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WWE SmackDown Live comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Aug. 22, 2017) from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, featuring the fallout show from the SummerSlam pay-per-view (PPV) that went down this past Sunday night in the same arena.
Advertised for tonight: Shinsuke Nakamura responds to losing to Jinder Mahal thanks to the Singh Brothers, 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 AUG. 22
Hey bro, take it slow, you ain't livin' in a video. You're flying low with a high velocity. No doubt, you're stressin' out, that ain't what rock n' roll's about. Get off that one way trip down lonely street, and get on this pro wrestling show that I'll liveblog for you, folks.
The show opens with a recap video of the United States Championship match from SummerSlam.
AJ Styles makes his entrance. He takes in the atmosphere a moment before welcoming us to the House That AJ Styles Built and pointing out that he's still US Champion after beating Kevin Owens. He told the world that he's the workhorse of WWE, and nothing changed, because he's reinstating the United States Open Challenge, and it starts right now.
Enter Kevin Owens. Styles says this isn't happening, he won at SummerSlam, they're done, it's over. Owens disagrees, saying what happened Sunday is history repeating itself twenty years later, and a McMahon screwed a legendary Canadian out of a title once again. He says AJ can't take any credit for beating him, because Shane McMahon screwed him.
Enter Shane McMahon. He steps in the ring and gestures KO to stay back before saying he wants to address it right away. He can see that Kev is upset, but he called the match right down the middle, and in the end, AJ won fair and square. Owens isn't gonna talk about the fact that Shane, who survived a helicopter crash, who jumped off Hell in a Cell, he gets grazed by a 450 splash and he can't make it in time to count the three?
And he's not gonna mention how McMahon physically assaulted him, but he will talk about the clip he rolls of Shane counting to three on the powerbomb before noticing that AJ's foot was on the ropes and waving it off. Shane says he saw what everyone did, that Styles had his foot on the rope. Owens tells him to focus on his right hand hitting the mat three times.
Owens asks about "that idiot referee" counting to three weeks ago, his decision stood, so why doesn't this one stand? McMahon says he noticed as his hand was falling for three and called it off, and so his decision stands. KO gets in his face, losing his mind about how AJ's a joke of a champion and he wants his title back and Styles tells them to shut up.
Kev asks if he doesn't like the truth, and AJ says he doesn't like a "whiny-ass little bitch" like Owens. He wants a match, he'll beat him again, he tells Shane to make the match and KO is all about it. McMahon says it's against his better judgment but if Styles wants to do it, he'll be okay with it. Kev talks about getting screwed over and over and wants to pick the referee for tonight.
AJ tells him to go ahead, he can do what he wants, get his mom to referee, a little girl from the front row, whoever, he'll beat him no matter what. Shane agrees and tells him that as long as AJ is champ, this will be Owens' very last shot, no more excuses.
Daniel Bryan is in his office on the phone talking about having a few big surprises for tonight when the Singh Brothers roll up. Apparently Bryan requested an audience with the Modern-Day Maharaja, and they give him his usual big intro. Jinder Mahal says he knows why Dan wanted him, he sees the value he brings to SmackDown, SummerSlam was a huge international success, and he knows that he's unstoppable as champion.
Bryan says he sees somebody who can't win without the help of the Singh Brothers. Jinder unloads his spiel and Bryan says heroes don't take shortcuts and Shinsuke Nakamura deserves some revenge. Mahal protests that he doesn't have to wrestle and Dan says of course he doesn't-- the Singh Brothers do.
Commentary hypes up a women's tag match and we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get another trademark still picture recap of SummerSlam.
Kevin Owens is walking backstage and runs into Sami Zayn, who he says is just who he was looking for. He says they've been fighting each other or at each other's side for fifteen years, and people can say what they want about they've done to each other, but tonight he needs somebody he can trust to referee his match.
Sami says he watched KO's DVD and reliving that history brought up a lot of, uh, well, they'd been fighting for so long that he's not sure what they were fighting about. Owens agrees, and says maybe they shouldn't be fighting each other at all, and he knows he's not busy tonight since he hasn't done much since coming to SmackDown, but tonight is a chance to do something meaningful, so please just consider it.
In the ring, Aiden English calls for his spotlight and sings his usual intro for himself, but his spotlight goes out just as he's getting to the line about being the Drama King...
GLORIOUS!
BOBBY ROODE IS ON SMACKDOWN!
Aiden English vs. Bobby Roode
Roode soaking in the atmosphere as Brooklyn chants his name, he does the big wind-up "Glorious!" taunt and English loses his mind, saying that SmackDown is his stage, but Bobby cuts him off and clotheslines him to the outside to send us to break.
Back from commercial, English is in control, throwing disdainful slaps at the former NXT Champion. Roode shoves him in the corner, shoulder thrusts and chops, boot to the gut, whip to the corner, sidestep the back splash, Manhattan Drop to a charging forearm and Bobby is fired up. Corner lariat, rolling Aiden away, to the second, diving blockbuster, fireman's carry but English reverses to the Director's Cut... NO GOOD!
Aiden climbs up top for the senton but nobody's home and Roode plants him with a thrust spinebuster! "Glorious!" taunt, lying in wait...
Bobby Roode wins by pinfall with the Glorious DDT.
Renee Young interviews Roode in the ring after, and he congratulates Bryan and Shane for breaking the bank to capitalize on the hottest free agent in sports entertainment today. And if you don't know by now, you're about to find out that everything he does is big box office, and in a New York minute, SmackDown went from being great to being absolutely Glorious.
Commentary hypes up Shinsuke Nakamura vs. the Singh Brothers for later and we go to break.
Back from commercial with another still image recap of SummerSlam.
Daniel Bryan is in his office when Chad Gable rolls up, and Bryan says he's sorry about Jason Jordan leaving him. Chad says that's all anybody's talking about, when he's worried about his future. Bryan says he didn't trade Jordan to Raw for nothing, he talked to Kurt about getting one of his friends to team with him...
SHELTON BENJAMIN IS HERE! Chad talks about how he looked up to Shelton and whatnot, and Dan offers them a match next week, which Gable gleefully accepts without Benjamin getting a word in edgewise. Bryan then welcomes Shelton to SmackDown.
Kevin Owens rolls up on Sami Zayn again, offering him a referee's shirt. Sami says he thought about it real long and real hard, and he thought of every rotten thing he ever did to him and every time he stabbed him in the back, and he hopes he finds the help he wants tonight because he's gonna need it and he's not getting it from him. Zayn throws the shirt in KO’s face and leaves him to consider his options.
Hype Bros make their entrance, they have a match with the Usos after the break.
Back from commercial in time for the freshly-crowned champions to make their entrance.
Hype Bros (Mojo Rawley & Zack Ryder) vs. the Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso)
Jey and Mojo to start, jockeying for position, collar and elbow and Rawley charges Uso into the corner. Whip reversed, up and over, three-point stance into a shoulder thrust, big inside-out slam and Mojo declares that Jey ain't hype. Stinger splash, whip to the corner, distracted by Jimmy and Jey catches him with the dropkick!
Tag made, putting boots to him, mocking Ryder on the apron, hip attack, tag back to Jey, wishbone the legs, leglock, another quick tag into a stomp to the chest, leg drop across the throat, only two and Jimmy locks a reverse chinlock in. Rawley struggling to his feet, breaking with body blows but Uso ducks a lariat and puts him in the corner.
Mojo fending the Usos off, crawling for the tag, he gets it and Zack clobbers Jimmy with lariats, whip reversed, a falling facebuster into elbows in the corner, setting up the Broski Boot but Jey makes the save! Rawley runs an Uso over with a lariat and Ryder hits a slingshot dropkick on the other. Jimmy back in, ready to capitalize...
The Usos win by pinfall with a superkick from Jimmy Uso on Zack Ryder.
Jey gets on the mic after and says they got SmackDown's tag division on lock and he welcomes Brooklyn to the Uso penitentiary. Jimmy says every other tag team is gonna feel what the New Day felt, those goosebumps, their head on a swivel, like somebody's creeping up behind them? No, it's not paranoia, it's the Usos!
Shinsuke Nakamura is walking backstage, his match will be after the break.
Back from commercial we get another still picture recap of SummerSlam.
Ahead of their handicap match, the Singh Brothers introduce Jinder again, with the champion hanging out at ringside in an inversion of their usual deal.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Singh Brothers (Samil & Sunil Singh) (Handicap Match)
Swarming, Nakamura fends both Singhs off with a few kicks and they spiral over for a strategy session with Mahal. Knocking Sunil away, putting Samir in the corner, soon enough both brothers are set up for Good Vibrations. A knee lift, setting one on the ropes, Samir follows, the rope-hung knee lift on both men and Samir goes flying outside!
Shinsuke dumps Sunil outside and Jinder does his best to rally the troops, only for Nakamura to egg him on. The Singhs attack the King of Strong Style from behind and put boots to him. Double whip to the corner, boots up for one, flying armbar into a triangle choke on the other...
Shinsuke Nakamura wins by submission with a triangle choke.
Jinder blindsides him after the match! Nakamura catches him off-guard... KINSHASA!
Shinsuke does the universal gesture for "I'm coming for the title" over Mahal's fallen body.
Kevin Owens is walking backstage when Breezango accost him with finger guns. Tyler says they may be off-duty this week, but they can still be referees. Fandango says they're smart, sexy, and savvy, and KO unloads on them and tells them to get out of there without touching the referee shirt. He thinks better of it and calls them back when a hand claps him on the shoulder.
It's Baron Corbin, and he says if he wins the US title back, he gets first dibs. Kev says it's when, not if, and he has a deal, which leads Corbin to saying he better be a man of his word.
And on that note, we go to break.
Back from commercial, Natalya makes her entrance.
She gets on the mic and talks about how SummerSlam will forever be known as the day the glow was unplugged. On Sunday she proved that she's the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be, and Naomi can wipe the tears from her eyes and take a good long look at what a real championship looks like.
Nattie says she's our new and forever SmackDown Women's Champion and she promises to restore honor and dignity back to the title. It's no longer glow time, it's her time.
Carmella makes her entrance, flanked by James Ellsworth, and she talks about how happy she is for her. Jimmy adds that she finally won something, unlike these people, and it only took her a billion years. Carmella scolds him and says she has to clear the air with Natalya before their match, and that it's her time, sure, but she's on her watch.
Ellsworth adds that she's on borrowed time, and ends up giving away the battle plan for the night, that Carmella doesn't want to tag in, in order that she might cash in on Nattie when she loses, which leads the Princess of Staten Island to elbow him until he shuts up.
Becky Lynch & Naomi vs. Carmella & Natalya
Naomi and Carmella to start, circling, Carmella keeping her distance and tagging Natalya in immediately, ordering her to get Naomi. They lock up with a collar and elbow and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Lynch comes off the ropes with a leg drop on Neidhart but it's not enough to end the match and the champion begs for a time out. Putting Becky in the corner, stomping away, pulling her into the middle of the ring for a sleeper hold and wearing her down to the mat with it. Lynch throws her off but gets caught by a discus lariat!
Clearing Naomi off the apron, Nattie takes the Lasskicker to the corner for a tag but Carmella hops off the apron and begs off. Lynch gets a nearfall off a schoolboy pin, a leg-feed enzuigiri gets her some separation. Whip to the corner, climbing but Neidhart trips her off the top for a nearfall before taking the time out to yell at Carmella.
Becky counters a snap suplex into a small package for another nearfall and tags Naomi in! Enzuigiri into a sunset flip for a nearfall and A Bad Place is on! Neidhart rolls out of it and goes for the Sharpshooter but is denied. She boots Naomi away and tags the Princess of Staten Island in while she's discussing strategy with Ellsworth!
Forcing her in the ring, Lynch lands an exploder suplex on Miss Money in the Bank! Naomi hops up the turnbuckles...
Becky Lynch & Naomi win by pinfall with a split-legged moonsault from Naomi on Carmella.
Commentary hypes up our main event and we head to break on the Breezango ad for Domino's.
Back from commercial, Dolph Ziggler is interviewed backstage.
He says he's excited to be back and reintroducing himself to the WWE Universe... in a backstage interview. Way to roll out the red carpet, guys, and it's good to know where he stands. But while he was gone he was watching a lot of Raw and SmackDown and he thinks he's figured out what it takes to be a star in WWE.
He's gonna start singing, playing guitar, maybe rap a little bit, dance around, get a big spotlight, lasers, he'll get a big fancy robe, because that's what it takes, right? He'll have a beautiful woman escort him to the ring, but not any woman, a woman that glows in the dark, because that's what we want and that's what he's doing... next week.
Lana is in the locker room on the phone with somebody when Tamina rolls up and asks for an update. Lana says her road to the title begins next week, and this week they're going to look deep in their hearts to remember why they want and need this. She asks Snuka to close her eyes, of which she's skeptical but goes with when Lana insists.
Lana asks her to remember the feeling of being in a full locker room but feeling alone because people are talking behind her back because she's different, because they're different. So take those feelings and let them fester in her until the anger boils over, and now open her eyes, and she sees the rage and says Tamina is ready.
One by one they'll crush the competition as the Ravishing Reign of Terror begins, and they won't stop until Tamina becomes champion, the most feared woman on SmackDown.
AJ Styles is walking backstage when he rolls into the Lone Referee Baron Corbin. Corbin mentions the deal he made with Owens, and AJ says when he wins tonight there'll be an open challenge every week, so if he wants a title shot he just has to enter the challenge. Baron claps him on the back and says he'll see him out there.
Corbin makes his entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial we get some hype for 205 Live, featuring Akira Tozawa challenging Neville for the Cruiserweight Championship.
AJ Styles (c) vs. Kevin Owens (WWE United States Championship)
Owens bails right at the bell and takes his time, seeing how Baron is going to react. Corbin backs AJ off and KO gets back in only to bail again. Styles gets into it with Baron and Owens takes advantage, attacking from behind and putting boots to the champion in the corner. Choking away, the Lone Wolf applies a five count and Kev backs away, taking AJ across the ring for chops.
Overhead elbow to the back of the head, off the ropes and he runs right into a dropkick right on the button! Owens back outside, Styles slingshots outside with a falling forearm to wipe the challenger out and send us to break.
Back from commercial, Owens has Styles grounded with a reverse chinlock but AJ slips out and lands the Pele kick, sending KO outside once again! Kev catches Styles into the apron and then fallaway slams him into the barricade before rolling him back inside for a nearfall. Back to the reverse chinlock, grinding the champion down, another nearfall, grinding his forearm into AJ's face before going back to the chinlock once more.
Styles throwing elbows on his feet, he reverses to the back suplex facebuster and both men are down and out on the mat. Blocking forearms and throwing his own in return, Styles Rush follows, off the ropes, sliding forearm strike, into the corner and out of it with Ushigoroshi... NO GOOD!
Phenomenal Forearm sidestepped but AJ thinks on his feet and rolls through into the Calf Killer! He wrenches it deep and Owens has to physically stop himself from tapping! He almost has the ropes, Styles rolls through into the middle of the ring again but Corbin pulls him off, telling him KO broke the plane of the ropes.
AJ jaws at Baron and Owens shoves Styles into Corbin! Baron shoves AJ back over at KO and we get a series of quick schoolboy nearfalls into a double lariat that leaves both men laid out on the mat! Shane McMahon runs down to yell at Corbin for his officiating but the Lone Wolf insists he's doing his job and watching everything they're doing, completely missing a low blow from Owens!
He goes to count the three and Shane yanks him out of the ring! They jaw and Baron takes the referee shirt off and throws it at McMahon, he's done! KO rolls out to protest and Shane puts the shirt on, he's officiating this match now! AJ catches Owens over the ropes with a jawbreaker, he springboards in...
AJ Styles wins by pinfall with the Phenomenal Forearm, retaining the WWE United States Championship.
Owens heads up the ramp as AJ celebrates, the magnitude of what just happened sinking in, realizing that he's never getting another shot at the United States Championship as long as Styles is champion.
That's the show, folks.