Moments after United States Champion Andrade defeats a local competitor, Ricochet emerges to challenge him to a second impromptu contest.

Andrade is the new United States Champion, and he is feeling himself in a major way. Fresh off dethroning Rey Mysterio at a WWE Live Event on Dec. 26, the newly-christened titleholder wasted no time flexing his muscles against a hapless local and a not-so-hapless former U.S. Champion.

The local was a poor soul who went all but unnamed and was set to be Hammerlock DDT’d into the exposed concrete — the same move that put Humberto Carrillo out of action — until Ricochet chased the champ away and offered himself as Andrade’s opponent instead. The new titleholder accepted and ultimately prevailed, though the former United States Champion certainly made it much more interesting for the braggadocious titleholder.

For one, Ricochet stayed in the fight even after finding himself backdropped onto that same exposed concrete, revving up down the stretch to escape the Hammerlock DDT and position Andrade for the 630. But Zelina Vega paid dividends as ever, shoving Ricochet off the turnbuckle while the ref was tending to a dazed Andrade, allowing the champ to finally hit the Hammerlock DDT and escape with the win. Suffice it to say, Zelina and Andrade have worked out the bugs in their partnership, and Rey Mysterio has his work cut out for him next week.