Smackdown Live results: WWE world heavyweight champ AJ Styles SHOCKED by resident jobber James Ellsworth, Kane disappears in main event
A host of surprises on this week's Smackdown, including what JBL has labelled 'the robbery of the century'
LUKE HARPER and Bray Wyatt were again celebrating over Randy Orton, two days after No Mercy, on this week’s Smackdown.
The mind-games continued in the main event, which pitted Orton and Kane against Wyatt and Harper, who made his shock return at No Mercy last Sunday.
The closing stages of the match saw the lights go out, and then Kane disappear! Harper stood at the corner of the ring where the Big Red Machine had been standing, and then a startled Orton ran into Wyatt who hit him with the Sister Abigail for the three count.
The surprises did not end there on this week’s Smackdown Live, however, far from it.
World champ AJ Styles lost to Smackdown Live’s resident jobber James Ellsworth in an unbelievable upset… but he did get quite the assist from the special guest referee for the bout, Styles’ rival Dean Ambrose.
The non-title match involved some comedic moments from Ambrose, including him answering his phone while Ellsworth tapped out to the Calf Crusher.
Ambrose would go on to hit Styles with not one – but two – Dirty Deeds before rolling Ellsworth on top of Styles and making a rapid three-count
It may have been absolutely put on a plate for him, but the record books will say Ellsworth defeated the world heavyweight champion.
“The robbery of the century” – said commentator JBL.
And the Cinderella story didn’t finish there.
Smackdown general manager Daniel Bryan announced on Talking Smack, the show which is on straight after Smackdown on the WWE Network that Ellsworth would in fact now be given a world title shot…next week.
Smackdown Live started with the deposed intercontinental champion The Miz mourning the death of his title which he lost to Dolph Ziggler in a gripping contest at No Mercy.
Ziggler, whose career was on the line against The Miz, entered the ring first before he was cut off from his speech by The Miz and his wife Maryse, who were both wearing black funeral attire.
Ziggler’s former team-mates from many moons ago, the Spirit Squad soon joined the fray and a handicap match ensued, which Ziggler won with a super-kick on Kenny.
The Miz planted a Skull Crushing Finale on Ziggler after the match, before tag team champs Heath Slater and Rhyno ran in the make the assist.
Nikki Bella and the 'Princess of Staten Island' Carmella continued their feud with Carmella attacking Nikki before her match against Naomi.
Nikki then distracted Carmella to allow Naomi to grab the victory, before the pair clashed again after the match.
Expect Nikki and Carmella to settle their feud at Survivor Series.
Chad Gable, one half of American Alpha, lost to Jimmy Uso after his brother Jey cheekily assisted his roll up in a match which was over before it had really begun.