Jan. 2 (UPI) -- WWE's past and present collided when Becky Lynch shared the ring with John Cena on a New Year's Day edition of Smackdown.
Cena returned to the WWE on Tuesday and issued an open challenge to anyone in the locker room. Lynch made a surprise appearance and began to verbally spar with the 16-time World Champion whom she says she will replace within the company.
"It's time for someone new to step up, step in and fill your shoes," Lynch said. "And if you have a problem with that, Nikki Bella won't be the only woman to drop you this year."
Cena and Lynch were interrupted by Andrade 'Cien' Almas and his manager Zelina Vega. Cena would challenge the pair to a Mixed Tag Team match against himself and Lynch.
The bout featured Almas being able to punish Cena and keep him away from Lynch with help from Vega. Cena was eventually able to tag in The Man, however, allowing Lynch to make short work of Vega.
As Lynch attempted to apply her Dis-arm Her submission hold, Almas returned to save Vega before he was tackled by Cena. The Cenation Leader delivered an Attitude Adjustment followed by his new finisher The Lightning Fist to Almas as he attempted to end the match.
Lynch had other plans and threw Cena out of the ring so that she could win the match herself. Lynch then applied the Dis-arm Her to Vega and won the bout. Cena, outside the ring, offered to shake Lynch's hand which she refused and instead mocked Cena's you can't see me hand gesture.
Also on Smackdown, The New Day announced that all three of their members would be competing in the Royal Rumble; Samoa Joe defeated Jeff Hardy for a spot in a Fatal 5-Way Match to determine to No. 1 contender for Daniel Bryan's WWE Championship; Shinsuke Nakamura attacked new United States Champion Rusev; Sonya Deville defeated Naomi; and AJ Styles won the Fatal 5-Way against Joe, Rey Mysterio, Mustafa Ali and Randy Orton.
Styles will get to face off against Bryan once again for the WWE Championship at the Royal Rumble on Jan. 27. Styles won the Fatal 5-Way after he delivered a surprise 450 Splash to Orton for the three count.
