WWE SmackDown Live results (Sept. 27, 2016): AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose

WWE SmackDown comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Sept. 27, 2016) from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio featuring all the latest build to the upcoming No Mercy pay-per-view (PPV) scheduled for next month in Sacramento, California.

Advertised for tonight: Dean Ambrose gets his rematch against AJ Styles for the WWE world championship, and more!

Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the SmackDown live blog kicks off once the show starts on USA. It will be below this line here. (REMINDER: NO GIFS OR PICS ARE ALLOWED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION. OFFENDERS WILL BE BANNED.)

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WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR SEPT. 27

Black magic rites on this black evil night begin with the slice of the blade. Metal and blood come together as one, onlookers they gasp in dismay. But me, I'm just here to liveblog a wrestling show, folks.

Show opens with a video package for the Styles/Ambrose feud from Backlash to this week's rematch.

Intro video follows, then the show proper begins with Randy Orton coming down to the ring in street clothes. He says that he knows why Bray Wyatt likes to talk about fear. He thinks that by playing mind games he can make Orton lose his focus, and he posits that Bray Wyatt is, himself, afraid, and says that's nothing to be ashamed of. People are afraid of heights, spiders, snakes, and Bray Wyatt is afraid of Randy Orton. So, enough mind games, enough sneak attacks, he tells Bray he'll get his ass down to the ring and face his fear right now if he's man enough.

Wyatt sound effect and a blackout later and Bray's in the smoky room talking about Hansel & Gretel. He's heard Randy telling that story to his children! Two lost children leave a trail of breadcrumbs, and tonight he's left his own trail of breadcrumbs, but it doesn't lead home. No, it'll lead Randy through the prison that is the confines of his own mind. Wyatt claims to be a god who makes the rules and says that Orton is in no position to make demands. If you want to hurt him, hurry up because he's got an hourglass. Bray sings a bit and then Randy saunters out of the ring to the back.

Mauro Ranallo puts tonight's title match over before cutting to Dean backstage. He's got a lot of things going through his mind, but unfortunately it's a PG show. AJ's been bragging about being the guy that beat John Cena, but last week, he beat John Cena, so that's old news, much like John Cena himself. Styles stole his title by going low, so Dean is gonna smash his face and turn him into the Guy That's Gonna Cry after he wins the title back.

Commentary promises an eight man tag up next and we're off to commercial.

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Back from break and three of the four teams in the eight-man tag are in the ring.

American Alpha (Chad Gable & Jason Jordan) & Beauty & the Man-Beast (Heath Slater & Rhyno) vs. the Ascension (Konnor & Viktor) & the Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso)

Jimmy Uso and Jason Jordan to start. Tag to Gable and Chad goes right to work on the arm before shooting a takedown and making another quick tag to Jordan. Jimmy fires back with strikes and shoots Jordan in the corner but eats an uppercut and a big twisting takedown into an armbar for his trouble. Jordan wrenches it in but Jimmy gets to his feet and tags Jey. Double team attempt but Jordan tags Gable and AA land double monkey flips. Gable looking for another and Jey tries to counter but eats the ARMBREAKER IN THE ROPES!

Gable gets distracted fighting Jimmy on the outside and Jey chop blocks him to send us to break.

Back from commercial and Viktor is shoving Gable in the corner and making a tag. Konnor quickly tags to Jimmy Uso after abusing Gable a bit. Right hands in the corner send Chad crumpling to the mat as the crowd gets hot for Rhyno. Gable dodges a corner avalanche and crawls over for the tag. The Ascension try to cut him off and he dumps both of them but Jimmy gets his foot and the Ascension take Jordan out on the apron. Rhyno lays the Ascension out with a diving clothesline and Heath's ready for the tag!

Tags made to Heath and Jey, Slater cleans house, polishing Jey off with a high knee. Miller's Crossing but Konnor breaks the pin. Belly-to-belly on Konnor, Viktor takes Rhyno out with an uppercut and Jordan clotheslines Viktor to the outside. Tag to Jimmy, Slater with an O'Connor Roll on Jey and Jimmy boots him. Usos hook Slater up for the front facelock stomp to the knee and...

The Ascension & the Usos win by submission with a high-angle Tequila Sunrise.

The heels gloat up the ramp as Alpha stare defiantly.

John Cena backstage, he says AJ Styles is at the top of his game, and as much as Dean Ambrose runs his mouth, at least he has guts. He's gonna be watching very closely tonight, because no matter who's champion going into No Mercy, the 16-time champ is walking out.

Miz and Maryse walking backstage, they replace a picture of LeBron James with one of Miz.

Orton, meanwhile, is treading deeper into Wyatt's labyrinth. He finds an arrow and turns it around before heading in the new direction it points in, but when the camera pans back it's returned to its original direction courtesy of Erick Rowan, and that roll on the random encounter table sends us to commercial with an ad for WWE 2K17.

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Back from break with an ad for Total Bellas and Wyatt's hourglass is about 1/3 empty. He says Randy was never good with taking direction, but he might find out tonight.

Women's tag up next, Nattie and Carmella get a promo. Nattie says Naomi's all glow and no go. Carmella says it was a bummer their match was so short but that's what happens when she gets in a ring with Nikki Bella.

Naomi & Nikki get a promo. Naomi says haters can't dim your light, and Nikki says she's not worried about Carmella stealing her flame, because she's just fuel to help her legacy burn forever.

Carmella & Natalya vs. Naomi & Nikki Bella

Naomi & Carmella start, collar and elbow lockup, Naomi grabs a side headlock, takeover, Carmella fights out, whip, leapfrog in the corner and Carmella moonwalks. Naomi shoots under and pick a leg before slapping Carmella in the ass on the mat. Carmella charges in and Naomi does the awkward corner headscissors butt shake.

Tag to Nikki, she hits the facebreaker on Carmella, who bails outside and regroups with Nattie as we go to break.

Back from commercial and Nattie's taunting alone in the ring. She heads back out to pound on Naomi, hitting a Michinoku Driver on the floor. Slides Naomi back in the ring for a cover, no good. Nattie does the ol' mock tag with a single chickenwing and Naomi fights to her feet and arm drags her out. Nattie catches her and rams her in the corner for a tag.

Double team leg snap and Carmella chokes Naomi on the ropes by way of sitting on her. When referee Mike Chioda admonishes her, Nattie gets a kick in, then Carmella follows up with a small package. Carmella charges in for a bronco buster and slaps before trying a lateral press for two. Tag to Nattie, double team Northern Lights suplex. Nattie looking for a straight suplex followup but Naomi turns it into a rollup.

Knees in the corner and Nattie charges into a boot but has her wits about her enough for a slingshot back suplex, a passing stomp to the head and a basement dropkick. She goes for a leg drop but Naomi rolls away and crawls over for the tag. Nikki Bella in with a huge shoulder block and then a dropkick, corner lariat, springboard roundhouse kick for two. Runs the ropes but Carmella cuts her off with a shot to the back and gets a tag.

Slingshot over the ropes, Nikki looking for the TKO but Carmella rakes the eyes and takes Naomi off the apron. Nikki gets her in the corner, Nattie tries to interfere and eats a Bellahammer but...

Carmella & Natalya win by pinfall with a rollup from Carmella on Nikki Bella.

Carmella & Nattie celebrate up the ramp as Nikki jaws at them.

Backstage, Orton has reached a door with "I AM GOD" written on it, a power box saying "one way out, choose wisely", and another door with something written on it I can't quite make out. He opens the god door and sees a cutout of himself from the Legend Killer days with "PREY" painted on it. Ah, the other door is marked "predator or prey", Randy opens it cautiously to Erick Rowan on the other side of it. He leaves as the camera zooms in on the handle of the last door jiggling.

Commentary promises Miz's homecoming celebration up next and sends us to break with a house ad for No Mercy.

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Back from commercial with the Connor's Cure anti-pediatric cancer video package.

Miz makes his entrance alongside Maryse, the ring has a red carpet and several large photographs of career highlights in it. Maryse introduces Miz as the prodigal son of Cleveland and the most beautiful man on Earth, and he points to the screen for an video package covering his career from spiky haired Tough Enough dork to the man he is today.

Once it ends, he says to Cleveland that he's home and that the local sportsball team went to the finals. 1.3 million people celebrated that championship, and this is all he gets? This is his hero's welcome? He's the only hero in Cleveland, long before this city was so desperate for a title that they opened their arms to a traitor, he was main eventing WrestleMania as WWE Champion. And now he's happy to celebrate day 176 of his Intercontinental Championship reign in front of the only two decent people in the arena, his parents.

They stand in the front row and he asks the crowd to applaud for them. Maryse informs him that Dolph's parents are here tonight and he says it must be hard for them because they created a world class, elite level loser.

This gets Dolph to come out, of course. He says Miz can say whatever he wants to him but he doesn't talk to his parents, his friends, or his city like that. If he has something to say, he can say it to his face. Miz says he already said what he needed to say by beating him. Dolph says he cheated and to enjoy his tainted parade. Miz points out that the record books don't care about cheating and lists his accolades before asking Dolph what the book is gonna say about his career.

He loses and loses and loses and when is he gonna stop? He was almost at the main event level, but now he's the opening act, and his career makes Miz sick and he'd be embarrassed if it was his. Dolph, his parents, his friends, his city, they should all be embarrassed because he's done nothing with his career of late but lose. Miz actually feels sorry for him, but he's done here now, because he knows Dolph came out to beg for another match, but he's not getting it because he has nothing to give him.

Unless he wants to give up his career, he has nothing to say, so he's gonna go celebrate. Miz takes one last shot at Dolph's parents and heads up the ramp when Dolph calls him by his real name and asks him to wait. He says he's right, this is all he last left. These couple minutes every night, that's what he loves, and what you love doesn't always love you back. You can give and give and give and give and you get nothing in return. Friends and family and fans ask why you still do it, why you still subject yourself to it. He says he's sick, he can't stop. Maybe his career didn't turn out like it could have, maybe he could have been a bigger star, but he can't stop himself.

But if Miz puts that title up one more time, Dolph will put his career on the line. Miz comes back asking for confirmation that that would mean Dolph done and out of WWE, no NXT, no Raw, no sabbatical, just done and dusted. Dolph agrees, either he walks out champion or he's done, and either way he'll be out of his misery. Miz agrees, the match will happen at No Mercy and if Dolph won't hang up his career, Miz'll do it for him.

Cut to backstage with Dean Ambrose warming up and a WWE 2K17 ad sends us to break.

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Back from commercial and Bray Wyatt's in the smoky room. When one door closes, another one opens, and the door is wide open, Randy. Orton's like a mouse in a maze, doesn't know which way to go. He advises Randy to be careful and giggles himself silly.

Becky Lynch out now, she was advertised for a match but Alexa Bliss blindsides her! Slams Becky face-first into the ramp a few times before telling her she doesn't deserve the title and heading to the back.

Curt Hawkins is back with more facts and to announce a big Curt Hawkins announcement for next week. Back to break, everybody.

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Back from commercial with a house ad for No Mercy.

Wyatt in his room again, rocking slowly saying he's disappointed. He thought Orton was worthy of his presence and intelligence, someone sadistic, vicious, and cunning. But he was wrong, the Viper has neither fangs nor poison, and he's taking all the fun out of Wyatt's little game. Where are you, Randy, he asks, and a shape in a sheep mask rises up behind him.

It's Randy Orton! Bray asks where the coward is before turning around into a series of right hands. Wyatt breaks away and Orton laughs before collecting the mask and sitting in the chair. He dons the mask again and starts singing as the video starts rewinding and the audio distorts.

Backstage with AJ Styles hugging his title. He says this is much bigger that the presidential debate, it's an AJ Styles title defense! He reminds us how he got to this point, by beating up and then beating both John Cena and Dean Ambrose. Everybody was watching the debate last night, but tonight they're watching AJ Styles, and they're gonna see him beat Dean Ambrose and be announced as still the champion after the fact.

Back in the arena, Cena's music plays, so the main event is coming up. Off to break with a Hispanic Heritage video about Ritchie Valens.

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Back from commercial with an ad for Talking Smack and Dean makes his entrance, so right into the thick of it.

AJ Styles (c) vs. Dean Ambrose (WWE World Championship)

Ambrose with a double leg takedown right off the bat, hammering punches down on AJ's head. Corner to corner for chop after chop and then he drags AJ's face down the top rope. Whip, AJ comes back with a kick, off the ropes himself and Dean clotheslines him to the outside before shoving him onto the announce desk for more punches right in front of John Cena before we head back to commercial.

Back from break and AJ's got a reverse chinlock on Dean, dragging him back to the ground. They play a clip of AJ clobbering Ambrose with a forearm during the break as Dean fights to his feet. Criss cross, AJ turns a double clothesline into a neckbreaker drop. Dean off the ropes with forearms, AJ whips him and gets a lariat in return. Dean charges in, Styles gets a boot up and dives into a black hole slam backbreaker!

Dean to the top, AJ rushes in, Dean dives over and charges in, AJ looking for the Calf Killer but Dean reverses to a cloverleaf. Dean's got AJ in the center of the ring but the Phenomenal One gets the ropes. Dean makes him wait the full four count and drags him up by his ear but AJ snaps him down over the ropes. Dean right back in with a forearm that knocks AJ to the outside and then the suicide dive!

Ambrose sends Styles back inside but AJ rolls right back out. Dean to the top, huge diving elbow to the outside! And that sends us to break.

Back from commercial and AJ's got a boot, dropping an elbow on Dean's knee. We get a shot from commercial of him dropping a knee across the knee before Dean whips him in real time and gets caught by the Calf Killer. Dean roars in pain, stretching for the ropes but he's firmly in the center of the ring. He slaps his face, looking for an out before he grabs AJ's head and slams him into the mat over and over.

AJ immediately kicks Ambrose's leg out of his leg and looks for the Styles Clash but Dean back drop him out and looks for Dirty Deeds, which earns a Styles Rush in return. Ambrose with a swinging neckbreaker, and when both men get to their feet they trade right hands. Dean wins the early exchange until AJ starts throwing leg kicks. Dean blocks one, looks for the pendulum lariat but AJ gets him into a fireman's carry. Dean escapes, and lands the chickenwing facebuster for a nearfall.

Ambrose sets Styles up top, thinking superplex but AJ slips out and grabs a torture rack for a few shakes before hitting the spin-out Argentine powerbomb. Ambrose on his knees, AJ slaps him. Dean gets fired up, forearms, AJ with an enzuigiri but when he goes to capitalize with a corner forearm, Dean sets him on the top rope Jesus Zipper first and clobbers him with a diving lariat for two.

Dean staggers to his feet first, grabbing Styles and looking for a waistlock. AJ fights out and lands the Pele kick before dragging Dean over for the springboard 450 but nobody's home! Ambrose to the top, his knee is bugging him but he lands the diving elbow for a nearfall anyway! Dean on his knees fires a forearm shot that sends AJ clean outside.

Dean with a plancha but AJ moves and he lands bad on the leg and Styles rushes in with a running knee off the apron. AJ rolls Ambrose back in and attacks John Cena before looking for the Phenomenal Forearm. Dean grabs an O'Connoroll but Charles Robinson is busy with Cena! Dean attacks Cena before running back in the ring...

AJ Styles wins by pinfall with an O'Connor roll and a handful of jeans, retaining the WWE World Championship.

Ambrose and Cena jaw at each other, Dean looks for Dirty Deeds but John drops him with the Attitude Adjustment. Styles in for the Styles Clash but Cena gets him too! Cena poses with the belt, pledging that the champ will be here.

That's the show, folks.