The blue brand sashays into Greenville, South Carolina tonight for the blue brand’s go-home show prior to Sunday’s SummerSlam. With AJ Styles set to appear, a six man tag team match between the New Day and SAnitY advertised and Jeff Hardy announced to return, it’s an action-packed edition for the August 14 Smackdown.
As always, I’m Spencer Love with your preview of tonight’s Smackdown!
A Quick Recap:
- Randy Orton opens the show with a promo about the lack of respect he receives from the WWE Universe.
- Becky Lynch & Charlotte def. the IIconics.
- AJ Styles cuts a promo responding to Samoa Joe’s words from the week prior.
- Rusev Day makes up!
- Zelina Vega def. Lana after Aiden English inadvertently interferes.
- The Miz is interviewed on the set of Miz & Mrs, but is attacked by Daniel Bryan.
- Shinsuke Nakamura def. R-Truth.
- The Bludgeon Brothers def. local talent in a handicap match
- The New Day def. the Bar to become the #1 contenders to the Smackdown Tag Team Championships
One Big Thought:
Will Daniel Bryan vs. the Miz live up to it’s lofty expectations?
Firstly, yes, I realize that my last three previews have started with a paragraph about the Yes Man and the A-Lister. After years of underlying tension, the two are finally set to take their frustrations out on each other at SummerSlam. It’s a match many thought we would never get after Bryan’s unfortunate retirement; however, after being cleared in March it became a matter of it, not when WWE would give us this match. It was a must-watch feud from the onset; the two could have squared off anytime and it would be a certainty to generate buzz. In the past few weeks, however, the two have taken their feud to another level with a series of vicious backstage attacks and ruthless promos. Now, with so much hype behind the match, it has to be asked - can it possibly live up to expectations? The last match built as such a dream match was the maligned AJ Styles/Shinsuke Nakamura match at WrestleMania, which few fans look back on favourably. It’s also Bryan’s first marquee PPV match since returning from injury after a tag-team match at the aforementioned ‘Mania and two follow up matches against Big Cazz - er, Cass - in his five months back. Will it be excellent? Yes. Am I worried that people are setting themselves up for disappointment, much like Styles/Nakamura? We’ll see, but that doesn’t make it any less must-watch.
State of the Championships:
After weeks of promos, AJ Styles and Samoa Joe will engage in a ruthless physical affair just five days prior to their matchup at SummerSlam. Wait, what? They won’t? Styles is advertised to cut a promo? Alright, then.
Carmella, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch are scheduled to meet face-to-face-to-face on tonight’s Smackdown just days before they face off at the Biggest Show of the Summer. After Lynch and Flair teased tension two weeks ago, they seem to be on the same page after defeating the IIconics last Tuesday. I’m sure that means they’ll remain on the same page tonight and that everything will go smoothly and without incident, as these things usually do.
The Smackdow Tag Team Championship match for SummerSlam was confirmed last week, as the New Day defeated the Bar to solidify their shots at the championships on Sunday. However, before they face the Bludgeon Brothers, they’ll battle SAnitY tonight in a warm-up for their title shot. I’m still very, very upset that the Eric Young-led trio won’t be competing for the championships on Sunday, but why would WWE care what I think?
Shinsuke Nakamura (38) defeated R-Truth (46) last week as he prepares to face off against Jeff Hardy (40) at SummerSlam for the United States Championship. However, Randy Orton (38) looms in the wings, ready to strike at any moment. While nothing is on the official preview for tonight, what will happen to further the feud? Will any of the three make an appearance? Will Orton be added to the United States Championship match at SummerSlam, as has been rumoured for weeks? How are so many old people involved in this match? The list of questions goes on, but the feud ends on Sunday.
Three Things to Watch For:
I know it’s been a hard few weeks for #RusevDay but I swore to make it up to @RusevBUL & @LanaWWE - so ahead of their #SummerSlam match, I’m demanding here and now to face @AndradeCienWWE 1 on 1 this Tuesday on #SDLive - I’ll do whatever it takes. https://t.co/P881KA0koN
— Aiden English (@WWEDramaKing) August 11, 2020
- Aiden English faces off against Andrade “Cien” Almas tonight after despondently calling out El Idolo on Twitter. He did so after yet another week of inadvertent interference in a match featuring a member of Rusev Day; during last week’s Lana/Zelina Vega rematch, he cost the Ravishing Russian yet another victory. While this may seem like an easy win for Almas - and he most certainly will win - this should be an outstanding match, with English one of the most underrated in-ring workers in WWE.
- Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville complained on Twitter last week about the apparent double standard put in place by Smackdown general manager Paige after both Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch earned opportunities at the Smackdown Women’s Championship. Now, the GM has promised the two that they’ll earn the chance at an opportunity - what a sentence that is - tonight.
- Jeff Hardy is set to return tonight after missing last week’s episode with kayfabe injuries. While Hardy is set for action at Sunday’s SummerSlam, there’s still no word on the long-awaited return of the Colons. We patiently wait.
That’s our show! You watching, wrestling fans? Let us know your thoughts by tweeting us tonight @WCSportsCA!
Last Five:
- Monday Night Hayden: A Preview of the RAW Before SummerSlam
- IIOY: World of Trios #16 – Like Knightrider, But On a Boat, Kinda?
- BREAKING: Two Stars Pulled From Independent Event
- ICYMI: More Names Announced for MYC
- The Win Column Sports Wrestling Mid-Season Awards
