SEScoops

7 Takeaways From WWE SmackDown (7/24)

Samoa Joe Styles SmackDown

Written by

Robert Lentini

in

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The July 24th, 2018 episode of WWE SmackDown Live aired live from the Ford Center in Evansville, IN. In addition to the takeaways below, Samoa Joe defeated R-Truth in a very quick match. Here are 7 takeaways from this week’s show:

Randy Orton Wants To End Jeff Hardy’s Career

Randy Orton made his way down to the ring to kick off this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown. Orton told everyone to look in the mirror because he attacked Jeff Hardy last week because of them. Randy added that he has busted his ass for 16 years for the fans and is the one constant in WWE.

Orton claimed that he doesn’t get the respect that he deserves and asked if it because he doesn’t pain his face or change the color of his merch to steal more money from the fans. He stated that he is not some indy darling and didn’t steal some “sweet” hand gesture and wondered if that is why the crowd doesn’t respect.

He boasted about accomplishing everything there was to accomplish in WWE. Orton said he started himself as the Legend Killer and has now realized that the fans are the true legend killers in WWE. Orton said he will not let the fans win because now he is the legend. Orton vowed to destroy every Superstar that the fans put up on a pedestal, starting with Jeff Hardy.

Randy claimed that he was going to end Jeff Hardy’s career and write Hardy’s final chapter. Orton added that the fans only ever need to refer to him as the three most devastating letters in sports entertainment. Randy spelled out R-K… and then dropped the microphone and left the ring before finishing RKO.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1021910452236898304

Aiden English Screwed Up Again

Rusev battled Andrade “Cien” Almas on tonight’s episode of SmackDown. Lana and Zelina Vega were ringside for the match.

Almas started off the match in control and applied a Chin Lock. Rusev broke free and decked Almas with a shoulder tackle. Rusev sent Almas to the ropes but Andrade caught himself and posed in the ropes. Rusev chased Almas around and caught him with a Clothesline as the crowd chanted “Rusev Day”. Rusev connected with a Suplex and went for the cover but Almas quickly kicked out. Rusev posed with Lana in the corner as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Almas was back in control and had Rusev locked in an Arm Bar in the middle of the ring. Rusev broke free with an Arm Drag and followed it up with a punch to Andrade’s face. Rusev unloaded a few more jabs but and then booted Almas in the face.

Rusev connected with a splash in the corner and followed it up with a spin kick to Almas’ face. Rusev hit another kick to Almas’ head for a two count. Andrade punched Rusev in the face but it just fired Rusev up. Andrade faked a kick and bashed Rusev in the head with an elbow. Rusev then exploded out of the corner with the Machka Kick and both Superstars collapsed to the canvas.

The crowd chanted “Rusev Day!” as Lana and Vega started arguing outside the ring. Vega slapped Lana in the face and Lana responded by tackling her. Aiden English came down and pulled Lana off of Zelina Vega. Zelina then leaped onto Aiden’s back and English accidentally bumped into Lana.

Rusev became distracted as he saw his wife fall to the floor. Andrade “Cien” Almas capitalized and snuck up behind Rusev. Almas grabbed Rusev and planted him with the Hammerlock DDT for the pinfall victory. After the match, Rusev and Lana were pissed off in the ring as Aiden English tried to apologize from the ringside area.

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Lana and Aiden were shown arguing backstage after the commercial break. Rusev interrupted and said that maybe neither of them were good for Rusev Day.

Asuka Picked Up A Quick Victory

Billie Kay faced Asuka tonight on SmackDown. Peyton Royce was ringside for the match. Kay started off the match in control and started taunting Asuka by slapping her in the face. Asuka got back up with a pissed off look on her face and chased after Kay.

Asuka connected with a Dropkick and followed it up with a sliding knee to Kay’s face for a two count. Royce grabbed onto Kay’s hands as Asuka dragged her back into the ring. Asuka connected with a spin kick that knocked Kay to the canvas.

Asuka then hit another kick to Kay’s face for the quick pinfall victory.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1021921540034768901

AJ Styles’ Opponent For SummerSlam Was Revealed

SmackDown GM Paige came down to the ring and hyped up the first ever all women’s PPV WWE Evolution on October 28th. Paige then turned her attention to WWE SummerSlam and said she was going to announce the challenger to the WWE Championship. First, Paige brought WWE Champion AJ Styles down to the ring and the champ got a great reaction from the crowd.

The crowd chanted “AJ Styles!” and AJ said that he could listen to that all day to the camera. AJ grabbed a microphone and told the crowd that they were awesome. Styles stated that he is a husband and a father and that he thought of his little girl when Stephanie McMahon announced the first ever women’s PPV. Styles said it was just another reason to be proud of the company that he works for.

AJ added that he was proud to defend the most prestigious title in the world at the biggest event of the summer, WWE SummerSlam. Styles signed the contract and asked Paige who his opponent will be at SummerSlam. Paige called for a drumroll and was about to announce Styles’ opponent but James Ellsworth interrupted.

James Ellsworth claimed that the real reason he came back to WWE was that title and boasted about defeating AJ Styles three times in the past. James vowed to beat AJ a fourth time and could tell that AJ was scared of him. James then said “wham bam, Ellsworth the new champ at SummerSlam, hot damn!”.

Paige got out of the ring and called Ellsworth a joke. James responded by calling Paige a joke because nobody can understand what she says all the time. Ellsworth poked fun at how Paige dresses and said that she was as pale as a ghost. Paige walked towards Ellsworth and said that she has two words for him. Paige then shouted “you’re fired!” and called for security. Ellsworth was then carried out of the arena and Paige went backstage with them to make sure that James was gone.

Paige shoved Ellsworth out of the arena as Samoa Joe attacked AJ Styles from behind. Joe applied the Coquina Clutch for a moment and then signed the contract in the ring. Samoa Joe then threw the table onto Styles and exited the ring.

Paige confronted Samoa Joe backstage and said that she picked Joe as AJ’s opponent because he was unpredictable but his actions weren’t the right way to things. Joe said that what he just did was phenomenal. Carmella then showed up and claimed that the power has gone to Paige’s head. Carmella complained about Paige firing Ellsworth and Paige responded by saying that if Mella is money, she should just go out and buy herself a new boyfriend. Carmella boasted about being the SmackDown Women’s Champion and vowed to defeat Becky Lynch tonight.

Becky Lynch Earned A Title Shot At WWE SummerSlam

Becky Lynch battled Carmella tonight on SmackDown. If Becky Lynch won the match, she would earn a shot at the SmackDown Women’s Championship at SummerSlam.

Becky went for the Dis-Arm-Her right away but Carmella countered into a roll-up for a two count. Becky connected with a forearm to the face that sent Carmella out of the ring. Lynch followed it up with another forearm off the ring apron and then went for a Dropkick but Carmella dodged it. Carmella then launched Lynch into the barricade as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Carmella was still in control and was shouting “I’m the champion!” while slapping Becky in the face. Lynch battled back with a Clothesline and both Superstars fell to the canvas.

Lynch hit a flurry of punches to Carmella’s face and dropped her with another Clothesline. Carmella hit a Flatliner out of nowhere and went for the cover but Becky was able to kick out at two.

Carmella went for a Tornado DDT but Becky countered into an Exploder Suplex. Lynch made her way up to the top rope but Carmella leaned on the ropes to trip her up. Carmella then hit Lynch with a Hurricanrana for a near fall.

Carmella rolled Becky up and used the ropes for leverage but Becky was somehow still able to kick out. Carmella shouted at the referee and sat in the corner in disbelief that Lynch was able to kick out.

Becky connected with an Enziguri and both Superstars fell back down to the mat. Lynch rolled to the apron and was the first one to her feet. Lynch made her way to the top rope and went for a Leg Drop but Carmella got out of the way.

Carmella connected with a Superkick and went for the cover but Lynch once again kicked out. Becky then applied the Dis-Arm-Her and Carmella quickly tapped out in the middle of the ring. Carmella will now defend her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Becky Lynch at SummerSlam.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1021929563100725249

New Day Advanced In The Tag Tournament

New Day faced SAnitY tonight in the first round of the SmackDown Tag Team Tournament. The winner of the four-team tournament will face the Bludgeon Brothers for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships at WWE SummerSlam. The Usos joined commentary for the match and will face The Bar next week in the tournament.

Xavier Woods and Alexander Wolfe started off the match. Wolfe connected with a shoulder tackle but Xavier battled back with a forearm to the face. Wolfe planted Woods with a Belly to Back Suplex and then tagged Killian Dain into the match.

Dain slammed Woods to the canvas and followed it up with a Senton as SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Woods was still trapped in the ring with Dain. Killian went for a Superplex off the top rope but Woods broke free with a flurry of punches. Woods then hit Dain with a Dropkick off the top rope and both Superstars fell to the mat.

Big E and Wolfe tagged in and Big E immediately hit Wolfe with three Belly to Belly Suplexes in a row. Eric Young hopped up on the ring apron and distracted Big E. Woods flipped onto Dain outside the ring as Young climbed up to the top rope. Kofi shoved Young from behind and crotched him on the ropes.

Woods and Big E then teamed up on Wolfe for the pinfall victory. After the match, The Bar came down to the entrance ramp and vowed to defeat The Usos next week and capture the SmackDown Tag Team Championships at WWE SummerSlam.

https://twitter.com/totaldivaseps/status/1021934230924873728

The Miz Outsmarted Daniel Bryan

The Miz, Maryse and their daughter Monroe Sky came down to the ring to promote their new reality show “Miz and Mrs”.

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The Miz said that Maryse is the most radiant woman in the world and asked the crowd to give it up for Maryse. Maryse claimed that the women’s evolution started with her and that her evolution keeps growing. Maryse promoted their reality show airing right after SmackDown on USA Network.

The Miz claimed that Monroe Sky as an infant has accomplished more than Daniel Bryan since his return. Miz said that simply mentioning Daniel Bryan has put Monroe to sleep and then rolled a preview of Miz and Mrs.

The promo featured embarrassing moments from The Miz’s career and it was called “Miz and Misses”. Daniel Bryan appeared on the screen and said that wasn’t what he wanted to air. Bryan stated that he should join the party and apologize to The Miz in person.

Bryan got by The Miz’s security team by punching them in the face and entered the ring with The Miz, Maryse and Monroe Sky. Maryse told Bryan to get out of the ring and Miz threw a fake baby at Bryan. Miz then booted Bryan in the face and planted Daniel with the Skull Crushing Finale.

The Miz boasted about fooling everyone and said that he would never bring his precious baby to a city like this. The Miz then promoted “Miz and Mrs” on the USA Network.

Opinion: SmackDown is a much better show than RAW on a weekly basis right now. Randy Orton’s promo to start tonight’s show was very good and pretty much the entire show was entertaining. The only thing that I hated was that SAnitY lost again on the main roster. I really don’t have any interest in seeing The Bludgeon Brothers versus The Bar, The Usos or New Day at SummerSlam. SAnitY versus The Bludgeon Brothers at the very least is something new and I would have looked forward to that match.

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

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