Smackdown Live Review 08/07/2018

Hello Misfits. It is time for this weeks Smackdown Live review. We are weeks away from Summerslam and things are really shaping up. Last week we saw The Bar qualify for the finals in the tag team tournament which means this week they face the New Day in the finals. Also, it is advertised that AJ Styles will be responding to the words Samoa Joe had for him last week. Randy Orton continued his vicious attacked on Jeff Hardy last week and we’ll see what happens next. Charlotte found her way into Becky Lynch’s championship opportunity by beating Carmella last week and Lynch didn’t seem too happy for her friend. Will there be tension between the two best friend this week?  Lets find out.

Smackdown comes to us live from the Amway Centre in Orlando, Flordia.

–  Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton and Corey Graves are on commentary.

Randy Orton
Randy Orton says that Jeff Hardy called him out last week. Orton plays footage from last week’s Smackdown to show us how that turned out for Hardy. Orton says watching the people squirm as he destroyed Hardy is one of the reasons he did it in the first place. Orton is going to become so violent that we will all want to change the channel but we won’t because “you people” still believe in hope. Hardy isn’t going to come down the aisle and save the day. Orton erased the enigma. Hardy is somewhere searching for his identity.
Orton is going to erase everyone that we respect. Orton doesn’t get the respect he deserves from the WWE Universe or the people in the back. Orton list all of his achievements. All of that and the people still don’t respect him. In life, we all have to make choices. That applies to Orton as well. The WWE Universe can’t put what is going to happen next on Orton. It’s on each and every member of the WWE Universe. You can call Orton whatever you like but you should call him the three most destructive letters in the world. RK… Orton drops the mic and walks away.
Opinion
Heel Orton continues to be impressive. This angle makes sense and this was a good way to progress the storyline. I’m still wondering if or when Shinsuke Nakamura gets involved in this feud but really enjoying it.

– Backstage, Charlotte Flair walks up to Becky Lynch and says she didn’t try to ruin Lynch’s moment last week. Paige made the match and Charlotte had to take advantage of it. Lynch says she wants to be happy for Charlotte but she wanted Carmella all to herself. Lynch says at SummerSlam she is going to prove she is the best by beating the best. Charlotte asks if they are good. Lynch says of course. They aren’t Sasha and Bayley. Charlotte and Lynch do the tea sip taunt together.

Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair def. The IIconics
Carmella came out for commentary for this match. In a solid match, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch defeated the IIconics when Charlotte tagged herself in and made Royce tap out to the figure eight. After the match, Carmella taunts her opponents while standing on the announce table.
Opinion
They created more tension between Lynch and Flair. They are trying to remain friends, there is that competitive tension between them. I would rather see Charlotte as the heel by the end of this and Becky being the ultimate underdog babyface. I really wish the IIconics joined up with Carmella so they seemed a bit more important.

– Backstage, New Day tells Renee Young they are trying something different this week. Kofi Kingston puts on a blonde wig in and interviews Xavier Woods and Big E. Woods says they beat the Bar before and they will do it again. Big E. says at SummerSlam they will make sure the Bludgeon Brothers bow down to the New Day.

– Earlier today, the Miz says it is going to be Miz vs Daniel Bryan at SummerSlam

– Backstage, Flair is super excited about the victory she just got with her friend Lynch. Lynch says they were great together but in two weeks at SummerSlam, they will be great against each other.

AJ Styles
AJ Styles says a lot goes on in between these ropes. Styles says Joe made it personal last week. Styles says he wants to be the best FOR his family. He isn’t special, that’s what a real man is supposed to do. Of course, Styles misses stuff. Birthdays and what have you. Styles celebrated 18 years with his wife a few days again. Styles admits that his wife is essentially a single parent because of the choices Styles have made. Styles wants to be there for every moment. This is what pissed Styles off. Samoa Joe knows Styles’ wife and Styles kids. Before Smackdown Live became the House that AJ Styles built, Styles and Joe shared a roach infested place and stale pizza. Joe threw away years of friendship. Styles decrees that not only isn’t Joe walking out WWE Champion, Joe isn’t walking out at all.
Opinion
This was their way to make this feud feel more personal. I’m curious on why they decided to keep them apart for two weeks but come out on separate weeks to state their case. I do like how he referenced back to their history and how long they have known each other. I am really looking forward to this match.

-Backstage, Rusev says Lana was right last week. Tonight Rusev will be in Lana’s corner for her rematch with Zelina Vega. Aiden English walks in and apologizes once again. Lana nods at Rusev. Rusev forgives English. Rusev tells English he is forgiven but it’s best that English stays in the back tonight.

Zelina Vega w/ Andrade Cien Almas def. Lana w/ Rusev
In a decent match, Zelina Vega defeated Lana when English came out to help Rusev who was getting attacked by Almas at the same time Lana goes up top. English bumps Almas into Lana knocking her her off the top rope allowing Vega to beat her using the metora.
Opinion
The match was what it was but the story continues to develop. Aiden English caused Lana the match again but this time to come aid Rusev who decided to be at ringside this week. I enjoyed this and its great seeing Zelina in the ring but I kind of feel like its taking the spotlight off of Almas, who I believe deserves to be doing more right now. He should be doing more rather than being a pawn in an angle between Lana, Rusev and English.

– Backstage, Renee Young asks Shinsuke Nakamura what he thinks about facing Hardy at SummerSlam. Nakamura says Young is mistaken because Hardy has been erased. Nakamura says he will destroy whatever is left of Hardy. R-Truth and Tye Dillinger walk in. Truth says he wants a match with Nakamura for the U.S. title at SummerSlam. Nakamura asks how? Truth says the same way everyone else gets title shots around her. Truth is going to pin Carmella. Dillinger says that’s not the way it works for us. Nakamura says something to Truth in Japanese and walks away. Truth is agasp. Truth says the match with Carmella is off. Truth wants Nakamura in the ring tonight!

The Miz
During an interview with Byron Saxton Miz ignore all of Saxton’s questions about Bryan. Miz will only talk about Miz and Mrs. When asks if how Miz will react if he loses. Miz goes into a rant about how he doesn’t care about Bryan and doesn’t need him at all. Miz should be WWE Champion. Miz is done with Bryan and everyone. At SummerSlam, Miz will expose Bryan for what he is: beneath Miz. Bryan appears out of nowhere and attacks Miz. Miz’s security steps in. Miz hits Bryan in the head with a glass flower vase.
Opinion
I love everything about this feud. The match at Summerslam is going to be completely insane. It really feels like these two legit dislike each other and it elevates the feud.

Shinsuke Nakamura def. R-Truth
In a quick match, Shinsuke Nakamura defeated R-Truth after hitting him with a kinshasa.
Opinion
This was a match to get Shinsuke on television and I didn’t expect him not to pick up the win. It was a fun one.

The Bludgeon Brothers def. 3SK
In a quick jobber match, The Bludgeon Brothers defeated 3Sk.
Opinion
Once again, The Bludgeon Brothers beat some jobbers in quick fashion. Three of them to be exact to remind all of us about how dominant they are.

Tag Team Tournament Finals
The New Day def. The Bar
In a competitive main event, the New Day defeated The Bar when they hit the midnight hour on Cesaro for the win.
Opinion
This was one helluva main event. These two teams worked great together. I will admit that I thought that the wrong team won. We have seen the New Day face off the Bludgeon Brothers before and them facing the Bar felt much more fresh. I really don’t want to see The Bar being left off of Summerslam.

Final Thoughts
Smackdown Live once again proved that they know how to maximize their two hours. There was a ton of storyline and character development on this episode. We are still weeks away from Summerslam so I understand kind of slowing down the build up to a lot of the angles to stretch them out and make the most of every weeks television program. I hope next week we see Almas back in the ring. I also hope we get both AJ and Joe on the show. If you didn’t watch this weeks episode, check it out.
Rating – 7/10