onight’s WWE SmackDown opens up with a graphic in memory of Matt “Rosey” Anoa’i. The former WWE Tag Team Champion passed away at the age of 47 on Monday.
– We get a video package looking at last week’s “Superstar Shakeup” episode.
– We go right to the ring and out comes Charlotte Flair. Tom Phillips welcomes us. He’s joined by JBL and Byron Saxton.
Charlotte takes the mic and says The Queen arrived to SmackDown 7 days ago. 7 days and she’s already lost her patience. Charlotte asks what’s taking so long, did Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan go on vacation? She hopes they have had fun because they’re about to feel the fury of a scorned queen. She asks why she hasn’t been given a SmackDown Women’s Title shot yet. Charlotte says she’s only going to ask one more time… what is taking so long? The music hits and out comes SmackDown Women’s Champion Naomi.
Naomi reminds Charlotte where she’s at. She goes on and says she’s been watching Charlotte for a long time. She hates to see Charlotte begging like this. Naomi is going to give Charlotte what she wants because she’s never scared. Naomi lays the title down and says they’re going to do this right here, right now… Naomi decks Charlotte in the face and tackles her. Charlotte goes to the floor as a referee runs down. She goes back to the apron talking trash but Naomi knocks her to the floor. The music hits and out comes the SmackDown Commissioner.
Shane gets a pop from the crowd and says we’re going to see these two fight tonight. Shane says this is SmackDown and Superstars have to earn their shots, despite their resume and pedigree. Shane says if she can beat Naomi tonight, she will become the #1 contender and get a title shot next week. Shane wishes them both the best of luck. His music hits and Charlotte looks on. Charlotte goes back in the ring and unloads on Naomi. Charlotte dumps Naomi to the floor and stands tall with the title. Naomi comes back in and sends Charlotte to the floor. Naomi raises her title as her music hits.
– Still to come, a Six-Pack Challenge to crown a new #1 contender with Erick Rowan, Luke Harper, Jinder Mahal, Sami Zayn, Mojo Rawley and Dolph Ziggler. We go to commercial.
Backstage:
Back from the break and Natalya is in Shane’s office. She’s not happy with Charlotte receiving special treatment. No one deserves a shot but her. Shane says she had one at WrestleMania 33 but if she wants a singles shot all she has to do is ask for one. They go on and in comes Carmella with James Ellsworth. She agrees about Charlotte and no one deserves to be the face of the division but her. Tamina Snuka is in next. She wants to know about her title shot. They all argue. Natalya says management has their own plans but she has one of her own. She walks off with Carmella and Tamina to explain.
Six-Pack Challenge to Crown a New #1 Contender: Dolph Ziggler vs. Erick Rowan vs. Luke Harper vs. Mojo Rawley vs. Jinder Mahal vs. Sami Zayn
We go to the ring and out first comes Dolph Ziggler followed by Erick Rowan. Jinder Mahal is out next. Mojo Rawley is out next followed by Luke Harper. Sami Zayn is out last to a pop.
The bell rings and everyone goes at it. Sami works Harper over int he corner. Jinder takes Mojo to a corner. Rowan drops Ziggler. Jinder sends Mojo to the floor and follows. The ring empties and Harper goes at it with Ziggler. Harper gets the upperhand and covers for a 2 count. Rowan comes in and nails Harper. Harper keeps control and hits a senton for a 2 count. Sami comes in but Harper drops him for a 2 count. We go to commercial with bodies everywhere.
We are back and it is time for a superplex from Rawley to Ziggler. They fall to the floor. Harper superplexes Rowan and they go to the floor. Zayn with a sunset flip power bomb to Mahal for a near fall. Zayn goes for the Blue Thunder Bomb to Ziggler but Ziggler blocks it. Ziggler with super kicks to Zayn and then Harper. Harper with a clothesline for a near fall. Rowan with a power bomb to Harper. Mahal with a rollup for a near fall. Mahal and Rowan go for clotheslines at the same time and both men are down. Rawley with a shoudler tackle to Mahal and then Zayn ducks and Rawley goes over the top rope to the floor.
Harper sends Zayn to the floor and then Harper wtih a suicide dive to Mahal and then he returns to the ring for a suicide dive on Rawley and Zayn. Ziggler drop kicks Harper off the apron and Ziggler runs into a spinning heel kick from Rowan for a near fall. Rowan power bombs Ziggler onto everyone on the floor. Rowan sends Zayn back into the ring and he gets a near fall. Rowan sends Zayn to the floor and Harper returns to the ring as we go to commercial.
We are back and Ziggler and Rawley are in the ring. Ziggler with a head butt and Rawley avoids a neck breaker and hits a series of shoulder tackles. Rawley with a Stinger Splash but Ziggler with an uppercut. Rawley catches Ziggler off the turnbuckles and then sends Ziggler to the mat. Rawley knocks Rowan off the apron. Rawley with a running forearm and Mahal sends Rawley to the floor. Zayn breaks up Mahal’s cover. Mahal with a Harley Race knee but Rowan with a uranage to Mahal for a near fall. Rowan with a forearm to Harper but Harper punches Rowan from the turnbuckles. Ziggler sends Rowan into Harper on the turnbuckles and Ziggler with a Zig Zag to Rowan but Rowan kicks out.
Ziggler with a drop kick to Harper but Harper counters a Fameasser into a sit out power bomb and Harper gets a near fall. Harper signals that it is over but Mahal pulls Harper to the floor and then he sends Harper into the ring steps. Mahal misses a shoulder in the corner and hits the ring post and goes to the floor. Zayn with a flip dive onto Harper. Rowan grabs Zayn on the apron but Rawley with a shoulder tackle. Zayn with an Arabian Press onto Rawley. Zayn with an Exploder to Mahal in the corner. Zayn sets for the Helluva Kick but the Bollywood Boys grab Zayn’s legs and Mahal with a cobra clutch slam for the three count.
Winner and NEW #1 Contender: Jinder Mahal
After the match, Renee Young interviews Jinder. Jinder says you want to boo the Majarajah. You boo because he is not the stereotypical All American. Is it because of his family wealth? It is because he speaks two languages? You Americans do not accept diversity but you have no choice but to accept Jinder Mahal as your next WWE Champion.
Randy Orton’s music plays and he makes his way onto the stage.
Randy says he guesses congratulations are in order. You have won the jackpot, but your prize won’t be this title. Orton enters the ring. The only prize you have awarded yourself is an RKO from yours truly. Before he puts his hands on Jinder, he has to deal with another thorn in his side. Randy says he does not know what a House of Horrors Match is, but if it is like the last house you took him to, he will burn it down as well.
Bray Wyatt appears on the TitanTron and he tells Randy he wants him to feel his pain. He wants Randy to feel his suffering. All of the agony that he has had to endure, orchestrated by your hand. Still, none of these things will compare to what you will face in his House of Horrors. You don’t understand what you are getting yourself into. You may walk into the House of Horrors as the viper, but he promises Randy he will never walk out. Never… RUN! We go to commercial.
– We are back with a Shinsuke Nakamura video package.
Backstage:
Renee Young is with AJ Styles. She asks him about his US Title Match and who would he prefer to face. AJ says it does not matter because he has the home court advantage. This is the show that AJ Styles built.
Baron Corbin interrupts and Renee says that she is interviewing AJ. Baron asks why is Renee interviewing him. AJ reminds Baron that he beat Baron and Sami last week. Baron says he stood up to Kevin last week and then AJ and Sami stuck their noses into the situation. AJ says if Baron wants an encore, he can beat Baron tonight. Baron accepts and says that AJ asked for this.
Backstage:
Charlotte walks in teh back and she is confronted with a united front. Natalya welcomes Charlotte to Smackdown. Ellsworth says they are humbled to be in the presence of such greatness. Charlotte walks past them and bumps into Carmella. We go to commercial.
Charlotte Flair vs. Naomi (if Charlotte wins, she gets a title match next week Match)
They lock up and Charlotte with a clean break but she responds with a discus forearm and kicks in the corner. Charlotte tosses Naomi across the ring by the hair and she gets a near fall. Charlotte with a snap mare and reverse chin lock.
We see the Charlotte Flair Welcoming Committee looking at each other while a monitor is behind them with the match.
Charlotte maintains the reverse chin lock but Naomi with a hammer lock. Naomi with a double leg take down and a near fall. Naomi with a back slide for a near fall. Naomi with a wrist lock. Charlotte with a cartwheel and leg sweep for a near fall. Charlotte with a figure four head scissors and she drives Naomi’s head into the mat. Charlotte gets a near fall and then she rolls Naomi around the ring while holding on to the figure four head scissors. Naomi gets a near fall with a rollup.
Charlotte with a knee and she sends Naomi to the mat and gets Naomi in a reverse chin lock. Naomi with a head scissors take down and a leg drop for a near fall. Charlotte with a running chop but Naomi wtih a kick to the leg. Charlotte with more chops and Naomi with more kicks and then Naomi goes Speedball with the kicks and then she hits a round kick for a near fall. Charlotte goes for a power bomb but Naomi is able to counter and they both go over the top rope to the floor on a head scissors. We go to commercial.
We are back and Charlotte with a series of back breakers while Naomi is in a Dragon Sleeper.
We go back to the rest of the Women’s Division and Ellsworth watching something besides the monitor in the back.
Charlotte with a leg drop for a near fall. Charlotte with a belly-to-back suplex for a near fall. Charlotte pulls down the knee pad and she connects with a series of knee drops and she gets a near fall. Charlotte sends Naomi into the turnbuckles and Naomi lands on her feet on a belly-to-back suplex attempt. Naomi goes for a sunset flip but Charlotte with a knee drop and she gets a near fall. Charlotte misses a Flair knee drop when Naomi moves. Naomi with an elbow.
Charlotte tries to send Naomi to the apron but Naomi with a round kick. Naomi with a rollup. Naomi with foraerms followed by kicks and a head scissors. Naomi with a clothesline followed by a stunner out of a wheelbarrow. Charlotte sends Naomi to the apron and Naomi with a round kick and Naomi hits a cross body for a near fall. Naomi gets Charlotte on her shoulders and goes for a round kick but Charlotte with a chop. Naomi goes for Rear View but Charlotte with a kick to the back and she hits Natural Selection for the three count.
Winner: Charlotte Flair
– Chad Gable and Jason Jordan walk in the back as we go to commercial.
– We are back and Charlotte Flair walks in the back and she is confronted by the Welcoming Committee again, but she walks past.
The Shining Stars vs. American Alpha
Gable and Primo start things off and Gable with a waist lock take down followed by crossfaces. Jordan tags in and he hits a double sledge from the turnbuckles. Jordan sends Epico into the air and Gable tags in. Gable is sent into the ring post after Epico distracts the referee. Epico tags in and he punches Gable. Epico with a butterfly gutbuster and he punches Jordan. Epico with a reverse chin lock. Gable with an arm drag but Epico with a clothesline.
Epico slaps Gable on the turnbuckles but Gable with a triangle on the arm in the ropes. Jordan tags in and he hits a clothesline on Epico followed by a drop kick to Primo. Jordan with an overhead belly-to-belly to Epico followed by a running shoulder for a near fall. Gable clotheslines Primo over the top rope. Primo with a round kick to Jordan when the referee was not looking and Epico gets the three count.
Winners: The Shining Stars
– We take a look back at the end of the Number One Contender Match for the WWE Title and the interference by the Bollywood Boyz.
– We see a Lana dancing on the stage video package. Back to commercial.
Backstage:
We are back and Tye Dillinger is in the interview area. He is asked about what gives him such a positive response. Tye says he has a few ideas, but he has something that can explain things ten times better than he can. We see a video package for Tye. Tye says that is why they call him the Perfect Ten.
– It is time for the Face of America Open Challenge and the United States Champion Kevin Owens makes his way to the ring.
Kevin tells Greg Hamilton to leave because he is not good. Kevin introduces himself as the Face of America Champion and being from Quebec.
Kevin Owens vs. Gary Gandy in a Face of America Challenge Match
Owens with kicks and forearms. Owens with punches and a slap. Owens with a pop up power bomb for the three count.
Winner: Kevin Owens
After the match, Owens tells all of the lazy citizens of the United States to put their hot dogs down, shut up and listen to him. Kevin says as long as he is your United States Champion, he will remain the Face of America. Kevin says Chris Jericho will not take that from him. AJ Styles will not take it from him. No one will take it from him. Kevin says that we will get some Canadian analysis for this main event. Kevin speaks in French and takes his spot at the announce table.
Baron Corbin vs. AJ Styles
The music hits and out comes Baron Corbin as Owens takes a seat. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and Austin Aries is backstage with a promo to hype his match against TJ Perkins on 205 Live tonight. Corbin waits in the ring as AJ Styles makes his way out to a pop. We get a look back at AJ becoming #1 contender to Owens last week.
Styles with a kick to the leg. Corbin blocks a kick and he sends Styles to the mat but he misses stomps when Styles moves. Corbin misses a kick and Styles wtih kicks to the leg. Corbin with a forearm and Styles goes down. Styles with a sleeper as he gets on Corbin’s back and Baron backs AJ into the corner. Corbin sends Styles to the floor and AJ ends up in front of the announce table. Corbin goes to the floor and AJ goes into the ring. Styles tries for a sliding knee but Corbin blocks it and he hot shots AJ onto the apron. We go to commercial.
We are back and Corbin with a half nelson and chin lock. We see Corbin clotheslining Styles when he returned to the ring after sliding to the floor on an Irish whip. Styles with punches but Corbin sends Styles ribs first into the ring post. Corbin goes to the floor and he runs Styles back first into the apron. Corbin has some words for Owens before returning to the ring. Corbin kicks Styles but Styles with chops. Corbin with a punch and Styles goes down to a knee.
Corbin runs into boots from Styles and he connects with a forearm. Corbin with a forearm. Corbin slides to the floor but Styles side steps Corbin when he returns to the ring and Corbin goes shoulder first into the ring post. Styles wtih strikes to Corbin followed by a Pele Kick. Styles with a clothesline into the corner and he gets Corbin up but Corbin escapes. Styles wtih a kick to the leg followed by a flying forearm for a near fall.
Styles sets for the Styles Clash but Corbin pushes AJ away and Corbin with a choke breaker for a near fall. Styles with the Calf Crusher but Corbin gets to the ropes to force Styles to release the hold. Corbin kicks Styles away and then he hits Deep Six for a near fall. Corbin charges at Styles and goes over the top rope to the floor when Styles ducks. Styles with a forearm to Corbin and then he goes to the apron and hits a sliding knee. They both go to the floor.
Styles sets for a Styles Clash on the floor but Corbin counters with a back body drop onto Owens. Corbin goes for End of Days on the floor but Styles counters and hits a kick. Styles with a forearm off the apron that sends Corbin into the crowd and then Styles gets into the ring before the ten count.
Winner: AJ Styles (by count out)
After the match, AJ’s music hits as he has his arm raised. Owens is upset as we go to replays.
