The first episode of SmackDown Live post the WWE Draft comes to us from the First Niagra Center in Buffalo, New York. Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan have their work out for them after that barnburner of a Raw yesterday. Will they rise to the occasion?
(We will have video clips as soon as they’re available)
SHANE MCMAHON AND DANIEL BRYAN KICK OFF SMACKDOWN LIVE
SmackDown Live’s got a new intro video and theme song. The entire roster’s gathered on the apron as Shane and Bryan address them and the crowd. They announce that SmackDown Live’s first exclusive PPV, Backlash, will be held on September 11th .
WWE Champion Dean Ambrose comes out to an earth-shaking pop. He thinks out loud who his next challenger will be. Bryan announces a six-pack challenge to determine a number one contender. He names five Superstars – John Cena, AJ Styles, Dolph Ziggler, Baron Corbin and Bray Wyatt.
Bryan goes on to announce a battle royal to produce the sixth Superstar in the match.
BATTLE ROYAL FOR A SPOT IN THE SIX-PACK NUMBER ONE CONTENDER’S MATCH
Kane holding off Zack Ryder, Simon Gotch and Konnor. Simon Gotch thrown out of the ring. Kane sends The Ascension to the concrete, then pounds his boot into Kalisto. Erick Rowan and Aiden English beat away at each other.
Alberto Del Rio hits an Enziguri on Kane. Fandango and Jey Uso are next over the ropes. Rowan and English eliminate each other, Del Rio eliminates Rawley and hits a Backstabber on Crews, before being eliminated himself.
Kane eliminates Breezango – final four – the Big Red Monster, Kalisto, Crews and Zack Ryder. Kane drops them all. Kalisto and Crews try to eliminate Ryder. Ryder makes it out and hits a neckbreaker on Kalisto. Kane eliminates Kalisto before Ryder hits the Broski boot on Crews and the veteran.
Kane explodes and tosses Ryder over the top rope. He tries to chokeslam Apollo Crews but he slips it and eliminates Kane.
WINNER: APOLLO CREWS
NATALYA VS BECKY LYNCH
Becky Lynch comes out to a huge pop, while Nattie draws loud heat. Becky starts off with headlocks and hip tosses. Nattie comes back, but her showboating costs her and she eats a Dropkick.
Nattie tries a Sharpshooter, but it gets countered into the Disarm-her. Natalya taps. Becky Lynch’s post-match promo is interrupted by a bevy of Superstars – Alexa Bliss, Naomi, Carmella and finally Eva Marie.
WINNER: BECKY LYNCH
MIZ TV LEADS TO MIZ VS RANDY ORTON
Miz comes out with Maryse on his arm and talks about his guest, who everyone, from Miz’s words, expects to be Randy Orton. But it turns out Miz is being self-referential. But he’s cut short by Randy Orton himself.
The Viper draws some pops, before challenging Miz to a non-title match. Miz refuses, but Orton goads Maryse until she makes the match.
Miz dominates the match, working on Orton’s just-healed shoulder. He stomps on it and drives Orton into the steel steps before pushing him back into the ring. Miz takes a second too long and gets levelled with an RKO Outta Nowhere.
Orton works the crowd, while waiting for Miz to get up. He hits a second RKO before getting the pinfall for the win.
WINNER: RANDY ORTON
HEATH SLATER DEMANDS TO BE SIGNED TO A CONTRACT
A local wrestler’s in the ring, waiting for his opponent when Heath Slater comes out of the crowd and knocks him out. He demands to be signed and gets the “Sign Heath Slater” chants going.
Shane McMahon comes out and responds to Slater’s tantrum by telling him to send him his resume. Slater’s still too busy breathing fire to notice someone enter the ring behind him. It’s Rhino! The hardcore legend Gores Slater.
SLATER GETS GORED BY A RETURNING RHINO
SIX-PACK CHALLENGE BETWEEN JOHN CENA, AJ STYLES, BRAY WYATT, APOLLO CREWS, DOLPH ZIGGLER AND BARON CORBIN
Styles and Wyatt form a bizarre alliance and try to outdo each other’s beatdown on Apollo Crews before Wyatt takes out Styles. Dolph Ziggler splashes Wyatt in the corner before hitting a Neckbreaker. He gets dragged down from the apron and knocked down by Baron Corbin.
Styles hits a Springboard 450 Splash on Wyatt, who rolls out of the ring to safety. Crews hits the 3 Amigos on Styles. Corbin enters and pounds away on Crews before hitting a Suplex on him.
Corbin hits a Jacknife Suplex on Crews before covering him. Crews kicks out and hits his finisher on Corbin. The ref’s pulled out of the ring after one and knocked out by Wyatt. The Eater of Worlds hits Crews with Sister Abigail.
Ziggler hits the Zig Zag on Wyatt and covers him, but there’s no ref. He goes for the Superkick but eats an AA. Cena hits the AA on Styles and then Corbin. He catches a flying Crews and hits the AA on him.
AJ Styles liquifies Cena with a Phenomenal Forearm. Ziggler comes out of nowhere and hits a Superkick. He covers Styles for the win and becomes the number one contender for Ambrose’s WWE Championship.
Ambrose comes out and stands inches way from Ziggler, title in hand. Bryan and Shane come out and lift both their hands in the air, before Ziggler’s music hits and the cameras shut.
