes, but Owens catches him with a back elbow and a senton. Hayes connects with a springboard clothesline, but Owens dumps him out of the ring. Hayes drags him out to join him, then sends his face bouncing off the ring apron. Owens then sends him crashing into the ring steps.
Back from the break, Hayes delivers an ax kick and a facebuster. Owens delivers a DDT off the ropes and delivers a boot to Hayes' midsection. He follows it up with a pair of chops and a clothesline, then sets up for a Pop-Up Powerbomb. Hayes counters into a Codebreaker and looks for Nothing But Net. Owens avoids it and hits a second Pop-Up Powerbomb. He follows it up with a Swanton Bomb and a Stunner for the win.
Winner: Kevin Owens
After the match, Owens helps Hayes up.
We head backstage, where The O.C. approaches AJ Styles and questions why they weren't given a heads up that he was coming back. Karl Anderson asks if they're good, and Styles simply repeats the question back to him.
Back at ringside, Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits head down to the ring. Santos Escobar follows.
Santos Escobar vs. Bobby Lashley (w/ The Street Profits) in a Semi-Finals Match for the United States Championship Tournament
The bell rings and Lashley delivers a clothesline to Escobar right out of the gate. He follows it up with a shoulder to his midsection and tosses Escobar across the ring. Escobar ascends to the top and looks to fly, but Lashley dumps him out of the ring.
Back from the break, Escobar fires off kicks on Lashley's knee. The pair teeter on the top rope, but Lashley pushes Escoar off and levels him with a flatliner. A masked figure appears at ringside, but gets dragged away by security. A second one appears to join the first one, grabbing Lashley's attention. This opens the door for Escobar to roll up Lashley for the win.
Winner: Santos Escobar
After the match, the masked figures reveal themselves to be Humberto Carrillo and Angel Garza.
We head backstage and see Butch attack Pretty Deadly. Security pulls the three men apart, and Nick Aldis tells Butch he can have Kit Wilson and Elton Prince in the ring at New Years Revolution if he can find himself a tag team partner.
AJ Styles vs. Solo Sikoa
The bell rings and Styles fires off chops on Sikoa. He delivers a jumping knee and an enzuigiri that sends Sikoa crashing to the outside. He follows it up with a running knee from the apron and goes flying over the top rope.
Back from the break, Sikoa delivers a back body drop to Styles. The two men end up back on the outside, and Sikoa delivers a diving headbutt once they get back in the ring. Styles responds with a series of chops and sends him crashing into the turnbuckles face first. He connects with a Hip Attack and climbs up to the middle rope before looking for a second diving headbutt. Styles rolls out of the way and delivers a flying clothesline in the corner, then hits a sliding forearm and a springboard moonsault. Sikoa responds with a Samoan Drop and gets Styles up on his shoulders, but Styles escapes and delivers a Pele Kick.
Styles sets up for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Sikoa catches him and sets up for a Samoan Spike. Styles evades the maneuver and connects with an enzuigiri, then delivers the Phenomenal Forearm. Roman Reigns then appears out of nowhere and blindsides Styles, causing a disqualification.
Winner: N/A (disqualification due to outside interference)
After the match, Reigns gets Styles up on his shoulders. Styles escapes and delivers an enzuigiri, but Sikoa attacks him and Reigns joins in. Randy Orton runs down to the ring to provide Styles with a hand and fights off Sikoa and Reigns. Jimmy Uso appears and clocks Orton from behind, but LA Knight appears to even the odds. Styles then begins yelling at Orton and Knight, and the three men begin arguing in the center of the ring. They then begin brawling and continue to do so as the show goes off the air, all while Reigns holds back Sikoa and Jimmy.