Welcome to the Fightful.com live coverage for tonight's episode of WWE Smackdown! Live! I'm Ryan Cook and I'll be taking you through all of tonight's action as Daniel Bryan responds to what The Miz said on Talking Smack. What's next for AJ Styles? This question and more will be answered tonight so be sure to come back here at 8PM EST!
-We start off with the segment with The Miz and Daniel Bryan from Talking Smack last week. Shane and Daniel are backstage, Shane telling Daniel he owes him an apology. Shane advises him about not getting into fights with talent; Daniel quick to say he finds the advice ironic considering Shane is feuding with Brock Lesnar.
-The Miz and Maryse come out to start us off, Miz looking in top form. Miz says he's been pushed aside and says he doesn't deserve to be booed, saying that it took him 148 days to get everyone's attention. Miz says that the IC belt has been tarnished, but he will make it rise again. Miz is showing why he's arguably the best heel in the company. Miz says that they don't get it, they call him for a commercial, movies, commercials, etc and then they have him play a chicken and never gets injured. He says that he gets booed because he didn't have to wrestle in bingo halls on the indie scene and says he's never failed. Miz says everyone are cowards as Dolph Ziggler comes out and interrupts him. Dolph says that even though he does all that, there's a reason the fans won't get behind him, it's because they see through him. Miz just wants to be famous and that's why no one will ever believe in him and why Daniel calls him soft and a coward because they can see through the facade; he just wants to be famous. Dolph says every week he has a chance to prove he's not a coward, but he won't. Dolph says if he wants to prove he's not a coward then face Dolph; no referee, no title shots, no ring bell. Miz plays a game of chicken, asking like he'll fight him, the crowd booing him hard as Dolph says he's a soft, safe coward as he goes up the ramp. Miz starts to go back, but Maryse stops him.
-Next we get a plug for Dean Ambrose versus Baron Corbin then Bray Wyatt is set to address Randy Orton then we're told about Hype Bros versus The Vaudevillians up next.
The Hype Bros vs The Vaudevillains
English and Ryder start it off with Zack in control early, dropping English with a dropkick then a flying forearm into the corner. English ducks out of the ring then Zack kicks Gotch on the outside then slips out on for English hit a swinging neckbreaker on the floor then tosses Ryder back in for a quick 2 count. English tags in Gotch who hits a rolling fireman's carry, tagging English back in. Ryder tags in Rawley who flattens English with a clothesline then two splashes into the corner, finishing with a military press for a quick 2 count. Rawley tags in Ryder and they hit the Hype Rider for the pin and the win. Very quick match, might as well have been a squash for Hype Bros.
Winner: Hype Bros via pinfall with the Hype Rider
-They interview them after the match and Zack says they're going to win the Tag Team titles at Backlash. Next AJ Styles meets Apollo Crews backstage as we go to commercial.
-AJ Styles comes out as we come back, finding out he'll be on tonight's edition of Talking Smack after Smackdown! Live on the WWE Network. AJ does a great impersonation of Cena, the crowd eating it up. AJ calls himself the face that runs the place and the face that beat John Cena and the face that will beat Dean Ambrose at Backlash. For no reason, Apollo Crews comes out and interrupts AJ. AJ makes them cut the music immediately and Crews says he got the permission to challenge AJ to a match right now..
AJ Styles vs Apollo Crews
AJ and Crews start off pretty even, both exchanging moves then Crews tosses AJ back into the ring as we go to commercial.
AJ is in control as we come back from commercial as they show how AJ got the upper hand during the commercial. Crews drops AJ with a splash then a lariat, AJ trying to rebound, but AJ goes over the top rope, Crews hitting a standing moonsault off the apron. Styles goes to dive onto Crews, but gets caught and hit with a samoan driver for a quick 2 count. AJ hits the Phenomenal Forearm out of no where for the pin and the win.
Winner: AJ Styles via pinfall with the Phenomenal Forearm
-As we come back we get a tour of what is supposed to be Heath Slater's house as Renee Young interviews him and Rhyno. It's a little insulting, but they play up the part of him being from West Virginia so he must be white trash and tongue in cheek implying that "white trash" live in mobile homes, stay classy WWE...Rhyno is just chilling and eating crackers with spray cheese and vienna sausage. They recap how many times Heath nearly got a contract.
-Bray Wyatt comes out and says he doesn't fear snakes or monsters or no man. He thinks of Randy Orton as just a man, that the fact he has venom running through his veins excites him. Bray says that Brock exploited all of Randy's fears and he came out of it as a man who was damaged. Bray says that he eradicates the infected, that Randy's voices are telling him to run. Randy comes out, saying the voices say that they're wondering who the hell Bray is. Bray says he wanted to see the predator and he admires his courage, saying he's no longer the predator; he is damaged, weak and Bray is the predator. Randy says he's played that game and he's still standing, talking about facing Cactus Jack and The Undertaker. Randy says Bray needs to see the demons inside him and he partly respects him because he has demons too. Randy accepts Bray's challenge at Backlash, saying that he's not afraid of Bray. Randy gets in the ring to attack Bray, but the lights go out then they plug Alexa Bliss and Natalya versus Naomi and Becky Lynch up next.
-As we come back we are told that Daniel Bryan will be on Sportscenter tomorrow night as Nikki Bella joins on commentary.
Alexa Bliss & Natalya vs Naomi & Becky Lynch
Naomi and Natalya start it off with Naomi in control, sending Natalya outside with a headscissor as we go to commercial.
Natalya is in control as we come back from commercial, keeing Naomi from tagging in Becky. Natalya tags in Alexa who smashes her face into the mat then lays into her with a series of punches, following up with a rear headlock. Naomi hits a double leg Eat Defeat then tags in Becky who takes out both Bliss and Natalya. Becky hits a forearm in the corner then Becky hits a missile dropkick. Naomi sends Natalya out of the ring then Carmella comes out of no where and attacks Nikki, distracting Becky long enough for Alexa to roll up and pin Becky for the pin and the win. That was a little chaotic by the end.
Winner: Alexa Bliss via pinfall
-Next we get a video package for the Headbangers who return against Heath Slater and Rhyno as we go to commercial.
Heath Slater & Rhyno vs The Headbangers
Heath starts off with Mosh who hits a springboard crossbody that takes out Slater then tags in Thrasher who hits a clothesline, dropping Slater. Thrasher tags Mosh back in and they hit a flapjack for a quick 2 count. Mosh takes out Slater then Rhyno then quickly tags Mosh back in. They get a close 2 count as Rhyno breaks it up then Rhyno drags Heath over to the corner then makes him tag him. Rhyno hits the Gore for the pin and the win.
Winner: Rhyno via pinfall with a Gore
-We then get a plug for the first ever match between Dean Ambrose and Baron Corbin up next as we go to commercial.
-AJ Styles joins us on commentary as we come back for our main event. They plug he'll be on Talking Smack.
-Some random guy comes out and says no one wants to be in the ring with him; he sounds like a mixture of a Briscoe and god knows what. He calls himself the Milkman. He gets naked then Kane comes out and he runs away. THe Milkman got murdered by Kane as Baron Corbin comes out.
Dean Ambrose vs Baron Corbin
They lockup then Corbin drops Dean, hitting him with right hands in each corner until he dros him with a stiff knee to the gut. Dean drops Corbin then sends him out of the ring, hitting clothesline that takes him out then drags Corbin over by AJ,. Dean hits a dropkick off the to rope then goes for a bulldog, but Corbin counters and drops then punches and stomps Dean on the mat. Corbin tosses Dean out of the ring as we go to commercial.
Corbin is in control as we come back from commercial, them showing how Corbin sent Dean into the steps. Dean goes for the Lunatic Lariat, but Corbin counters with a chokeslam for a close 2 count. Dean hits a neckbreaker then hits a series of punches and kicks. Dean goes for Dirty Deeds, but Corbin backs him into the corner then turns Dean inside out with a clothesline. Corbin picks Dean up then they exchange right hands, Dean following up with the rebound lariat for a quick 2.Corbin sets Dean on the top rope, but Dean counters and drops him. Corbin goes to run at Dean, but Dean yanks the top rope down and sends Corbin over the top rope, following it up with a dive out onto him. They get back in the ring and Corbin hits a Deep Six for a very close 2 count. AJ comes off commentary and tells Baron to stay on him. Dean knocks Corbin into AJ then hits a elbow off the top for a close 2 count. AJ gets on the apron then Corbin rolls Dean up, but Dean goes for Dirty Deeds. AJ goes to hit a pele kick on Dean, but hits Corbin then AJ sends Dean over the announce table.
Winner: Baron Corbin via disqualification
