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 we are on our last stop on the road to Backlash this Sunday! American Alpha will take on the Usos and what will The Face That Runs The Place; AJ Styles do before his match against WWE Heavyweight champion Dean Ambrose Sunday? This question and more will be answered tonight so be sure to come back here at 8PM EST!
-We open with Daniel Bryan in the ring with a big blue belt.; the women's Smackdown! Live title. He explains the Six Pack Elimination match this Sunday. Daniel says tonight all six will be in a tag match and they're going to have a women's championship forum right now as he introduces Becky Lynch. Becky says she thought he'd say Nikki's name first, Daniel saying she was the #1 draft pick so she deserved it. Daniel then plugs Total Bellas to a chorus of boos. Daniel asks Becky what it would mean for her to become the first Smackdown! Live women's champion. Lynch says that it will make everything she's had to deal with worth it. I think it'd be cool if Becky dyes her hair blue. Natalya comes out next. This woman cannot cut a promo to save her life. Alexa Bliss kinda just pops into the ring without an entrance and compares everything to a soap opera. Carmella comes in and talks herself up then Natalya, Carmella and Alexa bicker amongst themselves then start to fight before Naomi and Nikki come out and even the odds. The good gals clear the ring then we see Dean Ambrose backstage where he drinks some guys coffee then leaves. They plug a face off between Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles as we go to commercial.
-Daniel talks with Shane backstage about tonight's tag match as The Miz interrupts them. Daniel implies that he's a coward and if he won't face Dolph at Backlash he can vacate the title. Miz's music hits as he comes out to the ring.
The Miz vs Apollo Crews
Dolph joins on commentary as the match starts, Apollo taking the early advantage, seemingly stronger and faster than Miz. Apollo hits a dropkick that sends Miz outside then hits a moonsault off the apron that takes out Miz as we go to commercial.
Miz is in control as we come back from commercial until Crews rolls Miz up for a quick 2 then Miz hits a backbreaker for one of his own. Dolph is wearing a dress shirt and tie with a hoodie; weird. They exchange sunset flips with Crews getting a quick 2 count. Miz plays to the crowd then gets caught with a belly to belly release suplex after being caught coming off the top rope. Crews goes for the tilt-a-whirl powerbomb but Miz counters and gets out of the ring. Miz slaps Dolph then Miz drives Crews into Dolph then tosses him into the turnbuckle, following it up with the Skull Crushing Finale for the pin and the win.
Winner: The Miz via pinfall with the Skull Crushing Finale
-Dolph is in the ring with the Intercontinental belt; Maryse coming in and getting it for him. They interview AJ backstage, Renee recalling the end of the main event last week where AJ was humiliated by Dean Ambrose. AJ berates a producer and threatens to get him fired, saying what happened last week wasn't funny as we go to commercial.
-We get a video package for American Alpha as we come back from commercial. The Usos are interviewed backstage then Bray pops up on screen. Bray rocks in his chair and talks about survival instincts of a predator and a prey. He talks about how predators have questionable morals and talks about how man kind evolved and adapted and that the predators became inconsequential. Bray says he's the evolution of man and a god and the weapon he has is far more powerful than anything Randy could ever have. Bray finishes by saying at Backlash that predator becomes prey and he's apparently going to eat Randy alive Matt Hardy style.
Nikki Bella, Becky Lynch & Naomi vs Carmella, Natalya & Alexa Bliss
Naomi and Alexa starts it off and Naomi hits a series of kicks then gets a quick 2 count. Alexa quickly tags in Carmella, but Naomi drops her as well, tagging Becky in who drops Becky, but Becky gets up before she can go for the cover. Becky gets backslide for a quick 2 count then gets a roll up for another quick 2 count before tagging in Nikki. Nikki goes after Carmella, but she quickly gets out of the ring as we go to commercial.
Becky and Carmella are in as we come back with Becky hitting the Flying Firearm and an Beckploder for a close 2 count. After Becky gets yanked off the apron and tossed back in the rin Carmella gets a quick 2 count. Carmella tags in Natalya who gets a quick 1 count. Alexa gets tagged in and gets a quick 2 count of her own as Nikki is dying to get in. Becky gets a quick 2 count off a small package then Natalya is tagged back in, hitting a dropkick then takes out Nikki who tries to get in the ring. Natalya gets a quick 2 count then Becky gets a quick 2 off of a package. Natalya tags in Alexa, but Becky tags in Nikki. Nikki gets a quick 2 count off a kick from the top rope. Alexa hits a jawbreaker then tags in Carmella. Chaos ensues after everyone comes in the ring then Carmella gets the Code of Silence on Nikki for the tap and the win.
Winner: Carmella via submission with The Code of Silence
American Alpha vs The Usos
The Usos attack AA to start the match, but are quickly countered. AA get one of them out of the ring then hit Grand Amplitude for the pin and the win within 30 seconds.
Winner: American Alpha via pinfall with Grand Amplitude
-The Usos attack AA after the match and take out Gable. Well then, this was their heel turn.
-Randy Orton is interviewed backstage, making his own little Bray-esque story. Next Fandango of all people is in the ring with a mic. He brings some random woman in the ring and starts flirting with her then tries to teach her to dance. He gets mad when she doesn't do it how he wants then Kane comes out and murders him. AJ Styles grabs a guys phone and breaks it as we get a plug for Hype Bros vs Rhyno and Heath Slater as we go to commercial.
Hype Bros vs Rhyno & Heath Slater
Heath and Zack start it off and after Zack gets the advantage he tags in Mojo. Mojo sends Heath out of the ring then tags Zack back in and they take out both Heath and Rhyno on the outside as we go to commercial.
Mojo is in control as we come back. Rhyno hits a spinebuster for a quick 2 then takes out Mojo on the outside. Ryder nearly gets the win with a roll up for a quick 2 then Rhno ets tagged in and hits a gore for the pin and the win.
Winner: Rhyno via pinfall with a Gore
-The Usos cut a rapidfire promo backstage then we see Dean getting his hair styled as we go to commercial.
-Dean Ambrose comes out then AJ Styles does next.. They start being interviewed then Dean sends the woman out of the ring. Dean gives AJ a gift in the form of a bowling trophy, saying it's the only trophy he'll ever get from him. AJ says that Dean has no idea who he's dealing with because if he did he wouldn't make him look like a joke. Dean then shows the end of last weeks match where AJ got caught on the top rope. Dean makes fun of AJ's hair as the crowd makes fun of it; I really don't like seeing AJ being treated like some geek. AJ says he'll take the belt from him Sunday, just like he took Cena's wristband. It'd be cool if he collected mementos of his beaten opponents like some kind of Predator. AJ says Dean isn't John Cena, but Dean says he's not like him and he'll beat him Sunday. AJ kicks Dean as we go off the air with him standing over him.
