Wrestling Lockup With Brandon 8/30/17: Smackdown Live Little Rock Recap

By Brandon Albright, @B_Rock1978

Smackdown Live was live this week in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Last week, Bobby Roode made his Smackdown Live debut, WWE United States Champion AJ Styles and Kevin Owens continued their feud as did Shinsuke Nakamura and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Jinder Mahal.

** Smackdown Live Card **

- Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin battled The Ascension.
- WWE United States Champion AJ Styles defended his title against Tye Dillinger.
- Bobby Roode battled Mike Kanellis.
- Sami Zayn battled Aiden English. 
- WWE Smackdown Live World Tag Team Champions The Usos battled The New Day in a non title match.
- Tamina battled Tina Stock.
- Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura battled Rusev and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Jinder Mahal.

** Smackdown Live **

- Jinder Mahal and The Singh Brothers Promo: Jinder hypes tonight's main event, claims to have been disrespected since returning to the WWE and wonders who will pay. The Singh Brothers tell Jinder that they will accept the blame for failing last week and apologize to the people of India. The Singh Brothers drop to the mat to kiss Jinder's feet when suddenly Shinsuke Nakamura interrupts. Jinder and The Singh Brothers attack and triple team Nakamura. Randy Orton's music hits and Orton hits the ring. Orton unloads on The Singh Brothers and Jinder when suddenly Rusev hits the ring and attacks Orton. Rusev lays out Orton as Jinder lays out Nakamura with the Cobra Clutch Slam to end the segment.

- The Ascension vs. Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin: The match closes out with Benjamin unloading on Viktor and lands a kick. Benjamin hits an aerial assault on Viktor, but Konnor breaks up the pinfall. Gable grabs Konnar and tosses him outside. Benjamin sends Viktor face first into the mat and scores the pinfall.
Winners: Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin, by pinfall.

- Backstage, Baron Corbin is asked about losing his Money In The Bank briefcase. Corbin blames John Cena and thinks it's funny Cena is hiding on RAW now. Corbin says he's done living in the past and will answer AJ Styles' WWE United States Championship Open Challenge tonight.

- AJ Styles arrives to announce his WWE United States Championship Open Challenge. Tye Dillinger interrupts and says he's answering the challenge tonight. Baron Corbin interrupts and argues with Dillinger stating he already said he was answering the challenge tonight. Corbin and Dillinger shove each other until Dillinger lays out Corbin and heads to the ring for his match.

- "WWE United States Championship Match": AJ Styles (c) vs. Tye Dillinger: The match closes out with Tye countering the Phenomenal Forearm. Styles counters the Tye Breaker and traps Tye in the Calf Crusher submission. Styles tightens it and gets Tye to tap out to retain the title.
Winner: AJ Styles, by submission, to retain the WWE United States Championship.

- After the match, Baron Corbin grabs Tye Dillinger and tosses him into the barricade. Corbin goes after Styles, but eats a Styles forearm.

- Backstage, Jinder Mahal and Rusev are getting ready for their match. Jinder calls Rusev his friend, but Rusev says they're not friends. Rusev says he's coming for Jinder's World Title.

- Bobby Roode vs. Mike Kanellis: The match closes out with Roode landing boots on Kanellis. Kanellis lands an elbow on Roode, but Roode drops Kanellis with a spine buster. Roode hits the Glorious DDT on Kanellis and scores the pinfall.
Winner: Bobby Roode, by pinfall.

- Aiden English is in the ring singing when Kevin Owens interrupts. Owens says that these Arkansas hillbillies don't deserve to hear him sing and to leave the ring now. English leaves and Owens cuts a promo.

- Kevin Owens Promo: Owens is upset at how last week's WWE United States Championship Match ended with Baron Corbin and Shane McMahon. Owens demands to know what gave Shane the right to do what he did and Shane screwed Owens twice. Owens says this never would've happened back when he was on RAW because Stephanie McMahon never abused her power. Shane interrupts Owens and says it was Owens that picked the special guest referee, but Corbin was biased so Shane had to take action. Owens blames Shane for screwing him again. Shane says Owens can call it what he wants, but the decision is final. Shane says the fans are sick of Owens complaining and he needs to leave now so Aiden English can have his match. 

- Sami Zayn vs. Aiden English: The match closes out with Kevin Owens yelling at the referee, kicks the referee out and takes over as the special guest referee. Zayn and Owens argue with each other, allowing English to attack Zayn from behind. Owens hits the Pop Up Power Bomb on Zayn and allows English to score the pinfall.
Winner: Aiden English, by pinfall.

- Backstage, Shane McMahon is asked about what just happened. Shane says that the English/Zayn match doesn't count due to Owens' interference. Shane is informed that Owens left the building. Shane says he'll handle Owens next week.

- Backstage, Dolph Ziggler is interviewed. Ziggler says you can expect to see nothing from him tonight, he's used as an after thought when he's a star, mocks other wrestlers gimmicks and all his years of dedication have meant nothing.

- The Usos vs. The New Day: The match closes out with Kofi getting tossed into the corner and Big E eating an Uso Kick. Kofi counters a Samoan Drop and traps Jimmy in a submission. Jey blind tags in, rolls up Kofi with a handful of tights and scores the pinfall.
Winners: The Usos, by pinfall.

- Backstage, James Ellsworth takes over the interview segment and interviews Carmella. Carmella is annoyed, however, and tells Ellsworth she would've been champion last week if not for his big mouth. Nattie Neidhart interrupts and warns Carmella that she will fail if she attempts to cash in on her. Carmella and Nattie decide to meet next week. Naomi then appears and announces that she's getting her rematch for the title in two weeks.

- Tamina Snuka vs. Tina Stock: The match closes out with Tamina making quick work of Tina as Lana is at ringside yelling in a microphone for Tamina to crush her opponent. Tamina hits a super kick on Tina and scores the pinfall.
Winner: Tamina, by pinfall.

- After the match, Lana orders photographers to take pictures of Tamina.

- The Fashion Files return with season two of more shenanigans from Fandango and Tyler Breeze.

- Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Jinder Mahal and Rusev: The match closes out with Rusev countering the reverse Exploder from Nakamura. Nakamura counters a clothesline and applies an arm bar submission. Orton hits the draping DDT on Jinder. Rusev counters the RKO, but gets hit by Nakamura, who leaped off the second rope. Nakamura hits the Kinshasa on Rusev and scores the pinfall.
Winners: Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura, by pinfall.

- After the match, Orton hits an RKO out of nowhere on Nakamura after celebrating their victory. Orton and Nakamura will meet one on one next week to decide a new #1 Contender.