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WWE SmackDown Live comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (May 2, 2017) from the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California, featuring all the latest build to the upcoming Backlash pay-per-view (PPV) scheduled for later this month in Chicago.
Advertised for tonight: Kevin Owens gets his rematch against Chris Jericho for the United States championship, 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 MAY 2
Comin' out of nowhere, drivin' like rain, Stormbringer dance on the thunder again. Dark cloud gathering, breaking the day. No point running, 'cause it's coming your way, much like the liveblog I'm writing for this here pro wrestling show.
Show opens with footage from earlier today of Jinder Mahal being photographed with the WWE Championship belt when Shane McMahon rolls up to tell him that around here titles are earned and this doesn't belong to him.
Jinder counters that he'll take it from Randy Orton and bring glory to his show, and then he'll thank him. Shane tells him he'll wrestle Sami Zayn later and takes the belt to return to its rightful owner, and we toss to the intro video.
Shane makes his entrance in the arena. He thanks Fresno for the love and asks them what's up, and he introduces the newest member of SmackDown, the new United States Champion, Chris Jericho.
Jericho enters, List in hand, and soaks the atmosphere of the crowd in for a moment. He's gonna give us what we want and we need, because this is the new Show of Jericho, smack it down, man. McMahon says he's happy to have him on SmackDown and there's a bevy of guys in the back that want to face him, but tonight he'll be defending the United States Championship against his nemesis, Kevin Owens.
Enter AJ Styles. He greets his old friend turned bitter enemy, Chris Jericho. A lot has changed since they were on the same show together, and he informs Chris of where he's standing right now. He's standing in the House That AJ Styles Built! And if you remember, they had Y2AJ shirts, and to be honest with him, nothing would please AJ more than to take that title away from him at Backlash.
That is, if he's still champion at the end of the night. Jericho asks him if he saw what happened to that stupid idiot, and he made KO TO, he was tappin' out, man. And on top of that, there's a new Face of America, and Chris Jericho be thy name. And besides, you know what happens when you don't think he can beat Kevin Owens tonight?
Enter Kevin Owens. He says this is the most pathetic thing he's seen in his career, Shane, AJ, and Chris arguing about things that don't matter. The only thing that matters is that tonight he gets his rematch and he takes what's his, and that's his United States Championship.
And if Jericho thought the Festival of Friendship was bad, tonight will be even worse. For AJ, he has nothing to do with this and he tells Styles to get out of his ring. He shifts to address Shane but before he can finish AJ obliges and leaves the ring to hand him a beatdown!
Referees swarm AJ to pull him off and they continue to struggle as we flip to commentary hyping up a women's tag for later in the night.
Jinder Mahal is walking backstage flanked by the Singh Brothers, his match against Sami Zayn will be after the break.
Back from commercial, we get a recap of the brawl we just saw and are told that AJ Styles is banned from ringside for tonight's United States Championship match.
Jinder Mahal vs. Sami Zayn
Circling, collar and elbow, Jinder gets the arm, wrenching a wristlock in, but Sami rolls through and reverses. Takes it to a hammerlock and Mahal cracks him with a back elbow to break Sami with the springboard leapfrog into a flying headscissors, Jinder backs him into the corner and throws some hands.
Zayn to the apron, slingshot back in, a dropkick and Jinder bails as we go to break.
Back from commercial and Jinder is in control, dropping overhead elbows and locking a reverse chinlock on. Sami fighting to his feet, chops, whip reversed and Jinder catches him with a body slam for two. Slingshot knee drops against the ropes into a choke and referee Danilo Anfibio needs to pull him off the underdog.
Shoot off the ropes, back elbow, short-arm back elbows into a short-arm lariat and Zayn is out on the mat. Knee drop to the back, rear chinlock, forcing Sami in the corner when he struggles up. Straight suplex, trying to set up a superplex but Zayn fights with fists and a headbutt to knock the #1 contender from his perch.
Dive dodged and Mahal pastes him with a jumping knee strike! Sami gets his back with a lariat, another, back elbow, to the second, boot up, diving crossbody... NOPE! One of the Singh Brothers gets up on the apron, Jinder grabs a small package, one, two, Sami reverses... NOT ENOUGH!
Blue Thunder Driver blocked, whip, slam blocked, knucklelock, step-up tornado DDT comes off sloppy but it hits. Fired up for the Helluva Kick, waiting for Jinder to be in position, and Singh yanks him out of the way! Off the ropes for a dive and he other one catches him, Mahal is ready...
Jinder Mahal wins by pinfall with a cobra clutch slam.
Becky Lynch is walking backstage when she runs into her four favorite ladies, Carmella, Natalya, Tamina, and James Ellsworth. Natalya says they're trying to protect her-- how many times has Charlotte Flair stabbed her in the back? And if anybody should be getting title matches, it's Becky, not Charlotte.
Carmella says Flair doesn't have anybody's back, but they decided they'd keep an eye out on Lynch. Natalya says they need her, SmackDown needs her, and together they can make it their division. Becky says she didn't think about it like that before and she'll think on it.
Tye Dillinger is walking backstage, he's in action after the break.
Back from commercial, we get a Shinsuke Nakamura vignette and cut backstage where Dolph Ziggler is watching with some folks, complaining about how it's a big surprise Nakamura's not here tonight and hasn't proven himself in a match. Shane McMahon rolls up, and Ziggler continues complaining about Daniel Bryan and Shane building the entire pay-per-view around a guy who hasn't proven himself.
Shane reminds him of Nakamura's name and about last week's segment. Dolph says he remembers and that was a real impressive entrance, but if you want to impress people, you'll watch what he does to Sin Cara.
Aiden English is in the ring to sing a few bars. He calls himself the Picasso of Pain, the Rembrant of Rage, and the Drama King, when he's interrupted by Tye's music.
Aiden English vs. Tye Dillinger
Aiden in with a knee out the gates, hammering Tye in the corners! Whip across, Dillinger ducks a lariat and starts throwing, short-arm lariat, stomp to the face, English is in the corner and Tye puts boots to him. The knee pad comes down...
Tye Dillinger wins by pinfall with the Tye Breaker (which is now a fireman’s carry single knee facebreaker to differentiate it from Ushigoroshi).
Post-match Tye celebrates up the ramp as English has a hair-clutching, sobbing meltdown in the ring.
Commentary hypes up our main event and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Chris Jericho runs into an interview but before he gets going Aiden English walks by and he stops him. There's no crying on SmackDown, and he has a lot going for him, he's on SmackDown, he's successful, he can sing, he's got a hairy chest, and so on.
And besides, you know what happens when tears are pouring out of your face on Chris Jericho's new show? Aiden is non-verbally begging him not to do it, but Jericho puts him on the list. And Renee Young, too, for good measure!
Commentary guides us through a recap of last week's SmackDown Women's Championship match, and Charlotte is interviewed backstage. She says what the so-called Welcoming Committee did last week was delay the inevitable, and the SmackDown Women's Championship is... her... destiny.
The Welcoming Committee roll up and Charlotte throws the first punch but they beat her down and throw her into some road cases!
Naomi makes her entrance, and the match is after the break.
Back from commercial in time for the rest of our entrances, sans Charlotte obviously.
Carmella & Natalya vs. Charlotte & Naomi
Carmella starts and Naomi immediately hits an Atomic Drop before kicking her hamstring hard enough to hobble her. Carmella fires back but the story here is that she can't hit nearly as hard and the champion shrugs her off. Speedball kicks, the final roundhouse connects, and Natalya tags in.
Collar and elbow, Nattie gets a side headlock takeover, reversed to a headscissors, the cat lady escapes and they circle. Go-behind, waistlock, side headlock, springboard sunset flip transition, arm drag, Neidhart in the corner, slingshot Atomic Drop! Naomi with a headscissors takeover that sends Nattie outside, she hits the ropes, baseball slide but Neidhart smashes her face into the steps and celebrates.
Stomp to the back, more celebrating, drawing her up, tag to Carmella. Double-team mat slam and leg snaps get a quick cover and Carmella locks a reverse chinlock in. Naomi fighting out with body blows, Carmella goes behind, sitout mat slam! Grounded punches, a sit-down choke on the middle rope, tag to Natalya.
Slap across the face sends Naomi to the ropes and Nattie puts boots to her, stomping away. Upkick begets a stomp, Neidhart draws her up, the champion ducks a lariat, double crossbody wipes both women out! Charlotte makes her way out, limping down the ramp! She's on the apron, Naomi kicks Natalya away, tag made!
Charlotte in like a house afire, chops for everybody! Swinging kneeling neckbreaker, a big boot, she's fired up! Spinning toehold, Carmella gets involved and fended off with a chop, Nattie to the corner, passes Flair to the outside and she smashes Neidhart's face into the turnbuckles over and over.
Distracted by Carmella, Natalya has an opportunity to clobber Charlotte with the discus lariat and we go to break.
Back from commercial and Carmella has Charlotte trapped in a bodyscissors. Flair gets to her feet and backs her into the corner to break but Carmella stays on her with stomps. Bronco Buster comes up empty, Charlotte crawling for the tag and gets it! Naomi in with a springboard crossbody, she knocks Nattie off the apron and lands a springboard kick!
Swinging jawbreaker, Rear View connects but Natalya distract referee Mike Chioda! Naomi kicks her off the apron, but Carmella is ready, with a little help from Jimmy Dream...
Carmella & Natalya win by pinfall with a schoolboy pin and a handful of tights from Carmella on Naomi.
The Welcoming Committee hits the ring and puts the beatdown on Charlotte and Naomi when Becky Lynch comes down! She slides in the ring and squares off against the Committee before turning to Flair and considering her situation for a minute. She turns back to Tamina and says she's in, offering a handshake to each member in turn!
Well, except Ellsworth, who she offers a hug... BEFORE SHOVING HIM INTO TAMINA! IT WAS A RUSE! BECKY LAYS THE BEATDOWN ON CARMELLA AND NATTIE UNTIL TAMINA DROPS HER WITH A SUPERKICK!
Natalya with the WAR Special on Lynch, the Committee dumps Naomi and Charlotte, and Carmella fires a superkick to the chest before they stand tall.
Commentary hypes up our main event again and we go to break.
Back from commercial we get a vignette to remind us that the New Day are coming soon.
Dolph Ziggler vs. Sin Cara
Circling, Dolph goes to the mat but Sin grabs a waistlock and forces Ziggler to the ropes. Clean break, circling, again he goes low and again Cara grabs a waistlock, but this time the break is dirty with an elbow to the face. Off the ropes, Sin Cara with a high crossbody and a kick, he hooks Dolph up in the ropes and throws a chop.
Whip reversed, Sin with a springboard back elbow, kick, forearms and a quebrada but he takes a moment to taunt and Ziggler catches him. Back body drop to the apron, Cara dumps Dolph outside with a kick and throws a suicide dive! Ziggler gets him back in the ring, neckbreaker hung off the middle rope connects but only for two.
Passing stomp, leaping elbow drop, another two. Jockeying for position, neckbreaker blocked, suplex blocked, Dolph hits a dropkick for two, Sin Cara blocks the Fameasser... ONE-ARM ROLL-THROUGH DEADLIFT POWERBOMB! Quebrada connects but the knees are up! Ziggler lies in wait...
Dolph Ziggler wins by pinfall with a superkick.
Our main event is next, after the break.
Back from commercial, Lana takes time out of her busy schedule of being terrible on Twitter to give us another vignette.
Noam Dar cuts a promo about how things haven't been the same since he broke up with Alicia Fox, but tonight he has a gift to deliver straight to Rich Swann's face. (It's his fist.)
Up next, a Breezango vignette of their life as fashion cops! Tyler Breeze is hunting and pecking at some Ascension paperwork, the part of the job that he hates, when Fandango rolls up. They closed the case on the Ascension, but the Uggos are on the books.
They run down all of the Usos' various crimes, fashion and otherwise, including Jeywalking AND Jimmywalking. The big bust goes down on May 21st in Chicago, the Windy Apple, their kind of town. They get paged about somebody wearing socks and flip-flops and they go to work.
We get our main event entrances and then go to break.
Back from commercial, we get our championship introductions.
Chris Jericho (c) vs. Kevin Owens (WWE United States Championship)
Jericho punching hard out the gates, he sends KO into the ropes for a back elbow but Kev gets his own back, clubbing blows. Y2J with a dropkick, Owens bails and Chris stomps the injured hand. Following outside, he slams the hand into the steps a few times and goes to trap it between the steps again but Kev has it scouted.
Back in the ring, KO puts boots to him hard and chokes him over the ropes. Back in with a straight right hand, drawing him up for a snapmare and the senton connects for two. Chops in the corner, whip across, boot up, missile dropkick into grounded punches! Kick and knee in the corner, chops backing Owens to the next, whip across, Kev ducks the Stinger splash and Y2J bumps to the outside!
KO follows, cannonball against the barricade! Back in the ring that's good for a nearfall and we go to break.
Back from commercial, they're trading chops and Owens passes Jericho to the ropes. Diving double axehandle caught with a punch to the gut, thinking pop-up powerbomb but Y2J floats over! Lionsault gets the knees up, but Chris moves away from the cannonball and hits the Lionsault clean on a second try!
Jericho calling for it, double leg takedown, Kev kicks him away but he goes right back to it, flipping him over, the Walls of Jericho are locked in! Reaching, clawing, fighting and he gets a hand on the ropes! To the apron, he blocks the triangle dropkick, superkick... NOPE!
Drawing the champion to his feet, a big slap to the face, off the ropes, pop-up powerbomb, Chris counters with a Frankensteiner and rolls through and into the Walls of Jericho in the middle of the ring! KO crawling, scraping, screaming agony... HE GETS HIS HAND ON THE ROPES!
Owens outside, Jericho trying a baseball slide, Kev catches him with a superkick and a DDT on the ramp! Back in the ring, another superkick... NOT ENOUGH! Drawing him back up, telling Chris he's done, Jericho with a small package, only a nearfall! Off the ropes...
Kevin Owens wins by pinfall with the pop-up powerbomb, winning the WWE United States Championship.
Referee Dan Engler calls EMTs to the ring to check on Chris Jericho, leading Owens to stop short and come back to the apron. He climbs up and back through the ropes and picks Y2J up, off the ropes again, pop-up powerbomb! That's not enough! Up again, he tells him he was never his best friend and throws him towards the ropes again but he's so done he can't come off them for the powerbomb!
KO collects his belt and heads back up the ramp once more. Referees help Jericho up the ramp himself... AND OWENS COMES BACK DOWN! HE PUTS THE BOOTS TO JERICHO AND GETS A CHAIR! HE WRAPS IT AROUND Y2J'S NECK AND THROWS HIM INTO THE RINGPOST!
Owens collects his title once again while Jericho writhes in agony as the EMTs attend to him.
That's the show, folks.