Smackdown Live! Announced Matches and Segments for Tonight

Tonight’s episode of Smackdown Live will emanate from the Legacy Arena in Birmingham Alabama. It will be the go-home show for Sunday’s Battleground PPV in Philadelphia.

Announced Matches and Segments

The Punjabi Prison Comes to Smackdown

• The actual structure will be in the arena for tonight’s Smackdown.
• From WWE.com:
  “WWE Champion Jinder Mahal has taken great exception with Randy Orton’s vow to make his life a living hell. After his victory over Tye Dillinger last Tuesday, The Modern-Day Maharaja promised to show Orton what hell awaits them both at WWE Battleground, as he promised to bring the Punjabi Prison to SmackDown LIVE.”

AJ Styles & Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kevin Owens and Baron Corbin

• AJ and Nakamura will once again join forces, this time to take on Kevin Owens and the MITB winner, Baron Corbin.
• Nakamura will take on Corbin at Battleground.
• AJ and Owens will have a rematch from MSG two weekends ago at Battleground for the US championship.
• From WWE.com:
  “As WWE Battleground approaches, participants in two of this Sunday’s most anticipated matches will join forces for a huge tag team battle on SmackDown LIVE, as United States Champion AJ Styles & Shinsuke Nakamura face Kevin Owens & Baron Corbin.For Owens, the image of Styles taking his title at Madison Square Garden two weeks ago is probably still clear in his mind, and The Prizefighter isn’t likely to forget the defeat he suffered in tag team action last week against The Phenomenal One and John Cena. Corbin, on the other hand, will be looking to take control of his rivalry with Nakamura after last week’s ringside brawl between the two.”

John Cena Addresses His Flag Match with Rusev

• Former WrestleMania opponents, Rusev and John Cena will once again do battle, this time at Battleground.
• Only one of these two returning superstars will be able to go into SummerSlam on a winning note.
• From wwe.com:
  “Five days before he defends the honor of America in a Flag Match against Rusev at WWE Battleground, John Cena will address the impending battle in an exclusive interview on SmackDown LIVE.Though Cena and AJ Styles were victorious over The Bulgarian Brute in tag team action last Tuesday, Rusev sent a message to the 16-time World Champion earlier in the night, locking Cena in the Accolade. What will Cena have to say before he stands up for his country in Philadelphia this Sunday?”

Mike Kanellis vs. Sami Zayn

• Zayn refused to apologize again to Maria regarding his interrupting Maria and Mike’s “Power of Love” segments, leading to this match here.
• Last week, Mike broke a glass vase over Zayn’s back. This week Mike will make his in-ring Smackdown debut.
• From wwe.com:
  “After weeks of preaching about the “power of love” to the WWE Universe, Mike Kanellis will finally get to show exactly how far that power can propel him in singles competition, as he makes his in-ring debut against Sami Zayn on SmackDown LIVE.Over the past few weeks, Zayn has run into Maria & Mike Kanellis on multiple occasions, interrupting their declarations of love. Last Tuesday, Maria demanded an apology from Zayn, who responded by saying he’s tired of apologizing. That led Maria to slap Zayn across the face and Mike to smash a glass vase of flowers across Zayn’s back, warning him that sometimes, love hurts.”

Breezeango Look Out for “Ghost Aliens”

• The sexy fashion rangers are looking for who stole Dango’s horse, Tully. It was probably Ghost Aliens.
• From wwe.com:
  “Last Tuesday in Texas, Breezango tracked down The Hype Bros, the latest suspects in their ongoing investigation of SmackDown LIVE’s tag team division. While the “sexy fashion rangers” didn’t get any closer to cracking the case, Tyler Breeze & Fandango may have found a new lead after the disappearance of Fandango’s horse, Tully.

  Their first suspects in this case? Ghost aliens. The truth is out there. Will The Fashion Police be able to find it? ”