WWE SD 9-21-16

I'm on the road for the WWE 2K17 press event - so this is probably going to be a fairly short update compared to the usual ones. The show starts with a fantastic recap of the Ambrose-Cena feud that really feels like it's elevating Ambrose, while Miz-Dolph is hyped up too. Hot damn - TWO IMPORTANT SINGLES TITLES. Bryan says that the SD Live Women's Title will be on the line at No Mercy, and tonight, we will have THE FIRST-EVER SD LIVE WOMEN'S TITLE CONTRACT SIGNING. Boy howdy what history! Bryan says he knows contract signings can get crazy - but he's going to make sure that doesn't happen here, and doesn't very much like folks booing that.

Becky comes down and says she's got her thick skin on tonight - COME AT ME BRO. Becky is so great. Bliss comes out and we see her win last week. Bliss mocks Becky for not using creams, and Becky says she gets ready for fights - not beauty contests. Bliss tells her that her role is to win, then lose - the one who doesn't get it. This is easily Alexa's best promo work to date. Becky says she wasn't born to be a champion - she was born to work a job she didn't like to barely make ends meet. She watched too much TV and believed that when she was told she could be anything she wanted to be, she decided to do it! She wasn't born to be a champion - but fought to be one! Alexa says she was born to be a champion and she'll make Becky a one-hit wonder. Alexa shoves her down, signs it, and then tosses the table on her. Great stuff here. Becky chases her on the ramp and Bliss runs away. Becky signs and comes off as such a star here - outstanding!

Usos vs. American Alpha is next, but first, Bryan runs into the Miz. Miz says he has a problem and Daniel says it can't be about his new contract or the new title match tonight. Miz says that's the issue, so Bryan says okay - he'll just take the title from him since the new contract is dependent on him defending the title. Otunga says he talked to Rikishi about the Usos' new look on the set of a movie, but didn't elaborate on the point. Gable says he's back and JJ says they made it personal - so they're going to become SD Tag Team Champions! Chad jumps Jimmy, in pants, so Jey is in the shorts then. FINALLY - a way to tell them apart.

AA work on the knee for a bit while the SD champs look on from backstage. AA double dropkick sends the Usos down, so they work on the knee with a nice rope-based attack. During the break, Chad eats a suplex sending him knee-first into the rope - called a World of Sport suplex by Mauro. Chad gets a hot tag and JJ runs wild with Alphaplexes! JJ goes for an Angle-run up superplex, but gets tossed off and hit with a splash getting 2 thanks to a save by Gable. CAPTURE PLEX BY JJ! Chad wants to come in, but JJ won't tag him in for his own good. Chad gets chopblocked, JJ gets double superkicked and splashed - so the Usos win and go onto NM. Excellent story told here - this show is so much better than Raw. Otunga KEEPS TALKING ABOUT ASKING RIKISHI AND WON'T TELL THE STORY. DON'T BRING IT UP THEN!

Beauty and the Manbeast talk about this - they beat them before and they know they can beat them again. Slater wants to make RHY-NO a thing akin to U-SO, but Rhyno is no fan. Usos threaten to knock the crackers out of Rhyno's hand, which he is absolutely not down with. Orton faces Rowan tonight. Swagger does commentary for Crews vs. Corbin. Swagger says he's here to be WWE World Champion. Well that just ain't happening. Crews hits a nice jumping kick on the floor and gets 2 mid-ring. Baron traps Crews on the barricade and elbows his head - excellent spot that Brock should steal. Crews is trapped against the post and is dropkicked into the post, getting an "oh shit!" muted and the End of Days wins it.

Yet another Hawkins video. I think the return of Jesus got less hype. Generic Brunette Woman talks to Nikki and Naomi about facing Nattie and Carmella. Naomi talks about what feeling the glow means - it's confidence. Nikki says that she loves Trin, before Naomi says she's got a cure for Nattie's negativity. Nikki says she now fights every match like it's her last - it's her reboot, while Carmella's just a boot. Dolph says everything is different, but it's the same and he needs to win and they have their own Branjelna with Maryse and Miz. He says he wasn't supposed to be a World Champion, or a Kent State Hall of Famer - BUT NOW HE IS AND HE CAN DO ANYTHING. HIT HIS MUSIC. Finally - good stuff from Dolph. Maryse is showing off marvelously here.

Dolph gets a nice pop here. Dolph starts off strong and hits a series of lariats. Mauro talks about Dolph's history of winning the IC Title from Miz. Dolph takes a big bump off a barricade toss. Miz does Bryan's kicks, showing more intensity than he usually does. Running basement kick gets 2 for Miz. Dolph lands a back elbow and then a Stinger splash, but Dolph gets posted. Miz does a terrible impression of the corner dropkicks, but it leads to the running lariat anyway. Miz dives off with an axehandle and eats a dropkick. Fameasser is countered into an alley oop into the ropes. Finale turned into a jumping DDT for 2. Cactus clothesline sends both guys over the top.

SLINGSHOT LIGERBOMB BY THE MIZ gets 2. Dolph goes for the RNC, but Miz gets the rope. Miz lands a boot for 2. Dolph turns a Finale into a cradle for 2, and then a Fameasser gets 2. Maryse almost uses the hairspray in front of the ref, so he kicks her out! BACK AND FORTH CRADLES GET 2! ZIG ZAG GETS 2.5! Best IC Title nearfall in ages! Miz grabs the title to leave, but Dolph chases him. Miz uses the spray while the ref is removing the belt from the ring and wins with the Finale. Excellent match on a fantastic show.

Orton has a bad match with Rowan, but Orton tried his best and won with the RKO. Bray claps for him and says the people love him, but Orton is just a man while he is a god. Okay then. Nikki comes out for the tag match. Naomi has even more neon gear on, it's crazy. Sloppy nothing match here, but Carmella tosses Nikki into the barricade, giving her another wedgie. AJ says he has no rivalry with Cena or Dean - he beat them both! HE'S THE CHAMP THAT RUNS THE CAMP and he's superior in every way.  AJ says the only way the title is coming off of his shoulder is if someone else is pinned.

Cena comes out to a huge reaction, and still feels like THE MAN. Cena vs.Ambrose is up for the first time ever. Basic lockup to start things off leads to Cena getting a headlock. They teases finishes early before Cena just locks on a side headlock takeover. Cena misses a corner charge, giving Dean an edge for an ad break. Corner forearm and a bulldog hit for Dean, who has let his beard grow to super-sleazy levels.

STF is on! Dean gets the ropes and lands the tope! Dean goes for a crossbody, but CENA HITS AN AA FOR 2! Another AA is turned into Dirty Deeds for 2! Another AA is countered into a sunset flip by Dean for the win! This was a fine tease for a future PPV match, and made Dean look great going into the PPV. AJ jumps Cena and Ambrose, so Bryan comes out and says that Dean was promised a one on one rematch for the title - and it will happen next week on SD! Dean takes him out to close the show. OUTSTANDING show tonight - hot damn!