Date: 08/09	7:00 PM
Views: 1,020

On tonight's Smackdown, what the hell is going on with Dolph Ziggler? As he edges closer to the dark side, the dark side edges closer to him, as the Wyatts continue to make it their mission to ruin his Summerslam WWE Championship match. Meanwhile, the Intercontinental Title picture, Women's and Tag divisions continue to take shape.

Press F5 or refresh for more updates.

Smackdown opens with Randy Orton walking around backstage. An interviewer asks him about his match with Alberto Del Rio tonight, and how he stays focused with Lesnar coming up. He says for 15 years he's heard about the legend of Brock Lesnar, but he's the legend killer, and it only takes one RKO. Del Rio says Viperville sounds like a joke. Orton vows to send him there, Del Rio vows to break his arm.

The Wyatts come out to start the in-ring portion of the show.

Bray: "I would like to make something very, very clear. Last week, I did not fall to Dolph Ziggler, I was a victim! Dolph Ziggler was desperate, and in his desperation came deception! Dolph Ziggler rammed my face into that steel because he knew it was the only way. And after that, everything went black for me, and I had to take in the fact that everything, everything, everything had been taken from me. But what you don't understand is that I am a god. No matter what you say, what you do, you cannot kill a god. Ask your friend Dean Ambrose, he knows me very well. And as crazy as he may be, he will tell you that my teeth are very sharp, and they will cut you like knives if they get too close, boy. What you fail to realize is that this is my show now. We are not puppets in a corporate war, there is no red, there is no blue, there is only me. It is me against the whole damn world."

Dean Ambrose hits the ring. "Wow. Oh boy, this really is a new era, I mean now Bray Wyatt is the victim? Things really have changed. You've got Bray Wyatt in the middle of the ring as usual, flagged by one of his goons, except this time he's calling himself the victim. That don't sound like the eater of worlds, that sounds like a big ol' crybaby. Get off your podium, Smackdown Live don't belong to you, it belongs to these people, and more importantly, it belongs to the WWE Champion."

"You want me to get off my podium? Come here and let me whisper in your ear."

"I know there's nothing you'd like more than for me to run in there and subject myself to a two-on-one beatdown, and I've made a lot of questionable choices like that in the past, but I've been in this game a long time. On the other hand, the longer you talk, the more I'd like to head in there and stick all those big, fancy words down your throat."

Dolph Ziggler comes out and goes straight for the Wyatts, who beat him down quickly. Ambrose hits the ring, clears Rowan, Wyatt goes for Sister Abigail, Ziggler tries to break it up with a superkick, Wyatt pulls Ambrose into the superkick, superkick to Rowan, Wyatt catches Ziggler with a Sister Abigail.

After a commercial, Ambrose confronts Ziggler and says he didn't need his help, but he's pretty sure that was no accident. Ambrose says he owes him one, Ziggler dares him to, Shane and Daniel walk in and tell them to save it for Summerslam, because they have a tag against the Wyatts tonight.

Match One: American Alpha vs. Mikey O'Shea and Mike Vega

The Ascension interrupt before the bell, then The Vaudevillains, then the Hype Bros. They wait at ringside.

Gable and... skinny one start off, Gable with a tackle, Jordan in, dragon screw, Gable in, leg drop, stereo arm drag to fat one, double dropkicks to fat one, Jordan with a belly to belly to skinny one, shoulder tackle in the corner, Gable in, Great Amplitude for three.

Winners: American Alpha

The rest of the tag division hit the ring and attack each other, not just American Alpha. American Alpha clear the ring, finishing with The Vaudevillains.

Renee Young introduces The Miz and Maryse. He brushes off taking a look at Apollo Crews, almost makes out with Maryse, they go to the package anyway. When they come back, Miz and Maryse are inches away from each other. They kiss.

Match Two: Becky Lynch vs. Eva Marie

Eva Marie's top pops off, the ref gives her a towel and holds the ropes open, she walks off and he calls off the match.

Match Result: Match Called Off

In a post-match interview, Becky says she competes no matter what, but she's not going two weeks in a row walking to the back without a match, and makes an open challenge.

Alexa Bliss comes out with a mic. "Careful what you wish for, Becky, because you just might get it. See, I'm not just another pretty face, I'm Team Blue's hottest star, and I'm here to bring bliss to Smackdown Live. And I can't think of a better debut than beating Smackdown's first female draft pick."

Replacement Match Two: Becky Lynch vs. Alexa Bliss

Match begins during commercial, when it comes back on Bliss has Becky in a knee choke, stomps, cover for two, knee choke, cover for two, cover for two again, mounted punches for two, wrenches the head, Becky punches her way out, Alexa goes off the ropes, Becky follows with a clothesline, pair of dropkicks, running forearm, Bexploder, Eva comes back out, the voiceover says she's ready to compete, Bliss clubs Becky from behind, tosses her down, goes up top, Sparkle Splash, which I'm told is now called Twisted Bliss for three.

Winner: Alexa Bliss

Charlie Caruso: "Eva, it's too bad that you weren't able to compete tonight."

"I know, I feel bad for Becky. My knee is 100% better, and I rushed to get my wardrobe ready to compete, but clearly Alexa beat me to the punch. Don't worry, next week I'll be ready to make my debut."

Match Three/Four: Randy Orton vs. Alberto Del Rio

Lockup, break, lockup, Orton with a side headlock, Del Rio whips his way out, Orton with a shoulder tackle, Del Rio with a slap, stomp, toss to the corner, another, Orton blocks, punch to the gut, toss to the corner, European uppercut, more, whip, Del Rio sells hard, Orton with a ten-punch, Del Rio walks off at 5, Orton with a clothesline, boot, stomp, stomp in the ropes, guillotine for two, Del Rio with punches, kick, kick to the gut, punch to the gut, charges Orton in the ropes, misses, Orton drops him across the top rope, commercial.

Back on air, Orton is completing a Garvin stomp, knee drop, stomp to the inner thigh for two, whip, Del Rio ducks a clothesline, hits a backstabber, toss to the ring post, slams Orton's hand into the steel steps, then into the adjacent steel steps, rolls Del Rio into the ring, goes up top, leaping punch for two, armbar, Orton breaks with a poke to the eye, dropkick, sets Del Rio up top, punch, Del Rio locks in the cross arm breaker in the ropes, break, goes up top, Orton crotches him, superplex, trading shots, Orton with a pair of clotheslines, snap powerslam, hangman's DDT blocked, Del Rio presses Orton to the apron, Orton drops him across, Del Rio goes for the cross arm breaker, reversed into an RKO, reversed into a shove, reversed into a hangman's DDT, Del Rio ducks an RKO, Orton follows, clothesline across the barricade, sets up the announce table, Del Rio hits him in the arm with a chair.

Winner by DQ: Randy Orton

Del Rio hits him in the same spot again, throws him into the ring post, then throws his arm into the ring post, rolls Orton into the ring, grabs the chair, slides into the ring, Orton hits an RKO.

Backstage, Heath Slater confronts Rhyno and tries to convince him to lay down. He says he can't let his constituents down. Slater says he can't let his four kids down, Rhyno mentions he just said he had two, then questions him on the pool he said he just bought. Slater says it's above-ground, Rhyno says no.

They do an "Earlier Today" where Miz confronts the Scooby Doo mascot from last night and complains that he's not on the cover of the new movie. Scooby offers him Scooby Snacks, then throws him in the van and steals his car. That escalated quickly.

Match Four/Five: Career vs. Shiggles: Heath Slater vs. Rhyno

Lockup, Rhyno twists an arm, Slater flips out, Rhyno twists it again, shoulder tackle, Slater goes for a hip toss, Rhyno blocks with a clothesline, punches in the corner, Slater with a punch, whip to the corner, dropkick for two, covers for two, covers a third time for two, chinlock, Rhyno to his feet, Slater tosses him down by his hair for two, chinlock, Rhyno punches his way out, Slater with a punch, Rhyno with a belly to belly, misses a Gore, Slater with a rollup with ropes for two before the ref catches him, Gore for three.

Winner: Rhyno

Backstage, Erick Rowan calls everyone sheep, Bray tells him he's always been a good soldier, but tonight he might have to prepare to give his life. Rowan puts the mask on and says "run".

They show a preview of Ben-Hur.

Backstage, the commissioner and GM are discussing if they should hire Heath for his fighting spirit anyway. Heath Slater runs in and says they don't deserve him if they won't hire him.

Carmella comes out. "My name is Carmella, and I am the moonwalking, trash-talking chick, always ready to go, so get your popcorn ready, because I'm always ready to go. Natalya made a huge mistake last week attacking me from behind, so I'm gonna smack her so hard she'll go blind. I make everyone sing, because they know Carmella is the hottest chick in the ring."

Natalya charges her from behind, Carmella catches her and attacks.

Match Four/Five: Carmella vs. Natalya

Carmella with a double knee lift, Natalya takes her down, leg choke for two, snap suplex, another, stomps in the corner, Carmella with a boot, Nattie with a snapmare, bow and arrow hold, Carmella to her feet, Natalya tosses her down, steps on her, Carmella with a rollup for two, Nattie with a clothesline, sits on her for two, punch to the back, abdominal stretch, pulls back a leg, Carmella elbows out, Nattie with knees, whip, discus clothesline for two, Sharpshooter blocked, Carmella with a trip, Code of Silence for the tapout.

Winner: Carmella

That finish was impressive, but it feels like it could have been executed for a lot more pop.

Renee Young recaps the show so far, then introduces a video package for John Cenavs. AJ Styles.

Backstage, Baron Corbin is stomping the hell out of Kalisto, then he presses him against the wall and says that was for costing him the title shot last week.

Main Event: Dolph Ziggler and WWE Champion Dean Ambrose vs. The Wyatt Family

Wyatt and Rowan start by attacking, Ambrose and Wyatt start off, Wyatt with a whip, Ambrose with punches, stomps in the corner, Ziggler tags himself in, double punches, Wyatt with a clothesline, punch, Ziggler with a dropkick, leaping DDT blocked, Rowan with a clothesline, commercial.

During the commercial, they announce a special Summerslam concert featuring Flo Rida and Jason Derulo.

Back on air, Bray and Dolph trading punches, Wyatt with a body slam, misses a senton, Ambrose in, clothesline, whip, reversed, Ambrose with a clothesline, forearm, bulldog, punch to Rowan, suicide dive to Rowan, tosses him into the announce table, slides back into the ring, Wyatt with a clothesline, Rowan in, splash for two, chinlock, double knuckle lock, sets Ambrose up top sideways, punches, straightens him, Ambrose with a slap, Rowan with a boot, Ambrose lands on the floor, Ziggler comes to check on him, Wyatt in, Ambrose tosses Wyatt into the barricade, running clothesline from the apron reversed into an uranage across it, rolls Ambrose back in the ring, taunts Ziggler, spider pose, Ambrose with a boot to the gut, Dirty Deeds blocked, Ambrose waffles the ropes, clothesline blocked, hits a neckbreaker instead, double tag, Ziggler with a clothesline, another, avalanche, neckbreaker, scares Bray off the corner, leg drop for two, rollup for two, leaping DDT for two, superkick blocked, Rowan with a spin kick for two, powerbomb, blocked, Ziggler hits a Zig Zag for two as Wyatt breaks the count, Sister Abigail to Ambrose blocked, Ambrose tosses him to the floor, suicide dive, Rowan goes for an uranage, reversed into a superkick for three.

Winners: Dolph Ziggler and Dean Ambrose

Ambrose and Ziggler celebrate, Ambrose drops Ziggler with Dirty Deeds. He walks off as Smackdown goes off the air.

I'm going to call that a draw between Raw and Smackdown this week. They both had highlights, but nothing that really screamed "This is the good shit." 1-1-1.