The “go home” show before the company “goes west” for Super Show-Down was (maybe) four matches deep but not light on action. Good hype segments for the big show in Oz, a little intrigue for future storylines, and some shout-outs to the on-going Mixed Match Challenge. But, for at least one superstar, the “go home” show was going to be a “stay home” show.
In-Ring w/ SmackDown Live GM Paige
Paige shows us a video recap of Samoa Joe’s creepy visit to the Styles homestead last week. She says that Joe was way out of line and that the incident was the worst crime in WWE history (Sorry, home invasion Austin and funeral crashing Big Boss Man.) She tells the audience that AJ’s family is safe, WWE officials immediately notified local authorities and, although “Uncle Joe” did not enter the home, charges were filed for trespassing. Paige and WWE heads felt Joe should be fired but AJ Styles insisted that he be allowed to keep his job and dropped the trespassing charges because he wanted to be the agent of retribution. We get a taped apology from AJ on the big screen, saying that he’s not in Portland and he’s not leaving his family until he’s sure that Samoa Joe has gotten on a plane for Australia
The Fabulous Truth vs Andrade “Cien” Almas and Zelina Vega
The ladies start out in this mixed tag match, showing off a glaring height difference. Vega tosses Carmella down and mocks her with a moonwalk but takes a dropkick for it and Carmella busts out her own. This is the portion of the match when Corey Graves starts to speculate on Carmella’s Staten Island cred with a few funny comments as the men tag in. R-Truth sends Almas into the ropes and he Spider-Mans as Vega slides underneath him so they can lounge out “tranquilo” in their opponents faces. Not to be out done, Carmella and Truth perform a leg split routine. Almas rushes Truth in the corner and misses the flying knee for a tumble over the top and out to the floor. Back inside, El Idolo hits some impressive gymnastics but gets stopped by a dropkick to the gut while upside down. R-Truth tries to suplex Almas to the outside but he lands on his feet and snaps Truth throat-first across the top rope. Throughout a commercial break, Andrade is working over Truth’s left arm but he rallies out to hit a leg lariat and tags in Carmella.
The Princess of Staten Island is on fire, hitting clotheslines, a head scissors out of the corner, a Bronco Buster, and a Flatliner for 1… 2… and yanked off the pin by Almas to a chorus of boos! She goes for a superkick on Almas but he catches it and then gets taken out by R-Truth. The men tumble to the outside and Zelina attempts to take advantage with a victory roll that Carmella stuffs. Carmella goes for the superkick which gets dodged. Vega gets a double leg and jackknifes for a pin attempt but Carmella rolls them over and transitions into The Code of Silence! A great sequence and, with those Nikes around her neck, Vega has to tap out. Carmella’s music plays and R-Truth comes back into the ring for some fist-pumping and air-flossing.
Winners by submission: The Fabulous Truth
Backstage
Tye Dillinger stops Paige and demands a match with Randy Orton. She asks him if he’s sure on account of nobody having seen Jeff Hardy since Hell in a Cell. He says he’s ready and she approves it.
In-Ring w/ (your boys) The New Day!
The New Day have a special presentation for us as Big E will share his recipe for the world’s greatest pancakes. They also have a special guest with them to assist with a huge bowl of batter: Mr Bootyworth! Alas, just as Mr Bootyworth was going to speak, The Bar interrupt. Cesaro, being Swiss, knows a lot about baked goods. In fact, Sheamus confirms that his friends in Switzerland called him, “Chef.” Sheamus has his own recipe, though, and he flips over the table. The incensed tag champs rush The Bar. After a few seconds of brawling, Sheamus gets his hands on a sack of flour and Mr Fujis the champs. One-by-one, they fall prey to the double team maneuvers of The Celtic Warrior and The Swiss Cyborg… until only Mr Bootyworth remains. In a scene out of Revenge of the Nerds, The Bar leads Bootyworth to the middle of the ring, fill his top hat with batter and force him to wear it.
Tye Dillinger vs Randy Orton
As soon as Randy Orton gets in the ring, Tye Dillinger is on him like a mad cat. He knocks Orton up and over to the outside as the announcers note that the bell hasn’t sounded. Randy gets a shot in and goes for the vintage back suplex on the announce table but The Perfect Ten resists and hits the table spot on Randy! It’s short-lived, however, as Randy takes control by throwing Tye over the barricade and then hitting the draping DDT onto the arena floor.
To the protests of the officials at ringside, Randy takes apart the ring steps. He stops, though, and removes the sleeve from the bottom turnbuckle. He brings Dillinger over and slides one of his fingers into the jaw of the turnbuckle as the crowd cringes. Wrapping both hands around Dillinger’s finger, Orton wrenches back. Dillinger howls in pain as a contingent of the crowd chants out “Nine! Nine! Nine!” Randy eventually relents and leaves Dillinger clutching his hand at ringside.
No Contest. Probably. It’s wrestling.
In the Locker Room
Shelton Benjamin is warming up and Miz comes up and tells him “You’re welcome.” He asks him, “For what?”(Excellent question, Shelton!) Miz says that he saw Shelton’s tweet about not getting opportunities. He lists Shelton’s accomplishments and says that he convinced Paige to give him tonight’s match with Daniel Bryan. Miz tells Shelton that he has to make a statement tonight by, not just beating Daniel Bryan, but by injuring him. Shelton says that his statement is that he’s for real and that Daniel Bryan will just be a casualty of that. Miz tells him that he’ll be watching from ringside on guest commentary.
Aiden English advises the production crew that “One Night in Milwaukee” will need to be in HD as he prepares to shock the world with his Lana-destroying film.
In-Ring w/ Rusev and Lana
After a quick video package, Rusev says that Aiden English attacked him and betrayed him two weeks ago and, last week, claimed to have damaging video of his wife. Now, he wants him to come out like a man and show him this evidence. Aiden comes out and begins spouting Milwaukee facts. Lana tells him that he’s stalling. Aiden lets the footage roll. We see Aiden in his hotel room, rehearsing his sung insults to Milwaukee when there’s a knock at the door. It’s Lana. She comes into the room and tells Aiden, I’ve been thinking about it and I want you…” The tape stops, appearing to show Lana professing an attraction to Aiden English. Aiden says that he stopped the video because he has an exclusive deal with TMZ and didn’t want to “cheat” them. Aiden leaves and Rusev looks at Lana. She says that there’s more and she can explain it. Rusev is too upset and stalks out of the ring, looking for Aiden English.
Raw Recap shows us The Brothers of Destruction beating on Triple H and Shawn Michaels.
Shelton Benjamin vs Daniel Bryan
Miz is ringside and says he is loving him some of that “Lana Drama,” saying that Aiden English is smart and doing exactly what he’s supposed to do. Shelton opens up aggressively until Daniel gets in some kicks in the corner and attempts a yes Lock but Shelton gets to the rope. D-Bry goes for a baseball slide but Shelton avoids it and begins to manhandle the smaller Bryan aginst the barricades; up and down and all around. Once back in the ring, Daniel manages to ole a charging Shelton out to the floor and hits a running knee off the apron.
They get back inside and Bryan is up top for a diving head butt! Shelton rolls out of the way and both are slow to their feet. Shelton cinches in a body lock but D-Bry fights out. Benjamin whips Bryan into the corner but he backflips out and over Shelton, who gets a hold of him and hits a German suplex for two. Bryan hits a drop toehold, sending Shelton face first into the corner. Shelton recovers with a knee to the chest and a bridging German for another two count. He lifts the Yes Man up onto his shoulders and begins to ascend the turnbuckles.
Daniel elbows his way out, hits a Frankensteiner and follows up with Yes kicks. With Shelton dazed, Daniel gets into position for the flying knee. Miz can’t take this blatant plagiarism of his moves. He jumps up onto the apron and is knocked to the floor by Bryan. Bryan goes for the knee but Shelton has recovered enough to catch him in mid-stride with Paydirt! 1-2-3 and the two-time All-American beats Birdie’s dad.
Winner by pinfall: Shelton Benjamin
After the match, Miz smiles and goes on the offensive. He slams Daniel’s ribs against the announce table repeatedly. Once more against the ring apron before bringing him to the center and hitting a Skull-Crushing Finale and some trash talk to be backed up in Australia.
Raw Recap shows us the ax handle melee between The Shield and Strowman/McIntyre/Ziggler.
Naomi introduces us to researchers, fundraisers, and breast cancer survivors on behalf of WWE and Susan G Komen.
Asuka (w/Naomi) vs Peyton Royce (w/Billie Kaye)
The match starts during commercial and, when we return, Peyton is in control with a Gory Special, a spinning back kick, and a chin lock. Grappling with Asuka is a mistake, though. She escapes and transitions to a knee bar and then an ankle lock. When Asuka manages to snake up and stretch a chin lock and lock up an arm, Naomi takes out Billie Kaye in a pre-emptive strike. Eventually Peyton twists out of the hold and into an Asuka Lock. The tap out is elementary at that point.
Winner by submission: Asuka
In-Ring w/ Becky Lynch and a covered easel
The announcers have been telling us about Becky Lynch having a “Super Show-Down surprise” all night. Chants of “Bec-ky! Bec-ky! Bec-ky!” fill the arena. Becky tells us that, six weeks ago at SummerSlam, she stopped waiting and started taking. Now, she runs this didvision and made it the most relevant thing going in WWE. A video package of Becky’s attacks on Charlotte Flair plays and Becky reveals an “improved” Super Show-Down poster depicting Becky’s photo shoot beatdown of Charlotte, belt raised and boot on a prone Flair. The music hits and Charlotte runs down to the ring. They brawl back and forth until Charlotte hits a spear. She throws Becky into the poster and drags her to the ropes. Charlotte locks in a figure four and hangs off the apron with it. She lets go and gets back into the ring to hit Becky with a big boot. It’s a chorus of Woos and Boos as we go off the air.
Mission accomplished by “B”-stands-for-best show in keeping everyone safe for Super Show-Down, advancing stories, and giving the audience some top-notch wrestling to watch. Highlights have to include the rapidly improving Carmella, Andrade “Cien” Almas establishing himself as the workhorse go-to guy on SmackDown, and some “dream match” booking with Shelton Benjamin and Daniel Bryan. Looking forward to Super Show-Down and beyond.
Smackdown Live in Portland Rating: 8.0/10.0
-Matthew Widdis
