Good evening Fight Fans, and welcome to tonight's coverage for the go home edition of Smackdown on FOX before Clash of Champions!
- We open in the arena with a ceremony for the Triple Threat Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match at Clash of Champions between champion Jeff Hardy, former champion AJ Styles and former and disputed champion Sami Zayn. Corey informs us that there will be no champion's advantage and the person who grabs both Jeff and Sami's belts will become the undisputed champion. AJ mocks both Jeff and Sami before Sami says that the match shouldn't even be happening because he is the rightful champion. Sami tells Jeff that both he and AJ should have deferred to him before complaining about having to defend the belt in a ladder match. Jeff tells Sami that he should be grateful, telling him that with a victory at COC he can make his title legitimate.
Jeff and Sami put their belts around the bar before it's raised above the ring. Sami cheap shots Jeff and AJ and knocks a ladder on top of them before punching Jeff and fleeing. Adam Pearce comes out onto the stage and adds Jeff to Sami's match against AJ up next to make it a triple threat. Jeff then hits AJ with a Twist of Fate before AJ rolls out of the ring as we go to commercial.
AJ Styles vs Jeff Hardy vs Sami Zayn
AJ beats Sami down before exchanging with Jeff and Jeff hits an atomic drop into a snap mare and a basement dropkick. Jeff sends Sami into the corner before Sami backs him off and kicks Jeff in the midsection before Jeff counters a suplex into a leg drop. Sami rolls out of the ring before AJ stomps Jeff in the corner and hits a backbreaker before hitting a baseball slide to keep Sami out of the ring. Jeff comes back with right hands before AJ flips Jeff backwards over the top rope and down onto the floor. AJ smashes the face of Jeff into the top of the announce table before Sami takes out AJ from behind and tosses him back into the ring.
Sami stomps AJ in the corner before dropping him with a back elbow for a one count before knocking AJ off of the apron. AJ drives Sami into the corner and hits him with shoulder thrusts in the midsection before hitting a snap mare into a rear chin lock.
AJ sends Sami into Jeff and knocks him off of the apron a second time before re-applying the hold and sending Sami out of the ring. Jeff rushes back in and clotheslines both Sami and AJ before Jeff hits a split legged double dropkick to AJ and Sami. Jeff hits a back drop and Poetry in Motion to AJ off of the back of Sami before Sami dumps Jeff off of the top and down onto the floor when he starts to go for a Swanton Bomb into AJ. Sami then beats on Jeff at ringside before AJ hits a slingshot forearm to Sami as we go to commercial.
We come back to Jeff in control, taking out both AJ and Sami with a Whisper in the Wind before all three men exchange strikes until they collapse onto the mat. AJ then hits Jeff with the Phenomenal Forearm when Sami ducks before Sami tosses AJ out of the ring and covers Jeff for the pin and the win.
Winner: Sami Zayn defeats Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles via pinfall.
- AJ brings a ladder into the ring after the match and attacks both Jeff and Sami before climbing the ladder and taking both titles down.
- We get a graphic for Matt Riddle versus Baron Corbin later tonight.
- Heavy Machinery are backstage ahead of Otis' decision on whether he's giving up the Money in the Bank contract or be forced to go to court as we go to commercial.
- Otis is interviewed backstage before Miz and Morrison walk up and Heavy Machinery and M&M argue. Otis then starts to fight Miz and Morrison before Tucker points out that only Miz is on the lawsuit before Otis attacks Morrison. Otis and John are then separated as personnel and agents quickly stop the attack on Morrison.
- We get this week's Progressive Match Flo recapping Bayley's attack on Sasha Banks several weeks ago as well as her attack on her last week before Bayley makes her way out to the stage. Bayley walks down to the ramp and sits on the chair she brought with her before mocking Sasha and saying that she has a title defense to prepare for. Bayley addresses Nikki Cross and says that she can't imagine what will happen to her after she defeats her at COC before leaving.
- We get a graphic for a sit-down interview with Roman Reigns ahead of his title defense at Clash of Champions as we go to commercial.
Lucha House Party (Gran Metalik w/ Lince Dorado & Kalisto) vs Shinsuke Nakamura w/Cesaro
Shin kicks Metalik's legs repeatedly before kneeing him in the midsection and Metalik hits an arm drag that sends Shin out of the ring. Shin drops Metalik with a wheel kick before sending Metalik into the barricade and hitting a running knee lift with Metalik draped over the apron. Back in the ring Shin gets a quick two count before driving Metalik face first into the middle turnbuckle. Shin stomps Metalik who comes back with elbows and a head scissors. Metalik knocks Shin off of the apron with an enzuigiri before hitting a flipping senton over the top rope. Back in the ring Metalik hits a springboard flipping senton for two before landing on his feet when missing a moonsault.
Shin then hits a running knee to the back of the neck into an exploder suplex and the Kinshasa for the pin and the win.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura defeats Gran Metalik via pinfall.
- Cesaro attacks Lince after the match, but Kalisto just stays at ringside before they get into the ring and Lince shoves Kalisto in anger.
- Backstage Jey bangs on the door of Roman's locker room as we go to commercial.
- We come back to a video package of tweets about the passing of Road Warrior Animal.
- We get an extended video package for the Universal Championship match at COC between the champion Roman Reigns and his cousin, the challenger Jey Uso with inserts by Roman's father and uncle, cousin Rikishi and Jey's brother Jimmy.
- Jey comes out to the ring and shows a recap of his tag match last week in which he and Roman defeated Sheamus and Baron Corbin as we see Roman and Paul Heyman looking on from backstage. Jey asks Roman about the look he gave him with his back turned at the end of last week's show, but Roman refuses to comment. Jey calls Roman's character into question before Paul leaves the locker room and says that Jey will get his answers when Roman is ready. Paul then says that they will have a face to face discussion later tonight before going back into the locker room.
- We get a video package recapping the rivalry between Matt Riddle and Baron Corbin ahead of their match up next.
Matt Riddle vs Baron Corbin
Matt goes right after Corbin and sends him out of the ring before tossing him back inside when Corbin capitalizes when Matt is getting back into the ring. Matt goes for an armbar, but Corbin slams Matt down to get free before dropping Matt with a back elbow for two. Matt then comes back with a Pele kick that sends Corbin out of the ring before tossing him over the announce table as we go to commercial.
We come back to Corbin in control of Matt back in the ring before Matt comes back with a Final Flash and a superman forearm in the corner. Matt hits an exploder suplex into a PK and a senton for two before Corbin counters a second Final Flash into a Deep Six for a near fall. Matt counters the End of Days before Corbin knocks him out of the air when he goes for a springboard. Matt counters the End of Days before hitting Corbin with a knee strike and goes for the Floating Bro, but Corbin gets his knees up. Corbin then pins Matt with the End of Days for the pin and the win.
Winner: Baron Corbin defeats Matt Riddle via pinfall.
- Matt is interviewed after the match and says that he's not going to let the setback stop him from making Smackdown his show.
Alexa Bliss vs Lacey Evans
Alexa immediately gets tow off of a roll up before Lacey tosses Alexa into the corner and mocks her. Lacey hits a head stand splash in the corner for two before choking Alexa in the ropes. Lacey drops Alexa for two before smashing her face into the top turnbuckle and slapping her across the stomach. Alexa then comes back with a uranage before Bray Wyatt's laughing fills the arena as we go to commercial.
We come back to Lacey in control before Alexa side steps Lacey and clotheslines her before dropping her with strikes and a shotgun dropkick. Lacey capitalizes off of a momentary pause by Alexa before missing a moonsault and the lights turn red with The Fiend's music. Alexa then tackles Lacey before stomping her in the corner and smashing her face into the mat repeatedly until the referee calls for the bell.
Winner: Lacey Evans defeats Alexa Bliss via disqualification.
- After the match Alexa hits a Sister Abigail onto the floor for a second week in a row.
- Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman then come out to the ring for Roman's sit-down interview with Jey Uso up next as we go to commercial.
- We come back to Jey and Roman in the ring where Roman tells Jey that he doesn't understand the pressure and accountability that being the face of the WWE entails. Roman says that their family relies on him and that it will never be Jey before Jey asks Roman about what if he's wrong. Jey asks Roman why he can't provide for the family and that he's fought for everything and how Roman has always been number one. Jey reiterates that he's going to become the champion at Clash of Champions as a very angry Roman Reigns walks up the ramp and to the back. Jey then makes his way up the ramp before Roman drops him with a superman punch out of nowhere from off screen before yelling at him as we go off the air with Roman standing over Jey.
