Smackdown starts with Kofi promo and it is announced that at Money in the Bank it will be Kofi VS. Kevin Owens. This has a pretty good build up re-cap and ends with Kevin Owens coming out and insulting Kofi calling him a sub-par champion who isn’t cut for the title. This is interrupted by Xavier Woods who attacks Owens to protect Kofi. Eventually Xavier is super kicked by Owens on the entrance ramp and is laid out.
The following segment is announced that we will see Becky VS. Bayley. Bayley is announced as the first women from Smackdown for the Money in the Bank matched. This is a heavy match, by two of the best pure wrestlers in the women’s division. It appears that Becky might have injured her knee or at the very least some discomfort. During the commercial break we got a picture in picture of the match and we see Becky fall to the ground clenching her knee. Through out the second half of the match Becky seems to be moving better on her knee and the match ends when Bayley goes to the top rope for an elbow drop which Becky gets her knees up and locks in the Disarmher. Almost instantly after Bayley taps Charlotte attacks Becky, hits her with a big boot and tosses Bayley out of the ring. Bayley at one point was finally being cheered in this match and this would have been a great feud for the first title defense for Money in the Bank which could led to a Bayley heel turn or make Bayley like Becky a tweener.
Aleister Black has a dark promo again. This is a good side of Aleister that is intriguing. We didn’t see many Aleister promos in NXT and having him expand himself and connect to a darker side can do wonders for Smackdown.
The Hardy Boys make their way to the ring and address Jeff’s injury. The injury is apparently due to the attack from Lars Sullivan. They show the clip where Jeff is slammed into the ground with a power slam which Jeff addresses has caused the injury that will require surgery and the Hardy Boys will have to relinquish their titles. As Jeff is talking to the crowd almost identically when he left the company 10 years ago Lars interrupts. The attack by Lars is mostly on Matt until R-Truth enters the ring with a steel chair. The chair shot leaves Lars un-phased and the attack continues on Truth. Lars leaves a wake of destruction. The crowd is still not giving Lars anything and they are at no blame at all. Lars is neither cheered nor booed.
The Smackdown money in the bank competitors are announced as Mustafa Ali, Finn Balor, Andrade, and Randy Orton. There is also a match between Ali and Finn vs. Andrade and Orton that is announced later tonight.
Making their way to the ring is Asuka and Kairi Sane accompanied by Paige for a women’s tag team match. The Iconics join the commentary team to watch the match. Asuka and Kairi are facing two jobbers who are not even announced. This is a more of a focus on commentary than an actual match. The Jobbers seem to be very green and poorly selling many of the moves. The match ends with an insane elbow for the win. After the match the camera cuts back stage to Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose. Mandy announces that only one of them will be in the women’s match. Sonya states that she believes it should Mandy in the match, so the second Smackdown competitor will be Mandy Rose.
Roman Reigns makes his way down to the ring, Roman has a mic and tells the crowd that you only get one chance at a first impression and that he made his by proving to everyone including Vince that Roman is still the top dog. Roman is interrupted by Shane McMahon. Shane starts off by telling Roman that he may be the big dog in the yard but the McMahon’s own all the land. Roman tells Shane that his daddy owns the land and that last time Vince was in the ring he was on his back while he was standing tall. Shane reminds Roman that he in fact was laying face down in that ring, Roman tells Shane that he needed the help of Elias and that he could not do it himself. Shane tells Roman that there are plenty of talent in the back ready to welcome Roman to Smackdown and it is announced that Roman will have a handy cap match against the B Team, who is making their Smackdown debut. Roman asks if he should be blindfolded and have one arm tied behind his back. Shane announces that their will be a special guest referee enforcer and that is Elias. The match starts during the commercial break. Elias acts as distraction to the referee allowing the B Team to double team Roman out side the ring. Roman hits a Samoan drop/DDT to the B Team which might have been the best spot in the entire match which leads to two superman punches to the B Team as Elias pulls the referee out of the ring before he can get the three count. Elias attacks Roman leading into a perfect-plex which Roman kicks out. Elias grabs his guitar but cannot connect as Roman counters. Roman hits a spear on Curtis Axel as the main referee makes his way into the ring capturing the clean victory.
We are brought back after the commercial break to an episode of Firefly Fun House. This is the same episode from last nights Raw featuring the third character of the Fun House, Rambling Rabbit. Bray unveils his painting of his house burning from Randy Orton. Bray says he is very sorry for being a bad guy. We are able to see some more character development from Abby the With and Rambling Rabbit.
The start of the tag match between Ali and Finn Balor VS. Randy Orton and Andrade begins. Andrade comes out and announces that he has no respect for Finn Balor and Ali. He makes his round to Orton and give Orton a back handed compliment in stating that he is a 13 time champion but anytime Randy wants to learn something that he should tap Andrade in. Match starts with Ali and Orton in the ring. Orton makes a hot tag to Andrade as Ali makes a tag to Balor. Balor and Andrade put on a clinic in the ring as only they can. Balor hits a suicide senton on Andrade as Ali hits a dive on Orton. As Balor goes up for the Coupe De Grace he is distracted by Zelina Vega. Balor gets the sling blade to Andrade while making the tag to Ali who hits a 450 splash to win the match. Orton tries to attack after the match however Ali is able to toss Orton out of the ring.
The final two participants of the Women’s Money in the Bank match are Ember Moon and Carmella as the final competitors. The Women’s Match will be Natalya, Naomi, Dana Brooke, Alexa Bliss, Mandy Rose, Bayley, Ember Moon, and Carmella.
The Kevin Owens Show begins with Xavier Woods as his guest of the night. Kevin starts the show by stating that all the pageantry is gone because the only thing that he needs is himself because he is the show. Kevin says that Kofi is in over his head, Kofi is drowning and that he is here to help to take the burden off Kofi’s shoulders by winning the WWE title from him at Money in the Bank. Kevin calls out Xavier to come out to the Kevin Owens Show however Xavier does not make his way to the ring and Kevin Owens goes to his plan B, an Xavier Woods action figure. Owens refers to the action figure as Little Woodsey. Little Woodsey looks lonely so Owens brings out the Big E action figure that came in the battle pack with a bandage on his leg. As the rant goes on Kofi comes to the entrance ramp and takes his shirt off, Kofi and Owens begin to go after each other in the ring. Kofi is showing us a new found aggression after the attack to his friend Xavier only for Owens to escape into the crowd. Kofi stands tall in the ring as Smackdown Live concludes.
