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KELLER’S WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
JULY 3, 2018
OMAHA, NEB.
AIRED LIVE ON USA NETWORK
Join PWTorch editor Wade Keller and guest cohost Bruce Mitchell as they discuss Smackdown Live within five minutes of Smackdown ending. Call (347) 215-8558 after Smackdown to listen in or also participate. You can also email the show at wadekellerpodcast@pwtorch.com with your comments and questions about Smackdown.
STREAM OUR LIVE POST-SHOW PODCAST AFTER SMACKDOWN HERE.
Announcers: Tom Phillips, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton
[HOUR ONE]
-A three minute video package aired on Team Hell No.
-They put a graphic in the upper right corner of the screen noting they were in Omaha, Neb. as Phillips introduced the show. The Smackdown graphics package was decked out in stars and red, white, and blue colors. The announcers previewed the show including Jeff Hardy’s U.S. Title Open Challenge.
-Renee Young stood mid-ring and welcomed fans to Smackdown. She introduced Kane and Daniel Bryan, Team Hell No. Kane walked out to his music first, and then Bryan came out to his. They met at ringside and gazed into each other’s eyes. Bryan and Kane nodded, and then they clapped and made their way into the ring. Phillips called them “the once combustible, but highly successful team.” He said they’re back together. They plugged that Smackdown G.M. Paige booked The Bludgeon Brothers in a WWE Smackdown Tag Team Title defense against Team Hell No at Extreme Rules.
(Keller’s Analysis: I get the business reasons for stricking while the iron is hot with Team Hell No, but WWE is handing out too many title shots without people earning. It makes everything else on the show feel less important and perhaps pointless if people just march in and get title shots without even a victory against another top contender.)
Bryan said the great part of them is sometimes they fight and sometimes they hug, but when they step into the ring, they always deliver, and together they are unstoppable. Kane said they’ve fought with one of them blindfolded and another with his arm tied behind his back, or together in a TLC match, and “we even graduated from anger management with honors.” He said they’ve been through hell together, so they are back and better than ever. Renee asked Kane why he came back. Kane said Bryan can have a bit of a temper. He said he knew after Bryan was attacked by the Bludgeon Brothers, he knew he’d get himself into trouble soon. “Whether Bryan knows it or not, Bryan always has a demon looking over him.” Bryan interjected, “I wouldn’t say always.” Renee asked Bryan to elaborate, but he moved on and said he and Kane will become new Smackdown Tag Team Champions. Fans began chanting “Yes!”
Bryan said Kane hasn’t always watched over him. He said the last time they were in the ring together, they were opponents. Kane said they were always friends. Bryan said he remembers him trying to end his career. Kane said, “Everybody likes to win.” Bryan said he tombstoned him the floor, then the steps, and the announce table. “It wasn’t even a match!” exclaimed Bryan. Kane told him not to dig up the past. Kane said if they want to defeat the Bludgeon Brothers, they have to concentrate on what unites them. Bryan didn’t look convinced. “Kane, you tried to abduct my wife,” he said. Kane emphasized, “Try.” Kane said they’ve had their differences, but he’s always had his back. Bryan said he hasn’t. Kane said yes he has. Bryan said he hasn’t. Kane said yes. Bryan said no. Yes. No. Yes. No. And back and forth they went.
(Keller’s Analysis: If we hadn’t just lived through what seems like three years of Sasha-Bayley bickering like this, this might have been more welcome. I do appreciate Bryan acknowledging what Kane did to him and his wife last time they were around each other. It’s not necessarily WWE policy to acknowledge history like that and hoping people have forgotten or forgive them.)
Out came The Usos. The Usos said they don’t deserve a shot at the tag team champions at Extreme Rules. Bryan said if they think they can beat them, come fight them right now. Kane said, “Whoa! Whoa!” He said they’d consider it as a team and get back to them. Bryan said he’s ready. He asked Kane if he still thinks he’s a weak link. Bryan said he has done so much since they last teamed. Out came Paige.
Paige said her obligation is to do what’s right for the WWE Universe, so the tag title match is on. She said Team Hell No have to prove themselves tonight because they’ll be in the main event against the Usos. She said if the Usos win, they will be added to the Extreme Rules tag team title match and it’ll become a triple threat.
(Keller’s Analysis: At least they acknowledged that Team Hell No getting a title shot is controversial.)
-They cut to a vignette with Jeff Hardy who spoke about the powerful bald eagle and how it can spot its prey from up to two miles away. He called it a “symbol of our great country’s bold ferocity.” He said he carries the U.S. Title with great pride. He turned and showed that his face was painted red, white, and blue, including his eyelids. He said the challenge is now open. [c]
-A soundbite aired with Asuka. She had her mask on at first. “Men, women, it doesn’t matter who I face, they all feel the pain. James, you are not ready for Asuka!” Byron Saxton said he hopes James Ellsworth has good heath insurance because this will be the most painful night of his life. (I’m not sure WWE likes attention to be drawn to wrestlers and health insurance policies.)
(1) JEFF HARDY vs. THE MIZ – U.S. Title Open Challenge
Jeff made his ring entrance. Miz was revealed as his opponent. Graves said if Miz won, they’d have to move Independence Day to July 3. He said Miz is so big, Lebron James is following the path he paved from Cleveland to Los Angeles. When Graves said we should celebrate our “Mizdependence,” Phillips said he has lost his mind. Graves said Lebron has been consulting with Miz to get his acting career off the ground. Phillips said Lebron was in “Train Wreck,” which did better than any movie Miz has been part of. Phillips said Kane is trending on Twitter. (It’s actually Harry Kane from the World Cup, not WWE related. Oops.) Miz went for an early superplex, but Hardy blocked it and head-butted Miz to the mat. [c]
Miz took over during the break, which was shown on the split screen. Hardy blocked a Skull Crushing Finale, so Miz threw him to the floor. Hardy took over quickly at ringside, including bashing Miz’s head against the announce table several time. Back in the ring, he scored a two count. Hardy settled into a side headlock. Miz escaped and kneed Hardy in the gut and took over. They fought back and forth for a few minutes. Hardy eventually slidekicked Miz. Fans chanted “Delete!” He dove at Miz, but Miz moved and threw Hardy out of mid-air into the ringside barricade. [c]
Miz went for a Skull Crushing Finale after the second break, but Hardy blocked it. When he charged in the corner, Miz blocked him. They countered each other mid-ring and Hardy scored a two count. Miz landed a DDT for a near fall seconds later. Hardy landed a Whisper in the Wind a minute later, but Miz kicked out. Miz went for a pin with his feet on the middle ropes. Miz thought the ref counted to three, but the ref, Charles Robinson, told him he saw his feet on the ropes. After Miz argued for 15 seconds, Hardy recovered and hit a Twist of Fate. He then landed a Swanton Bomb for the win.
WINNER: Hardy to retain the U.S. Title.
-They went to the announcers at ringside who plugged Extreme Rules, noting it is free for new subscribers.
-They went to James Ellsworth backstage who talked about men being better than woman with bigger muscles and brains. He said he, Ellsworth, is exquisite and he kissed his bicep and winked at the camera.
-Graves plugged The Usos vs. Team Hell No. [c]
-Byron stood mid-ring for the New Day pancake eating competition. Phillips gave Graves a hard time for being a bad sport. Graves said Fourth of July is about hotdogs and steaks, not pancakes. Then New Day came out to the ring with the usual hijinks. Phillips said the record for pancake eating is 113 in 8 minutes. That’s over 14 per minute to break the record. Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods, and Big E each got their own introduction by Saxton. Byron had to cut Big E’s intro short due to time constraints, which upset Big E. He said they’ll each have five minutes to each to eat as many pancakes as possible. He said any “reversement of fortune,” it’d be an immediate DQ. Kofi ate blue pancakes, Big E ate red. The lights went out two seconds into the contest. Helicopter noises blared over the sound system and then out came Sanity. They attacked New Day from behind. Sanity eventually put Xavier through a table with a flying elbowdrop by Young with Kofi and Big E knocked out at ringside. They cut to fans in the crowd reacting in an over-the-top cartoonish fashion as if they knew it was their key to making TV.
(Keller’s Analysis: So this is a babyface turn for Sanity already? I know there are worse things for our country’s image than gluttony as spectator sport, but these types of things on Independence Day never did anything for me.)
-The announcers hyped the main event tag team match. Phillips discussed the man vs. woman tennis match in 1972 between Billy Jean King vs. Bobby Riggs in a “Battle of the Sexes.” They compared it to what Asuka hopes to do to James Ellsworth later. [c]
(2) ASUKA vs. JAMES ELLSWORTH – Battle of the Sexes
Ellsworth did three push-ups before the match. Carmella joined the announcers on commentary. Ellsworth showed off his biceps after the bell rang. Asuka shoved him down when the bell rang. Carmella chewed out Ellsworth at ringside. Ellsworth psyched himself up, but Asuka attacked him rapid-fire kicks. She put him in an airplane spin. Ellsworth looked like he was going to throw up from the spinning. Asuka chased Ellsworth through the crowd and to the back. They were both counted out. There was zero crowd reaction for that.
WINNER: Double countout in 2:00.
-When Asuka chased Ellsworth back to ringside, Carmella got up and shoved Asuka into the ringside barricade. Then she trash-talked her before yanking Ellsworth up by hair and dragging him to the back. Graves said ‘Mella is Money. Phillips replied that Asuka is angry.
-They showed Kane pacing backstage. In walked Bryan. Kane asked if those were diagrams about tonight’s match in his hand. Bryan said there’s no time for diagrams, but there is time for Kane to apologize. Bryan began listing the dates of incidents when Kane attacked Bryan. He began listing dates in May 2012 which included Kane calling his house and breathing heavily for 20 minutes and putting a disemboweled squirrel on his porch. Kane stopped Bryan and said, “I apologize.” Bryan asked for which one. Kane said, “For everything. You’re like a brother to me.” Bryan said, “You set your brother on fire.” Kane said he knows what he means. He said the Usos are at the top of their game and if they make one mistake, they lose. He said when they’re on the same page, no one can stop them. Kane said they will be tag team champions. Bryan nodded. Bryan threw the paper in the air and began yelling “Yes! Yes!”
(Keller’s Analysis: Bryan doing the Yes chant now feels like a derivative corporate cliche of its former self. He is just too into it, and in a dorky way that’s sort of unbecoming.) [c]
-A.J. Styles made his ring entrance. The announcers talked about his title defense against Rusev at Extreme Rules. Fans chanted “A.J. Styles / Rusev Day!” Styles said Rusev is a great athlete, but he’s not phenomenal. He was interrupted by Rusev. Rusev walked out with Aiden English. He told Styles he has never faced “this Rusev” before, who for the first time has a WWE Title opportunity. He said it’s happening on his holiday, of course. Rusev entered the ring and said he’s going to take his title and “move into the house that you built.” He asked Aiden on what day are they moving in. Aiden sang, “Rusev Day!”
(3) A.J. STYLES vs. AIDEN ENGLISH (w/Rusev)
Rusev distracted Styles at the start, giving English an opening to take control. They cut to an immediate break. [c]
They stayed with the action on split-screen, and Aiden controlled the action. When the break ended, Styles made a comeback. Aiden cut it short. English settled into a chinlock. Styles fought out of it and soon applied a Calf Crusher for the tapout win.
WINNER: Styles in 5:00.
-Rusev yanked Styles out of the ring after the match and threw him into the ringpost. Then he gave him his Machka Kick. As Rusev put Styles in the Accolade, which he was kind enough to do center-ring facing the hard camera, Graves said it’s not honorable, but he understands Rusev’s strategy.
-The announcers plugged the main event tag match.
-A selfie promo aired with The IIconics. Peyton Royce said she’ll expose Becky Lynch as the mere sidekick that she is tonight. Royce said she’s going to hurt her and then beat her and that will make her smile. [c]
-Paige approached Carmella and Ellsworth backstage. She told Ellsworth that he has a rematch with Asuka next week, and since he claims to be such a ladies’ man, she’s gong to make his wildest dreams come true. She brushed her finger down his arm as she said all of the women in WWE will be at ringside because it’s going to be a lumberjack match.
(Keller’s Analysis: Not a bad stip. It actually fits the circumstances perfectly.)
(4) PEYTON ROYCE (w/Billie Kaye) vs. BECKY LYNCH
Becky made a comeback late with an exploder suplex and then a kick to the jaw. She charged her in the corner, but Royce extended her boot and then took her down with a kick. Becky rolled her up, though, and twisted into a Disarm Her for the tapout win.
WINNER: Lynch.
-Phillips said Shinsuke Nakamura has responded to being given a U.S. Title match at Extreme Rules.
-A selfie promo aired with Nakamura asking why Hardy paints his face. “Is he a clown? Is he insane? Or is he ashamed?” He said he will strip away everything and take his pride and his honor and then take his U.S. Championship.
-The Usos ring entrance took place. [c]
(5) TEAM HELL NO (Daniel Bryan & Kane) vs. THE USOS
The screen noted that #SDLive was trending. I feel safe saying that is *not* World Cup related. Kane caught both Usos by the throat and shoved them out of the ring. The Usos then dragged Kane out of the ring. Bryan ran in to help, but he was knocked down. The Usos then dove onto Kane one after another with flying tackles. They cut to another break. [c]
Bryan rallied against the Usos after the break and showed fire. The Usos soon took over, though, and beat down Bryan for a few minutes. Bryan eventually hot-tagged in Kane who went to work on Jey Uso with his power moves including a side slam for a two count. Kane avoided a Jimmy dive at ringside and shoved him into the ringside barrier. Then he went after Jey in the ring, setting up a chokeslam. Jimmy made the save. They double-teamed Kane and scored a two count. When the Usos went for a double splash off opposite turnbuckles, Kane lifted his arms and grabbed them both by their throats. Then Bryan delivered a running knee to Jimmy. Kane chokeslammed Jey and got the three count.
WINNERS: Team Hell No.
(Keller’s Analysis: This gives Team Hell No some credibility as deserving the tag shot they were gifted last week.)
-Afterward, Bryan had an issue with how Kane was doing the “Yes!” chant. He said he needs to do it like he means it. Kane then did it with more enthusiasm. The fans joined in. Their music played and they hugged, but then The Bludgeon Brothers walked out onto the stage as their music played. They stared down Team Hell No from afar as the show ended.
Join PWTorch editor Wade Keller and guest cohost Bruce Mitchell as they discuss Smackdown Live within five minutes of Smackdown ending. Call (347) 215-8558 after Smackdown to listen in or also participate. You can also email the show at wadekellerpodcast@pwtorch.com with your comments and questions about Smackdown.
NOW CHECK OUT LAST WEEK’S REPORT: 6/26 WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS: Keller’s report on U.S. Title defense by Jeff Hardy, Miz TV with the Bludgeon Brothers
I don’t mind Hell No being gifted a tag shot if they made it from the P.O.V. that it was the Bludgen Brothers who demanded it.
Boring again.
The silence was because everyone was waiting for Asuka to armbar Ellsworth and finish this fiasco and went the Double DQ hit… it meant another week.