On SmackDown’s go-home show for the Royal Rumble, Sami Zayn pinned AJ Styles ahead of Sunday’s handicap match for the WWE Championship.
Zayn and Owens began the episode by challenging Styles to live up to his word and face them in back-to-back non-title singles matches. Before Daniel Bryan could announce his decision, Styles agreed to wrestle them.
Styles quickly defeated Owens in their match, with Owens suffering a storyline leg injury. Owens was still being tended to at ringside during Zayn’s match. Near the finish, Styles turned his attention to Owens and flipped over a stretcher that he was on. That allowed Zayn to hit the Helluva Kick and the Blue Thunder Bomb for the win.
Also on SmackDown, the final build to Sunday’s Royal Rumble matches took place, Chad Gable took on Jey Uso, and Bobby Roode teamed with The New Day against Jinder Mahal, Rusev & Aiden English.
More coverage from last night —
WWE 205 Live results: Cedric Alexander vs. Mustafa Ali
General manager for WWE 205 Live to be announced next week
WWE Mixed Match Challenge live results: Asuka teams with Miz
WWE SmackDown live results: The Royal Rumble go-home show
WWE SmackDown video highlights —
AJ Styles agrees to face Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn in back-to-back singles matches
Shane McMahon continues to question Daniel Bryan’s leadership ability
Jey Uso vs. Chad Gable
Naomi vs. Liv Morgan, the final build to the women’s Royal Rumble
An RKO out of nowhere puts a stop to Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin
Bobby Roode & The New Day vs. Jinder Mahal, Rusev & Aiden English
AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens in a non-title match
AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn in a non-title match
SmackDown fallout: Will Kevin Owens be able to wrestle at the Royal Rumble? Yep
Fashion Files: The Ascension train for a match that was never official