SmackDown this week features the return of the Fashion Files, the debut of the Riott Squad, and Kevin Owens vs. Randy Orton in a No Disqualification match.
Opening Segment
To kick off the show, there is a highlight package focusing on the story surrounding Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn last week. Shane McMahon comes to the ring and immediately repeats everything that the video package covered before introducing SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan. McMahon wanted Owens and Zayn fired for not respecting SmackDown Live, while Bryan wanted to punish them through competition.
McMahon doesn’t agree with Bryan’s methods, but he does like the scheduled Kevin Owens vs. Randy Orton match. To turn it up a notch, he adds a No Disqualification rule, while Sami Zayn is banned from ringside.
Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods (w/Big E) vs. Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin
Instead of fighting the Usos in singles matches, Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin have moved on to a match with the New Day. Gable and Benjamin are still the #1 Contenders to the SmackDown Tag Team Championships, so momentum is key in the title hunt.
After taking care of Chad Gable outside the ring, Kingston and Woods hit Shelton Benjamin with the UpUpDownDown to score the win. Winners: Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods
The Bludgeon Brothers vs. The Hype Bros
Last week, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan debuted their new gimmick against the Hype Bros and soundly picked up a victory. Tonight, they have a rematch against two more “brothers” in the tag team division.
Harper and Rowan annihilate the Hype Bros in under two minutes with deceptive speed to show how dominant they can really be. Winners: The Bludgeon Brothers
After the match, Charly Caruso asks Zack Ryder what’s next for the Hype Bros after they continue to lose over and over again. While Ryder answers the question, Mojo Rawley attacks him from behind. Rawley assaults his now former partner while yelling “The Hype Bros are dead.”
AJ Styles vs. The Singh Brothers (w/Jinder Mahal)
Before he defends the WWE Championship against Jinder Mahal at Clash of Champions, he takes on both Singh Brothers in a 2-on-1 handicap match. Mahal and the Singh Brothers attack Styles before the match even takes place, seemingly giving the champion the disadvantage.
Samir and Sunil Singh look to double-team Styles with a superplex, but Styles fights them off. After knocking one off of the second rope, Styles uses the other as a weapon by hitting a super Styles Clash onto the other brother to defeat the numbers game. Winner: AJ Styles
Following the embarrassing loss, Jinder Mahal shows his frustration by assaulting his lackeys. He hits both Singh Brothers with the Khallas, and it is unclear whether or not this is the end of their relationship.
Natalya, Charlotte Flair, & Naomi vs. The Riott Squad (Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, & Sarah Logan)
Last week, Ruby Riott (with an unnecessary spelling change), Liv Morgan, and Sarah Logan followed in the footsteps of Absolution when they showed up unannounced to wreak havoc among the SmackDown women’s division. Instead of following a previously established leader, their only goal is to disrupt the rest of the women on SmackDown Live.
Shortly after the match starts, Natalya decides that she doesn’t want to deal with anybody else, so she heads to the back. Then while Ruby Riott fights Charlotte Flair in the ring, Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan seemingly injure Naomi outside of the ring with steel steps. After turning this into a three-on-one handicap match, they easily dispose of the SmackDown Women’s Champion to win the match. While they celebrate, Naomi is sent to the back on a stretcher. Winners: The Riott Squad
Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens – No Disqualification
Because of his recent actions against SmackDown Live, Kevin Owens is being punished by having a No Disqualification match against Randy Orton. To further punish him, Sami Zayn is barred from ringside.
The fight goes to the entrance stage and since it is not technically ringside, Zayn helps Owens by hitting Orton with a steel chair. Owens takes advantage of this to attack Orton’s wounded hamstring, then finishing him off with a frog splash. Winner: Kevin Owens
