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WWE SmackDown Live comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (June 6, 2017) from the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester, New York featuring all the latest build to the upcoming Money in the Bank pay-per-view (PPV) scheduled for later this month in St. Louis.
Advertised for tonight: Kevin Owens vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, 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 JUNE 6
Exodus, ascend the plane! Exile this medium of bondage far beyond the prophecy of tyrant guardians. Traject the esoteric sisters they are mythical. Arcana awaits you, but me, I'm here to liveblog this pro wrestling show, folks.
The show opens with a video packaging recapping the brawl last week that lead to the creation of the first ever women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match.
In the arena, Shane McMahon makes his entrance with all five competitors in the ladder match (and James Ellsworth) in the ring. Shane welcomes everybody to the show and introduces the women one by one. We have a six-woman tag team match tonight, but first he wanted to do a reveal. He gets a drum roll and an item is lowered on a hook, it's the Women's Money in the Bank briefcase!
McMahon says the question is which woman will hold it in their clutches on June 18th. As we know, this match is dangerous and people leave a piece of themselves in the ring. But with great risk comes great reward, and the reward is a guaranteed SmackDown Women's Championship title match any time, any place.
Ellsworth pipes up, saying there's no need to mansplain the briefcase, because we already know what's happening, duh. Carmella says she's gonna be the only chick left looking down from the top of the ladder at the end of the match. Charlotte Flair tells her to pipe down, because she has something to say.
Flair thanks Shane on behalf of her four opponents, for allowing them the opportunity to brush up against greatness, and she's more genetically superior than all of them combined, and she's gonna add this to her legacy, wooo. Natalya is sick of "wooo" and she's not gonna let her get anywhere near that contract.
Becky Lynch says the only thing Nattie is best at is ripping off Uncle Bret, while she's best at ripping off arms, and that's how she's gonna become the first Ms. Money in the Bank. Tamina says all they do is talk, but in St. Louis, she's gonna shut all of them up.
Enter Naomi. She had to come out here and say that as much as she loves being champion, she'd love to be in this match, because it's gonna be lit, y'all. The match will be historic, but whoever wins the contract has to face her, and she's ready, and she'll stay ready...
Enter Lana. Shane greets her and says this is the land of opportunity but this isn't the right time and it's not working for him right now. She promises what works for her, she'll make work for him. Naomi can't compete in this match, but she can, which openly has several of the other women sniggering before Naomi actually laughs out loud.
Lana asks her what's funny and she says Bugs Bunny before continuing, asking if she's serious. She hasn't even had a singles match! Who has she ever beat?! Naomi sings the Jeopardy theme and Lana says she can beat Naomi. Shane tells her she has to earn a title match and Lana sputters and stamps her feet before leaving.
Shane says it's time to get ready for the match, which is up next, so let's get the show going, and that sends us to break.
Back from commercial in time for the bell to ring. and the match is in progress!
Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, & Naomi vs. Welcoming Committee (Carmella, Natalya, & Tamina)
Charlotte and Natalya to start, Flair hits the ropes for a wooo, collar and elbow, Nattie takes her over into an armbar, reversed to a headscissors, Neidhart slips out to a side headlock. Charlotte re-reverses, Natalya with a headscissors, Flair slips out, side headlock, reversed, off the ropes, the Queen goes down with a shoulder block.
Drop down, leapfrog, miscommunication and Flair starts throwing chops. Off the ropes, knee drop, front facelock, tag to Becky, in with a diving axehandle, leg lariat, Carmella tags in. Lynch with a drop toehold, front facelock, Carmella escapes, blocks the O'Connor roll, can't block the sunset flip, Oklahoma roll, rolling bodyscissors cradle and Becky just rolls her around the ring!
Flying forearm, only two, whip reversed, duck a charge, springboard kick blocked and Lynch falls outside where Nattie attacks with a discus lariat and we go to break.
Back from commercial and Lynch is throwing Natalya off, looking for the tag but she gets rammed in the far corner and Tamina tags in. Snuka grabs a reverse chinlock and grounds the Lasskicker. Escape, off the ropes, she gets run over, cover for two, Nattie tags in, boot, mat slam, giant step, putting her face-first into the mat.
Michinoku Driver connects for a nearfall and Neidhart puts a reverse chinlock on to deny Lynch the tag. Becky to her feet, throwing elbows, leg-feed enzuigiri, but Carmella tags in and clears the apron! Becky fights her off and tags Naomi in! Speedball kicks, duck the buzzsaw, jawbreaker, tag to Tamina.
Wristlock roundhouses, deadlift double leg into the turnbuckles, Naomi catches her with an enzugiri out of the corner, crossbody, Carmella makes the save! Match breaks down, everybody does something cool, Lana comes back to ringside. Naomi with two boots up, roundhouse to Snuka but she's distracted and Lana trips her on the apron!
Welcoming Committee wins by pinfall with a superkick from Tamina on Naomi.
Shane is walking backstage on his phone when he runs into the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal in Memory of Andre the Giant Trophy. And Mojo Rawley is also there. He says that was the greatest moment of his life and he thought it'd springboard his career, but fact is he's been a ghost, riding the bench for two months.
But SmackDown is the land of opportunity, and he doesn't want a favor, just a chance. He knows he was left out of Money in the Bank for a reason, and if that was to challenge him or motivate him, then he'll step up, but if it's because he was forgotten, he wants to remind Shane that only one man has beaten WWE Champion Jinder Mahal and that's him.
Shane says there's a lot of talent who want to step up, Tye Dillinger, Luke Harper, and he'll offer Mojo an opportunity. He has a chance to get into the Money in the Bank Ladder Match if he can beat his opponent tonight... WWE Champion Jinder Mahal. Mojo's hyped, shakes Shane's hand, and thanks him for the opportunity.
Commentary hypes up Nakamura/Owens and Ziggler/Styles, both rematches, one from last week on SmackDown and one from three years ago in a different promotion entirely, and we go to break.
Back from commercial, AJ Styles makes his entrance.
AJ Styles vs. Dolph Ziggler
Circling, Dolph going low, picking a leg, takedown into a pin, AJ with a side headlock, reversed to a waistlock, standing switch, takedown, Ziggler slips out and gets a front chancery into a pin but Styles slips out and uses a hammerlock to get a side headlock. Dolph reverses, shoulder thrust begets a forearm into the Styles Rush, cut off with a dropkick, only two and we go to break.
Back from commercial, AJ fights out of a headlock with elbows and a jawbreaker, big overhand right, Dolph gives him one in return and it becomes a slugfest. Styles pulls ahead, forearm and chops, Ziggler cuts him off, Fameasser dodged, AJ knocks him down with a big lariat! Fireman's carry, Dolph slips out, folding press, feet on the ropes but referee Mike Chioda catches him!
Fameasser connects... NO GOOD! Ziggler sets Styles up top, climbs after, thinking superplex but the Phenomenal One blocks, slips out, caught with a back kick, Dolph going for a tornado DDT but AJ just throws him off! Up and over to the apron, forearm strike, fakeout on the springboard, slingshot into a sunset flip, Dolph counters, handful of ropes, AJ still escapes!
Another cover, Styles slips out, keeping hold of his legs...
AJ Styles wins by pinfall with the Styles Clash.
Commentary talks up the Money in the Bank Ladder Match before switching to the tag team division and tossing to a new episode of Fashion Files.
This one is entitled "Dumb on Arrival." The camera pans across the corkboard and Fandango rolls up shirtless but wearing a tie. He says he took the cologne to the boys in the lab but there's no boys and no lab, so he tasted it himself. He doesn't think it's the Colons' cologne, and they spend a good few beats picking that phrase apart.
Neither of them get it, so they must be close.
The New Day are navigating their ice cream cart down the hall when they step into Breezango's office, which is in black and white for them as well. They don't know where else to go and were hoping Breezango would take the case. They think out loud that they'd take it but New Day can't hear their thoughts.
Big E says there's something in it for them too, and they fish rompers out of Big E's singlet for them. Fandango throws his down, upset at the fabric choice-- he may like dancing and he may like Dirty Dancing, but he's not a dirty dancer and they don't take bribes. Breeze then steps into frame wearing his, saying he's in!
New Day want some intel on the Usos and Breeango hand them three boxes worth of files, including the Day One is H hoodie. They think that they're on the case but New Day still can't hear them and they leave, thanking the hot cops.
Mojo Rawley makes his entrance, his match against WWE Champion Jinder Mahal will be after the break.
Back from commercial we get some hype for John Cena's return on the Fourth of July!
Mojo Rawley is waiting in the ring but the Singh Brothers come out. One of them speaks Punjabi and the other in English, introducing the Modern Day Maharaja, Jinder Mahal.
Jinder Mahal vs. Mojo Rawley
Mojo gong low, trying to fake Jinder out, collar and elbow, Rawley looks to win the struggle but Mahal turns him around into the corner. Mojo slips around, throwing hands, taking the champ corner to corner, whip, hip toss, Maharaja heads for the ropes. Back in warily, kick to the gut, punch to the face, whip, Rawley ducks a pair of lariats, flying tackle, Jinder rolls all the way outside!
Yelling at the Singh Brothers, Mahal takes his time coming back in and Mojo declares him not hype. Duck a lariat, off the ropes, POUNCE! Fired up, Singh Brothers running interference and Jinder catches him with a boot. Slingshot knee drops into a choke, stomp in passing, short-arm lariat and the Maharaja locks a reverse chinlock in.
Rawley out with a back suplex, drawing himself up in the corner, duck a body avalanche, shoulder blocks into a lariat, he's fired up, Stinger splash, fireman's carry but Mahal rakes the eyes and puts him shoulder-first into the ringpost...
Jinder Mahal wins by pinfall with Khallas.
Jinder gets on the mic after and demands silence. He reminds us that he is WWE Champion, he just dismantled the dreams of Mojo Rawley just like he's going to dismantle the dreams of Randy Orton. His dream of regaining the WWE Championship in his hometown of St. Louis in the USA.
Randy Orton is sick and everyone who supports him is sick, but Mahal claims to be the antidote. Once he cures the WWE Universe, they'll have no choice but to accept him as their Maharaja. And now he'll speak to his people in his language of Punjabi.
Commentary hypes up Nakamura vs. Owens and tosses to a video package about Nakamura.
New Day are walking backstage, and they'll be in action after the break.
Back from commercial, Randy Orton is hanging out backstage doing nothing when an interview rolls up. He says last week after SmackDown he got calls from legends like his father, Ric Flair, and Harley Race, and they all said the same thing-- let Jinder run his mouth because action speak louder than words. And Jinder's gonna hear him just fine.
Big E does the deal, New Day make their entrance.
New Day (Big E & Xavier Woods) vs. the Colons (Epico & Primo Colon)
Woods and Primo to start, struggling in a lockup. Colon backs him in the corner, off the ropes, Woods ducks some lariats, tilt-a-whirl headscissors, he hangs him up on the middle rope and throws a dropkick to the back for two. Primo to the corner, Epico tags in, shot to the face, whip, Xavier drops low, jumping forearm, E tags in.
Whip into a lariat, Big gets a cover and proceeds to lock the abdominal stretch on. Primo runs in, Woods catches him, stereo slapping abdominal stretches into stereo back elbows to send us to break!
Back from commercial Primo is in control on Woods, stomping away and putting him in the corner before taking him out. Xavier breaks away, can't get separation and gets put back in the corner for a lariat. Mounted punches in the corner, Woods out with a headbutt that sends Colon halfway across the ring... MISSILE DROPKICK!
Tags made on both sides and E comes in hard with the belly-to-belly suplex trio, hip swivel, off the ropes, Big Splash, Primo back body dropped outside, Xavier lands a tope con giro on him! Epico with a schoolboy pin, jawbreaker, blind tag from Woods, gamengiri, Big hoists him up...
New Day win by pinfall with Midnight Hour on Epico Colon.
The Usos come to the stage as New Day are celebrating their victory. They're really impressed today! Or more like yesterday, because New Day are old news and the Usos have the tag division on lock. They welcome New Day once again to the Uso Penitentiary, and they like jokes as much as anybody.
Kofi with his pigtails and crop top, all he's missing is a tutu. Big E? That his initials or his bra size? Xavier? Look up up then down down and ask yourself what are those? But at Money in the Bank, ain't gonna be no more jokes or laughter. Head's gonna be on a swivel like somebody's creeping up on you, but it's not paranoia, it's the Usos!
Kevin Owens is taping his wrists up backstage and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Sami Zayn is interviewed about his preparation for the Money in the Bank Ladder Match and he says he's been watching tape on his opponents. But the one guy that he can't figure out no matter how much he watches is Shinsuke Nakamura. He knows first-hand how dangerous Shinsuke can be, so he'll be on commentary for his match tonight.
He says Nakamura's charisma is what makes him dangerous, all his little movements and gestures make you forget how hard he hits. But Money in the Bank is too important--
Enter Baron Corbin. He takes the mic to ask Sami a question, and phrases it in the form of punching him in the face with the microphone and clobbering him from behind with a short ladder! Dragging him up, he tells Zayn that Shinsuke isn't who he should worry about, and he throws him into a stack of ladders! Baron says it looks like a spot on commentary just opened up.
We cut to Shane McMahon on the phone talking about what just happened when Naomi rolls up. She wants Lana at Money in the Bank. She says she can beat her, so let's see if she can! McMahon says he has a lot on his plate but Naomi's under no obligation to fight. Naomi says she really wants the fight and is willing to put the title on the line.
Shane asks if she's sure, and she says she is, so he makes the match. Naomi goes to leave but comes back to tell Shane to tell Lana to invest in an ushanka, because she's gonna get snatched bald.
Kevin Owens makes his entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial we get a little hype for Talking Smack and TJ Perkins TJP cuts a promo about how the cruiserweight division only exists because of him and all these loserweights are fighting over his title, well, he has a chance to win it back tonight.
Kevin Owens vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Circling, Nakamura throws a probing leg kick and a second puts Owens into the ropes. Going low but KO gets a front chancery, takes it around to a wristlock, overhead elbows, Shinsuke reverses, Kev immediately breaks and Shinsuke wants more! Kick combo, Owens heads outside and we go to break.
Back from commercial and Owens plants a Penalty Kick in Nakamura's back. Stomp in passing, right hand, boots, a cover gets two and KO locks a reverse chinlock on to keep the King of Strong Style grounded. Shinsuke fights to his feet, throwing elbows, and Kev plants him with a DDT for two and goes back to the reverse chinlock.
Nakamura out, throwing forearms, it turns into a full-on exchange, KO witha fireman's carry, out, Shinsuke with a single leg dropkick into chest kicks. Strike rush, another chest kick takes the United States Champion down, whip across, Stinger splash, fireman's carry into the ropes sets up the charging knee lift, only a nearfall.
Hooking him, thinking inverted exploder suplex, Owens throwing elbows, grabbing the hair and throwing a headbutt to escape before setting Shinsuke up top. Climbing after him, thinking fisherman buster, Nakamura blocks, Owens with a trip and the cannonball! Off the ropes, Nakamura holds on, boot up, KO catches it, spinning wheel kick and finally the inverted exploder suplex connects!
Fired up...
Shinsuke Nakamura wins by pinfall with Kinshasa.
Corbin runs in while Nakamura is celebrating... END OF DAYS!
That's the show, folks.