WWE SmackDown aired from the Performance Center in Orlando. Stephanie McMahon spoke to Sasha Banks and Bayley tonight and announced a Triple Brand Battle Royal for next week and the winner will face Bayley for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at SummerSlam. RETRIBUTION invaded SmackDown at the close of the show.
SmackDown Results (8/7)
- Matt Riddle def. Sheamus via DQ
- Cesaro def. Lince Dorado
- Jeff Hardy def. King Corbin via DQ
- Sheamus def. King Corbin
- Heavy Machinery vs. Miz & Morrison ended in a DQ
Here are 6 takeaways from this week’s show:
Shorty G Attacked Matt Riddle Again
Matt Riddle squared off against Sheamus in the first match of the night. Shorty G attacked Matt Riddle last week to collect on the King’s Ransom issued by Corbin.
Match Recap: Riddle went for a Sleeper Hold but Sheamus quickly made it to the ropes to break the hold. Sheamus got Riddle in a Headlock and took him down to the canvas. Sheamus stomped on Riddle’s midsection as the crowd tried to fire Matt up.
Riddle battled to his feet and applied an Arm Bar in the middle of the ring. When SmackDown returned from a break, Sheamus was back in control and hit Riddle with three Irish Curse Backbreakers in a row.
Riddle connected with a running kick to Sheamus’ face and followed it up with a Broton for a near fall. Matt climbed to the top rope and went for the Floating Bro but Sheamus got out of the way. Sheamus hit White Noise and went for the cover but Riddle was somehow able to kick out at two.
Matt planted Sheamus with a German Suplex for a near fall. Sheamus hit another Backbreaker and charged at Riddle in the corner. Matt got out of the way and Sheamus crashed into the ring post.
Shorty G attacked Matt Riddle from behind and the match ended in a DQ. Riddle hit Shorty G with a forearm to the face and bounced his head off the announce table several times. Riddle was announced the winner by DQ and Sheamus got pissed off. Sheamus brought Shorty G into the ring and leveled him with a Brogue Kick.
Sheamus demanded a microphone and shouted that Shorty G took a win away from him. Sheamus leveled Shorty G with another Brogue Kick before making his way backstage.
Sheamus confronted Corbin backstage and warned him not to cost him another match. Sheamus told Corbin that if he ever tries something like that again he will shove the crowd up his royal arse.
Sonya Deville Mocked Mandy Rose
Sonya Deville joined The Dirt Sheet tonight on SmackDown. Sonya Deville attacked Mandy last week and cut off some of her hair. The Miz and John Morrison’s mic kept cutting up and John joked that the new stable “Retribution” isn’t scheduled tonight.
Miz and Morrison welcomed Mandy Rose’s hair and a wig with googly eyes was shown on the screen. The Miz and Morrison voiced Mandy’s hair and joked around for a couple minutes. Finally and mercifully, The Miz and John Morrison stopped and welcomed Sonya Deville to the ring.
Deville stated that she is going to Mandy’s outside as ugly as her inside and that she enjoyed cutting her hair off last week. Sonya said she would apologize but she doesn’t feel bad because Mandy is pathetic and weak. Deville dared Mandy to come down to the ring but she didn’t show up.
Sonya claimed that Mandy Rose got to the WWE by winning bikini contests and mocked her for winning a Bumpy Award for making out with Otis. Heavy Machinery interrupted and brawled with Miz and Morrison as SmackDown went to break.
Opinion: Sonya Deville’s promo tonight was very good and she did a great job overcoming that horrible Mandy’s hair skit by Miz and Morrison.
Strowman Challenged The Fiend To A Match At SummerSlam
The lights in the Performance Center went out and The Fiend arrived on the entrance ramp. The Fiend tried to give the Mandible Claw to
again but she grabbed his hand. Bliss rubbed The Fiend’s face and he backed away.
Braun Strowman showed up on the jumbotron and said he doesn’t give a damn about Alexa Bliss, all he cares about is destroying The Fiend. Strowman said he is the most evil son of a bitch in the world and that he is fulfilling his destiny.
Strowman said that he is more than a man, he is the thing that nightmares are made of. Braun told The Fiend to face The Monster at SummerSlam.
Sheamus & Matt Riddle Got Revenge On King Corbin
King Corbin faced Jeff Hardy tonight on SmackDown.
Match Recap: Jeff dominated the action early and connected with a Dropkick and a Splash for a near fall. Hardy went for Twist of Fate but Corbin countered with a massive Clothesline for a two count.
The action spilled out of the ring and King Corbin unloaded several right hands to Jeff’s face. Corbin brought Jeff back into the ring and went for the cover but Jeff kicked out at two. Jeff knocked Corbin out of the ring and hit him with a Dropkick that sent him flying into the barricade.
Back in the ring, Corbin planted Jeff with Deep Six for a near fall. Sheamus ran down the entrance ramp and hit Jeff Hardy with a Brogue Kick. It was announced that Jeff won the match via DQ and Corbin lost his mind. Corbin and Sheamus then shouted at each other as the referees kept them separated.
Sheamus and King Corbin then battled in a singles match. Sheamus stomped Corbin to the canvas and then kneed him in the face. Corbin battled back and leveled Sheamus with a Clothesline outside the ring. Sheamus bounced Corbin’s face off the announce table several times before throwing him into the ring post.
Corbin hit Sheamus with a Side Slam and went for the cover but Sheamus kicked out at two. King Corbin sent Sheamus into the ring post and beat him down before the referee broke it up. Matt Riddle distracted King Corbin and Sheamus hit Corbin with a Brogue Kick for the pinfall victory.
Stephanie McMahon Spoke To Sasha Banks & Bayley
Sasha Banks and Bayley came down to the ring for a video conference with Stephanie McMahon. Stephanie thanked them for taking the time to join her and congratulated them on their achievements.
Banks and Bayley thanked Stephanie and said that her positive feedback means the world because all they are trying to do is be role models. Stephanie said they made a mockery of the stipulation she made by attacking Kairi Sane. McMahon added that she is not sure that they are role models but they have certainly captured her attention.
Stephanie said she is not one to hold a grudge and she is not going to punish them. McMahon told Sasha that she will be defending the RAW Women’s Championship at SummerSlam and that there will be a Triple Brand Battle Royal next week with the winner facing Bayley for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at SummerSlam.
Mandy Rose Attacked Sonya Deville & RETRIBUTION Arrived
The Miz and John Morrison faced Heavy Machinery in the main event of this week’s SmackDown. Sonya Deville accompanied Miz and Morrison to the ring.
Match Recap: Heavy Machinery dominated the action early and isolated John Morrison in the corner of the ring. The lights started flickering again and Corey Graves wondered if Retribution was responsible. The Miz tagged in and hit Otis with a chop to the chest.
Otis got fired up and leveled Miz with a shoulder tackle. Tucker hit Miz and Morrison with a Cannonball off the ring apron as SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Miz and Morrison were in control and had Tucker trapped in the ring.
Otis tagged in and launched Morrison across the ring. Otis hit Morrison with a Splash and John fell to the canvas. Otis followed it up with the Caterpillar Elbow Drop and went for the cover but Miz broke it up. Miz then sent Otis into the steel steps outside the ring.
Mandy Rose attacked Sonya Deville and the match was thrown out. Rose tacked Sonya Deville to the canvas before they were separated by Miz, Morrison, and Heavy Machinery. SmackDown went to a commercial break and returned with everyone still brawling backstage.
Retribution then entered the ring with baseball bats and pipes. Corey Graves and Michael Cole then sprinted backstage as Retribution posed in the ring. A masked man grabbed the camera and said this is our house now. They then chased the production crew backstage. Retribution hopped behind the plexiglass and attacked the trainees. Retribution flipped over the SmackDown announce table before spray painting the plexiglass and the ring. One of the members grabbed a chainsaw and cut the ropes as SmackDown went off the air.
Opinion: I’m hoping this leads to something good but Retribution is off to a very lame start. They do not look imposing at all but time will tell if the stable is actually interesting. Overall, this week’s SmackDown wasn’t a good show at all and one can only hope that Monday’s episode of RAW will be better.