– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown opens live from the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. Tom Phillips welcomes us. He’s joined by Corey Graves and Byron Saxton.
– We go right to the ring and out first comes Charlotte Flair as Greg Hamilton does the introductions. Becky Lynch is out next, followed by SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella.
Carmella says the only thing more absurd than SmackDown General Manager Paige forcing her to defend the title in a Triple Threat at SummerSlam is Paige forcing her to be here for this face-to-face-to-face. Carmella is tired of their faces and tired of being done wrong but life is amazing. Carmella addresses Becky first and says she doesn’t stand a chance at SummerSlam now. Carmella says maybe Becky should go back to her job of being a clown because that’s the only thing she does better than Flair. Becky admits she doesn’t want Flair in the match because Flair is so good. Becky goes on and Carmella interrupts, continuing to try and cause tension. Flair cuts her off and says Carmella knows she can’t beat anyone in the division so she has to pull stunts to keep the title.
Carmella starts talking about how she’s better looking and has more charisma. She also has the title. Fans boo her. The music interrupts and out comes Paige to a pop. Paige orders Carmella to the announce table to do what she does best – talk. She says Flair and Becky will show Carmella how it’s done with a tag team match. She introduces their opponents and out first comes Mandy Rose. Sonya Deville is out next. We go to commercial.
Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville vs. Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair
Back from the break and the bell rings. Carmella is on commentary. Flair starts off with Deville and they go at it, trading shots and holds.
They trade more counters and face off as fans pop. Flair taunts Deville with a strut. Flair ducks a shot and unloads with chops now, taking it to the corner. Flair tags in Becky for a quick double team. Becky drops a leg and an elbow on Deville, and another leg. Becky with a 2 count in the middle of the ring. Mandy tags in and goes at it with Becky. Mandy goes for the leg but Becky counters. Mandy shows off some and dropkicks Becky. Becky shows off some now and nails a dropkick of her own. Flair tags in for more double teaming. Flair covers for a quick pin attempt. Mandy counters a move and slams Flair down by her hair. Deville tags in and they double team Flair but she counters.and Flair kicks Deville and nails a big overhead throw. Deville rolls out to the floor. Becky tags in and jumps off the apron with a right hand to Deville.
Becky brings Deville back into the ring and covers for a 2 count. Flair tags back in and nails Deville from the rose, then drops Mandy off the apron. Flair fights back in for a 2 count on Deville. Mandy tags in for double teaming in the corner. Deville comes back in but Flair rolls her up. Mandy tags in and breaks it with a knee to the face of Flair. Mandy stands tall as we go to commercial.
Back from the break and Becky kicks out of a 2 count by Deville. Rose comes in and takes control, slamming Becky hard to the mat. Deville comes back in and they keep control of Becky with frequent tags. Deville keeps Becky down with a body-scissors now. Becky gets out and goes for a tag but Deville stops her. Becky tries again and nails an enziguri to drop Deville.
Flair rallies the crowd for the hot tag. Rose runs in and swings at Flair on the apron but she ducks. Becky unloads on Rose with a clothesline and a dropkick. Becky with a kick and an uppercut next. Becky hits the Bexploder suplex on Rose next. Becky with more offense for a 2 count as Deville runs in. Becky stops the pin and drops Deville. Becky baseball slides Deville as she’s on the floor. Becky with a 2 count after another Bexploder as she controls the match for her team without tagging. Becky applies the Dis-Arm-Her on Rose for the win.
Winners: Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair
– After the match, Flair joins Becky in the middle of the ring and they stand tall. Carmella stands on the announce table and raises the title, taunting Flair and Becky.
– Still to come, a three-part look at the Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz rivalry but first we have a clip of Miz and Maryse at their home. They talk about the success of Miz & Mrs, announcing that the USA Network has ordered a second season. They thank everyone for tuning in and promise that the second season will be like nothing we’ve ever seen. We go to commercial.
– Back from the break and we see Charlotte Flair backstage with Becky Lynch. Flair congratulates Becky on the win but says she didn’t have to do it all by herself. There’s some tension teased. Flair says may the best woman win on Sunday at SummerSlam in the Triple Threat and Becky says no worries, she will. Becky walks off.
2-on-3 Handicap Match: The Bludgeon Brothers vs. The Triple Threat
We go to the ring and there are three local enhancement talents waiting. Their individual names aren’t announced but the group is going by The Triple Threat. Out next come SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Bludgeon Brothers.
Harper and Rowan immediately attack and take out two of the jobbers. They hit the double crucifix bomb in the middle of the ring on the other guy. They run to the floor and destroy the other two jobbers, knocking them together and slamming one on top of the other after a few big power moves. The assault continues before they enter the ring and take out the third guy again. The bell rang before The Triple Threat was introduced but Graves says the match never started and there was no pin. Harper and Rowan just stand tall as we go to replays.
– The announcers lead us to the first of a three-part look at The Miz vs. Daniel Bryan, focusing on their time in the early days of WWE NXT, the Rookies & Pros version.
The New Day vs. SAnitY
We go to the ring and out comes SAnitY – Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe and Killian Dain. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and out comes The New Day – birthday boy Kofi Kingston, Big E and Xavier Woods. Big E starts off with Young as fans start chanting “Happy Birthday” to Kofi. Big E slams Young first and taunts him with some dancing. Young goes to work and takes Big E down with an elbow. Big E catches Young with a belly-to-belly suplex for a 2 count. Kofi tags in for the double team but Young kicks out at 2.
Wolfe ends up helping Kofi crash out to the floor. Wolfe slams Kofi face-first on the apron and brings him back into the ring for a 2 count. Dain tags in as the screen splits with a promo for the WWE Universal Title match at SummerSlam. We come back and Dain knocks Kofi out of the air with a big flying kick, preventing a tag. Dain beats Kofi around now. Dain with a fisherman’s suplex now. Wolfe tags in for a big double team move with Dain but Kofi kicks out at 2. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and Kofi counters Dain and hits a big DDT. Woods tags in and unloads. Wolfe tags in next but Woods keeps up the offense. Woods with an enziguri from the apron to Wolfe. Woods comes back in and hits a big DDT for a 2 count that Young breaks up with a big top rope elbow drop. Dain runs in and knocks Kofi and Big E off the apron. Young tags in and slams Woods onto Wolfe’s knees. Young covers but Woods kicks out at 2.
Dain tags in and kicks Woods in the face. Woods fights back with chops to Dain. Dain whips him in the corner but Woods knocks Wolfe off the apron. Dain catches Woods for a close 2 count as Big E break sit up. Big E with a big overhead suplex to Young. Wolfe floors Big E but Kofi hits Trouble In Paradise on Wolfe. Dain sends Kofi to the apron but Kofi goes to the top. Kofi leaps out to the floor, taking down Young and Wolfe instead. Dain gets booted. Big E tags in and scoops Dain as Woods comes off the top rope with The Midnight Hour. Big E covers for the win.
Winners: The New Day
– After the match, The New Day stands tall in the middle of the ring as their music hits. We go to replays.
– The announcers lead us to part two of the special look at the rivalry between The Miz and Daniel Bryan, which includes footage of their infamous Talking Smack exchange.
– Still to come, Jeff Hardy returns to action and more hype for SummerSlam. We go back to commercial.
– Back from the break and Paige stops Samoa Joe as he comes out of his locker room. Paige says Joe and AJ Styles had the chance to address the WWE Universe separately tonight but he refused. She doesn’t want him to ruin her SummerSlam main event so she needs him to be professional tonight. Joe ends up promising Paige that he will do whatever he wants, when he wants to. Joe says Paige, Styles and the rest of the WWE Universe will have to deal with the consequences. Joe teases that he will just sit in the back and watch the show as he goes into the locker room.
Aiden English vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas
We go back to the ring and Aiden English has a mic. We see recent happenings between Rusev, Lana, Aiden English, Zelina Vega and Andrade “Cien” Almas. English starts singing about making amends for letting down his friends. They show Rusev and Lana watching backstage. English continues singing to boos and says he will make Almas pay tonight because he fights for Rusev Day. More fans cheer now. The music interrupts and out comes Almas with Vega. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and Almas is in control. Almas with a 2 count as Vega cheers him on. English counters with a clothesline. English goes to the top and hits a big Frogsplash for a close 2 count.
Almas rocks English coming back into the ring and hits a back elbow. Almas drops English in the corner and charges in with the big running knees. Almas hits the hammerlock DDT for the easy win.
Winner: Andrade “Cien” Almas
– After the match, Vega enters the ring and joins Almas for the celebration. We go to replays. Vega takes the mic and tells everyone to mark their calendars because on Sunday it will be… Almas takes over and says it will be the end of Rusev Day. Vega adds that it will be the end of Lana Day also because she plans to expose Lana for what she really is – dead weight that is bringing down her husband. The music interrupts and out comes Rusev with Lana. Rusev accuses them of acting like they just won the lottery. Rusev says Almas’ luck runs out this Sunday and Vega will learn why Lana is the best, Lana’s #1. Fans star the chant for Lana now. Lana says together they will crush Almas and Vega because this year, SummerSlam falls on Rusev Day.
– AJ Styles is backstage in Paige’s office. Paige asks AJ to stay professional tonight so their SummerSlam main event isn’t in jeopardy. Paige says people look up to AJ and she needs him to keep it together tonight. AJ says he made his wife a promise and he will keep it tonight. Styles walks out.
– We see Jeff Hardy backstage. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and we get the final part of the three-part look at the feud between Daniel Bryan and The Miz. The announcers hype their SummerSlam match.
Jeff Hardy vs. Shelton Benjamin
We go back to the ring and Shelton Benjamin is waiting. Jeff Hardy is out next to a pop. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and Benjamin is in control. Shelton clubs Hardy back down and keeps him grounded in the middle of the ring. The screen splits with a promo for the RAW Women’s Title match at SummerSlam. We come back and Hardy looks to make a comeback, nailing a Whisper In the Wind for a close 2 count. Hardy and Shelton trade shots now. Hardy avoids a kick and drops Shelton. Hardy takes Shelton down again and hits the signature leg drop and low dropkick for another 2 count.
Fans do a “delete!” chant now but Shelton blocks the Twist of Date. Hardy blocks a kick and sends Benjamin back into the corner. Shelton scoops Hardy but Hardy counters with a neckbreaker. Hardy takes off his shirt and the crowd pops as he goes to the top. Benjamin runs up and nails a big knee, knocking Hardy down on the top. Shelton climbs up for a superplex and he nails it. Hardy kicks out at 2.
Hardy keeps control and hits a Slingblade now. Hardy nails the Twist of Fate and quickly splashes Shelton on the mat for the pin.
Winner: Jeff Hardy
– After the match, Hardy’s victory celebration is interrupted as the music hits and out comes WWE United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura. Shelton tries to take advantage of the distraction with a sneak attack but Hardy blocks it and knocks him out of the ring. Nakamura rushes the ring and nails a knee to the spine from the back. Nakamura charges for a Kinshasa but Hardy blocks it and hits a Twist of Fate. Hardy goes to the top and nails the Swanton Bomb for a big pop. Hardy’s music hits and he stands tall. The camera shows Randy Orton lurking over near the stage, watching Hardy make his exit. Orton ducks back out of sight.
– The announcers hype the SummerSlam card for Sunday’s big pay-per-view on the WWE Network.
– We go to the ring and out comes WWE Champion AJ Styles. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and Styles is in the ring with a mic. He goes to speak but fans start chanting his name. Styles says he is blessed because for almost 20 years he’s been able to travel the world and compete against the best sports entertainment has had to offer. AJ puts over the WWE Title and says there’s a reason why it’s so hard to hold – because of the pressure that the title holder is put under. Styles says Samoa Joe hit his pressure points because he’s a mastermind. Styles says it started when Joe blindsided him three weeks ago. We see a replay of the attack.
AJ says right when he thought he knew Joe, Joe stabbed him in the back and then stabbed him in the heart. AJ shows us a replay of the recent promo that had Joe sending AJ a “personal message” with comments on his family. AJ talks about Joe speaking on his family and says he felt that as a man, a father and a husband, he had to defend himself. He got emotional and Joe took him to a place he never wanted to go, a dark place where he wanted to rip Joe’s head off. AJ says then he got home where he could hold his wife and kids. His wife Wendy told him that he can’t lose his cool like he did, the family loves him and respects what he does but he has to stay focused. AJ goes on but the music interrupts and out comes Joe in a suit.
Joe speaks from the stage and says AJ just told the fans a lovely tale but they both know he wasn’t telling the truth. Joe tells AJ to relax because he wants to help AJ keep his promise to his wife. Joe has a letter from a fan that he thought AJ needs to hear. The letter was written to Joe and says Joe’s comments made him physically ill but because they were true. The fan used to be the biggest AJ fan in the world but it was now clear that AJ never wanted kids or a wife. The fan believes AJ will do anything to become champion to stay away from his family. The fan prays Joe wins at SummerSlam so AJ can feel what it’s like to lose what he loves the most, because the fan lost AJ a long time ago. Joe reads the end of the letter and it’s supposedly signed by Wendy Styles, AJ’s wife. Joe’s music hits as he and AJ stare each other down, AJ in the ring and Joe still on the stage. The final SmackDown before SummerSlam goes off the air.
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