Home News 5 Takeaways From WWE SmackDown (8/14)

5 Takeaways From WWE SmackDown (8/14)

Robert Lentini
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5 Takeaways From WWE SmackDown (8/14)

This week’s episode of WWE SmackDown aired live from Greenville, South Carolina at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena. In addition to the takeaways below, WWE also aired three videos breaking down the long rivalry between The Miz and Daniel Bryan. Below is one of the videos and the remaining two will likely be uploaded to WWE’s YouTube channel shortly.

Here are 5 takeaways from this week’s show:

Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair Dominated

Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella kicked off this week’s episode of SmackDown. Carmella claimed that it was absurd that SmackDown GM Paige forced her to come down to the ring tonight with Lynch and Flair. She claimed that she was tired of their faces and tired of constantly being punished for being an “amazing” champion.

Carmella poked fun at Becky Lynch and claimed that she doesn’t have a chance in the match now. Becky said that she was losing sleep thinking about beating Carmella one versus one at SummerSlam. Lynch added that now she also has to go through Charlotte at SummerSlam.

Carmella laughed and then boasted about beating Charlotte Flair twice and then stated that Becky was only the first SmackDown Women’s Champion because Charlotte was on RAW. Flair said that Carmella knows she cannot hang with anyone in this division and has to cheat to win. Charlotte added that Carmella is a “diva living in a women’s era”. Carmella said that she is a diva and she is damn proud of it.

Carmella then told Flair and Lynch that she had a better body and charisma than them. She then raised the title in their faces before SmackDown GM Paige interrupted. Paige said she knows that they will steal the show on Sunday but it is also her job to make SmackDown the best show possible. Paige told Carmella to join commentary as Lynch and Flair battled Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville in a tag team match.

Deville and Charlotte started off the match as Carmella accused Paige of being jealous of her because she will never be champion again. Charlotte connected with a couple of chops in the corner and then tagged in Becky.

Lynch connected with a Leg Drop for a two count. Mandy Rose tagged in and hit Becky with a Dropkick. Becky responded with a Dropkick of her own and tagged Flair back into the match. Mandy pulled Charlotte to the mat by her hair and tagged Sonya Deville.

Sonya missed with a kick and Charlotte connected with a Fallaway Slam that sent Sonya out of the ring. Becky tagged in and connected with a flying forearm outside the ring. Back in the ring, Charlotte was back in and Deville brought her to the corner of the ring. Rose tagged in and beat her down before quickly tagging Sonya back in. Rose tagged back in as Charlotte rolled up Deville and kneed Flair in the face as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Becky was trapped in the corner as Rose shoved her face into the ropes. Lynch went for an Exploder Suplex but Rose countered into a Body Slam and tagged Deville back in. Sonya applied a Headlock and brought Lynch down to the canvas as Charlotte pleaded for a tag on the apron.

Lynch battled out of the hold and connected with an Enziguri that knocked Deville to the mat. Rose tagged in and Becky greeted her with two Clotheslines and a Dropkick. Becky connected with the Exploder Suplex this time and then a forearm to the face. Lynch then knocked Deville out of the ring and locked in the Dis-Arm-Her on Mandy Rose for the submission victory. Carmella posed on the announce table with the SmackDown Women’s Championship and trash talked with Lynch and Flair following the match.

Flair and Lynch then had a conversation backstage after the match. Flair wished Becky good luck and Lynch stated that she doesn’t need luck.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1029526819383504896

The Bludgeon Brothers & New Day Both Won

The Bludgeon Brothers faced The Triple Threat (three local competitors) tonight on SmackDown. Harper and Rowan attacked before the match started and beat the hell out of The Triple Threat. The segment ended with Rowan lifting one of them up onto his shoulders and Harper hitting a Clothesline off the second rope.

SAnitY then battled New Day in a 6-man tag match. Big E started off the match with Eric Young as the crowd chanted “happy birthday!” at Kofi Kingston. Big E planted Young with a Belly to Belly Suplex of a two count and then tagged in Kofi.

Kingston hit a Splash on Young for another near fall. Young threw Kofi towards the ropes as Alexander Wolfe pulled the top rope down and Kofi tumbled to the outside. Wolfe then slammed Kofi into the ring apron and sent him back into the ring.

Killian Dain tagged in and delivered a Dropkick to Kofi that sent him flying across the ring. Dain followed it up with a Fisherman’s Suplex and tagged in Wolfe as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

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When SmackDown returned, Kofi connected with a DDT to Dain and then leaped across the ring to tag in Woods. Xavier hit Wolfe with a Dropkick and followed it up with a DDT. Woods went for a cover but Young broke it up with an Elbow Drop off the top rope. Young tagged in and hit Woods with a Backbreaker for a two count.

Dain tagged in and connected with the Divide and went for the cover but Big E broke it up. Kingston then hit Wolfe with Trouble in Paradise and made his way to the top rope. Kofi leaped onto Wolfe and Young outside the ring as Big E and Woods hit the Midnight Hour on Dain for the pinfall victory.

The Bludgeon Brothers will defend their SmackDown Tag Team Championships against New Day this Sunday night at WWE SummerSlam.

Rusev & Lana Vowed To Crush Almas & Vega

Aiden English came down to the ring and sang a song in the ring as Rusev & Lana watched backstage. English vowed to make Andrade pay because tonight he fights for Rusev Day.

Andrade controlled the match early and sent English into the turnbuckle. Aiden exploded out of the corner and leveled Almas with a Clothesline. Aiden followed it up with a Splash off the top rope for a two count.

Almas connected with an elbow to the face and then Double Knees in the corner. Andrade followed it up with the Hammerlock DDT for the easy victory. After the match, Zelina Vega and Almas told the WWE Universe to mark their calendars for this Sunday because it will be the end of Rusev Day. Vega then vowed to expose Lana for being dead weight that drags down her husband.

Rusev and Lana interrupted and came down to the entrance ramp. Rusev told Almas that his luck will run out Sunday and Lana stated that they will crush Vega & Almas this Sunday at SummerSlam.

Randy Orton Hid & Watched Jeff Hardy

Jeff Hardy returned to action tonight on SmackDown and battled Shelton Benjamin.

Shelton controlled the match early and trapped Hardy in a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Jeff escaped and connected with Whisper in the Wind for a two count. Hardy then knocked Benjamin to the corner with a boot to the midsection.

Jeff hit a Neckbreaker and then made his way to the top rope. Benjamin caught Jeff with a knee to the face and followed it up with a Superplex for a two count. Hardy battled back with a Slingblade and followed it up with the Twist of Fate for a pinfall victory.

After the match, United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura came down to the ring and attacked Hardy as he was distracted by Benjamin. Nakamura went for the Kinshasa but Hardy countered into the Twist of Fate. Jeff then climbed to the top and connected with the Swanton Bomb. Orton was shown watching from near the stage as Hardy made his way up the entrance ramp. Shinsuke Nakamura will defend the United States Championship against Jeff Hardy at SummerSlam.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1029546814796652544

Samoa Joe Read A Letter To AJ Styles

SmackDown GM Paige had a conversation with Samoa Joe backstage tonight and told him to not ruin the main event at SummerSlam and to be professional. Joe promised Paige that he will continue to do whatever he wants.

Paige spoke to AJ Styles later in the night and asked him to be professional tonight. AJ said that he made a promise to his wife to be civil with Joe tonight but it will be a different story at SummerSlam.

WWE Champion AJ Styles came down to the ring at the end of this week’s episode of SmackDown. The crowd loudly chanted his name and AJ said that he is blessed because for almost 20 years he has been able to travel around the world and compete against the best wrestlers on the planet.

AJ stated that the WWE Championship is hard to hold because of the pressure that comes along with it. Styles showed footage of Samoa Joe attacking him three weeks ago on SmackDown and locking him in the Coquina Clutch. Styles accused Joe of stabbing him in the back and then in the heart. Styles then showed a clip of Joe calling him a failure as a father two weeks ago on SmackDown.

Styles congratulated Joe on getting him to lose his cool. AJ added that he felt like he had to defend himself as father and a husband. Styles said that Joe got him to go to a dark place where he wanted to rip Joe’s head off. AJ continued and said that his wife convinced him to remain focus and not let Joe get in his head.

Samoa Joe interrupted and pulled out a piece of paper from his jacket pocket. Joe claimed that AJ wasn’t telling the truth and stated that he had received a letter from a member of the WWE Universe.

Joe read the letter that said that his remarks about Styles were true and that AJ never wanted a wife and children. That is why AJ is such a great WWE Champion because he will do anything to stay away from his family. The letter ended with the following:

“At SummerSlam, I pray that you win so AJ can know the feeling of losing the thing he loves the most because I lost him a long time ago.

My sincerest gratitude,

-Wendy Styles”

Opinion:  I thought the end of the show was great. The feud between Joe and Styles has become very personal and I’m looking forward to their match at SummerSlam. The rest of this week’s episode of SmackDown was underwhelming.

What did you think of this week’s episode of SmackDown? Let us know in the comments below.

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