Last week, we witnessed one huge return and a big debut from NXT to make things interesting on Smackdown. This made the show better than the flagship show, yet again. The championship feud between Nakamura and Jinder Mahal also resumed keeping up the anticipation. Here’s how this week’s show went by that took place at Verizon Arena in North Little Rocks, Arkansas.
WWE Smackdown was kicked off by Jinder Mahal who was frustrated about Nakamura putting him down, last week. Plus, he was worried about the announced main event for the night which will feature Jinder teaming up with Rusev to take on against Randy Orton and Nakamura. He alongside the Singh Brothers went on to cut a promo.
This was interrupted by Nakamura who went after the Singh Brothers. The number game caught up real quick against him as the trio started to ambush him. Randy Orton came down to even the odds. But, Rusev showed up from nowhere to hit Orton with a kick and lay him down.
AJ Styles threw the US Open Challenge which was accepted by Tye Dillinger. The champion picked up a quick win by locking in the Styles Clash on Perfect 10 who tapped out. Baron Corbin tried to deliver a sneak attack on both of them after the match but Styles hit a forearm to swat him away from the ring.
Kevin Owens showed up complaining about Shane McMahon putting his nose in his business, last week. He sat by ringside during a match between Sami Zayn and Aiden English. At one point, he was not happy with the referee’s job and hence put on the shirt to make a fast count to give English the victory.
Smackdown women’s champion Natalya and Carmella had yet another confrontation where the latter one bragged about her Money in the Bank briefcase. Inside the ring, Tamina defeated a local wrestler with quite ease to start her journey to the title picture.
Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable teamed up for the first time on Smackdown and picked up the win defeating the Ascension. Mike & Maria Kanellis made their return on the show to have a match against Bobby Roode. Quite expectedly, the former NXT champion picked up the win hitting a Glorious DDT. The New Day was defeated by The Usos in a non-title match.
Randy Orton and Nakamura picked up a big win over Rusev and Jinder Mahal. After Orton neutralized Jinder with a DDT, Nakamura hit the Kinshasa on Rusev to pick up the win. After the match, Orton hit Nakamura with an RKO to deliver a big statement. Next, these two will face each other for a number one contender’s match for WWE Championship.