Welcome to Ringside News’ coverage of WWE SmackDown Live. Please keep refreshing throughout the show for constant updates once it kicks off at 8:00 PM EST.
Buddy Murphy will get a big match for the second week in a row as he faces Daniel Bryan this week. The former Cruiserweight Champion’s match against Roman Reigns was very well received this week so let’s hope for the best.
Speaking of Daniel Bryan, he will also supposedly reveal who has been behind all of those attacks on Roman Reigns backstage.
Apollo Crews will face Andrade in a first-round King Of The King tournament match. Kevin Owens and Elias will also battle to see who will advance on in WWE’s big KOTR tournament.
Fans can also expect to see Kofi Kingston and “The Viper” Randy Orton have some sort of interaction. The two seem to be feuding which isn’t likely to stop until at least Clash Of Champions on September 15th.
Opening Segment
Randy Orton came out to cut a promo on Kofi Kingston. He said that Kofi fails every time he tries and then The New Day’s music hit. However, nobody came out from the normal entrance.
Kofi blindsided RKO with a Trouble In Paradise and took him out. Kingston grabbed a chair, but The Revival ran down for the save. Then Kofi ran them off which gave Orton a chance to get away.
Shane McMahon was backstage and then Kevin Owens walked in. McMahon brought up the $100,000 fine from last week and Owens said he’s got a lot on his mind. He had a week to think about the huge fine and it donned on him how bad the fine is.
Owens kept trying to explain to Shane McMahon how much this fine sucks and how it will hurt him. He told McMahon that he wishes he’d reconsider. Shane just said he’ll take it under consideration before Owens left.
Andrade vs Apollo Crews
These two went at each other with a lot of intensity. Andrade nailed double running knees to the corner early on and then Apollo fought back before sending Andrade out of the ring with a dropkick. Then Andrade hit a rana that sent Crews into the steel ring steps.
They continued fighting and eventually Crews went for a slam off the top rope, but Andrade got free. He tried for another double knees, but Apollo moved. Then Andrade caught Apollo with a kick, but Crews countered and hit an enziguri followed by a standing backflip splash for a two count.
Andrade soon got a Hammerlock DDT thanks to some help from Zelina Vega on the distraction.
Winner: Andrade
Daniel Bryan and Rowan had someone under a sheet. Bryan was talking to the covered person about what they did. Then he told the shrouded person not to move or they’ll be very sorry.
Elias was backstage strumming his guitar when he spotted a referee in disguise. He took the disguise off and asked “where is he.” The referee pointed at a crate which Elias opened.
Drake was forced to read a letter from Shane McMahon announcing that the WWE 24/7 Title rules are suspended tonight so Elias can focus on his match against Kevin Owens.
Drake Maverick just wants to consummate his marriage.
A Moment Of Bliss
Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross walked out and posed with their WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. Then they introduced Charlotte Flair.
Charlotte said that the throne sitting on the entrance for the KOTR tournament was more her style. Bliss told her to just sit down. Flair said she is the face of the SmackDown women’s division. Bliss said Bayley is the Women’s Champion and then Flair said she’s “the brand.” You can’t send Bayley to red carpets because she’s an afterthought.
Bayley came out next and told Flair that she’s had enough of the insults and her insults sound like a bunch of excuses. At the end of the day, Bayley is a champion and that eats Flair up inside.
The crowd was pretty dead for this segment. Flair said nobody was talking about Bayley vs Moon at Summerslam. Now she will restore its prestige when she beats her at Clash Of Champions. Now we have a Women’s Title match at the September 15th show.
Before Bayley left, she knocked Flair out of her chair.
Backstage, Roman Reigns approached Buddy Murphy and asked him to recollect what he said to him about seeing Rowan. He said he “thinks” he saw Rowan.
Daniel Bryan vs Buddy Murphy
Before the match started, Daniel Bryan called Murphy a “cowardly liar” and that he will reveal the culprit tonight. He will also prove that Murphy had something to do with it too.
When the bell sounded, Buddy Murphy hit Bryan with a knee and stomped him down before they took the action outside. As they returned to the ring, Daniel Bryan took control with some kicks. This was followed by them trading the advantage.
Bryan got Buddy to the mat and slapped him while calling him a liar. Buddy eventually sent Bryan out of the ring and then he hit a dive on him before they went to commercial.
The continued until Bryan locked Murphy in a LeBell Lock and into a Rings Of Saturn until Buddy got his foot on the bottom rope and broke up the hold. This was followed by Bryan teeing off on Buddy Murphy with Yes Kicks.
Murphy didn’t stay down as instructed and he ducked Bryan’s final kick, but then Bryan hung him in a tree of woe for more kicks and a dropkick to the face. Then Bryan hit a superplex for a two count.
They continued and neither man gave in at all. The two traded shots in the middle of the ring and Bryan landed some big uppercuts. Daniel went for a running knee, but Murphy countered with a backslide and then he hit a brainbuster for a two count.
Rowan got on the apron and became a distraction. Murphy avoided a roll-up pin and then he eventually nailed Murphy’s Law and won.
Winner: Buddy Murphy
This was a huge win.
They showed the man covered in a sheet backstage. David Otunga said that he spoke to one of his “lawyer buddies” who said that D-Bry used forensic evidence to prove who was driving the car that nearly smashed Roman Reigns. Nice touch, WWE.
Murphy was about to be interviewed by Kayla Braxton backstage when Rowan jumped him. While Daniel Bryan shouted about how he’s a coward and a liar, Rowan continued an assault before officials separated them.
The Revival vs Heavy Machinery
Before Otis and Tucker came out, Dash and Dawson cut a little promo on The New Day and challenged them to a title match at Clash Of Champions.
Tucker and Dash Wilder started off this match which saw Dash being quickly caught in a bearhug before Otis was tagged in to continue with the bearhug. Then Tucker was tagged back in and Otis came in as well to hit The Revival with dueling suplexes before clotheslining them to the outside.
When they came back from commercial, Otis took a hot tag and started running roughshod over The Revival. He hit the caterpillar on Dash and then Dash reversed out of the Compactor and won the match with a roll-up pin.
Winners: The Revival
Chad Gable was interviewed by Kayla Braxton backstage. He admitted to being an underdog in the King Of The Ring tournament. Behind him, Shelton Benjamin could be seen sneaking around where he put a sign on the door saying “You must be this tall to enter the KOTR tournament.”
Miz TV
Sami Zayn got a rather quick introduction. He looked much happier than he was last night.
Zayn said that so many people on SmackDown Live are looking for his help and then he brought out IC Champion Shinsuke Nakamura. The Miz asked him what he was doing out there and Zayn asked if Nakamura should reply in English or Japanese. He called Nakamura an Artist, a poet, and they’re two sides of the same coin because Sami Zayn is an artist too. So, if you want to talk to Shinsuke you’ll need to talk to Zayn.
The Miz caught a kick to the back of the head followed by a Kinshasa and some more knees and boots. It looks like Sami Zayn and Shinsuke Nakamura are buddies now.
Backstage, Bryan and Rowan approached the man under the black sheet. He said they called Roman and he’ll soon find out what he did.
Shane McMahon was in another place backstage and he called Kevin Owens in. He told KO that he can’t put his hands on him and he never apologized to him. Owens apologized and Shane said he’s considering lifting the fine, but if he puts his hands on another WWE official he’ll be immediately fired.
Owens tried to shake Shane’s hand, but McMahon replied: “I’m not quite there yet, Kevin.”
Elias vs Kevin Owens
Kevin and Elias fought around the ring and then they returned so KO could hit a cannonball just in time for Shane McMahon’s music to hit. McMahon walked out while Owens stood there wondering what was going on.
They continued fighting an Elias landed a knee to the face. Elias kept up the pressure on KO and hit a scoop slam for a one count. This was followed by a chinlock with five minutes left in the broadcast, but KO quickly fought out of it with a DDT.
Elias came back with a kick and then KO jumped to the top rope, but Elias plucked him off the top for a powerbomb and a two count. They soon made their way back to the top rope where Elias was sent down and KO nailed a senton right onto Elias’ waiting knees for the counter.
Kevin sent Elias to the outside and he hit a cannonball off the apron. Shane McMahon stepped in between himself and Elias and then Shane revealed he was wearing a referee shirt. So, KO can’t touch Shane or he’ll be fired.
Elias jumped Kevin when they came back to the ring. Then Elias rolled Owens up for a quick count from McMahon for the screw-job finish.
Winner: Elias
Backstage, Roman Reigns walked in the room with Bryan, Rowan, and the shrouded man. Bryan cut a little promo on Roman that summed everything up to that point. He revealed a man under the sheet with a big red beard just like Rowan and everyone was speechless.
