WWE.com AJ Styles with the U.S. Championship.
A new episode of SmackDown Live just wrapped up on the USA Network. Here’s what happened:
10:00 – After the match ends, AJ Styles and John Cena have a stare down in the ring for a few moments, but finally, John Cena raises AJ Styles’ hand and the crowd cheers.
9:44 – John Cena and AJ Styles defeat Kevin Owens and Rusev. The match ends when John Cena takes out Kevin Owens with an Attitude Adjustment and scores the pin.
9:32 – In another addition of The Fashion Files, Tyler Breeze and Fandango parody Walker, Texas Ranger with Sexy Fashion Rangers. Dressed up as cowboys, they try to lasso Zack Ryder to get him to tell the truth like the Lasso of Truth. Mojo Rawley enters. Fandango wants to know where they were when Tyler Breeze was jumped a few weeks ago. Mojo Rawley says they wouldn’t do anything shady like that. Ryder says that Mojo shouldn’t speak because last week, he betrayed him in the battle royal. Mojo says to calm down because it was a battle royal and it was every man for himself.
9:30 – Backstage, Sami Zayn finds Maria and Mike Kanellis. Maria Kanellis wants an apology, but Sami Zayn says that he’s already apologized twice. He says that he’s not even sure why he’s apologizing because it’s them who are always in his way. Suddenly, Maria Kanellis slaps Sami Zayn, and Mike Kanellis hits him with a glass vase.
9:24 – Backstage, Maria Kanellis knocks on the male locker room, looking for Sami Zayn. Chad Gable opens the door, and he says that Zayn isn’t there. Kanellis says to tell Sami Zayn that she’s looking for him, demanding an apology.
9:11 – Tamina and Natalya defeat Becky Lynch and Charlotte. About ten minutes into the match, Lana walks out and stands outside the ring. While Charlotte is dealing with Lana, she doesn’t notice Tamina tag in. Tamina comes in and takes out Charlotte, scoring the win.
9:05 – Backstage, AJ Styles tells John Cena that the United States Championship proves that he’s the best, and he’s going to hold on to it for a long time. Cena says that he respects Styles and will have his back in their match tonight; they will handle their business with the United States Championship another time, he says.
9:03 – Shinsuke Nakamura is scheduled to fight Baron Corbin. However, before the match even begins, Shinsuke Nakamura attacks Baron Corbin as Corbin is walking down to the ring. The two brawl for a bit before they have to be torn apart by WWE officials. No official match ends up happening.
8:53 – Backstage, Baron Corbin says that he’s going to teach Shinsuke Nakamura a painful lesson tonight. It will be “sayonara, Nakamura,” Corbin says.
8:50 – Backstage, Naomi approaches Shane McMahon. She wants to know who she can defend her SmackDown Women’s Championship against. Charlotte then walks in, followed by Becky Lynch, Natalya, Lana, and Tamina. McMahon announces that at Battleground, there will be a five-way elimination match at Battleground, with the winner facing Naomi at SummerSlam. The competitors will be Charlotte, Becky Lynch, Natalya, Lana, and Tamina. All of the women begin to argue. Shane says that this aggression should be taken out in the ring, and he books a match for tonight with Charlotte and Becky Lynch taking on Tamina and Natalya. Carmella then enters. She’s holding a petition from her attorney demanding that Shane allow James Ellsworth to come back to work. Shane tears the petition up.
8:40 – Xavier Woods defeats Jey Uso. He pins Jey Uso after executing an elbow drop.
8:33 – After the match, Jinder takes the microphone. He says that week after week, he comes here and speaks the truth, yet the audience still disrespects him. He also says that next week on SmackDown Live, he’s bringing the Punjabi Prison with him in order to bring hell to Randy Orton.
8:21 – Jinder Mahal defeats Tye Dillinger. Their match lasts about 10 minutes, and it ends with Jinder defeating Tye clean.
8:04 – AJ Styles enters. He’s wearing the United States Championship, as well as a new shirt with his logo in red, white and blue. He says that Battleground came early last Friday at Madison Square Garden. He also says that it’s about time to bring back the tradition of the U.S. Champion holding regular open challenges. In fact, he’s holding an open challenge tonight.
John Cena enters, accepting the open challenge. The match is about to start when Kevin Owens enters, saying that nobody wants to see another Cena vs. Styles match. He also says that the U.S. Championship is his title and Cena doesn’t deserve to be near it. Cena says that Owens should shut up or he’ll run through him.
Suddenly, Rusev runs in and attacks Cena. Owens then comes in and attacks Styles. Rusev and Kevin Owens leave as Cena and Styles lie injured.
8:00 – The show opens with a recap of how AJ Styles won the United States Championship last week.