Detailed Results
After RAW ended with Seth Rollins tapping out to Sting’s Scorpion Deathlock, SmackDown kicks off with WWE World Heavyweight & United States Champion Seth Rollins just three nights before he defends both of his championships at Night of Champions. The champion vows to make “history” at Night of Champions when he successfully defends both the United States Championship and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship on the same night, vowing to defeat both John Cena and Sting. The champion then says that he is going to “break John Cena’s spirit” this Sunday before saying that Sting has bitten off more than he can chew, saying that he is going to show Sting why he is the “past” and Rollins is the “now”. Rollins continues, saying that he is going to make some history tonight as well when he teams with Sheamus to face Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns in the main event before saying that he is “the man” so he is very okay with teaming with Sheamus tonight, saying he likes to keep his friends close and his enemies “closer”.
The champion is then interrupted by his tag team partner later in the night, “Mr. Money-in-the-Bank” Sheamus, saying that Rollins does not want him to be an “enemy” before saying that, when he cashes in Money-in-the-Bank, Rollins will not “see it coming”. Rollins argues that it will be easy to see a guy like Sheamus coming, saying that Sheamus looks “stupid”. Sheamus then threatens that, if Rollins does not stop insulting him, then the champion won’t make it to the main event before saying that he doesn’t want to fight with Rollins, saying that he will be scouting Rollins in the main event, keeping an eye on the champions’ “strengths and weaknesses”, vowing that, whether Rollins sees him coming or not, he will be the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Sheamus then says he will see Rollins in the main event, sarcastically calling Rollins “friend” before leaving the ring and leaving Seth Rollins with a lot to think about.
The Divas were in action in the opening match of the night as PCB’s Paige & Becky Lynch, with the #1 Contender for the Divas Title, Charlotte, in her corner, would face Team B.A.D.’s Sasha Banks & Naomi, with Tamina in their corner. In the end, it was a distraction from Sasha Banks on the ring apron that would allow Naomi to take advantage as Naomi rolls up Paige, scoring the three-count to pick up the win, continuing a frustrating losing streak for Paige.
Before The New Day defends the WWE Tag Team Titles against The Dudley Boyz this Sunday at Night of Champions, one-third of the WWE Tag Team Champions were in action on SmackDown as The New Day’s Kofi Kingston, with Big E & Xavier Woods in his corner, would go one-on-one with D-Von Dudley, with Bubba Ray Dudley in his corner. It would not take long for things to break down in the match as, on the outside, Big E & Xavier Woods would try to pull a table out from under the ring and would draw the attention of Bubba Ray Dudley as a result. D-Von Dudley would then pull Xavier Woods in the ring, but this would allow Kofi Kingston to take advantage as Kofi rolls up D-Von, grabbing the tights for the unfair advantage to score the three-count and the win. After the match, The New Day would escape with the table, leaving an angry Bubba Ray & D-Von in the ring.
After getting knocked out by Big Show two weeks ago on RAW, Cesaro would be looking for revenge on SmackDown as “The Swiss Superman” would go one-on-one with “The World’s Largest Athlete” Big Show. Cesaro would do his best to combat the size difference presented by Big Show, but a well-placed Knockout Punch to “The Swiss Superman” would secure the victory for Big Show.
With a one-on-one match against Rusev awaiting him at Night of Champions this Sunday, Dolph Ziggler would go one-on-one with the man who will challenge Ryback for the Intercontinental Championship at Night of Champions, Kevin Owens. After struggling to beat Dolph Ziggler, Kevin Owens looked to powerbomb Dolph Ziggler on the outside, but that is when Ryback would make the save as the Intercontinental Champion hits a big spinebuster on Kevin Owens, but Owens would manage to avoid Shell Shocked, escaping the ring and walking away with a disqualification victory.
Backstage, Divas Champion Nikki Bella is ready for her “Bellabration” commemorating her becoming the longest reigning Divas Champion in history, but when Nikki arrives at her party, there is not a guest to be seen. Outraged, the Divas Champion demands answers from Brie Bella & Alicia Fox and Brie regrettably informs her sister that none of the guests have shown up. Nikki then orders Brie & Alicia to fix it before things get worse for Nikki Bella when PCB crashes the lonely party as Charlotte tells her Night of Champions opponent that, no matter how she does it, she will walk out as the Divas Champion this Sunday, saying that there will be a lot more “leftovers” to drown her sorrows in. PCB then exits, leaving an enraged Nikki Bella before Adam Rose makes a brief appearance to tell the Divas Champion that her party “sucks”. Nikki then throws a fit, hurling her cake across the room with the cake inadvertently hitting Brie Bella & Alicia Fox! The Divas Champion then screams “good” before storming out of the ring.
Backstage, Summer Rae confronts Dolph Ziggler and Dolph offers a truce between them and Summer comments on the gift Dolph gave her on RAW, saying that it was a pretty “expensive peace offering”. Dolph responds by saying that, sometimes, a “rose is just a rose” and, other times, it “means something more”.
Then it was time for the main event as, three nights before they and a partner of their choosing face The Wyatt Family in a 6-Man Tag match at Night of Champions, “The Lunatic Fringe” Dean Ambrose & “The Big Dog” Roman Reigns would face WWE World Heavyweight & United States Champion Seth Rollins and “Mr. Money-in-the-Bank” Sheamus. During the match, problems would erupt between Seth Rollins and Sheamus as, after Sheamus refuses to tag into the match, Rollins grabs Sheamus’ Money-in-the-Bank briefcase, forcing Sheamus back onto the apron to retrieve it and that is when the champion forces the tag, making Sheamus legal in the match.
This sparks an argument between Rollins and Sheamus on the outside, which is broken up by Dean Ambrose diving to the outside and taking out Sheamus. Then, as Rollins looks on, Ambrose brings Sheamus into the ring where Roman Reigns catches “Mr. Money-in-the-Bank” with the Superman Punch which is followed up with Dirty Deeds from Dean Ambrose, who pins Sheamus for the win. After the match, The Wyatt Family would have a haunting message for Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns, showing a montage of Braun Strowman’s path of destruction since his arrival a few weeks ago with Strowman saying it’s “the end, the apocalypse”. Bray Wyatt then appears on the Tron, joined by Luke Harper & Braun Strowman, saying that it “doesn’t really matter” who joins Ambrose & Reigns this Sunday because, in the end, they “all fall down” with Braun Strowman concluding by taking off his black sheep mask and telling Ambrose, Reigns, and whoever their partner will be at Night of Champions to “run”.
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