Home News 7 Takeaways From WWE SmackDown (8/7)

7 Takeaways From WWE SmackDown (8/7)

Robert Lentini
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7 Takeaways From WWE SmackDown (8/7)
WWE Champion AJ Styles (Photo Credit: WWE.com)

The August 7th, 2018 episode of WWE SmackDown aired live from the Amway Center in Orlando, FL. In addition to the takeaways below, the Bludgeon Brothers dismantled “3SK” in a 2 on 3 tag match.

Here are 7 takeaways from this week’s show:

Orton Vowed To Destroy Everyone The Audience Loves

Randy Orton kicked off this week’s episode of SmackDown by rolling footage of his attack on Jeff Hardy last week on SmackDown. Orton said that he made a vow to destroy every Superstar that the WWE Universe put up on a pedestal. He added that he will become so violent that people will want to change the channel, but they won’t because they still believe in superheroes and hope.

Orton stated that Jeff Hardy is not going to come down here and save the day because he has erased the enigma. Randy claimed that he has taken Hardy’s identity and he will do that to everyone that the fans love because he doesn’t get the respect he deserves from them or the Superstars in the back.

Orton boasted about being the youngest champion ever and all the PPVs he main-evented and noted that the crowd still doesn’t respect it. Randy vowed to erase every Superstar that the crowd chooses to believe in and told the audience that they were to blame for his actions. Orton said that the crowd only needs to refer him as the three most destructive letters in sports entertainment. Orton spelled out R-K and then walked away before saying “O”.

Flair & Lynch Defeated The IIconics

SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella joined commentary for the tag match between The IIconics and Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair. Before the match, Flair and Lynch had a brief conversation backstage. Lynch congratulated Flair for earning her way into the SmackDown Women’s Championship match at SummerSlam but said she was going to prove she is the best by beating the best at the PPV.

Peyton Royce and Billie Kay cut a promo before the match and made fun of Orlando and their opponents. Becky and Charlotte started off the match in control. Flair connected with a few chops to Billie Kay and then tagged Becky into the match.

Becky went for the Dis-Arm-Her but Peyton Royce dragged Billie out of the ring. Charlotte tagged back in and connected with a Crossbody onto both Peyton and Billie as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

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When SmackDown returned, Royce and Lynch were in the ring. Becky connected with a Clothesline and followed it up with an Exploder Suplex. Lynch then hit a flying forearm off the second rope for a two count. Lynch applied the Dis-Arm-Her but Billie Kay got into the ring to break it up.

Charlotte tagged herself in and Moonsaulted onto Kay and Royce. Flair then locked in the Figure Eight on Peyton Royce in the middle of the ring for the submission victory. Becky and Charlotte shared a hug after the match and celebrated in the ring.

Carmella got up on the announce table and raised the SmackDown Women’s Championship to end the segment.

AJ Styles Responded To Samoa Joe

WWE Champion AJ Styles came down to the ring to respond to Samoa Joe’s promo last week. Joe brought up AJ’s family and blasted Styles for barely being there for his family. You can check out Joe’s promo in the video below.

The crowd chanted “AJ Styles!” as the WWE Champion stood in the ring with a smile on his face. AJ thanked the crowd and noted that a lot of trash talking goes on in between these ropes and things usually get personal. He noted that Samoa Joe made things personal last week when he talked about his family.

Styles stated that he wanted to be one of the greatest WWE Superstars for his family and that doesn’t make him special. Every parent has to make sacrifices for their family. Styles said he is away from home for over 200 days a year and celebrated 18 years with his wife on August 5th.

AJ admitted that his wife is basically a single parent because he cannot be there all the time. Samoa Joe was shown backstage laughing to himself as Styles spoke more about not being able to be there all the time for his children. Styles said that it pisses him off because Joe knows his wife and kids. Styles added that they both shared an apartment together in the past and Joe threw away a decade of friendship when he brought up his family last week.

Styles vowed to not let Samoa Joe walk out of SummerSlam as WWE Champion and added that Joe will be lucky to walk out of SummerSlam at all. Joe was shown backstage laughing once again as AJ posed in the ring.

Aiden English Screwed Up Again

Photo Credit: WWE.com

Rusev approached Lana backstage and apologized for not being there for her last week during her match against Zelina Vega. Rusev added that today will be a happy Lana Day and said that he will be ringside tonight for the rematch. Aiden English showed up and apologized for costing Rusev and Lana matches recently. Rusev and Lana forgave English, but Rusev told Aiden that it would be best for him to stay backstage during the match.

Lana started off the match by driving Vega into the turnbuckle but Zelina responded with a forearm to the face. Vega got out of the ring but Lana caught her with a Dropkick through the ropes and then brought her back inside.

Vega unloaded a flurry of punches for a near fall and then applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring. Lana escaped and planted Vega with a Suplex. Lana connected with an elbow and then a boot to Zelina’s face. Vega battled back and bounced Lana’s face off the turnbuckle. Lana slammed Vega’s face into the canvas and followed it up with back to back Suplexes.

Almas got on the ring apron and distracted Lana for a moment. Vega capitalized and hit Lana with a Jawbreaker. Rusev attacked Almas outside the ring and launched him into the barricade. Vega then booted Rusev in the back of the head and Almas threw him into the barricade.

Aiden English rushed down to the ring as Lana was climbing up the turnbuckle. English picked up English and tried to slam him into the ring post but accidentally took out Lana in the process. Lana fell off the turnbuckle and wound up in the corner of the ring as Vega geared up in the opposite corner. Vega then connected with Double Knees for the pinfall victory. English sulked backstage as Rusev looked like he wanted to kill him as he helped Lana in the ring.

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Daniel Bryan Attacked The Miz

Byron Saxton interviewed The Miz tonight on SmackDown. Earlier in the show, The Miz announced that he will face Daniel Bryan at SummerSlam. Saxton asked The Miz was he once again wasn’t at the arena tonight and The Miz responded by ignoring the question.

The Miz plugged his show and claimed that Miz and Mrs does not have one bad review on Rotten Tomatoes. Miz then stated that he’s not at SmackDown tonight because he is a star. The Miz once again promoted his show and told Daniel Bryan to tune into the show tonight after SmackDown.

Byron asked if The Miz was concerned about his match against Bryan at SummerSlam. The Miz claimed that he should be representing this company as WWE Champion and vowed to embarrass Daniel Bryan at SummerSlam. The Miz stated that he was done sharing the spotlight with someone that doesn’t deserve it.

The Miz added that he was done with people like Saxton and the WWE Universe who accuse him of hiding from Daniel Bryan. Miz said that he was going to prove that he is better than Miz at SummerSlam.

Bryan then attacked The Miz and his entourage on the set of Miz and Mrs. The Miz slammed a vase over Bryan’s head and ran away before Bryan got back up.

Nakamura Defeated R-Truth

R-Truth interrupted Renee Young and Shinsuke Nakamura during a backstage interview on this week’s episode of SmackDown. R-Truth rambled about wanting to defeat Carmella to earn his way into the United States Championship match at SummerSlam. R-Truth wound up facing Shinsuke Nakamura in a singles match later on the show.

R-Truth rapped his way down to the ring as Nakamura waited for him. Shinsuke started off the match in control and shoved his boot in Truth’s face in the corner of the ring. Nakamura then backed away and taunted R-Truth. R-Truth responded with a taunt of his own and then booted Nakamura in the face.

R-Truth connected with a Splash in the corner of the ring and then slammed Nakamura to the canvas. Nakamura quickly got back up and connected with a kick to R-Truth’s face. Shinsuke then locked in the Triangle submission in the middle of the ring. R-Truth made his way to the bottom rope to break up the hold.

Nakamura hit R-Truth with a few knees to the face and then planted him with a Reverse Exploder Suplex. Nakamura followed it up with the Kinshasa for the easy pinfall victory.

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New Day Won The Tag Team Tournament

The Bar (Sheamus & Cesaro) faced New Day tonight on SmackDown in the finals of the tag team tournament. The winner of the match will go on to face the Bludgeon Brothers at WWE SummerSlam for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships.

Big E and Cesaro started off the match as Xavier Woods launched pancakes into the crowd from ringside. Big E slammed Cesaro to the canvas and then taunted him by dancing in the ring. Cesaro got back up and booted Big E in the midsection.

Cesaro applied a Headlock in the middle of the ring but Big E quickly escaped and connected with an elbow to Cesaro’s face. Kofi Kingston tagged in and booted Cesaro in the face for a two count.

Kingston followed it up with a Dropkick to Cesaro’s face for another near fall. Cesaro responded with a punch to the face and then tagged Sheamus into the match. Sheamus perched Kofi up on the top turnbuckle and then punched him in the face. Kofi fell out of the ring and to the floor outside. Sheamus hit Kingston with an uppercut outside the ring and then posed for the crowd before bringing him back inside the ring.

Cesaro tagged in and trapped Kofi in a Headlock in the center of the ring. The crowd got behind Kofi as he battled back to his feet and escaped the hold. Kofi went for a roll-up but Cesaro wouldn’t go down and tagged in Sheamus. The Bar decked Kofi with a Clothesline and Sheamus went for the cover but Kofi kicked out at two. SmackDown then went to a commercial break with The Bar in control of the match.

When SmackDown returned, Kofi sent Cesaro out of the ring as Big E begged for a tag from the ring apron. Sheamus tagged in and charged at Kofi in the corner. Kingston got out of the way and finally was able to tag Big E in.

Big E got into the ring and planted Sheamus with a Belly to Belly Suplex. Big E then Clotheslined Cesaro out of the ring and slammed Sheamus to the mat for a two count. Kofi and Cesaro tagged back in and Kingston quickly hit Cesaro with SOS for a two count.

Big E tagged in and went for a Splash but Cesaro got out of the way and Big E crashed into the ring apron. Kofi tried to leap onto Sheamus but Sheamus caught him and connected with a Rolling Senton on the outside. Sheamus tagged in and beatdown Big E in the corner of the ring. Cesaro got back into the match and continued the beatdown of Big E as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

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When SmackDown returned, The Bar was still in control as Big E was trapped in their corner of the ring. Sheamus perched Big E up on the top rope and went for a Superplex but Big E blocked it. Cesaro tagged in and booted Big E in the face. Sheamus tagged in as Cesaro connected with a Superplex to Big E. Sheamus then hit a Knee Drop off the top rope and went for the cover but Big E was somehow able to kick out at two.

The crowd chanted “this is awesome!” as Sheamus tried to apply the Cloverleaf to Big E. Big E used his strength and booted Sheamus out of the ring. Cesaro threw Sheamus back into the ring and then tagged in as Kofi tagged in at the same time. Kingston leveled Cesaro with a Clothesline and followed it up with a Boom Drop.

Sheamus dragged Cesaro out of the ring and Kingston took them both out. Kofi threw Cesaro back into the ring and connected with a Double Stomp to his chest from the top rope. Sheamus tagged in and delivered a double Backbreaker to Kingston with Cesaro for a two count.

Sheamus posed in the corner of the ring and set up for the Brogue Kick as Kofi slowly made his way back to his feet. Kofi dodged it and Cesaro tagged back in. Kofi knocked Cesaro out of the ring and hit Sheamus with a Dropkick.

Big E tagged in and set up for the Midnight Hour. Cesaro shoved Kofi off the top rope and to the outside as Sheamus planted Big E with White Noise. Sheamus then threw Kofi into the barricade surrounding the ring as Cesaro applied the Sharpshooter to Big E in the middle of the ring.

Big E crawled to towards the bottom rope but Cesaro was able to drag him back to the middle of the ring. Kingston leaped onto the barricade and planted Sheamus with a Tornado DDT. Cesaro transitioned into a Crossface in the middle of the ring and shouted at Big E to tap out.

Big E powered to his feet and picked up Cesaro and walked to the corner of the ring. Kofi tagged in and connected with Midnight Hour for the pinfall victory. New Day will face the Bludgeon Brothers at WWE SummerSlam for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. Harper and Rowan were shown watching New Day celebrate as SmackDown went off the air.

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Opinion: New Day and The Bar put on a terrific match to close out this week’s episode of SmackDown. Overall, SmackDown once again was the better show this week. The highlights of the show were the main event and AJ’s response to Samoa Joe.

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

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