WWE SmackDown Results: July 14, 2016

Detailed Results

SmackDown kicks off with a rematch from RAW as “The Boss” Sasha Banks would go one-on-one with Charlotte’s protégé Dana Brooke, with Women’s Champion Charlotte in her corner. During the match, Sasha Banks would go for a roll-up on Dana Brooke, but Charlotte would get on the ring apron and “The Boss” would take her focus off of Dana Brooke to knock the Women’s Champion off of the ring apron. However, Dana would fail to capitalize and Sasha would lock in the Bank Statement, making Dana tap out to pick up the win. After the match, there would be no time for celebration as Charlotte blindsides Sasha Banks with a big boot, knocking “The Boss” to the outside before picking Sasha up and tossing her over the announce table! Charlotte then stands on top of the announce table, telling Sasha that “The Boss” will never beat her before Charlotte holds the Women’s Title belt high.

With a United States Title defense against Zack Ryder coming up a week from Sunday at Battleground, the United States Champion was in action on SmackDown as Rusev, with Lana in his corner, would go one-on-one with Dolph Ziggler in a non-title match. During the match, Rusev was about to lock in the Accolade on Dolph Ziggler when Rusev’s Battleground opponent Zack Ryder would come out in an attempt to distract the United States Champion. However, the attempt would fail and Rusev would end up tossing Dolph into Ryder on the outside before Rusev rolls both men back into the ring. This is when Rusev would try to get a piece of Zack Ryder, but Ryder would roll out of the ring and Ziggler would take advantage, surprising Rusev with a roll-up to pin the United States Champion for the win! As Ziggler and Ryder celebrate on the stage, Rusev loses it as the United States Champion rips off a couple of the turnbuckle pads before ripping the monitors out of the announce table before Rusev storms to the back.

Ten nights before they team up with John Cena to face The Club in a 6-Man Tag match at Battleground, Enzo & Cass would face The Club’s AJ Styles & Karl Anderson, with Luke Gallows in their corner, in tag team action on SmackDown. In the end, a distraction from Luke Gallows would draw Big Cass to the outside as Big Cass takes Gallows out with a big boot before Karl Anderson takes Cass out with a knee to the face. Anderson then hangs Enzo Amore up on the top rope, allowing AJ Styles to lock in the Calf Crusher, making Enzo tap out to pick up the win for AJ Styles & Karl Anderson.

After Breezango defeated The Lucha Dragons on RAW, The Lucha Dragons’ Kalisto, with Sin Cara in his corner, would go one-on-one with Breezango’s Tyler Breeze, with Fandango in his corner. In the end, it was Kalisto hitting the Salida del Sol, pinning Tyler Breeze to pick up the win.

After winning a battle royal on RAW to become the new #1 Contender for the Intercontinental Championship with a shot at the title at Battleground, Darren Young and his mentor Bob Backlund would be guests on Miz TV. After Maryse introduces her husband, Intercontinental Champion The Miz introduces his guests as Darren Young and WWE Hall of Famer Bob Backlund make their way to the ring. The Miz would first show a special video package, highlighting the career of WWE Hall of Famer Bob Backlund, focusing on his reign as WWE Champion, which was the second longest of all-time. The Miz then presents the career highlights of Darren Young, which amounts to just a test pattern on the Tron as the Intercontinental Champion claims that he couldn’t find any of Darren’s career highlights. The #1 Contender laughs it off before saying that, under the tutelage of Bob Backlund, he knows he can be a “great champion” and, at Battleground, all he needs to do is take the Intercontinental Title from The Miz.

The Miz then says that Darren didn’t so much “win” the battle royal on RAW as it was more like everyone else “lost”. Bob Backlund then says that you have to be a “great role model” to be a “great champion” and The Miz is not a role model, saying they need a “role model” as the Intercontinental Champion. The Miz responds by saying that Bob Backlund looks like “Howdy Doody” and has the wrestling knowledge of “Forrest Gump”. Naturally, Darren Young takes offense to this, getting in The Miz’s face and saying that he’s going to teach The Miz a lesson in “respect” at Battleground when he beats The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship. The Miz then decides to back away from the fight as he and Maryse exit the ring.

Backstage, Women’s Champion Charlotte and her protégé Dana Brooke confront Sasha Banks as Charlotte says that she is going to give “The Boss” her match at Battleground. However, instead of putting the Women’s Title on the line against Sasha at Battleground, Charlotte says that she is giving Sasha a tag team match at Battleground as “The Boss” will have to find a tag partner to face Charlotte & Dana Brooke.

Before he defends the WWE Title against Seth Rollins this coming Monday night on RAW, the WWE Champion was in action in the main event as Dean Ambrose would go one-on-one with a familiar rival in Kevin Owens in a non-title match with Seth Rollins a guest on commentary. However, the match would only last a few minutes as, once Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens take the fight to the outside, the WWE Champion would get in Seth Rollins’ face and, as soon as Ambrose’s back is turned, Rollins attacks Ambrose, ending the match by disqualification. As Rollins and Ambrose brawl in the ring, Sami Zayn rushes to the ring with his sights set on his Battleground opponent Kevin Owens with Ambrose and Zayn getting the better of their respective rivals, leaving the two men standing tall in the ring.

After a brawl broke out moments earlier, ruining the original main event, the new main event would see WWE Champion Dean Ambrose team with Sami Zayn to face the team of Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens. At the end of a wild match, it was Kevin Owens pulling Seth Rollins out of the way of the Helluva Kick from Sami Zayn before Rollins plants Zayn with the Pedigree, pinning Zayn to pick up the win for himself and Kevin Owens. After the match, Kevin Owens would look to powerbomb Sami Zayn on the ring apron, but Dean Ambrose comes to the rescue, taking out Kevin Owens before the WWE Champion sets his sights on Seth Rollins in the ring. Ambrose enters the ring and a brawl breaks out between the two rivals, but when the champion goes for Dirty Deeds, Seth Rollins fights out before retreating from the ring, standing tall alongside Kevin Owens in the entrance way as Ambrose and Sami Zayn stand tall in the ring on the final Thursday night episode of SmackDown.

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