*OFFICIAL* SmackDown Discussion Thread: 21st March 2017

[Awesome]

Last Tuesday, after blaming Shane McMahon for having to “jump through hoops” in pursuit of a WWE Championship Match at WrestleMania, AJ Styles ambushed the SmackDown LIVE Commissioner and hurled him through a car window.

As a result, SmackDown LIVE General Manager Daniel Bryan fired The Phenomenal One and kicked him out of the building. However, as the blue brand was about to conclude, a battered Shane-O-Mac emerged to make the emphatic statement, “AJ Styles says he doesn’t have an opponent at WrestleMania … he does now.”

So, is Styles gone for good? Or will he be heading to The Ultimate Thrill Ride to take on Shane McMahon? Find out tonight on SmackDown LIVE.

SmackDown Tag Team Champions American Alpha are “Ready, Willing and Gable” to take on all comers.

However last week, with only three episodes of SmackDown LIVE left before The Ultimate Thrill Ride, The Usos scored a huge non-title over Chad Gable & Jason Jordan. As a result, WWE.com has learned that American Alpha will defend their titles against Jimmy & Jey tonight on SmackDown LIVE!

Who will walk onto The Grandest Stage of Them All with the SmackDown Tag Team Championship? Find out tonight.

Last week, John Cena & Nikki Bella challenged The Miz & Maryse to a Mixed Tag Team Match at The Showcase of the Immortals, but who will prove they are the true A-list couple of the blue brand? And one week after scrambling into the crowd to avoid a confrontation, will Miz and his dangerous bride attempt to regain some momentum just two weeks before The Ultimate Thrill Ride?

Randy Orton may have burned down The Wyatt Family Compound, but WWE Champion Bray Wyatt has apparently returned more powerful than ever after being baptized in the ashes of Sister Abigail. But, as The New Face of Fear and The Viper prepare to engage at WrestleMania, who will win the war of intimidation between these two absolute masters of psychological warfare?

Baron Corbin injured Dean Ambrose in a Forklift assault two weeks ago and sent him out on a stretcher. The Lone Wolf appears to be on the hunt for The Lunatic Fringe’s Intercontinental Championship and to destroy his adversary permanently. Ambrose is never one to back down from a fight and will most certainly return to get retribution, so is SmackDown LIVE prepared for the all-out destruction that will occur when these two Superstars brawl again? Find out tonight.

[Awesome]

The Usos defeating American Alpha to become the new SmackDown Tag Team Champions was a surprise, but perhaps we'll see American Alpha regain the titles at WrestleMania.

I was wondering where Fandango and Tyler Breeze were going with that, but "Breezy" Bella I have to admit was a fun play on the name.

Good to see the battling between the women, with Alexa Bliss being the one left standing at the end on this occasion. The question however is whether any more participants will be revealed ahead of WrestleMania, or whether any and all surprises will be at the time of the match itself.

While I haven't seen Total Bellas, from what I gathered from what little I saw of Total Divas in the past (which was just hard to take seriously, as it was obvious that "issues" were small things artificially inflated to be seen as much bigger deals than they truly were), The Miz and Maryse's Total Bellas spoof is probably more entertaining than the actual show. "I bought you a Diamond... Dallas Page DVD set!"

While I admit it was good to see Shane McMahon's diving elbow drop into the announcers' table, I still can't conceivably believe that he would be the one to get the better of the exchange against AJ Styles (just like I couldn't against The Undertaker last year).