SmackDown Live this week emanates from Las Vegas, and this Sin City edition of WWE’s Tuesday night show is a big one. Not only are the United States, Women’s, and Tag Team Championships being defended, but tonight marks the return of Vince McMahon.
Opening Segment
After being attacked by Shane McMahon last week, Kevin Owens comes to the ring and threatens to sue “everyone in WWE.” The attack from McMahon, the Commissioner of SmackDown Live, led to his indefinite suspension and now Owens wants to turn SmackDown Live into the “Kevin Owens Show.” Owens plans to fire Sami Zayn, to put Tom Philips and Byron Saxton in the same suit, and to cancel the Fashion Files.Owens decides to get down to business as he calls down Mr. Vince McMahon.
Owens decides to get down to business as he calls down Mr. Vince McMahon. Instead, he gets Dolph Ziggler doing Shane McMahon’s entrance in a continuation of stealing gimmicks to please the crowd. When Ziggler leaves, General Manager Daniel Bryan makes his way to the ring instead. Bryan warns Owens that he won’t like what Mr. McMahon is going to say, and Owens warns Bryan of the opposite.
AJ Styles (c) vs. Tye Dillinger – United States Championship
A couple weeks ago, AJ Styles reopened the US Open Challenge and it was simultaneously answered by Tye Dillinger and Baron Corbin. Dillinger managed to get into the ring first after some fighting and Corbin’s interference prevented the Perfect 10 from having the appropriate match. Styles approached Dillinger backstage last week and offered a rematch to give him and the WWE Universe the match they deserve.
Dillinger hits Styles with the Tye Breaker, but he couldn’t lower the knee pad for maximum impact, leading to champion kicking out. Styles then locks in the Calf Crusher and with nowhere to go, the Perfect 10 taps out. Winner, and STILL United States Champion: AJ Styles
After a successful title defense, AJ Styles is attacked from behind by Baron Corbin. Corbin drags him outside the ring and lays both him and Dillinger out at ringside. The Lone Wolf grabs a microphone and already accepts next week’s edition of the US Open Challenge, even though Styles never said that he was having the challenge last week.
In-ring Segment
Jinder Mahal comes to the ring and acknowledges his new and most recent #1 Contender for the WWE Championship, Shinsuke Nakamura. The Modern Day Maharaja comes up with the worst insults to Nakamura while the Singh Brothers laugh way too hard. What starts as a stupid segment changes its tone quickly, when Mahal tries to convince Nakamura that he doesn’t want to become WWE Champion.
Mahal’s reasons are sound. Mahal says that the WWE Universe won’t embrace him as champion because he is not from the United States. He says that Nakamura will have to listen to “USA” chants while he speaks and he will be insulted for his appearance. This is a good tactic, considering that Mahal seems to know he cannot defeat Nakamura in the ring.
The Usos (c) vs. The New Day – SmackDown Tag Team Championships (Street Fight)
For months, The Usos reigned supreme over the Smackdown Live Tag Team Division. That is, until the New Day joined the blue brand and captured the titles from Jimmy and Jey. The longest reigning Tag Team Champions of all-time held the gold until SummerSlam, where The Usos would gain the titles back in an incredible match taking place on the SummerSlam Kickoff Show.
These two teams competed in non-title action two weeks ago to determine who would choose the match stipulation, and The Usos won. Of course, they chose a street fight. This takes a feud that has been going on for months and adds a new twist to it.
Yet again, The Usos and the New Day put on an amazing and exciting match. The Usos seem to have Big E dead to rights, setting up for the double splash. Kofi Kingston pushes Jey Uso off of the top rope to send him crashing through a table at ringside. Big E and Kingston then hit the Midnight Hour to pick up the shocking win and to become four-time Tag Team Champions. Winners, and NEW SmackDown Tag Team Champions: The New Day
Natalya (c) vs. Naomi – Smackdown Women’s Championship
The first thing to point out about this match is that the women didn’t get their entrances, which is probably to save time for Mr. McMahon’s appearance to close the show. However, it is a shame that such a huge show didn’t have an entrance as iconic as Naomi’s glow in the dark one.
This is another SummerSlam rematch and at the biggest party of the summer, Natalya became the first woman to ever defeat Naomi in a SmackDown Women’s Championship match. On guest commentary duty, Ms. Money in the Bank Carmella is scouting the match, possibly looking for the perfect opportunity to cash-in her guaranteed title match. Carmella also has James Ellsworth next to her on a leash because he keeps screwing up her opportunities.
When Natalya is knocked out of the ring, she goes face-to-face with Carmella. Naomi launches herself over the ropes to hit all of them, but she just hits Carmella and James Ellsworth. Natalya takes advantage of this opportunity to shove Naomi into the ring post. Natalya then rolls Naomi into the center of the ring to lock in the legendary Sharpshooter, securing the victory and retaining the title. Winner, and STILL SmackDown Women’s Champion (via submission): Natalya
Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin vs. The Hype bros
At some point (we assume), The New Day and the Usos will move and and there will be new #1 Contenders for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. This is a good start at finding out who that next team is with a match featuring some teams looking for more success. Unfortunately for The Hype Bros, they face former SmackDown Tag Team Champion Chad Gable and his new partner, Shelton Benjamin.
Benjamin has Zack Ryder up for a powerbomb and Gable climbs to the top rope to assist with a clothesline, landing the impressive double team for the win. Winners: Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin
Vince McMahon Returns to SmackDown
To resolve the issues between Shane McMahon and Kevin Owens, Vince McMahon himself (the Chairman and CEO of WWE) comes to SmackDown for the first time in four years. Vince realizes he suspended Shane not because of attacking his employee, but because he didn’t finish the job after Owens insulted the McMahon family. Vince then reinstates his son after a one-week long suspension to make a match: Kevin Owens vs. Shane McMahon inside Hell in a Cell.
After agreeing on the terms (Owens can beat a McMahon senseless if provoked), Owens and McMahon shake hands. In the middle of the handshake, Owens takes this opportunity to headbutt his boss (busting him open) and to further assault the father of his Hell in a Cell opponent. He superkicks Vince McMahon and finishes the assault with a Frog Splash before officials tend to the Chairman of the Board. As Owens walks to the back, Stephanie McMahon, who is here for the Mae Young Classic, stares him down before helping out her father.
