Mitchell’s WWE SmackDown Live Report! (8/22/17)
See how SmackDown has shifted after the events of Summerslam!

All images courtesy of the WWE’s official website and Twitter
OFFICIAL RESULTS
- Bobby Roode VS Aiden English; Roode wins.
- The Hype Bros VS The Usos; Usos win.
- 2v1 Handicap: The Singh Brothers VS Shinsuke Nakamura; Nakamura wins.
- Naomi & Becky Lynch VS Natalya & Carmella w/ James Ellsworth; Naomi & Becky win.
- WWE United States Championship: AJ Styles VS Kevin Owens, Special Guest Referee Baron Corbin; Styles wins and retains the US Championship.
PLAY BY PLAY
Summerslam saw a Phenomenal United States Championship match, marred with tension and suspicion.
Kevin Owens and Shane McMahon almost came to blows, and AJ Styles capitalized on it. When will the Prizefighter unleash his anger? And on who?
The Phenomenal One is STILL United States Champion!
And he comes out to the ring to start off tonight’s Brooklyn SmackDown, to which the Brooklyn crowd gives him a thunderous ovation. For this is the “House that AJ Styles built!” And yes, he is reinstating the United States Championship Open Challenge, right now. But Kevin Owens comes out! NO, Styles already beat Kevin at Summerslam, this is not going again. Kevin says Styles did not beat him. Sunday was that history repeated itself, a McMahon screwed over a legendary Canadian out of a title. Styles cannot take credit for that win, Shane screwed Kevin. Speaking of, here comes Shane O’Mac!
The SmackDown Commissioner gets in the ring to tell Kevin that, though the Prizefigher is upset, Shane called that match down the middle. In the end, Styles won fair and square. That was fair and square? Kevin won’t even bring up Shane, who could survive a helicopter crash and a Hell in a Cell fall, couldn’t survive being “grazed” by Styles’ 450 Splash. Kevin won’t bring up Shane physically assaulting Kevin, we saw that in the opening package. However, what he must show is the moment when Kevin powerbomb’d Styles, counted three, and only then noticed Styles’ foot on the rope. Kevin wants Shane to make sure he saw what Kevin saw. Yes, Styles’ foot on the rope. No, Kevin meant Shane still counting three. Three! There was a referee who counted three despite Kevin’s shoulder being “ten feet off the ground”, that decision stood. Why didn’t Shane’s three count not stand and why is Kevin not here as the new United States Champion? Because Shane called off his decision immediately. And referee decisions stand, meaning- Then the three count stands!! Give Kevin his title! Styles is a joke! Styles tells Kevin to shut up. Oh, Styles doesn’t like the truth? No, Styles doesn’t like “whiny ass little bitch” like Kevin. Them’s fighting words! If Kevin wants a match so bad, Styles will give him it. It won’t change the result. Kevin wants the match, Styles wants the match, Shane has no choice, it’s happening. But Kevin wants to make sure there is no “mistakes” made by a referee. Kevin wants to choose a ref! Styles will let Kevin do that, let the little kid in the front row be the ref! No, Kevin chooses!
Shane calms them down, Kevin can choose the referee. But, this is the last shot at the US Title so long as Styles has it. No excuses. This match will come later tonight, who will the Prizefighter trust with this important role?
GM Daniel Bryan is visited by the Singh Brothers.
They are here to help introduce Jinder Mahal, who is still WWE (World) Champion. Mahal knows why Bryan wanted to talk with him: Bryan is progressive! Summerslam was a huge success thanks to Mahal, and that he is unstoppable. No, Bryan sees someone who can’t win without help. Mahal cheated, Nakamura deserves retribution. Not against Mahal, but against the Singh Brothers! How badly will The King of Strong Style beat down the Bollywood Boyz for what they did to screw him out of the title?
Kevin Owens is backstage, to talk with Sami Zayn.
Friends, enemies, they’ve always been around each other in their careers. Tonight, Kevin needs someone he can trust, he needs Sami to be his referee. Sami watched the “Kevin Owens Story”. Reliving the history, realizing how long they’ve been fighting, what were they even fighting about? Kevin agrees, they shouldn’t fight each other. He knows Sami is free because he doesn’t have anything going, tonight he can do something that matters. Just think on it, okay? What will Kevin’s Best Frenemy do?
“Spotlight, please.”

Aiden English, the Drama King and “Shakespeare of Song” sings his introduction once again. But the lights go out, for the GLORIOUS ONE is here! Though he lost the NXT Championship, Bobby Roode is still in Brooklyn to debut on the Blue Brand.
Bobby Roode VS Aiden English!
The fans are thunderous for the debut of Roode, so he gives them what they want: a GLORIOUS Pose! English does not like this, SmackDown is his stage. Roode kicks the Artiste and clotheslines him out. The referee keeps Roode back, English recovers, we go picture in picture as Roode hits another GLORIOUS pose. He lets English come in at his own pace, ducks the clotheslien to chop English to a corner. Corner to corner whip, body drop sends English flying! Another chop, a right hand and some stomps, Roodeis in control of the Artiste. English kicks back and bumps Roode off a buckle, then another. English unloads haymakers and stomps, then whips Roode at the ropes. Roode reverses and hits a back elbow, English gets out again. Roode pursues, ramming English into the apron. Roode whips English but is reveresed, Roode hits barriers and English gives him a back elbow. They reenter the ring, TWO, now English is in control of Roode with stomps and a knee drop. TWO, English is getting a bit frustrated. Roode fights back, chops English, English kicks back. English picks Roode up, a splendid suplex, TWO. Chinlock from English, Roode has fans rallying for him. Roode gets to his feet, fights out of the hold, English clubs him down. English chokes Roode at the ropes, then toys with him as we go single picture. The fans cheer for Roode, English goes to mock the pose, Roode puts him in a corner. More chops from Roode, but English kicks back and whips Roode to the other corner. English goes corner to corner but misses, atomic drop and forearms from Roode. Fans fire up, Roode gives a clothesline in the corner and throws English out, then hops up for a flying blockbuster! Roode gets the crowd into it, fireman’s carry but English fights out. English hits the Director’s Cut, TWO! English is shocked, and then frustrated. Fans rally for Roode as English climbs up, Engilsh takes aim but misses his senton. GLORIOUS Spinebuster! Roode winds it up, GLORIOUS DDT!

Roode wins, what a GLORIOUS debut.

In-ring interview with Bobby Roode.
What a shocking arrival tonight. What brings him to SmackDown? He congratulates Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon for breaking the bank to get “the hottest free agent in sports entertainment today”. And for those who still don’t know, everything Roode touches and does makes box office. In a New York Minute, SmackDown went from great… to absolutely GLORIOUS!!

Chad Gable visits Daniel Bryan.
Bryan apologizes about how Jason Jordan went over to Raw. That seems to be the only thing anyone talks to Gable about. Well there’s more. JJ didn’t just go over to Raw, Angle promised to sign a friend of his to SmackDown. THis guy could be a great new tag team partner. Introducing, Shelton Benjamin! The Gold Standard and one half of the World’s Greatest Tag Team is definitely one of Gable’s role models. Gable, you and Benjamin can try out being a team next week. Benjamin isn’t so sure but Gable is more than excited. Can these two work together to make it big?
Kevin gives Sami his own referee shirt.
Sami lets Kevin know he really, really, really thought it over. All the betrayals and back-stabbing, Kevin isn’t getting any help from Sami. Well now who is Kevin supposed to ask?
The Hype Bros VS The Usos!
Ryder and Mojo are back, more than hyped to get going again in the tag team division, they’re going right at the tag team champions! Mojo starts with Jey, Mojo’s high energy is keeping Jey off-balance, Mojo gets him to a corner and whips corner to corner, that is reversed but Mojo goes up and over, three point tackle to gutwrench slam! “He ain’t hype!” Mojo backs off, corner to corner Hype Splash, corner to corner whip but Jimmy distracts. Tag to Jimmy, the Usos stomp a mudhole into Mojo, then running hip attack! “Uce! O!” Tag, the Usos split the wishbone. Jimmy keeps Mojo down, tag to Jimmy, Mojo is stuck in the Uso Penitentiary. Leg drop, TWO, Mojo is wrapped in a chinlock. Ryder coaches Mojo to get up, the fans rally, Mojo fights back with body shots. Mojo swings and misses, is shoved into Jimmy but he hits first, Mojo dodges Jimmy and Jimmy hits post! Mojo crawls, tag to Ryder! Ryder rallies, whip revesred, face buster! Ryder has Jey in the corner, forearm after forearm, WOO WOO WOO! Jimmy saves Jey, so Mojo takes him out! Jey hits Mojo, Ryder hits Jey, we go back in the ring, knees counter but a distraction helps Jimmy yanks Ryder down. SUPERKICK, The Usos win! But the Usos have something to say before they leave. “SmackDown Live, on lock. Tag team division, on lock. Brooklyn, welcome to the Uso Penitentiary.” The Usos have a message for any and every tag team on SmackDown. They’ll feel what the New Day felt. Hair standing on the back of their neck, heads on a swivel, “It’s not Paranoia! It’s the UCE! O!”
2v1 Handicap: The Singh Brothers w/ Jinder Mahal VS Shinsuke Nakamura!
The Bollywood Boys ruined the King of Strong Style’s shot at the Maharaja’s world title, now it’s time for them to get what they deserve. Mahal is ringside to support them as they supported him, but will it make a difference? Per rules, there are no need for tags, Nakamura doesn’t complain as he knocks them each down with one strike. The Singhs regroup with Mahal to formulate a plan, but those plans don’t work out. Nakamura puts a brother in the corner, then dodges another, Good Vibrations for both!

Nakamura gives one a knee, sets him top rope, the other brother comes in and he gets the same! Double stacked Top Shelf knee! The brothers end up outside of the ring, Mahal tries to get them back into this, Nakamura dares them to “C’mon!” Mahal distracts, the Singhs pounce from behind! They mug Nakamura 2v1, the fans rally for the Rockstar, double corner to corner whip, but Nakamura kicks them away. Nakamura hits a rolling takedown into the triangle, Singh taps, Nakamura wins! But then Mahal pounces! Nakamura hits him back, KINSHASA!

Nakamura got the better of the champion and his lackeys, when will the King of Strong Style begin his dynasty?
The Fashion Police confront Kevin Owens.
They may be off duty from police work, but they can still be his referees. Are you serious?! No, no, NO! And don’t even touch him! To Be Continued? Continue walking!! Kevin then realizes that was a mistake, but here comes Baron Corbin. He’ll be the referee. If Kevin wins, Corbin gets first crack. When Kevin wins, it’s a deal. The Lone Wolf, a guest referee? Will this go well for Kevin?
Welcome the NEW SmackDown Women’s Champion, Natalya!
The Queen of Harts finally gets back to the top of the mountain by defeating Naomi at Summerslam. 8/20/17 will forever be “The Day the Glow was Unplugged”, to Natty at least. Naomi, stop crying so you can look at a real championship belt. Natty is the new and forever Women’s Champion, who will restore honor and dignity to the title, this is her time. But for now, it’s tag team time.
Naomi & Becky Lynch VS Natalya & Carmella w/ James Ellsworth!
The Women’s Champion & Ms. Money in the Bank team up tonight, but they don’t exactly get along. Carmella clears the air before this match gets going, there’s something she wants to talk with Natty about. This is Natty’s time for now. Tick-tock, the MITB briefcase is primed and ready. Natty got her moment, but Carmella could easily trade in the contract for the belt, “capiche?” But how “trusting”, Natty teaming with the woman who could let her lose and then cash in tonight. Jimmy, shut up! Oops. That aside, we start with former champion Naomi and Princess of Staten Island. Carmella plays with Naomi, circling around before tagging out to Natty. Natty and Naomi tie up, we go picture in picture as they end up in a corner. Natty does not honor the clean break, so Naomi trips her up and jackknife, Natty bridges and spins around, backslide blocked so they bump each other. Naomi gives kicks, tags in Becky, Naomi holds Natty for Becky’s ax handle. Becky gets a waistlock and slam, float to a facelock, Natty reverses, hammerlock. Becky slips around and reverses, Natty gets out of the hold to put on her own, roll up, TWO. Natty with the headlock takeover but headscissor counter from Becky, Becky spins around and drop toeholds Natty, back to waistlock, Natty gets to ropes. They break, Natty kicks back and throws Becky by her hair. Natty poses to embrace the heat, then walks over Becky a couple times before bringing her up, arm drag and calf kick from Becky! Becky in control, tag to Naomi, snapmare and low lariat. TWO, Naomi keeps Natty with the facelock. Naomi slams Natty, tags Becky, Becky positions Natty for the leg drops as we go single picture. TWO, Natty scurries to a neutral corner. Natty wants a timeout, but she just suckers Becky into the corner to stomp away. Natty embraces the heat some more before stomping again, Natty drags Becky up for the sleeper hold. Natty sits Becky down, the fans rally for the Lass Kicker, Becky armdrags out but gets knocked down by the discus lariat. Natty puts Becky in her corner, stomps away, Carmella denies the tag. Ellsworth was right, Carmella was going to let Natty do all the work. Roll-up, TWO, enziguri! Both Becky and Natty are down, Carmella makes sure her briefcase is nearby. Natty whips Becky to a corner, gets a back elbow, but she yanks Becky down, TWO. Natty is furious with Carmella not wanting tags, so she drags Becky up, small package counter, TWO. Tag to Naomi! Roundhouse to slingshot sunset flip, TWO, Glow Lock! Natty breaks and rolls, she drags Naomi over, Sharpshooter denied with a shove, Natty boots Naomi down. Natty forces Carmella in with a tag! Carmella runs away, Natty chases her! Carmella kicks Natty down, Becky grabs Carmella, Becksploder!

Naomi has her in her sights, split-leg moonsault! Naomi & Becky win! Looks like The FAMOUS Ms. MITB’s plan didn’t work out.
Backstage interview with Dolph Ziggler.
The Show-off is back, what’s next for him? He’s so “excited” to back to reintroduce himself, but in an interview. He was gone, he was watching everything and “figured it out.” He knows what it takes to be a “star” in the WWE: singing. Maybe play an instrument or rap, or dance around like an idiot! Lots of lights, spotlights on him! Laser lights, too! Or a “big fancy robe” and a beautiful woman escort him to the ring, a woman that glows in the dark! That’s what the fans want, right!? That’s what Ziggler will do, next week.
The Ravishing Russian finishes a phone call.
Lana lets Tamina know her journey to the title starts next week. Okay but what about this week? Look deep into your heart to remember why you want and need this. Visualize it by closing your eyes. Really? Yes, really. Remember that feeling, being in a full locker room, yet being all alone. Everyone ignores you or talks behind your back because you don’t fit in. Take that feeling, of being ignored and laughed at, and fester over and over until you feel it boil up. Now, open your eyes.
Yes, there is the rage. That is what Tamina needs. One by one, these two shall crush, a Ravishing Reign of Terror will begin, and won’t stop until Tamina Snuka is “the most feared woman on SmackDown.” Tamina likes the sound of that, can these two rip a path through the women’s division?
The Lone Wolf Referee introduces himself to AJ Styles.
Corbin lets Styles know of the deal he made with Kevin, but Styles lets Corbin know when Styles wins, all Corbin has to do is answer the open challenge.
WWE United States Championship: AJ Styles VS Kevin Owens, Special Guest Referee Baron Corbin!

In this rematch of Phenomenal One and Prizefighter, The Lone Wolf is the one with the most to gain as he wants at that belt the very next time it’s defended. The bell rings, Kevin slips out of the ring like he tends to do. Corbin has Styles stay back so that Kevin can come in, but then Kevin goes right back out. Styles is getting frustrated quickly, Kevin pounces and stomps away. “Who’s Phenomenal now?!” Kevin keeps stomping, Corbin counts, Kevin backs off. Kevin forearms Styles hard, then give shim chops in the corner. Kevin elbows him down, the fans cheer for Styles, dropkick knocks Kevin down. Kevin gets out of the ring again, Styles slingshots over for a forearm! Styles in control as we go to break.
We return to Kevin having Styles in a chinlock, but Styles gets up and fights out. Kevin swings, PELE from Styles sends him out of the ring again. Styles gets to the apron, goes for the knee but misses, Kevin sweeps the legs and Styles hits the apron. Fall Away Slam to the barriers!

Kevin puts Styles in, cover, TWO. Chinlock back on, fans rally for Styles again. Styles gets up, Kevin gives him a knee to the head, kick out so Kevin grinds his forearm on Styles’ face and puts on a chinlock. Styles endures the squeeze, Kevin trash talks. Styles reaches a foot out, Kevin won’t let him get the ropebreak. Styles gets up to his feet again, fighting out of the hold, Kevin keeps that chinlock on, wheelbarrow facebuster breaks it! Both men down, Corbin watches them both as they slowly stir. Kevin swings but is blocked Styles rock shim with a haymaker, repeat. Phenomenal Blitz! Running low forearm! Kevin gets to a corner, Styles kip-up, corner clothesline and fireman’s carry, Ushigoroshi!

TWO, Styles checks with Corbin, and they have a small argument. Styles lets it go, runs at Kevin, Keivn puts him on the apron but Styles rocks him. Styles gets ready, springboard but jumps over Kevin, Kevin runs in, roll for the Calf Crusher!

Kevin endures the leg submission as he reaches for ropes. Styles crankcs it, Kevin holds on, rope fingertip away but Styles rolls him! Corbin says he touched it long enough for a ropebreak?! Corbin has him undo the hold, Styles argues with him about it. Corbin says “deal with it, I’m the ref!” But then Kevin shoves Styles into Corbin, Corbin takes offense, he shoves Styles at Kevin for the roll up, TWO, try again, TWO, double clothesline! Shane McMahon comes out!

He confronts Corbin on his questionable referee work, Corbin argues that he’s doing his job right. They argue, low blow from Kevin to Styles! The cover, Shane drags Corbin out! Shane saw what happened, he won’t let Corbin let Kevin win. Corbin quits as referee, tossing the shirt at Shane, Kevin is furious! Shane puts the referee shirt on, he’s once again referee!? Kevin doesn’t want that at all, but he has no choice. A true rematch from Summerslam now, he drags Styles up but gets a hotshot! Styles takes aim, Phenomenal Forearm!

Styles wins again, Kevin’s chances are done! Where will the Prizefighter go from here? Who will be the next to challenge the Phenomenal One?
My Thoughts:
Post-Summerslam SmackDown did very well both for itself and for planning the two month road to Hell in a Cell. There was quite a bit set up for next week, such as the in-ring return of Shelton Benjamin as Chad Gable’s newest reluctant tag team partner. Maybe those two can capture similar magic as to Gable and Jason Jordan did as American Alpha in NXT, or their team will immediately break up and this gives us a great first feud for both of them. Tamina with Lana as her coach will have a match next week, I expect her to win this first one just so it doesn’t kill the story out of the gate. Dolph Ziggler satirically listed the things that make wrestlers into stars in the WWE, I highly doubt he’d really do every single thing he listed, but it’d be pretty hilarious if he did most of it. Ziggler might end up in a feud with one of the superstars whose gimmicks he called out.
Which brings me to the GLORIOUS matches we had. Not that all these matches were amazing, but Bobby Roode did debut on the main roster. He squashed Aiden English — another star Ziggler mocked — and I wouldn’t mind seeing Roode and Ziggler have a few matches before Roode moves on to a title feud. Ziggler still has it in him to put on matches, and Roode can make good story out of any match up (though I suppose he’s going to be Face for a time?) Usos beat the Hype Bros because unfortunately the time for Ryder & Mojo to be champions has passed, but the Usos called out any and all teams, maybe they can have yet another instant classic with the New Day or start up something with Gable-Benjamin. Nakamura gets even with the Singhs, and given how they just brushed things aside for Summerslam, seeing Nakamura-Mahal 2 at Hell in a Cell might not be so bad. Either that or we get one more Super Smackdown and have that title match on television, and probably with the Singh Brothers banned from ringside. Was glad to see they at least toyed with Carmella cashing in on Natty on TV, though things went the other way. Carmella is better off waiting for Naomi-Natty 2 and then cashing in on the winner, and hopefully Carmella will do it successfully or else the concept of a MITB cash-in is just for appearances now. Styles giving Kevin his rematch tonight was fine, it was pretty funny seeing Kevin interact with potential guest referees in Sami and the Fashion Police, and then Corbin quitting was great because Kevin ends up at square one. Styles wins, Kevin will surely go after Shane for this newest “abuse of power” and Styles can do Open Challenges all the way to Hell in a Cell while Kevin and Shane build up to their own Hell in a Cell grudge match.
My Score: 8/10
