Heath Slater and Rhyno's Cinderella run as SmackDown tag team champions came to an end Sunday at TLC, as they dropped the titles to Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton.
As Wyatt had Rhyno distracted with his patented spider walk, Orton delivered an RKO out of nowhere to secure the pinfall. WWE shared a look at the new champs:
Pro Wrestling Illustrated noted the result was a major achievement for Wyatt:
Wrestling Memes was disappointed to see Slater and Rhyno lose the titles:
The Miami Herald's Scott Fishman also worried for Slater's loved ones:
Slater and Rhyno shocked the world by prevailing in a tournament to win the titles at Backlash, but they undoubtedly faced their toughest test yet at TLC.
After American Alpha won a Tag Team Turmoil match to become No. 1 contenders for the Tag Team Championships, Wyatt and Orton challenged them to put the title shot on the line in a match on the go-home episode of SmackDown prior to TLC.
Chad Gable and Jason Jordan aren't ones to back down from a challenge, which caused them to accept, but it cost them a chance to become SmackDown tag team champions for the first time.
Wyatt and Orton prevailed, which made them the new No. 1 contenders and put the combination of Slater and Rhyno firmly in their crosshairs.
While Slater and Rhyno entered TLC as underdogs against such a dominant duo, the One Man Band vowed to channel every ounce of effort in the ring:
The partnership between Wyatt and Orton was an unexpected one, as it was born out of a feud that began after SummerSlam.
After weeks of torment at the hands of The New Face of Fear, The Viper finally decided to join the Wyatt Family rather than engaging in continued efforts to stave it off.
That move paid big dividends at Survivor Series, as Wyatt and Orton were the sole survivors in a Team SmackDown victory over Team Raw in the five-on-five elimination men's match.
Near the end of that bout, Orton sacrificed himself for the safety of Wyatt by stepping in front of a Roman Reigns spear. That resulted in Wyatt hitting The Big Dog with Sister Abigail for the victory.
Wyatt and Orton had a ton of momentum on their side entering TLC by virtue of that victory and the win over American Alpha, so they looked like a safe bet to secure the SmackDown tag team championships.
That manifested itself Sunday, and it resulted in Wyatt holding gold for the first time during his tenure on WWE's main roster.
Wyatt and Orton already looked like an unstoppable team ahead of TLC, but with even more power and influence at their disposal as SmackDown tag team champions, it is difficult to imagine anyone standing in their way.
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