SmackDown Live comes to us from Wells Fargo Center in Des Moines and we can look forward to kicking off the show with Renee Young’s interview of ‘The Artist’ known as Shinsuke Nakamura. AJ Styles takes on Baron Corbin and SmackDown’s newest recruit, Charlotte, takes on the Women’s Champion Naomi in a Title match. We also look forward to the SmackDown Live Tag Team division’s Beat The Clock challenge, to determine the number one contenders to challenge the Usos.
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Without further ado, let’s take a look at the complete results from the go-home show before Payback!
Renee Young interviews Shinsuke Nakamura (Dolph Ziggler interference)
No sooner has Nakamura made his entrance, and Renee prepared to ask the first question, Ziggler’s music hits and he spoils the party. Renee Young exits the ring and Ziggler goes on a weird rant, referencing an old Simpson’s episode and Michael Jackson in an attempt to troll Nakamura.
Nakamura replies in kind, forcing Ziggler to kick him in the stomach. But Nakamura ends the segment standing tall as retaliates and sends Ziggler packing.
AJ Styles vs Baron Corbin (Kevin Owens is on commentary)
The usual banter from Kevin Owens about how USA is lucky to have him as its ‘face’ before both AJ Styles and Baron Corbin get it on in the ring. The crowd is obviously behind AJ here, but Corbin overpowers Styles early and takes control of the match by kneeing him out of the ring.
We return from the break to find that Corbin is as dominant as ever, not letting Styles even get a foothold in the match. He tries to Superplex Styles, but being the quicker and more ring-savvy man, AJ escapes from underneath his legs before knocking Corbin on the backfoot with a Pelle kick.
Styles sets him up for a Styles clash, but Corbin powers out of it. Undeterred, Styles tries a Phenomenal forearm, but Owens gets involved from outside. Styles kicks him off and rolls up Corbin for the win.
Owens and Corbin double team AJ after the match, only for Sami Zayn to make the save. Zayn Helluva Kicks Corbin out of the ring but Owens blindsides him and hits a Pop-up Powerbomb on Styles to end the segment.
AJ Styles def. Baron Corbin via pinfall
American Alpha vs The Colons (Beat the Clock challenge)
The Colons ( who are basically Primo and Epico) go up against the Alpha in SD Live’s first ever Beat The Clock challenge since the Brand Split. Primo initially controls Gable and attempts to keep him grounded, frequently tagging in Epico with a view to maintain the fight in their corner.
Primo then tries to submit Gable in the middle of the ring with a funky looking hold and even manages to cheap shot Jordan off the ring apron. Jordan however, bounds ring back inside and takes out Epico, before hitting the Grand Amplitude on Primo along with Gable, for the pin.
Alpha def. Colons in 5:17
Rusev addresses SmackDown Live
Well, that wasn’t much of a segment...just a small video showing Handsome Rusev, who says that he doesn’t like either Daniel Bryan or Shane McMahon. He also says that the only way he would wrestle for SD Live is if he gets a Title match at MITB.
That’s that then.
Another backstage segment next, as Carmella and Carmellsworth, along with Natalya and Tamina, confront Becky to tell her to make her mind up about where she stands on Charlotte coming to SmackDown.
Hmm.
Randy Orton vs Erick Rowan (No Disqualification Match)
Orton tries to get one back on the deranged Rowan after the former Wyatt family member attacked him and laid him our a couple of weeks back. Rowan, however, comes out strong and takes the attack to Orton.
He unearths a kendo stick and a table early on, and after socking Orton a few times with the stick, he sets the table up on the outside to try and Suplex him onto it. Orton fights out and manages to send Rowan crashing onto it after pushing him over using the Kendo Stick as a battering ram.
Rowan, however, somehow manages to recover before attacking Orton with the Kendo Stick. He then sets up the steep chair in the corner, against the turnbuckle and tries to send Orton headfirst against it.
But Orton reverses and nails Rowan with an RKO, for the pin.
Randy Orton def. Erick Rowan via pinfall in a No DQ match
Orton then addresses Bray Wyatt, only for Jinder Mahal to interrupt him. He cuts a promo about respect before attacking Orton along with the Bollywood Boys – who come out of nowhere. He then leaves with the WWE Title!
WE cut to a backstage video, where Jinder is shown leaving with the WWE Title in a limousine! Wow!
The Ascension vs Breezango ( Beat The Clock Challenge)
Conor of the Ascension goes after Tyler Breeze and tries (weirdly) to pin him at least 4 times after very minimal offense. He then picks on Fandango, taking turns on piling on him. It looks like the only thing that Conor knows how to do is try and pin someone...but yet again, they’re unsuccessful.
Out of nowhere, Breeze hits the Supermodel Kick on Victor, before Fandango hits the Falcon Arrow and pins him!
Breezango def Ascension in 2:36
Breezango are the number 1 contenders for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Titles that the Usos hold!
Naomi vs Charlotte for the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship
They lock up, and Charlotte takes Naomi down early. But the Human Glowstick is up in double time, as she slams Charlotte face-first onto the turnbuckle. Charlotte retaliates by dragging Naomi from the apron onto the floor...that looked like a hard landing.
We cut back from the break with Charlotte still in control, holding on to a headlock that keeps Naomi grounded. The Champion tries fighting out but Charlotte tosses her across the ring before dropping a knee on her face.
She whips Naomi onto the turnbuckle and tries to cover her twice, both times unsuccessful. Naomi uses the time to regroup, and reels of sustained offence against the challenger with a jaw-breaker, followed by a series of wicked kicks. Cover attempt from the champion, but Charlotte kicks out in two.
They stand toe to toe in the middle of the ring, before Naomi sends Charlotte against the ropes and hits the Rear Ending! Cover! Near fall!
It’s Charlotte’s turn to up the ante now, as she fights Naomi off and climbs onto the top rope for a moonsault. But even as she comes down, Naomi gets her knees up and counters it.
With both women struggling to make it back to their feet, in come Carmella, Natalya and Tamina from nowhere. The bell tolls for a disqualification.
They lay out Naomi before going after Charlotte. Both Tamina and Carmella hit Charlotte with kicks to the face to close out SD Live.
