Good evening Fight Fans and welcome to our coverage for tonight's edition of WWE Smackdown on FOX!
- We open the show with promos by Jeff Hardy and Sheamus ahead of their Bar Fight later tonight before WWE Hall of Famer JBL chimes in with predictions and we see Sheamus' personal bartender at the bar they're presumably going to have the fight at.
- Sasha Banks and Bayley come out to the ring to start the show, the tag and RAW/Smackdown Women's champions talking about their "victories" at Extreme Rules where Bayley and Sasha stole the RAW Women's Championship from Asuka and Bayley defended her title against Nikki Cross. They redefine the definition of greatness with themselves before saying that they talk the talk and walk the walk before saying that the Women's Evolution started and will end with them. Sasha and Bayley declare this as their era before they're interrupted by Nikki Cross and Alexa Bliss, Nikki saying that their time is over, Alexa trying to calm her down before Nikki demands a rematch for the Smackdown Women's Championship. Bayley agrees to give Nikki a title shot if she can defeat Alexa in a number one contender match with the winner facing her next week before Nikki and Alexa reluctantly agree. Alexa is hesitant before Nikki screams at her and shoves her down, saying that they have to before Alexa is on the ground in shock and Nikki rushes down to the ring as we go to commercial.
Smackdown Women's Championship Number One Contender Match
Alexa Bliss vs Nikki Cross
They lock up for a clean break before exchanging wrist locks and Alexa rolls Nikki up for a quick one count before Nikki does the same for the same result. Nikki and Alexa take each other down with side headlocks before getting back to their feet and Alexa drops Nikki with a back elbow. They run the ropes before Nikki hits several arm drags into a deep arm drag and a straight armbar before Alexa dodges a running splash in the corner and Nikki catches a punch by Alexa. Alex and Nikki argue when Alexa is about to punch Nikki before Nikki drops her with a back elbow and clotheslines Alexa several times before hitting a low dropkick and a running splash in the corner. Nikki hits a bulldog out of the corner for two and follows up with an attempted fisherman's neckbreaker, but Alexa counters and sends Nikki out of the ring before Nikki traps her in the tarp.
Alexa then easily gets out of the tarp attached to the apron and sends Nikki into Bayley and Sasha at the announce desk as we go to commercial.
We come back to Alexa in control, hitting Nikki with a wrecking ball dropkick before kicking Nikki in the midsection once she's back in the ring and stomping her down in the corner. Alexa hits a snap mare into an abdominal stretch before kneeing Nikki in the midsection when she gets to her feet and drives both knees into her midsection on the mat. Nikki gets out of the ring and Alexa sends her into the plexiglass at ringside before hitting several more jumping double knees to the midsection once they're back in the ring for two. Alexa kicks Nikki in the spine and drives her shoulder into her before slamming Nikki to the mat by her hair and applying a shoulder lock before kicking Nikki in the spine and reapplying the hold. Nikki fights to her feet and comes back with an arm drag into a jawbreaker and smashes Alexa's face into the top turnbuckle repeatedly.
Alexa counters a tornado DDT and hits a code red for two before climbing to the top and Nikki meets her before Alexa counters a superplex and Nikki hits a neckbreaker for a near fall. Alexa then kicks out of a fisherman's neckbreaker for a close near fall before Nikki misses a diving cross body and pins Alexa out of nowhere with a small package for the win.
Winner: Nikki Cross defeats Alexa Bliss via pinfall to gain a shot at Bayley's Smackdown Women's Championship next week.
- We then get a graphic for the Firefly Fun House up next as we go to commercial.
- Nikki and Alexa celebrate backstage and share a hug after Nikki's victory over her best friend, Alexa saying that she supports her in her match against Bayley next week.
- We get a new segment of the Firefly Fun House in which we get a recap of Bray and Braun fighting in the swamp and Braun coming out the victor at Extreme Rules before Bray cuts a promo.
- We get a recap of the end of the Intercontinental Championship Match between AJ Styles and Matt Riddle from last week in which Baron Corbin attacked Matt after the match.
Matt Riddle vs Tony Nese
Matt immediately hits a series of gut wrench suplexes into a pair of running sentons for two before Tony pokes him in the eyes and hits a triangle moonsault for two before locking in a body scissors. Matt then gets to his feet and goes for a tombstone that Tony counters before Matt hits an exploder suplex into the BroDerek for the pin and the win.
Winner: Matt Riddle defeats Tony Nese via pinfall.
- Matt calls out Baron Corbin after the match before Corbin comes out onto the ramp and mocks Matt before saying that he'll give a king's ransom to anyone who can prove that Matt doesn't belong there. Tony then attacks Matt from behind before Matt lays him out with a roundhouse kick and Corbin leaves.
- We go backstage to The Miz and John Morrison talking ahead of tonight's edition of Miz TV as we go to commercial.
- We come back to the ring to tonight's edition of Miz TV with special guest Naomi who talks about how she deserves better and more opportunity in light of the #NaomiDeservesBetter hashtag that was trending on Twitter last week before Lacey Evans comes out and mocks her before Naomi shoves her and messes up her lipstick. They then start brawling before Naomi sends Lacey packing and dances around the ring while wearing Lacey's hat.
- We get this week's Progressive Match Flo recapping the Smackdown Tag Team Championship Tables Match from Extreme Rules in which Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura won to become the new champions. We then go backstage to Big-E and Kofi talking about their defeat and the next move for New Day, Kofi saying that he's going to be out of action for at least six weeks and tells E that he should leave him and become a singles performer, but E brushes it off and they hug.
- Intercontinental Champion AJ Styles comes out to ringside and joins on commentary as we go to commercial.
Intercontinental Championship Number One Contender Fatal Four Way Match
Gran Metalik vs Lince Dorado vs Drew Gulak vs Chad Gable
Drew sends Lince out of the ring and sends him to ringside before Metalik hits a hurricanrana through the ropes and Chad hits a German suplex, but Metalik lands on his feet before Lince hits Drew with a suicide dive that sends him into the announce table. Metalik then hits an enzuigiri that Chad counters before hitting a moonsault onto Drew and Lince on the floor as we go to commercial.
Chad is in control of Metalik as we come back from the break before Drew hits Metalik with an elbow and Drew and Chad double up on Metalik before Drew stops Chad from pinning him. Drew gets a two count of Chad before LHP come back and Drew sends Lince out of the ring before Chad gets two off of a back slide on Drew before Chad hits a snap German suplex for two. Chad and Drew double up Metalik before he takes them both out with a springboard back elbow. Lince comes back in and rocks Drew before sending Chad out of the ring and chops Drew before hitting a springboard for a two count that Metalik breaks up and the tag partners argue until Chad attacks them and hits Drew and Metalik with a cannonball in the corner. Chad hits Drew with an exploder before following up with a German suplex to Metalik for a two count that Drew breaks up before locking in a dragon sleeper to Chad.
Chad counters the dragon sleeper and locks in an ankle lock before Lince hits a diving splash to break up the hold for a near count on Chad. Lince then hits a pair of springboard moonsaults to Chad before Drew crotches him when he goes for a third one and Drew gets out of the ring before Metalik hits a diving elbow drop onto Chad for the pin and the win.
Winner: Gran Metalik defeats Chad Gable, Drew Gulak and Lince Dorado via pinfall to earn a shot at AJ Styles' Intercontinental Championship next week.
- After the match AJ comes into the ring to congratulate Gran Metalik before he tries to shake his hand and AJ slaps him across the face before telling Lince that's why he should trust no one and Metalik slaps AJ back before sending him out of the ring with a springboard hurricanrana.
- We get a video package for Otis and Mandy Rose who return to Smackdown next week.
Bar Fight Match
Jeff Hardy vs Sheamus
We go to the bar where they sit side by side and Sheamus says that he's the bar before Jeff says that he's connected with everything in the bar including the TV and Sheamus toasts Jeff who throws a drink in his face. They brawl before Sheamus pulls Jeff down the bar into glasses and other things before asking for a glass of the good stuff and Jeff comes back and Sheamus into the wall. Jeff throws small basketballs at Sheamus before they end up brawling in the hallway and Sheamus hits Jeff with a beer keg before choking him with it and sending Jeff face first into various walls and doors. Sheamus hits Jeff with a door repeatedly before dragging him into the restroom and smashing his face against the counter before putting it in a urinal and flushing it. Sheamus mocks Jeff before Jeff comes back with a ladder and throws it at Sheamus before hitting a running cross body off of the bar and Sheamus catches him before sending him into a brick wall.
Sheamus then sends Jeff into a drum set as we go to commercial.
We come back to Jeff in control, smashing Sheamus into several things before hitting a Twist of Fury and Sheamus breaks a stool over his back before putting a hat across Jeff's face. Sheamus pours himself a beer and drinks it before he goes back to check on Jeff and lifts the hat before Jeff has face paint and contact lenses on out of nowhere before beating Sheamus down and breaking a glass over his head. Jeff then climbs the ladder before hitting a swanton bomb onto the floor for the pin and the win.
Winner: Jeff Hardy defeats Sheamus via pinfall.
