Last night, Raw shocked the WWE Universe when it got a ton of top Superstars in the two-night-long Superstar Shake-Up. SmackDown has a huge night ahead of them if they want to match Raw’s “gets” from yesterday. The blue brand lost Bray Wyatt, Dean Ambrose, Alexa Bliss, Mickie James, The Miz and Maryse, Curt Hawkins, Heath Slater and Rhyno, and Kalisto. It’s going to be an exciting night.
Opening Segment
We kick off SmackDown Live with its first acquisition: the United States Champion, Kevin Owens. SmackDown needed Owens and the United States Championship after losing the Intercontinental Champion, Dean Ambrose to Raw. Baron Corbin interrupts Owens’ promo, saying that he deserves a championship match because he defeated Dean Ambrose last week before Ambrose left the show. Owens disagrees, and so does SmackDown’s next acquisition, Sami Zayn.
Zayn is happy to “finally” be on SmackDown Live, and his celebration is interrupted by AJ Styles. While all four men have the right to challenge for the championship, Daniel Bryan announces that the United States Championship can’t be defended for SmackDown until after Owens faces Chris Jericho for the title at Payback. The winner of that match will be a full-time member of SmackDown Live, and the new #1 Contender will be the winner of a triple threat match tonight between Sami Zayn, Baron Corbin, and AJ Styles.
Erick Rowan vs. Randy Orton
Last week, Erick Rowan returned to WWE television after being away for several months due to injury. Rowan rejoined his mentor, Bray Wyatt, with a new mask and competed in a losing effort to Randy Orton and Luke Harper in last week’s main event. Tonight, Rowan competes in his first one-on-one match since his return. Randy Orton will defend his WWE Championship against Bray Wyatt in a House of Horrors match at the Raw-exclusive event, Payback.
Orton has Rowan set up for the RKO when Bray Wyatt appears on the Titantron to distract him. When the lights go back to normal, Rowan attacks the WWE Champion with the steel steps. Rowan finishes the job by hitting Orton with a Full Nelson Slam in the middle of the ring. Winner (via disqualification): Randy Orton
The Usos (c) vs. American Alpha – SmackDown Tag Team Championships
American Alpha had an easy couple of months as SmackDown Tag Team Champions when they were never featured on TV. Once they were, they lost to the Usos twice in a row, with the second loss being for the titles. Now that they know they are staying on SmackDown Live, Chad Gable and Jason Jordan are cashing in their rematch clause.
The Usos make a blind tag and take advantage of Chad Gable’s confusion to hit him with a superkick and a big splash. After their loss, Gable and Jason Jordan are attacked by the Shining Stars, who seem to have a newfound aggression. Winners, and STILL SmackDown Tag Team Champions: The Usos
Mojo Rawley vs. Jinder Mahal
Jinder Mahal lost to Finn Balor on Raw last night, and now he made the switch to SmackDown Live for some unfinished business from the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Mahal was in the final three competitors, and he got in the face of Rob Gronkowski (Rawley’s good friend) at ringside. Gronk interfered in the match, eventually costing Mahal the match and helping Rawley win the annual battle royal.
Gronk is in the audience again, and he throws a beer in Mahal’s face. Rawley finishes him off with a running elbow in the corner and celebrates with the Patriots’ tight end after his victory. Winner: Mojo Rawley
In-ring Segment
SmackDown Live Commissioner Shane McMahon comes down to the ring and invites the Women’s Division down to the ring so he can reveal the new addition to the roster. There are actually two women joining the roster, and they are both second-generation wrestlers: the returning Tamina and the 4-time Raw Women’s Champion, Charlotte.
Tye Dillinger vs. Aiden English
Before the match starts, Aiden English is in the ring singing like he would in NXT before he had the Vaudevillains gimmick. Before he can get going, Tye Dillinger interrupts by making his entrance. Dillinger got called up to the main roster last week, where he won his first match against Curt Hawkins.
English shows aggression that was lacking in his tag team run, but it didn’t stop him from eating a Tye Breaker from the Perfect 10. Winner: Tye Dillinger
In-ring Segment
Dolph Ziggler is in the ring complaining about the Superstar Shake-up, saying that everyone who is joining SmackDown is just riding on his coattails. He is immediately interrupted by the King of Strong Style, Shinsuke Nakamura. Nakamura introduces himself and Ziggler tries to sneak attack him with a superkick. The two-time NXT Champion catches Ziggler and pushes him back, but the Showoff leaves the ring instead of trying to get into a fight.
Announcement
Since SmackDown Live is only two hours long, they can’t showcase every new acquisition they get. Along with the Shining Stars, Tuesday nights get a second tag team in the form of The New Day, who are “coming soon.” The longest reigning Tag Team Champions in WWE history have done just about everything they can on Monday Night Raw, and the move should help freshen things up for a group that has spent the last few months invested in ice cream. Assumedly, Kofi Kingston will still be out of action with his injured ankle for a few weeks.
Sami Zayn vs. Baron Corbin vs. AJ Styles – #1 Contender’s Match (United States Championship)
This is perhaps the biggest match of the week. Baron Corbin has been hovering around championships for months, AJ Styles is a former WWE Champion who tore the house down with Shane McMahon at WrestleMania, and Sami Zayn could be one step closer to winning his first title on the main roster.
Sami Zayn hits Baron Corbin with the Helluva Kick to knock him off of the apron, but when he turns around, he gets hits with the Phenomenal Forearm. AJ Styles picks up the victory, and he will have a United States Championship match against the winner of the Kevin Owens vs. Chris Jericho match at Payback. Winner, and NEW #1 Contender: AJ Styles
