– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown opens with a look back at last week’s post-Survivor Series episode.
– We’re live from Lexington, KY as Tom Phillips welcomes us. He’s joined by Byron Saxton and Corey Graves.
– We go right to the ring and out comes SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon.
Shane quickly brings up Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, saying they betrayed the entire SmackDown team. Shane says they have no respect for the office, the roster or the fans. Shane was looking forward to firing them until Daniel Bryan had another idea. Bryan’s idea, the Lumberjack Match, was amazing on paper. Shane knew Bryan would end up firing them both but that didn’t happen. Shane says he and Bryan have had numerous conversations about what happened but instead of hearing it from him, he figured we should hear it from the horse’s mouth. Shane introduces Bryan and out comes the SmackDown General Manager to a pop and a “yes!” chant.
Bryan understands why Shane and others want Owens & Sami fired but as someone who has been fired a few times, Bryan believes in second chances. Bryan says they should not have interfered at Survivor Series but Shane’s temperament also gets the best of him at times. Shane mentions how Owens beat up his father Vince McMahon several weeks back. And how Sami interfered in his match with Owens. And how both of them betrayed the entire SmackDown roster. Bryan says we have to understand why they did those things – in the name of competition trying to grab the brass ring. Bryan sees real talent in Sami & Owens and if they fire them, they will just end up on RAW. Shane says great, they would become his sister’s problem. Bryan goes on about how Shane hired him to do this job and he’s not a yes man, he can genuinely spot talent to keep SmackDown going. Bryan needs Shane to trust him so he can make the decisions when Shane leaves. Shane says he does trust Bryan. Shane announces that Sami will be banned from ringside for tonight’s Owens vs. Randy Orton match and that the match will be held under No DQ rules. Shane’s music hits as he and Bryan discuss what’s going on.
– Still to come, Ruby Riot, Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan face off against Natalya, Naomi and Charlotte. Also, WWE Champion AJ Styles faces The Singh Brothers in a 2-on-1 Handicap Match.
– We see The New Day backstage walking to the ring. We go to commercial.
– Back from the break and Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens approach Daniel Bryan backstage. They want the terms for tonight’s match with Orton to be lifted but Bryan tells them hell no and walks off.
The New Day vs. Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable
We go to the ring and out comes The New Day. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos are on commentary. Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin are out next.
Gable starts off with Xavier Woods. Woods drops Gable early on and tags in Kofi Kingston for some double teaming. Kofi with more offense for a 2 count as Big E cheers him on from ringside. Benjamin gets the tag and they double team Woods to take control. We go to commercial with Benjamin in control of Woods.
Back from the break and Gable goes at it with Woods. Woods nails a big missile dropkick from the top. Kofi gets the hot tag and springboards in with a big shot on Shelton as he tags in. Kofi unloads on Shelton. Benjamin tries to overpower Kofi but gets kicked. Kofi with a crossbody for a close 2 count.
Benjamin catapults Kofi out of the corner but he lands on his feet. Kofi drops Shelton with a big shot and gets fired up. Kofi with the Boom Drop. Shelton blocks Trouble In Paradise but Kofi dumps him to the floor. Gable also gets dumped to the floor. Woods runs the ropes and lands on both of his opponents. Shelton goes back in but Kofi superkicks him. Woods tags in for the assisted stomp from the top. Woods covers Shelton for the pin.
Winners: The New Day
– After the match, The New Day dances as The Usos look on.
– We see video of Ruby Riot, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan making their debuts last week. Naomi is backstage with Charlotte Flair and they’re ready to get some payback. Natalya appears and has words but says she’s willing to put their differences aside to get revenge.
The Bludgeon Brothers vs. The Hype Bros
Back from the break and out comes Rowan and Harper as Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley wait in the ring.
Rowan and Harper unload to start the match and quickly win a squash.
Winners: The Bludgeon Brothers
– After the match, Ryder is interviewed in the ring and talks about how something needs to change. Mojo suddenly attacks him from behind and beats him down. Fans chant “this is awesome” as Mojo unloads on Ryder.
– Back from a commercial and Mojo Rawley is walking backstage. Kayla Braxton asks him why he attacked Ryder. Mojo says like Ryder said in the ring, the landscape has changed.
– We see how Baron Corbin hit Bobby Roode during last week’s Lumberjack Match. Dasha Fuentes is backstage with Roode now. Roode cuts a promo on Corbin and says he knows there’s someone out there that’s smarter, better and that will take away his United States Title. Roode goes on until Corbin appears and says Roode is delirious if he thinks he’s scared of him. Roode challenges Corbin to put the title on the line tonight. Fans pop. Corbin declines the challenge.
2-on-1 Handicap Match: AJ Styles vs. The Singh Brothers
We go to the ring and out come The Singh Brothers to introduce Jinder Mahal. They head to the ring together. WWE Champion AJ Styles is out next.
AJ hits the ring but Jinder attacks him and beats him down. Jinder tells The Singh Brothers to step aside so he can have AJ all to himself. Jinder sends AJ into the ring post, causing him to fall out to the floor. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and AJ tells the referee he wants to compete. AJ looks to unload but Samir and Sunil beat him down for the double team. Jinder watches from ringside and applauds them.
The Singh Brothers keep up the attack on AJ and take turns with pin attempts. AJ finally fights back and drops both of them but the numbers game catches up again as they take his knee out. AJ fights them off again while sitting on the top. Jinder gets on the apron but AJ kicks him in the face. Samir climbs up for a superplex but AJ fights him off. AJ hits a super Styles Clash on top of Sunil for the double pin.
Winner: AJ Styles
– After the match, AJ takes the title and retreats to the floor as a furious Jinder hits the ring. Jinder takes out his frustration on The Singh Brothers as fans chant “you still suck” at him. Jinder hits one of The Singh Brothers again and stands tall as his music hits. We go to replays.
– Dasha is backstage with Ruby Riot, Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan. Ruby reveals their group name is The Riot Squad. She says they’re not here to make friends, they’re here to turn the division upside down and she has two of the most dangerous women in the world at her side. Liv and Logan also speak before we go to commercial.
– Back from the break and we get a WWE Shop ad from The New Day.
Natalya, Naomi and Charlotte Flair vs. Ruby Riot, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan
We go to the ring and out first comes Natalya. SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair is out next. Naomi is out last for her team. Out next comes The Riot Squad – Ruby Riot, Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan.
Natalya starts off with Ruby but Ruby beats her down. Logan tags in and works over Natalya as Ruby holds her. Natalya ducks a clothesline but Logan floors her with a big clothesline. Natalya goes to her corner and in comes Flair. Natalya walks out on her team. Liv comes in and goes at it with Flair as Natalya leaves. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and Flair is trying to make a comeback against Ruby. Flair sends her through the ropes to the floor. Flair follows and brings Ruby back in. Liv and Logan distract Flair while she’s on the apron, allowing Ruby to nail Flair from behind and send her back to the floor.
Flair is brought back in as Liv takes back over. Ruby tags back in and takes Flair back to the mat and keeps her grounded. Flair drops Ruby and goes for a tag but Ruby stops her. Naomi tries to fight off Logan and Liv from the apron but Logan pulls her to the floor. Liv and Logan double team Naomi on the floor now. They launch her shoulder-first into the barrier. Ruby sits on Flair in the ring and makes her watch.
Liv and Logan take apart the steel ring steps and stand half of the steps up on one end. They grab Naomi and launch her into the steps, then stomp on her some more. They take the other half of the steps and lay them over Naomi. Logan catapults Naomi face first into the steps. Ruby is still making Flair watch from the ring. Ruby and Logan double team Flair in the ring now. Logan drops Flair with a headbutt. Logan slams Flair by her hair and tags Ruby back in. Flair fights them both off as fans cheer. Flair sends Ruby into the turnbuckles and then spears Liv. The numbers game catches back up with Flair, allowing Ruby to drop her for the pin.
Winners: Ruby Riot, Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan
– After the match, The Riot Squad stands tall over Flair as Ruby’s music hits. We see Naomi being stretchered away from ringside.
– Kayla Braxton is backstage outside of Randy Orton’s dressing room. Orton comes out but walks right past her when she tries to get comments on tonight’s main event. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and the announcers lead us to a Saw-inspired edition of The Fashion Files with Breezango and The Ascension. A mystery character appears on a screen and says they’ve been making a mockery of the tag team division and now it’s time to pay. They have to escape this room that they’re chained to the walls in before a gas fills the room. Breezango escapes but The Ascension are left to deal with the gas.
No DQ Match: Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens
We go to the ring and out comes Kevin Owens for tonight’s main event as Greg Hamilton does the introductions. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and out comes Randy Orton to a pop. Orton goes for an early RKO but Owens avoids it and goes to the floor. Orton follows and goes right to work, sending Owens into the ring steps. Orton launches Owens over the announce table now. Orton follows and continues to unload on Owens, sending him back over the announce table. Orton takes apart the ring steps and drives half of them into Owens’ head. Orton with uppercuts against the barrier now. Orton slams Owens’ face into the announce table and brings a kendo stick from under the ring as fans pop. Orton with a kendo stick shot over the back. Owens tries to run away but Orton hits him in the gut with the kendo stick.
Orton with more kendo stick shots. Orton breaks the stick but grabs another one. Orton unloads with kendo stick shots at ringside as the crowd pops. Orton backdrops Owens over the top of the barrier. Orton grabs the stick as Owens goes into the ring. Owens rolls out the other side of the ring and grabs a kendo stick of his own from under the ring. Owens nails Orton and drives him into the ring post. Owens with a big fall-away slam into the barrier. Owens screams out and stands tall as we go to commercial.
Back from the break and Owens beats on Orton in the ring with the kendo stick. Owens works Orton around the ring and covers for a 2 count after a senton. Owens keeps Orton grounded with a headlock now. Owens with more kendo stick shots and another 2 count.
Owens keep control but Orton tries to make a comeback. Owens drops Orton with a DDT for another 2 count. Orton finally gets some more offense in as fans chant for the RKO. Orton takes Owens to the top and decks him. Owens fights back as they trade shots while Owens is up top. Orton with headbutts. Orton climbs up for a superplex and nails it. Orton with a 2 count. Fans chant for tables again.
Orton keeps control but Owens tries to fight back. Orton catches Owens with a powerslam but Owens kicks out at 2. Owens avoids the second rope draping DDT but Orton brings Owens to the floor and sends him back into the barrier for more uppercuts. Owens sends Orton into the barrier and he goes down. Orton slams Owens on top of the announce table. They come back in the ring and Owens avoids the RKO. Owens tries to leave but Orton fights him through the crowd towards the stage. Orton drops Owens on the ramp. Sami Zayn runs out and nails Orton in the back with steel chair shots. The referee argues with Sami but Sami delivers another chair shot to Orton as fans boo.
Owens gets to his feet before Orton. Owens rolls Orton back into the ring but Owens is slow to get in. Orton grabs Owens and nails the draping DDT. Orton readies for the RKO but Owens blocks it. Owens takes out the leg and drops Orton with a superkick. Owens goes to the top for a Frogsplash. He nails it and covers for the win.
Winner: Kevin Owens
– After the match, Owens stands tall as we go to replays. SmackDown goes off the air as Owens’ music hits.
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