The SmackDown Files: From Hateship to Friendship - The Reconciliation of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn...For Now (10-10-2017)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The SmackDown Files. Tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live emanated from the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. After much speculation, Sami Zayn turned heel by helping Kevin Owens defeat Shane McMahon during the Falls Count Anywhere Hell in a Cell match.

Zayn saved his former best friend from certain doom by pulling him off the announce table while McMahon was flying in the air to deliver his signature elbow drop. Shane-O-Mac crashed and burned while Owens unknowingly picked the bones thanks to his former arch nemesis. Did Zayn offer a reasonable explanation for his actions or did he give fans the silent treatment instead? The answer to that pressing question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s show in no particular order.

·         SD Live kicked off with The Usos seemingly turning babyface as they offered an olive branch to The New Day. Jimmy and Jey cut a very good promo about how they survived Hell in a Cell and realized that The New Day was the only other team that could feel their pain. Both teams were the class of the tag team division and wanted to call a truce on their epic rivalry.

·         The New Day was about to seal the deal with a handshake when The Hype Bros came out to break up the Mutual Admiration Society. Mojo Rawley was upset that he and Zack Ryder were being looked over while The Usos and New Day hogged the spotlight. Jimmy put Rawley in his place by telling him to sit on the bench like he did for the majority of his NFL career in a great dig that popped the crowd.

·         Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin came out to stake their claim followed by Breezango and The Ascension. The Usos told everyone to get in the back of the line, but The New Day told them to spare Tyler Breeze and Fandango because they were cool. The twins agreed and challenged all four teams to step up to the plate.

·         A less than jovial Daniel Bryan came out and told The Usos and New Day to get out of the ring as the crowd chanted “No!” Bryan added some bass in his voice and reiterated that he meant business which drew even more boos.

·         However, The SD Live GM turned those boos into cheers when he booked The Hype Bros, Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin, and The Ascension in a Fatal Four Way match to determine the new number one contender for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship which took place after the commercial break.

·         This was a good way to start the show. The Usos are so awesome on the mic and it’s not surprising that they’re becoming fan favorites. Here’s hoping Jimmy and Jey don’t lose their killer instinct as babyfaces because their bravado makes them stand out for all the right reasons.

·         Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin won the right to the right to face The Usos when they hit Tyler Breeze with The Tech Fall in a solid Fatal Four Way Match. Breezango was the fan favorite, but Gable and Benjamin won them over by showing off their wrestling prowess down the stretch by delivering a series of suplexes and spine busters respectively.

·         In storyline related news, the slow burn disintegration of The Hype Bros continued when Viktor of The Ascension caused Mojo Rawley to bump heads with Zack Ryder which led to a prickly verbal exchange.

·         Plus, this was a sly way for The Ascension to save Tyler Breeze which might lead to the foursome becoming friends someday. *Sniff*

·         Becky Lynch defeated Carmella with the Dis-Arm-Her in a decent match. The announcers emphasized that the W puts her in back in the Women’s Championship picture. I wonder what Charlotte has to say about that? Hmm…

·         Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn have reconciled and are best friends once again as Zayn offered an explanation for his actions at Hell in a Cell.

·         Owens kicked off the second hour by explaining that he saw the light and was floating towards the heavens when Shane McMahon climbed to the top of the cell to deliver his patented elbow drop. KO cut through the lines at the Pearly Gates and had a chat with St. Peter about going back down to Earth because his work wasn’t done. A guardian angel in the form of Sami Zayn came to his rescue which allowed us to bask in the glorious place known as Kevin’s Heaven. Owens introduced Zayn to tell his side of the story.

·         Zayn had a very reasonable explanation for what happened. He was tired of carrying the load of being the virtuous one who never did anything wrong. He was tired of being the moral compass that wallowed in a sea of mediocrity.

·         Zayn thought things would change once he moved to SD Live. He claimed that Shane McMahon assured him that he would find success in the Land of Opportunity. He noted that McMahon never spoke to him again until their confrontation last week which saw Shane-O-Mac blow off Zayn’s advice about Owens being dangerous.

·         Therefore, Zayn had to spring into action when Shane threatened to end Owens’ career. He saved his brother and had an epiphany that being a good guy was seriously overrated. Embracing the dark side is Zayn’s new calling and thanked Owens for opening his eyes.

·         Zayn and Owens shared an embrace as they took turns congratulating each other as the segment came to an end.

·         This was a great segment that explained Zayn’s heel turn in a plausible way. Both men were pitch perfect, but I have feeling that their reconciliation is not long for this world. Expect the implosion to take place just in time for WrestleMania season. Just a hunch.

·         Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Aiden English and Rusev when Nakamura nailed English with the Kinshasa for the win. Based on what happened on Sunday, it appears that Nakamura is out of the WWE Championship picture for now. This was a nice bounce-back win for the King of Strong Style, but his feud with Jinder Mahal did him no favors in terms of getting over as a marquee star which is unfathomable on so many levels.

·         Luke Harper and Erick Rowan are now known as The Bludgeon Brothers. They looked creepy and intimidating which is a positive in my book. It looks like the tag team division is on the come up once again. About damn time!

·         Bobby Roode and Dolph Ziggler exchanged words to set up a rematch for next week’s show. This was so boring. Zzzzz…

·         Baron Corbin retained the United States Championship when he pinned AJ Styles with End of Days in what has to be considered the most important win of Corbin’s career so far. Corbin silenced his critics by beating the Phenomenal One clean as a sheet.

·         The action was hard-hitting throughout as Corbin nailed Styles with some stiff shots early on. Styles gained the advantage when he dropped the Lone Wolf with the Fireman’s Carry Neckbreaker, but Corbin’s weight landed on Styles’ knee which slowed him down towards the end of the match.

·         Styles tried to shake off the injury by kicking Corbin in the face, but Corbin caught him mid-move and flipped Styles onto the floor in a sick bump which led to the finish moments later.

·         After the match was over, Renee Young interviewed Corbin in the ring. Corbin taunted the crowd and wanted to buy a boat to float in their tears as SD Live went off the air.

·         Styles is now out of the US Title picture after losing in decisive fashion. What’s next for the man that built SD Live from the ground up? A feud with Jinder Mahal over the WWE Champion seems likely. However, a higher calling might steer Styles in a different direction heading into Survivor Series next month. We shall out his fate soon enough.

·         Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live was decent at best. The show had a nice beginning, middle, and end in terms of promos and in-ring action. It appears that WWE has formulated a game plan for the blue brand heading towards the end of the year, but it’s not without its flaws.

·         The Tag Team Division is starting to heat up once again with viable teams stepping up to the plate. However, the mid-card scene is still in a state of flux in terms of depth while the WWE Champion was too unbothered to show up for a couple of minutes to brag about his successful title defense at Hell in a Cell.

·         There might be forward momentum heading into Survivor Series, but there is still a level of inconsistency when it comes to the booking of the mid-card and main event scene. The creative team has to find a way to maximize their talent by properly by setting them up for success instead of failure. They have five weeks to figure it out. Let’s hope the Powers That Be can get the job done. 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: WWE Presents - Scar vs. Grown Simba Starring Kevin Owens and Shane McMahon (10-3-2017)

By: Keila Cash 

Hello everyone and welcome another installment of The SmackDown Files. Tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live emanated from the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. WWE wraps up their two-night stand in the Mile High City by hyping the Hell in a Cell PPV which takes place this Sunday in Detroit, Michigan. Did the company give fans a reason to care about the most hellish night of the year? 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 kicked off with Renee Young conducting an in-ring interview with Shinsuke Nakamura. Young asked Nakamura how he felt about Jinder Mahal’s inflammatory comments over the past few weeks. Nakamura took the high road and vowed to shut Mahal up by winning the WWE Championship at Hell in a Cell on Sunday.

·        The Singh Brothers came out to introduce Mahal as Nakamura waited for him to come down to the ring. Instead, the modern-day Maharaja attacked him from behind which resulted in a three-on-one beat down.

·        Nakamura fought back, but it was to no avail as Mahal dropped him with the Cobra Clutch Slam to wrap up the opening segment.

·        This was a fine way to start the show. Mahal got in the last shot which hints at a potential title change, but it’s not a stone cold lock because WWE will be touring India in December and it would behoove them to have Mahal as champion to solidify his status as the Golden Boy who can draw money in his home country. Therefore, the company is probably looking to cash-in on Mahal while they can before he drops the title early next year. Nakamura winning the championship would breathe new life into the main event scene, but it’s a matter of dollars and cents/sense at this point.

·        Natalya and Carmella defeated Charlotte and Becky Lynch when Natalya made Charlotte tap out to the Sharpshooter in a decent match. Charlotte made a great babyface comeback, but Carmella prevented Lynch from helping her best friend when she pulled her out of the ring and hit her in the back with the Money in the Bank Briefcase which led to the finish moments later.

·        WWE booking suggests that a title change is afoot at HIAC. Will Charlotte become a five-time Women’s Champion or will Natalya squash her hopes and dreams in Motown? We shall find out soon enough.

·        Bobby Roode defeated Mike Kanellis with the Glorious DDT in a quick maintenance match leading up to his bout against Dolph Ziggler at HIAC on Sunday.

·        Ziggler acted like the world’s worst drum major as the fans chanted for CM Punk. Ziggler wanted to prove that Roode was nothing more than a flashy entrance by outclassing him in the ring.

·        Roode had the last word by leading the crowd in a “Glorious!” chant as Ziggler looked on in disdain.

·        This was a nice way to add heat for their match even though the outcome is almost academic at this point.

·        The Usos and The New Day had a semi-civil conversation leading up their Hell in a Cell match for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship. The Usos were great as they described what would happen to The New Day once they were locked inside the Uso Penitentiary.

·        The New Day came out to show reverence for the tag team division by giving Jimmy and Jey credit for pushing them to new limits. However, the quasi-pleasantries came to an end when Kofi Kingston stated that The Usos would be lying in their Day One Ish once the dust was settled.

·        This was a fine way for both teams to get some shine on the mic without getting physical. 50/50 booking can take a breather. For now…

·        Tye Dillinger defeated Baron Corbin with an inside cradle in a decent match. The outcome was a bit shocking considering the fact Corbin needs to look strong heading into his United States Championship match against AJ Styles at HIAC.

·        However, Corbin not capitalizing on his opportunities appears to be an on-going storyline as Styles humbled him during a backstage promo.

·        Styles called out Corbin for not trying hard enough when it comes to winning the Big One. He let John Cena beat him at SummerSlam, failed to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase, and got upset by Dillinger tonight. Styles noted that it takes hard work in order to make it to the top. Corbin’s stint in the upper mid-card scene might be short-lived if he fails to win the US Title on Sunday.

·        This was good final hard sell as Styles tried to light a fire under Corbin’s ass. Will it backfire on him for all the wrong reasons? We shall see.

·        Randy Orton made quick work of Aiden English when he dropped him with an RKO out of nowhere. Rusev tried to sneak attack Orton, but The Viper was in a position to strike which stopped Rusev in his tracks. The return of Rusev Day remains on hold until further notice.

·        Before Shane McMahon confronted Kevin Owens in the ring, Sami Zayn tried to convince McMahon that Owens was a dangerous sociopath who shouldn’t be taken lightly. Shane appreciated the sage advice, but he had things under control. Is this a hint of foreshadowing for Zayn turning heel based on getting brushed off by his boss? Hmm…

·        Shane McMahon’s Hell in a Cell match against Kevin Owens will be Falls Count Anywhere. It’s a way to ensure that Owens has nowhere to hide come Sunday. McMahon vowed to change Owens’ life by beating some humility and respect into him.

·        Owens appeared in the crowd and laughed off Shane’s threat. KO headed up the stairs as Shane-O-Mac called him a coward for not facing him like a man. He decided to bring the fight to Owens by following him to the concession stand.

·        Owens attacked Shane from behind and kicked his ass from pillar to post. He power bombed Shane through a table before heading towards the ring.

·        Owens agreed with Shane’s added stipulation because he planned to make his life a living hell. Owens wanted to grind Shane’s face against the steel. He wanted to powerbomb Shane to the point that he couldn’t remember his children’s names.

·        Most importantly, he wanted to throw Grown Simba from the top of the cell to ensure that he wouldn’t get back up.

·        Shane came back out through the crowd as Owens told him to stand down. Sensing that Shane wasn’t going to take no for an answer, Owens climbed over the barricade and attacked him first.

·        Shane fought back, but Owens overpowered him by tossing him over the announce table. Shane got back in the ring only to get nailed with a headbutt and Popup Powerbomb as SD Live went off the air with Owens marveling at his handiwork while Shane looked on with a sense of resolve despite getting his ass handed to him.

·        This was a great way to end the show. The Owens-McMahon feud has been the blue brand’s saving grace over the past couple of months. Shane threw some decent punches for change which added to the segment more believable from a physicality standpoint.

·        Owens has been a tremendous sociopathic heel who has run out of fucks to give. He’s been pitch perfect during this storyline and I expect him to carry Shane to a great Hell in a Cell match on Sunday.

·        Sami Zayn remains the wild card because he’s trying to give advice to Shane, but keeps getting blown off. With the rules of the match being altered, it opens the door for outside interference down the stretch. Will Zayn join the dark side of the force and reunite with his former best friend/arch nemesis? Magic 8-Ball says: Better Not Tell You Now.

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live was saved by the main event segment featuring Shane McMahon and Kevin Owens. It is arguably the hottest feud in WWE outside of The New Day and The Usos fighting over the Tag Team Titles. Outside of that, this was a blah go-home show that didn’t set the world on fire in terms of in-ring action.

·        However, WWE deserves credit for allowing promos to dictate the pace instead of having wrestlers fall into the trap of 50/50 booking unless your name is Charlotte or Baron Corbin. Hopefully, both stars get back on track because this was the opposite way to build momentum heading into Hell in a Cell.

·        The PPV is shaping up to a strong show with the two HIAC matches likely bookending the show. The rest of the card looks solid, but match positioning will be key. Let’s hope the creative team can formulate the perfect game plan as WWE breaks in the new Little Caesar’s Arena. “Pizza, Pizza!” *Insert cheap plug here*

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: The Fifty Shades of James Ellsworth Edition (9-12-2017)

By: Keila Cash

Hello everyone and welcome to another installment of The SmackDown Files. Tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live emanated from the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Sin City served as the backdrop for three championship matches featuring AJ Styles vs. Tye Dillinger for the United States Championship, The Usos vs. The New Day facing off in a Sin City Street Fight for the SmackDown Tag Team Titles, and Natalya vs. Naomi battling for the SmackDown Women’s Championship.

Also, Vince McMahon would confront Kevin Owens regarding Owens’ pending lawsuit against WWE after Shane McMahon attacked him last week. Did The Boss lay down the law or did Owens clap back in more ways than one? The answer to that question can be found throughout this blog. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s show in no particular order.

·        The highlight of the opening segment was Dolph Ziggler trolling the audience as he came out to Shane McMahon’s theme music. Ziggler’s attempt at cosplay sucked last week, but it worked tonight. He gets a reprieve. For now…

·        Kevin Owens cut a great promo heeling on the crowd as he vowed to fire Sami Zayn and cancel the Fashion Files. He’s greatest dig was making Tom Phillips and Byron Saxton wear one suit because they sound alike on commentary. Corey Graves’ facial expressions pushed things over the top in terms of hilarity.

·        Daniel Bryan came out and reminded Owens that he was in charge and informed KO that he wouldn’t like what Vince McMahon had to say later tonight. Owens said the feeling would be mutual as the opening segment came to an end.

·        This was a good way to start the show. Kevin Owens was an excellent prick heel who managed to get under everyone’s skin while WWE played it smart by delaying the appearance of Mr. McMahon until later in the show. Their confrontation should be interesting, to say the least.

·        AJ Styles retained the United States Championship when he made Tye Dillinger tap out to the Calf Crusher in a solid match that was slightly marred by outside interference from Baron Corbin. Styles was about to nail the Perfect 10 with the Phenomenal Forearm when Corbin climbed on the ring apron to cause the distraction. Styles nailed him with the forearm which allowed Dillinger to roll Styles up for a near fall.

·        Styles went for the Styles Clash only for Dillinger to counter with the Tye Breaker for another close fall. Styles managed to regroup and locked in his submission hold for the win.

·        Both men shook hands after the match, but the feel-good moment was ruined when Corbin dragged Styles out of the ring and tossed him over the barricade. Dillinger tried to make the save, but Corbin nailed him with a Clothesline before dropping Styles with the End of Days on the floor.

·        Corbin grabbed the mic and informed an unconscious Styles that he would challenge him for the United States Championship next week as the segment came to an end.

·        Even though Dillinger and Styles were shortchanged on time, the match was good while it lasted. This was a clever way to insert Corbin in the US Title picture, but I still wanted Dillinger and Styles to have a strong television match. I hope they are given another chance in the near future because both men are capable of doing so much more than what we saw tonight.

·        The Good News About Jinder Mahal’s Promo: Mahal showed more personality than ever before on the mic.

·        The Bad News About Jinder Mahal’s Promo: The material he was given sucked for the most part and I’m not a fan of WWE making fun of Shinsuke Nakamura’s facial expressions. The overacting by The Singh Brothers was especially grating which took me out of the segment as well. Plus, the creative team fell into the trap of comparing Nakamura to Michael Jackson in the worst possible way. I hated Dolph’s Ziggler promo from earlier this year when he went on a similar spiel that pissed me off to no end.

·        Furthermore, the Pikachu having a seizure joke was classless. The Singh Brothers doing Nakamura’s mannerisms made it worse. The whole segment irked me even though I somewhat applaud the creative team for giving Mahal a spark of a personality for a change. If he’s given less offensive material, he might actually get over as a pompous heel who draws heat for all the right reasons.

·        The New Day defeated The Usos to become the NEW SmackDown Tag Team Champions when Big E and Kofi Kingston dropped Jimmy Uso with the Midnight Hour for the win. The Sin City Street fight was very good as it featured hard hitting action throughout. If I’m not mistaken, there are no rules in a street fight with the exception of pinning or submitting your opponent. From some strange reason, the referee pulled Kingston away from one of the Usos after hitting him repeatedly with a Kendo Stick. That was weird, but the overall flow of the match wasn’t interrupted for the most part.

·        The Usos nailed Big E with a double Superkick and was about to finish him off with a double splash from the top rope when Kingston shoved Jey Uso off the top rope and sent him crashing into a table that was set up at ringside. It was a sick spot that left Jimmy high and dry. Kingston nailed him with Trouble in Paradise which led to the finish moments later.

·        The title change is a little surprising, but both teams have played hot potato with the belts as of late. One can only presume that their rubber match will take place at Hell in a Cell to blow off this feud once and for all. It should be another barn burner if they are given enough time to shine.

·        Natalya retained the SmackDown Women’s Championship when she made Naomi tap out to the Sharpshooter in a solid match. Both ladies didn’t receive ring entrances which meant the show was running short on time. Nonetheless, both ladies had another competitive match that featured outside interference towards the end.

·        Naomi knocked Natalya out of the ring which led to a confrontation between the champ and Carmella who was sitting in on guest commentary. Nattie shoved Carmella to the floor which allowed lay out Carmella and James Ellsworth with a cross body from the top rope. Natalya took advantage of the situation by slamming Naomi head first into ring post which led to the submission finish.

·        It appears that Naomi is out of the championship picture for now. It should be very interesting to see who's next in line for Natalya’s SmackDown Women’s Title.

·        Remember the reprieve I gave Dolph Ziggler during the beginning of this blog? It’s officially been rescinded. Ziggler came out and imitated Bayley and The Ultimate Warrior in order to show fans that they love a gimmick more than what he can do in the ring. It was a word-for-word replay of what he said last week. Once again, Ziggler’s promo was dumb and pointless. This has to be a setup for a feud with Bobby Roode at Hell in a Cell. Right? Right?!?

·        Chad Gable and Jason Jordan defeated The Hype Bros when Gable and Benjamin dropped Zack Ryder with the Tech Fall. The match was fine, but it was slotted in the 9:30 p.m. Lull Period of Doom and Gloom. Things ended on a newsworthy note when Ryder refused to shake hands with Gable and Jordan. He also gave the cold shoulder to Mojo Rawley which plays into a possible heel turn that has been hinted at in recent months.

·        Vince McMahon told Kevin Owens that it would be in his best interest not to sue WWE because he might end up fired or bankrupt. McMahon informed Owens that he didn’t suspend Shane McMahon because he crossed the line as an authority figure. He suspended him because he didn’t finish the job. Shane would get another chance to avenge the McMahon family when he faces Owens inside Hell in a Cell at the eponymous PPV next month.

·        Owens wanted McMahon’s assurance that he wouldn’t be fired for hurting a McMahon. Vinnie Mac agreed and sealed the deal with a handshake. Owens broke the handshake and head butted Vince in the face moments later. KO stated that The Chairman of the Board gave him permission to beat up a McMahon and he did just that as he kicked Vince’s ass. He kicked him in the ribs before nailing him with a Superkick and Frogsplash from the top rope. Adam Pierce tried to intervene, but he let his boss bite the bullet in an unintentionally hilarious spot.

·        Owens eventually walked away, but Stephanie McMahon confronted him before tending to her father as SD Live went off the air.

·        This was a hot way to end the show. Kevin Owens was a sinister heel as he attacked the man that signed his paycheck every month. Vince McMahon must really like Owens because it’s rare to see him get beat up. McMahon even did a blood job to push the closing segment over the top. I give Vince props for taking bumps at 72. It’s ill-advised, but the boss has the final say.

·        In any event, this adds more heat to the Kevin Owens-Shane McMahon feud leading up to their Hell in a Cell match next month. I am not looking forward to Shane’s Charmin Tissue Paper punches, but Owens should carry him over the finish line by going batshit crazy in the best possible way. It will be quite the spectacle when WWE christens in the new Little Caesar’s Arena in Detroit, Michigan next month. “Pizza, Pizza!”

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live was solid. The Sin City theme gave the show a sense of purpose, but the in-ring work wasn’t as strong as the Wild Card Finals which took place last December. The SmackDown Tag Team Championship match between The Usos and The New Day was the best thing on the broadcast from a wrestling standpoint. The United States and SmackDown Women’s Title matches were hampered by outside interference, but the in-ring action was solid for the most part.

·        The show will be best remembered for Kevin Owens kicking Vince McMahon’s ass. It was a surprising moment that reminded me of Randy Orton punting Vince in the head 8 years ago. Will Owens become a sociopath who destroys the McMahon Family from the inside out? We shall see how it all plays out, but I like how Owens has become more menacing in recent weeks. He’s not cracking jokes in order to get cheered. KO is a cold-hearted bastard who should be despised from the moon and back.

·        Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Roode, and Randy Orton not being on tonight’s show was a little surprising. Their star power was missed, but should they be back next week as SD Live emanates from the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. The march towards the Hell in a Cell PPV continues. Here’s hoping the blue brand continues to raise their profile heading into the fall season. 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: When Keeping It Real Goes Wrong II - The Rap Battle of the Century Edition (7-4-2017)

By: Keila Cash 

Hello everyone and welcome to the 4th of July edition of The SmackDown Files. Tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live emanated from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix, Arizona. WWE wraps up their two night stand in the desert by gifting fans with the return of John Cena. Cena is a free agent which pretty much gives him Carte Blanche to do whatever what wants to do on both Raw and SD Live. What did the Leader of the Cenation have to say to his loyal followers and detractors? Keep reading to find out. Without further ado, let’s dissect tonight’s show in no particular order.

·        John Cena made his return to SD Live and put the Raw and SD Live Superstars on notice that he was coming for them. Cena stated that he is not a part-timer, but an all-timer who has nothing else to lose at this point in his career. The match combinations involving Cena vs. Nakamura, Cena vs. Reigns, Cena vs. Bálor, and Cena vs. Samoa Joe would make any fan salivate at the mouth.

·        Feeling left out, Rusev made his SD Live debut while waving the Bulgarian flag to the crowd’s chagrin. Rusev was upset because there was no video package hyping his return for two months. He was at home rehabbing his shoulder while Cena was busy shooting movies in Hollywood (or Atlanta if we want to keep it geographically real). Rusev wasn’t going to let Cena deny him of the opportunities he rightfully deserved.

·        The Bulgarian Brute proceeded to call the fans fat for stuffing their faces with burgers and hot dogs instead of going out and showing their strength as a nation. Cena challenged Rusev to a Flag Match to determine which country reigned supreme. Rusev turned him down and wanted to fight on his terms. Cena encouraged the crowd to serenade Rusev with a USA chant as the opening segment came to an end.

·        This was a fine way to start the show. John Cena played up the 4^th of July holiday by channeling his inner Captain America throughout the segment.

·        It appears that Cena’s first feud will be against Rusev. It should be good based on their past history, but the outcome is pretty obvious. For reference, please watch the United States Championship match between Cena and Rusev from WrestleMania 31on the WWE Network.

·        AJ Styles will take part in the Independence Day Battle Royal as he defeated Chad Gable with the Phenomenal Forearm in a good match. Styles and Gable have good in-ring chemistry as Gable did some excellent mat-based wrestling while Styles had to adapt on the fly. There were some nice counters and near falls that popped the crowd, but the outcome was never in doubt.

·        After the match was over, Styles helped Gable to his feet as the fans applauded both men for a job well done. This was a nice showcase match for Gable and I hope this is a sign that he and Jason Jordan will get more television time in the very near future because they are too talented to be sitting on the sidelines doing nothing.

·        Daniel Bryan suspended James Ellsworth for 30 days and fined him $10,000 for disobeying Bryan’s order to leave the arena during the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match last week. Ellsworth freaked out while Carmella didn’t seem to care about her man sitting at home for the next month. However, her facial expression changed when Bryan told Ellsworth that he would strip her of the MTIB briefcase if The Chinless One disregarded his orders. Carmella grabbed Ellsworth’s hand dragged him backstage as the crowd erupted in a raucous “Yes!” chant.

·        Don’t feel too bad for Ellsworth. He’ll be back in time to collect his SummerSlam check.

·        Naomi retained The SmackDown Women’s Championship when she made Lana tap out to the Headscissors Crucifix in about 10 seconds. It was another quick and decisive win that made Lana look like a complete wimp. In a strange twist, Tamina came to Lana’s aid as they headed backstage together.

·        Is Tamina channeling her inner sensei by showing Lana the error of her ways?

·        The Flag Match between John Cena and Rusev will take place at the Battleground PPV in a few weeks. No surprise there.

·        Professional Backstage Attacker Baron Corbin lived up to his namesake when he struck Shinsuke Nakamura in the back with the MITB briefcase. However, Nakamura fired back with a forearm as WWE officials broke things up. Nakamura’s charisma was off the charts as he showed that he wasn’t scared of Corbin. This was a great way to forward the burgeoning feud.

·        The Rap Battle between The Usos and The New Day was on some next level shit. The shade thrown from both sides was awesome. Jimmy Uso bringing up Xavier Woods’ Rated R past popped the crowd something fierce.

·        Jimmy and Jey questioned whether or not Big E’s breasts were real while they read Kofi Kingston for his faux Jamaican roots.

·        Xavier Woods came through in the clutch when he claimed that Jimmy’s claim to fame was being on Total Divas with his wife Naomi. Woods wrapped things up when he said that they should go back to carrying Roman Reigns’ bags which set the twins off. They charged after The New Day which resulted in Wale disqualifying The Usos and giving The New Day the win. It was a clever way to end the segment, but The Usos won the rap battle based on their bars and shade alone.

·        I can safely say this was the best rap battle since John Cena rocked the mic back in 2003. The scripting was perfect and the crowd was hyped throughout. All in all, this was a hit in my book.

·        Aiden English defeated Randy Orton via Disqualification when Orton got disqualified for striking English’s face with the steel steps. Despite the DQ, the ass kicking commenced with Orton nailing English with an RKO for good measure.

·        English got the best of Orton early on, but it was short-lived. Despite getting his ass kicked from pillar to post, English does have a win over The Viper. He can tell that to his children someday.

·        Jinder Mahal cut another so-so promo about how America is prejudiced against him and vowed to take his frustration out on Orton during their Punjabi Prison match for the WWE Championship at the Battleground PPV in three weeks.

·        Orton called Mahal a jackass to wrap up the segment. Orton continues to show good fire on the mic as of later. It’s the only thing keeping his feud with Mahal somewhat interesting at this point.

·        Tyler Breeze dressing like Renee Young and the next segment featuring the actual Renee Young was so awesome. Fandango trying to touch Breeze’s wig was great as well.

·        Meanwhile, Maria and Mike Kanellis’ Power of Love mantra was interrupted by Sami Zayn. Zayn’s neuroticism was on full display once again which is both endearing and annoying at the same time. It’s a delicate balance, but the gimmick is starting to grow on me. Slightly.

·        AJ Styles won the Independence Day Battle Royal and will face Kevin Owens for the United States Championship at the Battleground PPV in three weeks. The match was solid, but it was nothing special until it came down to AJ Styles, Tye Dillinger, and Sami Zayn.

·        Dillinger had a nice showing before getting eliminated while Zayn and Styles duked it out to see who would be the last man standing. Zayn had a close call when he missed the Helluva Kick which sent him tumbling over the top rope. He managed to avoid hitting the floor as he tried to Suplex Styles out of the ring.

·        Styles nailed Zayn with a Pele Kick to clinch his shot at the US Title. Owens attacked Styles after the match, but his arrogance got the best of him when Styles nailed him with an Enzuigiri. He tried to hit Owens with the Styles Clash, but Owens rolled out of the way. The show went off the air with Styles standing tall in the ring while Owens sulked at ringside.

·        The outcome was obvious, but it was still a solid main event match. The wrestlers were short on time as the Battle Royal took place during the last fifteen minutes of the show. Minor criticism aside, Styles and Owens should have a great match for the US Title at Battleground. Their first match was very good, but the finish left a lot to be desired. The Money in the Bank PPV prevented an immediate rematch, but it's full-steam ahead heading towards SummerSlam next month. Will both men still be in each other’s orbit by then? We shall find out soon enough.

·        Overall, I thought tonight’s episode of SD Live was solid. Even though WWE was behind the proverbial 8-Ball due to the 4^th of July holiday, they didn’t phone it in from an entertainment standpoint. John Cena kicked things off on a patriotic note while Rusev made his triumphant return with his surly attitude in tow.

·        The Rap Battle between The New Day and The Usos was great as both teams were able to let loose and have fun. The fans enjoyed it and Wale did a wonderful job trying to keep things civil.

·        The rest of the show was light on wrestling action, but the broadcast never hit a lull or dragged for the most part. Most importantly, no pies hit Kevin Owens in the face. That in of itself is a miracle. WWE kept the sophomoric humor at bay which was refreshing to see for a change.

·        The blue brand is marching towards Battleground with four matches announced thus far. With two more live shows before the PPV, here’s hoping the creative team has a few more tricks up their sleeves to push things over the top. Fingers crossed!

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