WWE SmackDown Live Results And Recap 4/24/18

It’s time for SmackDown Live as the WWE Superstar Shake-Up settles down and Louisville, Kentucky played host to a great night of WWE action. We’re on our way to the Greatest Royal Rumble so only time will tell how different things will be for WWE’s Blue Brand when next week rolls around.

Opening Segment – Miz TV

The Miz came out and received a great reaction and then he got on the mic to make sure he got plenty of heat by asking the crowd, “are you done?” and then he put up his hand and asked if they know what it means, “then I suggest you do it.”

He took his time because screaming, “you will welcome me back to SmackDown Live!” The A-Lister is back on SmackDown Live and now it’s the A Show once again. Then he said he had to admit that there is something missing and that’s a title.

The Miz said he will break a record by holding the IC Title for the 9th time at the Greatest Royal Rumble and it is the most coveted title in WWE because he made it that.

But The Miz said that is in three days and the moment is now and now is the moment the world has been waiting for. The Miz used his new daughter to get heat saying that when his daughter Monroe looked back at him with a pureness and innocence it melted all of The Miz’s resentment away. He wonders why Daniel Bryan has resentment unless he and Birdie don’t have that kind of connection. The Miz said he’s the star of a hit tv series Miz and Mrs even though they’ve never aired an episode. He said everyone is going to watch it whether they boo him or not. Then The Miz brought out Daniel Bryan after an excellent introduction involving saying that he’s the better man now that he has a daughter so if Daniel Bryan wants to punch him in the face then he can come out and punch him in the face.

But Daniel Bryan didn’t come out. The crowd started to chant for him, but Daniel wasn’t coming out… but Big Cass sure did while wearing a custom suit.

The Miz asked if he could help Cass and he said since The Miz doesn’t have a guest then he’s the guest. Big Cass said nobody cared about Daniel Bryan. He said the day he was cleared from his ACL injury was the same day Daniel Bryan was cleared and nobody was talking about Big Cass.

Cass said he is living in the shadow of that “ordinary little man” and The Miz said Big Cass said he didn’t need his help dealing with D-Bry. Cass said not everything in this world is about him.

The Miz jumped up and started listing his accomplishments including being a Grand Slam Winner and staring in The Marine 6. He said this is a what have you done for me lately business and all Cass has done lately is hobble around on a bum knee.

Big Cass said Daniel Bryan looks like a trash man and Daniel Bryan deals everyone trash by saying they can chase their dreams. He said he knows what it’s like to be a little guy because when he was 16 he was bullied and pushed around and then he started to grow because he was tired of being small… which is how growing works. Then he said he beat the hell out of anyone who beat him up.

He said Daniel Bryan reminds him of himself when he was a little guy and he despises him. Cass said he didn’t have to work the bingo halls, the indie scene, Japan, or around the world “because I’m tall, educated, and damn good looking and that makes me valuable that makes me a star that makes me money. But yet I still live in the shadow of Daniel Bryan. Well, not for long because I’m going to make sure Daniel Bryan goes back to where he belongs on the shelf beaten, battered, bruised and retired. And he will never cast a shadow over me or anybody else ever again.”

Then Cass did some “yes” chants in a mocking fashion, dropped the microphone and left.

Backstage they showed Asuka and Becky Lynch walking backstage and they say Daniel Bryan laying on the ground holding his body while surrounded by WWE officials. They asked for a trainer. This can’t be good. When they came back from commercial break they said that Daniel Bryan has been taken to the trainer’s room

SmackDown Gets IIconic

Billie and Peyton messed around a little bit about how hot they look in the ring and then pointed at themselves on the big screen. They said that the camera loves them. Then Peyton did a Becky Lynch impression that was kind of bad.

Then they started ripping on Asuka and they drew the conclusion that since Charlotte Flair beat Asuka at Mania and they helped end Flair’s title reign then they’re better than Asuka. “It’s just science!”

They called Asuka the Empress Of Yesterday and then Becky Lynch came out to interrupt them so they couldn’t say anything else.

Corey Graves said The IIconics’ match checked out perfectly though.

Asuka and Becky Lynch vs The IIconics

It’s hard to think that Billie or Peyton could really beat these two but crazier things have happened before.

Becky started things off for the babyface team and took it to the IIconics and then Asuka tagged in to lite them up for a big with kicks and punches. Then Becky got the tag and Billie started to gain an advantage as Peyton hit a cheap shot from the outside.

Becky sold for Billie Kay for a bit and then Becky fought both IIconic members off and got the tag to Asuka who took Peyton down with a dropkick and soon got a standing ankle lock on her. Asuka hit a German suplex and a hip attack before tagging Becky Lynch. They hit a double team takedown and scared Billie Kay off.

Becky accidentally bumped into Asuka but continued to take the fight to Peyton Royse. She ended up on the apron and nailed Peyton with a punch and kicked Billie Kay but Becky was distracted and Peyton hit a cheap shot.

Then Peyton rolled Becky Lynch up with her foot on the ropes and stole a win. Yep, it’s hard to imagine but it happened so Asuka lost to the IIconics.

Winners: IIconics via pinfall

Renee Young was backstage in front of Shane McMahon’s office saying they were looking for an update on Daniel Bryan. Then AJ Styles walked out saying he was pumped for the Greatest Royal Rumble.

He can’t wait to face Shinsuke Nakamura and plans on softening him up tonight but he has Rusev Day as his partners. So AJ has a set of partners and it’s going to be Too Sweet which means Gallows and Anderson is back with Styles and that’s just amazing news.

Nomi went to her husband Jimmy and apologized for stepping in front of him like she did last week. She said she looked at Harper and Rowan and they have no souls. He told her not to worry and they had a Notebook moment before Uce left.

Jimmy Uso vs Rowan

Rowan started this match out with a murderous dropkick followed by a pummeling. Jey tried to hit a splash off the apron on Harper but he ducked and hit a big boot.

Jimmy went for a suicide dive on Rowan but he was just grabbed out of the air and planted. Uce used his speed to do what he could, but when they ended up in the ring and Jimmy jumped to the top rope, Erick Rowan just shoved him off and sent him falling then he followed it up with a big boot on the outside.

The Blugeon Brothers aren’t anything to mess with… but Naomi is. Suddenly as Rowan had Jimmy up in his arms, Naomi’s music hit and she danced on the entrance ramp and did her slide turning the KFC Center into a club and distracting the Bludgeon Brothers.

Jey dropkicked Harper into the stairs and Jimmy jumped on Rowan and hit a small package pin for the win. Naomi’s music kept playing the whole time while the Usos celebrated.

One thing is for sure, they won’t be able to pull that stunt at the Greatest Royal Rumble because women aren’t allowed to perform.

Women’s Contract Signing

Renee Young was in the ring now and she introduced Carmella who came out with Cleopatra and she had a wonderful time coming to the ring. This contract signing is for a match at Backlash and not the Greatest Royal Rumble for obvious reasons.

Carmella said “that is so disrespectful” when speaking to the audience who were chanting things to her that weren’t very PG. She said she shouldn’t be introduced first because she’s the champion. She said it’s not Charlotte’s kingdom anymore it’s her’s.

Then she said she had something to address before Flair came down and it got boring. Mella had a wonderful time pointing out the fact that she’s the champion and it was great to see as she spoke about her Mellabration from last week. Then she complained that nobody gave her a standing ovation after her highlight reel during her Mellabration because it was a masterpiece.

Then she wanted to play the same highlight reel again but demanded the crowd give her the celebration she deserves “I can’t wait to see this again,” Corey Graves said. Then they played her entire highlight reel and Graves was the only one giving a standing ovation. Mella said the response wasn’t good enough so we’re going to watch it again. So they played it again as the crowd booed uncontrollably until Charlotte cut it off midway through. “I could have watched that for the rest of the show!” Graves shouted as The Nature Girl walked to the ring.

Flair simply sat down in her seat at the table which was set up in the ring as Mella shoved her title in Charlotte’s face and shouted, “I’m the champ!” Then she threw out a bunch of Ric Flair wooo’s.

Renee said now that they’re both out there it’s time to make it official. Flair didn’t say a word before smiling and signing her contract. Then she looked at Mella and shouted “wooo!” Flair grabbed Mella’s head and bounced it off the table and then she flipped the table over on her before walking off as her music played.

It didn’t look like Mella even had a chance to sign her contract but apparently, Todd Phillips said that she did when they came back from commercial so yeah, Corey Graves seemed happy about that.

Shelton Benjamin vs …

Jeff stopped at the entrance ramp before going to the ring and then Randy Orton came out and walked past Jeff Hardy to get to the ring.

Phillips brought up the fact that Shelton and Randy were both in the OVW class of 2002 in Louisville, Kentucky which was really cool to hear.

Shelton and Randy wrestled around for a bit. Benjamin reversed Orton’s draping DDT and kicked him mercilessly until he fell off the apron. They took their fight to the floor and Rand-O had his head bounced off the announce table.

Then Shelton moved into the ring and as Orton followed he was hit with a jumping knee to send him back outside.

Orton rolled in the ring right on time and Shelton laid some boots on him until he got him into a headlock. Jeff Hardy was on commentary this whole time by the way, but he wasn’t saying much.

Orton got to his feet and out of the headlock but Benjamin landed another kick for a two count. Shelton tried to continue his assault but Orton turned it into a suplex to create some separation. Orton soon hit a powerslam and a draping DDT.

When Randy got down for the RKO, Shelton rolled out of the ring. Randy bounced his head off the announce table and looked like he was going to throw him on Hardy but Jeff moved so Orton suplexed Shelton on him.

Suddenly a masked man jumped over the barricade and hit a chop block on Jeff Hardy, he got in the ring and Orton took his mark off to reveal a Singh Brother. He got an RKO but then as Orton got up, Benjamin hit the Pay Dirt and got the win.

Winner: Shelton Benjamin via pinfall

The New Day were shown backstage dining on pancakes and celebrating the release of their new book. Yay.

Suddenly, The Bar walked in saying, “well, well, well.” They said as soon as they win the Raw Tag Team Titles back then they’ll soon be out of their hair.

The New Day said they smelled bad like burnt wood and then they touched their pancakes. As they left The New Day were left trying to figure out what The Bar’s hand sign means.

AJ Styles was in the locker room and then Gallows and Anderson walked in like we knew they would. But it was Too Sweet to see them back together.

Daniel Bryan Update

Daniel Bryan walked out of the trainer’s room and he said the doctors are just taking precautions and he’ll be good for the Greatest Royal Rumble match. But he said he got blindsided by a seven-foot coward and he asked Paige for a match against Big Cass at Backlash and he got it.

Daniel said he’s going to show Big Cass it doesn’t matter how big you are because everybody’s the same size when you’re on the mat and taping out.

The Club vs Rusev Day and Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura has new music he debuted tonight which was a remix of his old music done by the rock band Shadows Of The Sun. It was very nice actually and the fans were even more into a heel Nakamura which might not have been the intention but that’s what they got.

The babyfaces took advantage of this match early on although it’s hard to really tell who the real babyfaces are in this match even though it’s supposed to be Rusev Day and Nakamura.

The heels came back when Rusev hit a Machka Kick on Styles when he was caught off guard. Aiden got the tag and stomped down on the Phenomenal One as Phillips put Aiden over as someone who started on Broadway and ended up in the wrestling ring.

Then they went to a split screen to run an advertisement for the Greatest Royal Rumble just like they did last night during Raw while Shinsuke Nakamura got the tag and started taking it to AJ. He hit the Good Vibrations and continued the assault on Styles with some more stiff kicks.

Rusev got the tag and took some shot at Styles until he hit another kick and tagged Aiden English in who immediately pinned AJ for the two count. Styles returned with a dropkick but Rusev got the tag and stopped him. Then AJ hit a Pele Kick and tagged in Gallows.

Luke took it to Aiden English and hit a splash. Karl got involved and ate a ring post with his shoulder. Then Gallows was left alone in the ring with Nakamura who hit a Kinshasa for the win. They played his sick new remix while he celebrated but AJ jumped him and the two fought a little until AJ Styles hit another low blow which is just his go-to move now.

Then Nakamura set up and went for a Kinshasa but Karl Anderson jumped in the ring and took the knee for his Good Brother. Nakamura kicked Styles and looked down at Anderson who he picked up and then he gestured to “come one.” Then he hit another savage Kinshasa knee strike to Karl Anderson right in front of AJ.

Then they got to play more of Shinsuke Nakamura’s nice new remix of his entrance music.

Winners: The Heels