Sean Ross SappDown Live: John Cena’s Return, Title Matches, Ellsworth, Much More

Sean Ross Sapp's thoughts on WWE Smackdown.

John Cena returns

• I'm really happy to see Cena back, even if it's short-term. The more depth, the better.
• I hate the term "WWE Universe." Please, stop. Signed, Sean from like six years ago.
• John Cena addresses Undertaker chants and says he's not going anywhere.
• Cena then demands a title match at Royal Rumble and says this isn't a new era. 
• I love entitled Cena as a character. 

Smackdown Tag Team Championships
Fatal Four Way: American Alpha defeated Wyatt Family (c) (w/ Bray Wyatt), Usos and Rhyno & Heath Slater

• I never know how to feel about these matches. Every team but one has to get beat.
• The finish to beat the Usos was good. It wasn't predictable.
• Remember how I said that every team had to get beat? They did a good job of protecting that by having the Usos attack American Alpha, but I get a feeling we're in for a surprise.
• Chad Gable suplexing Luke Harper was something to behold.
• Gable played a great babyface in peril here.
• Orton looked like he tried to dead weight Jordan. It didn't work if he did.
• Orton ABSOLUTELY PLANTED Jason Jordan with a DDT. One of the best looking ones he's ever done.
• I don't know why tag ropes exist in this match
• American Alpha are new champions! When I tell you these are a couple of the nicest guys in the business, I mean it. Great to see. 
• There's Wyatt friction after the match. I hope this leads to Wyatt & Orton vs. Harper and Rowan. I don't want Orton as a singles wrestler for a while.

Backstage stuffs

• Promo from Ziggler. It was fine.
• James Ellsworth cut a good promo to a mixed reaction. Carmella finds him 'uniquely attractive.'

Smackdown Women's Championship
Alexa Bliss (c) defeated Becky Lynch

• These two started off hot, but tried to do a little too much and got sloppy
• They smoothed things over, but Becky's dropkicks look terrible
• Alexa Bliss can sell the hell out of a broken arm. 
• La Luchadora comes out and helps Alexa Bliss win!
• Glad to see Bliss use a DDT as a finish.

Backstage stuff again

• Nikki was good in saying she's proud of herself, but didn't need scripted.
• I was a fan of most of the Ambrose/Renee/Maryse/Miz stuff. Ambrose didn't need to be a security guard or use the cutesy line at the end.

WWE Championship
AJ Styles defeats Baron Corbin and Dolph Ziggler

• When Corbin is in there with good workers, cool stuff happens.
• Corbin was really the workhorse of this match.
• There was an awesome spot where Ziggler and Styles teamed up to take Baron Corbin out, which made Corbin look really strong, and was just cool to see.
• Styles saved a Baron Corbin botch, but not everything in a fight is supposed to look perfect.
• Super cool End Of Days/Zig Zag spot.
• Styles picks up the win in a really fun match to watch.
• The handshake at the end was a little confusing to me, but I like that. We don't always need to know.

Overall thoughts

• This was a fantastic show. Very little filler, and a big one to bridge the gap between TLC and Royal Rumble.
• There were a lof of things to like about this show, and very little to not like.
• Smackdown is consistently good for two hours with half of a roster.