Tag: us title tournament

New United States Champion crowned on WWE SmackDown

Posted on January 17, 2018 by Joseph Currier

Despite the tournament finals originally being scheduled for the Royal Rumble (and then briefly being advertised for next week), WWE crowned a new United States Champion on SmackDown tonight.

Bobby Roode defeated Jinder Mahal in the main event to win the title. The three tournament matches that were on SmackDown took up the vast majority of the episode. Mahal advanced over Xavier Woods and Roode defeated Mojo Rawley to make it to the finals.

After he was attacked by The Singh Brothers following his first match, Roode challenged Mahal to face him tonight instead of next week. Mahal declined the offer, but Daniel Bryan came out to make the match official for later in the show.

The Singh Brothers were barred from ringside for the finals. The story of the match was that Roode was selling his ribs and Mahal was the healthier of the two, but Roode countered the Khallas into a Glorious DDT for the win. Bryan and Shane McMahon presented Roode with the US title to close the show.

There was only one non-tournament match on SmackDown this week, with The Riott Squad defeating Charlotte Flair, Naomi & Becky Lynch in a six-woman tag.

US title tournament to continue on WWE SmackDown next week

Posted on January 10, 2018 by Joseph Currier

After Mojo Rawley advanced over Zack Ryder in the final first round match, the United States Championship tournament will continue on SmackDown next Tuesday.

Jinder Mahal vs. Xavier Woods in a semifinal match is scheduled for next week. Mahal defeated Tye Dillinger and Woods beat Aiden English in the opening round, and Mahal cut a promo on Woods last night where he said he has his eyes on the United States title and called Woods and The New Day a fad.

Bobby Roode, who defeated Baron Corbin in the first round, will take on Rawley in the other semifinal match. That will take place over the next couple of weeks, with the finals set for the Royal Rumble on January 28th.

In an indication of where the tournament could be heading, Roode teamed with The Usos against Mahal, Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin in a dark match after SmackDown last night.

The Riott Squad vs. Charlotte Flair, Naomi & Becky Lynch has also been set up for next week.

Final WWE US title tournament first round match set for next week

Posted on January 3, 2018 by Joseph Currier

After Xavier Woods advanced last night, the first round of WWE’s United States title tournament is set to conclude on SmackDown next week.

Mojo Rawley vs. Zack Ryder is the final match scheduled for the opening round. Rawley cut a pre-taped promo on Ryder that aired on last night’s show, promising to defeat him and to send him back to the past where he belongs. The winner of Rawley vs. Ryder will face Bobby Roode in the semifinals.

The other semifinal match will be Jinder Mahal vs. Woods. Mahal defeated Tye Dillinger to advance last week and Woods beat Aiden English this Tuesday. The semifinals will occur on SmackDown over the next few weeks, with the new champion scheduled to be crowned when the finals take place at the Royal Rumble in Philadelphia on January 28th.

Before SmackDown went on the air last night, Rawley defeated Ryder in a dark match.

The Ascension vs. The Bludgeon Brothers was also set up for next Tuesday in a post-SmackDown video where Breezango volunteered The Ascension for the match.

WWE reveals United States title tournament bracket

Posted on December 28, 2017 by Joseph Currier

After the first two matches took place on SmackDown this week, WWE has revealed the bracket for the United States Championship tournament.

Zack Ryder vs. Mojo Rawley and Xavier Woods vs. Aiden English are the two remaining matches in the first round. The winner of Ryder vs. Rawley will go on to face Bobby Roode, with the winner of Woods vs. English advancing to face Jinder Mahal.

WWE announced the tournament on Tuesday’s SmackDown after the angle where Dolph Ziggler left the US Championship in the ring and walked out the week prior, with Daniel Bryan noting that Ziggler had seemingly willingly relinquished the title. Roode defeated Baron Corbin and Mahal beat Tye Dillinger to advance to the second round.

The bracket indicates that the finals will take place at the Royal Rumble on January 28th.

The tournament should continue on SmackDown next Tuesday. The Usos defending their Tag Team titles against Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin is set for the episode as well, along with Breezango vs. The Bludgeon Brothers. WWE will also follow up on Kevin Owens’ non-title win over AJ Styles from this week’s show and the storyline of ongoing tension between Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan.

WWE SmackDown video highlights: US title tournament begins

Posted on December 27, 2017 by Joseph Currier

The tournament to crown a new United States Champion began on SmackDown last night.

Daniel Bryan announced the tournament in the opening segment after last week’s storyline where Dolph Ziggler left the title in the ring and seemingly walked out. It will be single-elimination and will feature eight wrestlers, and Bobby Roode vs. Baron Corbin and Jinder Mahal vs. Tye Dillinger were the first two matches to take place.

Elsewhere on SmackDown, AJ Styles faced Kevin Owens in a non-title match that could have implications for Styles’ Royal Rumble direction, The Usos’ next challengers were decided, and The Riott Squad were outnumbered by Natalya, Carmella, Lana, and Tamina following Ruby Riott vs. Naomi.