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The time for talk is now over as the final step before Money In The Bank is now complete with the conclusion of SmackDown Live this week. This week's episode took place from the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee and featured a number of very intriguing first-time match-ups.
Just on this edition of SmackDown Live alone, we were treated to Samoa Joe v. Rusev, Jeff Hardy v. Shinsuke Nakamura, and Daniel Bryan v. Shelton Benjamin, all of which have never squared off inside a WWE ring.
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On paper, SmackDown Live looked great this week, and the action in and out of the ring solidified that prognostication. Each one of those first-time matches was solid, and the women really shined in the open and the main event this week as well.
As usual on these report card articles, the best grade a segment or match can earn is an A+, but on the flip side, the worst grade one can earn is an F.
This week on SmackDown Live, the women kicked off the show in an explosive way...
Women's Money In The Bank Summit with General Manager Paige
The four SmackDown women's Money In The Bank competitors were in the ring with General Manager Paige as she held a "summit" to hype up the women and bring the briefcase over to the blue brand. Each woman would get their shots in at why they will be the one to climb the ladder and bring down the briefcase before being interrupted by The IIconics.
Billie Kay and Peyton Royce do what they do best on the microphone, be annoying and insult their fellow competitors. They are such a breath of fresh air in the women's division, definitely love The IIconics!
Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville would make their way out and claim that themselves, along with The IIconics, are better than the four women in the ring. This led to a great brawl to kick off SmackDown Live.
The entire segment was well-done and thought it would immediately lead to an eight-woman tag match, but instead, it's the main event!
GRADE: A
Daniel Bryan v. Shelton Benjamin for the first time ever
I figured somewhere along the way in some company that Daniel Bryan and Shelton Benjamin had faced each other, but thanks to our friends at Internet Wrestling Database, I found out this was the first time they ever went one-on-one.
As with many one-off matches, this one started on social media and ended up in the ring. Benjamin and Bryan worked very well together considering they have never been in a match before.
What made the match interesting was the psychology behind Bryan and Benjamin trying to attack each other's knees and make the other one submit. In the end, Bryan was able to apply his heel hook, and Benjamin had nowhere to go.
I hope these two guys cross paths again on SmackDown Live sometime.
GRADE: A-
Samoa Joe v. Rusev for the first time ever with The Miz as the guest referee
A couple of bulls clashed in the next match on SmackDown Live when Rusev took on Samoa Joe for the first time ever. The Miz also talked his way into being the special guest referee when he spoke with General Manager Paige in an earlier segment as he clearly wanted to mess up this match somehow to stop Joe and Rusev's momentum going into Money In The Bank.
While this was a solid match, it never really kicked it into that gear that I know Rusev and Joe could produce. That's mainly because it was more of a storyline with The Miz in as referee than it was intended to be a match that brought down the house.
As expected Miz would get involved and refuse to count the pinfall for Samoa Joe. When Joe turned his focus on The Miz, Rusev took advantage with a surprise roll-up pinfall victory.
GRADE: B-
Shinsuke Nakamura v. Jeff Hardy (also for the first time ever)
Next up on SmackDown Live was the third of three first-time matches when the WWE United States Champion Jeff Hardy took on Shinsuke Nakamura head of his Last Man Standing Match against AJ Styles for the WWE Championship Sunday.
If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times. I LOVE heel Shinsuke Nakamura! His heel brilliance (not to be confused with Broken Brilliance) was on display in this non-tile match against Hardy.
This 10-minute match was just a little taste of what these guys can do on a future pay per view (hopefully). At several points in the match it appeared that Hardy was going to go the upset, but just at the right time, Nakamura landed one of his patented low blows to cause the disqualification.
If Nakamura doesn't defeat Styles for the WWE Championship at Money In The Bank, I fully expect him to take the WWE United States Championship from Hardy next month at Extreme Rules.
GRADE: B+
Quick grade for other SmackDown Live segments
Jerry "The King" Lawler interviews AJ Styles - GRADE: C
It was too short of an interview to really give any high grades. It was great to see The King come out for a segment in his hometown. I also like the old school interview on the stage setting.
The Miz finds a surprise in the Money In The Bank Briefcase - GRADE: B
After refereeing the Samoa Joe v. Rusev match, Aiden English would hand Rusev a ladder; which he would proceed to attack Joe with. The Miz (who was the special guest referee) would sneak in and land a Skull Crushing Finale on Rusev, climb the ladder, and retrieve the briefcase.
Miz would take the briefcase over to the announce table to brag about how what's inside is going to be his on Sunday. When Byron Saxton opened the briefcase, there was not a contract there, but pancakes.
I'm not sure what was funnier, Miz's reaction to there being pancakes in the briefcase or Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston fitting into one t-shirt laughing at The Miz.
Renee Young interviews Big Cass - GRADE: Renee Young interviews Big Cass -GRADE: C-
Well it wasn't much of an interview, Cass told Renee to leave right away and he cut a promo. You can tell that Cass is getting better and better at promos, but they are basically saying the same thing. On top of that, nobody believes Cass is going to win this match.
A 10-women tag match to main event SmackDown Live
The women kicked off SmackDown Live and they also ended it with a massive 10-woman tag match. This match originally was to feature eight women, but Asuka wanted Carmella so General Manager Paige added both to the match.
Early on in the match, we saw again how much Lana has improved in the ring, and the heels worked her over in the opening minutes. The hot tags were plentiful as was the action in this match.
It's easy for a 10-woman tag match to be clustered and sloppy, but the women did an amazing job of executing a great match here. Definitely, a feather in the cap for the women of SmackDown Live with their showing last night.
In the end, It was Carmella who fell into the trap of the Asuka Lock for the second time, but this time there wasn't anyone to break up the submission and the challenger with the Money In The Bank competitors defeated the champion and those looking in from the outside.
GRADE: A
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