While Raw is looking towards Payback this Sunday, SmackDown Live is, well, also looking towards Payback this Sunday. Randy Orton faces Bray Wyatt in a House of Horrors match, and Kevin Owens will defend the United States Championship against Chris Jericho. On top of that, Naomi defends her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Charlotte and we find out the new #1 Contenders for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships in a Beat the Clock Challenge.
Interview w/Shinsuke Nakamura
The King of Strong Style is here to kick off SmackDown Live by doing an interview with Renee Young. Young can’t even say her first question in its entirety before they are interrupted by Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler and Shinsuke Nakamura had a brief confrontation last week, and it seems like the Showoff is not done with Nakamura.
Ziggler hits Nakamura with a cheap shot, but Nakamura counters a Superkick into an inverted exploder suplex. Nakamura attempts to hit Ziggler with the Kinshasa running knee, but Ziggler escapes by the skin of his teeth. Assumedly, this is going to lead to Shinsuke Nakamura taking on Dolph Ziggler at Backlash, but this is just speculation.
AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin
Both of these men squared off in the main event of last week’s episode of SmackDown Live, where AJ Styles won by count-out after Baron Corbin back body dropped Styles into Kevin Owens at the announce table. Owens joins the commentary team again this week, while Corbin looks to pick up a win over the #1 Contender for the United States Championship.
Kevin Owens distracts AJ Styles, but the Phenomenal One still gets the victory after a roll-up on Baron Corbin. No matter who walks out of Backlash as the United States Champion, AJ Styles will face him for the title at Backlash. Winner: AJ Styles
Styles doesn’t have long to celebrate because Kevin Owens immediately attacks him. Corbin joins in on the assault, but Sami Zayn helps Styles and disposes of Corbin with a Helluva Kick. This still doesn’t stop Owens from hitting Styles with a Pop-up Powerbomb to stand tall at the end of the segment.
American Alpha vs. The Colóns – #1 Contender’s Beat the Clock Challenge (SmackDown Tag Team Championships)
In this Beat the Clock Challenge, there are two matches. If the teams in the second match cannot win their match faster than whoever wins this match, then the first victors are the #1 Contenders. If the next match in the Challenge ends faster, the winners of that match become the new #1 Contenders. Primo and Epico Colón have a good chance here since they have already beaten American Alpha quickly twice in just the past few weeks.
The Colóns go for a Backstabber double team on Chad Gable, but Jason Jordan tackles Primo out of the way. Jordan then sets up Epico for Grand Amplitude, giving American Alpha the win in 5:17. Breezango and The Ascension will battle later in the night to try and, well, beat the clock. Winners: American Alpha
Video Segment
Rusev has been out of action for a week and he sent in a video regarding getting drafted to SmackDown Live. The Bulgarian Brute says that he will only wrestle if he gets a championship match at the Money in the Bank Pay-Per-View (SmackDown’s next Pay-Per-View is Backlash), or else he will pack his bags and head back to Bulgaria.
In other news, the New Day are “coming soon.”
Randy Orton vs. Erick Rowan – No Disqualification
Erick Rowan lost a singles match tom Randy Orton a couple weeks ago by disqualification, but he didn’t care because he just assaulted the Viper with steel steps. This time, however, they square off in a match where anything goes.
Erick Rowan goes through a table and a chair, both of which he was the one to set up. Orton then finishes Rowan off with an RKO before heading to the House of Horrors Match this Sunday against Bray Wyatt. Winner: Randy Orton
After the match, Orton cuts a promo about the House of Horrors match but he is interrupted by Jinder Mahal, the Maharaja. Mahal says that he shouldn’t be overlooked and goes to attack The Viper. Orton starts to get the upper hand, but The Singh Brothers, who helped Mahal become the #1 Contender, jump on Orton and help Mahal lay him out. They proceed to leave, and Mahal takes the WWE Championship with him.
Breezango vs. The Ascension – #1 Contender’s Beat the Clock Challenge (SmackDown Tag Team Championships)
If this match doesn’t end in less than 5:17, American Alpha become the new #1 Contenders for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. However, if the winners can win their match in less time, they will be the next team to challenge the Usos to a title match. Breezango have no title experience, while The Ascension had the record (at the time) for the longest NXT Tag Team Championship reign.
The Ascension go for a double team early on, but Tyler Breeze is able to knock Konnor out of the ring. Breezango hit both of their respective finishers on Viktor, picking up the win faster than American Alpha. Winners, and NEW #1 Contenders: Breezango
Naomi (c) vs. Charlotte – SmackDown Women’s Championship
Charlotte made a big impression last week when she defeated Naomi in a non-title match, which was her first match since being switched to SmackDown Live. This earned the Queen the shot for the title tonight, which could give the former four-time Raw Women’s Champion her first SmackDown Women’s Championship. Naomi has never lost the title; she relinquished it due to injury then regained the belt at WrestleMania 33.
The match nears the end when Carmella, Tamina, and Natalya attack both Charlotte and Naomi to ruin the match, presumably because they haven’t gotten the same opportunity that Charlotte just earned. Notably missing is Becky Lynch, who doesn’t seem to have taken a side in this feud. It is nice to see SmackDown getting back to using all of their female Superstars, even though we haven’t seen Tamina in action since her return. Result: No Contest
