INTRO: We get the full SmackDown intro, which is heavy on AJ Styles and Charlotte Flair. Live, the first crowd signs we see are for Raw superstar Woken Matt Hardy.
OPENING SEGMENT: Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens emerged to Owens’ music, which robbed us of seeing Zayn skank to the ring. Just a few kicks and weird finger-pointing from him. Tom Phillips noted that the duo is still standing after numerous punishments, including Zayn being barred from ringside during last week’s Owens vs. Randy Orton main event. We watched a replay of Zayn stretching the definition of “ringside” by thwacking Orton with a chair on the ramp. Ever gentlemen, Owens and Zayn welcomed us alternately to the “Sami and Kevin Show” and the “Kevin and Sami Show.”
Owens claimed that Orton served as the McMahons’ lapdog. Orton would always do their dirty work, so Owens knew he had to beat him up so badly last week that he could no longer be an option for Shane McMahon. Zayn patronizingly explained geography to McMahon. He pointedly stood in the ring, then walked out to ringside, where you “might see a terrible announce team.” Phillips looked saddened as he peered down at his desk. Zayn declared the metal segment connecting the entrance ramp and mats to be the great divide, and bragged about attacking Orton outside the ringside area. Zayn boasted that he and Kevin worked within the system last week and still won.
“I said, we won!” Zayn proclaimed, a millisecond before Orton dropped Owens with an RKO. Zayn stared at the ring in disbelief. He backed toward the curtain, then started away from it as Shane’s music hit. McMahon told Zayn that he and Owens would fight Orton and a partner of his choosing at Clash of Champions. Additionally, Zayn will take on Orton later tonight. And Owens will indeed be ringside for that match, because he’ll be handcuffed to the ring rope. Owens did not react to this news due to being knocked silly on the arena floor.
Back from break, Owens held his neck as Zayn fretted backstage. Zayn gave his buddy the news about being handcuffed during the main event. Owens left to discuss the matter with Daniel Bryan.
Back in the ring, Aiden English favored us with a song. While every day is Rusev Day, we traditionally mark the 12 Days of Rusev during this time of year. On the 1st Day of Rusev, English’s partner gave to him a tag-team victory. On the 2nd Day of Rusev, his partner gave to him two Rusev shirts and a tag-team victory. The Bulgarian Brute took the opportunity to hold up a legit Happy Rusev Day t-shirt as the San Diego audience applauded. New Day’s entrance seemed to prompt boos by preventing us from learning what English received on the 3rd Day of Rusev.
The New Day vs. Rusev and Aiden English
Big E and Kofi Kingston competed for New Day. English started by hammering E with strikes, then went for a belly-to-back move. Big E looked more perturbed than anything; he stood his ground before grinding with English and flipping him over. Kingston tagged in and hit a running kick on English as Big E held their foe. English whipped Kingston into the corner, but Kofi got his boots up and followed with a top-rope cross-body-block for a two-count. Kingston ducked an English punch and bounced off the ropes for a jumping clothesline. He called out for the Boom Drop. As he ran toward English, Rusev pulled his partner out of the ring. Kingston deked out Rusev by feigning a high-flying move, then showboating in mid-ring. Woods played trombone proudly as we go to break.
English gripped Kingston in a reverse chin-lock – while singing the praises of Rusev Day – as we return to action. Kofi fought out with a jawbreaker, but English cut him off and slammed him into his team’s corner. Rusev tagged in to deliver some big kicks. He squeezed Kingston in a bear hug. Kofi broke the hold with headbutts, but Rusev quickly came back with a spin heel kick for a two-count. Growing confident, Rusev whipped Kingston into the turnbuckles. Kingston stifled him with two boots, but was again stopped from tagging out. Rusev threw Kingston to the opposite turnbuckle. Kofi exploded forward with a jumping double-stomp, and both men tagged out.
Big E tossed English with two overhead throws, then brought him down with a regular belly-to-belly suplex. He recommenced grinding his hips and nailed his running splash. E clapped for the Big Ending, but English slipped out and tagged Rusev, who ran straight into a one-armed uranage. That move netted a near-fall. New Day began calling for a high-flying move to the outside, giving Rusev time to recover and pull Big E to ringside. Rusev threw Big E into the steel stairs, but was smashed by Kingston’s trust fall. Kingston rolled Rusev back into the ring and measured him for another big move. He kicked English off the apron, but the distraction allowed Rusev to knock Kofi off the top rope. Rusev followed up with a thrust kick to the back of Kingston’s head for the win.
Result: Rusev and Aiden English beat New Day when Rusev pinned Kofi Kingston after a thrust kick.
Grade: B
Moving on to tag teams that never won, the announcers showed us a replay of Mojo Rawley mugging Zack Ryder last week. Rawley stood backstage with Renee Young, who asked him to explain his actions. Mojo remained calm, reminding Young that he won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal while Ryder was injured. As fate started to smile on Rawley, Ryder came back and dragged him down. Mojo claimed that Ryder is dead weight, but he is “a serious competitor.” Anyone who has a problem with his actions can shove it. Good promo.
Phillips announced that Rusev and English would be added to what is now a fatal four-way match for the SmackDown tag team championship at Clash of Champions. That news led to Daniel Bryan uncomfortably listening to Carmella and Lana jabber out at him. Carmella requested an opportunity at Clash of Champions due to ridding WWE of James Ellsworth. Ouch. Lana suggested that her Samoan Soldier, Tamina, receive a title match. The Riott Squad interjected and made its own case for being involved at Clash of Champions. All six women faced off before a red-faced Bryan screamed, “Stop iiiiiit!” in a sitcom-dad voice. He announced that they’d all appear at Clash of Champions, as Charlotte Flair would defend her title against Natalya in a lumberjack match.
In the men’s locker room, U.S. Champion Baron Corbin confronted Bobby Roode. Corbin asked Roode how he felt about management making their Clash of Champions match a triple-threat. Both men somehow agreed that their chances of winning their Clash of Champions title match with Dolph Ziggler involved would go down by one-third. Because they’re stupid and believe that all three wrestlers are exactly as talented. Ziggler walked up to run down his past accomplishments. He noted that, unlike Corbin, he successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract. Mathematically, he said, the odds for Roode or Corbin winning just dropped to zero. Ziggler’s math sucks, but his attitude is on-point.
The Bludgeon Brothers vs. Adam James and Josh Carr
The tag team without hoods and giant hammers did not receive an onscreen graphic identifying them. Erick Rowan cracked one of them with a spin kick to start the match. The Bludgeon Brothers knocked the other guy off the apron; Luke Harper followed outside to level him with a clothesline. They got back into the ring and Harper squashed their other opponent against the turnbuckles. He fed the local talent into Rowan’s spinning powerslam, then slapped his own partner. Rowan responded by body-slamming Harper onto that opponent. The Bludgeon Brothers hit their still-unnamed finisher for the win. Corey Graves said he didn’t know if the wrestler who got pinned was James or Carr, but we could read the obituary tomorrow.
Result: The Bludgeon Brothers beat Adam James and Josh Carr with their double-team cross-drop maneuver.
Grade: D
Phillips introduced a feature on Charlotte’s role in Psych: The Movie. Cool to see her apply the Figure Eight on someone in that production. Meanwhile, Owens returned to bear some decent news to Zayn. Bryan agreed to reconsider the stipulation involving Owens getting handcuffed to the rope. Zayn grew frustrated at having to wait even longer to learn his partner’s fate.
U.S. Champion Baron Corbin vs. Bobby Roode (non-title match)
Corbin overpowered Roode into the corner and talked trash. Roode took exception and snatched Corbin in a headlock. Corbin tossed him into the ropes and brought him down with a shoulder-block, then barked at Ziggler while Dolph did guest commentary. Roode came back with chops and leg kicks. When Corbin whipped him into the ropes, Roode responded with a low dropkick to take out Corbin’s knee. He forced Corbin out of the ring with a second low dropkick to the ribs, then kept him out with a running elbow that knocked the Lone Wolf off the apron.
An impatient Roode grabbed Corbin to pull him back inside. Corbin clocked him, then rolled back into the ring to mount and slug Roode. Those right hands looked legit. Corbin blasted Roode with a corner clothesline, then grounded him. Roode made it to his feet and punched himself free. Corbin grabbed his throat for a chokeslam backbreaker, but Roode escaped and booted Corbin when the Lone Wolf charged him. Roode jumped over Corbin off the middle rope, and the two men double-clotheslined each other.
Ziggler voiced his need for a better look at the match, and slid into the ring. He executed the Zig Zag on Roode, causing a disqualification. Maintaining equilibrium, he hit another Zig Zag on Corbin, leaving both men writhing on the mat as he glared at them.
Result: Bobby Roode beat Baron Corbin by disqualification when Dolph Ziggler interfered.
Grade: C+
Backstage, Natalya expressed excitement over Carmella, Lana, and Tamina being ringside for her lumberjack match. Natalya told Tamina that she’d be at ringside to provide support during her match tonight with Charlotte. She asked whether her former Welcoming Committee mates would protect her if she was assaulted by the Riott Squad at Clash of Champions. This inquiry magically summoned the Riott Squad. Natalya quickly bailed as the six future lumberjacks warily eyed each other.
Phillips introduced a preview package featuring WWE Champion AJ Styles and Jinder Mahal. The video started with Mahal’s title victory earlier this year; the disbelieving looks on fans’ faces were still amusing. Mahal vowed to reclaim the championship and take it back to his people. The two competitors square off at Clash of Champions.
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair vs. Tamina (non-title)
Lana, Natalya, and Carmella watched the match from ringside. Flair and Tamina jockeyed for position, with Tamina gaining the upper hand. She slammed Flair’s head into the turnbuckle. Flair returned the favor, then chopped and applied a wristlock to her opponent. Tamina broke the hold by throwing Charlotte to the match by her hair. She picked up Flair for a body slam, but Charlotte slipped out and bounded off the ropes to create space. She ended a clumsy sequence by hitting Tamina with a back elbow, then flooring her with a kick for a one-count.
Flair seized Tamina in a front-facelock. She attempted to whip Tamina into the corner, but Tamina reversed the move, sending Charlotte spinning into a Flair flip. She landed on the apron, then caught Tamina with a shoulderblock and forearm. When she reentered the ring, however, Tamina picked her up and rammed her with repeated shoulder-blocks. Tamina picked up Flair as if to execute an Alabama Slam, then just slammed her back against the turnbuckle. Charlotte tried to regain her feet as we go to break.
When we return, Tamina has Charlotte wrapped up in a chinlock. Tamina stymied Charlotte’s attempts to escape, and sent her to the turnbuckle. Charlotte evaded Tamina’s charge, but got clouted by a clothesline for a two-count. Tamina again failed to slam Charlotte as the crowd started a “We want Lana!” chant. Charlotte executed her kneel-down neckbreaker and lashed Tamina with numerous chops. When Tamina reversed a whip into the ropes, Charlotte dove to her side and took down the powerhouse with a rolling cradle.
Tamina booted Charlotte in the gut to break her momentum. She went for a Samoan Drop, but Charlotte dipped out of the move and landed a big boot to the face. Charlotte applied the Figure Eight for the tapout.
Result: Charlotte beat Tamina by submission via the Figure Eight.
Grade: C+
Natalya got the apron to sarcastically congratulate “Queenie” on her win. She promised to take back her title at Clash of Champions. When Natalya warned Charlotte to keep her head on a swivel during their lumberjack match, the Riott Squad again surfaced. The six lumberjacks began brawling at ringside; Tamina and Logan were pulled apart by their allies.
Owens and Zayn found Bryan and asked about KO getting handcuffed during the main event. Bryan weighed the merits of the debate between Owens and Shane. Three large security personnel walked up behind Bryan; one of them presented handcuffs. Owens and Zayn looked deflated at losing their appeal.
Zayn and Owens continued to plead their case at ringside. Bryan told Owens he’d be suspended if he refused to comply. Owens got locked up by his left wrist; referee Mike Chioda pocketed the handcuffs key.
Randy Orton vs. Sami Zayn
A pissed-off Orton launched right hands at Zayn in the corner. He flung Zayn outside the ring and hurled him over the announce table. Orton dropped Zayn spine-first across the barricade, then tossed him back over the table. Orton tried his back-suplex drop on the table, but Zayn backflipped out and begged for a respite. He dove in and out of the ring to dodge Orton. Zayn listened to some wisdom from Owens, then tried to ambush Orton. The Viper blocked Zayn’s blow and fired off some more rights. The match spilled outside as Orton shoved Zayn into the barricade. Zayn’s chops had no affect as Orton shrugged them off, then dropped Zayn with one European uppercut.
Orton slammed Zayn’s head three times into the announce table. He then dropped Sami back-first onto the announce table; it looked like Zayn came down on a monitor. Orton slung Zayn inside the ring, then turned his attention to Owens. As the Apex Predator approached his helpless target, Zayn knocked Orton to the ground with a baseball slide. Sporting a nasty bruise on his back, Zayn ran Orton into the stairs. He brought Orton into the ring and scored a two-count. An angry Zayn bashed Orton with forearms, then heaved him outside the ring near Owens. A locked-up Owens taunted Orton as we go to our final break.
Zayn worked a reverse chinlock upon our return, then punched Orton back down when he tried to counter. Orton appeared drained as Zayn whipped him into the corner, only to uncoil and spring to life with two clotheslines. Zayn missed his own clothesline and ran into a powerslam. Orton went for the rope-drape DDT, but Zayn dropped his throat across the top-rope. Zayn looked under the ring and found bolt-cutters. He tried to spring Owens, but was foiled by Orton’s attack. The Viper added injury to insult by ramming Owens into the ringpost. When Orton grabbed the bolt-cutters, however, Zayn struck him from behind. With Orton back in the ring, Zayn ascended the top rope. He then landed painfully on that top rope when Orton took his legs out. Orton executed a noticeably vertical superplex. Both men were slow to rise. Meanwhile, Owens grabbed the bolt-cutters and freed himself.
Finally unleashed, KO got onto the ring apron and ate a clothesline from Orton. Randy played matador by sidestepping Zayn, who tumbled to the apron. Orton got all of a rope-drape DDT. He pounded the mat in anticipation, then had to head off Owens from entering the ring. As Orton attempted to DDT Owens, Zayn schoolboyed him for a near-fall. Zayn argued for a three-count, then was forced to ward off an RKO attempt by pushing Orton to the corner. Sami missed a Helluva Kick, and Orton schoolboyed him for the win.
Result: Randy Orton pinned Sami Zayn with a schoolboy rollup.
Grade: B
Owens waited until the referee raised Orton’s hand in victory, then attacked him from behind. The Canadians double-teamed Orton with punches and stomps. Shinsuke Nakamura ran to the ring to intervene. He tagged Owens with a flying kick, then rocked Zayn with a big forearm and ax kick. Nakamura neutralized Owens with a wheel kick. He lined up the Kinshasa and connected. Back on his feet, Orton toyed with a wobbly Zayn, smiling before stunning him with an RKO. Orton and Nakamura shook hands. Shinsuke handed off Owens to Orton for another RKO. Orton paid him back by holding up Zayn for a Kinshasa. The announce team floated Nakamura as an (obvious) option for Orton’s mystery partner at Clash of Champions.
Backstage, Shane and Bryan watched a monitor. McMahon credited the main event (and its fallout) as one of the most satisfying finishes to any SmackDown Live show. Bryan asked if he was done punishing Zayn and Owens. Shane dismissed that notion, telling Bryan that he was just getting warmed up. McMahon named himself as special guest referee for the Zayn/Owens tag-team match at Clash of Champions. If they lost, they’d be fired from all of WWE. Bryan stared at him stoically as Shane walked away. Obvious foreshadowing there…
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