Ricochet Wins WWE SmackDown World Cup
The winner receives an IC title match
Ricochet is the winner of the eight man SmackDown World Cup, after defeating Santos Escobar in the tournament final on SmackDown in Buffalo.
Late in the match, Ricochet delivered a poison rana off the top rope, before following up with a jumping knee strike and several kicks to the head. Ricochet then finished the flurry with a 630 splash to win the match.
As Ricochet celebrated with the trophy following his win, Gunther's music hit, and the Intercontinental champion walked out. The two men shared a staredown to end the broadcast. By virtue of winning the tournament, Ricochet does receive a title match with Gunther.
The eight man World Cup tournament began on the November 11 edition of SmackDown. Ricochet's path to the finals saw him defeat Mustafa Ali and Braun Strowman, while Escobar defeated Shinsuke Nakamura and Butch.
Gunther has been WWE Intercontinental champion since June 10, when he won the title from Ricochet in Baton Rouge, LA. Gunther defeated Kofi Kingston in a singles bout earlier in the night on SmackDown.
Written by Justin Henry
In addition to writing lists and commentaries for Cultaholic, Justin is also a features writer and interviewer for Fighting Spirit Magazine, and is co-author of the WWE-related book Titan Screwed: Lost Smiles, Stunners, and Screwjobs.
