WWE SmackDown LIVE Results: July 25, 2017By Cassidy| July 26, 2017 WWE SmackDown Previous Page Detailed Results After an unusual and somewhat controversial victory over AJ Styles at Battleground, SmackDown LIVE kicks off with the brand new United States Champion Kevin Owens. The new champion says that, if you are a “good person”, then “good things” will happen and that’s just what happened when he took the United States Title from that “thief” AJ Styles. Owens then says that he is reinstating the Kevin Owens United States Title Open Challenge and it will begin next week. Owens continues, saying that there is no way he would defend the United States Title in front of a bunch of “hicks” like the ones in Richmond, VA. This brings out the former champion AJ Styles as Kevin Owens says that Styles better be out there to congratulate him and admit that he is the “better man”. AJ says that he’s not out there for that, he’s out there to get his rematch for the United States Title. Owens argues that he already said that he’s not defending the United States Title tonight against AJ Styles or “anyone”. However, the crowd in Richmond is then brought to their feet by the return of another man who is still owed a rematch for the United States Title as “Y2J” Chris Jericho makes his return to SmackDown LIVE after being put on the shelf by Kevin Owens back in May! Chris Jericho first proclaims that it’s the “return of Jericho”, saying “welcome back maaan”. Jericho then says that the last time he was on SmackDown LIVE, he was being stretchered out of the arena after being assaulted by Kevin Owens. “Y2J” then declares that he is back and he is there to get his rematch for the United States Title “right here, right now tonight”! AJ Styles tells Chris Jericho that they’re glad that he’s back but a lot has happened while Jericho has been gone, saying that he’s the one getting the rematch. As Kevin Owens leaves the ring, Jericho asks Styles if he knows what happens when you try and cut in line in front of Chris Jericho before putting AJ on the List of Jericho! Jericho then notices that Kevin Owens was trying to walk away, telling the United States Champion to come back to the ring. Owens was then more than ready to continue walking to the back when he is stopped by SmackDown LIVE Commissioner Shane McMahon! Shane says that he would appreciate it if Kevin Owens would stay out there because what he has to say concerns Kevin Owens as well as the United States Championship. The Commissioner then makes the huge announcement that Kevin Owens will defend the United States Title against both AJ Styles and Chris Jericho in a Triple Threat Match and that match will take place right here tonight in Richmond! After Baron Corbin used a blatant low blow to get out of his match with Shinsuke Nakamura at Battleground, the rematch would take place on SmackDown LIVE as the opening match of the night would see “The Rockstar” Shinsuke Nakamura go one-on-one with “Mr. Money-in-the-Bank” Baron Corbin. During the match, Baron Corbin would again try to take the easy way out by low-blowing Shinsuke Nakamura but Nakamura would avoid the low blow before sizing “Mr. Money-in-the-Bank” up and delivering the Kinshasa, pinning Baron Corbin to pick up the win. Backstage, an interview with SmackDown Women’s Champion Naomi is interrupted by Naomi’s SummerSlam opponent, Natalya, as Natalya says that Naomi has “tarnished” the SmackDown Women’s Title by turning it into a “kid’s toy”. Natalya then says that Naomi has no respect for the legends that paved the way for her to be champion, saying that, at SummerSlam, she’s going to take the SmackDown Women’s Title and “restore honor” back to the championship. Naomi fires back, saying that Natalya is stuck in that “dirty dungeon of the past” that she can’t see that “this is the now”, saying that the “women’s evolution” is about the “future” and the light-up title belt represents that. Naomi then says that she “respects tradition” and she earned the SmackDown Women’s Title, saying that she added a little “piece” of herself to it. Naomi then tells Natalya to keep throwing her “shade” because, at SummerSlam, Natalya is going to be “blinded by the glow”. Natalya then storms off before “Ms. Money-in-the-Bank” Carmella confronts the champion, telling Naomi that she just wanted to remind Naomi that her and her Money-in-the-Bank contract are “looking to the future”, letting Naomi know that, wherever the champion goes, she’s not far behind. After coming up short in the Five-Way Elimination Match that was ultimately won by Natalya, “The Irish Lass Kicker” Becky Lynch would team with “The Queen” Charlotte Flair to face “The Ravishing Russian” Lana and her apparent bodyguard Tamina. In the end, Lana would decide to tag herself into the match and this would end up costing her team as Charlotte Flair would knock Tamina out of the ring before blasting Lana with a big boot, pinning Lana to pick up the win for herself and Becky Lynch. After the match, Tamina was visibly infuriated at Lana for losing the match, shouting at a distraught Lana before ordering Lana to follow her. After the returning Great Khali provided a major assist in the Punjabi Prison Match that allowed Jinder Mahal to escape the Prison and successfully retain the WWE Championship against Randy Orton at Battleground, WWE Champion Jinder Mahal would make an appearance on SmackDown LIVE as “The Modern Day Maharaja” would demand an opponent for SummerSlam. The WWE Champion says that he “crushed the legacy” of Randy Orton at Battleground, saying that Orton “underestimated” him before saying that he will stay WWE Champion as long as he wants. Jinder then demands to know who he will be defending the WWE Championship against at SummerSlam, vowing to crush their “hopes” at SummerSlam. This brings out sixteen-time former World Champion John Cena as Jinder Mahal tells Cena that he knows exactly what Cena is going to say. Jinder then guesses that Cena is going to say that Jinder doesn’t deserve to be WWE Champion and that he would not be the champion if it wasn’t for The Singh Brothers and The Great Khali. Cena says that he was not going to say anything like that before saying that he “respects” that Jinder is in the best shape of his life and he respects that Jinder will do “whatever it takes” to hang onto the WWE Championship. Cena then tells Jinder that this is a “heads up” that Jinder can bring whatever and whoever he wants at SummerSlam but it’s not going to be enough because he’s “Super Cena” before vowing to walk out of SummerSlam as a seventeen-time World Champion. Cena then exits the ring before SmackDown LIVE General Manager Daniel Bryan comes out to the stage. The GM first congratulates both Jinder and Cena on their victories at Battleground before Daniel says that Cena doesn’t make the matches, he and Shane do. Daniel then says that opportunities are “earned” on SmackDown LIVE even if your name is John Cena. The GM then announces that, on next week’s SmackDown LIVE, John Cena will go one-on-one with a man who was impressive earlier tonight as Cena will face Shinsuke Nakamura next week with the winner facing Jinder Mahal for the WWE Championship at SummerSlam! In a mash-up of feuds from Battleground, “The Underdog from the Underground” Sami Zayn would team up with “The Perfect Ten” Tye Dillinger to face Mike Kanellis, with Maria Kanellis in his corner, and Aiden English in tag team action. In the end, it was the boys from Canada getting the win as Sami Zayn would connect with the Helluva Kick to Mike Kanellis, pinning Mike to pick up the win for himself and Tye Dillinger. Following their victory over The Usos at Battleground to become the new SmackDown Tag Team Champions, The New Day were set to celebrate their title win on SmackDown LIVE but, before the new champions could even make their trademark introduction, they would be ambushed by the former champions, The Usos! After taking out Big E in the back, The Usos would smack Xavier Woods face-first off of the stage before sending Kofi Kingston face-first into the edge of the LED board on the stage! Big E then tries to make the save, but the big man is leveled by a pair of super kicks from The Usos. Referees then come out to break it up and to check on The New Day as the former champions stand tall, having annihilated the new champions. Then it was time for a big main event as, just two nights after winning the United States Title from AJ Styles at Battleground, “The New Face of America” Kevin Owens would defend the United States Championship against “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles and the returning “Y2J” Chris Jericho in a Triple Threat Match! During a wild Triple Threat Match, Chris Jericho would knock AJ Styles off of the ring apron before “Y2J” locks in the Walls of Jericho on Kevin Owens before releasing the hold so that he could hit Styles with the Codebreaker, but AJ would kick out! Shortly after this, AJ Styles would go for the Phenomenal Forearm but Chris Jericho would kick the ropes, resulting in AJ crashing and burning to the outside. This would give Kevin Owens the opening to catch Jericho with a super kick before planting “Y2J” with the Pop-Up Powerbomb but Jericho was somehow able to kick out! A frustrated Kevin Owens would then head to the top rope, hitting the frog splash on Chris Jericho before AJ Styles comes back into the ring and tosses Owens out of the ring, pinning Jericho to win the United States Title just two nights after losing it with Kevin Owens just barely unable to break it up! As AJ Styles celebrates winning the United States Title, Kevin Owens is left in a state of absolute shock after losing the title before Owens’ shock turns to rage as the former champion takes his frustrations out on the announce table and the ringside area. Owens then grabs a microphone, heading back into the ring and saying that it’s “not fair” that Chris Jericho returned and it’s “not fair” that Shane McMahon made him defend his United States Title tonight. Owens then says that it’s “not fair” that AJ Styles “stole” his victory and it’s “not fair” that the fans hate him because he’s “better” than all of them. “The New Face of America” then says that, what is fair, is him getting his rematch for the United States Championship next week and, whether anyone likes it or not, he will take his United States Title back next week! AJ Styles then continues his celebration, having become the first Superstar in nearly 35 years to win the United States Title in the city of Richmond! What did you think of this week’s SmackDown LIVE? Post your comments in the box below.
