Tonight, SmackDown Live keeps building towards their next Pay-Per-View: Battleground. The WWE and SmackDown Tag Team Championship matches are already confirmed along with a Flag Match, so this episode should give us a better idea of what the rest of the card is going to look like.
Opening Segment
To kick off the show, there is a video package highlighting the live event that took place this past Friday at Madison Square Garden. In a huge surprise, AJ Styles defeated Kevin Owens to become the new United States Champion after only becoming the #1 Contender in an Independence Day Battle Royal last week.
AJ Styles comes down to the ring to celebrate his victory with a huge announcement: Like John Cena did last year, Styles is bringing back the weekly U.S. Open Challenge. He issues the challenge and gets an unexpected answer: John Cena himself.
AJ Styles (c) vs. John Cena – United States Championship
Well, no one expected this match to happen tonight. Unfortunately for the fans, it never gets started. Before the match starts, Kevin Owens interrupts and says that John Cena doesn’t deserve to be near the title. Cena gets ready to fight Owens too, but Rusev comes from out of nowhere to attack Cena from behind while Owens attacks Styles. Since this is SmackDown Live, of course, this leads to a tag team match later tonight.
Tye Dillinger vs. Jinder Mahal (w/The Singh Brothers)
In a few weeks at the Battleground Pay-Per-View, Jinder Mahal is battling Randy Orton for the WWE Championship for the third time. This time, however, will be in the very rare Punjabi Prison match. Tye Dillinger has barely been on SmackDown Live since joining the roster, and his most notable moment recently was a brief Twitter exchange with The Miz.
Dillinger got in some offense in the corner, but Mahal is able to push him off. After a running knee, Mahal finishes him off with the Khallas for the victory. Winner: Jinder Mahal
After the match, Mahal grabs a microphone and announces that he is bringing the Punjabi Prison to SmackDown Live next week.
Xavier Woods (w/Kofi Kingston & Big E) vs. Jey Uso (w/Jimmy Uso)
At Money in the Bank, the Usos retained the SmackDown Tag Team Championships by purposely getting themselves counted out. This gives New Day a rematch for the titles at Battleground, and tensions were building last week when both teams competed in a Rap Battle that was surprisingly personal. Tonight, we get a bit of a preview of their upcoming championship match.
Jimmy Uso and the non-legal New Day members try to interfere in the match, so referee Charles Robinson ejects all of them from ringside. While Jey Uso is hung up on the ropes, Xavier Woods hits him with a springboard elbow to pick up the win. Winner: Xavier Woods
Baron Corbin vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Last week, Baron Corbin attacked Shinsuke Nakamura from behind during an interview. It is unclear why they hate each other so much, but that doesn’t seem to be dying down anytime soon.
Before the match gets underway, Nakamura attacks Corbin on the entrance ramp. The fight spills into and out of the crowd until officials get in between them to break it up. Nakamura stands tall in the ring while Corbin walks away. Result: No Contest
Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair vs. Tamina & Natalya
In a backstage segment earlier tonight, SmackDown Women’s Champion Naomi approached Shane McMahon to ask who her next challenger is going to be. The entire division (excluding Carmella) wants to be the next challenger, so McMahon announces an Elimination Fatal Five-Way for Battleground to determine the new #1 Contender (Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte vs. Tamina vs. Lana vs. Natalya).
Lana comes down to the ring to distract Charlotte, so Charlotte thinks that Natalya is still the legal woman. She attempts the Figure Eight Leg Lock, but Tamina clocks her in the jaw with the superkick to give her team momentum. Winners: Tamina & Natalya
Backstage Segment
On a couple of occasions, Sami Zayn accidentally interrupted Maria and Mike Kanellis expressing their love for each other. Maria Kanellis demanded an apology, but Zayn points out that he has already apologized multiple times. He questions Mike Kanellis’ purpose in WWE, then Mike hits him over the head with a flower vase.
Kevin Owens & Rusev vs. AJ Styles & John Cena
In true Teddy Long fashion, a brawl from earlier tonight leads to a main event tag team match. Kevin Owens is pursuing his third United States Championship, while John Cena and Rusev will face each other at Battleground in a Flag Match.
Styles hits Owens with the Pele Kick, and Owens stumbles right into the Attitude Adjustment from John Cena to end the match. Winners: AJ Styles & John Cena
