Tonight, SmackDown Live manages to pack in a ton of action into a two-hour long show. The US Open Challenge returns, Shelton Benjamin competes in his first SmackDown match in seven years, Bobby Roode continues his main roster run, and the main event features the unlikely team of Shinsuke Nakamura and Randy Orton.
Opening Segment
The WWE Champion comes down to the ring to air some grievances regarding what occurred last week when Shinsuke Nakamura defeated both Singh Brothers in a handicap match. Mahal was angry at his followers for failing him, and the offer to apologize by publically kiss the Modern Day Maharaja’s feet. Just as they are about to do so, Shinsuke Nakamura makes his way to the ring.
Nakamura tries to fight off all three men, but the numbers game gets the best of the King of Strong Style. As Nakamura is getting beaten down, Randy Orton (Nakamura’s tag team partner later on tonight) tries to save him. Then, Rusev (Mahal’s tag team partner later on tonight) gives the advantage back to Mahal and the heels stand tall before the segment ends.
Announcement
Next week, Randy Orton will face Shinsuke Nakamura with the winner getting the next WWE Championship match against Jinder Mahal.
The Ascension vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin
This is Shelton Benjamin’s first match on SmackDown in seven years. The former Intercontinental, United States, and Tag Team Champion was expected to return last year until an inconspicuous shoulder injury sidelined him for months. After Chad Gable’s tag team partner, Jason Jordan, jumped ship to Monday Night Raw, Daniel Bryan revealed that Gable would be getting a new tag team partner in one-half of the World’s Greatest Tag Team.
For only teaming for the first time, Gable and Benjamin have decent chemistry together. Not to mention, Benjamin still looks as impressive as ever at 42 years old. When Gable sends Konnor out of the ring, he sets Benjamin up to hit Viktor with the jumping reverse STO to pick up the victory in his return. Winners: Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin
AJ Styles (c) vs. Tye Dillinger – United States Championship
After successfully defending the United States Championship against Kevin Owens last week, AJ Styles is finally able to bring back the US Open Challenge that John Cena started. Both Baron Corbin and Tye Dillinger want to answer the call and the fight each other before Dillinger barely makes it to the ring first.
Since Dillinger was attacked before the match, he doesn’t really last too long against the Phenomenal One. Dillinger gets a good portion of his signature moves in, but one mistake gives Styles the opportunity to lock in the Calf Crusher, ending the match right there. Winner, and STILL United States Champion (via submission): AJ Styles
After the match, Corbin throws Dillinger into the barricade and tries to attack Styles but the champ hits him with a jumping forearm to send him packing.
Mike Kanellis (w/Maria Kanellis) vs. Bobby Roode
SmackDown Live is all about change recently, and that trend continued last week with the main roster debut of former NXT Champion Bobby Roode. Roode defeated Aiden English in his first match on the blue brand and now he faces Mike Kanellis, who only joined WWE a couple months ago before immediately getting put in the bottom of the card.
In a fairly one-sided affair, Bobby Roode follows an emphatic spinebuster with the Glorious DDT to start a winning streak, going 2-0 on SmackDown Live. Winner: Bobby Roode
In-ring Segment
In continuing a recent trend, Kevin Owens comes down to the ring to complain about how he was screwed out of the United States Championship (with evidence proving so). Last week, Shane McMahon (the Commissioner of SmackDown Live) said that Owens could pick his referee for the match. After his chosen referee, Baron Corbin, stormed out, McMahon decided that he would become the referee and finish the match. Owens never chose McMahon as the referee, so now he feels screwed out of the title for the second time (the first time being SummerSlam).
Just as Owens is complaining, McMahon himself appears to address the former Face of America. McMahon is tired of hearing Owens’ complaints and decides to get back to the scheduled action.
Aiden English vs. Sami Zayn
When Owens was complaining, he interrupted Aiden English’s song but now, English can get back to the reason why he was out there.
Owens decides to enter the ring and take the shirt off of the referee to put on himself, showing everybody “how it’s done.” Owens immediately hits Sami Zayn with the Pop-up Powerbomb and counts to three very quickly to hand the win to English on a silver platter. Shane McMahon later on says in an interview with Renee Young that this match is null and void. Winner: Aiden English
The Usos vs. Big E & Kofi Kingston (w/Xavier Woods)
Last night at a SmackDown Live Event, Xavier Woods suffered a sprained MCL, so he is out of action for a couple weeks. Big E and Kofi Kingston will have to represent the New Day for the time being, and this time, they face the Usos to see which team gets to pick the stipulation for their SmackDown Tag Team Championship rematch.
With a hold of Kofi Kingston’s tights for leverage, the Usos steal a pinfall victory and get the advantage in their next match against the three-time champs. Winners: The Usos
Announcement
Naomi interrupts Natalya trash talking Carmella to announce that in two weeks on SmackDown Live, Naomi gets her SmackDown Women’s Championship rematch. Also, next week, Natalya will face Ms. Money in the Bank herself.
Tamina (w/Lana) vs. Irrelevant Local Wrestler
Over the past few weeks, Tamina has had this strange belief that Lana has the power to give her a SmackDown Women’s Championship opportunity. Lana says that Tamina needs to work her way to the top –Lana herself competed for the SmackDown Women’s Championship three times after barely any experience– and this is a start.
In about two seconds, Tamina picks up the dominant win. Lana is now back to her role as a manager, but for some reason, she isn’t managing Rusev anymore. Winner: Tamina
Shinsuke Nakamura & Randy Orton vs. Jinder Mahal & Rusev (w/The Singh Brothers)
Before Shinsuke Nakamura battles Randy Orton next week, they both face their SummerSlam opponents. At the “biggest party of the summer,” Jinder Mahal defeated Nakamura thanks to the help of the Singh Brothers, while Orton defeated Rusev in ten seconds with an RKO.
After Orton dispenses of Mahal, Nakamura hits Rusev with Kinshasa to pick up the victory for his team. While Nakamura celebrates the win, Orton sneaks in an RKO “outta nowhere” to give the King of Strong Style an idea of what to look out for next week. Winners: Shinsuke Nakamura & Randy Orton
