DETROIT — Just five days before Christmas, James Ellsworth finally was given the holiday gift of his WWE Title Match against AJ Styles. However, The Phenomenal One chose to celebrate with a quick yuletide beatdown of the chinless Superstar, defeating Ellsworth quickly and with ease. Styles then continued the assault after the contest, brutally and systematically taking Ellsworth out prompting medical staff to stretcher him out of the arena.

When “The Champ that Runs the Camp” declared that his business was concluded for the year, Dolph Ziggler interrupted to remind him that they still have a title match next Tuesday night. The back-and-forth between them soon brought Baron Corbin to the ring, who shared his opinion that The Showoff didn’t truly earn his WWE Title opportunity before downing Ziggler with a surprise attack.

As a result, Ziggler ignored Daniel Bryan’s warnings and demanded that the SmackDown LIVE General Manager give him a match against The Lone Wolf tonight. Bryan agreed, but stated that if Corbin beat Ziggler, he would get his WWE Title Match against Styles next week on the SmackDown LIVE Wild Card Finals.