SmackDown Live

Kevin Owens kicks off the post-Battleground SmackDown by coming out in a suit with his U.S. Title on his shoulder.

Owens says it feels right to say he is the United States champion once again, and he proved good things happen to good people. He thinks he is a good person.

Owens says he is bringing back the U.S. open challenge...next week. Then he insults the Virginia crowd by saying he would never defend the belt in front of a bunch of hicks. AJ Styles comes out, likely to request a rematch.
Styles says he came out to get his rematch, just like everyone knew he would. Then Chris Jericho's music hits and the crowd goes absolutely nuts.
Owens freaks out and demands to know why Jericho is there. Chris tells him to shut up and says he is back to get revenge after Owens sent him out on a stretcher the last time they met. Then he says he is back for a rematch for the U.S. Title.
While Jericho is busy trying to put Styles on The List, Owens tries to leave. Shane McMahon comes out and gets in his way. He says Styles and Jericho both have valid claims to a rematch, and they will both get their opportunity at the same time in a Triple Threat match tonight.


Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin
Shinsuke Nakamura won


Charlotte and Becky Lynch vs. Tamina and Lana
Charlotte and Becky Lynch won


After a quick recap of the Punjabi Prison match from Battleground, Jinder Mahal makes his way out to demand a new opponent for SummerSlam.
Mahal brags about crushing the legacy of Randy Orton by using the Punjabi Prison to his advantage. He says everyone underestimated him and he will remain champion as long as he desires. Jinder demands to know who he will face at SummerSlam. As he starts to speak in Punjabi, John Cena makes his way to the ring.
Mahal cuts Cena off before he can speak and says he doesn't deserve to be WWE champion. Cena says he actually wanted to congratulate Jinder
on his win and claims to have respect for him after everything he has been through. He also gives Mahal a heads up that he will be coming after the WWE Championship, and he doesn't care how many allies Jinder has to protect him. He even refers to himself as SuperCena.


Mike Kanellis and Aiden English vs. Sami Zayn and Tye Dillinger
Mike Kanellis and Aiden English won

As Big E is giving The New Day's usual intro from backstage, the new tag team champions are ambushed by The Usos. The Usos bring them out to the stage and continue beating them to a pulp. A few refs try to make Jimmy and Jey back off as they check on Kofi, Big E and Woods.

KO (C) vs. AJ Styles vs. Chris Jericho in a Triple Threat for the US Title
AJ Styles wins back the US Title.

Owens stands outside the ring with a look of pure shock on his face.
Owens flips out at ringside and starts trashing the announce table and throwing chairs around. He grabs a mic and screams that this isn't fair. He says he wants his rematch next week. Does he even get a rematch? 
The show ends with Styles celebrating his win.

Rating 90/90
SmackDown Live was freaking phenomenal. Like, it blew away WWE Battleground. Great matches and show leading up to SummerSlam.

SmackDown Live Aftershow:

https://youtu.be/InWy1YvtSV0

WWE Battleground

Renee Young welcomes us to the Battleground Kickoff. She is joined by Jerry Lawler, David Otunga and Sam Roberts.

Dasha Fuentes asks Cena if he is ready for tonight, and he says "That's very DX of you to ask.

Fans are actually chanting "Let's go Ellsworth" while Carmella is being interviewed by the panel.

AJ Styles and Kevin Owens each give interviews backstage about their upcoming match.

The panel hype what's in store tonight on WWE Battleground with a video package.

Kickoff:

Tye Dillinger vs. Aiden English
Aiden English won



Time for the show!!

We see a video package hyping the matched tonight for WWE Battleground



New Day vs. Usos (c) for the Tag Team Titles
New Day win and is the New Tag Team Champions


Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin
Shinsuke Nakamura won by DQ

Corbin comes back after the match and hits The End of Days to Nakamura before leaving with his MITB briefcase held high

Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch vs. Natalya vs. Tamina vs. Lana (5- Way Elimination Match) - Naomi at commentary! Winner will become #1 Contender to the Women's Championship will face Naomi at 
SummerSlam.

Natalya won and is the #1 Contender to the WWE Women's Championship and will face Naomi at SummerSlam


Kevin Owens vs. AJ Styles (C) US Title

KO won and is the NEW United States Champion


John Cena vs. Rusev in a flag match
John Cena won and put the United States Flag up on the pole.


We are gifted with another Fashion Files segment. It still has an X Files theme. They share a hug before The Ascension walk in and confess to trashing their office. They say they did it because they felt like it. Fandango doesn't believe them because they weren't at SmackDown last week.
Someone knocks out Breeze and Fandango from off screen and drags Fandango away as the segment ends

Mike Kanellis (w/ Maria at ringside) vs. Sami Zayn
Sami Zayn wins.

Randy Orton vs. Jinder Mahal (C) for the WWE Championship in a Punjabi Prison Match
Jinder Mahal retained the WWE Championship thanks to the great khali returning and getting involved and helping Jinder win. 
The show ended with holding up the title at the ramp. But, it sucked Great Khali got in involved and the Singh brothers did too. Just annoying. Please someone take it away from Jinder soon. I was actually hoping Corbin would cash in but that didn't happen.

Rating: 50/50

It was okay. Good matches. Had some intense matches and action. The ending was just the same as always Jinder wining with help. 

SmackDown Live

The show opens with a video hyping the Punjabi Prison.
Mahal and the Singhs get inside the Punjabi Prison and the outer cage is lowered down. The crowd gives the WWE champion decent heel heat as he talks about how he will defeat Randy Orton on Sunday.
The Singhs explain the rules of the match before Mahal talks some more trash about Orton. Then he addresses the crowd in Punjabi. Before he can finish, Orton comes out on the ramp.
Orton questions Mahal's intelligence to put himself in a cage with an angry Viper. Randy starts climbing the outer cage as he continues to taunt Mahal. He brings up how Jinder attacked his family and left him with nothing to lose.
The segment ends with Orton sitting on top of the outer cage while Mahal seethes with anger in the ring

Jimmy Uso vs. Kofi Kingston 

Jimmy Uso won 

After some back and forth from most of the women's division, Shane books a match between Becky Lynch and Charlotte for tonight

After some back and forth from most of the women's division, Shane books a match between Becky Lynch and Charlotte for tonight.

Mike Kanellis vs. Sami Zayn

Mike Kanellis won 

John Cena comes out after the break to talk about his upcoming flag match.

Cena gives his usual hype speech while talking about facing Rusev on Sunday. He talks about how some people don't like him, but everyone should be able to agree on loving the flag. He talks about some tough moments in American history and how its citizens keep moving forward. He brings down his flag and vows to win on Sunday. As he waves the flag to his music, Rusev comes out of the crowd and attacks him. He nails a huge side kick before putting Cena in the Accolade.

Cena lifts Rusev on his back and drives him into the corner, but Rusev keeps the hold on and wrestles him back to the mat. Cena tries to get up again, but he fails and succumbs to the hold. The Bulgarian Brute takes down his flag and waves it triumphantly.

Charlotte vs Becky

Becky won

They shake hands after the match, and then Tamina's music hits and she comes down with Lana. Natalya attacks Becky from behind while Tamina goes after Charlotte.

AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. KO and Baron Corbin

Corbin attacks Nakamura during his entrance, which leads to Owens coming out and all four men brawling on the stage.


KO and Baron Corbin won



Rating 70/70

Great show and matches as we look on to WWE Battleground

SmackDown Live

AJ Styles comes out with his new U.S. title at the top of the show. He even has a new red, white and blue shirt to go with his belt.
Styles talks about what the title means to him and brings up John Cena's U.S. open challenges, saying it's about time to bring back the concept. He says he wants to make the title represent the best in the business like it used to, and anyone in the back is welcome to prove him wrong.
John Cena comes out. He does some posing before asking Styles if he is allowed to answer the open challenge. Styles says yes and Cena accepts.
Charles Robinson comes down to officiate and the announcer does the official intros. But before Little Naitch can ring the bell, Kevin Owens interrupts. He says nobody wants to see this match and people only care about seeing him regain the title.
Rusev attacks Cena from behind and Owens hits Styles with a Popup Powerbomb. KO and Rusev leave while Cena and Styles are down in the ring.

Tye Dillinger vs. Jinder Mahal
Jinder Mahal won

Xavier Woods vs. Jey Uso

Xavier Woods won 

After everyone in the women's division comes into Shane's office asking for a title shot, he books a five-way elimination match at Battleground for a title shot at SummerSlam. It will feature Becky Lynch, Charlotte, Tamina, Natalya and Lana. Then Carmella walks in and presents a petition to reinstate James Ellsworth. Shane reads it and then rips it up right in front of her.

Nakamura attacks Corbin during his entrance, but Mr. MITB gets the upper hand and throws him over the barricade. They fight in the crowd until Shinsuke gets thrown back to ringside. Corbin grabs his briefcase and leaves while Nakamura taunts him from the ring.

Charlotte and Becky Lynch vs. Natalya and Tamina

Natalya and Tamina won thanks to lanas distraction when Charlotte was distracted and didn't know Tamina tagged in.

AJ Styles and John Cena vs. KO and Rusev
AJ Styles and John Cena won

Cena and Styles stare at each other for a few than John Cena raises AJ Styles's hand as he raises the United States Championship and then they climbed up the top of the ropes and stand tall celebrating their win.


Rating

80/80

Great show and matches as we look on to WWE Battleground
SDLive Aftershow: https://youtu.be/ildEphiWZ5s

SmackDown Live

The show opens with a special video for the Indepence Day.

John Cena comes out. Cena talks about what it means to be an American.
Cena says he is here to compete with the best every time he steps in the ring and lists off a bunch of people he considers the best. He says his fire has never died and he has nothing to lose. 
Then Rusev's music hits and he comes out he complains about not having return commercials like Cena did for the past two months.
Rusev calls America a joke and more USA chants break out. He mocks us for sitting at home and eating cheeseburgers and hot dogs. Cena proudly says we do, and adds that we also blow stuff up with fireworks.
Cena suggests they put their respective flags in the corners and have an old fashioned flag match. Rusev refuses and says they will fight on his terms. He waves the Bulgarian flag while Cena calls him a coward. Cena gets another USA chant going.

Backstage, Daniel Bryan books AJ Styles vs. Chad Gable for a spot in tonight's Battle Royal.

AJ Styles vs. Chad Gable (Winner gets an entry in the Independence Battle Royal later tonight)

AJ Styles won.
After the match, AJ helps Gable up and gives him a nod of approval.

Carmella and James Ellsworth come out to celebrate her Money in the Bank win from last week.

Carmella talks about being able to cash in anytime she wants, which brings out Naomi with her brand new belt lined with LED lights. She coins the nickname Ellsworthless.

James tries to say something, but Bryan tells him to shut up. The GM has decided to ban him from the arena and fines him $10,000. He also suspends him for 30 days. He says he Ellsworth breaks any of his rules, he will strip Carmella of her contract. Carmella grabs James' hand and leads him away so she doesn't lose her briefcase.


Lana vs. Naomi (C) for the SDLive Women's Championship


Naomi won in a Quick Match.
Tamina runs to the ring and tells Lana to get up so they can leave. Lana seems confused, but she eventually leaves with her.
Will Naomi begin to get REAL competition for her Women's Championship Now?!


Baron Corbin attacked Shinsuke Nakamura during a interview as he hit Nakamura from behind with the briefcase and then it took many officials to separate them. I would love to see Nakamura vs. Corbin.


Rab Battle with the host of Wale

The Usos vs. New Day
Woods says Uso wasn't anything until his wife put him on Total Divas. A fight almost breaks out and Wale disqualifies The Usos
New Day won.
I guess there was some good parts.

Aiden English tries to sing a song after the break, but he is interrupted by Randy Orton's music.

Randy Orton vs. Aiden English

English attacks Orton as he is posing on the turnbuckle. He drives Orton into the steel steps before rolling back in the ring.

Randy hits a powerslam to give himself time to recover. He throws Aiden over the announce table. He hits his signature DDT on the floor before grabbing the steps and intentionally getting himself DQ'd.

Aiden English won by DQ

Orton hits an RKO to end the segment. Jinder Mahal and the Singhs

come out while Randy celebrates.

Mahal trashes America and brags about still being the champion.

Independence Day Battle Royal (Winner faces KO at WWE Battleground for the US Title)

AJ Styles won and will be facing KO at WWE Battleground for the US 
Title.

AJ hits a jumping kick and Owens runs away to avoid the Styles Clash. AJ grabs the belt and poses with it to end the show.

Rating 80/80

Great show and matches as we look on to WWE Battleground
SDLIVE Aftershow
https://youtu.be/POA5_t8Swiw

SmackDown Live

SmackDown opens with a recap of the controversy in the Women's MITB match and how it led to a rematch tonight.
Daniel Bryan comes out to kick off the show.
Carmella interrupts Bryan, with her chinless lapdog following close behind. She says SmackDown isn't the land of opportunity, it's the land of injustice.
Carmella freaks out at Bryan about being stripped of the MITB briefcase last week. Bryan asks what the crowd thinks and they clearly want the rematch to happen. Ellsworth calls Bryan a spineless coward who can't cut it in the ring anymore, and even claims he made up his injury to keep himself safe. Bryan laughs at him and says he should just fire him, but tonight isn't about him. It's about the REAL Superstars of SmackDown.
Bryan says he isn't banning Ellsworth from ringside, but he is banning him from the entire arena. He calls for security to come remove him.
Four security guards come to get him and James tries to escape through the crowd unsuccessfully. They pick him up and carry him up the ramp to the back.

The Usos vs. The Hype Bros
The Usos won
The New Day's music hits and they dance their way onto the stage.Woods says they want a rematch at Battleground, but The Usos don't think they deserve one. They end up accepting the challenge, but warns New Day to be careful what they wish for.

Lana vs. Naomi (c) for the SDLive Women's Championship
Naomi won


Aiden English is shown singing in the ring. He is interrupted by Randy Orton's music

We return to seeing Aiden getting a RKO during commercial break and then he remains sitting on a chair in the ring says he won't leave until he gets what he wants. He has a clip played of him destroying Mahal and the Singhs last week. Orton threatens to find Mahal and beat him up every chance he gets until he gets a rematch for the title. He is about to leave to find Jinder, Shane McMahon makes his way to the ring.
Shane reminds Orton that he has used the same tactics as Mahal in the past, and it even led to them having a match. He gives Orton his rematch, but says Mahal will get to choose the stipulation. Jinder comes out with Singh Brothers to address the situation.
Jinder says he is going to take a page from his hero's playbook and declares they will fight in a Punjabi Prison match. It's nice to hear him credit The Great Khali.


Baron Corbin vs. Sami Zayn
Baron Corbin won

Charlotte vs. Natalya vs. Tamina vs. Becky Lynch vs Carmella In A Women's MITB Match
Carmella won all by herself this time. Carmella is the Ms. MITB.

The show ended with Carmella on the ladder holding up the briefcase.


Rating 80/80
Awesome show and matches as we look on to Battleground.