WWE SmackDown Live Full Results, Grades and Highlights for September 26, 2017

INTRO: Shane McMahon vowed revenge upon Kevin Owens, who blamed Shane for what he did to his father. For what Owens is going to do to Shane, he would ascend to Heaven.

OPENING SEGMENT: Owens walked out to share more information about his heavenly journey. Corey Graves asked what Shane would bring at Hell in a Cell. Maybe a leap off the cell through some stacked tables this time. Owens told Shane this was his opportunity, and asked plainly: “Shane McMahon, where are you?” He warned Shane that he liked and respected his dad, then asked him to imagine what he’d do to someone he doesn’t.

Sami Zayn confronted Owens. This won’t be good for Sami, who’s just marking time on SmackDown. He said he didn’t walk out to fight Owens, but he made his presence known because Owens had lost his mind. Barely any crowd reaction. He told Owens he needed to stop right now. Owens responded that he’s doing fine. He said Zayn came out because Owens had utterly eclipsed him. He compared their WWE careers and championship wins, which made Sami look like a chump. He asked Zayn what he’d done in life that had as much impact as Owens headbutting Vince. Sami told Owens that KO had taken every cheapshot and cut every corner to get where he is. He said that, when his day came, he’d do things his way, the right way. The crowd is behind him now. Sami said the real difference between them is that Zayn doesn’t see a giant piece of trash when he looks in the mirror.

Daniel Bryan interrupted. He said that Shane wasn’t in the arena, and may not show up tonight. What kind of half-assed executive is he? Can’t WWE at least come up with an excuse for the SmackDown commissioner being absent from his once-a-week television program? Anyway, Bryan booked Owens vs. Zayn for tonight. And we’re getting The Pride of Bulgaria Celebration, which sounded fun.

Tye Dillinger vs. Baron Corbin

If creative really wants to stick it to Corbin, make the Gregorian chanting his entire theme. We revisit Dillinger’s chop block attack on Corbin last week, which led to him spraining his ankle. Dillinger made his entrance, followed by U.S. champion and guest commentator AJ Styles. Corbin got distracted by Styles, allowing Dillinger to dump him over the top rope to the floor as we go to commercial.

Back from break, Dillinger countered a suplex with a small package for a two-count. He planted a knee into Corbin’s gut, but the Lone Wolf countered a short-arm clothesline with a choke-slam backbreaker. Corbin missed a corner charge, then got booted when he ran at Dillinger near the turnbuckles across the ring. Corbin caught Tye’s follow-up off the second rope, but Dillinger countered another backbreaker with a superkick. He slammed Corbin’s face into his knee for another two-count. Dillinger pursued a wounded Corbin outside the ring. Corbin shoved him away, then missed a tackle, running wildly into the steel stairs.

Dillinger threw Corbin into the ring and lowered his right kneepad for the Tyebreaker. He picked up the big man, who escaped and rolled outside the ring. Dillinger booted him in the face, sending Corbin stumbling near the announce table. He took advantage of the proximity to toss a cup of water into Styles’ face. AJ and Dillinger both closed in on Corbin, who grabbed Dillinger and whipped him into Styles, sending both men tumbling over the announce table. Corbin rolled into the ring as Dillinger recovered behind the table. He couldn’t beat the count. Corbin booted him off the ring apron, then mockingly held up all ten fingers in celebration.

Result: Baron Corbin beat Tye Dillinger by countout.

Grade: B-

Styles rolled back into the ring; Corbin cowardly ran away. He grabbed a mic on his way to the locker room. Corbin told Styles he knew that he and Dillinger would work together against him, and sarcastically congratulated him on helping his buddy. He bragged that Styles couldn’t successfully defend his U.S. title against the Lone Wolf. Holding his ribs and groaning, Corbin vowed to win the championship without taking any shortcuts.

We got confirmation that Styles would face Corbin for the U.S. title at Hell in a Cell. And Jinder Mahal is already standing in the ring to make more xenophobic comments. He said he may have gone a little too far with his comments last week. The crowd started chanting for Shinsuke Nakamura as the Singhs acted like the fans were committing crimes by yelling for him. Good heel work. Mahal showed a picture of Nakamura grinning on the Titantron. Graves complained, “Seriously, more of this?” Team Mahal laughed uproariously. They showed another picture of Nakamura looking taken aback. Then they showed another pic of Shinsuke doing his regular pose with one eye shut. That version of Nakamura in the “photo” started wiggling his fingers, then came fully to life. He spoke to Jinder, and the lights went out in the arena.

Nakamura made his full entrance. Mahal ordered the Singhs to intercept him. They tied up Nakamura long enough for Jinder to hit him from behind. Mahal sent Nakamura face-first into the ringpost, and rolled him into the ring. Nakamura came back with a wheel kick. He set up Mahal for the Kinshasa, but was forced to neutralize the Singhs once more. Mahal seized the opportunity by grabbing Nakamura from behind and attempting the Khallas. Shinsuke fought out of it and floored Mahal with a kick. He nailed a Kinshasa to send Mahal reeling to the outside. Nakamura did his trademark rope grab and faint to the mat on top of his opponent’s ornate rug.

We get a plug for The Hype Bros vs. The Usos coming up next, then the New Day walked out with popcorn and cotton candy to spectate.

The Hype Bros vs. The Usos

The Usos walked out to trash talk the New Day, who chucked popcorn at their rivals as they stood in the front row. In the ring, Mojo Rawley got off to a hot start with repeated shoulder rams and a running elbow before the Usos took him down with a chop block. Both Usos slammed boots into Rawley in the corner. Rawley was rocked by right hands, but countered a reverse chinlock with a back suplex. He tagged Zack Ryder, who knocked down both Usos. He executed a flapjack and a neckbreaker on Jimmy Uso for a two-count. Ryder went to the middle rope in his corner, where Mojo tagged him and entered the ring. Zack angrily grabbed his partner and demanded to know what he was doing. Mojo protested that they had a match to win. Jimmy got up and pushed Mojo into Ryder, knocking him to the arena floor. He cracked Rawley with a superkick, then tagged Jey Uso for a top-rope splash for the win.

Result: The Usos beat The Hype Bros when Jey Uso pinned Mojo Rawley after a top-rope splash.

Grade: C

After their victory, the Usos confronted New Day. They said the trio belonged on the sideline with the rest of the chumps. The Usos said they’d become the five-time tag team champions at Hell in a Cell. Big E nonchalantly pulled a live microphone out of his tub of popcorn, then handed the stick to Kofi Kingston. Xavier Woods kept on capturing the moment on his cell phone. Kingston said they talk a big game for just having lost those titles. E said they also talk a lot about the Uso Penitentiary. Woods said New Day doesn’t just want to defend the title at Hell in a Cell, they want to defend the title INSIDE Hell in a Cell. Big E flung more popcorn at their foes.

A gussied-up Aiden English stood mid-ring as the master of ceremonies. He welcomed the mayor of Rusev’s hometown of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. A middle-aged man wearing a blue sport-coat and black pants waved at a booing crowd. English directed the audience to stand in silent reverence as they welcomed the pride of Bulgaria, Rusev. English sang the Bulgarian national anthem unaccompanied as Rusev walked to the ring carrying a Bulgarian flag. He stood atop a white, green, and red podium as English finished his vocals. The mayor, who wasn’t introduced by name, read Rusev’s accolades off a scroll held by a smiling English. He presented an oversized key to the city “to our great hero” and great protector, Rusev. The mayor also declared September 26 to be Rusev Day.

Rusev spoke to the mayor in their native tongue. He then threw it to a replay of his quick victory over Randy Orton last week. While Orton was a legend killer, Rusev said, a younger and hungrier predator has invaded the jungle. And, last week, Rusev destroyed the legend of the legend killer. He claimed that SmackDown Live is his jungle now, and held up his key. English announced that he’d prepared a song in honor of Rusev Day. The mayor looked ecstatic.

“Out of nowhere, Rusev struck
Hitting Randy like a truck.
It’s Rusev Daaaaay!
It’s Ruuuu-sev Daaaaay!
And with Randy’s nine-second fail,
Rusev became the alpha male.
It’s Rusev Daaaaay!
It’s Ruuuu-sev Daaaaay!”

Orton silenced the revelry with an RKO Outta Nowhere. Rusev bashed Orton with a double ax-handle off the podium, then tried to escort his mayor out of the ring like a good constituent. Orton dropped him with an RKO for doing his civil duty. Graves said this is no way to end Rusev Day.

Backstage, Bryan spoke to someone on his cell phone, then told Zayn that Shane had just landed in Arizona and was on his way to the show. Shane had promised to go right after Owens when he arrived. If he wanted vengeance that bad, why didn’t he show up to the arena on time? Zayn asked Bryan to tell Shane not to attack Owens or get involved in his match. Bryan agreed to his request.

Orton approached Renee Young backstage. He informed her that, if Rusev wanted to step inside his jungle, he could meet Orton at Hell in a Cell. Before walking off, he wished Young a happy Rusev Day.

Charlotte Flair vs. Carmella

Carmella made her entrance while dragging Ellsworth on a leash. She tied him to the bottom turnbuckle. The two women pushed and pie-faced each other before Charlotte took Carmella down for a figure-four attempt. Carmella kicked her off, then got booted in the midsection. Charlotte went up to the middle rope near the collared Ellsworth. He grabbed her left leg, allowing Carmella to hit her handstand leg-scissors. She gloated as we go to commercial.

Back live, Carmella stomped away at Charlotte in the corner. We see a replay of Carmella thrust-kicking Charlotte outside the ring to gain the advantage during break. In real time, Carmella executed her spinning head-scissors. She followed up with a slap for a two-count. Carmella applied a reverse-chinlock as Graves compared Ellsworth to Turtle on Entourage. Charlotte attempted to counter, but was thrown to the mat by her hair and forced to kick out again. Carmella reapplied the chinlock. Charlotte once again fought to her feet and went for a bodyslam, but Carmella pulled her down the mat from behind with a sit-down hair pull.

Carmella went to the top rope and leveled Charlotte with a cross-body-block. When Charlotte kicked out, Carmella went for an Oklahama Roll, getting another two-count. A frustrated Carmella kicked Charlotte into the back, sending her into face-first into the middle turnbuckle. Carmella maneuvered Charlotte into a reverse DDT, nearly getting the fall. Carmella yelled out in anger. She grazed Charlotte with another thrust kick, then went for an O’Connor roll. Charlotte reversed the move for a two-count. As both women made it to their feet, Charlotte ran over Carmella with a big boot for the victory.

Result: Charlotte pinned Carmella after a big boot.

Grade: B

Natalya’s music hit and the SmackDown women’s champion made her way to the entrance ramp. She told her challenger that she’s glad Ric Flair is recovering. Nothing makes Natalya happier than knowing that Charlotte’s dad is going to watch his overrated daughter fail at Hell in a Cell. She held up the title as Charlotte made the belt motion around her waist.

Byron Saxton announced that the Fashion Files return next week. That promotion was followed by the Undertaker’s gong and music. The fans got their hopes up even though they knew what this probably was. And it was, indeed, Dolph Ziggler wearing a black hat and long coat. He rushed the walk to the ring. Tom Phillips stupidly played along with it for a few seconds before the obvious height difference made the comparison too ludicrous. Graves sniped that it looked like Ziggler was wearing his father’s coat.

Ziggler brought the lights up on the ringsteps as he laughed. He teased the crowd by asking, “What?”, telling them they looked like they’d seen a ghost. “You suck” chant from the crowd. He asked if they thought they’d see the Undertaker twice in a year, then sighed, “Ah, nineties.” Ziggler said anyone could put on a Halloween costume and act like a zombie, but no one can do what he can do in the ring.

FINALLY, Bobby Roode made his glorious entrance. Phillips confirmed that Roode is a bona fide superstar. Roode told Ziggler that he’s an amazing talent and a hypocrite. He pointed out that Dolph wasted everyone’s time by claiming he doesn’t care about the fans, yet he came out every week to whine about them. Roode paused for a long time, then challenged Ziggler to back up his claim that he’s one of the greatest in-ring competitors of all time. Ziggler told Roode that he’s everything that’s wrong with WWE, and accepted the match at Hell in a Cell. He tried to mimic the Undertaker’s tortured “Rest in peace” kiss off. Roode silenced him, telling him that Hell in a Cell would be absolutely glorious.

Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens

Phillips laughably said that this match was taking place on SmackDown Live for the first time. That doesn’t mean much when we’ve seen it so often over the past two years. The bell rang and Zayn/Owens tear into each other with right hands. Owens caught Sami with a back elbow, then kicked him hard twice in the back. KO floored Zayn with a short-arm clothesline, then crashed into him with a clothesline in the corner. Owens blasted Zayn with a cannonball. He followed his foe outside the ring and slammed his head repeatedly into the barricade before throwing him inside the ring.

Owens slowed his pursuit, then ran off the ropes into Zayn’s big rebound clothesline. As Zayn pulled him up, Owens used leverage to send him through the ropes to the arena floor. KO pretended to heed the referee’s count, then vacated the ring to run directly into another big Zayn clothesline. As both men recover, we go to a shot of a door. Riveting. Shane McMahon hurried through the door. Apparently, he was so irate at Owens that he got to the arena 12 minutes before his show ended.

Back from our final break, Zayn went up top and leapt over Owens. He met a superkick that nearly won Owens the match. Phillips showed a nasty suplex that Zayn delivered on the ring apron during the break. On his feet, Owens went for a stuff powerbomb. Zayn broke his grip, grabbed Owens’ left hand, and hit a tornado DDT off the top turnbuckle. Sami called for the Helluva Kick. He ran at Owens, who superkicked him again and sent Zayn into the ropes for the pop-up powerbomb. Sami vaulted over Owens and picked him up for Blue Thunder. Owens threw his arm up to break the count just before three.

Zayn lined up another Helluva Kick. Owens rolled outside the ring in the nick of time. Zayn sized him up, and jumped onto his opponent with a Tope con Giro. Sami landed hard on his back there, looking to be in legit pain. He rolled Owens inside the ring, and Owens rolled right back out. Zayn pursued him, pointed the finger guns at Owens, and sprinted toward a prospective DDT through the turnbuckles. Owens cut him off with a superkick. He dragged Zayn off the ropes, then crushed him with a powerbomb onto the ring apron. Graves announced that every bit of decency in Owens had evaporated. Referee Charles Robinson stopped the match.

Result: Kevin Owens beat Sami Zayn via referee stoppage.

Grade: B+

After the match, Owens sat on the announce table, staring down at Sami as medical personnel attended to him. Some fans chanted, “One more time”. Zayn tried to walk under his own power, crumpling without the medical staff’s assistance. As they helped him to the back, Owens appeared to reflect on his actions. His visage turned furious, and he ran around the ring to clout Zayn from behind. Owens stepped on Zayn’s throat, then grabbed a steel chair. He placed the chair around Sami’s neck and threatened to launch him into the ring post. Shane McMahon’s music played, and Graves claimed that Shane just saved Sami’s career.

As Owens paused, McMahon sprinted to the ring. Owens resourcefully shoved Zayn (still wearing the chair as a collar) into McMahon, then took off through the crowd and up the arena stairs. While Graves claimed that McMahon just ran full-speed into the legs of the chair, Shane got up quickly and stood on the ropes, beckoning Owens to return and fight. They pointed at each other from their respective heights. Owens blew McMahon a kiss as Shane stood tall in the ring.