#SDLive Thread, Mar 7: Orton to battle Styles to determine Wyatt’s No. 1 contender at WrestleMania

[Kross Rhodes]

SmackDown LIVE preview, March 7, 2017: Orton to battle Styles to determine Bray Wyatt’s WrestleMania No. 1 contender

The whirlwind struggle to determine WWE Champion Bray Wyatt’s No. 1 contender at The Show of Shows will reach new heights this Tuesday on SmackDown LIVE when The Viper goes one-on-one against battles The Phenomenal One.

Randy Orton to battle AJ Styles Tuesday night to determine Bray Wyatt’s No. 1 contender at WrestleMania

The whirlwind struggle to determine WWE Champion Bray Wyatt’s No. 1 contender at WrestleMania will reach new heights this Tuesday on SmackDown LIVE when Randy Orton battles AJ Styles one-on-one.

For a brief moment last Tuesday, it seemed as if the ongoing controversy surrounding the WWE Title had finally been settled. Styles overcame Luke Harper in an extremely hard-fought match and seemingly established himself as The New Face of Fear’s Show of Shows’ challenger. But that assumption literally went up in smoke when 2017 Royal Rumble Match winner Randy Orton —who had previously stated that he would not challenge Wyatt as long as he was the master and Orton the servant — suddenly declared that he was coming for the WWE Title at The Showcase of The Immortals before burning The Wyatt Family Compound to the ground!

But who ultimately has the right to challenge Bray Wyatt: the Superstar who won the Royal Rumble Match or the Superstar who won the honor after Orton refused it?

To answer that question, Commissioner Shane McMahon and General Manager Daniel Bryan reviewed all that happened this past week and have determined that The Viper and “The Face that Runs the Place” must go head-to-head this Tuesday at 8/7 C on USA Network to finally establish who will take on The New Face of Fear on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

John Cena & Nikki Bella set to team up for first time against Carmella & James Ellsworth

John Cena & Nikki Bella will team up in-ring for the first time on SmackDown LIVE Tuesday night when they face off against Carmella & James Ellsworth.

The two pairs arrived at a point of conflict backstage last week when The Princess of Staten Island & Ellsworth interrupted the couple as they talked about their recent issues with The Miz & Maryse. The Cenation Leader & Fearless Nikki had no patience for the F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S tandem’s blatant disrespect and challenged them to a Mixed Tag Team Match next week.

What will it look like when Cena and Nikki team up for a historic first time in a WWE ring and will Carmella and Ellsworth have any answers for them? Find out this Tuesday night on SmackDown LIVE.

Who will challenge Dean Ambrose, Alexa Bliss and American Alpha at WrestleMania?

While it looks as if WWE Champion Bray Wyatt’s WrestleMania opponent may finally be decided this Tuesday night on SmackDown LIVE, the No. 1 contenders for the Intercontinental, SmackDown Women’s and SmackDown Tag Team Titles at The Showcase of the Immortals are still very much up for grabs.

While there is no denying that Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose has drawn the ire of Baron Corbin in recent weeks, there is no guarantee that any conflict between them will take place in an organized title match. When you consider the volatile nature of both The Lunatic Fringe and The Lone Wolf, chances are just as good that they will end up clashing in an unsanctioned brawl in some dark corner of the arena. Moreover, Corbin is not the only potential challenger to Ambrose’s title. Certainly, whoever loses this week between Randy Orton and AJ Styles could end up looking to overtake Ambrose, not to mention past adversaries like The Miz or Dolph Ziggler.

As far as two-time SmackDown Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss is concerned, anything is possible. Becky Lynch continues to stand toe-to-toe with the Wicked Witch of WWE. In addition, after some questionable statements last week from Natalya, there is a strong possibly that The Queen of Hart-less may also be gunning for a title opportunity. When it comes down to it, in a time where the Women’s division is arguably stronger than it ever has ever been, any of Team Blue’s female competitors could step up to try and take Alexa’s place on top of the mountain.

SmackDown Tag Team Champions American Alpha are definitely “Ready, Willing and Gable” to take on all comers. While The Usos have set their sights on their long-standing foes, with only four SmackDown LIVEs left before WWE steps onto The Grandest Stage of Them All, you never know who will challenge Chad Gable & Jason Jordan, or if American Alpha will even have the titles when the time comes.

Who will throw their hat in the ring for the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal?

With so many title pictures still uncertain for The Show of Shows, one must not forget that the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal is also ready to turn WrestleMania upside-down.

Considering that The Road to WrestleMania is an opportunity for Superstars to attempt to propel themselves into main event status, who will be the first SmackDown LIVE Superstar to enter the colossal contest?

Don’t miss SmackDown LIVE, Tuesday night at 8/7 C on USA Network.

 

[tiffany]

I personally like the idea about a Randy Orton vs AJ Styles vs Bray Wyatt's main event. It might even be entertaining to make it a fatal four way and add Luke Harper to the mix. We will just have to find out how Smackdown plans on implementing their Wrestlemania's main event. It's going to be better than Raw's.

I also want to see Eva Marie challenge Alexa Bliss for the title. The only problem is they are both heel. Eva Marie is one of those characters that do not have it in her to be a face. Despite what she does, the WWE universe absolutely hate her. LOL.

I am so #TeamMiz&Maryse and I want to see the fall of #NikkiCena. It's going to be hilarious to see how Chin and Carmella fend off against team #NikkiCena.

 

[Andrew]

Looking forward to this show. Will do my best to comment during commercial breaks

 

[Cwalker]

We better get a Phenomenal Forearm into a RKO spot

 

[Kross Rhodes]

We better get a Phenomenal Forearm into a RKO spot

That would certainly be phenomenal.

 

[Deezy]

If I was ever facing Orton, I'd never do any springboards on him. Power double legs all day.

 

[Kross Rhodes]

If I was ever facing Orton, I'd never do any springboards on him. Power double legs all day.

Same. AJ never learns, though, as he does that springboard all the time to people he knows counters it well.

 

[Crippler]

logically speaking should Bray just cost AJ the match because he wants revenge at Orton the biggest stage, but it would also make sense for him to cost Orton the match for revenge?

Shane counting the pin is so gonna be the finish, right?

 

[Deezy]

logically speaking should Bray just cost AJ the match because he wants revenge at Orton the biggest stage, but it would also make sense for him to cost Orton the match for revenge?

Shane counting the pin is so gonna be the finish, right?

Bray should cost Orton the match as retribution, if it was Orton's end game the whole time.....Than yeah, taking it away is better than giving him what he wanted.

 

[Kross Rhodes]

Bray should cost Orton the match as retribution, if it was Orton's end game the whole time.....Than yeah, taking it away is better than giving him what he wanted.

It would make more sens to do it now, but he may "want" to punish Orton on the grandest stage of them all.

That will be WWE's logic anyway if they do it that way.

 

[Kross Rhodes]

logically speaking should Bray just cost AJ the match because he wants revenge at Orton the biggest stage, but it would also make sense for him to cost Orton the match for revenge?

Shane counting the pin is so gonna be the finish, right?

I assume Shane has to get involved with the finish. Some kind of fuckery to get AJ boiling even more.

 

[Crippler]

time to recap the most epic ending ever

 

[Kross Rhodes]

Last week so great I fear the aftermath may not match it, but we'll see. At least AJ and Orton has potential.

 

[Vegeta]

time to recap the most epic ending ever

Glad you came around.

 

[Deezy]

Nothing like a babyfaces torturing a man's mental pain and anguish to start a WrestleMania program.