Big E is back! We kick off Smackdown Live with a welcome back Big E party presented by the New Day. The New Day and crowd give Big E a huge welcome back even after an impostor Big E appeared first. The Celebration is cut off when Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn crash the party. We get a good promo from Sami and The New Day and we get a match between Kofi and Sami Tonight.
Our first match of the night is Ali VS Andrade which is a terrific match to kick off Smackdown. Both competitors facing off two nights after the Money in the Bank Ladder match and both not 100% but they really kick the show’s first match off with a bang. Ali hits an amazing inverted frankenstiener to Andrade that looks to have given Ali a sore spot on his shoulder. Ali ends up getting the win over Andrade which is much needed for Ali.
We are backstage where we get a segment between Carmella and R-truth where Carmella helps R-Truth hide so that he can be protected from the 24/7 rule as R-truth is the champion. This is a hilarious segment where Truth comes out to Carmella’s match clearly wearing the title. The next match is Carmella VS. Mandy Rose. Carmella and Mandy have a quick match before the entire 24/7 compeitors come out with a referee to attack R-Truth. The bell rings and R-Truth grabs Carmella on his back and runs out of the arena.
Sami Zayn comes to the ring for his match against Kofi Kingston next. Before Kofi enters the ring however he is seen backstage where Big E is on the ground grabbing his knee stating that Owens attacked him. Xavier Woods tells Kofi to go focus on his match and that Woods can handle this. Kofi comes out to the ring and the match starts with a bang. Both competitors are throwing blows and making this a very physical match. We come back from commercial break to see a superplex from Sami Zayn to Kofi Kingston. Kofi kicks out after a close two count. Sami lines up for a helluva kick but Kofi comes out firing with right hands. Sami has a large scrape on his back that looks to be irritating his back throughout the match. Sami counters a trouble in paradise which looks to set up a blue thunder bomb but Kofi hits the trouble in paradise for the three count on Sami Zayn.
We get a women’s tag team match with Bayley and Becky VS. Charlotte Flair and Lacey Evans but before as Kofi is in the ring Paul Heyman comes out teasing the cash in of the briefcase but instead it leads to Dolph Ziggler attacking Kofi Kingston in a brutal fashion. Ziggler ties Kofi up in the turn buckle and stretches Kofi out. Dolph grabs a steel chair and puts it around Kofi’s head and throws Kofi right into the announcers table and continues the vicious attack on the WWE Champion. Medical staff and trainers come out and break up the attack but it doesn’t stop Ziggler who gets one last stomp to the head of the champion. Kofi is eventually taken out on a stretcher as the crowd starts to chant “New Day Rocks” and claps for the champ. As Kofi is being taken up the ramp he shows some sign of life trying to get off the stretcher and eventually gets off and fights off EMS showing the WWE Universe that he can walk out on his own feet.
After commercial break we see Roman Reigns walking in the parking lot but hear Elias and his guitar on top of tractor trailer. Elias claims that it is time to take the big dog for a walk. We are brought back to the arena where Lacey Evans makes her way to the ring. Charlotte comes out sporting a black robe and we are brought backstage for an interview with Becky Lynch. Becky is asked about her state of mind after she lost one of the titles but she does tell the WWE Universe that if anyone was gonna win that title and not beat Becky she is happy it is Bayley. Bayley comes into the frame where Bayley tells us she likes the sound of Bayley two belts and Becky tells Bayley that after this tag match tonight that Becky is coming after her blue belt. Charlotte and Lacey attack Becky as the match starts which leads to Bayley to help her tag partner. Charlotte hits a big boot to the back of Bayley’s neck which looks vicious as Bayley hits her face right on the turn buckle. Lacey Evans is tagged in and starts working right on Bayley’s neck. Lacey and Flair both do a good job of keeping Bayley from tagging in Becky but eventually Becky does and turns her attention right to Flair and hits a top rope drop kick to Flair. It really seems that Becky has been taking lessons from Seth as her move set since her title wins has a litter more flare to it. However high risk leaves the opportunity for disaster as Becky gets a big boot right to her face that leads to a women’s right to Becky but Bayley is able to tag herself in. Bayley attacks Lacey Evans and but Flair takes the opportunity of the distracted Bayley to attempt a figure eight leg lock but Bayley ends up rolling Flair up in a small package for the three count.
R-Truth is backstage as cameras are showing him still run away from the 24/7 competitors, Truth is able to kick out of a roll up by Jinder and evades the B-team who end up fighting with each other on who should apply the pin. After commercial break Ziggler is interviewed backstage and is asked why he attacked Kofi, Ziggler grabs the mic and says that an honest questions and deserves an honest answer but he is going to tell the crowd. Ziggler comes out and says i know i would boo me too, but this goes back to when Ali got hurt and Kofi got the opportunity but that should have been Dolph. Dolph says Kofi walked in the elimination chamber and walked out a star, Dolph tells the crowd that at WrestleMania while Dolph was home watching Kofi be the better wrestler that should have been Dolph. Dolph tells the crowd that every night Kofi beats the expectations and everyone respects Kofi but that should have been Dolph and Ziggler announces that at the Super Showdown Dolph will beat Kofi for the WWE Champion and every one of the crowd will love Dolph and respect Dolph because he will be the new WWE Champion.
We do see a great video package that shows the build up for Randy Orton VS. Triple H that it stems back to the Evolution Days where Randy Orton was the chosen one to be the future but we see the turn that disbanded Orton from the group. We are then brought to our main event of Elias VS. Roman Reigns where Shane McMahon introduces Elias as Smackdown Live’s greatest accusation. We have the longest commercial break of the night which doesn’t end until 9:55 where we missed most of the match. We are brought back to Roman putting a beat down on Elias. Roman hits a big boot on Elias to set up a superman punch but Shane distracts Roman and Elias gets the upper hand leading to Elias to set up a power bomb but only for a two count as Roman kicks out. Roman hits a superman punch but Shane pulls Elias’ leg onto the bottom rope which causes the rope break. Roman hits a drive by on Shane which leads to Elias to taking the beat down to Roman and hits a top rope elbow drop but only for a two count as Roman fights out of the pin. Elias uses the distraction from Shane to attempt to hit Roman with the guitar but Roman counters and hits a spear for the three count. Shane throws a beat down on Roman and grabs the guitar and attempts to hit Roman with the guitar but Roman lands a superman punch on Shane. Roman grabs the guitar and is about to hit Shane but Drew McIntyre comes to save Shane with a clay-more kick on Roman.
