This is the Fightful.com live coverage for tonight's episode of WWE Smackdown! Live. Tonight we have a great show as in our main event Randy Orton faces Kevin Owens, AJ Styles faces both Singh brothers in a handicap match and much more so be sure to come back here at 8 PM EST for all of the action and be sure to stick around for the post show podcast after show!
-We open the show with a video package for how Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn cost Smackdown! Live at Survivor Series and the subsequent lumberjack match from last week. Shane comes out to the ring to open the show in the arena and talks about what happened last week and how he nearly fired Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn before having Daniel Bryan come out to the ring. Daniel gets on the mic and says that he understands why everyone wants Sami and Kevin fired, but he believes in second chances and calls into question Shane's temperament. Shane agrees with Daniel before reminding Daniel what Kevin and Sami did to become so hated including, but not limited to assaulting Mr.McMahon and costing Shane his match at Hell in the Cell. Daniel says that he's not a yes man and that he's about utilizing talent and that Shane needs to trust him.
Shane says that he does trust Daniel and commends him on him making the match between Kevin Owens and Randy Orton tonight before adding the stipulation that Sami will be barred from ringside and that it will be a no disqualification match as we go to commercial.
New Day vs Chad Gable & Shelton Benjamin
Kofi and Xavier double team Chad early, tagging in and out before Shelton gets the tag and Chad drops Xavier with a clothesline as we go to commercial.
Chad stomps on Xavier in the corner as we come back from commercial, then Xavier fights him off and hits a missile dropkick before Kofi comes in and drops Shelton repeatedly once he's tagged in. Shelton rolls through a diving cross body for a near fall before Kofi clotheslines him and hits the Boom Drop. They're bothering out of the ring when Shelton counters Trouble in Paradise, then Xavier hits the Limit Break for the pin and the win.
Winner: New Day via pinfall
Hype Bros vs The Bludgeon Brothers
The brothers double team Zack before sending Mojo off of the apron and to the floor. Harper and Rowan then hit their finisher for the pin and the win.
Winner: The Bludgeon Brothers
- After the match Mojo attacks Zack until the officials pull him off.
AJ Styles vs The Singh Brothers Handicap Match
-Jinder attacks AJ before the match and sends him ribs first into the ring post and to the floor as we go to commercial.
The Singhs double team AJ as soon as the match starts all the while playing to the crowd for a quick two count as Jinder looks on at ringside. AJ fights back momentarily before the Singhs drop him with a shot to the knee. They focus on AJ's knee before they set AJ on the top turnbuckle and AJ kicks Jinder off of the apron and to the floor when he tries to interfere. AJ then hits an avalanche Styles Clash with one Singh onto the other for the pin and the win.
Winner: AJ Styles via pinfall
Six-Woman Tag Team Match
Ruby and Natalya start the match off before Sarah tags in and double teams Natalya before Natalya rolls out of the ring. Charlotte then gets in the ring when Natalya refuses to as we go to commercial.
Charlotte is sent off of the apron after being distracted by Sarah ad Liv, then rolled back into the ring for a quick two count. Ruby tags back in and keeps Charlotte away from her corner before Sarah and Liv send Naomi off of the apron and to the floor before beating on her. Liv and Sarah then sends Naomi into the ring steps before hitting a slingshot into them. Ruby drags Charlotte over to her corner and tags Sarah in, Sarah dropping her with a straight jacket reverse DDT. Charlotte comes back and takes all three of them out before Ruby hit her finisher out of nowhere for the pin and the win.
Winner: Riot Squad via pinfall
Randy Orton vs Kevin Owens No Disqualification Match
Randy immediately goes for an RKO, but Kevin ducks out of the ring, Randy going out after him and tossing him across the announce table. Randy tosses Kevin back over the table before hitting him with ring steps and getting a kendo stick out from under the ring. Randy hits Kevin with the stick repeatedly before Kevin hits Randy with one of his own. Kevin then sends Randy into the barricade as we go to commercial.
Kevin beats Randy with the stick as we come back from commercial, Randy comes back momentarily only for Kevin to drop him with a shot to the midsection with the kendo stick. Kevin hits a DDT for a quick two count before missing a cannonball in the corner. Randy sets Kevin on the top turnbuckle before hitting a superplex for a near fall. Randy hits a powerslam for a near fall before they get out of the ring and beats on Kevin at ringside and drops him onto the barricade and the announce table. Randy then rolls Kevin back into the ring online or Kevin to try and escape through the crowd.
Randy beats Kevin down around the arena before Sami comes out and attacks Randy with a chair before leaving. Kevin rolls Randy back into the ring before Randy hits a draping DDT, then Kevin counters an RKO into a superkick and a frog splash for the pin and the win.
Winner: Kevin Owens via pinfall
