We start the show with Shinsuke Nakamura getting interrupted by Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler insinuates that Nakamura is Michael Jackson. Nakamura cuts a promo in Japanese and Dolph cheap shots him. Nakamura don't play that shit though and suplexes Dolph, who decides better of it. This was not a great opening segment. The Michael Jackson thing was shit. They have to work around Shinsuke's language barrier better than this.
Kevin Owens is on commentary for AJ Styles vs Baron Corbin for the second week running. Decent match with AJ picking up the pin with a rollup from a powerbomb counter. Following the match Owens and Corbin beat down Styles. Zayn makes the save and runs Owens off. He gets the better of Corbin but Owens returns and takes out Zayn ans Styles. It did a good job of making Owens look strong going in to the PPV.
We have American Alpha vs The Colons (I could put an accent on that but it's funnier if I don't) in the first of 2 beat the clock challenge matches to crown a number 1 contender for the tag titles. American Alpha win a decent enough match with a Grand Amplitude out of nowhere in 5:17.
Rusev says, via video, that he doesn't want to be on Smackdown and says that he will only wrestle if he is given a title shot at Money In The Bank. I look forward to Rusev being back in the title picture.
Becky Lynch is cutting a promo when she is interrupted by the terrible Natalya faction from last week. They tell Becky she is either with them or against them. I would suggest against.
Randy Orton vs Erick Rowan in a No DQ match up next. We get a fun, surprisingly even match that Orton wins with an RKO. Orton cuts a generic promo about Bray Wyatt. Jinder Mahal comes out and cuts a promo from page 1 of the foreign heel playbook. He cuts a promo in Punjabi too. He gets the best of Orton after interference by the Bollywood Boys again. He then takes the title.
Beat the clock challenge part 2, Ascension vs Breezango. Breezango beats the clock with 2:36 to go. I am a fan of Breezango and I think they can have a great tag title match given the opportunity.
It's main event time, Charlotte gets her title shot against Naomi. The match was a touch sloppier than last week. It ends with the inevitable run in from Natalya and friends. It wasn't as good as they made out it was.
Thoughts
This felt like a by the numbers episode of Smackdown. It wasn't bad by any means but it just kind of existed. I'm happy to see Breezango get a title shot and I'll be happy to see Rusev get one too. Orton vs Rowan was surprisingly fun.
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