WWE Smackdown Live Results (01/16): U.S. Title Tournament Semis

The show opens up with SmackDown Live’s usual intro video.
Tom Phillips welcomes us to the show. He is joined by Corey Graves & Byron Saxton.
Big E doing the usual New Day promo and The New Day makes their way down to the ring.

Kofi Kingston begins talking about how the freedom of the United States is at stake when your boy Xavier Woods takes on the self-proclaimed Modern-Day Maharaja. Woods says that he stands for the values of America, like liberty and the power of positivity.
But there is a principle that doesn’t get spoken of often, the principle of pancakes. Big E says that America is like a pancake, the individual ingredients are all quite strong, but they combine into something good. And that is what the New Day is all about. Xavier reminds us that a vote for him is a vote for three, because the best things in life come in threes, like the red, white, and blue.
Kofi adds amigos, and E adds Home Alone 1, 2, and 3, well maybe not three. But Woods says that his opponent hates Home Alone and despises everyone in the crowd, and is that the man you want as United States Champion? All opposed to Jinder Mahal say “Nay!”, and The New Day gets a “Nay!” chant going. Xavier asks the people of earth for strength so he can win.
The Singh Brothers comes out and they give Jinder Mahal his usual big introduction.

Xavier Woods vs. Jinder Mahal (U.S. Title Tournament Semifinal Match): The opening bell sounds and Jinder immediately opens up with a superkick to Woods. Jinder karate chops Woods, then chokes him up against the ropes. Jinder drops some knees on Woods and continues the beat down. Woods fires back with a dropkick and starts to get in the game. Xavier starts gaining momentum, but Jinder shuts him down with a lariat, then drops some knees and stomps on him. The New Day and the Singh Brothers start arguing at ringside as Jinder continues the beat-down on Xavier. The crowd chants “we want pancakes” as Wood starts to get in the mood. Woods throws some right hands, but Jinder catches him with a gut-buster, then a knee to the face. Jinder rolls outside and chokes Woods with the ring apron tarp. Jinder rolls back in the ring and Woods follows shortly after at the referee’s 9 count. Woods fights his way up to his feet, then Mahal whips him hard into the corner and drops a knee on him. Woods hits a boot to the face then goes for the Honor Roll, but Mahal blocks it with a jumping knee to the face. Woods comes back with a missile dropkick and starts working over Jinder. Jinder hits a cheap shot to the throat, but Woods keeps bringing the fight to Mahal. Woods keeps control and hits a Shining Wizard. The Singh Brothers gets on the apron for the distraction, but Big E and Kofi chases them to the back. Woods hits a German suplex on Jinder, then goes up top. Woods misses the elbow drop, and Jinder throws Woods into the bottom rope. The referee checks on Woods, then Jinder picks him up and hits the Khallas for the three count. Jinder advances to the U.S. Title finals next week. Winner: Jinder Mahal
After the match, Jinder hits the corner to pose as his music plays. We see the WWE United States Title on display at ringside. We go to replays. Jinder stands tall as we get a look at the updated brackets.
Commentary hypes the 30-man Royal Rumble Match. 

We get a promo from Baron Corbin talking about how he, as a Lone Wolf, was built for the Royal Rumble. Corbin says no distractions, no politics, all he sees is a ring full of potential victims and life-changing opportunity, and if anyone will get in his way, they are all going over the top rope. Corbin ends the promo by saying get on board or get out of his way, because it’s his time to main event WrestleMania.
Commentary hypes up the 6-Women Tag-Team Match for later tonight and we go to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial break, we are reminded that Goldberg is the first member of this year’s WWE Hall of Fame Class.
We head backstage where AJ Styles is being interviewed. He says that Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn should be confident about their match, because it’s three against one. He counts Owens as two people. He says that they sound like deranged muppets and they’re basically the same guy, which he names the team of Owens & zayn as Kami, and the very thought of Kami being co-champions makes him sick. But he got this far by overcoming obstacles, and he’s gonna do whatever he can to bring the Yep! Movement to an end.
This ain’t the Kami Show, this right here is SmackDown, the House That AJ Styles Built.
We get a promo from Carmella talking about how everybody knows when it comes to making history, she’s ready. Natalya is up next and she says that it will take catlike reflexes to win, so of course she will win. Tamina is up next and she calls out Becky Lynch, Naomi, Asuka, and Nia Jax and she says that she will make them all believe they can fly when she throws them over the top rope.
Lana is up next and she talks about having the last laugh by crushing the competition at the Ravishing Rumble. Naomi is up next and she says that no one is safe and no one can be trusted, but everyone will feel the glow. Ruby Riott is up next and she says that creating chaos is in her DNA and you may not like her but you can’t stop her. Sarah Logan is up next and she says that when you’re surrounded by wolves you fight or run, and she never runs.
Liv Morgan is up next and she says that she is here to make history and when she wins she will live forever. Becky Lynch is up next and she says that she was the first one drafted to SmackDown and the first SmackDown Women’s Champion, but at the Royal Rumble she’ll be the last one standing.
Bobby Roode makes his way down to the ring and his match will start after the commercial break.
Back from the commercial break, we are just in time for Mojo Rawley to make his way down to the ring.
Bobby Roode vs. Mojo Rawley (U.S. Title Tournament Semifinal Match): They lock up off the opening bell and Mojo powers Roode down. Mojo kicks Roode, and Roode gets up and they stare down. They lock up again and Roode applies a side headlock, then a belly to back suplex. They stare down again and Mojo charges. Roode catches him in another headlock, but Mojo powers Roode into the corner. Roode hits a chop to the chest, and Mojo shoves Roode down. Roode gets back up and drops Mojo, then applies another headlock. Mojo fights out and hits a running tackle on Roode. Mojo argues with the referee to stay out of his way. Mojo puts the boots to Roode in the corner, then head-butts him back down. Mojo beats on Roode some more, then rolls him outside. Mojo follows him out, then hits a running tackle that launches Roode into the barricade. Back in the ring, Mojo boots Roode down. Roode hits some shoulders on Roode in the corner and yells at him. Mojo puts some kind of neck hold on Roode on the mat, and Graves comments that Mojo “may not have the greatest technique but makes up for it with raw strength.” Mojo misses a spear in the corner and crashes into the ring post. Roode comes back with right hands on Mojo, then a flying elbow. Roode hits a clothesline, then a running clothesline in the corner. Roode follows up with a neck-breaker, then waits for Mojo to get to his feet. Roode goes up to the middle rope and hits the Block-buster for a two count. Roode goes for the Glorious DDT, but Mojo escapes and picks up Roode in the fireman’s carry. Mojo pushes Roode up in the air, then slams him down in front of him for a two count. Mojo takes Roode into the corner and lays into him with strikes. Mojo goes for a running big boot, but Roode blocks it with a boot of his own. Roode misses a shot off the middle rope, but he does connect with a spine-buster on Mojo. Roode hits the Glorious DDT for the three count. Winner: Bobby Roode
After the match, Roode celebrates until The Singh Brothers attack him from behind. They beat him down but Roode clears the ring as Jinder watches from the ramp. The Singh Brothers join Jinder on the ramp as Roode recovers in the ring. Jinder says that he will put an end to Roode’s glorious charade next week and become the new WWE United States Champion. Roode stands up and calls for a mic as fans chant his name. Roode says that they don’t have to wait until next week. Roode suggests they do the match tonight and a “yes!” chant starts up in the crowd. Jinder says no because they will do it when he decides on his time. Jinder wants Roode to have 1 full week to think about how The Modern Day Maharaja is going to embarrass and beat him. SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan comes down and announces that the match will take place tonight. Bryan’s music hits as a big “yes!” chant breaks out. Jinder stares Roode down as Roode talks trash from the ring.
Commentary hypes up the Six-Women Tag-Team Match once again and we go to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial break, we get a hype reel for WWE’s Mixed Match Challenge.
We get a promo from Randy Orton. He says that some people prefer the calm before the storm, but he likes the storm and he prefers to be surrounded by chaos, and that is why he is gonna win for a third time and main event WrestleMania.
The Riott Squad (Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan) vs. Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair & Naomi: Charlotte and Liv start off, and Charlotte takes control early on. Ruby tags in and Charlotte drops her, then does the headscissor slam. Becky tags in and continues the offense on Ruby. Ruby turns it around against Becky, then Liv tags back in and hits a bulldog on Becky. Liv pulls the hair and the referee warns her. Sarah tags in now and continues beating on Lynch. Becky takes down Sarah, and Naomi gets the tag. Liv tags in too, and Naomi cleans house. Naomi drops Liv with a kick, then hits a series of kicks. Naomi misses a splash in the corner, but follows up with a kick to the face. Naomi hits a springboard cross body and pins, but Sarah breaks it up. Charlotte spears Sarah outside. Ruby hits a cheap shot kick to Naomi’s face when the referee wasn’t looking, and Liv follows up with another shot to Naomi for the three count. Winners: The Riott Squad (Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan)
After the match, The Riott Squad stands tall as we go to replays. We come back to The Riott Squad looking on from the stage as the baby-faces recover in the ring.
We head backstage where The Usos are being interviewed. They are asked about their 2 out of 3 Falls Match against Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin at the Royal Rumble. They ask how Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin became a tag team anyway, suggesting that it was Tag Team Tinder and Gable’s been on a rebound kick trying to play catchup but if they can’t tell them apart, they don’t deserve to be a tag team and have a tag title match, and then they call them chumps. The Usos are about to say their Uso Penitentiary catch phrase, but Gable and Benjamin jump them from behind. Gable and Benjamin taunt The Usos and call them former champions as they leave. The referees come and they check on The Usos. The Usos get to their feet and they aren’t happy.
Commentary hypes up the Mixed Match Challenge and we go to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial break, we take an in-depth look of the feud between AJ Styles and Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn and what led to their handicap match at the Royal Rumble.
We get a promo from Shinsuke Nakamura saying that he will be the 1 out of 30 who survives at the Royal Rumble. He says thirty men, one destiny, one winner, him. Let’s rumble!
Shane McMahon makes his way down to the ring and high-fives everyone sitting at ringside. Bryan is out next, and they both will be sitting at ringside for the main event of the night which is the U.S. Title match and we go to a commercial break.
Back from the commercial break, we see footage from the Fashion Files where Rusev Day challenges Breezango to a match next week. Breezango accepts but ends up handing the match to the Ascension.
Bobby Roode vs. Jinder Mahal: The U.S. Title is on the line in this one, and the Singh Brothers are banned from ringside. Graves says on commentary that it looks like Roode is still feeling the effects from his match with Mojo earlier. Jinder backs Roode into the corner earlier on and the referee pulls them apart. Jinder goes for a kick, but Roode blocks it and fires back with punches and chops. Jinder fires back with some strikes of his own, then stomps a mud hole on Roode in the corner. Roode comes back with a shot on Jinder in the corner, then mounts him for ten punches. Jinder comes back with a knee, but then Roode dumps him to the outside. Roode stays in the ring to recover, and is selling his ribs. Roode goes outside, and Jinder rams Roode into the ring apron. Jinder slams Roode into the ring steps, then suplexes Roode onto the top of the barricade right on his ribs.
Jinder continues to beat Roode down around ringside, then takes him back in the ring for some knee drops. Jinder is in complete control here and slams Roode down, but instead of pinning he wastes some time taunting the fans. Jinder beats on Roode in the corner and chokes him with his boot. Jinder wastes some more time, and Roode stuns him with an elbow to the face. Roode clotheslines Jinder to the outside, then collapses to his knees selling his ribs. Roode climbs to the apron and hits a flying clothesline on Jinder. Back in the ring, Roode hits a flying cross body on Roode, but Jinder rolls through and pins for a two count. Jinder and Roode start brawling back and forth now. Roode hits a knee to the face, then a running splash in the corner. Roode boots Jinder, then hits the Blockbuster off the middle rope for the two count. Roode goes for the Glorious DDT, but Jinder escapes. They collide with a double clothesline in the middle of the ring, and both men are down. They get up, and Roode slams Jinder down with a spine-buster. Roode goes for the Glorious DDT again now, but Jinder escapes and rolls up Roode for a two count. Jinder grabs Roode and goes for the Khallas, but Roode escapes and hits the Glorious DDT for the 3 count. Winner and New United States Champion: Bobby Roode
After the match, Roode takes the title and celebrates as his music plays. Bryan and Shane applaud from ringside. We go to replays. Bryan and Shane enters the ring to present Roode with the title and shakes his hand. SmackDown goes off the air with Roode celebrating.