WWE SmackDown Live Results: July 26, 2016

Detailed Results

SmackDown Live opens with SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon and SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan in the backstage area, walking through the curtain into the arena. Daniel Bryan says that it’s a new era on SmackDown and SmackDown Live is not about them, it’s about the “amazing Superstars” and giving them the opportunities that they deserve with Shane McMahon adding that it’s all about the fans at home and the fans in the crowd. Shane and Bryan then lead the crowd in a “Yes” chant before the show officially gets underway.

The first SmackDown Live of a new era then officially gets underway with Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan in the ring with the SmackDown Live roster filling the ring apron as Randy Orton, John Cena, AJ Styles, Demon Kane, Bray Wyatt, Erick Rowan, Intercontinental Champion The Miz, Maryse, Natalya, Becky Lynch, Carmella, Alexa Bliss, Eva Marie, Naomi, Dolph Ziggler, Baron Corbin, Apollo Crews, Mojo Rawley, Zack Ryder, Alberto Del Rio, Kalisto, The Vaudevillains, The Ascension, Breezango, The Usos, and American Alpha are all present. Shane says that, as Daniel Bryan was saying, SmackDown Live is all about opportunities and seizing those opportunities. The SmackDown Commissioner then promotes the first SmackDown-only pay-per-view on September 11 called Backlash.

Shane then says that he’s getting a little ahead of himself because they’ve still got SummerSlam coming up and, since SmackDown Live is the exclusive home of reigning WWE World Champion Dean Ambrose and the WWE World Championship, they need to find Ambrose an opponent for SummerSlam. Shane then introduces the WWE World Champion as SmackDown Live’s #1 pick Dean Ambrose makes his way to the ring with the gaze of every SmackDown Live Superstar on him. The WWE World Champion says that he’s ready for a “new challenge” and he’s got the “SmackDown Live fever”, asking the Superstars around him which one of them is ready to face him and try to take the WWE World Championship. Daniel Bryan says that is why he loves Dean Ambrose because Ambrose will fight “anyone at any time”.

The SmackDown General Manager then announces that there will be a Six Pack Challenge #1 Contender’s Match tonight where six Superstars will compete with the winner becoming the new #1 Contender for the WWE World Championship and a shot at the championship against Dean Ambrose at SummerSlam! Daniel then introduces the first of six participants in the #1 Contender’s Six Pack Challenge as fifteen-time former World Champion John Cena is selected as Cena steps into the ring, standing next to the WWE World Champion. Shane McMahon then reveals the second participant to be “The Eater of Worlds” Bray Wyatt, who also steps into the ring, standing next to two of his most intense rivals. Daniel then announces the third participant as Dolph Ziggler steps into the ring, followed by “The Lone Wolf” Baron Corbin and “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles as the fourth and fifth participants, respectively. The SmackDown General Manager then points out that they have only named five of the six participants for the Six Pack Challenge, stating that the sixth spot is “open to anyone”, explaining that the sixth and final spot in the #1 Contender’s match will be decided by a battle royal and that battle royal is next!

With the new SmackDown Live announce team of Mauro Ranallo, David Otunga, and John “Bradshaw” Layfield calling the action from ringside, the opening match would determine who would join John Cena, Bray Wyatt, Dolph Ziggler, Baron Corbin, and AJ Styles in a #1 Contender’s Six Pack Challenge later in the night to determine the new #1 Contender for the WWE World Championship as Apollo Crews, Kalisto, Zack Ryder, Mojo Rawley, Aiden English, Simon Gotch, Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, Tyler Breeze, Fandango, Konnor, Viktor, Erick Rowan, Alberto Del Rio, & Demon Kane all compete in a battle royal for the opportunity. Demon Kane is the first Superstar to make an impact in the battle royal, eliminating Simon Gotch from the match by tossing Gotch over the top rope with both of Gotch’s feet hitting the floor before continuing to clear the ring by eliminating both members of The Ascension at the same time! Later on in the match, Breezango would work together to eliminate Jey Uso from the match before Aiden English gets eliminated and Mojo Rawley sends Erick Rowan over the top rope to the floor. Alberto Del Rio then eliminates Mojo Rawley before Zack Ryder and Apollo Crews work together to eliminate Alberto Del Rio from the match.

Demon Kane then eliminates both members of Breezango, leaving the battle royal down to just four Superstars as Kalisto, Zack Ryder, Apollo Crews, and Demon Kane remain with a spot in the #1 Contender’s Six Pack Challenge on the line. Kalisto, Ryder, & Apollo then decide to work together to take out the biggest threat in the match with Kalisto hitting Demon Kane with a kick to the head, followed up with a missile dropkick from Zack Ryder and a standing moonsault from Apollo Crews! With Demon Kane down, but not eliminated, the other three competitors would take turns trying to eliminate each other with Kalisto hitting Apollo Crews with the Salida del Sol before Zack Ryder attempts the El-Bro Drop, but slips off of the top rope. Kalisto then takes down Ryder but this is when Demon Kane gets back to his feet as the veteran eliminates Kalisto before Zack Ryder hits both Demon Kane and Apollo Crews with the Broski Boot.

However, when Ryder sizes Demon Kane up for the Rough Ryder, “The Big Red Machine” catches Ryder by the throat before eliminating Ryder from the match. Demon Kane then tries to chokeslam Apollo Crews, by the hyper-athletic Crews flips out of Kane’s grasp and, when Kane charges, Apollo lowers the top rope and Demon Kane is sent to the outside as Apollo Crews wins the battle royal to join John Cena, Bray Wyatt, Dolph Ziggler, Baron Corbin, and AJ Styles in a Six Pack Challenge to decide who will face Dean Ambrose for the WWE World Championship at SummerSlam!

In a rematch from Battleground, the women were in action on SmackDown Live as “The Irish Lass Kicker” Becky Lynch would go one-on-one with “The Queen of Black Hearts” Natalya. In a hard-fought, technical contest, Becky Lynch would manage to avoid getting trapped in the Sharpshooter like she did at Battleground, ultimately locking in the Dis-Arm-Her on Natalya, making Natalya tap out to pick up the win and avenge her loss at Battleground. After the match, Becky Lynch would be interviewed about her victory, but the interview would be interrupted by the debuting Superstar from NXT, Alexa Bliss. Alexa states that she is SmackDown Live’s “new hottest star” before saying that Becky is looking at the “personification” of what the new era looks like.

This brings out Naomi, who confronts Alexa Bliss, saying that Alexa hasn’t even competed on SmackDown Live yet, proclaiming that she’s going to “shine”. This brings out another draftee from NXT as Carmella comes out, proclaiming herself as the “Princess of Staten Island” before saying that Tuesday nights are about to get “fabulous”. Then, much to the chagrin of the live crowd, Eva Marie interrupts with an over-the-top introduction complete with red lighting and a voice-over introduction that tells everyone to be “dazzled” and “entranced” by “all red everything herself” Eva Marie, who blows a kiss to the rest of the Women’s Division.

Following a title defense against RAW’s Darren Young that ended in a double disqualification, Intercontinental Champion The Miz and his wife Maryse would be on SmackDown Live for Miz TV. The Miz then teases that his guest is Randy Orton before realizing that his guest is the Intercontinental Champion himself. The Miz then interviews himself, asking himself how he can remain so “humble” when everyone looks up to him. The Miz then answers, saying that people need a “hero” and he is everything that the “average person is not”. Having heard enough from The Miz, Randy Orton interrupts Miz TV, making his way to the ring to confront the Intercontinental Champion. “The Viper” says that he thought that The Miz was talking about him before saying that The Miz is an expert at “playing with” himself. The Intercontinental Champion then asks Randy Orton what he’s doing out there, reminding Orton of his match against Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam. Orton calls Brock the “legend of the one in 23-1” before saying that he used to make a pretty good living in WWE “killing legends”, saying that it only takes one RKO to send Lesnar to “Viperville”.

The Miz comments that Orton hasn’t competed in WWE for nine months, saying that his “first match back” might be his “last match” come SummerSlam. Orton responds by saying that SummerSlam doesn’t have to be his “first match back”, saying that he thought that his first match back in nine months could be right here tonight against the Intercontinental Champion! The Miz declines the challenge, saying Orton doesn’t deserve a shot at the Intercontinental Championship. “The Viper” then offers a non-title match before The Miz says that he’s not going to fall for Orton’s “tricks”. Orton then asks Miz if he’s afraid that Miz will get his “ass whipped” in front of his “pretty little wife”, asking who is doing the “pitching” and who is doing the “catching” in their relationship! Clearly more bothered by Randy Orton’s comments than her husband, Maryse says that, if Orton wants a match with The Miz, then the Intercontinental Champion accepts!

In an impromptu match, Randy Orton would compete for the first time in nine months as “The Viper” would go one-on-one with Intercontinental Champion The Miz, with Maryse in his corner, in a non-title match on SmackDown Live. Early on in the match, The Miz would toss Randy Orton to the outside and “The Viper” would land awkwardly on Orton’s surgically repaired shoulder. The Miz would immediately target the injured shoulder, sending Orton into the barricade on the outside before sending Orton shoulder-first into the steel steps. The Intercontinental Champion would then roll Randy Orton back into the ring, but when The Miz slides back into the ring, “The Viper” springs up and catches Miz with the RKO! However, Orton would not go for the pin, getting back to his feet, sizing The Miz up before planting Miz with a second RKO, pinning the Intercontinental Champion to pick up the win in his return to action.

With a local competitor in the ring ready for a scheduled match, the only Superstar who went undrafted in last week’s WWE Draft enters from the crowd as Heath Slater enters the ring, taking the competitor down with a right hand before kicking him out of the ring. Clearly frustrated over not getting drafted to either brand, Heath Slater says that, if Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan want to lead SmackDown Live into the new era, then they should put him in the Six Pack Challenge and make it a Seven Pack Challenge. Slater then leads a “sign Heath Slater” chant from the crowd before SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon comes out, suggesting that Heath Slater fills out a resume.

Slater then suggests that Shane go and look him up on the WWE Network, saying that he was the “brains” behind The Nexus, The Corre, 3MB, and The Social Outcasts and he’s also a three-time former WWE Tag Team Champion. Slater then proclaims that he is the “hottest free agent” in wrestling today. However, this is when a familiar face enters the ring behind Slater as ECW legend Rhyno emerges from under the ring, flattening Heath Slater with the Gore! “The Man Beast” then stands tall in the ring, making it clear that he has arrived on SmackDown Live.

Then it was time for the main event of SmackDown Live as Bray Wyatt, AJ Styles, Dolph Ziggler, Baron Corbin, Apollo Crews, and John Cena would all compete in a #1 Contender’s Six Pack Challenge with the first man to score a pinfall or submission earning himself a shot at the WWE World Championship against Dean Ambrose at SummerSlam. During the frantic match, Apollo Crews would hit his signature sitout powerbomb on Baron Corbin, but when Apollo tries to pin Corbin, Bray Wyatt pulls the referee out of the ring, taking the referee out! Bray then enters the ring, hitting Crews with Sister Abigail before Dolph Ziggler catches Wyatt with the Zig Zag, but with no referee, Dolph’s pin would go unattended. Ziggler then sizes Bray up for a super kick, but John Cena comes back into the ring, hitting Dolph with the Attitude Adjustment before Cena counters Sister Abigail from Bray Wyatt, shoving Bray right into a Pele Kick from AJ Styles. Cena then hits the Attitude Adjustment on AJ Styles, but “The Phenomenal One” manages to kick out!

Apollo Crews then tries to take Cena down with a high cross body, but Cena rolls through before hitting Crews with the Attitude Adjustment. Cena then catches Bray Wyatt, dropping Wyatt with an Attitude Adjustment as well followed by an Attitude Adjustment to Baron Corbin! AJ Styles then takes Cena out with the Phenomenal Forearm before Dolph blasts Styles with a super kick, scoring the three-count over Styles to win a chaotic Six Pack Challenge to become the new #1 Contender for the WWE World Championship! An elated Dolph Ziggler then celebrates with the fans before continuing his celebration in the ring before WWE World Champion Dean Ambrose makes his way to the ring to confront the new #1 Contender. The champion and challenger then come face-to-face with Dean Ambrose holding the WWE World Title belt high above his head, making it clear that, come SummerSlam, Dean Ambrose and Dolph Ziggler will fight tooth and nail over the top prize in WWE at “The Biggest Event of the Summer”.

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