This edition of SmackDown Live was set to be a really big show as Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn continue to be WWE’s whipping boys and there are three new females on the SmackDown roster running amok. Let’s see what’s going to happen.
Opening Segment
Shane McMahon immediately came out and announced everyone bleeds blue in Lexington Ky which is … because of their Kentucky Wildcat team. McMahon started talking about Owens and Zayn saying they didn’t bleed blue and this got boos.
Then Shane started talking about what Daniel Bryan did instead of fire them both last week. McMahon introduced Daniel Bryan so he could explain himself.
Bryan said McMahon lets his feelings get ahead of him. Then Shane brought up all the things KO has done to hurt his feelings and “betray the SmackDown roster.”
Daniel Bryan tried to explain why they did those things and it was to grab the brass ring. Byran said he sees real talent and said if they fire them then they’ll just end up on Raw (or New Japan even though he didn’t say that). Shane said to let them go to Raw so they could be Stephanie’s problem.
Bryan said if Shane wants a “yes man” then Daniel Bryan isn’t his guy which is ironic because he’s made yelling “yes” famous. Bryan said if Shane wants a guy who can recognize real talent then he’s your guy.
McMahon said Bryan wasn’t fired but did applaud him for booking KO vs RKO for that night’s show. Then he said the “Newsies paperboy” which by the way Newsies and Paperboy is the same thing… anyway, Sami’s banned from ringside and the match is a no DQ now.
Backstage Segment
Kevin and Sami were walking backstage and Zayn was talking about how they’re stacking the deck. They ran across Daniel Bryan and told him he needed to sort this out. Bryan got testy and asked who they were to make demands of him. He said they’re not the only ones trying to keep their jobs around here.
New Day vs Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin
The Usos were sitting at ringside and Big E brought them pancakes and syrup. Yup.
The New Day took control early on with some fast offense and tagging in and out. Then Shelty got a tag without Woods seeing it, but he certainly knew Benjamin was the legal man once he took a kick to the head.
After taking some abuse for a few minutes, Woods hit a jawbreaking in an attempt to gain an upper hand. But Shelty picked Woods up, tagged into Gable, and Chad hit Woods with a knee to the head off the top rope, ran over to knock Kofi off the apron and pinned Xavier for a two count.
Woods and Gable ended up on the top turnbuckle but Woods fought both Gable and Shelty off and hit Chad Gable with a nice missile dropkick off the top rope and made the tag to Kofi.
Shelton took some abuse from Kofi in rapid fashion after that. Kofi nailed Shelty with a high cross body off the top rope and hit Shelty with a hammering blow off the ropes. Kofi hit the Boom Drop and started the clapping. Benjamin caught Kofi during the Trouble In Paradise but ended outside, as did Gable. Woods got the tag and hit a flipping dive over the top rope to the floor.
Shelton Benjamin was soon set up for the Up Up Down Down and took a pinfall.
Winner: The New Day via pinfall
Backstage Segment
Naomi and Charlotte Flair were backstage talking about how they’re going to get even against Ruby Riott, Sarah Logan, and Liv Morgan. Suddenly Natalya was there and Charlotte said she should sit this one out.
Nattie said they may be big fish in a small pond in NXT but tonight they’re in the bottom of the foodchain. Flair said nobody will remember their names tonight which is odd seeing how WWE added an extra “t” to Ruby Riott’s name just today.
Hype Bros vs Bludgeon Brothers
Harper and Rowan came out with hammers in tow. They’re not travling with those huge hammers to house shows so this must be something the extra crew needs to keep track of.
This was a very quick match. Harper and Rowan won with no problem after delivering their double team crucifix slam deal on Zack Ryder.
Winners: The Bludgeon Brothers via pinfall
After the match was over Ryder was interviewed and said The Hype Bros need to change. Suddenly Mojo jumped him and beat The Zack Attack down. Mojo was asked backstage why he attacked Ryder and he replied, “the landscape has changed.” Neat!
Bobby Roode and Baron Corbin had a little face to face backstage where Bobby said if Corbin isn’t scared of him then he should put that US Title on the line against him tonight.
“No” Corbin replied and he walked off. Classic Corbin.
AJ Styles vs The Singh Brothers
Jinder jumped AJ before the bell could ring. They ganged up on The Phenomenal One and drove his body into the post. As AJ fell to the floor outside, the commentary team wondered if they would be able to have a match which usually means a match is going to happen anyway.
The Singh Brothers dominated AJ for a good bit and then AJ Styles ended up hitting an amazing Styles Clash off the top rope onto the other Singh Brother for the win.
Winner: AJ Styles via pinfall
After the match was over, Jinder Mahal hit a Singh Brother with the Khallas while the crowd chanted “you still suck.” He picked up the other Singh Brother and hit him with a Khallas as well. One of those bumps looked bad too because one of the Singh Brothers landed right on their elbow after a botches Khallas.
Charlotte Flair, Naomi, and Natalya vs The Riott Squad
Yup, Ruby Riott (with two t’s), Liv Morgan, and Sarah Logan are now known as the Riott Squad.
Logan speared Nattie hard and caused her to powder out after tagging in Charlotte. Nattie said she wanted nothing to do with this match.
Flair took it to Liv Morgan with some chops after avoiding her attempt at gaining an upper hand once tagged in.
This match became pretty much a mugging with Morgan and Logan ganging up against Naomi on the outside. They propped up the steel stairs against the barricade and Morgan launched Naomi’s face into the bottom of the steps. It looks like a killshot from where I saw things.
Charlotte tried to fight off all three women but Riott hit her with a finisher and got the win.
Winners: The Riott Squad via pinfall
This was a very strong way to start these women off with a bang. Naomi was taken out on a stretcher too which was a nice touch to add to their destructive allure.
The Fashion Files
They did a Saw parody and it was amazing because that’s what they do. These guys do amazing bits on television and wrestle at house shows. The Ascension are becoming pretty great regulars in these sketches as well.
Randy Orton vs Kevin Owens (No DQ Match)
Orton took it to Owens right off the bat and tried for an RKO. Owens ran off but Orton chased him down. KO took some abuse from Orton on the outside and ended up flying over the announce table.
Orton grabbed a kendo stick and cracked Kevin as the audio needed to be bleeped for profanity. Owens took another shot to the stomach and then another across the back. Owens swore again and they had to bleep the audio.
Randy Orton was really bringing it to KO. The Viper picked up another kendo stick and beat Owens all around his body with his new toy.
KO took a suplex to the barricade and Orton tossed him back in the ring. Owens rolled through the ring and grabbed his own kendo stick. He hit Orton with this new stick when Orton stepped on the apron and took it to Orton on the outside.
These two ended up on the ground together writhing in pain, it was pretty violent, to be honest. Once they returned to the ring, KO kept up the abuse attacking Randy Orton with shots with the kendo stick and his fists.
RKO hit a thumb to the eye in order to gain an advantage. KO tossed Orton to the mat and hit a senton for a two count. Orton wound up laying in the corner but he moved when KO went to a cannonball.
Orton propped Kevin up on the top rope but KO fought back. Orton hit a series of headbutts to weaken KO and hit a superplex. The one superplex of the show… have you ever noticed how there’s usually one superplex during the main event of every episode of SmackDown Live?
The crowd chanted “we want tables” as the two fought on. Orton his a signature powerslam for a two count and KO rolled to the apron. Orton grabbed Owens and prepped him for his drapping DDT, but Kevin stepped through.
The two ended up on the outside fighting again and Owens took another suplex into the barricade. Randy suplex Kevin onto the announce table but it didn’t break.
Orton smiled and tossed KO back in the ring. He readied himself for the RKO but Owens rolled outside and jumped the barricade. Owens left through the crowd but Randy followed him.
They fought on the entrance set and Owens rolled down the ramp. Suddenly Sami Zayn showed up with a steel chair and hammered Orton with it several times.
Corey Graves brought up the fact that Zayn was banned from ringside but they weren’t at ringside, they were on the ramp. With Orton laid out and injured after so many chair shots, Kevin Owens rolled Orton back in the ring.
But Orton grabbed KO and hit his drapping DDT on the Prizefighter. Orton popped up on his feet and was soon on his belly ready for an RKO. Owens blocked the RKO and chopblocked Orton. Kevin hit a superkick and climbed to the top where he hit a bullfrog splash for the win.
Winner: Kevin Owens via pinfall
