'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
SmackDown kicked off with The Miz and John Morrison's Dirt Sheet. They claimed that they will expose stories like Mandy's appearance on RAW, Jey Uso's family secrets and why Bayley attacked Sasha Banks. Miz said he had Mandy Rose sent to RAW so that Otis can focus on cashing in the Money in the Bank contract.
He then mentioned that Dolph Ziggler, Mandy's ex-boyfriend was on RAW as well before Otis came out and rushed the ring. He took out both Miz & Morrison and Tucker joined him as well before Otis ripped Miz's clothes off to humiliate him.
Miz and Morrison retreated backstage when Miz got a suspicious phone call. It looked like Miz & Morrison had a plan as they scurried off backstage.
Cesaro vs. Gran Metalik on SmackDown
Lince and Kalisto were out to help and the referee caught them on the apron before sending them off. Cesaro used the distraction to take out Metalik before we headed for commercials.
Back on SmackDown, Metalik caught Cesaro with a hurricanrana from the second rope, but Cesaro countered the following moonsault. The Swiss Cyborg hit the running uppercut before planting Metalik with the Neutralizer for the win.
Result: Cesaro def. Gran Metalik
Match rating: C
Backstage, Jey Uso said he was ready to beat the Big Dog because he was all grown up now.
Matt Riddle was backstage on SmackDown said Bro was a universal language that could express any emotion and then bro-ceeded to demonstrate.
Alexa Bliss was out to host the first Moment of Bliss from the WWE Thunderdome and her guest was Nikki Cross. Cross was excited about her match with Bayley and said that this time there would be no one to watch Bayley's back. She then asked Alexa why she walked out of their match after hitting the Sister Abigail on her.
Alexa said that she wasn't sure why she had behaved so strangely before Lacey Evans came out and mocked them for sharing their feelings. Lacey and Nikki got into a brawl before we headed for another break on SmackDown. We returned to see a match was underway between the two.
Lacey Evans vs. Nikki Cross on SmackDown
Cross climbed up on Lacey's back before getting a near fall. Alexa was on commentary and explained her recent behavior as having off-days. Lacey had Nikki in a series of holds while Cole said Nikki could be doing better if she wasn't worried about Alexa before Graves changed the topic.
Lacey got a giant bottle of hand sanitizer and sprayed it in Nikki's eyes and face in a very unorthodox wrestling move. Nikki shook it off and hit the DDT and then the neckbreaker off the ropes to get the win on SmackDown.
Result: Nikki Cross def. Lacey Evans
Evans was yelling in front of Alexa and mentioned the Fiend before Bliss again zoned out and hit the Sister Abigail on Lacey and walked out.
Match rating: B
Paul Heyman was in a pre-recorded promo about the Anoa'i Family and Roman Reigns to hype the Samoan Street Fight on tonight's SmackDown.
We got a recap of Bayley's brutal attack on Sasha Banks before Cole spoke with Banks. She said she was still recovering from the attack and called Bayley an idiot and naive. Banks said Bayley was nothing without her and would take the SmackDown Women's title before Bayley attacked her again with a steel chair.
AJ Styles vs. Sami Zayn on SmackDown
AJ Styles attacked Sami Zayn while he was making his entrance and dragged him to the ring before the match began. AJ hit a backbreaker but took some kick from Zayn for a two-count.
Sami missed the Helluva kick and took a big dive to the outside before we headed for commercials. We returned to see Sami in control of the match but Styles hit a Pele kick and both men were down.
Styles dodged the Helluva Kick again and Zayn responded with a roll-up. The ref refused to count it as he had a hold of Styles' tights but missed it when Styles pulled the same tactic and AJ picked up the win via three-count.
Result: AJ Styles def. Sami Zayn
Match rating: A
Jeff Hardy attacked Sami after the match and took out AJ took with a ladder. Jeff hit the Twist of Fate on Sami in the ring before climbing up a ladder but Sami rolled out of the ring on SmackDown. Jeff then proposed a triple threat ladder match to decide the Intercontinental Champion at Clash of Champions.
Backstage on SmackDown, Otis was served a lawsuit by the Miz. Tucker said that they need a lawyer because apparently, according the suit, if Otis doesn't forfeit the MITB contract, they're going to court.
Someone told Sheamus his car was being towed but it turned out to be Big E. Sheamus ran away and a crew member was destroyed by the returning E. The former tag champ is back on SmackDown!
Roman Reigns & Jey Uso vs. Baron Corbin & Sheamus - Samoan Street Fight on SmackDown
Roman came out first and said that this was his yard and he wanted to leave no doubts about it. Corbin was sent outside right off the bat and Uso hit a huge dive off the barricades before getting hit with a Deep Six.
Roman Reigns & Jey Uso vs. Baron Corbin & Sheamus - Samoan Street Fight on SmackDown (contd...)
Corbin brought a steel chair in the ring and ended up getting hit with it thanks to Roman Reigns. Sheamus took down Roman on the outside before teaming up with Corbin to send Uso through a table in the ring on SmackDown.
Roman countered the White Noise and hit the Samoan Drop on Shemaus on the announce desk before spearing him through the barricade. In the ring, Roman hit the Spear on Corbin before Jey hit the Splash and picked up the win on SmackDown.
Result: Roman Reigns & Jey Uso def. Baron Corbin & Sheamus - Samoan Street Fight
After the match, Jey Uso was holding the Universal title as Roman stared at him and handed the belt to Roman before they hugged. We were all expecting a heel Reigns to attack his cousin but he didn't do it.
Match rating: A
Episode rating: B+
We got another great episode of SmackDown with a PPV worthy Streetfight, Big E's return and the announcement of the Triple Threat Ladder match set for Clash of Champions.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
