WWE SmackDown aired live this week from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. It was the final episode of the blue brand before WWE SummerSlam tomorrow night. Drew McIntyre and Sheamus battled tonight to determine who will get a title shot at Clash at the Castle in September.
WWE SmackDown Results
- Drew McIntyre def. Sheamus to earn a title shot at Clash at the Castle
- Shotzi def. Aliyah
- Liv Morgan & Ronda Rousey def. Sonya Deville & Natalya
- The Viking Raiders def. The New Day
Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:
Drew McIntyre Earned A Title Shot, Theory Attacked
Sheamus battled Drew McIntyre in a Donnybrook match tonight. The winner will get a shot at the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Clash at the Castle in September. Sheamus attacked Drew during his entrance but McIntyre battled back. McIntyre connected with a Falcon Arrow and went for the cover but the Celtic Warrior kicked out at two.
The action spilled to the outside and McIntyre tried to get a table from under the ring. Sheamus broke it up and launched Drew into the steel steps. Sheamus set up the table on the outside and got into the ring. He brought in a shillelagh and bashed McIntyre with it a couple of times before hitting the 10 Beats of the Bodhran on the ring apron.
When SmackDown returned from a break, the two Superstars were battling on the turnbuckle. Sheamus got the better of the exchange and knocked him down. Sheamus hit an Alabama Slam for a two count. Drew launched Sheamus out of the ring and into the mini bar ringisde.
Butch popped out of a barrel and leaped onto Drew McIntyre. Sheamus grabbed a barstool and bashed McIntyre with it. Sheamus hit White Noise and went for the cover but Drew powered out at two. The Celtic Warrior followed it up with the Brogue Kick but Drew somehow kicked out and the match continued.
McIntyre battled back with a Glasgow Kiss and hit Butch with a shillelagh. Sheamus went for another Brogue Kick but McIntyre countered into a Powerbomb through the table in the ring. McIntyre then delivered a Claymore to Sheamus’ face for the pinfall victory. Drew McIntyre now has a title shot at Clash at the Castle.
Kayla Braxton interviewed McIntyre after the match and he thanked the crowd. McIntyre stated that somebody has to get the title off the part-time champion before Theory interrupted. Theory bashed McIntyre with briefcase several times as the crowd booed.
Happy Corbin Attacks Pat McAfee
Happy Corbin showed up in the crowd with a sign of Pat McAfee’s mugshot for a previous arrest. Corbin told security that he bought a ticket and sat down right behind Pat on the commentary desk. Happy Corbin and Pat McAfee will battle tomorrow night at WWE SummerSlam. Corbin wasted no time before brawling with McAfee. WWE security broke it up but Corbin took the opportunity to boot Pat in the groin.
Shotzi Picked Up A Win
Shoti squared off against Aliyah tonight on SmackDown as Pat McAfee recovered and rejoined commentary. Aliyah ducked under a Clothesline and hit a Bronco Buster. Aliyah applied an armbar but Shotzi escaped and beat her down in the corner of the ring. Shotzi choked Aliyah against the ropes until referee Charles Robinson broke it up. Shotzi connected with a slam and went for the cover but Aliyah kicked out at two and the match continued.
Shotzi got Aliyah in a Boston Crab in the middle of the ring but Aliyah battled through the pain and reached the bottom rope to break the hold. Aliyah booted Shotzi in the face and followed it up with some forearm strikes. Aliyah hit a Slingblade for a near fall and Shotzi rolled out of the ring to regroup. Aliyah hit Double Knees off the ring apron and posed for the crowd. Shotzi shoved Aliyah into the ring post and rolled her back inside. Shotzi hit a Fisherman’s Buster for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Ronda Rousey marched to the ring as Shotzi stood with a microphone. Ronda demanded the microphone but Shotzi tried to hit her with it. Ronda planted her with Piper’s Pit and grabbed the microphone. Rousey got heckled by a fan and the former SmackDown Women’s Champion shouted “you shut up and your mom failed you” at the fan.
Ronda Rousey & Liv Morgan Team Up Ahead Of Their Title Match At WWE SummerSlam
Ronda Rousey and Liv Morgan battled Natalya and Sonya Deville in a tag team match tonight. Liv Morgan will defend the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Ronda tomorrow night at WWE SummerSlam. Natalya and Deville isolated the SmackDown Women’s Champion in the ring until eventually she escaped.
Liv tagged in Ronda but quickly tagged herself back in. Liv and Ronda argued and Deville capitalized. Sonya launched Liv into the barricade and brought the champion back into the ring. Natalya tagged in as Sonya choked Liv against the ropes. Natalya planted Morgan with a Suplex before applying a headlock in the middle of the ring as Ronda hopped around on the apron waiting for a tag.
The SmackDown Women’s Champion escaped but Natalya booted her out of the ring. Natalya then Suplexed Liv into the barricade as SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Liv was still trapped in the ring and Sonya hit a knee strike to the face for a two count.
Natalya tagged back in and continued to beat the champion down. Natalya hit another Suplex before applying another headlock. Liv hit a Codebreaker and could have tagged out but opted for cover instead. Natalya kicked out and Liv still wouldn’t go for a tag. Natalya and Sonya trapped her in the corner once again and took turns beating the champion down.
Sonya then applied a headlock in the middle of the ring as Ronda paced around on the apron. Liv eventually escaped and hit an Enziguri to knock both superstars to the mat. Liv stared at Ronda but refused to tag out once again. She rolled up Natalya for a near fall before turning around into a Clothesline. Liv tripped up Natalya and sent her into the turnbuckle.
Ronda tagged herself in and Sonya tagged in at the same time. Rousey hit Deville with Piper’s Pit but Natalya attacked from behind. Morgan hit Natalya with Oblivion as Ronda applied an Ankle Lock on Deville for the submssion victory. After the match, Liv Morgan and Ronda Rousey posed together ahead of their title match tomorrow night. Ronda and Liv then trash-talked a bit and had a stare-down to end the segment.
Jey Uso Accidentally Hit Jeff Jarrett
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos and The Street Profits made their way to the ring ahead of their title match tomorrow night. Special guest referee Jeff Jarrett joined the party and said he takes his job as referee for the match very seriously. The two teams started arguing and Montez Ford shouted “we want the smoke!”.
Jarrett said he only has one job tomorrow night and that is to count to three. A brawl then broke out and Jey Uso accidentally leveled Jeff Jarrett with a Superkick. The Usos helped Double J up and he shoved them away. Street Profits capitalized and shoved The Usos out of the ring. Montez Ford took them out with a flip and celebrated with Angelo Dawkins. Jeff Jarrett stared at The Usos to end the segment.
Max Dupri Returned To Maximum Male Models
Maxxine Dupri introduced the new beachwear collection with Mansoor and Mace. They posed in bathing suits and half shirts before Max Dupri made his triumphant return. Max said that they are here to “titillate the juices of your guilty pleasures”.
Viking Raiders def. New Day & Attacked Xavier Woods
The Viking Raiders (Erik & Ivar) faced The New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston tonight on SmackDown. Erik and Xavier started off the action. Woods ducked under a Clothesline and tagged in Kofi. Kingston hit a Crossbody and went for the cover but Erik kicked out at two. Kofi went for a Hurricanrana but Erik awkwardly blocked it before hitting a Clothesline. Ivar tagged in and beat Kofi down as The Viking Raiders took control of the match. Ivar hit Kofi with a Splash against the barricade as SmackDown went to a break.
When SmackDown returned, Woods delivered a Dropkick to knock Ivar out of the ring. Woods followed it up with a Dropkick through the ropes on Ivar and then a Tornado DDT on Erik for a near fall. Kofi hit a Frog Splash but Ivar broke up the cover. Ivar leveled Woods with a boot to the face but turned around into a Superkick from Kofi.
Erik delivered a knee strike to Kingston and tagged in Ivar. Erik sent Kofi to the corner and Ivar hit him with a Senton. The Viking Raiders lifted Kofi up and planted him with a massive Powerbomb for the pinfall victory.
After the match, Erik and Ivar grabbed their shields and brought them into the ring with Kofi. Xavier Woods got into the ring and charged but Erik hit him with the shield. The Viking Raiders threw Kofi to the outside and put Woods’ foot inside a steel chair. They then bashed the chair with their shields and Xavier yelled in agony. WWE officials and Kofi checked on Woods in the ring.
Brock Lesnar Appeared, Drew McIntyre Leveled Theory
Paul Heyman closed the final episode of WWE SmackDown before SummerSlam tomorrow night. Heyman paced around the ring in silence for a bit as the crowd booed. Paul went to introduce himself but the Atlanta crowd chanted his name before he could say it.
Heyman said he serves as special counsel to the one and only Undisputed Heavyweight Champion, the greatest of all time, the Head of the Table, and the Last Man Standing tomorrow night at SummerSlam, Roman Reigns. He stated that Reigns has spent 700 days as the heavyweight champion and nobody done that in 35 years.
Paul claimed that Roman Reigns is going to put Brock Lesnar down for ten seconds at SummerSlam and retain the title. The Beast interrupted and saluted the crowd with his cowboy hat as he made marched down the entrance ramp. Paul held his heart out of fear as Brock circled the ring.
Lesnar slowly walked towards Heyman and Paul started backing away. Theory arrived with the Money in the Bank briefcase and hit Brock a couple of times with it. Lesnar shrugged it off and beat the hell out of Theory with the briefcase. Lesnar took Theory to Suplex City before he escaped out of the ring. Theory stumbled around with the briefcase before turning around into a Claymore from Drew McIntyre. Drew and Brock stared at each other to end the show.
