WWE Smackdown Live results with video highlights: January 2, 2018

Bengaluru, January 3: With a championship match already confirmed for the tag team titles later on the show, the rift between the two authority figures of Smackdown Live also continued in the first episode of 2018.

Plus, we also expected to hear an announcement for the WWE Championship, as well at the show hosted by the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.

AJ Styles kicked off this week's Smackdown with his New Year's resolution to go into Wrestlemania as the champion. Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon interrupted soon to continue to tackle their issues. Styles was concerned about what might happen in tonight's main event. Hence, the authorities decided to be present at ringside during the match.

Later, the tag team championship match took place as the opening contest where Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable despite pinning The Usos didn't win the match. Since, the count was not retained as they pinned Jimmy Uso who was not the legal opponent which led to the restart of the match. After the restart the champions hit the superkick following with a splash to retain their championship.



Next up in a promo, Natalya, Carmella, Tamina, and Lana talked about how the Welcoming Committee was dominating the scene on Smackdown Live, at one point.

Excluding Lana, the three of them took on a match against The Riott Squad in a six-woman tag team contest. Tamina was leveled with backstage interference as Sarah Logan pounced on her with a kick. This earned her a pinfall win on behalf of the Riott Squad.

After the match, Ruby Riott cut a promo stating that each member of her squad will be entering the Royal Rumble match to be a threat to Charlotte Flair. The champion came out with Naomi by her side and introduced a returning Becky Lynch who was out for vengeance. The trio jumped on to attack the Riott Squad. Becky hit her finisher to shove all the three heels out of the ring.



Later, Xavier Woods and Aiden English had a face-off in the United States Championship first round matchup. Woods delivered a flying elbow from the top rope to get the win and advance to the second round, where he will face Jinder Mahal.

In a tag team match, The Bludgeon Brothers delivered yet another assault on Breezango. The Ascension came out to make the save but suffered the same consequences, as well.

In the main event of Smackdown Live, AJ Styles had a singles contest against Sami Zayn with Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon at ringside. A chaos broke out which led to the ejection of Kevin Owens from ringside but he refused to go out. So, Daniel Bryan stepped in to take him back to the backstage area. This distraction allowed Sami Zayn to hit the Helluva Kick and pick up a pinfall win over the champion.



AJ Styles was seemingly frustrated with this mess and complained about it and also expressed his unhappines with Bryan and McMahon for having differences, every week.

The general manager then closed the show with the announcement of 2-on-1 handicap WWE Championship match at Royal Rumble among AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, and Kevin Owens.