Show
SmackDown
Results
Time and location
Tuesday, Nov 22 | 8/7 PMC
Canadian Tire Centre
Ottawa, ON
Where to watch
WWE SmackDown LIVE results, Nov. 22, 2016: James Ellsworth climbs the ladder to his dreams
James Ellsworth triumphed over WWE World Champion AJ Styles in the first Ladder Match on Team Blue in over a decade to earn a SmackDown LIVE contract. Plus Tag Team Turmoil determined the new No. 1 contenders to SmackDown Tag Team Champions Rhyno & Heath Slater.
View photos | Watch highlights
SmackDown Results : Quick Hits
- AJ Styles challenged James Ellsworth to put his contract on the line in a Ladder Match
- Intercontinental Champion The Miz def. Kalisto
- American Alpha overcame five teams in Tag Team Turmoil … but it’s not over
- Becky Lynch def. Natalya
- Baron Corbin def. Kane via Disqualification
- James Ellsworth def. AJ Styles in a Ladder Match to win a SmackDown LIVE contract
SmackDown Results : Full Details
AJ Styles challenged James Ellsworth to put his contract on the line in a Ladder Match
OTTAWA, Ontario — SmackDown LIVE Commissioner Shane McMahon met in the ring with Dean Ambrose and a very worse for wear James Ellsworth (after Braun Strowman threw him off the stage and through a table at Survivor Series) to seemingly award Ellsworth a SmackDown LIVE contract. However, things escalated quickly when, after Shane told Ambrose that because of recent actions he would be given the night off and had to leave the building, WWE World Champion AJ Styles arrived to make a mockery of the entire gathering.
“The Champ that Runs the Camp,” aghast at the idea of sharing the same locker room with Ellsworth, proposed that he and Ellsworth face off in a Ladder Match tonight with his SmackDown LIVE contract suspended above the ring. If Ellsworth wins, he would become a full-fledged member of Team Blue. If he loses, Styles claimed that he would rip up Ellsworth’s contract in front of his face.
Shane-O-Mac was totally opposed to the idea, but it was Ellsworth who bravely accepted and even upped the ante, saying that if he could beat Styles tonight he wants a future WWE World Championship opportunity.
Intercontinental Champion The Miz def. Kalisto
Feeling rushed heading into in an impromptu Intercontinental Title Match set up by SmackDown LIVE GM Daniel Bryan, The Miz struggled in the early goings against Kalisto, who was given the title opportunity after Baron Corbin robbed him of the Cruiserweight Championship at Survivor Series.
While the masked challenger certainly made the most of the opportunity, a sudden appearance by Baron Corbin led to Kalisto becoming distracted, allowing Miz to score the victory.
However, after the match, Corbin hit a prone Kalisto with the End of Days, which was only superseded by The Miz being blindsided by a Dolph Ziggler superkick as he celebrated on the ramp.
American Alpha overcame five teams in Tag Team Turmoil … but it’s not over
Six of SmackDown LIVE’s elite tag teams competed in a Tag Team Turmoil Match to determine who would face Heath Slater & Rhyno at WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs. The rules of Tag Team Turmoil are very simple — two teams begin the match. When one team is eliminated, be it by pinfall, submission, count-out or disqualification, another team enters the contest. This process goes on until all teams have entered and there is only one team left standing.
The Ascension and The Hype Bros kicked things off, with Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley getting the win the Hype Ryder. Breezango then entered the fray and Fandango and Tyler Breeze bested the Bros with the Slingshot Elbow. American Alpha was the next out and they went on an absolute tear, defeating Breezango and The Vaudevillains in succession.
In the final round of the tumultuous contest, Jason Jordan & Chad Gable squared off with longstanding rivals The Usos. After a thrilling few minutes of action that saw momentum shift several times over, Jordan and Gable were able to gut out the victory over The Brothers Uce with Grand Amplitude.
However, they were unable to enjoy their triumph for very long as, just when they thought it was over, The New Wyatt Family appeared on the TitanTron. Bray Wyatt claimed that American Alpha had yet to defeat all the teams on SmackDown LIVE and that he would team up with Randy Orton to clash with Jordan and Gable next week.
Becky Lynch def. Natalya
Natalya had Alexa Bliss in her corner against SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch. Bliss’ presence certainly added an extra layer to the contest as, moments earlier, it was announced that the Irish Lass Kicker would defend her championship against Wicked Witch of WWE at WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs.
However, the titleholder was not deterred during the contest, defeating Natalya with the Dis-arm-her after a hard-fought battle. Yet, in a possible sign of things to come, Bliss snuck up from behind Lynch, ambushing her and dropping the champion with a post-match DDT.
Baron Corbin def. Kane via Disqualification
After Baron Corbin cost SmackDown LIVE the Cruiserweight Championship at Survivor Series, GM Daniel Bryan placed The Lone Wolf in match against Kane. Yet, the real moment of consequence came from the man who he cost the Cruiserweight Title, Kalisto.
In the midst of the action, the high-flying luchador dashed out and attacked Corbin. From there, an absolute melee broke out, including Kane chokeslamming his opponent and Kalisto attacking Corbin with a steel chair.
James Ellsworth def. AJ Styles in a Ladder Match to win a SmackDown LIVE contract
With everything on the line, James Ellsworth took on WWE World Champion AJ Styles in a Ladder Match. If he could somehow win, he would be awarded a SmackDown LIVE contract and get a future WWE World Championship opportunity. However, if he lost, he would lose out on it all.
The Phenomenal One was in control for virtually the entire contest. Unfortunately for Ellsworth, an altercation between Styles and Dean Ambrose earlier in the night left The Lunatic Fringe barred from ringside and unable to help him.
Yet, just as the fairytale looked to be coming to an end, Styles was met with an unbelievable surprise when Ambrose, disguised as a hockey player, appeared and neutralized Styles.
This allowed Ellsworth to topple a discombobulated Styles off the ladder and hit him with a pinpoint superkick to climb the ladder to success (like, for real) and grab the contract, then celebrate his miracle of a victory along with Ambrose.
