Welcome to the Fightful.com live discussion & coverage for the 8/12/2022 edition of SmackDown, live on FOX. We will bring full results and breakdowns for every match and segment on the show. Follow Fightful on Twitter.com/Fightful and Facebook.com/FIGHTFULONLINE
Match Card.
- Intercontinental Championship Match: Gunther (c) (w/ Ludwig Kaiser) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura.
- WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Tournament Opening Round: Raquel Rodríguez & Aliyah vs. Shotzi & Xia Li.
- Shayna Baszler & Liv Morgan Contract Signing.
Live Coverage.
- Michael Cole and Pat McAfee welcomed the audience to the broadcast, live from the PNC Arena in North Carolina, before quickly transitioning to the opening match.
WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Tournament Opening Round Match.
Raquel Rodríguez & Aliyah vs. Shotzi & Xia Li.
Raquel and Shotzi locked up before Shotzi hit an enziguri on Raquel. Raquel tossed Shotzi over the top rope, but Shotzi got Raquel in a tarantula before connecting a victory roll for a near fall. Shotzi went for a tornado DDT, but Raquel tossed Shotzi into the mat. Raquel got Aliyah in a Gorilla Press before tossing Aliyah into Li for a near fall. Aliyah hit a running cross body on Li. Deville and Natalya tried to taunt Aliyah, but Shotzi and Raquel attacked them from behind before sending them over the barricade. Raquel and Shotzi then exchanged blows while Aliyah tossed Li's head into the table with the WWE Women's Tag Titles before the commercial break. Back from the break, Shotzi and Li hit a Gut wrench/ Scorpion DDT combo on Aliyah for a near fall. Shotzi hit a bulldog on Aliyah before Li kicked Aliyah straight in the face for a near fall. Aliyah hit a chin breaker on Shotzi and kicked Li in the abdomen. Li attempted a vertical suplex, but Aliyah reversed with a neck breaker before tagging in Raquel. Raquel hit a lariat, two fall-away slams, a corcrew elbow splash, and tried a powerbomb, but Shotzi reversed it with a Hurrincanrana and a Sliced Bread on Raquel after Li's distraction for a near fall. Aliyah hit a spear on Shotzi before Raquel hit the Tejano bomb on Li for the pinfall win, advancing to the semi-finals of the WWE Women's Tag Title Tournament.
Winners: Raquel Rodriguez & Aliyah.
- After a video package highlighting their return, Karrion Kross and Scarlett cut a promo backstage. Kross said that he and Scarlett were disregarded like broken toys to be forgotten, but they waited for the right time to strike with vengeance. Kross said that they would show a new timeline, emphasizing that everyone pays the toll. They lurked in the back while Drew McIntyre made his way to the ring.
- Drew McIntyre was in the ring to cut a promo ahead of his match against WWE Undisputed Champion for the title on Clash at The Castle in Wales. He addressed that Kross attacked him from behind in the previous episode, acknowledging that it was smart of him to attack the #1 Contender for the Undisputed Title. McIntyre said that his only mistake was attacking Drew McIntyre, before saying that he will either knock him out, to the hospital, or to the grave on the next time they meet. McIntyre then reported the shocking (but not really) news that Reigns was not in the arena before saying The Island of Relevancy is not a real place. Scarlett came to the ring to interrupt McIntyre before WWE Undisputed Tag Team Champions The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso) attacked McIntyre from behind. They hit stereo superkicks on McIntyre before connecting the 1D on him. The Usos then warned Scarlet that they will drop his husband's ass down for stepping up to the Tribal Chief, to which Scarlett responded that Kross was planning on doing the same thing. Scarlett walked to the ramp after the warning.
- There was a video package detailing the history of the WWE Intercontinental Championship ahead of the main event match between Shinsuke Nakamura & Champion Gunther later in the night.
- Megan Morant interviewed Shinsuke Nakamura backstage, to which Nakamura simply responded by telling Morant to tell Gunther to "Come On".
- Kofi Kingston attacked The Viking Raiders from behind with a kendo stick on the ramp before Ivar launched his shield on Kofi square in the head. Eric tossed Kofi into Ivar's chest before they dragged him across the ramp. Ivar hit a frog splash from the barricade onto the Kingston on the ramp.
- Sami Zayn was backstage and talked with The Usos before McIntyre attacked Jimmy and Jey from behind. McInytre said that if they get into his business again, they would get their arses whooped.
Hit Row (Ashante Thee Adonis & Top Dolla) (w/ B-Fab) vs. Trevor Urbon & Brandon Scott.
Top Dola hit a shoulder tackle on Scott before tossing him in the corner and hitting. running knee on Scott's head, flipping over the top rope. Adonis hit a rope-dropkick on Scott before connecting a Flapjack on Scott. Top Dolla got Urbon in a Fireman's Carry before catching Scott for a Powerslam/ Green Bay Slam combo on them. Top Dolla and Adonis hit the Heavy Hitter (A dropkick/ Back Suplex Combination) for the pinfall win in their first match back in WWE.
Winners: Hit Row (Ashante Thee Adonis & Top Dolla) (w/ B-Fab)
- B-Fab, Top Dolla, and Ashante Thee Adonis reintroduced themselves after they came back, saying they are the OG Three. Their match was the first time they wrestled in WWE since 10/22/2021 when Top Dolla teamed with Isaiah Scott (now known in AEW as Shane "Swerve" Strickland) to defeat Boom Hayden & Clay Jacobs. Their last match as a unit was under the name of HitMakerz in GCW's "For The Culture" against Shane Taylor Promotins (Shane Taylor, O'Shea Edwards & Moses).
- Kayla Braxton tried to interview Gunther, but Gunther told Braxton to tell Nakamura that he would suffer at the hands of The Ring General.
- Ronda Rousey came to the ring from the crowd with a big bag ahead of Shayna Baszler & Liv Morgan's contract signing for their match for Clash At The Castle. Rousey revealed that the bag was filled with money to pay the suspension fine because she can afford it. Rousey was going to leave but instead attacked a security guard. Rousey was escorted out of the arena before Baszler confronted Rousey to tell her that is not how it works here. Rousey told Baszler that she used to be a killer before walking out of the ramp.
SmackDown Women's Championship Contract Signing.
- Shayna Baszler cut a promo bragging about going through the whole SmackDown women's roster before saying SmackDown Women's Champion Liv Morgan would be next. Baslzer signed the contract before calling out Morgan. Morgan made her way to the ring and told Baszler that she will not beat her, that she was a bootleg Ronda Rousey, that she knew that because she beat the real deal, and that she would beat her too on Clash At The Castle. Baszler took off Morgan's arm brace before stomping the injured right arm. Morgan hit a bulldog on Baszler through the contract table to stand strong.
- Sami Zayn was confronted by The Usos, with Jey saying that if he did not step up, his ass was going to be left behind.
- the Usos cut a promo and challenged Drew McIntyre and a partner of his choosing to get this work. McIntyre accepted the challenge.
Drew McIntyre vs. The Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso)
McIntyre hit a headbutt on Jey before tossing him out of the ring. McIntyre tossed Jey into the barricade before hitting a lariat on Jimmy. Back in the ring, McIntyre hit a back elbow on Jey but Jimmy caught him with an enziguri kick. Jey stomped down McIntyre. Jimmy tagged in and leaned McIntyre's neck into the middle rope. Jimmy and Jey stomped down Drew before Madcap Moss joined the match to team with McIntyre. Moss hit a shoulder tackle on Jey, a fall-away slam, and corner spears on Jimmy and Jey before he and Mcintyre clotheslined The Usos out of the ring. Back from the commercial break, Jey hit a hip attack on Moss and attempted a superkick, but Moss caught him with a pop-up lariat before tagging in McIntyre. McIntyre hit two lariats, an overhead suplex on Jimmy and neck breakers on Jimmy & Jey. Sami Zayn got in the ring to distract McIntyre, to which The Usos took advantage by hitting a superkick/ Frog Splash combo on McIntyre for a near fall. Moss pulled Jey out of the ring, but Jey clotheslined himself and Moss over the barricade. McIntyre hit a headbutt on Jimmy, but Jimmy responded with a superkick on Drew but Drew put the final nail by hitting a Claymore Kick for the pinfall win. McIntyre hit a Future Shock DDT on Jey before hitting a Claymore on Zayn after the match.
Winners: Drew McIntyre & Madcap Moss.
- Maçé And Månsôör̃ were in a photoshoot before Los Lotharios (Angel & Humberto) interrupted to tell them that if they wanted the agency to take off, they should sign them. Max Dupri told them that they were not MMM Material, but Humberto said that they were actually trying to tell this to his sister, Maxxine Dupri. Angel told Maxxine to contact them if they were interested.
- Kayla Braxton interviewed Ricochet backstage, where Ricochet recalled his win against Happ Corbin from the previous week and stated that he has been more locked in now than he had ever been. Ricochet said that he did not care who won the Main Event, he would be waiting in line. Corbin attacked Ricochet from out of nowhere.
- There was a video package highlighting Zoey Stark & Nikkita Lyons ahead of their match against Sonya Deville & Natalya on the 8/19/2022 edition of SmackDown. They said that they were ready to take the gold. Before that match, Stark will challenge for the NXT Women's Championship against Champion Mandy Rose on NXT Heatwave.
Intercontinental Championship Match.
Gunther (c) (w/ Ludwig Kaiser) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura.
The two began the match locking up, with Nakamura placing Gunther in the corner and mocking Gunther. Nakamura and Gunther exchanged Waist Locks before Nakamura laid in the kicks on Gunther. Nakamura got Gunther in a headlock before Gunther ran the ropes and hit a big boot, two uppercuts, and a wicked chop on Nakamura's chest. Gunther kicked Nakamura in the back before locking Nakamura in a Boston Crab, transitioning into an STF before Nakamura in a rope break. Gunther and Nakamura exchanged strikes before Nakamura kicked Gunther in the leg, but Gunther reversed it with a nasty chop. Nakamura got Gunther in an arm bar before Gunther broke the hold, but Nakamura got Gunther in a small package for a near fall. Nakamura hit more kicks on Gunther's leg before hitting an enziguri for a near fall. Gunther hit another wicked chop on Nakamura before placing him on the top rope and chopping his chest again before laying his boot in Nakamura's head to send him out of the ring. Back from the break, Gunther hit a German Suplex into the mat on Nakamura before kicking Nakamura in the head. Gunther went to the top rope and attempted a splash, but Nakamura got him in a Triangle Choke, transitioning into a Kimura Lock, but Guntehr broke the hold and hit a double under-hook suplex on Nakamura to break the hold. Nakamura kicked Gunther in the legs and Gunther tried to hit a chop block, but Nakamura caught him with a knee strike in the head for a near fall. Nakamura laid his boot in the corner before placing Gunther between the ropes and connecting a sliding German Suplex on Gunther. Nakamura slid back in the ring but Gunther caught him with a shotgun dropkick. Nakamura laid in the strikes and a kick on Gunther's neck before attempting a Kinshasa, but Gunther caught him with a lariat for a near fall. Gunther got Nakamura in a rear naked choke, but Nakamura broke the hold, but Gunther responded with a shotgun dropkick on Nakamura's back before connecting a Powerbomb for the pinfall win. Gunther stood tall to end the show.
Winner & Still WWE Intercontinental Champion: Gunther (w/ Ludwig Kaiser).
