— WWE has announced Finn Balor vs. Baron Corbin for next Friday’s SmackDown episode from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.
As noted, tonight’s SmackDown featured a SummerSlam contract signing for a match between Balor and WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. Corbin attacked Balor before he could sign the contract, and laid him out at ringside. Corbin then went to sign the contract to put himself in the SummerSlam main event, but John Cena rushed the ring and took Corbin out, signing the contract himself to get the title match with Reigns in Las Vegas. You can click here for photos, videos and more from the segment.
It was speculated that Balor vs. Corbin may take place at SummerSlam, but WWE later announced the match for next Friday night. No other matches have been announced for next Friday’s SmackDown as of this writing, but Cena is scheduled to appear.
— Pat McAfee paid tribute to the late great WWE Hall of Famer “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig on tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown.
Soon after Sasha Banks made her comeback, cameras cut to McAfee and Michael Cole who previewed the rest of the show and recapped Reginald’s 24/7 Championship victory from a few weeks ago on RAW. That’s when McAfee did the signature Mr. Perfect pencil flip.
After SmackDown went off the air, McAfee confirmed that he was paying homage to Hennig, who was from the Minnesota area, where SmackDown was held.
McAfee wrote the following caption via Twitter:
Got to pay tribute to an absolute legend in Minnesota tonight… That crowd was INSANE by the way.. damn near… Perfect. #SmackDAHN #SmackDOWN
Hennig was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007, four years after he tragically passed at the age of 44.
