The SmackDown Files: Year Of The American Dragon - Welcome To Rebirth of Daniel Bryan (3-20-2018)

By: Keila Cash

Date: 3-20-2018

Location: American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas. (Night 2 of 2)

The Ultimate Deletion of The Raw Exposé: My apologies for not posting last night’s Raw Review. Severe weather prevented me from finishing it on time, but I’m back to give my fellow readers their Tuesday Night Fix.

Comeback of the Decade: Daniel Bryan. Enough said.

·         SmackDown Live got off to a hot start with Daniel Bryan explaining his amazing return to in-ring competition. Bryan cut a heartfelt promo about how Brie encouraged him to see specialist after specialist in order to get back in the ring. When he was angry or depressed, she pushed him to fight for his dreams.

·         The fans hung on to every word Bryan said as they showered him with “Yes!” chants. Bryan thanked WWE and their medical team for having his best interests at heart by viewing him as a person instead of a wrestler. He thanked Brie for pushing him to chase after a dream he thought was unreachable a couple of years ago. He thanked the fans for always having his back before wrapping up the opening segment by teasing his in-ring return at WrestleMania.

·         This was a great way to kick off the show. Daniel Bryan is one of my favorite wrestlers of all-time and it’s amazing that he gets to do what he loves once again. It’s been a long journey, but the wait has been worth it. Bryan’s authenticity makes him stand out from the pack as one of the most relatable and lovable babyfaces in WWE history. This a major game changer that will shake up the world of professional wrestling in 2018. The dream matches are endless and I can’t wait to watch it all unfold.

·         Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Rusev with an Inside Cradle in a solid match. The bout was too short for my taste, but the action was good while it lasted. The finishing sequence was especially strong with Rusev ducking several of Nakamura’s kicks until he got caught with a jumping Armbar in a great spot. Rusev tried to counter with a roll-up, but Nakamura countered the counter which set up the finish moments later.

·         After the match was over, Aiden English attacked Nakamura from behind as AJ Styles looked on from ringside. Rusev joined in on the beat down as Styles took his time getting in the ring. However, The Phenomenal One’s services weren’t needed as Nakamura made quick work of Rusev and English.

·         Styles and Nakamura had a funny confrontation backstage as Nakamura told Styles that he shouldn’t lack confidence heading into their WWE Championship match at WrestleMania. The delivery of that line was hilarious as Nakamura reminded Styles that he was going to knee him in the face in three weeks.

·         Baron Corbin defeated Tye Dillinger with End of Days in a short and sloppy match. This was a random bout that was thrown together without any rhyme or reason. The fans didn’t care because both men have been stuck in mid-card hell for months with no sign of escape in sight. It’s sad but true.

·         Natalya defeated Charlotte with a roll-up thanks to a failed Money in the Bank cash-in attempt by Carmella. Charlotte and Natalya were having a really good match that was on the verge of being one of the best television bouts of the year until the controversial finish.

·         Natalya dropped Charlotte with a beautiful Superplex from the top rope. Both ladies were down for the count when Carmella ran down to the ring with another referee in tow. She told the ref that she was ready to cash-in her briefcase. Charles Robinson never rang the bell to make the second match official which allowed Charlotte to nail Carmella with a boot to the face. However, the distraction allowed Natalya to roll-up Charlotte for the win.

·         This seemed like an elaborate ruse by the heels, but I wanted the match to have a more definitive finish because Natalya and Charlotte were putting on a show until things ended on a flat note. Here’s hoping there’s a rematch because Charlotte needs to get her win back heading into her SmackDown Women’s Championship Match against Asuka at WrestleMania.

·         Luke Harper defeated Jimmy Uso with the Discus Clothesline in a decent match. It appeared that Harper was going to eat his first loss after Jey Uso nailed him with a Superkick behind the referee’s back. Jimmy followed things up with a Superkick of his own for a near fall. Jimmy climbed up to the top turnbuckle, but Harper slammed his head into the ring post which set up the aforementioned finish. The Bludgeon Brothers continue to claim victims heading into their presumed Triple Threat Match against The Usos and The New Day for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania.

·         Jinder Mahal, Bobby Roode, and Randy Orton had a pointless conversation about their Triple Threat Match for the United States Championship at WrestleMania. The segment came to a head when Orton dropped Sunil Singh with a Draping DDT before Roode laid Singh out with the Glorious DDT. Roode went after Orton and almost got nailed with an RKO while Mahal looked on at ringside. Mahal reminded both men that he would see them at Mania as the segment came to an end. This feud sucks. The end.

·         Becky Lynch and Naomi defeated Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan when Lynch made Logan tap out the Dis-Arm-Her. The match was fine, but it was nothing to write home about for the most part.

·         The final segment of SD Live featured Daniel Bryan admonishing Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn for what they did to Shane McMahon last week. Bryan wondered why Owens and Zayn attacked McMahon after he booked them in a match against each other at WrestleMania before taking an indefinite leave of absence as SD Live Commissioner. They won the battle and should’ve been thrilled that arch nemesis was going on sabbatical. Instead, they beat up Shane like a government mule and laughed about it afterward. Bryan noted that this was no laughing matter. After much consideration, Bryan fired KO and Zayn. He told them that they could learn something from this experience and come back someday, but their journey as WWE Superstars was over for now.

·         Bryan tried to end things amicably by shaking Owens and Zayn’s hand. Both men were gracious, but their true colors showed when they ambushed Bryan. For the first time in two years, Bryan fought back and delivered his signature running dropkicks to both men as the crowd popped something fierce. Bryan dropped Zayn with a German Suplex before delivering his classic “Yes!” kicks to Owens. Zayn got back in the ring and attacked Bryan which spelled the end of Bryan’s flurry of offense.

·         Owens held Bryan in the corner as Zayn nailed him with the Helluva Kick. The refs tried to break things up, but it was to no avail as Owens dropped Bryan with a Popup Powerbomb on the ring apron as SD Live came to end with medical personnel putting Bryan on a stretcher while Owens and Zayn pitched a fit on the main stage.

·         This was a tremendous way to end the show. Seeing Daniel Bryan take bumps for the first time in almost three years is an amazing sight to see. His brief flurry of offense was great and I admire him for trying to deliver those dropkicks in tight jeans. That is not an easy feat, but he pulled off with the greatest of ease.

·         Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn were pitch perfect as they tried to kiss up to Bryan before he dropped the hammer on them. Owens and Zayn were conflicted, but that didn’t stop them from unleashing holy hell on Bryan. They were textbook heels through and through as the fans chanted “You’re Still Fired” to hilarious effect.

·         Despite what happened, I have a feeling that KO and Zayn’s firing will be overturned because Bryan and Shane McMahon are going to face them in a tag team match at WrestleMania. New Orleans is going to be LIT!

·         Overall, I thought this was the best episode of SmackDown Live this year. Daniel Bryan being medically cleared to wrestle is a dream come true. Bryan’s heartfelt promo set the tone for the evening and his beat down capped off an emotional night that won’t soon be forgotten.

·         The in-ring action was so-so, but Charlotte and Natalya win best match of the night honors despite the shitty finish. Everything else on the show was okay, but WWE is doing a nice job hyping the top matches on the SD Live side of the WrestleMania card.

·         Mania is going to be a stacked show with too many top-flight matches to count on one hand. This could be one the greatest WMs of all time. I don’t know if New Orleans has some magic dust, but they have been blessed with two stellar cards over the past four years. Let’s hope that the show lives up to the hype because it has the potential to be a memorable night for all the right reasons.

·         Next week’s penultimate episode of SD Live emanates from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Steel City crowd should have no reason to sit on their hands with Daniel Freaking Bryan back on the active roster. If that’s not a good enough reason to get hyped, those fans should have their wrestling fan cards revoked. Just saying…

On that note, this wraps up another edition of The SmackDown Files. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back next week with another installment of The Raw Exposé. See you later, boys and girls!

The SmackDown Files: The Raw Empire Strikes Back Edition (11-14-2017)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The SmackDown Files. Tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live emanated from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. With this being the final live show before Survivor Series, one can only assume that Raw will carry out a counterattack on the blue brand after Shane McMahon put them under siege a few weeks ago. Did Kurt Angle and company unleash the fury of a thousand burning suns or did they make peace with their blue counterpart over a warm glass of milk instead? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s show in no particular order.

·        SD Live opened with the corniest pep rally in history. It was cheesier than a bowl of mac and cheese drenched with Velveeta on top.  

·        Fortunately, Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles salvaged things as Bryan did his best Paul Heyman impersonation as he hyped Styles vs. Brock Lesnar to the hilt. Bryan accused Lesnar of being a quitter when things got tough. He quit WWE in 2004 and left UFC when a weak ass knee bar forced him into retirement in 2011.

·        Lesnar was big and strong, but he was afraid to swim in the deep end. His thick head would keep him afloat for about ten minutes before he mentally checked out. Styles’ speed and athleticism would wear Lesnar down because he had the stamina to withstand The Beast’s onslaught.

·        Bryan stated that Lesnar will be beaten, victimized, and conquered mentally by Styles at Survivor Series because he is the best wrestler of this generation.

·        Styles thanked Bryan for speaking on his behalf, but he could speak for himself, unlike Lesnar who is nothing more than a puppet that Heyman props up time and time again.

·        Styles put Heyman on notice that Lesnar was about to star in an AJ Styles Production that will see the WWE Champion come out on top as the opening segment came to an end.

·        Bullshit pep rally aside, this was a good way to start the show. Bryan cut a passionate promo as he put over Styles’ unparalleled talent and tenacity while shading Lesnar’s tendency to quit under pressure. Here’s hoping the bout lives up to expectations because both men are capable of delivering a classic if they’re given enough time to do so.

·        Baron Corbin retained the United States Championship when he defeated Sin Cara with End of Days in a solid match. Sin Cara dictated the pace, but Corbin outsmarted him when he avoided Sin Cara’s Senton from the top rope which led to the finish moments later.

·        Corbin will face The Miz at Survivor Series in a United States Champion vs. Intercontinental Champion match that looks absolutely bland on paper. Heel vs. Heel matchups are usually a fail and I expect Miz to be the de facto babyface because he has more credibility in terms of experience and tenure. Try reading that with a straight face five years ago.

·        Despite Daniel Bryan bleeding blue through and through, he still has a bone to pick when it comes to Shane McMahon abusing his power. I guess Shane-O-Mac is heading to the principal’s office despite being the head honcho in charge…

·        Charlotte became a five-time Women’s Champion when she made Natalya tap out to the Figure Eight in a good match. Charlotte’s Drive for Five has come to an end as she will represent SD Live when she faces Alexa Bliss at Survivor Series on Sunday.

·        Charlotte and Natalya had one of their better matches since their epic battle at the first NXT Takeover in May 2014. It was hard-hitting and physical throughout. When both ladies are given time to put in that work, they always over deliver and tonight was no exception.

·        After the match was over, Renee Young interviewed Charlotte in the ring about her win. Charlotte thanked the hometown crowd and noted that she’s been gunning for the SmackDown Women’s Title since the Superstar Shakeup earlier this year. She looked forward to her match against Little Miss Bliss because The Queen wanted to put the Goddess in her place while representing Team Blue to the fullest.

·        Finally, Charlotte dedicated her win to Ric Flair. Her father couldn’t be there tonight, but she knew that he was watching from home which made the moment even sweeter.

·        As she was heading up the ramp, Flair’s music hit which meant only one thing…The Nature Boy appeared on WWE television for the first time since his health scare as he received a big pop in Flair Country.

·        Charlotte ran into her father’s arms as tears were shed by all. That was a nice moment to push her victory over the top.

·        Jimmy Uso defeated Chad Gable with a Superkick in a solid match. Gable has developed a mean streak in recent weeks which suits him perfectly. He is such a dynamic performer that he can get over as a heel or a babyface. If WWE commits to Gable and Shelton Benjamin long-term, they could be an elite tag team in 2018.

·        The New Day (Big E and Xavier Woods) vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn came to an abrupt end when The Shield put SD Live under siege. I think the trio jumped the gun because the crowd sensed something was about to happen as they focused their attention on the middle aisle instead of the action unfolding in the ring. Sure enough, The Hounds of Justice were on the prowl and all hell was about to break loose.

·        Owens and Zayn stood side by side with The New Day, but they had no sense of brand loyalty as they left them high and dry in the ring. The Shield pounced which led to a full-on brawl.

·        The Usos ran out to make the save which led to an interesting standoff with their cousin Roman Reigns. Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins quickly went on the attack as Reigns looked on remorsefully. His sense of family was short-lived as the ass-kicking commenced.

·        The camera cut backstage to the women from Team Raw barging inside the SD Live Women’s Locker Room as they kicked their asses from pillar to post. Even Lana wasn’t spared from the onslaught. Charlotte tried to stand up for her team, but she got decked by Alexa Bliss instead.

·        Back in the ring, Shane led his team into battle as they traded blows with The Shield. Cesaro, Sheamus, Finn Bálor, Samoa Joe, Apollo Crews, and Titus O’Neil joined the fight as they hit everything that moved.

·        Kurt Angle appeared on the main stage and brought out Braun Strowman to finish the job. From there, Shane was a sitting duck as The Shield made him watch the carnage unfold at ringside. Angle got in Shane’s face and vowed that he will finish him off at Survivor Series before giving The Shield the Thumbs Down to drop Shane-O-Mac with the Triple Powerbomb. Angle followed things up by laying him out with the Angle Slam for good measure.

·        The Shield dropped Shane with another Triple Powerbomb as SD Live went off the air with Team Raw standing tall while the blue brand was in retreat mode.

·        It should be noted that AJ Styles and Jinder Mahal were protected from the ass whopping. I guess they left the building early which was very smart on their part.

·        In all seriousness, this was a great way to end the show. Unlike Under Siege: Part I, the sequel was better in terms of execution and crowd heat. Shane McMahon fired the first shot and Kurt Angle delivered the final salvo five days before Survivor Series. Angle didn’t flash a smile or show compassion for his adversary because his job is on the line Sunday. Will both men harken back to their classic match at King of the Ring 16 years ago minus the Plexiglas from Hell spot? We shall find out soon enough.

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live was decent at best. The in-ring action was so-so with the exception of the SmackDown Women’s Championship Match between Charlotte and Natalya. The main event was nothing more than a segue to Under Siege II which has been teased on television over the past few weeks. It was worth the wait as Team Raw fed SD Live a big slice of humble pie with a side order of crow.

·        However, the red brand can’t claim victory just yet. The matches will tell the true story of Survivor Series as AJ Styles vs. Brock Lesnar and The Men’s Traditional 5-on-5 Elimination Match will determine which show reigns supreme. It’s like Bragging Rights 2009-2010 minus the fake ass Stanley Cup Trophy.

·        Raw vs. SmackDown is a tried and tired concept, but I commend WWE for making the November Classic feel special for the first time in years. It should be a great show if everything goes accordingly to plan. With NXT Takeover: War Games taking center stage the night before, the main roster better step their game up or they will be left in the dust by Triple H’s brainchild. Here’s hoping the E’s four-night stand in Houston is unforgettable for all the right reasons. Fingers crossed!

On that note, this wraps up another edition of The SmackDown Files. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back next week with a brand new installment of The Raw Exposé. See you later, boys and girls! 

The SmackDown Files: Welcome To The World Premiere of Rusev's Redemption Song (9-19-2017)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The SmackDown Files. Tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live emanated from the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. After Kevin Owens kicked Vince McMahon’s ass last week, did Shane McMahon avenge his father or did he thank Owens for a job well done because the McMahons like to keep their never-ending family feud going like the Energizer Bunny? The answer to this pressing question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s show in no particular order.

·        Shane McMahon condemned Kevin Owens for attacking his father and vowed that vengeance would be his during their Hell in a Cell match next month.

·        McMahon’s promo was straightforward and to the point. It was a fine way to start the show, but I expect more sizzle and spice from Owens later tonight.

·        Randy Orton defeated Aiden English with an RKO in midair in a solid match. English got in a fair amount of offense, but he tested fate by going to the middle rope only to get dropped with an RKO out of nowhere.

·        As Orton celebrated the win, Rusev came out to complain about losing to him in 9 seconds at SummerSlam last month. The Bulgarian Brute embarrassed his family and vowed to avenge his country by defeating Orton tonight.

·        The referee rang the bell and the match was on. Orton immediately went for the RKO, but Rusev blocked it and shoved Orton into the direction of English who climbed on the ring apron. Orton knocked English to the floor, but the distraction allowed Rusev to nail The Viper with a Superkick for the win.

·        Rusev’s over the top celebration was awesome. He is a national treasure who should be pushed to the moon. Here’s hoping Rusev and Orton have a match that lasts longer than 30 seconds at the Hell in a Cell PPV because both men are capable of stealing the show if they are given the chance to do so.

·        I am not here for the comedic stylings of Jinder Mahal. That is all…

·        AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin for the United States Championship never got underway because Tye Dillinger got in the ring and clipped Corbin’s right ankle. Dillinger continued to beat up Corbin until WWE officials broke things up.

·        Corbin got back in the ring and tried to call off the match, but Styles nailed him with a forearm before making the Lone Wolf tap out to the Calf Crusher for good measure.

·        It appears that Styles, Dillinger, and Corbin are destined to have a Triple Threat Match for the US Title at HIAC next month. Just a hunch…

·        Charlotte returned to thank the fans for offering the thoughts and prayers to Ric Flair during his recovery from emergency surgery. She talked about making each moment with her dad count when Natalya came out to interrupt.

·        Natalya invited Charlotte to stay in the ring as she held the first annual Celebration of Women Spectacular. She championed women such as Florence Nightingale, Oprah Winfrey, and the competitors from the Mae Young Classic. Most importantly, Nattie wanted to put herself over as being one of the all-time greats.

·        Charlotte had enough of Natalya’s Self-Admiration Society and challenged her to match for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Becky Lynch, Naomi, and Tamina wanted a shot as well which led to Daniel Bryan booking a Fatal Four Way Match featuring the four challengers with the winner going on to face Natalya for the Women’s Title at Hell in a Cell.

·        This was a fine segment to set up the main event for later tonight. Most importantly, the ladies wore appropriate footwear just in case things got physical. Very fashion forward.

·        The New Day defeated The Hype Bros when Big E and Kofi Kingston dropped Zack Ryder with The Midnight Hour for the win. The match was fine, but it was nothing special for the most part.

·        Kevin Owens appeared via satellite and apologized for attacking Vince McMahon last week. However, he blamed Shane McMahon for pushing him to do so. When Owens shook Vince’s hand, all he could see was Shane’s face which caused him to go ballistic.

·        KO offered another apology to anyone who planned to watch his Hell in a Cell match against Shane McMahon next month. What happened to Vince pales in comparison to what Owens intended to do Shane-O-Mac inside the demonic structure. He wouldn’t be condemned to hell. Owens planned to go to heaven as ended his promo on an eerie note.

·        Owens comes off as such a sociopath in the best possible way. Keeping Shane and KO away from each other is smart because the most vicious physicality should be saved for the cell.

·        Dolph Ziggler continued to circle the drain as he mocked Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and DX. I hope Ziggler realizes that HHH and Michaels are more than their ring entrances. They got it done in the ring as well. To whitewash that is beyond asinine. That’s more on the scripting than Ziggler himself, but it’s still infuriating to watch.

·        Charlotte will face Natalya for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at Hell in a Cell when she defeated Tamina with a Big Boot in a solid Fatal Four Way Match.

·        The match was a little rough around the edges when Tamina was on offense, but things got better once Becky Lynch and Naomi got involved. The highlight of the match was Charlotte hitting a moonsault on Tamina and Naomi at the same time.

·        Tamina recovered and hit Becky Lynch with a frog splash only for Naomi to break up the pin. Lana pulled Naomi out of the ring, but she got nailed with a stiff kick to the head for her efforts.

·        Tamina would avenge her manager by dropping Naomi with a Superkick, but the distraction gave Charlotte enough time to hit the big boot for the win.

·        SD Live went off the air with Charlotte celebrating in the ring while Natalya looked on backstage.

·        Charlotte and Natalya should have a great match at HIAC if they are given enough time to shine. They’ve had good matches on the main roster, but nothing has topped their epic bout that took place at the second NXT Takeover in May 2014. Charlotte has grown by leaps and beyond since then while Natalya is a seasoned vet who has been through the ringer in terms of shitty booking and a stupid farting gimmick that damn near killed her career dead. She deserves a standout match on the main roster and I believe Charlotte is the right woman for the job. Here’s hoping they cut loose and deliver a classic because they have what it takes to steal the show next month. Fingers crossed!

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live was serviceable. The blue brand just returned from a tour of China which explains why the show was light on in-ring action. The good news is that most of the matches were storyline driven in order to flesh out the Hell in a Cell card over the next couple of weeks.

·        The PPV is coming together nicely as several mid-card matches are starting to take shape. The absence of Bobby Roode is noticeable, but one can presume that Roode is being kept off television until Dolph Ziggler mocks his Glorious Gimmick which should lead to a match at HIAC.

·        The worst part of the show continues to be Jinder Mahal’s over the top comedy act. The fans turned on him and even did a “That’s Too Far” chant when Mahal continued to make lame stereotypical jokes at Shinsuke Nakamura’s expense. It’s not funny and completely tone deaf at this point. I’m glad the Oakland crowd didn’t at play along because it encourages WWE to keep the shtick going. Despite how bad it was last week, they did it again tonight. One can only hope the company got the hint and stop the madness next week. Then again, Ziggler continues to make an ass of himself on live television. Resistance is futile at this point. A girl can dream, though…

On that note, this wraps up another edition of The SmackDown Files. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be next week with a brand new installment of The Raw Exposé. See you later, boys and girls!

The SmackDown Files: The Life Is A Crayola Battleground Edition (7-18-2017)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The SmackDown Files. Tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live emanated from the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama. This is the go-home show for Battleground which takes place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Sunday. Jinder Mahal promised that he would unleash hell on Randy Orton by bringing the Punjabi Prison to The Magic City. Did the structure live it up to its mystic or did it conjure up vivid nightmares from the past? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s episode of SD Live in no particular order.

·        Jinder Mahal and The Singh Brothers gave a tutorial on how to escape the Punjabi Prison while Randy Orton came out and proclaimed that he had nothing to lose on Sunday.

·        Orton stated that Mahal was carrying the country of India on his back as he tried to prove his worth to his people. Being the 50^th WWE Champion was another milestone that few could claim. Having the pressure of living up to expectations would weigh heavily on Mahal which will give Orton the opening he needs in order to regain the WWE Title. The Viper climbed to the top of the big cage and told Mahal to enjoy the view because that’s what his future would be like after the announcer declares him the NEW WWE Champion as the opening segment came to a close.

·        This was a fine way to start the show. Mahal continues to be bland on the mic and his hoarseness only hampered his delivery. I need the modern-day Maharaja to invest in some Halls or Ricola because this has been a recurring issue over the past couple of months.

·        Orton did a nice job conveying that he was playing with house money come Battleground. He spoke with conviction as the crowd hung on his every word. Their Punjabi Prison match will be a hot ass mess, but here’s hoping it’s more pleasing to the palate than Batista vs. The Great Khali and The Big Show vs. The Undertaker from ten years ago.

·        Jimmy Uso defeated Kofi Kingston when he countered Kingston’s cross body with a rollup in a solid match. Jey Uso provided the distraction down the stretch, but Big E and Xavier Woods shooed him away. However, it wasn’t enough to change the outcome as Jimmy won fair and square. Booking suggests that The Usos are dropping their SmackDown Tag Team Titles to The New Day after winning five days before a PPV. As with all things in WWE, expect the unexpected.

·        After Charlotte suggested that a match against Becky Lynch wouldn’t be competitive, Shane McMahon took Natalya’s advice and booked them in a match for later tonight. It should be good if they are given enough time to shine.

·        Chad Gable took the abrupt end of American Alpha in stride as he assured Renee Young that he and Jason Jordan talked it out over the phone last night. Gable is happy that Jordan is forging a father-son relationship on Raw and vowed to thrive as a singles star on SD Live. Gable has all the tools to be a future World Champion someday. Will the Powers That Be get behind him or hold him back? We shall see.

·        Mike Kanellis defeated Sami Zayn in his debut match when Kanellis pinned Zayn with a Samoan Driver. Zayn dominated the match until Maria Kanellis got in the ring to save her husband from getting nailed with the Helluva Kick. The diversion gave Mike enough time to drill Zayn with a right hand which set up the finish.

·        Mike hiding behind his wife makes sense, but he will look like a pansy if doesn’t find a way to fight his own battles. Hopefully, his rematch with Zayn will be a bit more competitive which will give WWE fans who are not familiar with his work in ROH and TNA a reason to care about him on an emotional level.

·        John Cena delivered a passionate promo about the American Flag as he hyped his Flag Match against Rusev to the hilt. It was patriotic and tugged on the heartstrings which gave a sense of importance to this bout that was nonexistent a couple of weeks ago.

·        After his speech, Cena grabbed Old Glory and waved it high in the air until Rusev attacked him from behind.

·        Rusev nailed him with a Superkick before locking in The Accolade. Cena tried to power out of the move, but The Bulgarian Brute had it cinched in from start to finish. Cena eventually lost consciousness as Rusev let go of his submission hold. Rusev grabbed the Bulgarian Flag and waved it proudly before planting it in a flag stand as the segment came to an end.

·        Cena and Rusev did a hell of a job plugging their Flag Match at Battleground. Cena tried to hype it as the biggest thing on the PPV. He might have been a bit overzealous, but it I think he did enough to make fans care about a gimmick match that has not historically been must-see over the years.

·        Rusev has looked a like badass since returning from injury and I expect him to have a good match with Cena on Sunday. Plus, neither men will eat a pin fall which is a smart way to protect them heading to SummerSlam.

·        Becky Lynch defeated Charlotte when she made her tap out to the Dis-Arm-Her in a good match. The in-ring work was a bit too choreographed for my tastes early on, but it was reigned in after the commercial break.

·        After the match was over, Charlotte shook Becky’s hand, but the Mutual Admiration Society was short-lived as Tamina and Lana made their way to the ring.

·        Natalya attacked Charlotte from behind as the heels pounced on the babyfaces. Natalya went after Tamina, but Lana yanked Nattie’s hair when she tried to put Tamina in the Sharpshooter. Tamina nailed Nattie with a Superkick as the weird relationship between her and Lana continues to confuse the masses.

·        The Fashion X Files had me rolling as Tyler Breeze channeled his inner Scully while Fandango looked dapper in his detective uniform. Aiden English warming up behind a curtain while sounding like a ghost was a great touch as well.

·        The anonymous office trashers sent a package to Breezango which contained the severed head of a stuffed horse that Fandango was galloping with last week. The culprits also left a note indicating that the mystery will be solved at Battleground. With The Colons, Ascension, and Hype Bros in the clear, who is the dastardly team behind the attacks? I guess we will find out the truth come Sunday. At least it won’t be H…

·        Baron Corbin and Kevin Owens defeated AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura when Owens pinned Styles with a Popup Powerbomb in a good main event match. The heels tried to gain an unfair advantage early on when Corbin attempted to nail Nakamura from behind with his Money in the Bank briefcase. Nakamura avoided the hit and went on the attack. Owens came to Corbin’s aid which caused Styles to jump into the fray.

·        From there, Corbin and Owens isolated Nakamura from Styles for a large chunk of the match. He eventually made the hot tag to Styles which shifted the momentum in the babyfaces’ favor.

·        Styles was about to nail Corbin with the Phenomenal Forearm, but Owens yanked Styles off the top rope which sent him crashing against the ring apron.

·        Nakamura tried to even the odds, but Corbin tossed him over the barricade which played into the finish.

·        Corbin threw Styles back in the ring and was about to drop him with End of Days until Styles wiggled out of the move. He backed Corbin into the corner which allowed Owens to make the blind tag.

·        Styles had Corbin in position for the Styles Clash, but Owens nailed him with a Superkick which led to the aforementioned finish. SD Live went off the air with Corbin and Owens celebrating on the main stage while Styles and Nakamura were trying to gather their bearings in the ring.

·        Once again, booking suggests that Owens is losing on Sunday after pinning the United States Champion five days before a PPV. We shall see how it all plays out, but conventional WWE logic never ceases to shock and awe the audience.

·        As for Nakamura and Corbin, I think both men compliment each other well in the ring due to their striking abilities. This could be a breakthrough performance for The Lone Wolf if he’s able to showcase his style of wrestling in a believable way. Having the King of Strong Style as his dance partner doesn’t hurt either. Here’s hoping the match is laid out in a way which will allow both men to shine instead of Nakamura selling for 80% of the match a la his debut match against Dolph Ziggler at Backlash two months ago.

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live was decent at best. The in-ring action wasn’t blow away, but WWE did a nice job pushing the Battleground PPV by hyping every match on the card in a meaningful way. Like their red counterpart, SD Live can break their streak of ho-hum PPVs by delivering a smartly booked and well-wrestled show from top to bottom. The margin for error is slim, but I expect everything to make sense heading into SummerSlam. Hopefully…

On that note, this wraps up another edition of The SmackDown Files. I hope you enjoyed it and I will be back next week with a brand new installment of The Raw Exposé. See you later, boys and girls!