After reemerging with a freshly-shaved look and attacking Bray Wyatt at WWE TLC, Daniel Bryan kicked off SmackDown by explaining what he’s gone through in the last few weeks. The former WWE Champion explained that Wyatt effectively removed “The Daniel Bryan Brand” and revived the classic Daniel Bryan that the WWE Universe knew and loved.

Bryan called out the monstrous Universal Champion, but instead, The Miz emerged. Although The A-Lister sympathized with what Bryan had gone through, he made it clear that he was still seeking retribution over what the twisted titleholder did to his family, and he said that he needed to stake his own claim to another match against Wyatt.

King Corbin joined the party and informed Bryan and Miz that his victory over The Big Dog at WWE TLC entitled him to the next the Universal Title Match.

When it looked as if Miz and Bryan were going to take Corbin out of the equation for saying that they both “failed as fathers,” his loyal subject Dolph Ziggler suddenly attacked them from behind. Ziggler blasted Miz with a superkick, and Corbin leveled Bryan with a vicious End of Days to cap off the royal beatdown.

Heavy Machinery came to the ring in Santa Claus attire ready to battle Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson in a Miracle on 34th Street Fight. Or as ready as Otis could be after receiving the gift of a ham and a kiss from Mandy Rose.

Following a hard-fought loss to The New Day in a Ladder Match at WWE TLC, The Revival were determined to bounce back against Heavy Machinery, but in the unorthodox contest that implemented cookies, fire extinguishers, gifts, tables, bowling bowls, Christmas trees and giant candy canes as weapons, Dash & Dawson made the mistake of messing with Otis’ holiday ham, and the results were catastrophic.

Otis snapped with an ultra-destructive rampage that included slamming Dawson onto Legos, picking up Dash & Dawson at the same time before sending them crashing back to the canvas, and joining with Tucker to finish off Dawson with the Compactor.  

After the bout, Elias took the stage and played a disparaging tune for the “Top Guys.”

After losing the first time around to The New Day, Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura & Cesaro again tried their luck against the seven-time Tag Team Champions, who were fresh off their grueling Ladder Match victory against The Revival at WWE TLC.

Despite the strong and somewhat nefarious efforts of their opponents, The New Day reigned supreme when Kofi Kingston rolled up Cesaro for the quick three-count.

Unsatisfied with the result, Nakamura, Cesaro and Sami Zayn attacked the victorious titleholders with a vicious three-on-two assault. This proved to be a monstrous mistake, as Braun Strowman soon marched to the ring to deliver an onslaught that truly rang Cesaro and Nakamura’s Christmas bells.

Just as The Monster Among Men was getting set to drive The King of Strong Style through the canvas with a Running Powerslam, however, Zayn pulled the Intercontinental Champion off the behemoth’s shoulder, and the two scurried to safety… for now.

After being brutalized by King Corbin & Dolph Ziggler during a sneak attack earlier in the night, longstanding adversaries Daniel Bryan & The Miz would have to find a way to work together when they joined forces against the royal count.

They would do just that. As The A-Lister had Ziggler trapped in a Figure-four Leglock, Bryan prevented Corbin from breaking the hold by leaping over Miz and Ziggler to strike the 2019 King of the Ring with a vicious Running Knee.

Moments after the post-match announcement that Bryan, Miz and Corbin will battle next Friday in a Triple Threat Match for the right to challenge Bray Wyatt for the Universal Title at Royal Rumble, “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt’s haunting laugh echoed throughout the arena.