AJ STYLES set up a sensation WWE world title fight with returning hero John Cena at the upcoming Royal Rumble by retaining his strap in a timeless triple-threat match against Dolph Ziggler and Baron Corbin.
Cena made his grand return at the start of the show and got typically mixed reviews – with chants from the Chicago crowd for local star CM Punk drowning him out at stages – but the very mention of the Untertaker, his possible opponent at Wrestlemania 33, went down a storm.
AJ Styles vs Baron Corbin vs Dolph Ziggler
Three of the best technical wrestlers battled for the world title and the chance to then defend it against fit-again Cena at the upcoming Rumble.
Giant newcomer Corbin played the part of the giant bully early on as the two fans’ favourites took in turns to take some big bumps from the former boxer.
And in the end Styles and Ziggler had to briefly work together to break up the lone wolf’s dominance until his double clothesline floored the pair of smaller men.
Quality exchanges and technical wrestling were at a premium as Corbin – winner of the Andre the Giant tournament – bullied his two opponents in the no DQ match.
Corbin lost his stranglehold on the match when it went outside the ring and Styles and Ziggler hit a wild double-team dive through Corbin and the announce table that shattered.
That left Styles and the Show Off to blend their fighting styles in the ring and Ziggler wrecking a Phenomenal Forearm with a super-kick was a thing of beauty.
But Styles retained his title when Corbin KO-ed Ziggler with an End of Days and he dived in with a Phenomenal Forearm and a pin.
Cena ran down to meet Styles ahead of their Rumble riot but it was a friendly affair as they shook hands and teased their title row.
At the start of the show Cena had made his long-awaited return from injury and announced a huge match for the upcoming Royal Rumble.
The veteran shot down reports he is losing interest in WWE – with a growing profile in Hollywood - and insisted he is in the company to stay.
As Cena spoke, the Chicago crowd – for the second night running – chanted for local hero and UFC flop CM Punk.
And then they moved on to cheering for the WWE legend the Undertaker who Cena is rumoured to be facing at Wrestlemania.
Then he challenged the winner of the Styles vs Corbin vs Ziggler triple threat WWE championship match that night to a title match at the upcoming Rumble.
Randy Orton & Luke Harper vs Rhyno & Heath Slater vs The Usos vs American Alpha - tag-team championship four-corner elimination match
AMERICAN ALPHA won the WWE SmackDown Live tag-team titles with a shock win over the Wyatt Family.
The NXT heroes got the brilliant win – and their first taste of SmackDown gold - despite the Wyatt Family having an extra man on the outside as Bray Wyatt made it an unfair fight.
Former champs Rhyno & Heath Slater were eliminated pretty quickly to allow the three more popular teams to fight it out.
Alpha eliminated the Usos with a crafty roll-up from Chad Gable, whose experience in Olympic wrestling mark him out as a seriously credible superstar.
Wyatt sat out this match to allow his two minions to get some action in but they used their extra-man advantage whenever possible with a selection of cheap shots.
Gable’s huge suplex on Harper was a highlight as his team continues to grow their WWE fanbase reputation.
But Harper’s vicious catapult of Gable into the middle rope turned the tide and handed he and Orton the upper hand.
And the Viper continued the onslaught with a series of suplexes before Gable finally got Jason Jordan in the ring and he cleaned house, albeit temporarily.
But Alpha battled back into the fight and when Orton and Harper fumbled a move their gameplan fell apart.
Gable hit a huge dropkick and Jordan hit a spear before a big-air finisher got them the pin on Orton.
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Alexa Bliss vs Becky Lynch – SmackDown women’s title
Alexa Bliss hit a skull-crushing DDT to floor Irish star Becky Lynch and retain her title - with the help of a suspicious special guest.
A masked mystery distracted Lynch which allowed the pocket-sized champ to cling on to her title.
Bliss and Lynch have a growing chemistry that could rival that shared by Charlotte and Sasha Banks over on Raw before Miss Flair settled their feud for good at WWE Backlash: End of the Road.
The SmackDown women looked second-rate to the Raw stars but these two could raise the stakes with submission moves and high-intensity action.
Bliss drove her rival into the steel ring post outside the ring and crawled in hoping for a count-out that failed.
Irish star Lynch hit a top-rope dropkick on her rival but then the match was interrupted by a masked stranger.
Lynch got her game-changing armbar in but Bliss broke free and - with intruder providing a distraction – Bliss hit a brutal DDT.
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