Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown Live recap for December 19, 2017

General Manager Daniel Bryan shows up to start tonight's show. Daniel Bryan welcomes everyone to the show, then talks about the announcement from last night's Raw concerning the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble match. He says it will be huge, it will be awesome, and a turning point in WWE history. He then mentions tonight's show will also be great, as the main event will be Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens, and Jinder Mahal vs. Randy Orton, "The Artist" Shinsuke Nakamura and "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles. Suddenly, Commissioner Shane McMahon shows up. Shane looks back at what happened Sunday night at Clash of Champions, and mentions Daniel Bryan tripping and landing on top of him, breaking Randy Orton's pinfall. Shane says he now knows it was an accident, but says he was frustrated. After Sami Zayn rolled Randy Orton up, what Kevin Owens did to his father as well as what Sami Zayn took away from him ran through his head, as did how Sami and Owens ran through his head. This is why he did not count to three. After Daniel Bryan got in his face, Sami and Owens got the pin, then Daniel Bryan made the fast count, and now Sami and Owens are still here. Daniel says he did what he did to protect Shane from himself. Shane tells Daniel he does not need protection from him, but Daniel tells Shane he does. Daniel says Shane eats, drinks and breathes SmackDown Live, but his passion can make him into a hothead. He tried to protect not only him, but an idea...their idea. He took the General Manager job because he shared the vision of a land of opportunity. He says he envisions a land of opportunity for everyone, not just the people he liked. When Shane threatened Sami and Owens' livelihoods, he also threatened the shared vision. Shane says he can understand why he has empathy for Sami and Owens. He tells Daniel Bryan to be careful, for once they are done taking advantage of his empathy, they will stab him in the back. He says it is imperative not to show favoritism, as it will eventually turn around and bite them right in the rear from a business standpoint. Daniel asks if he should have done what was "best for business," because he has heard those words before and has fought against them. He believes in Shane, SmackDown Live and the shared vision, and if Shane's vision is difference, that is his prerogative. If he wants to fire somebody, he should fire him, as he does not want to see Shane turn into his father Vince McMahon. The crowd chants "Who's your daddy?" Shane tells Daniel Bryan he respects him implicity and trust him, and wishes him good luck with the show tonight.

Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin beat The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso).

Charlotte Flair shows up. After a video package concerning last night's announcement of the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble Match, Charlotte talks about how he retained the SmackDown Women's Championship against Natalya, and says nothing makes her happier than carrying the title on her shoulder. Last night, however, the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble match was announced. Women from both the red and blue brands will be able to participate, and while they have made history, it would not have been possible without the fans, who made their voices heard and showed their passion, and management listened. She thanks the fans as well as all the women in the Women's Division. Regardless of who wins, she will be ready to defend her title. Suddenly, Naomi shows up. She congratulates Charlotte on retaining last night, but she is also out here to be the first woman on the SmackDown Live roster to declare she will be entering the Women's Royal Rumble Match. Naomi tells Charlotte she will see her at WrestleMania. Suddenly, The Riott Squad (Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan) shows up. Before they can entering the ring, Naomi says they won't be entering the Women's Royal Rumble, as it is about endurance and surviving the numbers game, not sneak attacks, and she and Charlotte have survived what "the chickenheads" have thrown at them. The crowd chants "chickenheads." Naomi laughs, then challenges two members of The Riott Squad to a tag team match against her and Charlotte Flair.

Charlotte Flair and Naomi beat The Riott Squad (Sarah Logan and Ruby Riott) after Naomi barely avoids Liv Morgan on the apron.

Backstage, The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Big E, Xavier Woods) are in Christmas costume as they hand out gifts...and panckages. They also show off their new holiday shirt. They then run into Santa Rusev and Aiden English the Snowman. Rusev says nobody wants their shirts, and that he has what the fans really want: the Happy Rusev Day shirt. Unfortunately, he has one list, and everyone is on the naughty list. Aiden English then sings about Rusev Day again, and as he does, he challenges The New Day to a match, then Rusev mocks The New Day's pancakes. After Big E says they have flapped the wrong jacks, he accepts the challenge on The New Day's behalf.

Dolph Ziggler shows up for his United States Championship Celebration. Dolph says "I told you so!" as he lifts up the United States title, and says the title is why he was in the United States title match. He then says that if being United States Champion again came out of nowhere, then that means nobody has been paying attention for the last twelve years, when he has accepted every challenge only to earn nothing for it. Some may say they are the biggest, the baddest or the most charismatic, but he is the best and nobody can do what he can do in the ring. If the United States cannot prove that to the fans, then his second reign with the United States title is only the beginning. We see footage from Capitol Punishment in June 2011, when Dolph Ziggler won the title the first time, then we look back at still images from Sunday's Clash of Champions when he won it again. Dolph says he is just getting started here tonight, and says he is also a five-time Intercontinental Champion. We look back at August 2010, August 2014, September 2014, TLC 2014, and No Mercy 2016 - the five times he won the title. He then says he is forgetting an accolade, then remembers he won Money In The Bank, cashed in successfully and became World Heavyweight Champion. We look back at Money In The Bank 2012. After that, we look back at the Raw after WrestleMania 29, when Dolph Ziggler cashed in on Alberto Del Rio to win the World Heavyweight title. Dolph then proclaims himself one of the most decorated champions in WWE history, and night after night, year after year, he proved it to himself, the fans and the rest of the world, but he still went unappreciated. He then declares that the fans are not worthy of his presence, and that they do not deserve him. He then looks down at the United States Championship, and gives them something to remember him by. He drops the United States title, then walks away.

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn meet up with General Manager Daniel Bryan, and thank him with a bottle of celebratory champagne for doing the right thing on them. Daniel Bryan says he did it for all of SmackDown. He then hands the champagne back, saying he doesn't drink. Orton and Sami says Bryan also did it because of Randy Orton, saying he still has a grudge against Orton. They talk about how Orton tried to destroy him, much like what Commissioner Shane McMahon tried to do to them and eventually Daniel. Daniel says they are delusional, and if they do not stop smiling and gloating, he might just fire them himself. He then tells them to get ready for their match.

The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) beat Rusev and Aiden English. During the match, Rusev and Aiden English put whipped cream and a cherry on top of The New Day's pancakes. Xavier Woods almost gets his face slammed into them,ut Kofi hits Rusev with a top rope trust fall before he and Xavier Woods drop Aiden English face-first into the flapjacks instead.

We see a sneak peak at tomorrow's new episode of Total Divas.

Hideo Itami debuts tonight on 205 Live!

Randy Orton, "The Artist" Shinsuke Nakamura and "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles beat Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Jinder Mahal after Randy Orton takes out The Singh Brothers (Samir and Sunil Singh).

Here are the top 10 moments from tonight's show!