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Welcome to PWInsider.com's live, ongoing Smackdown coverage!
The show was taped this past Monday.
On the call are Michael Cole and Corey Graves.
We open with Kevin Owens heading to the ring. He said he's lost title matches before nothing hurt like losing last week. He fought to come back after 17 months and was cleared in nine days when he was told it would take a month. He wanted to return and win the contenders match at Summerslam so he could fight for the title in Toronto. He didn't want it to just happen so it was in front of the Canadian fans, but because he mother was in attendance. Two years ago she was fighting for her life and was able to kick out but travel is hard. Still, his father drove all the way from Montreal to Toronto so she could be there and he wanted to win the belt in front of his mom on a night where everything aligned. But Sami Zayn cost him that. He has put Sami through a lot but this one, he won't forgive and forget. He warned CM Punk they weren't done yet either.
Punk came out and said who said they were done. Nick Aldis tried to get between them. GUNTHER and Finn Balor came out staking their claim to the title. Aldis announced Owens vs. Finn vs. GUNTHER tonight for a title shot at Punk.
Chelsea Green told Tiffany Stratton she's been cleared to perform and wasn't going to let Tiffany fight alone.
Chelsea Green & Tiffany Stratton vs. Nia Jax & Lash Legend.
Stratton charged at Lash right as the bell rang, but Lash instantly caught her in a tight reverse bearhug. Stratton wriggled free and tried to launch a counterattack, but a sudden backbreaker cut her momentum short. Lash went for a choke, but the Tiff countered with a fluid handspring stunner, sending Lash staggering straight into a neckbreaker from Green. Jax tagged in, only to be met by a double dropkick from Stratton and Green, followed by a double knee strike to the back of the neck. Green countered a Samoan Drop attempt, but couldn't capitalize with an Unprettier. Jax shut down the offense with a vicious headbutt to Green's face as the show headed to commercial.
Back from break, Stratton hesitated to tag in Green, allowing Lash to step in and slam her to the mat. Stratton survived the pin attempt when Green broke up the cover. Jax quickly stepped in and drove Green’s face straight into her knee, targeting Green's broken orbital bone. As WWE medical staff rushed to check on Green outside the ring, Lash trapped Stratton in a deep bearhug. Stratton fought to break free, but Lash leveled her with a right hand for a close two-count.
Jax tagged back in but missed a running splash. Stratton mounted a desperate comeback, but Jax floored her with a heavy clothesline. The Irresistible Forces kept Stratton isolated, though she managed to dodge Jax’s leg drop. Shaking off Lash's grip, Stratton used Jax as a launching pad to hit a move on Lash. Needing a tag, Stratton reached for her corner while medical staff attempted to escort Green to the back. Defying the doctors, Green sprinted to the ring, tagged in, and immediately took Jax down with a missile dropkick. After knocking Lash to the outside, Green hit another dropkick on Jax and followed up with a high-flying crossbody off the top rope to the floor.
At ringside, Lash caught a leaping Stratton mid-air and hurled her into the barricade. Back in the ring, Jax caught Green with a right hand, planted her with a Samoan Drop, and dropped the Annihilator to seal the victory.
Your winners, The Irresistible Forces!
In Nick Aldis’ office, Danhausen stepped in to strike up a friendly conversation, only for Gunther (or as Danhausen said, Gooner) to interrupt. GUNTHER complained about having to jump through endless hoops just to earn a title shot. Aldis reassured him that the rules for the upcoming triple threat match were set in stone and no further changes would be made. Danhausen wanted to know if Finn was really a ghost.
WWE Women's United States Champion Jacy Jayne vs. Paige
Jayne tripped up Paige and hit a running senton, but when she went for a second, nobody was home. Paige capitalized with a kick and a series of knee lifts that sent Jayne to the outside. She followed up with a cannonball off the apron. With the referee distracted by Jayne, Lainey Reid sneaked in a running kick to Paige on the floor. 0As the show returned from break, both women collided with a double clothesline. They traded strikes back on their feet until Jayne gained the upper hand. Paige fired back with a fisherman’s suplex and the Paige Turner for a close near-fall. She tried to lock in the PTO, but Jayne escaped with a headbutt. The distraction allowed Reid and Fallon Henley to hop onto the apron, giving Jayne the opening to roll Paige up in a small package for the victory.
Your winner and still Champion, Jacy Jayne!
Nikki Bella ambushed Paige from behind, laying into her with a barrage of elbow strikes and stomps before dropping her with the Rack Attack.
They aired a video focused on the upcoming Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton match at Sunday Night’s Main Event.
Backstage, Rhodes and Finn Bálor discussed their respective upcoming bouts, with Bálor advising Cody to keep his cool so they could square off for the World Championship after Finn wins the number one contender’s match.
Cody Rhode came to the ring to cut a promo. Rhodes admitted that while he wanted to beat Randy Orton senseless right then and there, he questioned whether that would truly accomplish "killing the Legend Killer." He pointed out that every time Orton ascends to the top, he inevitably screws up. Rhodes noted that he had a front row seat to many of those mistakes, observing how Orton received mere slaps on the wrist while others were fired for far less. He asserted that Orton messed up once again by inserting himself between Rhodes and the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam. Consequently, at Sunday Night’s Main Event, it wouldn't be Orton defeating himself; it would be Cody delivering the beating.
Orton came down and entered the ring, arguing that if Rhodes wanted to speak about accountability, he needed to be completely honest. Orton admitted he had zero accountability in his younger years and that Rhodes was along for the ride, needing someone to be his driver—his "b**ch"—a role Rhodes willingly took on. Orton continuously tried to goad Rhodes into taking a swing at him. Orton boasted about his hiatus following WrestleMania, where he claimed his punt kick disfigured Rhodes, and stated he returned at SummerSlam solely to make sure Rhodes wouldn't defeat CM Punk .
Orton took a personal shot at Rhodes’ dog, Pharaoh, asking if the dog was dead. He then vowed that at Sunday Night’s Main Event, he would defeat Rhodes and punt him in the head once more in front of his family and friends, crudely asking if Rhodes' "trailer park trash mother" or "trashy wife" would be sitting front row to watch the assault. Rhodes responded that he recognized this personal assault as Orton's typical tactic to manipulate his wa out of their match. Rhodes stated he was counting down the days until Sunday Night’s Main Event, where the world would finally learn whether Orton is a once-in-a-lifetime superstar like Dusty Rhodes, or a failure like Bob Orton . Rhodes asked Orton if he wanted to hit him, and if not, he will see him in Atlanta, leaving Orton furious.
Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviewed Tatum Paxley regarding her upcoming match against Michin. Paxley leaned in and whispered something to Redmond, causing the interviewer to sprint off immediately. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss then walked up, informing Paxley that the three of them would team up to face Jade Cargill, B-Fab, and Michin at Sunday Night’s Main Event. Charlotte cautioned Paxley not to make her regret stepping up to support her. Paxley expressed her excitement about having them at ringside for her match before wrapping both of them in an awkward hug.
They aired a video feature on Penta vs. Rey Fenix this Monday on Raw.
Backstage, Rey Fenix was interviewed about facing his brother Penta. Ricky Saints interrupted, suggesting they skip ahead to when Fenix returns to Smackdown so Saints can defend his AAA Cruiserweight Championship against him. Fenix promised he would return to SmackDown as World Champion and shut Saints up for good.
Tatum Paxley (with Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss) vs. Michin (with Jade Cargill & B-Fab)
Michin opened the match with a disrespecting pie-face to Paxley before trying to secure a waistlock. Paxley escaped, backflipped out of the hold, dodged a kick, and leapfrogged over Michin. After Michin rested between the ropes, she knocked Paxley to the outside and delivered a big kick from the apron. Paxley quickly recovered, wiping Michin out with a moonsault off the apron right before the commercial break. Back from the break, the two were exchanging blows in the ring. Michin leveled Paxley with a hard elbow, then trapped her in a surfboard stretch. Paxley managed to reverse the hold into a pinfall attempt, but Michin kicked out. After Michin missed a cannonball into the corner, Paxley tried a roll-through pin for a two-count. Gaining her second wind, Paxley hit a superkick followed by a step-up enzuigiri, keeping Michin reeling alongside a strike from the apron. Michin answered back with a heavy sitout powerbomb and set up for a Styles Clash, but Paxley countered into a backdrop. Paxley followed up with a rolling kick, hit the Cemetery Drive, and scored the pin.
Your winner, Tatum Paxley!
Backstage, Randy Orton told Kevin Owens he was right all along about Cody.
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