The August 28th, 2018 edition of WWE SmackDown Live took place at the ScotiaBank Arena in Toronto, Ontario.
– SmackDown Tag Team Champions The New Day come out to the ring with a big trophy in the middle. We see a replay of The New Day’s Tag Title win, and then Xavier gets on the mic to discuss recapturing their Titles. Big E gets on the mic and says there’s no better place to celebrate than Toronto, and he talks about being five-time champions, when suddenly King Booker T interrupts. The five-time WCW Champion walks down the ramp to the ring. The crowd chants for Booker T as he gets on the mic and introduces himself as King Booker, ruler of the SmackDown universe. The New Day bows down to King Booker, and Booker ‘knights’ the New Day members. Big E complains about not getting a royal nickname like Woods and Kofi, and Big E tells Booker he just went “full Saxton,” in reference to Byron Saxton. Booker says “tell me you did not just say that,” and the admonishes Big E. Booker welcomes The New Day to the five-time champion club, “can you dig that suckaaaa.” The New Day asks booker to do a spinaroonie before he leaves. Booker takes off his robe and crown and he graces the crowd with a flawless spinaroonie. Booker T makes Woods and Kofi do the spinaroonie and they pull it off, but Big E has some trouble spinning. Booker T heads to the back, but The New Day will stay at ringside to do commentary.
– The Bar vs. Gallows & Anderson vs. The Colons: Karl Anderson strts off strong with strikes on Sheamus, but Cesaro is able to get the tag and they double team Anderson. Cesary lays into Anderson with strikes until Anderson is able to fire back with a spinning heel kick. Gallows tags in and puts the boots to Cesaro in the corner. Primo and Anderson come in now and trade strikes until Epico gets the tag and they double team Karl. Epico misses a shot in the corner and Anderson kicks him. Anderson gets distracted by Primo, and Epico dumps him to the outside. Cesaro comes in now and continues the offense on Anderson until Sheamus gets the tag for the double-team. Sheamus beats on Anderson until he comes back with a neckbreaker, and both men are down. Cesaro and Gallows get the tags at the same time and Gallows cleans house. Gallows hits a splash in the corner and a big boot, and then he boots Epico as he runs in. Gallows hits a pump handle slam on Cesaro and then a running splash for a two count. Everyone runs in from the aprons now as this one breaks down and the ref struggles to regain control. Gallows and Anderson end up cleaning house and then looking for the Magic Killer on Primo, but Epico breaks it up. The Colons hit a double backstabber on Gallows, then Cesaro gets the blind tag and clears the Colons out of the ring. Cesaro steals the pin on Gallows for the win.
Winners: The Bar
– The Bar gets in The New Day’s faces at ringside after the match.
– Rusev Day, including Aiden, approaches SmackDown GM Paige backstage. Paige books a triple threat tag match for next week: Rusev Day vs. The Usos vs. Sanity. The winners face The Bar for a shot at the Tag Titles.
– We go to a video package looking at the history between Becky Lynch and Charlotte.
– Still to come: Charlotte defends her Women’s Title against Carmella
– Jeff Hardy is shown backstage with face paint reading “RKO” on the side of the his face.
– Jeff Hardy comes out to the ring and gets on the mic. Jeff talks about his feud with Randy Orton, and shows us a replay of him diving off some production equipment with a Swanton Bomb on Orton through the table. Jeff says that made him feel alive again, and then he calls out Orton to fight him right now. Orton comes out and gets on the mic, and says he’s going to take Jeff’s identity. Orton starts walking to the ring, but then changes his mind and says he won’t face Jeff on his terms, and Jeff is just as dumb as these Canadians. Jeff challenges Orton to a Hell In A Cell match and the crowd pops, and Orton backs away up the ramp.
– Carmella is backstage for an interview with Renee Young. Carmella takes credit for putting a spotlight on the women’s division, and says Becky is throwing a temper tantrum. Carmella mentions she beat Charlotte twice, and tonight will be the third time. As Carmella walks off, R-Truth walks in looking for Carmella. Tye Dillinger walks in and tells Truth to let it go. Truth says he’s right, and it’s all about timing, and when the time is right the Truth will set her free.
– Billie Kay vs. Naomi: The Iiconics cut a brief promo on the ramp before the match, trashing Toronto and Naomi. The opening bell sounds and Billie connects with some strikes early on and controls the opening moments of this one. Naomi fires up and hits a flying clothesline and starts mounting a comeback. Peyton Royce interferes from ringside, which leads to Billie rolling up Noami from behind for the three count after a short match.
Winner: Billie Kay
– Still to come: AJ Styles is in the house and he has a message for Samoa Joe.
– Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella are backstage watching a replay of their brawl with The Miz last week.
– Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella make their way out to the ring next, and they have microphones. Bryan gets on the mic and calls out The Miz and says he’s a coward. Brie says The Miz and Maryse are always running their mouths, and it felt good to punch The Miz in the face. They talk about their plans to beat Miz and Maryse at Hell In A Cell, and then Andrade Alams and Zelina Vega come out to interrupt. Zelina gets on the mic and introduces herself and Almas, and she talks about Almas being more of a legend than Bryan, and that Almas would out-wrestle Bryan. Almas gets on the mic and says he’s more of a star than Bryan, while the crowd chants “what” in between everything he says. Bryan says he would fight Almas right now, but he’s not SmackDown GM anymore. Paige comes out and asks the crowd if they want to see the match, and the crowd chants “yes.” Paige makes the match official, and it’s next.
– Daniel Bryan vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas: Brie Bell and Zelina Vega are both at ringside for this one. Almas starts off strong and when Bryan tries to mount a comeback, Almas hits a neckbreaker and reverse DDT. Elmas hits a version of a surfboard submission until Bryan esapes. Almas stuns Bryan with a kick to the head, then lays into him with chops to the chest. Bryan fires back with chops to the chest of his own now and then a series of kicks in the corner. Bryan hits a running knee in the corner, and then Almas comes back with one of his own. Almas goes for another running knee in the corner, but Bryan dodges it and Almas crashes down to the ringside floor. Bryan beats on Almas at ringside before taking things back to the mat. Almas fires back with a spinning elbow to the face for a two count. The Miz and Maryse are shown watching on a monitor backstage, and then they walk off. Almas goes up top, but Bryan stops him with a running dropkick and then a suplex. The Miz comes out to interrupt, and the distraction causes Almas to get a cheap shot in on Bryan. Bryan drops Almas and then hits a dive on Miz at ringside and pummels on him. Back in the ring, Almas drops Bryan and goes up top for a moonsault, but Bryan blocks it with his feet. Bryan follows up with the Yes Lock. Zelina gets on the apron to distract he ref until Brie drops her. Maryse then attacks Brie from behind. The distraction causes Miz to release the Yes Lock, and then The Miz hits the ring and attacks Bryan from behind
Winner via DQ: Daniel Bryan
– After the match, Almas hits his hammerlock DDT on Bryan, and then Miz locks him in the Yes Lock. Maryse takes Brie in the ring and Zelina hits a knee to Brie’s face, and then Maryse hits a DDT on her. Miz then hits the Skull Crushing Finale on Bryan.
– Charlotte does an interview backstage where she says Becky expected her to lay down for her at SummerSlam. Charlotte says Becky wants to have the spotlight, and she’ll get it after Charlotte goes through Carmella tonight.
– WWE Champion AJ Styles comes out to the ring next. We see a replay of Joe attacking AJ last week, and then AJ starts cutting a promo on Joe. AJ says Joe isn’t a real man, and then Joe gets on the big screen to interrupt. They briefly exchange words, and then Joe picks up his phone and says he’s calling AJ’s wife Wendy. Joe says he’s going to send AJ home after Hell In A Cell, and Joe tells Wendy he might stop by next Tuesday. AJ rolls out of the ring and storms to the backstage area.
– Back from the break, AJ is shown backstage looking around for Joe and yelling for him to come out. AJ can’t find him and looks frustrated.
– Charlotte (c) vs. Carmella: Charlotte’s Women’s Championship is on the line in this one. The opening bell sounds and Carmella comes out strong in the opening moments. Charlotte shuts down her momentum with some suplexes, and Charlotte kicks back up to her feet. Charlotte walks over Carmella and climbs up top, but Carmella gets up and shoves Charlotte off the top rope down to the ringsie floor. Carmella follows up with a suicide dive through the ropes on Charlotte, then takes her back in the ring for a two count. Carmella applies a chin lock and tries to keep the Champion grounded until Charlotte fires back with a back suplex. Charlotte follows up with chops to the hest until Carmella comes back with a snap mare and a kick. Carmella goes up top and hits a splash and then a kick for a two count, and Carmella is getting frustrated. They fight up to the top rope where Carmella hits a Frankensteiner for another two count. Carmella pummels on the Champion and slaps her across the face. Carmella hits two superkicks and pins for a two count, then pins for another two count. Carmella looks for another superkick, but Charlotte blocks it and hits a spear. Charlotte hits the Natural Selection, and then locks in the Figure Four for the win via submission.
Winner & still Women’s Champion: Charlotte Flair
– After the match, Becky Lynch runs in and attacks Charlotte from behind. Becky pummels on Charlotte on the mat and then boots her in the head. Becky gets on the mic and grabs the Title belt. Becky says at Hell In A Cell she’s taking her Title back, and she calls Charlotte a bitch then she holds up the Women’s Title belt. Becky heads to the back as we go to replays. Charlotte recovers in the ring and gets to her feet as SmackDown goes off the air.
