Tonight’s WWE SmackDown opens live from the Bankers Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana as Tom Phillips welcomes us. He’s joined by Corey Graves and Byron Saxton. They hype Super Show-Down fallout and tonight’s World Cup qualifiers – Randy Orton vs. Big Show and Samoa Joe vs. Jeff Hardy.
SmackDown Women’s Title Match: Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch
We go right to the ring and both competitors are already in the ring – Charlotte Flair and SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch. Greg Hamilton does formal ring introductions. Becky gets the bigger pop. Becky will lose the title if she’s disqualified tonight.
The bell rings and they lock up. They break and taunt, talk some trash. They lock up again and trade holds. Fans do dueling chants now. Flair looks to go for the Figure Four but Becky avoids it. Becky talks some more trash and shoves Flair. Flair ends up slamming Becky but Becky comes right back and works her over in the corners. Flair turns it back around but Becky drops her in the corner with a kick. Becky with more offense and a quick pin attempt. Becky drops a leg and mocks the Flair strut. Becky with another leg drop. Flair blocks the next but Becky keeps control. They collide with clothesline attempts and both go down.
More back and forth between the two. Becky connects with a knee to the face. Becky goes for the Dis-Arm-Her but Flair takes her down. Becky takes Flair back down and puts a knee to her face to keep her down. Flair looks to turn it around on the mat and ends up catapulting Becky into the turnbuckle. Becky ends up on the floor and Flair follows to keep control. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and Flair goes to the top but Becky slams her to the mat. Flair continues to clutch her arm as Becky weakens it for the submission. They tangle in the middle of the ring and Becky rocks her with a fist full of hair. Becky with a Bexploder suplex for a close 2 count. Flair unloads with chops in the middle of the ring now, knocking Becky into the ropes. Flair with a big back suplex. Flair is slow to make the cover but she kips up and stumbles around.
Flair goes back to the top but Becky yanks her by the leg, bringing her face first into the mat. Becky goes to the top now. Becky leaps but Flair moves out of the way. Flair rolls her for a 2 count. Becky drops Flair with an enziguri. Becky goes back to the top but Flair knocks her off by hitting the top rope. Flair approaches but Becky rocks her from the top. Becky rolls Flair from the top rope to the mat, applying an armbar. Flair fights it and powers up, slamming Becky with a sitdown powerbomb for a 2 count. We go back to commercial.
Back from the break and Flair goes for the Figure Four but Becky kicks her face into the turnbuckles. Becky ends up grabbing her title and walking away, trying to get counted out. Flair stops h er and brings her back into the ring. Flair ends up going into the referee and he’s distracted now. Flair gets dropped. Becky picks up the title and the referee sees her raising it in the air, thinking she was using it when she wasn’t. Becky argues with him. Flair rolls her up and they trade pin attempts. Flair with a big Spear. Becky rolls out of the ring to the floor as the referee counts. Fans chant “this is awesome” now.
Flair goes back to the top and tries for a big moonsault on the floor but Becky moves. Flair lands hard on the floor. Becky tosses Flair into the barrier. Becky returns to the ring as the referee starts counting again. Flair goes to make it in at the 9 count as Becky tries to kick her. Flair side steps and Becky misses, falling out on the floor. Flair slams Becky on the floor and brings it back into the ring. Flair with a Natural Selection. Flair goes for the pin but Becky tolls back to the floor. The referee starts counting. Flair brings Becky back over but Becky sends her into the apron and ring post. The referee counts as they both go down on the floor again. They tangle and Becky sends Flair into the barrier. They both get counted out.
Double Count Out
After the bell, Becky walks up the ramp but Flair chases her and comes from behind.. Officials try to break it up. Flair runs back up to the stage and hits a Spear through the LED boards. Adam Pearce and other WWE officials are out to check on them both. Pearce calls for a trainer as Flair is laid out on top of Becky. We go to replays and the announcers play up the seriousness of the situation.
– Still to come, Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles appear on MizTV. Also, World Cup qualifying matches with Big Show vs. Randy Orton and Samoa Joe vs. Jeff Hardy. We see Hardy backstage applying his paint. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and the announcers talk about Lynch and Flair being tended to by trainers in the back.
WWE World Cup Qualifier: Samoa Joe vs. Jeff Hardy
We go to the ring and out first comes Jeff Hardy for this WWE World Cup tournament qualifying match. We cut to a video package on Hardy. Samoa Joe is out next and they also air a video package for him.
The bell rings and Joe goes to work on Hardy. Hardy ends up turning it around and sending Joe to the outside early on. We go to commercial with Joe regrouping on the outside.
We are back and Joe with a chop but Jeff bounces off the ropes with a punch. Joe with a back elbow and Hardy goes down hard. Joe works on the neck and tries to squeeze Jeff’s head. Hardy with elbows but Joe pulls Hardy down by the hair and hits a back senton for a near fall. Joe with jabs followed by a snap mare and then he stretches Hardy. Hardy with elbows and punches to Joe. Joe with a running forearm to the top of the head followed by a reverse atomic drop and leg drop to the leg.
Joe sends Hardy into the ring steps but when he goes for a kick to the head, Hardy misses and Joe kicks the ring steps. Hardy with a punch and elbows to the injured knee followed by a leg drop to the leg. Hardy with kicks to the leg and he continues to put pressure on the left knee. Joe with a punch that knocks Hardy down. Joe cannot get back to his feet and the referee stops the match because Joe cannot get back to his feet.
Winner: Jeff Hardy (by referee stoppage)
After the match, Hardy’s music hits as he stands tall. Hardy joins John Cena and WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle as World Cup competitors.
– The announcers lead us to a video package on Randy Orton. He will face Big Show in a World Cup qualifier tonight. Also, Aiden English will reveal more “One Night In Milwaukee” footage.
– The announcers show us a video package for next Tuesday’s Evolution reunion at SmackDown 1000.
– We go to the ring and out comes The Miz for another must see edition of MizTV. Back to commercial.
– Paige is in the back and she mentions the need for medical attention for Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch. Becky and Charlotte will meet again at Evolution. The match will take place in a Last Woman Standing Match.
MizTV:
Miz is in the ring for MizTV and he welcomes everyone. Miz says that Paige warned him that he must be professional because of his two guests tonight. In four weeks, at Crown Jewel, his two guests will be competing for the WWE Championship. Miz brings out AJ Styles first.
Miz asks AJ about his family. Miz says he has a kid as well and Miz says that his heart went out to AJ after what Joe put him through. Now AJ is defending his title against a different opponent. An opponent who will not play psychological games, won’t attack you from behind, and if he came to your house, he would tend your garden. You are getting a by the book Boy Scout… Daniel Bryan.
They shake hands and Miz says that respect is the last thing people want to see for the biggest prize in Sports Entertainment.
Daniel asks Miz if he wants to talk about their match from Saturday. Daniel says it won’t take very long.
Miz says he will remain professional. Miz asks AJ about how Daniel ranks among his challengers over the last 11 months. AJ says that Joe has been his greatest competitor. He made it personal. AJ says this match will be between the ropes in the House that AJ Styles Built. Miz says that AJ says that he is better than everyone including Daniel Bryan.
Daniel is asked to respond and says that AJ did not say it. Daniel says he is glad that AJ thinks he is better. Daniel says he wants to beat a worthy opponent and nobody in the WWE has proven more worthy because he has defended the most coveted title in the WWE for more than 300 days. Daniel says that AJ has earned the right to think he is better than Daniel. Daniel says he has a lot to prove and he is glad that AJ thinks he can beat him. Daniel says he knows he can beat AJ Styles.
Miz says that Daniel says he knows he can beat AJ. AJ says he means no disrespect but AJ says Daniel has not faced anyone who is phenomenal.
Daniel says he likes that they are having fun at the expense of the two minute man, but the truth is that this WWE Championship match is the kind of thing why he fought so hard to come back. Daniel talked about fighting for his dreams, but he never talked about his dream. His dream was not to have psychological warfare, reform Team Hell No, or fight this jerk. The dream he was fighting for was… The WWE Championship. The only thing standing in the way between him and his dream is AJ Styles.
AJ gets up and stands face to face with Daniel while Miz sits back in his seat. AJ says he is not moving. Not for Daniel and not for anybody. Miz says it took them long enough to do something interesting. AJ has a question for Daniel, how good does it feel to punch Miz in the face. Daniel says it feels great. AJ says he knocked Miz’ tooth out.
Miz says that it is obvious that they would be too bored with each other to talk about Miz. Miz says that Daniel beat him with a fluke small package. He went to Paige for a rematch but she said no. Miz says he beat Daniel week after week and then you win with that rollup. Miz says that he knocked Bryan out when he won. Miz says that AJ is just like Daniel but with a southern accent. He says the WWE Championship is less relevant than ever. Look in the mirror to see why the WWE Championship is not the main event. Regardless of who wins at Crown Jewel, he’s got next. Miz says you are not facing him tonight. You are facing the man who beat Daniel Bryan last week. Good luck champ.
AJ Styles vs. Shelton Benjamin
The music hits as Shelton Benjamin makes his way out for this non-title match. WWE Champion AJ Styles looks on as we go back to commercial.
AJ with a waist lock as the match is joined in progress. Shelton blocks an arm drag and then sends AJ to the mat. Shelton with a splash into the corner and he gets a near fall. Shelton with a reverse chin lock. Styles with a jaw breaker but Benjamin with a back body drop and Benjamin gets a near fall. Shelton with shoulders in the corner. AJ with forearms. Shelton with an Irish whip but he misses a splash. Benjamin misses a dragon whip but AJ connects with a Pele Kick. Styles sets for the Styles Clash but Shelton blocks it and gets AJ on his shoulders and goes for a suplex but AJ lands on his feet.
AJ goes to the apron and he sets for a springboard move and Benjamin with a knee to knock AJ to the floor. Benjamin sends AJ into the ringside barrier and matrix board. Shelton Irish whips AJ into the ringside barrier and returns to the ring to stop the referee’s count. They return to the ring and Benjamin gets a near fall. Benjamin with a reverse chin lock and body scissors. AJ with elbows but Shelton sends AJ to the mat.
Shelton puts AJ on the turnbuckles and sets for a superplex but AJ ducks under and hits an Electric Chair Drop and both men are down. AJ with clotheslines and strikes before hitting a third clothesline. Styles with a sliding forearm. Styles with a flying clothesline into the corner. Benjamin goes for a suplex but Styles lands on his feet. Styles with a Calf Crusher but Benjamin gets to the ropes. Benjamin with knees to the midsection but AJ kicks Benjamin in the leg. Benjamin sends AJ to the apron and AJ with a forearm. Styles with a Phenomenal Forearm for the three count.
Winner: AJ Styles
– We have a video package for Big Show. We go to commercial.
– Still to come, Randy Orton vs. Big Show in a World Cup qualifying match. The announcers lead us to a video package on Show. Also tonight, Aiden English has more evidence against Lana. We go to commercial.
In the Arena:
Back from the break and Aiden English is in the ring. He says he showed us a glimpse at “One Night In Milwaukee” last week and it got him six-figure offers. He has a better idea – tonight he will show us the Director’s Cut.
We see the same video that we saw last week. Lana entered English’s room and said “I want you…” but we now see that she said “I want you to know how much you mean to Rusev.” Lana went on about how Rusev appreciates English for how he’s helped his career. English added that both Rusev and Lana mean the world to him. The video ended as English appeared to touch Lana’s arm. English knows we want to see the rest of the video but he has a proposition. English calls Rusev out to the ring and here he comes with a mic.
English says he will destroy the video if Rusev kicks Lana to the curb and if he gives the world what it wants – the reunion of Rusev Day. Lana comes out behind Rusev as he walks down the ramp. Rusev says this is serious and English should show the full tape. English says this is a family show and he believes no man should see that. Lana says she will show the full tape if English won’t. English asks how she’s going to do that. Rusev says English got hacked. Lana says it was easier because his password was “iheartrusev.” She calls for the video to be played and English protests. English tried to put the moves on Lana but she told him he was confused. Lana walked out of the hotel room as English stammered, trying to apologize. English says fine, they got him… but hey Lana, the offer is still on the table. English says Lana can come treat herself to an Aiden night when she gets tired of those boring Rusev days. Rusev charges the ring and English runs. Rusev catches him at the timekeeper’s area and drops him. They go to the ring and Rusev goes for a Machka Kick but English escapes to the floor. Lana and Rusev stand tall in the ring and look on at English on the ramp.
– The announcers lead us to a promo for Rey Mysterio’s return at next week’s SmackDown 1000 event. Rey will compete against WWE United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura in a non-title World Cup qualifier next week.
– We see Big Show headed to the ring for tonight’s main event. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and the announcers plug WWE’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month campaign with Susan G. Komen.
WWE World Cup Qualifying Match: Randy Orton vs. Big Show
We go to the ring and out first comes Big Show for tonight’s main event. The winner will earn a spot in the WWE World Cup tournament at Crown Jewel. Randy Orton is next.
The bell rings and Orton tries to back Show in the corner but Show fights out and decks him. Orton goes to the floor for a breather as Show yells out. Orton tries to sneak back into the ring but Show catches him. Orton looks on from the floor as we go back to commercial.
We are back and Show has Orton by the throat but Orton escapes and hits a DDT. Orton gets a near fall. Orton with the Garvin Stomp to Show and then he applies a reverse chin lock. Show with a belly-to-back suplex to escape. Show with a clothesline followed by a second one and a hip strike into the corner. Show with a shoulder tackle. Orton goes to the floor and Show follows. Show grabs Orton and sends him back into the ring.
Orton with a drop kick as Show tries to get back into the ring and Orton hits an IEDDT for a near fall. Orton sets for the running kick but Show with a spear and he gets a near fall. Show sets for the knockout punch but Orton goes to the floor. Show tries to bring Orton back into the ring and he pulls Orton to the apron and back into the ring. Show goes for a choke slam and hits it for a near fall.
Show winds up for the punch but Orton goes to the floor again. The referee warns Show but Show grabs Orton again. Orton with a thumb to the eye and then he hits an RKO for the three count.
Winner: Randy Orton
We go to credits.
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