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With the Superstar Shake-up happening just last week and both the Greatest Royal Rumble and Backlash right around the corner, this week's SmackDown looked to be huge - and it did not disappoint.
With the announcement that Daniel Bryan and The Miz would be face-to-face in the ring, this edition of SmackDown was destined to be explosive...
The Miz TV has an unexpected guest
And that's how SmackDown Live kicked off. Miz returned to the blue brand to bring back Miz TV, proclaiming that the A-Lister would make SmackDown the A show again.
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Miz introduced his guest, Daniel Bryan, as the man who threatened to punch him in the face - but not before reminding the WWE Universe that he relinquished the Intercontinental Championship - the belt missing from Miz's waist but the belt he vowed to win back this Friday.
The eight-time Intercontinental Champion noted that Bryan holds a grudge against him because of the Talking Smack segment, claiming the show got cancelled because he moved to Raw. Miz also claimed that becoming a father made him a better man, but that the same couldn't be said for the Yes man.
Miz said if Bryan wanted to come to the ring and punch him in the face, then he had a free invite to do so... But Big Cass' music hit instead with the seven-footer making his way to the ring suited up.
Miz asked if he could help Cass, with Cass saying Miz didn't seem to have a guest, so he was taking his place as nobody cares about Daniel Bryan. Cass said he worked to get back to the ring for seven months and he got cleared on the same day as Bryan and is living in the shadow of that "ordinary little man".
Cass and Miz then went back and forth before the former NXT man said he'd shut Miz's mouth once and for all - but the pair united in both being enemies of Daniel Bryan. Cass said he used to be small like Daniel Bryan, but then he grew and he didn't need to go elsewhere before WWE because he is tall, educated and good before vowing to never let Daniel Bryan cast a shadow over him, or anyone else ever again.
We then cut backstage to see Becky Lynch and Asuka making their way to the ring for her upcoming match, but Daniel Bryan was seen laid out on the floor.
Becky Lynch and Asuka vs The IIconics
Before the match, the IIconics cut a promo mocking Becky Lynch, using some pretty convoluted logic to make the point that they were better than Asuka - as they had helped Charlotte to lose the title, and Charlotte had beaten Asuka at WrestleMania.
Asuka and Billie Kay started things off with a lockup, the pair exchanged wrist locks and reversals before Asuka hit a snapmare which Billie Kay also countered. Asuka tried to hit the IIconic with a kick but Kay evaded it before Becky came into the ring and took over. Becky and Asuka took over and looked to be on top.
Billie managed to reverse an Asuka back heel kick before tagging in Peyton Royce, who slapped the Empress of Tomorrow. Asuka merely smiled back before attacking Royce.
Becky tagged back in and the pair exchange some heavy strikes. Becky hit a springboard kick and an exploder before Billie Kay tagged in and took over. Kay and Royce dominated with some impressive teamwork, tagging in and out.
Asuka and Peyton tagged back in and the former NXT Champion dropped both IIconics before she applied an ankle lock to Royce. Billie Kay tried to save her partner, but Asuka hit a German suplex and a hip attack. Becky tagged back in and the pair hit a double hip toss, Asuka hit a kick and Becky hit a leg drop - but miscommunication saw Becky bump into Asuka.
Becky hit some impressive strikes but Peyton sent the Lass Kicker into the turnbuckle and picked up the win with her feet on the ropes.
Winners: Billie Kay and Peyton Royce
The camera cut to Renee Young standing outside Shane McMahon's office door, stating that she was there to get an update on Daniel Bryan - but AJ Styles left the office instead. The WWE Champion said he was in a good mood because he's a happy guy and he'll get his hands on Nakamura in three days.
We then found out that AJ Styles would team up with The Club to face off against Shinsuke Nakamura, Rusev and Aiden English later in the night.
Next up, we saw a package on former NXT Champion Andrade "Cien" Almas.
Jimmy Uso vs Erick Rowan
Before the match, we saw the Usos backstage preparing for Jimmy's one on one match. Jimmy asks his wife, Naomi, to stay away from the ring no matter what tonight.
Naomi said she doesn't apologise for last week, and she looked Harper and Rowan in the eyes and saw nothing. Naomi said she knows it's part and parcel of their profession to get hurt, but that she has a bad feeling, but Jimmy reassured his wife by saying Jey has his back.
The second the bell rang, Rowan dropkicked Uso before headbutting him. Harper hit Jimmy from the outside before wiping out Jimmy. Uso got some momentum but was caught in Rowan's arms as he tried to dive out of the ring, but reversed the catch to drive Rowan into the steel post.
After a crossbody off the top only got a near fall, Jimmy tried to come off the top turnbuckle again, only to eat some barricade on the outside thanks to the Bludgeon Brother.
Rowan picked up Jimmy Uso only for the lights to go out and Naomi's music to hit...
Instead of being concerned, though, Naomi came out to her usual routine, seemingly distracting the Bludgeon Brothers. Jimmy rolled up Erick Rowan and picked up the win heading into their Tag Team Championship match on Friday.
Winner: Jimmy Uso
Carmella vs Charlotte Backlash Contract Signing
Renee Young introduced the Women's Champion to the ring, but Carmella grabbed the microphone before she could introduce Charlotte and accused Renee of being disrespectful by announcing the champion before the challenger.
Carmella said, last week, she gave the WWE Universe a Mella-bration and played a fabulous highlight reel of her accomplishments, but when it was over, no-one gave her a standing ovation so she plays the same clip but demands a standing ovation. Obviously, the crowd did not oblige, so the Women's Champion said she was going to play it again... and again, and again until the crowd obliged.
Halfway through the second playthrough, though, Charlotte interrupted the clip and made her way to the ring, sitting on her chair while Carmella shoved the belt in her face and strutting. Renee begged Carmella to take a seat and Charlotte completely no sold the taunts, before the Women's Champion eventually sat down.
Charlotte signed and shouted "Woo!" at Carmella, but when Carmella tried to react, Charlotte slammed her face into the desk and flipped the desk onto her before walking out
We then cut to Charly Caruso standing outside Nakamura's dressing room. Aiden English came out but when Caruso said, "Aiden..." He simply responded, "No interviews" before we cut to Jeff Hardy making his way to the ring. We also find out Carmella signed the contract while off air too.
Randy Orton vs Shelton Benjamin
Next up, we thought we were going to see Jeff Hardy face off against Shelton Benjamin, but in a throwback to last week, as Hardy made his way to the ring, Randy Orton's music hit and the Viper glided past the United States Champion without so much as eye contact. Hardy took his place at ringside to watch the match.
The pair exchanged some strikes but Randy Orton went for an RKO super early, only for Benjamin to counter and take over, pummelling Orton into the corner. Orton hit back with some uppercuts and Benjamin fell to the outside. Orton tried for the apron DDT but Benjamin snapped his arm on the ropes before unleashing some brutal knees to Orton's face, with the Viper falling out of the ring in front of Hardy.
Back from commercial break, we saw that Benjamin had hit Orton with a knee from inside the ring to Orton, knocking him off the apron - and Benjamin had a rear naked choke on Orton back in the ring, with Orton reversing to be hit with a spinning heel kick and put back in the choke hold. Orton managed to counter with a suplex to go back to square one.
Orton hit Benjamin with clotheslines and a snap powerslam before finally hitting his patented apron DDT, setting up for the RKO - but Benjamin spotted it and slithered to the outside.
Orton followed and slammed Benjamin on the announce table, with Jeff Hardy moving out of the way only to see Benjamin slammed once more.
A masked man attacked Hardy on the outside before security forced him to take the only path into the ring. Orton unmasked the man as Sunil Singh and gave him an RKO - but the distraction allowed Benjamin to pick up the win.
Winner: Shelton Benjamin
We then cut backstage where The New Day were around a table, eating pancakes and, well, drinking Booty-O's out of wine glasses. The Bar interrupt and say they're winning back the Raw Tag Team Championships on Friday and moving back to Monday nights.
Kofi toasted that announcement before Sheamus said the competition on SmackDown doesn't stack up, grabbing a handful of pancakes, but he put them down before leaving - only to jump back in with the "We are the Bar" catchphrase.
We then saw AJ Styles reunite with The Club and "too sweet" ahead of their match and we also saw a video package on SAnitY.
Renee Young finally got an update on Daniel Bryan. The former General Manager said he was blindsided by Cass and will get a match with him at Backlash, but he'll be back at the Greatest Royal Rumble as he's come back from worse than this.
Joe then cut a promo from backstage on Rollins and Balor, saying he'll win the Intercontinental Championship on Friday then watch Reigns be massacred on Friday - but said if Reigns wins the title, he'll be waiting for him at Backlash.
AJ Styles, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows vs Shinsuke Nakamura, Rusev and Aiden English
In the night's main event, we saw The Club reunite as AJ Styles had two familiar faces join him for a six-man tag team match.
Aiden English cut a promo introducing Rusev, on Rusev Day, to try and spoil the reunion party alongside AJ Styles' opponent for the Greatest Royal Rumble Shinsuke Nakamura - whose theme has been remixed.
Styles hit Nakamura off the apron before pulling English into the ring.
It looked like Styles and the Good Brothers had never been apart as the trio all fluently tagged in and out, mauling Aiden English before Rusev tried to save his partner - only to face a similar fate with the Club hitting a too sweet in the middle of the ring.
After the break, we saw Anderson hit Rusev with a knee and tag in Styles, who takes over. After striking the Bulgarian Brute, Styles goes after English and Nakamura. Rusev hit the Phenomenal One with a jumping thrust kick and English tagged in - with Rusev Day taking over, tagging in and out and going to work on the WWE Champion.
AJ Styles hit English with a dropkick to try to get back in the match, only for English to make the tag to Rusev first, but Styles hit Rusev with a Pele Kick and got the tag to Gallows as English tagged back in too. Gallows hit English with a pump handle slam and a big splash, but Rusev broke it up. Anderson tried to help but got wiped out, before Gallows got rid of English. Nakamura, though, had got a blind tag and hit the Kinshasa on Gallows, picking up the win.
Styles hit back, but Nakamura went for what he knows best and hit Styles with a low blow, setting up for the Kinshasa - but Anderson took the bullet, sacrificing himself.
Nakamura taunted both men as they were down and Nakamura hit another Kinshasa on Anderson in front of the WWE Champion.
Winners: Shinsuke Nakamura, Rusev and Aiden English
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