WWE SmackDown Live Full Results, Grades and Highlights Nov 7th, 2017

INTRO: WWE Champion Jinder Mahal and AJ Styles cut dueling promos ahead of tonight’s world title match. This feature allowed both wrestlers to make a direct case as to why they are better than the other man. They should be able to do that better than any voice-over narrator.

OPENING SEGMENT: Tom Phillips welcomed us from Manchester, UK. He announced that Becky Lynch would fight James Ellsworth in a battle of the sexes match, and the Usos would defend the SmackDown tag team championship against Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable.

Commissioner Shane McMahon hopped to the ring as Phillips claimed that SmackDown was on high alert. Cheap pop for McMahon asking, “what’s up, Manchester?” Shane said that no one would be able to call SmackDown the “B show” after Survivor Series. He turned down Kurt Angle’s apology for Kane assaulting Daniel Bryan on Raw last week, and vowed to get payback on Angle. Bryan will be back next week. Big piped-in cheer for that announcement; can’t imagine Manchester is happy to miss him.

Shane introduced New Day, touting that they fired a shot across the bow at Raw last night. We see a replay of Cesaro and Sheamus winning the Raw tag team title last night after New Day’s intrusion. No explanation for why the Raw production team would blare their music while showing their entrance video and giving them a live microphone. Kofi Kingston said the title change wasn’t their intention, just a consequence of putting of Raw “Under Siege, bay-bee!” Xavier Woods asked rhetorically what the Shield would do about it; all three New Day members responded, “Nah-ting”. Shane-o-Mac assisted on a “New Day Rocks” dance before Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn stopped the party.

Owens told the four men in the ring they just did the stupidest, most painful thing he’d ever seen in his life. Zayn broke the news to Shane that he’s not cool and should probably never dance again. New Day intervened, with Kingston barking at the 1930s paperboy who didn’t look like he’d been to a gym in his life. Wonder who wrote that line and decided to script it for a wrestler with roughly the same degree of muscle mass as Sami. Zayn fired back at McMahon, prompting the commissioner to book him in an impromptu match tonight against Kingston.

Kofi Kingston vs. Sami Zayn

Tie-up into the corner, where Zayn deployed his cutesy chest slaps. Crowd started up a “paperboy” chant; at least Zayn won’t get cheered as much now if the crowd feels free to mock him. Sami applied a top-wristlock, which Kofi flipped out of in the process of applying an armbar. Zayn countered, reverse-leapfrogged over Kingston, and took him down with an arm drag. Sami grinned like an elated goof as he applied his own armbar. He mimicked New Day’s clapping before running the ropes into Kofi’s flying elbow. Kingston countered a monkey flip by landing on his feet, then followed up by twerking at Zayn to trombone music. Zayn ran straight into a dropkick to the jaw and bailed to ringside.

Sami took an extra long break at ringside as the referee refused to count. Kofi chased him back inside, then got bombarded with fists. Zayn turned Kofi inside-out with a short-arm clothesline. Sami went for his top-rope cross-body-block on Kingston, who met him with a dropkick. We go to break as both men recoverered.

Back in action, Kingston blocked Zayn’s attempt to throw him to the floor, then drove his opponent over the top rope with a clothesline. He executed his delayed, rope-bounce somersault onto Zayn at ringside, then threw Sami back inside. Kingston flipped back into the ring over Zayn and hit the SOS for a near-fall. Kofi clapped at the crowd and went for Trouble in Paradise. Zayn ducked and landed the blue thunder bomb for a two-count. Zayn lined up a Helluva Kick. Kofi dipped between the ropes and hit Zayn with his boots. He spring-boarded off the top rope, landing on his feet after Zayn ducked under him. Sami couldn’t execute either a suplex or clothesline as Kofi ran to the corner, jumped onto the top rope, and dove off with a turn-around cross-body-block for the victory.

Result: Kofi Kingston pinned Sami Zayn with a top-rope turn-around cross-body-block.

Grade: B

Immediately after the pinfall, Owens went after Kingston with punches. He and Zayn rolled out of the ring as Big E and Woods made the save.

Corey Graves put over Mahal’s brutality in engineering last week’s mugging of Styles. Backstage, Mahal and the Singhs laughed as they watched the replay. Renee Young asked Jinder how tonight’s match would affect his mindset as he prepared to wrestle Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series. Mahal called Styles the appetizer to the entree that is Lesnar. Tonight, the Modern Day Maharaja makes a meal of Styles, and, at Survivor Series, he feasts on the beast. Good promo.

The Bludgeon Brothers stood tall in a creepy forest. Luke Harper said, “This world is a horrible place.” Erick Rowan growled, “We’re here to make it worse.” Now that’s a heel tag team.

Back in the arena, Aiden English readied himself to perform in the home of Oasis and the Stone Roses. He sang to the glory of Rusev, crooning that he would beat the Viper once more.

 

Randy Orton vs. Rusev

Rusev would join Team SmackDown at Survivor Series if he won this match. Rusev went for a quick thrust kick. Orton countered and went for a quick RKO. Neither man got what they wanted. Rusev did land a roundhouse kick, which got him three two-counts as Graves stupidly exclaimed, “That’s it!” Rusev threw some measured stomps as we go to break.

Rusev has Orton locked up on the mat upon our return. “Rusev Day” chant from the crowd. Orton fought out, only to run into a spinning heel-kick for another two-count. Backstage, McMahon watched the match with Shinsuke Nakamura and Bobby Roode. Rusev punished Orton with repeated shoulder-blocks in the corner. Rusev darted off the ropes with two running elbows to a prone Orton, gaining a two-count. He hit another kick on Orton as Randy was draped over the middle rope, then went for three successive (yet unsuccessful) covers. As Rusev pouted, Orton made it to his feet and stunned Rusev with an RKO. Byron Saxton proclaimed that Rusev is not going to Survivor Series, leaving Team SmackDown with only four members for the time being.

Result: Randy Orton pinned Rusev with the RKO.

Grade: C+

We visited the women’s locker room door, where Ellsworth is pacing outside. Lynch emerged to verbally joust with Ellsworth, who didn’t think a woman had a chance against him.

“You’re in a city called MAN-chester, Becky, not Womanchester.” – Promo god James Ellsworth.

Lynch told Ellsworth those were some ballsy statements, so it’s a pity he doesn’t have any.

We are greeted with yet another “Under Siege” replay. Back live, Ellsworth walked out for his first televised match in recent memory. Naomi, Tamina, Lana, and Charlotte Flair surrounded the ring, apparently ticked off at Ellsworth going Bobby Riggs.

 

Becky Lynch vs. James Ellsworth

Graves took over from JBL in ridiculing Ellsworth’s physique. Slow start as Ellsworth demonstrated how to do four push-ups. Lynch motioned to the audience, which chanted, “Becky’s gonna kill you.” Ellsworth threw out his arms, giving Lynch an opening to attempt the Disarm-Her. Her opponent scampered to the ropes and broke the hold. Becky clucked and imitated a chicken. Ellsworth got hot and removed his shirt, causing Graves to remark that he was the palest man in England. This is good pro wrestling.

Lynch and Ellsworth started wrestling, with the male wrestler dumping the female on her face and kicking “dust” at her. Ellsworth took her down again and applied a front-facelock. Lynch picked him up off the mat and perched him on the top turnbuckle, lightly slapping him a few times for good measure. Embarrassed, he whipped her into the opposite turnbuckle. Becky sprang back over him, however, and the two engaged in counters as Lynch ran the ropes. When Ellsworth dropped down, Lynch did the same, apparently causing her to become invisible to her opponent. When Ellsworth did locate her, he tried to grab her and missed, giving Lynch the opportunity to clown Ellsworth with several pinning combinations. Lynch picked him up in an airplane spin, then threw a discombobulated Ellsworth outside the ring.

As Tamina and Charlotte stared down Ellsworth, he begged off and reentered the ring. Ellsworth dorkily went into the crane-kick position, then shoved Becky to the mat. He let her know that he was done playing and pushed her through the ropes to the concrete. As Ellsworth turned to taunt the female competitors, Lynch scaled the top rope and nailed a missile dropkick for a two-count. Becky went for the straight fire-arm in the corner, but Ellsworth side-stepped her and schoolboyed her for a two-count. He whipped her hard into the turnbuckle and gloated.

Ellsworth stomped the mat, signaling for No Chin Music. Lynch caught his leg, however, and executed an inverted atomic drop that persuaded Ellsworth to seek refuge outside the ring. Lynch kicked the middle rope as Ellsworth straddled it, and followed up with a Becksploder. Ellsworth tried to bail on the match, but the women’s division halted his escape. Back inside, Ellsworth pleaded for forgiveness, even kissing Becky’s hand. His hug attempt was not reciprocated, as Lynch grabbed his left arm and applied the Dis-Arm-Him for the tapout.

Result: Becky Lynch defeated James Ellsworth with the Dis-Arm-Him.

Grade: C+ for some good comedy

Carmella helped up Ellsworth after this surprisingly long bout. She jawed at Lynch before flooring Ellsworth with a superkick and walking out with her Money in the Bank briefcase.

Shane McMahon and Charlotte chatted backstage. Natalya interrupted to accept Shane’s “offer” (which he had not made). She would not only beat Alexa Bliss at Survivor Series, she’d take Charlotte’s place on Team SmackDown. Shane corrected her thinking, stating that Natalya would defend the SmackDown women’s championship against Charlotte next week, with the winner facing Bliss at Survivor Series.

The Usos approached the ring for their title defense, wondering who was standing in the ring looking at them. It’s Gable and Benjamin, two chumps who think they’re going to take the tag title. The twins concluded that their opponents were merely their next victims, and ambushed Gable and Benjamin with a flurry of right hands. The challengers were knocked to ringside before the bell rang. We go to break.

 

SmackDown tag team championship match

The Usos (c) vs. Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin

With the match underway, Jimmy Uso made a hot tag. Jey Uso rocked Gable with two leaping clotheslines and a big right hand. Gable ran off the ropes into a Samoan Drop attempt, but shoved Jey away to tag Benjamin. Gable did then indeed charge into a Samoan Drop, but Benjamin entered to plant Jey with a spinebuster and smash Jimmy with Paydirt. These moves garnered no crowd reaction. Jey sprinted at Benjamin, who pulled down the top rope. Jey spilled to the outside, where Gable cut him down with a nasty chop block, then heelishly hid under the ring. An injured Uso couldn’t beat the count.

Result: Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin beat the Usos by countout after Chad Gable chop-blocked Jey Uso.

Grade: C due to the ill-timed commercial break.

We received a look at Luke Harper behind the scenes on the TV series Damnation. Styles then stood by with Young. AJ warned Mahal not to take him lightly, as people have underestimated Styles his whole life. He said he worked harder than others to get where he is, and looked ahead to slaying the beast at Survivor Series.

Next week, Sin Cara would receive a U.S. title shot against Baron Corbin, and New Day would face Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. With those matches announced, the Singh Brothers welcomed Mahal, biting Paul Heyman’s shtick by also introducing themselves. Graves noted that the last time a WWE championship switched hands on SmackDown was in September 2003, when Lesnar defeated Angle.

 

WWE championship match

Jinder Mahal (c) vs. AJ Styles

Mahal looked miffed at the fans chanting Styles’ name. He hurled AJ to the mat to start the match. On their second lock-up, AJ darted behind Jinder for a go-behind. The champion grabbed the ropes to break the hold, then elbowed Styles in the head. Mahal toyed with the crowd by flexing as they chanted, “You’re on steroids.” Styles landed a leg kick to the hamstring and grabbed a headlock. Mahal threw him into the ropes and knocked him down with a shoulder-tackle. AJ made this feeling-out portion of the match feel intriguing. He used his quickness to attempt two pinning combinations, the latter of which Mahal countered by grabbing Styles’ neck with both hands and hurling him out of the ring. We go to commercial.

Back from break, Mahal feinted at a test-of-strength, instead booting Styles in the gut. Mahal executed a headlock takeover as Graves complimented him on slowing down the pace. Mahal beat on Styles when the challenger tried to break the hold. As the champion bounded off the ropes, AJ caught Jinder with a nice dropkick, sending the Maharaja to ringside. Mahal jumped back on the ring apron only to eat a forearm. AJ slingshot himself over the top rope, and Mahal dipped out of the way. While AJ landed on his feet, Mahal grabbed his leg and yanked him off the apron, sending him face-first into the canvas. After breaking the count, Mahal caught Styles’ cross-body-block attempt and bodyslammed him on the announce table. It looked like AJ’s lower back caught the table’s edge.

Rolling Styles back in the ring, Mahal stomped away at his foe. Jinder scored with repeated knees to a prone Styles. Mahal applied an arm bar that didn’t appear to follow up on any previous offense, then drove knees into Styles’ back. He kept Styles grounded, throwing him back to the mat when AJ fought to his feet. Mahal hit Styles with a running knee drop and a big right hand. When Mahal springboarded off the bottom rope for another knee drop, however, Styles threw his legs up and caught Mahal with his boots. He then avoided Mahal’s charge in the corner and hammered the champion with right hands. Styles threw his flurry of strikes at Mahal, taking him down with the clothesline. AJ cracked Mahal with a running forearm and a leaping clothesline against the turnbuckle. While he couldn’t lift Mahal for a suplex, Styles powered him up for ushigoroshi, getting a two-count and hurting his left knee.

Styles signaled for the Styles Clash. Mahal countered the move, but ended up on his knees absorbing kicks. Mahal caught the last kick and whipped Styles to the mat. AJ followed up with a baby powerbomb (likely botched) as Mahal ran toward him. When that move didn’t get the pinfall, he ran at Mahal, who tossed him high into the air. AJ landed on his stomach and clutched his ribs in pain; Mahal covered him for a near-fall. Jinder went for a superplex; Styles maneuvered under him and kicked Mahal’s leg out, sending him crashing to the mat. He followed up with the Calf Crusher to Mahal’s hurt leg. Mahal slammed AJ’s head into the mat, but Styles reapplied the hold. Mahal made it to the ropes as both men sold weariness.

Jinder knocked AJ away as the challenger tried to follow up. AJ went for his volley of strikes again, but Jinder caught his right hand and clouted him with a short-arm clothesline for a two-count. Mahal again went for the superplex. When AJ jumped down to the mat between Jinder’s legs, the Maharaja grabbed him and raised him back on the turnbuckle. AJ took advantage of his positioning by snaring Mahal in a front-facelock. Jinder used his strength to counter the tornado DDT attempt, but missed a running strike as Styles pulled down the top rope, sending the champion to the floor. Styles caught his breath and launched himself over the top rope, drilling Mahal with a phenomenal forearm. AJ clutched at his left knee, which he’d tweaked while performing the ushigoroshi.

Styles rolled Mahal into the ring, then set him up for a top-rope move. He hit the springboard 450 splash. As he turned to cover Mahal, the Singhs pulled their leader to the arena floor to sustained booing. Styles pursued and caught Samir, whipping him for his transgressions. He vaulted onto the announce table to propel himself into Sunil with a clothesline. Surveying the scene, he laid out Samir with a running knee strike on the apron. Mahal used the distraction to seize Styles and attempt the Khallas. AJ elbowed his way out of it and springboarded off the top rope for Phenomenal Forearm. Jinder grabbed his arm and used it to leverage a Khallas. He went for the cover; AJ placed his boot on the bottom rope to break the count and hype the crowd.

An angry Mahal lifted Styles back onto the turnbuckle for a top-rope Khallas. AJ fought this move off. He clutched Mahal around the neck and dropping to the floor, hanging up the champion on the top rope. Styles dragged himself back to the apron and rocked Mahal with the Phenomenal Forearm to win the championship. Jinder lost the title in his best WWE match.

Result: AJ Styles pinned Jinder Mahal with the Phenomenal Forearm to win the WWE championship.

Grade: A-

Phillips announced that this is the first time the WWE championship has changed hands outside of North America. Outside the ring, a furious Mahal hurled Sunil Singh to the floor and clobbered Samir. Styles now faces Lesnar at Survivor Series.