WWE SmackDown LIVE Results: October 18, 2016

The Chin That Gets The Win.

The 896th edition of WWE SmackDown LIVE came to you, live, from the Pepsi Center in Denver, CO. Last week on SmackDown LIVE, WWE World Champion AJ Styles handpicked an opponent to face in a non-title match and Styles would end up picking a guy not even on the roster, squaring off with preliminary competitor James Ellsworth, who has made sporadic appearances on SmackDown LIVE as of late. However, SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan would add the caveat that Dean Ambrose would be the Special Referee for the match. As one would expect, “The Lunatic Fringe” would ensure that it was a tough night for the champion, refusing to count pinfalls and just generally messing with AJ Styles. After refusing to count the pinfall after Styles hit Ellsworth with the Styles Clash, Dean Ambrose would hit AJ with Dirty Deeds, but after the champion kicked out, the Special Referee would hit Styles with Dirty Deeds a second time before adding insult to injury by laying Ellsworth over AJ and fast-counting the pinfall! Regardless of how it was done, the record books will still show that James Ellsworth pinned the WWE World Champion AJ Styles last week and, as a result of this win, Ellsworth would get the opportunity of a lifetime on this week’s SmackDown LIVE when he faces AJ Styles again, but this time, the WWE World Championship will be on the line!

Match Results

• Randy Orton def. Luke Harper by DQ after Bray Wyatt interferes.
• Alexa Bliss def. Naomi by pin following Twisted Bliss.
• 6-Man Tag: The Miz & The Spirit Squad (with Maryse) def. Dolph Ziggler, Heath Slater, & Rhyno by Kenny rolling up Heath Slater.
• Baron Corbin def. Jack Swagger by pin following the End of Days.
• WWE World Championship: James Ellsworth (with Dean Ambrose) def. AJ Styles (c) by DQ after AJ Styles (c) ignores the referee’s five-count. As a result, AJ Styles (c) retains.

See page 2 for detailed results.