Smackdown Live Review 07/30/2019

Tonight Jerry “The King” Lawler returns to WWE to hold “The King’s Court” with special guest Trish Stratus! With speculation looming of Stratus’s status at SummerSlam, what will the WWE Hall Of Famer have to say? Plus, in an epic clash who will come out on top when WWE Champion Kofi Kingston takes on AJ Styles? Also, with Dolph Ziggler and Finn Balor slated for huge matches at “The Biggest Party of the Summer” which one can come out on top and gain momentum as they go one on one? Finally, can Ember Moon and Bayley coexist less than two weeks away from their huge SmackDown Live Women’s Championship match as they team up to take on Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross?

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SmackDown Live comes to us from the FedEx Forum in Memphis, TN.

 SmackDown Live kicks off with a promo from Shane McMahon earlier today.

Shane McMahon
Shane says he has an announcement to make and says it will ruin a lot of people’s evenings. He says he will not be apart of SmackDown Live tonight and he knows a lot of people are angry about that and he is angry. He blames it on Kevin Owens and says tonight was going to be his payback but his life coach told him he needs to get his emotions in check. He tells how he was told he gets what he wants and can take on Owens in two weeks time. He tells Owens in two weeks time his career is over and when he beats him Owens is going to grab a microphone and look him straight in the eye and says Shane you are the better man, I quit.

In-Ring Segment: Kevin Owens
Owens tells the crowd not to panic, Shane McMahon is not here tonight but we can all get through it together. He tells Shane he wants to reassure him that him not being here is great news because maybe SmackDown Live can be about what it should be about and that is the talent and not Shane’s stupid face. He tells Shane at SummerSlam it is them one on one. He says he is going to quit because he is going to beat him and he is going to beat him so bad that when he looks in a mirror he will know that he doesn’t belong in this ring with people like him. He says Shane could still show up after this beating but he can make sure Shane knows this is not his ring, this is not his show, this is the Kevin Owens Show. Out comes Drew Mcintyre. Mcintyre tells Owens he talks too much. He tells Owens he has a match tonight against him. He asks Owens if he likes that and says yeah there is another thing, Mcintyre then attacks Owens with a cheap shot. He grabs Owens and throws him over the announcer’s table. He tells Owens to dust himself because that match is now.
My Opinion:
Owens definitely seems confident going into SummerSlam but I don’t think the line about Shane still being around was necessary. If he is going to stick around if KO beats him he should at least go away for a while so Owens can get the rub of getting rid of Shane. Mcintyre had a lot of intensity when he came out tonight and it was a good thing for Owens because to be this crowd favorite he is going to have to get knocked down so he can get back up. It’ll be interesting to see what the final build over the next week and a half will be with Shane and Owens because they have to go into this match with a bang.

Match 1: Kevin Owens vs Drew Mcintyre
Owens unloads with right hands and then switches to forearm strikes. He stays on Mcintyre but is then knocked down to the mat. Mcintyre gets on top and hammers with rights of his own. In the corner, Mcintyre continues the beat down. He lifts Owens and lands a huge suplex but gets a one count on the pin. Owens tries to fight back but Mcintyre stays in control with the powerslam. Mcintyre tries another cover but can’t put him away. Mcintyre immediately goes tow working the neck of Owens. Owens tries to break out but Mcintyre stays on him and works the arm now. Mcintyre continues to tee off on Owens and stomps on his arm. Owens is then dropped by a furious chop. One more stomp and Mcintyre goes back to the arm of Owens. Owens punches the thigh of Mcintyre and works to a verticle base hitting Mcintyre with rights. Mcintyre fights back but is then slammed to the mat again. Mcintyre though still can’t put this away. Owens fights back and creates space after sending Mcintyre shoulder first into the post. Owens then hits the cannonball. Owens goes for the cover but Mcintyre kicks out. Owens goes up top but is hit with a shot from Mcintyre. Mcintyre meets him up there and the two trade shots before Owens hits a huge headbutt sending him to the mat. Owens hits the frog splash but only gets a two count on the cover. Owens sends Mcintyre to the outside and looks to fly but Mcintyre moves out of the way. Off the apron, Owens hits a senton. Mcintyre is hit with a chop and Owens looks to send him into the barricade but the move is reversed and it is Owens who crashes instead. Mcintyre lifts him and sends him into the barricade again.back in the ring, Mcintyre continues the beat down in the corner. Owens is able to land a big shot but Mcintyre continues to have control. The two collide up top and Mcintyre looks for the suplex but it is Owens who blocks and hammers down with rights and a headbutt that sends Mcintyre to the mat. Owens hits the senton and then goes for the cover hooking the inside leg but Mcintyre kicks out. Owens looks for the Stunner but Mcintyre counters and hits the Glasgow Kiss. Owens is planted but is able to kick out of the cover at two. Mcintyre looks for the Claymore Kick but Owens intercepts with a superkick. Owens hits another superkick and looks for the popup powerbomb but it is blocked. Owens strays the course and finally hits the powerbomb. A cover and another kick out by Mcintyre. Owens again goes up top and again is met by Mcintyre. Mcintyre lifts him and slams him from the second turnbuckle. Mcintyre goes for the cover but somehow Owens stays in this! A frustrated Mcintyre goes to the outside and clears the announce table. He meets Owens up there but Owens counters and hits a Stunner on the top of the table. The two go back into the ring and Owens hits a superkick. Owens then hits another Stunner and goes for the cover, Owens gets the 1 2 3 and the win!
Winner: Kevin Owens
My Opinion:
A solid back and forth match-up between these two. I loved the battle and the way these two really brought the fight and made you think this one could go either way. For Owens, this is a huge win and big momentum builder. He came close to losing this but he stayed the course and if he can do that against someone like Mcintyre, he can definitely do it against Shane. For Mcintyre, I want to see him in a better position and hopefully, tonight is a reminder of who he is and what he can do in that ring.

Backstage Segment:
Kayla welcomes Dolph Ziggler and tells that the superstars have discussed their displeasure of his actions from last week, they then take a look at the footage. Ziggler says yeah they’re upset and if they have a problem with it, too bad. He tells how Foley got decimated by the fiend because he didn’t belong in a wrestling ring. He then brings up Goldberg’s match. He says Shawn shouldn’t have been in there and then tells how Rollins tried to defend his honor but took his eyes off the ball and got destroyed by Lesnar. He then brings up Miz and calls him WWE’s Kardashian. He then says Miz isn’t even the best wrestler in his house. He says he is more afraid of Maryse then he is of him. He then tells Finn Balor that he is the past and he is the future. He says he is the headliner, the main event, and the best damn thing going today.

Backstage Segment:
Bayley tells Ember she knows they’re teaming up tonight but she didn’t forget that Eclipse from last week. She reminds Ember she wouldn’t be in this position if it wasn’t for her. She tells her if she even thinks about pulling something like that again tonight she’ll regret it.

Aleister Black:
Black says he is different, he feels different, and he talks different. He says his redemption lies in the blood of his soul. He tells his salvation lies in the ability of someone to pick a fight with him. He brings up Cesaro and calls him a true warrior. He asks how to move on from him because he finds himself in this self-imposed prison and in this purgatory. He says he sitting a little less patient waiting for anyone to catch on to what he is trying to do for himself.

Match 2: Bayley & Ember Moon vs Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross
Bliss and Moon start the match and quickly Moon gets control of the arm of Bliss. Bliss is able to break the hold but Moon hits her with a kick to the face. Bayley tags in and Bliss takes a second advantage before Bayley is able to drop Bliss into the top turnbuckle. She then lands a dropkick and drops Bliss to the floor. Cross yells at Bayley and Moon helps Bayley out by taking Cross out on the floor. Bayley then slams Bliss into the barricade as SmackDown Live goes to break. As SmackDown Live returns, Cross gets Bayley into the ring apron and tees off. Bliss tags in and hits Bayley with a dropkick as she is still wrapped up in the apron. She then hits Bayley with a slap. Bliss goes for a cover but Bayley kicks out. Cross tags in and Bliss throws Cross into Bayley in the corner. Bliss then hits Bayley with another slap. Bliss tags in and stomps away on Bayley. Bayley fights back and hits Bliss with a kick before throwing Cross to the outside. Bliss stays on her but Bayley breaks away. Bayley tags Moon and Moon unleashes on Bliss. Cross tries to stop her but Moon fights her off and crushes both women in the corner. Moon then hits Cross with the Eclipse. Bliss throws Moon into the ring post and then hits Bayley off the apron. Bliss hits Twisted Bliss and gets the 1 2 3 on the cover of Moon. *** After the match Bayley hits Ember with the Bayley to Belly
Winners: Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross
My Opinion:
A huge win for Cross and Bliss and again I think these two have made the case for why they should be in the mix for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. Not only do they work well together but they can really be the heel team to bring those titles to light and make them mean something and be what they were supposed to be. For Bayley and Ember, the saga continues. This week Bayley is the one who gets one up on her and showed that the champ is ready. Moon I’m sure will be angry but she just realized that Bayley isn’t going to take any nonsense and if she wants the Bayley mean streak she’s got it.

Backstage Segment:
Sami Zayn is asked what brings him to SmackDown Live. He says he is scoping out the competition but all he sees is complaining. He claims that Aleister Black seems like he is in a lot of pain and he doesn’t see a man begging for a fight but a man begging for help. He tells that he knows if Black came out into the bright lights his illusion would crumble down. He says Black needs to be exposed so he has decided he is going to beat him, expose him, and his hype. He proclaims he is going to do it at SummerSlam.

Backstage Segment:
Kayla welcomes Daniel Bryan and asks him what his career-altering announcement is. He looks at her and huff’s before he and Rowan walk away.

In-Ring Segment: Jerry “The King Lawler’s: The King’s Court w/ Trish Stratus
King welcomes everyone to King’s Court and says it’s good to be The King especially right here in Memphis Tennessee. He then welcomes his guest WWE Hall Of Famer Trish Stratus. Here comes Trish! King tells her it’s great to have her here. She thanks him for the invite and says she flew from her cottage to be here tonight. King says she has been on vacation and says that’s why she missed the Raw Reunion. She tells she was bummed that she missed it. King says standing in the ring with all those legends it was amazing and really magic. He says in the locker room they were all wishing they could go back in the ring and have one last match. He then asks her if she wishes she could come back in the ring and have that one final match. Trish says there isn’t gonna be a time where she doesn’t get that itch but she is kind of a mom now and she has to do her mom duties. Out comes Charlotte Flair. Charlotte tells King it is wrong to hold King’s Court without a proper Queen. She then says the question should be why the Queen of every era isn’t on SummerSlam. She sarcastically tells Trish we get you’re a mom, congratulations. She tells Trish there are a lot of WWE SuperStars who are parents. She tells her it sounds like an excuse because the greatest moment of her life hasn’t happened yet. She then challenges her to a match at SummerSlam. Trish says nothing and Charlotte says she expected more out of the 7-Time Champion. She tells Trish they’re not models anymore and instead of women trailblazing the industry. She tells Trish she knows she can’t hang with the Queen. She tells her to get the hell out of her ring, hop in her minivan, and go back to changing diapers. She tells Charlotte she respects her but right now she is just being a bitch. Trish tells her there would be no trail for her to blaze if it wasn’t for her, and lite, and Ivory, and Jaquelen, and Beth Phoenix. She tells Charlotte to be the women you have to beat the women. She tells Charlotte she’s got her match at SummerSlam.
My Opinion:
What a huge match announced! Arguably the two greatest of their generations going at it at SummerSlam. For Trish, this is one last shot at the top of the mountain. No this won’t be for the title but if she beats Charlotte Flair at Summerslam in her home country nonetheless then she will end her career with that cherry on top that everyone so desperately seeks. For Charlotte, if she beats Trish in her home country at SummerSlam then Charlotte cements herself as the best going today without question. A lot is at stake here and this shouldn’t be anything short of special!

Backstage Segment:
Styles tells Gallows and Anderson it is all coming together. He brings up

Ricochet and says if what Ricochet said was true that people only believe what they see then what they see is not one, not two, but three champions. He says they are The OC, the original and the only club that matters and tonight Kofi Kingston will find out why SmackDown Live will always be the house that AJ Styles built. *** New FireFly Fun House Vignette

Seth Rollins Update: Rollins has requested WWE not release his condition at this time.

Match 3: Dolph Ziggler vs Finn Balor
Ziggler hits a dropkick as the match starts. He then bounces Balor off the turnbuckle and stays in control. He scraps the face of Balor across the ropes before going to a chin lock on the mat. Ziggler then goes to work on the arm of Balor. Balor tries to break the hold and works to a verticle base. Ziggler slams him to the mat to halt the momentum. Back on the mat. Ziggler switches to a body lock continuing to wear down Balor. Balor works to his feet again but is met with a kick. Finally, Balor gets back into it with a low dropkick. Balor hits him in the corner and is able to knock Ziggler down repeatedly. He hits a chop but Ziggler comes back with a kick. Balor hits a kick and then drops the leg on Ziggler. Balor goes for the cover but Ziggler kicks out. Ziggler lands a kick and continues to break down Ziggler. He hits the Famouser and goes for the cover but Balor kicks out. Ziggler looks for the superkick but is hit with a sling blade. He hits a stomp and then sends Ziggler to the outside. The lights go out and now appearing is “The Fiend”. The lights come back on and he is gone. Ziggler takes advantage of the distraction and hits the superkick. Ziggler gets the 1 2 3 on the cover.
Winner: Dolph Ziggler
My Opinion:
With a little bit of help Ziggler picks up the win but this is what makes Ziggler who he is because he takes advantage of opportunities. It looks like Bray Wyatt is in the head of Balor and it seems Balor is definitely confused and concerned of The Fiend. Come SummerSlam who knows what this new Bray Wyatt is going to do but either way this whole dual character thing is awesome. It’s unique and something that can rise to the top if it continues to be done like this.

Backstage Segment:
Shinsuke Nakamura heads to the ring for his match with Ali.

Match 4: Shinsuke Nakamura vs Ali
Ali hits him with a dropkick. He then dives through the ropes and sends Nakamura into the barricade. Back in the ring, he hits a crossbody and gets a near fall on the cover. Nakamura comes back with rapid-fire strikes. Ali fights back with a boot and then dives in to drop Nakamura face-first into the canvas. He tries to go to the top but is dropped into the top turnbuckle. He then hits the reverse exploder. He looks for the Kinshasa but Ali counters with a suplex. Ali goes up top and goes for the 450 but crashes and burns. Nakamura misses on the Kinshasa again but Ali avoids it. Nakamura lands a DDT and for a third time misses on the Kinshasa. Instead, Ali rolls him up and gets the 1 2 3.
Winner: Ali
My Opinion:
Yes! Ali gets this huge victory, one way or another he got the job done and now Ali is in contention for another IC Title shot. Ali deserves the title and I hope he gets this shot he deserves. Of course, Shinsuke may not make the same mistakes twice but if Ali gets this shot soon and can capitalize on the momentum and being in Nakamura’s head then he is on his way to the title!

*** Exclusive Randy Orton Interview Vignette

Backstage Segment:
Kayla brings in The New Day. Big E tells how Kofi is about to step into the ring with AJ Styles. Woods says this could be a main event anywhere. Kofi says AJ can say all he wants but they are the SmackDown Live Tag Team Champions and he is the WWE Champion so now SmackDown Live isn’t the House that AJ Styles Built but instead the Palace of Positivity

Match 5: Kofi Kingston w/ The New Day vs AJ Styles w/ The OC
The two lock up and Styles is able to work a side headlock. Kofi throws Styles off the ropes but is taken down by a shoulder tackle. Kofi stays on him and works the arm of Styles. He works him to the mat but Styles makes it to the bottom rope to break the hold. Styles lands a single leg takedown and gets control of Kofiw ith another headlock. Kofi fights him off but Styles is able to drop Kofi to the mat. Kofi leaps over Styles and then hits a back elbow. Kofi hits the dropkick and has the momentum. He looks for Trouble In Paradise but it is missed. Kofi stays on him and drops Styles to the outside. Styles comes back and hits a knee to the face. He then sends Kofi into the ring post. Kofi is then sent into the timekeepers area as SmackDown Live goes to break. As SmackDown Live returns, Styles is in control. He bounces Kofi off the turnbuckle and then hits him with a huge chop. Styles goes for the cover but Kofi kicks out. Styles then goes to a modified camel clutch and stays on the WWE champ. Kofi hits him with an elbow but is then thrown into the corner. Styles hits him with a kick and brings him to the top rope. Kofi beats on the back of Styles and is able to knock him down to the mat. Out of the corner, Kofi hits a DDT. Kofi knocks Styles down twice before hitting a dropkick. He keeps the pressure on and hits the Boom Drop. Kofi flies in the corner but is sidestepped and goes face-first into the turnbuckle. Kofi comes back hitting a stomp and he goes for the cover, Styles kicks out. Kofi misses on Trouble In Paradise but Kofi stays the course. He hits SOS and goes for the cover but can’t put Styles away. Kofi looks for a suplex but Styles counters with a knee and then an enziguri. Kofi comes back with a kick and then hits a splash on Styles. Kofi goes for the cover and The OC pulls Styles out of the ring. Styles hits Kofi with a right but Kofi comes back with a boot of his own. The OC and The New Day battle on the outside before Kofi flies to take out The OC. Back in the ring, Kofi gets caught by Styles after Gallows slows Kofi down. Styles hits him with a right and goes for the Phenomenal Forearm but Kofi counters with Trouble In Paradise. Kofi goes for the cover and gets the 1 2 3.
Winner: Kofi Kingston
My Opinion:
A great match between these two champions. Kofi picks up the victory but he fought hard for that one. The back and forth was amazing and it was a great main event. I hope these two factions meet head to head because things were getting explosive towards the end. Tonight you saw Kofi is the man because to pull out his finisher out of nowhere is a WWE Champion move. Styles is going to have to reassess after this as it looks like he may be slowed down now that he has other guys to rely on.

Roman Reigns Announcement:
Reigns walks towards Kayla but is knocked down by steel barricades and boxes that fell from the forklift. Reigns tells the medical staff he is okay and it didn’t get him. He walks away from them with a confused look.

Final Thoughts:
A solid SmackDown Live tonight, we had a big announcement, some great hype, and solid matches. First, I loved the Kofi and Styles match to close out the night. These two gave it to each other and Kofi stayed the course and found the mistake in Styles game to pick up the win. The opening match of the night was just as hard-hitting and showed Kevin Owens is in this to win it. He had a statement tonight and proved to Shane McMahon his head is in the game and he can overcome any obstacles thrown at him on the way to SummerSlam. Also, I was so pumped for Ali to pick up the win tonight. Now he didn’t get to showcase himself but he shoed his heart and his ability to get the job done. I was impressed with the continuation of the build of the new Bray Wyatt. The two-character thing is super intriguing and is working very well. We also got the huge announcement of Trish Stratus facing Charlotte at SummerSlam. This is going to epic and even without titles invovled there is so much on the line for these two, I can’t wait!!! Finally, ending the night the Roman Reigns backstage segment was super interesting. It was a quick thing but this is the kind of stuff I love in WWE. now we can conspire until further notice and wonder what actually happened. Hopefully, this leads to a huge payoff, they got my attention for sure. Overall this was a good night with a great pace and I thoroughly enjoyed it!!!
Overall Rating: 6.5/10