The September 18th, 2018 edition of WWE SmackDown Live took place at the BOK Center in Tulsa, OK.
– This week’s broadcast opens with a video package looking at Charlotte and Becky Lynch’s match at the Hell In A Cell pay-per-view on Sunday. We see Becky’s celebration after she wins the Women’s Title, and then declining Charlotte’s hand shake.
– The Miz is in the ring to kick off tonight’s show. Miz says before he gets to his guest for Miz TV, he has some news. He points up to the big screen, and we see a graphic announcing Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz for the Super Showdown, and the winner gets a shot at the WWE Title. The Miz says that’s in three weeks, but tonight he has a special guest who he had to call in a lot of favors to get here. Miz announces his guest, and welcomes back to SmackDown Live: his wife Maryse. They say Brie’s heart wasn’t in the match last week, and her heart isn’t in her relationship with Daniel Bryan any more. They say they only reason she married him was because she thought he would be a big star and she wanted to stay relevant in WWE. Maryse announces that as of now, tonight is her last night on SmackDown Live, so she can go back to be Mother of the century. The Miz says Maryse has recovered from giving birth after only a few months, while people in the audience look like they never recovered pregnancies from 30 or 40 years ago. The Miz flips out at the crowd booing his wife, and then he calls out Daniel Bryan. Bryan walks out with a mic and says Miz can talk about him, but can’t talk about his wife, and then he hits the ring. Bryan tackles Miz and pummels on him, and then he dropkicks Miz and Miz bumps into Maryse. Maryse sells the shot as Bryan looks upset. Senior official Charles Robinson calls for some help from the back, and a stretcher comes out for Maryse. Bryan apologizes to Maryse while Miz storms off around the ring. It now appears that Maryse was faking it, and Miz goes to attack Bryan from behind. Bryan fights him off, and Miz runs the ropes. Bryan dodges a shot from Miz, and Miz bumps into Maryse on the apron and sends her flying down. While the Miz looks down at his wife in shock, Bryan clotheslines Miz outside, and then leads the crowd in a Yes chant. Miz and Maryse hobble up the ramp as Bryan stands in the ring.
– Still to come: AJ Styles vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas; and Becky Lynch’s “Championship coronation.”
– The New Day is backstage dressed like Steve Irwin and messing with random people they walk past.
– Daniel Bryan does an interview in the back where he talks about Miz being a coward, and he knew something fishy was going to happen. Bryan says he knows his tricks, and they aren’t going to work in Australia at the Super Showdown. Bryan says he’s going to punch Miz in the face, and punch his ticket for an opportunity for the WWE Title.
– Cesaro vs. Kofi Kingston: Sheamus and The New Day are at ringside for this one, and they briefly exchange words on the mic before the match. Cesaro says they’re going to take the SmackDown Titles to the tag division will have the respect it deserves. The opening bell sounds and Cesaro starts off strong, and he tries to keep Kofi grounded with a half Boston crab. Kofi fights up and rolls up Cesaro for a couple of 2 counts. Cesaro comes back with an uppercut for a two count of his own. Cesaro starts working over the left leg of Kofi now. Kofi fires back with strikes and then climbs up top. Cesaro knocks Kofi down on the turnbuckle with a dropkick. Cesaro goes up to Kofi, but Kofi fights him off and hits a tornado DDT For a two count. Kofi knocks Cesaro outside and hits a springboard dive on him down at ringside. Back in the ring, Kofi hits the SOS for a two count. Cesaro comes back and kicks out Kofi’s knee a couple times then hits the Neutralizer for a three count.
Winner: Cesaro
– The Bar celebrates in the ring while The New Day helps Kofi to his feet at ringside.
– Rusev and Lana are backstage in the locker room when Aiden English walks in. English talks about the loss at Hell In A Cell, and says he has a good feeling about tonight. Rusev tells Aiden not to come out for his match tonight. Aiden says he did his best, but Rusev says his best wasn’t good enough. English freaks out and says Rusev Day was all because of him, and Rusev and Lana would be nothing without him. He turns around and sees that Lana heard everything he said, and English starts apologizing and says he didn’t mean any of it. Lana says she’s going to tell Rusev, and English begs her not to, and they run off.
– Still to come: Shinsuke defends the U.S. Title against Rusev.
– The broadcast team tells us that there is an incident happening in the production truck with Randy Orton. We see Orton in the production truck harassing a producer to put up footage of him beating up Jeff Hardy. He warns the producer about what will happen if you piss him off. The producer says Orton grabbing his shoulders and neck is hurting him. Orton keeps grabbing him and asks to see more images of him jamming the screwdriver through Jeff’s ear. Orton asks the producer what he feels when he sees that image, and the producer says it’s disturbing. Orton says what’s even more disturbing is that everything he’s already done will pale in comparison to what he does to his next victim.
– We see footage of the finish to AJ vs. Joe at Hell In A Cell, and then we go to a backstage interview with AJ Styles. AJ says the referee’s decision stands from last night, and maybe it was karma for Joe messing with AJ’s family. AJ says they’re going to go at it one more time, in a No DQ match in Australia. But tonight, AJ faces Almas, and he’s going to focus on that right now.
– Lana and Rusev run up to Rusev, and Lana says he has to tell him something, but Rusev says it’ll have to wait because he needs to focus on his match. Rusev tells English to go out and do the honors and introduce him, and Aiden obliges.
– U.S. Title: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Rusev: English comes out and sings Rusev’s entrance. Lana nad Aiden are both at ringside. The opening bell sounds and Rusev and Nakamura trade kiks early on. They lock up and wrestle down to the mat, trading holds. Rusev hits a suplex for a two count, and then the Champion rolls out to ringside for a breather. Back in the ring, Nakamura starts to fight back and he applies a front face lock. We see Aiden and Lana appearing o argue at ringside. Aiden grabs a mic and starts a Rusev Day chant. Rusev overpowers Nakamura now and slams him down. Rusev hits a big boot and then some right hands. Nakamura comes back with a knee to the body, but Rusev shuts him down with a knee of his own. Rusev boots him and hits some clotheslines, and then another kick. Rusev hits a splash in teh corner and then a spinning heel kick. Rusev looks fo rthe big boot, but Nakamura dodges it. Rusev dodges a couple kicks from Nakamura, and the Rusev connects with a kick to the head of the Champion for a two count. Rusev misses a shot in the corner and Nakamura hits a series of kicks and stomps. Nakamura misses a running knee in the corner, and then they fight out to the apron. Nakamura hits a cheap shot to the eyes that the ref doesn’t see, and then Nakamura knees the challenger in the face. Nakamura throws Rusev in to the fan barricade, and then back in the ring. Nakamura looks for the Kinshasa, but Rusev stops him with a big boot out of nowhere. Aiden gets on the apron with a mic and yells “Rusev Crush,” which seems to confuse Rusev. Nakamura takes advantage of the distraction to roll up Rusev from behind for the three count.
Winner & still U.S. Champion: Shinsuke Nakamura
– After the match, Aiden attacks Rusev from behind and pummels on him with a microphone. English beats down Rusev as Lana watches on. English says Happy Rusev Day and then throws the mic down, then he walks off as Lana screams at him.
– Still to come: Becky Lynch is officially presented with her new Women’s Title belt.
– Andrade “Cien” Almas vs. AJ Styles: This one is a non-Title match. Before the bell, Almas attacks AJ from behind and repeatedly stomps on his head. AJ gets to his feet and tells the ref to call for the bell. The bell sounds and Almas immediately goes back to work on AJ and then drops him with a kick to the face. Almas follows up with a backbreaker for a pin attempt. Almas looks for another backbreaker, but AJ reverses into a DDT, and both men are down. They get to their feet and trade strikes until Almas stuns him with a back elbow to the face. Zelina slaps AJ across the face from ringside while the ref isn’t looking. Almas picks up AJ, but AJ fights him off and hits the fireman’s carry neckbreaker. AJ hits a leaping clothesline in the corner, and then a running forearm shot to the face. AJ kicks up and grabs Almas for a Styles Clash. Almas reverses into a back body drop, and then Almas goes up top. Almas looks for a moonsault, but AJ puts his knees up to block it. AJ elbows Almas in the face and then looks for the Phenomenal Forearm, but Almas punches him out of mid-air and ties AJ up in the ropes. Almas stomps AJ down to the apron while he’s tied up in the ropes, and both men are down outside the ring now. They get back on the apron, but Alms boots AJ back down to the floor, and AJ is hurt. AJ fights back with some strikes on the floor and then he throws Almas back in the ring. AJ hops up on the apron and hits the Phenomenal Forearm for a two count. AJ goes for the Styles Clash, but Almas grabs the ropes to escape. Almas drops AJ’s neck across the top rope, and then Almas hits a springboard missile dropkick off the top rope. Almas follows up with the running knee strike in the corner for a two count. AJ goes to roll up Almas, but AJ then changes direction and hits the Styles Clash out of nowhere. AJ covers for the three count.
Winner: AJ Styles
– Immediately after the bell, Samoa Joe hits the ring and starts beating down AJ. AJ starts to fight back and the brawl spills out to ringside. Joe ends up hopping the guard rail and retreating through the crowd. AJ heads back in the ring and poses on the turnbuckle with his WWE Title.
– Asuka and Naomi are shown backstage walking towards the Gorilla position.
– Asuka vs. Billie Kay: Naomi and Peyton Royce are at ringside. The opening bell sounds and a distraction from ringside leads to Billie dropping Asuka with some kicks. She hits a big boot to the face of Asuka for a two count. She goes to pick up Asuka, but Asuka latches on to her and applies the Asuka Lock for the win after a short match.
Winner: Asuka
– Naomi and Asuka celebrate in the ring after the bell.
– Paige comes out and there is the Women’s Title belt on a table in the ring. Becky comes out next, and Paige presents her with the Title Belt as the crowd chants “you deserve it.” Becky says now this is her show and this is her title, and she won’t be left off the magazine covers or pay-per-view posters anymore. Becky calls out Charlotte to come face her, and Charlotte comes down to the ring. Charlotte gets on the mic and assures Paige she’s not here to fight, and Paige walks off to leave the two of them alone. Charlotte says she knows how much the Championship means to Becky, and she tells Becky she was the better woman that night and congratulations. Charlotte says at Super Showdown she’s getting her rematch in front of 60,000 people, and Becky will lose the title it took her two years to get back. Becky says she stopped listening to Charlotte, and she wants Charlotte to put the Women’s Title around her waist. Becky changes her mind, and says Charlotte should call her queen, and she calls Charlotte a bitch. Charlotte turns around and punches Becky in the face, and they brawl down to the ringside floor. Becky throws Charlotte over the announce table and then in to the timekeeper’s area. Becky takes Charlotte back in the ring and applies the Disarm Her. Becky picks up Charlotte and hits a t-bone suplex. Becky takes her Women’s Title belt and then walks up the ramp. Becky holds up her Title on the stage as Charlotte recovers in the ring and SmackDown goes off the air.
