The Mixed Match Challenge Playoffs are coming, and this is the last chance to get in! Who rounds out the brackets as the fourth seeds for each Block?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Jinder Mahal & Alicia Fox VS Bobby Roode & Natalya; Mahal & Fox win and are in the Season 2 Playoffs.
• R-Truth & Carmella VS Rusev & Lana; Truth & Carmella win and are in the Season 2 Playoffs.

PLAY BY PLAY

It’s Mixed Match Challenge Week 10!

The Playoffs are almost here, which means we need to decide who are the last teams in! Neither #Mahalicia, #GLORIOUSPaws, #FABULOUSTruth nor #RavishingRusevDay have even one win on their records! However, this one win can change everything for two teams. Which teams get the most important wins to date?

Backstage interview with the FABULOUS Truth!

Carmella & R-Truth have a chance to keep going in the SmackDown Block. If they win they get their all-expenses paid vacations and the 30th spots in the Men’s and Women’s Royal Rumble matches. Carmella and Truth are focused with eyes on the prize. They’re gonna get down to business in beating Rusev & Lana. Then the light at the end of the tunnel, the Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania! And even better, a vacation to anywhere?! Carmella’s ready for Rome. Truth loves Rome, Georgia this time of year. Arn Anderson’s from there. No, Rome, Italy. But Arn Anderson isn’t Italian. Carmella sighs, but will she be all smiles after tonight?

Backstage interview with #GLORIOUSPaws!

Bobby Roode & Natalya have a lot of work to do to stay alive, but what must they do to succeed? Natty knows this is their night, even after the really rocky start. Roode tends to be a Debbie Downer in Natty’s opinion, but Roode is smart, funny, handsome and talented and Natty is the best there is, best there was and best there ever will be. They’re not going down without a fight, they have a chance to turn all their luck around. The best thing about Roode, he loves cats. And that they have in common, that’s why they click. Roode was expecting her to say something else, and also, he’s a bit more of a dog guy.

But that doesn’t matter! This isn’t any one person’s fault. Kevin Owens was meant to be part of this, but he got hurt and Roode got thrown in unprepared. He was on Charlotte’s team last time. But now he can repeat with a new partner! They need to start fresh, beat #Mahalicia and win it all! Then it’ll be absolutely, paw-sitively, GLORIOUS! But will it be enough to win?

Jinder Mahal & Alicia Fox VS Bobby Roode & Natalya!

The Modern Day Maharaja still can’t get Crazy like a Foxy to cooperate with Shanti or his strategies. Meanwhile, the GLORIOUS One and the Queen of Harts have struggled against the bigger and badder teams like #MonsterEclipse and #CountryDominance. Something’s gotta give, who takes their first win to keep their MMC season alive?

The Singh Brothers of course show the evidence of Brock Lesnar’s brutal Suplex City attack, but Alicia only cares about herself right now. That aside, Natalya is ready to ride the wave of retribution over Ruby Riott, as is Roode and his surprise win over the Authors of Pain. The teams sort out, putting jackets and robes aside, and it will be the men to start.

Mahal wants Alicia to focus and Shanti, but fans rally up behind Roode. They circle and tie up, and Mahal gets an arm wrench. Roode has the fans with him as he rolls and wrenches Mahal back. Roode makes it a hammmerlock but Mahal elbows out. Mahal throws Roode with a headlock takeover, but fans still rally for Roode. Roode gets up and powers out, but Mahal runs him over. Mahal runs but Roode speeds things up to a hip toss! Roode chops Mahal to a corner, then whips Mahal. Mahal reverses but Roode goes up and over to kick. Mahal avoids the DDT, then says Shanti as he backs away. Roode says GLORIOUS instead. Alicia tags in, so Natty comes in with her. Natty is ready, and she runs Alicia over with lariats!

Natty brings Alicia up and whips her, but Alicia whips her back. Alicia misses, Natty gives her the rebound atomic drop, walks all over her and hits the dropkick! Cover, TWO! Natty puts Alicia back in a corner for shoulders. She brings Alicia out but Alicia hits back. Natty kicks and whips again, but Ailcia goes up and over to sunset flip. Natty rolls through and wants the Sharpshooter! Alicia holds the ropes, but Natty holds on until 4. Alicia manages to reel Natty in for a hotshot! Then boots Natty down! Cover, TWO! Alicia tries again, TWO! Alicia wraps Natty up in a chinlock, but fans rally up. Natty feeds off that energy while we check on Carmella and R-Truth. Happy Thanksgiving! Wait where’s he going? They haven’t even competed yet! But Thanksgiving. But Mixed Match Challenge!

Back to the ring, Alicia still has Natty in that chinlock. Natty endures and reaches for her corner. Fans rally up and Natty fights out. Alicia throws Natty down, then drops an elbow! Cover, TWO! Alicia keeps on Natty with a facelock and brings Natty away from Roode. Fans rally and Natty fights up. Alicia wrenches and Northern Lights! Bridge, TWO, but Alicia stands up to drop a knee! Alicia fixes her hair, sorta, and drags Natty away from Roode. She drops more knees while Mahal coaches her. Natty rolls Alicia up! TWO, Alicia clobbers Natty with a clothesline! Cover, TWO! Alicia keeps Natty down with a facelock and fans rally up again. Natty gets up and fights back. Alicia clubs Natty, Natty elbows Alicia. Natty runs, but into a tilt-o-whirl! She makes it a crossbody cover! TWO, and Alicia tackles Natty down!

Alicia has Natty in an open corner and gives stomps. Alicia uses Shanti, but Natty recovers to dodge the boot! Hot tag to Roode! Roode rallies on Mahal! Roode whips, Mahal reverses, but Roode hits flying forearms! Fans fire up as Roode rams his shoulder into Mahal. Mahal denies the neckbreaker, but gets a boot and a blockbuster! Cover, TWO! The Singh Brothers are relieved that Mahal survives. But Roode winds it up and… GLORIOUS! But Sunil distracts, so Roode smacks him away! Mahal gets Roode with the KALLA– No, Roode slips out, roll up, TWO!! Alicia SLAPS Roode! Natty trips Alicia, discus clothesline! Samir comes in, SPINEBUSTER! KALLAS!! Cover, Mahalicia wins!

Winners: Jinder Mahal & Alicia Fox, Mahal pinning; advance to the Mixed Match Challenge Playoffs

The rough season for Natty gets rougher, because their run is over! Roode and Natty hug each other in consolation, will they be back for a better try in a future season? Meanwhile, “Captain” Alicia and Mahal now set sail for the Playoffs, but against the TOP seed of the Raw Block! Will their big victory be for naught?

However, Braun Strowman is OUT!

It was announced on Monday Night Raw that The Monster Among Men would have a match at TLC, in the TLC Match, against Baron Corbin. But that’s not why Strowman is out of the Mixed Match Challenge. The Constable, in an effort to ensure he’s in better shape than Strowman, had the help of Drew McIntyre and other MMC competitor, Bobby Lashley, in an assault that would shatter Strowman’s elbow! Strowman now requires surgery, and is certainly not going to be able to join Ember Moon in the Playoffs. Will Strowman recover in time to crush Corbin and earn his shot at The Beast? Who will replace him to help the War Goddess compete against #Mahalicia in the Playoff’s opening round?

Post-match interview with #Mahalicia.

Alicia and the Maharaja, the captains of their team, won finally because they listend to Alicia. But Mahal says he’s spent thousand of hours doing research, and now not only will Mahal win the Rumble, he’ll have a vacation on the beach to meditate. Alicia lives at the beach, she’s going to Kentucky for some genuine fried chicken. And the Singhs aren’t invited!! But Shanti is what worked- “Captain” Shanti won! And that’s her! Why are the Singhs talking? They’re not invited!

Carmella and Truth come by and say they’re going to do the same as #Mahalicia. And that’s the truth!

R-Truth & Carmella VS Rusev & Lana!

The FABULOUS Truth know #What’sUp but they just can’t seem to cash in on a win. Meanwhile, Mr. & Mrs. MACHKA look to CRUSH Truth & Mella to then CRUSH the rest of SmackDown’s block in the Playoffs. Who will use this one win to propel themselves into the Playoffs?

Fans chant “Lana Day!” Rusev gets them to sing “Lana is the best~, Lana number one!” Clap clap. But Truth asks “What’s up?!” and LA echoes it. It becomes a chant battle “What’s Up?!” VS “Lana/Rusev Day!” Fans then want a #DanceBreak! Truth and Carmella like the sound of that. Rusev and Lana bail out of the ring, they want no part of such a thing. But fans still want it, so it happens! But then Rusev & Lana attack from behind! No flossing, only CRUSH! But then they do floss. Lana covers Carmella, ONE! This therefore means the ladies start.

Lana keeps on Carmella with a suplex, then another. She drags Carmella up for a third, but Carmella small packages! TWO, and Lana throws Carmella by her hair. Rusev applauds but fans are mixed. Lana keeps on Carmella at the ropes, but Truth rallies the fans behind “Mella! Mella!” Lana hits a rope attack! Cover, TWO! Carmella gets to a corner but Lana stomps a ravishing mudhole into her. Lana drags Carmella up, snapmares and drives in a knee. Truth gets LA to echo “What’s Up!” but then Lana tells them to “Shut up! It’s LANA Day!” Lana wraps on a chinlock, but fans rally behind Carmella. Carmella endures and fights her way up. Carmella jawbreakers free, and heads for Truth. But Rusev trips him off the apron! Fans boo as Lana hits a Ravishing Roundhouse!

Tag to Rusev, and he takes advantage of Truth. He puts Truth in the ring, and stomps away. Fans are mixed as Rusev grins. Rusev throws a big right hand and Truth is reeling. Fans duel as Rusev chokes Truth on the ropes. Rusev throws another big right, then tags Lana. Lana goes after Carmella on the outside, putting her into the announce desk! Lana puts Carmella into the apron then into the ring. She and Rusev shout MACHKA, but Truth rocks Rusev! Truth keeps Rusev down with more right hands, but then Lana gets Truth with a roundhouse! Lana is all fired up, but she gets a FABULOUS Kick! Cover, #FABULOUSTruth wins!!

Winners: R-Truth & Carmella, Carmella pinning; advances to the Mixed Match Challenge Playoffs

The brackets are set!

The FABULOUS Truth have earned their way in as the fourth seed for the SmackDown side of things, but they’ll have to go up against the Carolina Connection that is Jeff Hardy and Charlotte Flair. Then Jimmy Uso & Naomi will have to take on the Mixed Match Challenge Season 1 Champions, AWESKA! Can Miz & Asuka snap back from their first loss in tag team action? Meanwhile, Finn Balor & Bayley will have a rematch with #CountryDominance in the opening round. Bobby Lashley & Mickie James beat Team B’n’B before, will it be a repeat of before? And while Ember Moon will have a new partner, #Mahalicia is still dysfunctional as ever. Will Mahal & Alicia use this momentum to get the biggest upset of the entire season?

My Thoughts:

This was a pretty great episode given the actual drama of “win and you’re in.” It was pretty good for #Mahalicia and #FABULOUSTruth to get in, but also a shame that #GLORIOUSPaws and #RavishingRusevDay aren’t. Perhaps this means bigger things for each of the losing teams, at least in Roode’s case with him and Gable set to go against the Authors of Pain. Maybe TLC becomes the night he and Gable win the titles, or he turns on Gable. And perhaps Natty has more to do with the Riott Squad going into TLC, too.

As for Truth & Carmella, they’re likely just fodder for Jeff Hardy & Charlotte Flair before they reach the SmackDown Block finals. I’m thinking AWESKA makes it in, too, to play up drama of the Season 1 champions going for a repeat. I’m pretty sure Mahal & Alicia are also fodder for Ember Moon and whoever her new partner is. Strowman was probably going to be out of MMC if he’s in a match with Corbin, but the injury angle on Raw makes it better than him being selfish. I have no idea who Ember will get, but her new partner surely determines her fate at TLC, whether it ends up being against Team B’n’B or #CountryDominance.