Two teams with the worst records advanced to the finals on the season finale of Mixed Match Challenge. The second season concluded with the semifinals from Las Vegas — while the mixed tag team tournament itself wraps up this Sunday with the finals at WWE TLC.
Carmella & R-Truth won the Smackdown block in the playoffs despite their losing record in the round robin portion. With a similar losing record, the odd couple pairing of Alicia Fox & Jinder Mahal won the Raw block. The two block winners meet at TLC to determine the overall winner.
The winners of the inaugural tournament — Team Awe-ska — imploded with Asuka finally turning on the Miz after one heelish deed too many. Asuka was wrestling for the second time during the evening. She and Charlotte Flair closed SmackDown with what was billed as a rematch from WrestleMania. The match would end with vicious chaos in a go-home angle ahead of TLC.
The season finale of Mixed Match Challenge opened with the aftermath from the bedlam of SmackDown. Charlotte Flair hit Asuka with a kendo stick for a DQ in the main event. Becky Lynch got involved as a brawl erupted. Asuka stood tall in the end as she laid out both Charlotte and Becky with shots from the kendo stick. Pulling double duty, Asuka later in the night would team with Miz.
Michael Cole, Renee Young & Vic Joseph were ringside with Charlotte and Lynch still selling the effects of the brawl. Lynch gets up to grab her title and make a defiant exit. Flair left with welps on her back from the kendo stick.
Cole said on commentary that the tournament playoffs were kicking off. Haven’t the playoffs been going for a few weeks? There was a bracket and everything. Was it all a dream? That was after the round robin portion — which wasn’t a complete round robin. This may arguably be worse than the worst of any Bound for Glory tournament. If nothing else the second season of Mixed Match Challenge has been haphazard at best.
Apollo Crew replaced Finn Balor without much reason given other than Balor was not there. Crews made the save for Bayley the previous night on Raw to create some continuity for the random team. Renee Young on commentary said Crews and Bayley were already friends. So there’s that too.
Alicia Fox & Jinder Mahal (w/ The Singh Brothers) defeated Bayley & Apollo Crews
Fox pinned Bayley after outside interfernce. Bayley & Crews were dispatching the Singh Brothers when Fox capitalized on the situation. Fox & Mahal advance to the finals at TLC despite having one of the worst records in the Raw Block.
Crews and Mahal started the match trading pinning attempts. Fox soon made a blind tag. Her and Bayley also traded roll ups. Fox powdered to regroup with Mahal. Fox yelled at the Singh Brothers as they all bickered.
The match continued back in the ring with Fox against Bayley for a moment before both tagged out. Crews would shine with flips and a giant leap frog. Crews landed on his feet after a standing moonsault when Mahal moved out of the way.
Mahal cut off Crews with a hotshot and a running knee strike. Mahal began working over Crews. The Singhs and Fox chanted their approval.
A long chinlock plodded along before a hot tag to Bayley. Fox bumped and fed as Bayley ran wild. A Bayley-to-Belly led to lateral press. Bayley had Fox covered when the Singhs interfered to break up the count. Somehow it wasn’t a DQ.
Crews flew in with a double clothesline on the Singhs. Crews then did a moonsault off the apron on the Singhs. Bayley gave both Singhs a belly-to-belly suplex. Mahal hit Crews with a superkick. Bayley dived through the ropes with a tope suicida on Mahal.
Fox met Bayley with a high kick as Bayley was getting back into the ring. Fox then covered Bayley for the pinfall.
Carmella & R-Truth defeathed Asuka & The Miz
Truth pinned Miz after an ax kick. The story of the match was Team Awe-ska explodes. Carmella and Asuka circled each other to start the match. Miz demanded a tag as he argued with Asuka. She tagged him in with a chop. Miz and Truth ran through some spots. Truth was getting the better of Miz until a cheapshot. Truth fired up with break dance offense and sent Miz out of the ring.
Carmella on cue got in the ring for a dance break. Challenging them to a dance off, Asuka started dancing. An angry Miz shouted at her to stop.
Miz soon got heat on Truth. Dashing a few hope spots, Miz continued his onslaught until Truth caught him with a clothesline. Truth made a hot tag and Carmella momentarily cleaned house on Asuka.
Carmella screamed for her life when she found herself in the clutches of Asuka. Carmella escaped to shove Asuka into her corner for a bling tag to Miz.
Truth with a spinning forearm smash led to a near fall. Asuka dived in to break up the pinning attempt. Carmella signaled for sweet chin music aimed at Miz. Pulling Asuka in front of the superkick, Miz sacrificed his own tag partner to take the kick.
Miz would then still eat a superkick from Carmella after Truth kicked out of a schoolboy. Truth dropped an ax kick on Miz for a close two count.
The ring cleared except for Asuka and Miz. They made eye contact and Miz knew he was in trouble. Asuka yelled as Miz begged off. Fed up with him, Asuka suddenly turned on the Miz. She hit him with slaps and a roundhouse kicks. Truth executed the Unprettier on Miz to score the pinfall.
Cole exclaimed about the outcome being the biggest upset anyone had ever seen. Okay, sure.
Truth and Carmella danced in the ring to celebrate. Miz looked dazed and confused while selling his jaw. The look on his face summed up the entire second season of Mixed Match Challenge.
