Backstage, Mojo Rawley is asked about attacking Zack Ryder. Rawley said he agrees with what Ryder said earlier: the landscape has indeed changed.
Elsewhere ackstage, Bobby Roode says Baron Corbin has to know that someone better is going to take away his United States Championship. He says Corbin will lash out at anyone who he perceives as a threat. Roode says it just so happens that threat is absolutely…Baron Corbin walks up. Corbin isn’t afraid of him. Roode says he can prove it by putting the title on the line against him tonight. Corbin seems to agree, but then says no and walks off.
The Singh Brothers are on the stage and introduce the “soon to be 2-time WWE Champion” Jinder Mahal. Mahal will join them at ringside tonight.
Handicap Match
WWE Champion AJ Styles Vs. The Singh Brothers
Before the match officially begins, Jinder Mahal quickly attacks AJ Styles. The referee is trying to kick Mahal out of the ring. Samir and Sunil attack Styles. Mahal grabs Styles and launches him to the corner as he slides and hits the steel ring post.
*Commercial Break*
Back live, Styles fights his way back inside the ring and gets up in the corner. He signals to the referee that he is good to go. Samir and Sunil go on the attack. Styles tries fighting back, but they cut him off with kicks on the corner and then hit a double suplex. Sunil with shoulder charges in the corner to Styles. Styles with chops and right hands to fight them off. Samir with a shot to the knee of Styles. Styles fights off both Singh Brothers in the corner. Styles with a big kick to the face of Mahal who jumps up on the ring apron. Samir attempts a top rope huricanrana. Styles hangs on and gives Samir a second rope Styles Clash. Styles crashes over the top of Sunil and picks up the pinfall!
Winner: AJ Styles
After the match, an angry Jinder Mahal jumps in the ring and AJ Styles rolls out. Styles grabs the WWE Championship and smiles back at Mahal heading up the ramp. Mahal picks up Sunil and gives him his lifting Cobra Clutch slam. The crowd starts a “YOU STILL SUCK” chant. Mahal picks up Samir and does the same to him. As much as The Singh Brothers get paid, it isn’t enough to do the job they do.
Backstage, Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan are interviewed about comments by Charlotte Flair earlier tonight. They are now calling themselves the Riott Squad. Ruby said they aren’t here to make friends or audition for Total Divas. They want to turn the women’s division upside down and she has two of the most dangerous women on her side.
*Commercial Break*
We return from break and get a WWE Shop commercial, which starts with Big E hilariously singing Sasha Banks’ theme music while dancing in her shades and rings.
Natalya, Charlotte, and Naomi make their entrances to face the Riott Squad!
Natalya, Naomi & Charlotte Vs. The Riott Squad
We start with Ruby Riott and Natalya. Ruby with a quick tag out to Sarah Logan who sends Natalya to the corner. Logan with an odd delayed clothesline to Natalya and Charlotte tags herself in. Natalya jumps down and says she wants nothing to do with this match. Charlotte with a big chop to Morgan after she misses a corner jump back spot.
*Commercial Break*
Back live, Charlotte sends Ruby out of the ring and knocks Morgan and Logan off the corner as well. Morgan and Logan distract Charlotte allowing Ruby to get in a shot. Morgan gets the tag and tosses Charlotte face first off the ring apron. Back inside, Morgan with a suplex into a float over into a mount.
Tag back to Ruby who gets Charlotte in a headlock. Charlotte breaks it up with a jawbreaker. Ruby cuts off a tag to Naomi. Morgan and Logan run over. Morgan is kicked in the face, but Logan goes after Naomi with shots. Morgan gets involved to help out. They send her shoulder first into the barricade. Morgan and Logan tosses aside the top of the steel steps and prop up the bottom steps. They send Naomi face first into the steel steps. They prop the steps over Naomi and the barricade, and Logan gives her a catapult face first into the steel!
Inside the ring, Ruby is standing over Charlotte who is looking at what just happened. Logan tags herself in, headbutts the chest of Charlotte and goes for a headlock. Logan wraps the arm of Charlotte across her neck. Ruby gets the tag. Charlotte is fighting back. Charlotte drops Ruby in the corner and spears Morgan. Logan with a knee to the jaw of Charlotte. Ruby with a kick to the face of Charlotte and picks up the win.
Winners: The Riott Squad
After the match Naomi is put on a stretcher. I like both Riott Squad and Absolution but they need some motives and also, maybe some acknowledgement that both these groups debuted at the same time.
Backstage, Charly Caruso is outside of Randy Orton’s room, and he ignores her request for an interview.
*Commercial Break*
The latest episode of The Fashion Files airs and it’s Saw themed. It’s as funny as ever, perhaps even a little better than the past few episodes.
Kevin Owens heads to the ring for tonight’s main event.
*Commercial Break*
Randy Orton makes his way to the ring to a great reception. Orton has a little hair on top of his head these days, it’s incredible how much younger it makes him look. Remember, Sami Zayn is barred from ringside for this one.
No Disqualification Match
Kevin Owens Vs. Randy Orton
Orton goes for an RKO right off of the bat, but Owens bails from the ring. Orton with a shot to Owens on the outside and then sends him shoulder first into the steel ring steps. Orton with more rights to Owens on the outside and tosses him over the announce table. More rights and Orton again tosses him across the announce table. Orton grabs the top part of the steel steps and hits Owens in the head with them. Orton with big uppercuts to Owens against the barricade. Orton sends Owens face first off the announce table.
Orton goes under the ring and produces a kendo stick, which he cracks it over the back and right arm of Owens. Orton with another shot to the chest of Owens. Orton cracks the kendo stick over the back of Owens at ringside breaking it. Orton grabs another kendo stick and smiles. Orton cracks it across the body of Owens repeatedly. Orton drops Owen back first off the ring barricade and tosses him back inside the ring. Orton grabs the kendo stick rolling in and Owens quickly rolls out. Orton didn’t see Owens grabbing a kendo stick of his own and cracks him in the leg. Owens sends Orton into the steel ring post and then gives him a fallaway slam into the ring barricade. Owens screams out to fire himself up as we head to a break.
*Commercial Break*
Back live, Owens is cracking a kendo stick across the body of Orton. Orton with a thumb to the eye of Owens. Owens gets Orton back down on the mat and applies a headlock. Owens grabs the kendo stick and cracks it off Orton going for a pinfall and getting a two count. Orton gets to his feet, but Owens cuts him off with a quick DDT. Owens misses his cannonball in the corner when Orton moves. Orton props Owens up on the top turnbuckle. Orton with a powerful superplex on Owens off the top turnbuckle!
Orton hooks the leg and Owens kicks out. Owens catches Orton with an elbow, but Orton fires back with a snap powerslam for another two count. Owens counters the DDT off the ropes by Orton, tosses Orton to the ring apron, Orton with a shot and sends Owens into the barricade. Orton with uppercuts and dumps Owens off the barricade. Orton drops Owens off the announce table. Something is going on in the crowd as Orton looks over. Cameras are avoiding it. Orton tosses Owens inside the ring. Owens bails avoiding an RKO. Owens runs into the crowd. Orton chases him down and they brawl back to the entrance ramp area.
Sami Zayn runs out with a steel chair and cracks it over the back and legs of Orton! Saxton reminds us that Zayn was banned but Graves points out they aren’t technically at ringside. Sami heads to the back. Orton is clutching his left leg. Owens grabs Orton and tosses him back inside the ring. Orton grabs Owens on his way back in and hits his DDT off the ropes. Owens avoids an RKO, drops down and hits the bad leg of Orton. Owens with a superkick that drops Orton. Owens heads up top and connects with a frog splash. Owens gets the pinfall.
Winner: Kevin Owens
Owens celebrates after the match as we see replays of the win. Corey Graves questions what repercussions will come of Zayn’s interference next week.
That’s it for this week’s SmacDown Live! Let us know what you thought of the show and jump on over to our 205 Live results. Until next time, safe travels.
