WWE SmackDown: Results, Highlights and Grades for December 27th

A Moment of Bliss, with Lacey Evans

Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss sip their coffee before introducing special guest, the Sassy Southern Belle herself, Lacey Evans.

Bliss asks Evans about Sasha Banks taunting Evans’ six year old daughter at ringside last week. Evans says The Boss crossed the line and as a result of “mama bear mode,” she snapped. She promises that had security not pulled her off last week, Evans

Evans also understands what happens during talk segments like this so instead of getting attacked from behind by Bayley or Banks, Evans sets the mic down and gets in the ring to wait for them. This kickstarts a tag team match. Or does it?

Dana Brooke’s music hits, but Evans’ tag team partner is dragged to the ramp by Banks and Bayley. Evans runs to the ramp and brawls with both women, sending us to a commercial break. Back from break, our match is underway.

Bayley and Sasha Banks vs. Dana Brooke and Lacey Evans

Bayley immediately punches Evans into the corner, until the latter can send Bayley into her corner, tagging Brooke for some cartwheel action. Until Bayley bum rushes Brooke into her own corner where she tags Banks and the two double team Dana with stomps in the corner.

Banks then shoulder blocks Brooke into another corner before setting her on the top rope. Brooke fights Banks off to hit a tornado suplex for a two count. Banks pulls Evans down by her hair. Banks goads and slaps Evans. The ref holds Evans back as Banks and Bayley double team Brooke behind the ref’s back.

Another tag to Bayley as the two slam Brooke into their corner for a two count. Brooke struggles to get to her corner before Bayley short arm clotheslines Brooke for a two count. Tag back to Banks, who hits a meteora for a two count before locking in head wrench, that Brooke eventually fights out of.

Banks sends Brooke into her corner, but knocks Bayley off the apron and enzuigiris Banks. Both manage to make the hot tag and Evans hits a big babyface comeback, which includes a baseball dropkick to Banks and a springboard elbow to Bayley.

Evans hits a sweet moonsault for a pin, but Banks breaks it up. Banks runs off until Bayley hits a Bayley to Belly for a pni, but Brooke returns the favor by breaking it up. Banks tosses Brooke out before tagging Bayley.

Evans reverses a double suplex and tags Brooke, and hitting a Woman’s Right on Bayley right after. Interestingly enough, if Banks didn’t duck, the punch would’ve been hers.

Banks tosses Evans out the ring before locking in a Bank Statement off a back suplex reversal for the win.

Winners: Bayley and Sasha Banks

Grade: A-

Such a great tag match. Apart from great in-ring action, this was all set up and booked so smartly. Brooke continues to build herself up the midcard. A future Banks vs. Bayley feud continues to get foreshadowed while Evans vs. Bayley continues to progress. That ending sequence alone set up three storylines at once. Genius!

Only nitpick making this a minus is that Brooke didn’t sell her pre-match attack at all, which, I know, dumb nitpick on my part, but I couldn’t stop thinking about it at the start of the match and it made me wonder what the point of the attack was to begin with. But again, great stuff nonetheless!

As Mandy Rose is tasting her fruit cake, Dolph Ziggler asks what she’s doing for New Years. He then takes Mandy’s fruit cake from Otis and stomps on it, saying Otis wouldn’t know a thing about treating a woman like her. He tries to flirt some more, but Corbin pulls him away offscreen begging him for help in his main event, which is next! For real this time!

But first, Otis finds his cake on the ground. Heartbroken. Sad emoji.