A celebratory intercontinental champion The Miz kicked off the show, braggadocios as ever about his victory over Jason Jordan at No Mercy Sunday night.He introduced Roman Reigns, who arrived to his typically raucous ovation.Miz asked Reigns about John Cena referring to their No Mercy match as a "passing of the torch moment." Reigns admitted to respecting Cena now and called it the biggest win of his careerMiz scoffed at the idea of Reigns being "the guy," then referred to himself with that title after his win over Jordan.Reigns told Miz he wins because he has helped, then asked Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel to go fetch him a beer.Miz told Reigns he rode the coattails of two other Superstars and if The Miztourage was around five years ago, no one would remember or care about The Shield.
Reigns announced his intentions to challenge Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship. The Miz TV host recalled the moments that Reigns has choked often of late, bringing up losses to Samoa Joe, Braun Strowman and Lesnar.Miz claimed to have carried the show since he returned to Raw.Him, Dallas and Axel left the ring but were interrupted by Kurt Angle. The Raw general manager admitted he loved the idea of Reigns vs. Miz. Not only would that match take place, Axel and Dallas will battle Matt Hardy and Jordan next.
With Jeff Hardy sidelined due to injury, Matt Hardy teamed with Jason Jordan to battle Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas.The heels isolated Jordan momentarily, working him over until a hot tag to Hardy.Matt hit the ring and unloaded on the opposition. After a flurry, he delivered a Twist of Fate to Dallas while Jordan neutralized Axel, scoring the win for the babyfaces.
Elias scored a big pinfall victory over Apollo Crews during the No Mercy Kickoff Show. Monday night, he would attempt to make it two-for-two, scoring another win over the Titus Brand client.Motivated by defeat, Crews unloaded early, wiping his opponent out at ringside. Elias provided a distraction, though, kicking Titus O'Neil in the knee. Back in the ring, Elias delivered Drift Away and scored the victory.After the match, Elias attempted to further assault O'Neil but the former Florida Gator unloaded on him, sending The Drifter scurrying for the protection of the arena floor.
Curt Hawkins was in the ring, awaiting the next Superstar to add to his unprecedented losing streak when Braun Strowman arrived and beat the unholy hell out of him.The Monster Among Men delivered a chokeslam to Hawkins, through the announce table at the top of the stage, then power slammed him through the entrance stage.Medics checked on Hawkins while Strowman claimed to be on a path of destruction that will not stop until someone comes to the ring and gives him a fight.Dean Ambrose's music played and The Lunatic Fringe hit the ring, unafraid of the monster before him.
Just 24 hours after enduring a shoulder injury during him and Seth Rollins' defense of the Raw Tag Team Championships against Sheamus and Cesaro, Ambrose was faced with the unenviable task of battling Strowman in singles competition.Pummeled for the majority of the match, his injured shoulder an obvious target for the big man, Ambrose mounted a late comeback that included a big DDT on the arena floor.Strowman was the victim of a series of clotheslines but was able to withstand the assault of the former WWE champion long enough to plant him with a massive power slam to score the victory.
Raw women's champion Alexa Bliss hit the ring just one night after defeating Emma, Bayley, Sasha Banks and Nia Jax in a Fatal 5-Way match to retain her title.Bliss claimed she always considered herself and the fans to be friends. She was understandably disappointed when she checked her phone and noticed a lack of congratulations.Bliss claimed to have cleaned out the women's division until Mickie James interrupted, mic in-hand.James was unimpressed by Bliss' claims, reminding the champion she did not beat her.
Bliss said James used to be her favorite, even cracking a MySpace joke to show off how long it has been since the former women's champion was relevant.The champion said she didn't want to see Mickie break a hip, again mocking her age. James responded by saying she has beaten women since before Bliss was wearing a bra...which is still working for the champion, she quipped.Bliss reiterated her words from Raw Talk Sunday night, calling James an "old lady."James caught her with a slap and cleared her out of the ring.
An hour or so after partner Dean Ambrose lost to Braun Strowman, the other half of the Raw tag team champions Seth Rollins battled Sheamus, who was accompanied to the ring by Cesaro.Sheamus overwhelmed Rollins early, working him over with his distinct power advantage.The Celtic Warrior trapped The Kingslayer in a Cloverleaf and nearly forced a tapout. The resilient Rollins fought his way to the ropes, necessitating a break. Sheamus attempted the Brogue Kick but Rollins caught him with a knee for the win.
The Miz sought to continue building momentum for himself after Sunday's victory as he stepped inside the squared circle with Roman Reigns, who was also attempting to score a consecutive win.The intercontinental champion controlled a portion of the middle part of the match, keeping Reigns grounded and cutting off his strength advantage.Reigns fought back but Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel provided enough of a distraction for Miz to wrest control back from his opponent.
Eventually, Reigns unleashed a flurry of Superman Punches to his opponent and his lackeys. He followed with a spear to Miz for the win.After the match, The Miztourage beat Reigns down. After one Skull-Crushing Finale, Miz returned to the squared circle and delivered another, this time onto a steel chair, to send an emphatic message to The Big Dog.The match was a solid one with a totally predictable finish but the strength of this segment was the post-match beatdown.It is amazing what giving Miz and Co. a little credibility through an intense beatdown can accomplish.
After Goldust beat down Finn Balor backstage earlier in the night, taking exception with the Irishman seeing him as a victim a few weeks back, the Superstars squared off in singles competition.Balor unloaded on The Bizarre One early, pummeling him at ringside. Goldust seized control by sending him into the ring post, though.The competitors traded blows and signature offense before the Sling Blade and Coup de Grace earned Balor the victory.After the match, the lights flickered and "He's Got the Whole World In His Hands" played while Goldust was nowhere to be found.
In the wake of the Fatal 5-Way match for the Raw Women's Championship, the four women unable to dethrone Alexa Bliss battled in tag team action as Bayley and Sasha Banks squared off with Emma and Nia Jax.The action broke down late in the match.Bayley, after being beaten down and having her shoulder targeted throughout the match, shoved the unstoppable Jax into the ring post, neutralizing her momentarily.Inside the ring, Banks delivered a nasty knee to the sternum. Bayley, having tagged herself into the match, delivered a Bayley-to-Belly suplex on Emma and scored the victory.
New cruiserweight champion Enzo Amore wrapped up this week's episode of Raw with a championship celebration in which he ran down the entire division, poking fun at the likes of Rich Swann, Cedric Alexander and Jack Gallagher as they interrupted the proceedings.Touting his status as a star and merchandise seller, Amore stood across the ring from Neville and claimed he was the reason for the division getting the main event spot on this week's show.Having warned Neville of a clause he signed stating the former King of the Cruiserweights would never get his rematch if he attacked The Certified G Monday night, Amore thought he was safe.He was not.Neville beat the unholy hell out of the new champion, leaving him lying to the applause of his fellow cruiserweights.
SMACKDOWN LIVE
The show opens with a recap video covering the McMahon/Owens feud, focusing primarily on the statements made by both Shane McMahon and Kevin Owens last week.Live in the arena, Kevin Owens makes his entrance. He gets on the mic and says all he's heard for weeks now is that Shane McMahon is going to address his actions, take action, Shane this, Shane that, but where is he? Kev says he's been called a coward for what he did to Vince McMahon and for not being on the show last week, but right now he's standing in the middle of the ring in the land of opportunity.This is Shane's opportunity, and where is he? Maybe it's McMahon that's the coward! He lets the crowd chant for Shane before saying he knows better, McMahon is no coward, he's actually very smart. Last week he said he has nothing but respect for Vince and he meant it. Not only that, but he actually likes Vince... and Shane saw what he did to a man he respects and likes, so imagine what he'll do to someone he doesn't.
Enter Sami Zayn. He gets in the ring and shakes his head at Owens before asking what's wrong with him. He's not out here to fight, he's out here because Kev has lost complete control. He asks KO if he realizes what he's done-- he headbutted Vince McMahon! He's known him for fifteen years and he knows what happens when he snaps, and it never ends well. And when Owens headbutted Vince, Sami said to himself, "That's it, he's snapped."So he's out here against his better judgment trying to talk some sense into him before he crosses a line he's never crossed before. And if he crosses that line, there's no coming back from it, and that's not just his career, but his life and his family. Zayn tells Kevin he needs to get a grip and stop right now. KO says he didn't snap, he's cool.
Don't worry about his family, that's for him to worry about, but be honest, Sami, you're not here to talk sense into him. No, KO thinks he's here because he has once again outshined him, like he has for the last fifteen years. Or even just looking at their WWE careers, Sami signed two years earlier, but Kev has held the Intercontinental, Universal, and United States Championships while Zayn watched from the back.Just like he'll be watching from the back at Hell in a Cell when he destroys Shane and makes him regret ever bringing him to SmackDown. You think he's gone too far? Just watch Hell in a Cell. But that's not it, there's more. Last week he said headbutting Vince was a mistake, but what has Sami ever done in his life that had as much impact as the impact his skull had on Vince McMahon's head?
Sami gives a sad little nod of his head before saying Kev is right-- since coming to WWE he's done a lot more than him, but he's taken every cheap shot, cut every corner, took every reprehensible action. So right now, yeah, he's not doing too great, but when his day comes, he'll do it his way, the RIGHT way! Fine, he's won all these titles Zayn hasn't, but the real difference is that when Sami looks in the mirror he doesn't see a giant piece of trash looking back at him!Owens drops his mic and takes a few steps towards Zayn and Sami reciprocates, but before they can come to blows.Enter Daniel Bryan. He tells Kev he might be right, and Shane isn't here right now and Bryan doesn't know if he's going to be. But he knows someone who is here and would love to fight him, and so he books Zayn vs. Owens for tonight.Commentary hypes up a celebration for Rusev later tonight, as well as Tye Dillinger vs. Baron Corbin, which will be after the break.Back from commercial in time for entrances, and AJ Styles makes his entrance and joins the commentary desk.Corbin wastes his time jawing with Styles and Tye dumps him over the top such that he lands on back-first on the apron on his way down! We go to break before the bell can ring, however.
Baron Corbin vs. Tye Dillinger
Back from commercial, the match is in progress and Corbin is well in control but Dillinger reverses a suplex into a small package for a quick cover! Chaining strikes together to rally but Baron catches him with the chokebreaker! Sidestep a charge, Corbin passes outside and back in, boot in the corner, dive and the Lone Wolf catches him with the goozle but Tye slips out, superkick, another hard hit to the head... NO GOOD!Fighting spills outside, Baron rams the Perfect Ten into the apron but ends up running into the steps right after when Tye sidesteps! Thinking Tye Breaker, his back gives out and Corbin takes his leave, smacking AJ's water into his face at the commentary desk! He throws Dillinger into Styles and heads in the ring, happy to take a countout. Referee Jason Ayers counts, Tye almost makes it...
Baron Corbin wins by countout.
Baron wipes Dillinger out from the apron and Styles rolls inside to confront him but the Lone Wolf skulks away and gets on the mic on the ramp. He says AJ must feel dumb, he knew they were gonna work together. He continues, saying that Styles can't defend his title against him one-on-one, and Baron's not gonna take any shortcuts, he's not gonna squander an opportunity-- at Hell in a Cell, he's gonna take the United States Championship.Jinder Mahal and the Singh Brothers are walking backstage to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Jinder Mahal and the Singh Brothers are in the ring together.Jinder begins, reminding us that his opponent at Hell in a Cell is Shinsuke Nakamura. Last week he may have gone a little too far, but he realized he respects Nakamura and thinks of him as a worthy opponent, so unlike last week, he's going to compliment him. He understands Shinsuke was very upset last week, and again we get a still of Nakamura on the tron and the Singh Brothers falling over laughing.Mahal says he hears that Shinsuke has realized that the Maharaja is superior in every way to him... and again, making fun of a picture of his challenger's face. He has one more photo, which represents his face after he embarrasses and defeats him at Hell in a Cell... but this time the picture starts moving like it's Vigo the Carpathian and whatnot.
Shinsuke says this is a face that's here, on SmackDown, and the lights go down for his entrance. Jinder sends the Singhs down and Nakamura fends them off but the champion himself gets involved and puts Shinsuke into the ringpost and then the barricade before throwing him into the ring, where the King of Strong Style comes back with leg lariat!The Singhs back in, Shinsuke fights them off, dodges Khallas... KINSHASA! Nakamura stands tall to end the segment.Commentary hypes Zayn/Owens and Hype Bros vs. Usos for later.Big E does the deal and New Day make their entrance to send us to break.
Hype Bros (Mojo Rawley & Zack Ryder) vs. the Usos (Jimmy & Jey Uso)
Mojo & Jimmy to start, Rawley jamming him in the corner with shoulder thrusts and running him over with a shoulder block but Jey runs interference and Jimmy clips his leg out from under him. Tag made, putting boots to Mojo now as New Day watch from the front row. Big slap gets two, reverse chinlock but Rawley fights to his feet and lands a back suplex to counter.Tag to Ryder, he clears house, duck a lariat, flapjack but he runs into a back elbow and Jey knocks Mojo off the apron. Zack with a neckbreaker, only a nearfall, to the corner, knees up, Rawley tags in but Ryder wasn't ready and Jey is able to bump Mojo into him and send him crashing down! Tag to Jimmy...
The Usos win by pinfall with a diving splash from Jimmy Uso on Mojo Rawley.
The Usos get on the mic and yell at New Day for thinking everything's a game, telling them they belong on the sidelines with the rest of the chumps. They're what a real team looks like, and at Hell in a Cell, they're gonna be five-time champions. Kofi Kingston does the owl gimmick and says they talk a pretty big game for two guys that just lost these titles.Big E says they also talk a big game about the Uso Penetentiary, which makes them think. Xavier Woods continues that they don't want to just defend the titles AT Hell in a Cell, they want to defend their titles INSIDE Hell in a Cell!Commentary hypes up Owens/Zayn again, but the Pride of Bulgaria Celebration will be after the break.
Back from commercial, Aiden English is presiding over the Pride of Bulgaria Ceremony as master of ceremonies.He introduces the mayor of Rusev's home town, Plovdiv, Bulgaria before introducing Rusev in grandiose fashion. Aiden sings the Bulgarian national anthem and Rusev makes his entrance, holding the Bulgarian flag aloft. The Bulgarian Brute gets atop a podium festooned in the Bulgarian tricolor and the mayor gives a speech in Bulgarian before switching to English.He says it's his honor to present the key to Plovdiv to their great hero and protector, Rusev. He also proclaims today Rusev Day! He presents the oversized key to Rusev, who holds it aloft and gets on the mic, saying a few words in Bulgarian to the mayor before continuing in English. He'd like to take this time to relive his historic victory from last week.
What you just witnessed, he says, is the law of the jungle. Randy Orton once established himself as the Apex Predator, the Legend Killer, but now a younger and hungrier predator has come into the jungle, and last week the Lion of Bulgaria ripped the fangs out of the Viper's mouth! He destroyed the legend of the Legend Killer, so SmackDown is his jungle now!English says he's prepared a song in honor of Rusev Day, and he sings it, recounting the Bulgarian Brute's victory over Orton-- RKO OUTTA NOWHERE! Rusev gets the mayor to safety... ANOTHER RKO! Randy poses on the turnbuckles after.Backstage Daniel Bryan is on his phone, thanking somebody for the update when Sami Zayn rolls up. Sami says he wanted to see him, and Bryan informs him that was Shane, who is going to be here soon and coming after Kevin Owens. Zayn asks Dan to call him back and ask McMahon not to get involved in their match. Bryan says he'll try, and Sami talks about how important the match is to him, since he won't have the opportunity at Hell in a Cell. Dan says tonight, KO is his.
Carmella vs. Charlotte Flair
Charlotte off the ropes with a "Wooo!", into circling, Flair with a shove, Carmella responds by piefacing her and the Queen of PPV takes her down and goes for the figure four! Blocked, to the second, James Ellsworth getting involved and the Princess of Staten Island takes Flair out of the corner with a headscissors to send us to break.Back from commercial and Carmella is stomping a proverbial mudhole in the corner. Charlotte fends off a charge, off the ropes, tilt-a-whirl headscissors into a big right hand gets Carmella a nearfall, overhead elbows into a reverse chinlock on the mat. Flair in danger of breaking free but Carmella reapplies it after a struggle. Charlotte gets to her feet and the Princess of Staten Island floats over into a sitout mat slam.Up top, diving crossbody gets her to, roll-through into an Oklahoma roll for two, a stomp into the turnbuckle, inverted DDT... NOPE! A superkick, waistlock, standing switch, O'Connor roll gets Flair a nearfall...
Charlotte Flair wins by pinfall with a kick to the face.
Natalya makes her entrance. She says she's so happy to hear that Charlotte's father, Ric Flair, is recovering. Nothing makes her happier than knowing her dad gets to watch Hell in a Cell and see his overrated daughter fail. Wooo, ha ha ha. Nattie holds the title high while Charlotte makes the international "I'm winning that belt" gesture.
Back from commercial, we're informed that the Fashion Files will return next week.
DONG.
The Undertaker makes his entrance... except it's Dolph Ziggler, because of course it is. He gets on the mic and says we look like we saw a ghost, which gets a "You suck!" chant. He's sorry, we're right, we see a dead man walking. Everybody's favorite, the Undertaker! Did you really think you'd get to see the Undertaker twice in one year?Anyone can put on a Halloween costume and hobble to the ring a zombie, Dolph says, but no one can do what he does in this ring. No one. None of care, and he doesn't give a da-- GLORIOUS! Here comes Bobby Roode at long last to end this charade.
He gets in the ring and on the mic and puts Dolph over as amazing talent and in-ring competitor... but he's also a hypocrite. For a guy who says he doesn't care about what the WWE Universe thinks about him, he sure wastes a lot of time telling them every week. But they're a lot alike, they both demand respect in the ring, and Ziggler claims to be one of the greatest in-ring competitors in WWE, so why not back it up?Roode and Ziggler... at Hell in a Cell. Dolph runs down his checklist-- flashy robe, check; smoke & mirrors entrance, check; in-ring skills... not so much. Bobby is everything wrong with WWE, he says. And he wants a match with him? At Hell in a Cell, he's on. Oh, by the way, don't smile too fast, spoiler alert; anyone who gets in the ring with him, they REST IN--Bobby cuts him off and says Hell in a Cell is going to be absolutely... glorious
Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn
Right in with the Frye/Takayama punches, whip reversed and Owens wipes Zayn out with a back elbow! Kicks, disdainful slap, drawing Sami up for a short-arm lariat, charging corner lariat sets up the cannonball! The action spills outside, Kev puts Zayn into the barricade face-first a few times before kicking him against it and fishhooking him to throw him back in the ring.KO lying in wait, off the ropes but Sami fires off a lariat to stay in the fight! Owens throws him outside again and staggers to his feet as referee Charles Robinson begins his count. Kev heads outside and charges only to get wiped out by a second lariat! We cut to a backstage door when Shane McMahon walks through, and we head to break.
Back from commercial, Zayn slingshots back in the ring and runs into a superkick from Owens.NO GOOD! Package lift applied, Sami fights out, knucklelock, step-up tornado DDT! Calling for the Helluva Kick but he only runs into another superkick! Off the ropes, pop-up, float over the powerbomb attempt, Blue Thunder Driver.NOT ENOUGH!Charging in for the Helluva Kick again, KO bails.Looking for the through-the-corner suicide dive tornado DDT... OWENS CUTS HIM OFF WITH A SUPERKICK! APRON POWERBOMB! Sami gasping in pain, Robinson calls it.
Kevin Owens wins by referee stoppage.
A trainer and EMTs tend to Zayn along with Robinson, helping him out on his feet as Owens sits on the announce table... HE'S BACK FOR MORE! A club from behind and he steps on Sami's throat! He heads over to the timekeeper's area and grabs a chair, five-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion Adam Pearce warning him not to do it as he wraps the chair around Zayn's head!Shane McMahon is here! KO waves him on but throws Sami into Shane such that the back edge of the chair clips McMahon in the face! (EVIL's gonna have to step up his work, guys!) Owens makes good his escape through the crowd and Shane calls him out from the turnbuckles! Kev waves goodbye and blows him a kiss!
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