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WWE SmackDown Live comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Nov. 7, 2017) from the Manchester Arena in Manchester, England, featuring all the latest build to the upcoming Survivor Series pay-per-view (PPV) scheduled for later this month in Houston, Texas.
Advertised for tonight: AJ Styles challenges Jinder Mahal for the WWE championship, Becky Lynch finally gets a match against James Ellsworth, and more!
Come right back here at 8 p.m. ET when the SmackDown live blog kicks off once the show starts on USA. It will be below this line here. (REMINDER: NO GIFS OR PICS ARE ALLOWED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION. OFFENDERS WILL BE BANNED.)
WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR NOV. 7
Drawn like moths we drift into the city, the timeless old attraction. Cruising for the action, lit up like a firefly just to feel the living night. Some will sell their dreams for small desires or lose the race to rats, but me, I'm just here to liveblog a pro wrestling show for you, folks.
The show opens with a hype video for AJ Styles vs. Jinder Mahal featuring promos from a black room from both men talking about how they're going to win, before cutting to the SmackDown intro video.
Commentary hypes up our battle of the sexes as well as our two title matches before Shane McMahon makes his entrance.
He asks Manchester what's up before launching right into talking about Survivor Series being the one time Raw and SmackDown go head to head each year. Mark it down, after this year Raw will never be able to call SmackDown the B show, and at Survivor Series it's personal, specifically because of what happened to Daniel Bryan. McMahon holds his sister and Kurt Angle responsible for what happened, claiming they sent Kane to do their dirty work.
Shane has a personal message for Angle, saying he'll get his payback personally at Survivor Series. Bryan will be back next week, and he represents what they stand for, because when they get knocked down, they don't stay down. And speaking of fighters, he's bringing out some dudes who did a phenomenal thing last night, firing a shot across the bow of Raw.
Big E does the deal and New Day make their entrance. We get a recap video of their promo last night and the end of the tag title match before Kofi Kingston kicks it off saying they made the Raw guys look pretty silly. He loves it here and tells McMahon it wasn't their intention to cause a title change, but... such are the consequences of putting Raw under siege, baby!
Xavier Woods picks up from there, saying considering that the Shield are part of the Raw roster, what are they gonna do? Nothing! E continues, saying a couple weeks ago they lead the siege and looked the Raw roster dead in the eye and what then? They beat them down! Kofi says they're prepared to accept repercussions and Xavier adds that if Raw try anything they'll be first in line to beat 'em back to Mondays.
That's exactly what Shane is talking about, New Day are all about Team Blue, and he sets up the New Day rocks gimmick...
Enter Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Owens says that was the stupidest, most painful thing he's seen in his life, and Zayn says he hates to break it to Shane, but he's not cool and he should probably never ever dance again. Kingston takes issue with Sami telling someone how to dance given his own dancing during his entrance makes him look like a fool. Nevermind that, KO says, they have something important to say, and that's that Shane is having a hard time dealing with his loss at Hell in a Cell.
He's acting out and trying to cope with his daddy issues, but he shouldn't punish the rest of SmackDown for it. Zayn says he truth is, they could have shown up on Raw and beat up the entire roster themselves, but they're men of honor and integrity who do things the right way. Because that doesn't jive with the Shane McMahon agenda, they've been set up to fail.
McMahon says that's exactly why they're not representing SmackDown, but Sami takes issue with that, saying he didn't lose to Randy Orton, he lost to a low blow, and if he or Kevin had done that they'd be suspended, fined, or worse, fired. Shane says the other reason is because Kev lost to Shinsuke Nakamura, and Owens says it's a shame they even had qualifiers because they're the top two superstars on this roster.
What's the problem, they're not entertaining enough, they don't dance and sing like his New Day puppets? Kofi says the only puppet he sees is that 1930s puppet looking Zayn, and Big says KO's hand is so far up Sami's butt that every time he brushes his teeth, Owens gets a manicure. New Day fall over themselves laughing at this and Zayn slaps his leg and says they're real funny, but he'll find it funnier when Team Raw wins and they have no one to blame but Shane McMahon.
Shane says that's exactly what he's talking about, they have no loyalty, they don't care. They walk around like they own the place, and since they seem so entitled, he thinks Sami's entitled to a match tonight against Kofi Kingston... right now!
...well, after the break. Same deal.
Kofi Kingston vs. Sami Zayn
Circling, collar and elbow, to the corner and Zayn breaks clean but with a belly pat. Back to the middle of the ring, Sami grabs an armbar, Kingston reverses to a wristlock, Zayn rolls through and right back into the armbar and Kofi is able to reverse it again. Shoot off, springboard up and over, arm drag and Sami grabs the armbar again. Kingston shoots him off, drop down, leapfrog, uppercut, monkey flip but Kofi lands on his feet!
Duck a lariat, Kingston fires a dropkick off that sends Zayn to the floor to confer with his pal Kevin Owens. Sami takes his sweet time, referee Danilo Anfibio having to try and cajole him back in when Kofi decides to head out after him and Zayn takes full advantage, beating on him when he comes back in the ring and laying him out with a lariat. Prowling after him, jamming his face into the turnbuckles, cuffing blow, Sami off the top but Kingston hits a dropkick to wipe him out and send us to break.
Back from commercial, Kingston lariats Zayn to the floor and follows it up with double jump inverted Arabian press senton atomico! Back inside, the SOS connects... NO GOOD! Thinking about Trouble in Paradise... BLUE THUNDER DRIVER COUNTERS! NOT ENOUGH! Going for the Helluva Kick, Kofi steps aside, gamengiri, Sami with a kick to the gut, plans denied, waistlocks and standing switches, a snapmare, Kingston with a double jump...
Kofi Kingston wins by pinfall with a double jump crossbody.
Kevin Owens attacks Kofi immediately after the bell but Big E and Xavier Woods run him off!
Commentary recaps Jinder Mahal's attack on AJ Styles from last week to set up a backstage interview with the Maharaja and the Singh Brothers. Jinder says earlier today he was eating out and when the server brought the first course, he demanded she call it AJ Styles, because he's an appetizer. Styles is a formidable opponent for any mere man, but he's the Maharaja and he's going to make a meal out of AJ Styles before he feasts on the Beast.
Commentary hypes up Lynch/Ellsworth some before informing us that Rusev has a chance to join Team SmackDown if he can beat Randy Orton, after the break.
Back from commercial we get a Bludgeon Brothers video, all cryptic and woodsy and heavy breathing as always.
Aiden English is in the ring to sing a song to introduce Rusev and say he's going to beat Randy Orton again and join Team SmackDown, which will lead to Rusev Day being declared.
Randy Orton vs. Rusev
Rusev right in with a kick, Orton blocks, tries for the RKO, denied, a roundhouse connects... NOT QUITE! Rusev trying repeated covers and coming up empty, Randy rolls under the ropes but the Bulgarian Brute presses the attack with stomps to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Rusev is in control with a rear chinlock, keeping the Viper grounded. Orton gets to his feet bit by bit and fires off a few body blows and a headbutt to break, whip reversed, spinning wheel kick connects but it's only good for two! Again Rusev trying the repeated covers, shoulder thrusts in the corner, forcing referee Brian Nguyen to warn him off and the Bulgarian Brute gets a two count from a cover.
Off the ropes with a brutal series of elbow drops, again just two, kick to the back with Randy trying to climb the ropes to his feet, again only nearfalls, no matter how many times the Bulgarian Brute makes the cover. But the Viper has a specialty...
Randy Orton wins by pinfall with the RKO, denying Rusev a spot on Team SmackDown.
Backstage, Shane McMahon, Bobby Roode, and Shinsuke Nakamura are watching and discussing the result on a monitor.
Backstage, James Ellsworth is alone when Tamina comes out of the women's locker room. He is not dressed like a dog today but he asks her to go get Carmella. She heads back in but Becky Lynch comes out, which leads Jimmy to say she doesn't have a chance and he just hopes she doesn't get hurt. And the women's revolution is a farce, plus they're in MANchester, not WOMANchester, they know that men are superior to women.
He keeps digging his hole, saying he only lets Carmella compete because it makes her happy, but what's gonna make him happier is proving he's the better MAN tonight. Becky says those are pretty ballsy statements, but it's a pity he doesn't have any.
This takes us to the break.
Back from commercial we get a video recap of the SmackDown vs. Raw feud to date.
When the video ends we see that the SmackDown women's division have come out to ringside en masse for our battle of the sexes.
Becky Lynch vs. James Ellsworth
Circling, Ellsworth waves her off and does a few push-ups, he checks the ropes and squares up, at which point Lynch goes right for Dis-Arm-Her! Jimmy takes his shirt off, back to circling, collar and elbow, he grabs a waistlock and trips her up! Kicking metaphorical dirt onto Becky, they circle again as she gets up, she grabs a waistlock but he counters to a hip toss, wristlock, front chancery, Lynch with a double leg pickup sets him in the turnbuckles and slaps him a few times for good measure!
Kick to the gut, thinking about a cut throat move, running the ropes, a drop down nearly works, leapfrog, again with teh drop down but Becky is ready this time, Gedo Clutch, only two! Rolling Gedo Clutch, trying to disorient Ellsworth and she's successful! Fireman's carry, airplane spin, both competitors wobbly on their feet but Lynch knows what she's doing and dumps Jimmy to the floor.
Ellsworth is surrounded by Tamina and Charlotte Flair, so he gets back in the ring and does a mocking crane kick stance before shoving Becky to the mat! Another shove dumps her out of the ring but she gets right back in... missile dropkick! NOPE! Straight fire forearm misses, Jimmy with a schoolboy pin for two, hard whip wipes her out and Ellsworth poses for the crowd.
He's tuning up the band but she has the superkick scouted, Manhattan Drop, a kick to the middle rope while he's halfway over it, exploder suplex and again Jimmy bails to the floor. He tries to leave but the other women back him back to the apron and Flair rolls him inside, where he begs off and kisses Becky's hand to try and butter her up. He tries a hug, she reverses...
Becky Lynch wins by submission with Dis-Arm-Her.
Carmella gets in the ring and jaws at Lynch afterwards as Ellsworth sells his arm. THE PRINCESS OF STATEN ISLAND KNOCKS JIMMY OUT WITH A SUPERKICK!
Commentary hypes up our WWE Championship match and we're shown the teams in our tag title match walking backstage to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Charlotte Flair is talking to Shane McMahon about the ending of Raw when Natalya rolls up. She knows what Shane wants, and she accepts-- at Survivor Series, she won't just defeat Alexa Bliss and prove that she's the best champion, she'll also take Charlotte's place on Team SmackDown. Flair calls her delusional and McMahon points out that Nattie used a chair at Hell in a Cell and that doesn't sit well with him or Daniel Bryan, so Nattie has to defend the title against Charlotte next week!
Neidhart complains about that being unfair and storms off.
The Usos cut a promo before their match, asking who's standing in the ring repeatedly, describing Gable and Benjamin as two chumps thinking they can win the titles and represent SmackDown, calling them American Alpha Part II, and calling them their next victims before welcoming them to the Uso Penitentiary and beating them down before the bell!
And so we go to break.
Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin vs. the Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) (c) (WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship)
The match is in progress and Jey tags in on Gable, throwing hands, ducking a lariat, looking for a Samoan drop but Chad gets away and tags Benjamin in. Big thrust spinebuster, ducking a lariat from Jimmy, he hits Paydirt but Jey fights him off and heads outside. Gable hits a chop block, Jey is wiped out hard, referee Danilo Anfibio counts...
Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin win by countout.
Commentary tosses to a sneak peek at Damnation, a show that will feature Luke Harper after SmackDown tonight.
AJ Styles is interviewed backstage, he says he has an opportunity to do what every WWE Superstar wants to do, become WWE Champion, so Jinder needs to focus on him. He's never been the biggest or strongest, but he works harder than anybody, and tonight he's gonna prove why he's phenomenal and SmackDown is the House That AJ Styles Built. To borrow a phrase from the Maharaja, HE'S gonna be the Beastmaster!
The match will begin after the break.
Back from commercial, commentary informs us that we'll get Baron Corbin vs. Sin Cara for the United States Championship next week in addition to the Charlotte/Natalya title match booked in a previous segment and New Day vs. Zayn and Owens.
The Singh Brothers give their dude his usual big introduction.
AJ Styles vs. Jinder Mahal (c) (WWE Championship)
Circling, the crowd electric for Styles, collar and elbow, Mahal shoves his challenger away and poses. Circling again, waistlock from AJ, but Jinder gets the ropes and breaks dirty with a back elbow. Again circling, the Maharaja flexes, Styles goes behind, leg kick, a side headlock, Mahal tries to shoot him off but he slides low to block.
Deadlift break, shoot off, AJ runs into his shoulder and tries a few pinning predicaments but Jinder won't go down and dumps him out of the ring to send us to break.
Back from commercial, AJ accepts a test of strength but it was a ruse for a cheap shot and Jinder takes him down with a side headlock. Styles to one knee and to his feet, out with forearms but the champion hits a knee, a clubbing blow, he runs the ropes and ends up right in a dropkick, headed outside for a breather but knocked down with a forearm when he tries to get back in.
AJ thinking about a plancha or something but Mahal trips him up and puts him into the apron! Over the barricade to the timekeeper's area, back in, Jinder catches him... SLAM INTO THE ANNOUNCE TABLE! Back inside, putting boots to the Phenomenal One, slingshot knee drops into a choke but referee Charles Robinson warns him to back off. Kneeling armbar applied, shifting to a half nelson neck crank but Styles isn't giving up that easy.
Knee to the back, overhead elbow, another knee to the back and Mahal goes back to the half nelson neck crank. AJ forces him to give up the hold with a palm to the face but Jinder slams him to the mat and follows it up with a knee drop. Right hands as Styles tries to get to his feet, stomping away, more knee drops against the ropes but AJ gets a foot up to counter!
Sidestepping a charge, a flurry of punches, he ducks a lariat, Styles Rush connects, sliding forearm off the ropes, both men are down and out. AJ kips up, he's fired up, Ushigoroshi... NO GOOD! Calling for the Styles Clash but Jinder stands up, AJ won't let him follow through the counter, chest kicks, Mahal catches one and throws him away but Styles catches a big boot and turns it into a short powerbomb!
Jinder with a nearfall off a scoop slam lift back body drop and he follows it up by setting AJ in the turnbuckles and climbing to meet him. Styles slips down and kicks his leg out from under him! He sets it up and rolls through, CALF KILLER! Jinder counters by slamming his head into the mat but AJ locks it right back on! Trying to go after the leg, Mahal denies it, Styles Rush, he catches the backfist, big short-arm lariat... NOT ENOUGH!
Front chancery, setting the Phenomenal One on the turnbuckles again, climbing up and again AJ slips out but the champion grabs him by the ears and puts him back up top. Styles thinking about a tornado DDT, Jinder shrugs him off and ends up outside... PHENOMENAL FOREARM TO THE FLOOR! Back inside, springboard 450 splash... THE SINGH BROTHERS PULL JINDER OUT OF THE RING!
Charles Robinson admonishes them and AJ runs one of them down by the barricade taking him out! OFF THE ANNOUNCE TABLE WITH A LARIAT FOR THE OTHER BROTHER! Sliding knee off the apron as punctuation, Mahal tries for Khallas on the apron, AJ blocks, springboards in with the forearm... JINDER COUNTERS WITH KHALLAS! BUT AJ GETS HIS FOOT ON THE ROPES!
Jinder puts him in the turnbuckles again, trying for Khallas but Styles fights out and pulls his neck across the top rope! Lying in wait...
AJ Styles wins by pinfall with the Phenomenal Forearm, winning the WWE Championship for a second time!
AJ celebrates with the title and commentary puts over that it will now be AJ Styles vs. Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series.
That's the show, folks.