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WWE SmackDown Live comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Sept. 5, 2017) from the Denny Sandford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, featuring all the latest build to the upcoming Hell in a Cell pay-per-view (PPV) next month in Detroit.
Advertised for tonight: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Randy Orton for the first time ever with a WWE championship shot on the line, Carmella vs. Natalya in non-title action, 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 SEPT. 5
Watch the damned, God bless you. They're gonna break their chains! You can't stop them, God bless you. They're coming to get you and then you'll get your balls to the wall, man, but me? I'm just here to liveblog this here pro wrestling show.
The show opens with a recap of the ending of last week's main event tag match and the "shocking" RKO that followed.
Tom Phillips and Byron Saxton wish John "Bradshaw" Layfield the best of luck now that he's left the commentary desk and welcome new partner Corey Graves into his spot.
Randy Orton is backstage, saying he's watched more stars crash and burn than he can count. Shinsuke Nakamura is a star, no doubt, but will he rise, or will he fall? The RKO last week was a reminder that all it takes is one second of distraction, and nothing will stop him from taking the WWE Championship back from Jinder Mahal.
Speaking of the King of Strong Style, he's shown shadowboxing backstage before saying he respects the legend of Randy Orton. He knows how to inflict pain out of nowhere, but he's chasing his destiny, the WWE title, and the pain he'll inflict on the Viper will be felt everywhere.
James Ellsworth and Carmella are in the ring and he gives her his usual big intro but is interrupted midstream by Kevin Owens. KO says he's sure whatever he had to say was profound, but he has a more important announcement, and that's that he'll be special guest referee in her match against Natalya. He accosts referee Dan Engler, demanding his shirt--
Enter Shane McMahon. He came out here to shut this down and nip it in the bud, and Owens isn't gonna come down and make himself a referee. He's been patient at every turn but Kev has been defiant and he wants to make it very clear that KO has to stop blaming him for his losses. Owens blamed him at SummerSlam, but he was warned that putting hands on McMahon would end poorly.
On SmackDown, he got to pick his own referee, Baron Corbin, who didn't even finish the match, and once again he blames Shane. Owens says the only reason Corbin left is because McMahon pulled him out of the ring, interfering just like he did at SummerSlam. And furthermore he knows that Shane never wanted him on SmackDown, and he agrees, because if it was up to him, he'd still be on Raw.
McMahon goes down memory lane and asks if that's because Triple H gifted him the Universal Championship? But on SmackDown everybody has to earn their own successes, so don't blame him, blame yourself. Kev scoffs at the idea that him not having the United States Championship has nothing to do with Shane and says he makes everything about him.
He asks if he needs the spotlight because his daddy didn't give him enough attention as a kid? He's willing to parade his kids around and make them dance during his entrance-- McMahon cuts him off right there and tells him not to involve his kids, and Owens shifts to asking if the fall off the cell has to do with impressing dad, if the helicopter crash was about impressing dad, and KO goes so far as to say his whole family would have been better off if he hadn't survived the crash!
Everyone, his dad, his wife, and especially his kids. Shane's had enough and starts throwing punches! To the outside, over the announce table, raining 'em down! McMahon backs referees off and security comes down, followed right behind by five-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce and SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan, who succeed in backing him off!
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get a recap of the comments from Kevin Owens that sent Shane McMahon over the edge and the brawl that followed.
Referees and a medic are helping Owens backstage when Bryan rolls up to apologize, saying Shane was completely out of line. KO agrees and says McMahon couldn't help himself, but Dan better enjoy his job while he has it, because he's going to sue Shane, WWE, and every member of the McMahon family. He's going to take the show down, he's going to take WWE down.
Bryan says there has to be another way to handle this, and Owens says he's right, he's gonna go press criminal charges on McMahon himself.
Carmella vs. Natalya
Collar and elbow, Natalya gets a side headlock takeover, Carmella shoots her off but the champ runs her over, duck the lariat, tilt-a-whirl headscissors from the Princess of Staten Island! Side headlock takeover of her own, and a dropkick, but it's only good for two. Big palm strike from Nattie, Carmella gives her one in return, discus lariat but Ms. Money in the Bank rolls outside and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Carmella has a bodyscissors applied in the middle of the ring, locking Neidhart down. Nattie manages to turn herself around and lay in a series of forearms to the face. Slaps in return, bodyscissors still applied and Carmella locks a guillotine choke in! Natalya hosses herself up to her feet and counters into the Michinoku Driver!
Picking the legs, thinking Sharpshooter, Carmella blocks and so she shifts to catapult her into the turnbuckles. Back elbow, a superkick, Carmella gets a nearfall and Jimmy Dream drops the briefcase into the ring. Referee Dan Engler asks if she wants to cash in and she does not, in a very loud manner. Nattie capitalizes...
Natalya wins by pinfall with a schoolboy pin.
Carmella gets on the mic after as Ellsworth begs off. She says he doesn't have to say he's sorry because she knows he's sorry. He's the sorriest excuse for a human being she's ever met. In fact, he's not even human! You think she needs some genetic defect like him to succeed? She wonders how he's even still employed and calls him a charity chase, saying his mother should have given him away at birth.
She talks about how lucky he is to even be in her presence, and he's stuck the pathetic lump where his chin's supposed to be in her business for the last time, and they're through.
Shane McMahon is backstage, still steaming but trying to cool himself off.
Dolph Ziggler re-debuts, after the break.
Back from commercial, commentary tells us about Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month, tossing to a Connor's Cure video package.
Dolph Ziggler makes his entrance in his usual manner and gets on the mic on the ramp. He says we have no appreciation for what he can do in the ring. People would rather sit on their hands with the greatest performer in WWE history in front of their faces. Shame on you, you don't want him, you'd rather just have some dumb gimmick. He throws the microphone down the ramp and heads to the back.
John Cena's music plays and Dolph comes rushing back out in a baseball cap with a towel. He throws them into the crowd, exhorting the crowd to buy the towel, and makes to do John's run to the ring but stops himself short as the music cuts. That didn't do it? How about some nostalgia?
Pomp and Circumstance plays and he comes out in a robe with a woman by his side, doing a riff on "Macho Man" Randy Savage's entrance before again stopping short, saying this isn't working and passing his robe to the woman and telling her she's not needed, sending her to the back. But he knows exactly what we want and what we deserve and calls for the lights.
Naomi's theme plays this time and, naturally, he comes out doing her gimmick, complete with a weak slide to his knees on the ramp. He throws her gimmicks off and complains about people wanting gimmicks and lasers. Anybody could do what he just did, anybody, but no one can do what he can do in the ring.
Well, he doesn't care about the fans either, and we all make him sick, and he heads to the back.
Commentary hypes up a rematch between Aiden English and Sami Zayn for after the break.
Back from commercial, Aiden English sings his intro in his usual fashion.
Aiden English vs. Sami Zayn
Zayn in with punches, kick to the gut, whip reversed, springboard up and over, duck a lariat, headscissors takeover, up and over to the apron and he puts English's face into the turnbuckle. Slingshot back in, lariat connects and Aiden draws himself up the ropes in time to meet right hands from Sami. Whip reversed, back elbow up, Zayn with a double jump crossbody but English blocks, quick to capitalize...
Aiden English wins by pinfall with an Oklahoma roll.
Aiden continues where he left off when he was rudely interrupted, but he wavers when Sami chases him off up the ramp.
We get another recap of the Owens/McMahon segment and brawl.
Daniel Bryan is sad backstage but New Day roll up with a package of underwear for him and he's happy now. He says he's glad they came in when the Usos roll up. Bryan tells them to announce their stipulation for next week's title match, and they do so-- it's a Street Fight! Xavier Woods asks the odds to be in their favor and Big E makes a joke about the Usos being about to bust that doesn't land, and Dan needs to take a very serious phone call.
He asks a few questions, saying there has to be another way to handle this, but he understands and he'll do it right now.
What "it" is, we'll have to wait until after the break.
Back from commercial, Daniel Bryan makes his entrance in a somber fashion with no music.
He calls Shane McMahon to the ring. He's not sure Shane's still back there, but he needs to talk and he bids him come to the ring. McMahon appears after a few seconds, also with no music, and makes his way to the ring. Bryan asks what he was thinking, and Shane says things obviously got out of control. Dan asks if he remembers Miz tearing into him on Talking Smack about how he'd never wrestle again?
Every week he kept pushing, and you know how many times he thought "screw WWE, screw this job, I'm going to headbutt this jerk right in the face"? But he didn't, because Shane told him about putting WWE, the fans, and their employees first, so every week he restrained himself, stopped himself from punching Miz right in the face and he did what was best for the company and the show.
He tells Shane he can't assault their employees, and McMahon agrees, taking full responsibility and saying he shouldn't have put hands on Owens, but he talked about his kids and when somebody crosses that line, there's no coming back. He asks Dan to imagine, as a new father, if the same had happened, and Bryan asks if he knows the problems they're in legally now?
KO is gonna sue everybody, and Bryan cares about the people in the back and doesn't want them losing their jobs. McMahon says he's gonna smooth everything over, but Dan says it's too late. He got a call just before he came out here, from Vince McMahon, and effective immediately, per the chairman of the board and the CEO of WWE, he's sorry, but Shane is indefinitely suspended.
McMahon sets the mic down and slowly takes his leave to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Jinder Mahal is interviewed backstage with the Singh Brothers at his side.
He says it doesn't matter who wins tonight, because he's beaten both guys. All of Nakamura's hype didn't matter and he represents Asia much better than Shinsuke ever could. For over a hundred days he's proven that he's the greatest WWE Champion of all time, and he'll be watching the main event very closely.
So, RKO or Kinshasa, either will fall before the Modern-Day Maharaja, and he addresses his people in his language of Punjabi.
AJ Styles joins the commentary desk for our next match.
Baron Corbin vs. Tye Dillinger
Corbin immediately rolls outside to jaw at Styles and Dillinger plants him with a suicide dive! Following with a series of punches, putting him into the barricade, stomping away is the Perfect 10! Baron back inside, Tye ducks a lariat, throws a few chops and clotheslines the Lone Wolf right back outside to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Corbin has a half nelson neck crank in but Dillinger is fighting to his feet. Body blows, Baron shoves into the corner, pass around outside and back in, a lariat gets a tight nearfall! Wasting time jawing at AJ, Tye gets a jawbreaker off, throwing left hands, whip reversed, flying forearm, stomp to the face and it's all about the Perfect 10 now.
Stomps in the corner, the knee pad comes down, fireman's carry, the Lone Wolf escapes and kicks Dillinger clean out of the ring. Putting him into the barricade outside, passing him back in, and again Corbin wastes time jawing at Styles before goozling Tye and drawing him up, but he reverses the chokebreaker into a victory roll pin... NO GOOD!
Face into the turnbuckle, the ten mounted punches, Corbin gets a cheap shot to the throat and flapjacks Dillinger into the ringpost! Wristlock, short-arm into it...
Baron Corbin wins by pinfall with End of Days.
AJ Styles gets up from the booth and has a staredown with the Lone Wolf.
Commentary hypes up our main event before promising us a special look at Bobby Roode after the break.
Back from commercial, Tye Dillinger is walking backstage holding his throat when he runs into AJ Styles.
AJ says it was a good fight, and he had a good fight last week, but Corbin is a cheap shot artist. Styles promises him that the US Open Challenge next week will only be open to him, and Tye thinks that's phenomenal.
We then get our promised Bobby Roode video package.
James Ellsworth rolls into Carmella backstage and falls over himself apologizing. He says he's a freak, he's subhuman, and he probably belongs in a zoo, but he wants another chance and promises to keep his mouth shut and do anything she wants. Carmella turns and addresses him, saying from now on they're doing things her way, and kisses him on the lips before slapping him across the face!
Shinsuke Nakamura makes his entrance, and the main event will begin after the break.
Back from commercial, we get a bit of hype for the SCRAMBLE that's happening on 205 Live tonight.
Randy Orton makes his entrance, and Jinder Mahal is shown hanging out with the Singhs in a sky box.
Randy Orton vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (WWE Championship #1 Contender's Match)
Nakamura in with a waistlock, Orton breaks his grip and turns it into a wristlock, prompting Shinsuke to cartwheel and reverse to a hammerlock, Randy busts out and almost gets the RKO! Collar and elbow, pushing each other across the ring and into the ropes and Nakamura does his mind games break only for the Viper to reverse to the rope-hung DDT setup and force the King of Strong Style to bail, which sends us to break.
Back from commercial and Orton has Nakamura grounded in a reverse chinlock but Shinsuke gets to his feet, fighting, and Randy claws at his face to keep the edge. Gourdbuster into the ropes for a nearfall and right back to the reverse chinlock, but Nakamura fights out with strikes this time, sending the Viper outside.
He nearly gets the rope-hung DDT to the floor but the King of Strong Style puts him into the announce desk for some breathing room. Not enough, as it turns out, because Orton back suplexes him onto the table before rolling him back in the ring. The cover gets two and Randy goes back to the reverse chinlock.
Nakamura to his feet, Orton clubs him down but he's able to fire off a knee. Roundhouse ducked, the reverse roundhouse connects, he ducks a lariat, off the ropes for the jump kick and it's chest kick city time! Randy catches the buzzsaw finale but Shinsuke lands an upkick to stop the counter!
Setting him up in the ropes, the corner knees, going for the reverse exploder but the Viper counters with elbows and hits the back-to-back backbreaker! To the apron, another upkick clips Randy's ear and Nakamura climbs but Orton cuts him off and hits his beautiful superplex... NO GOOD! King of Strong Style asking for more, he catches a boot and lands the vicious knee to the ribs!
Another, firing them at the skull repeatedly, to the corner, fired up and calling for it but the Viper counters Kinshasa into the snap scoop powerslam! To the apron, the rope-hung DDT connects and Randy goes to that special place! RKO COUNTERED INTO THE CROSS ARMBAR! SHIFTING TO THE TRIANGLE CHOKE! ORTON TO HIS FEET... DEADLIFT POWERBOMB!
Trying the RKO again, countered to a knee to the back, Nakamura charges in...
Shinsuke Nakamura wins by pinfall with Kinshasa, becoming #1 contender to the WWE Championship!
We cut to Kevin Owens walking backstage when Daniel Bryan rolls up to tell him with Shane McMahon suspended, it's over. Owens says it's only just begun, and he's gonna make SmackDown into his playground and Bryan's nightmare. Dan says somebody's coming next week to sort all this out... Mr. McMahon.
One last cut back to Shinsuke celebrating his victory closes things out.
That's the show, folks.