This Sunday is Battleground, and on this week’s Smackdown! Live, we are getting a preview of Battleground’s main event as WWE champion Jinder Mahal has promised to show us the Punjabi Prison! He and Randy Orton will engage in that match on the Pay-Per-View for Jinder’s championship.
That and much more, as is the “go-home” show!
Tuesday Night Smackdown! Live Television Report for July 18, 2017 – “Battle Lines”
Introduction Segment: Video Promo
A montage of WWE Champion Jinder Mahal and Randy Orton’s rivalry plays, with images of the Punjabi Prison mixed in.
Arena Promo
The Singh Brothers introduce WWE champion Jinder Mahal; they all make their way to the ring and then the Punjabi Prison is lowered around them and the ring. The Singh Brothers describe how the Punjabi Prison match works: there are two cages that are made out of bamboo – one that surrounds the ropes like a regular steel cage, and one that surrounds the ring like the Hell In The Cell; but both have no roof. On the inside one, there are four doors that will be unlocked when the referee wants; the competitors have one minute to exit through them, and ultimately, the way to win is to escape both cages. Jinder states “there are no rules,” referring to no disqualification, count-out, etc… Mahal threatens what he will do to Orton at Battleground, and then talks to his people in Punjabi.
Randy responds, telling Jinder what Mahal’s done to him already and saying that he (Orton) has “nothing to lose.” During this, Orton slowly climbs the outer prison and stands near the top of it; he predicts that he will become the new WWE Champion at Battleground.
Later tonight, John Cena talks about his Flag Match with Rusev at Battleground, and United States Champion A.J. Styles teams with Shinsuke Nakamura to wrestle Kevin Owens and Baron Corbin
Up next, Tag-Team Champions The Usos!
Commercials.
Match #1: Single – Tag Team Champion Jimmy Uso (with Tag Team Champion partner Jey Uso) VS. Kofi Kingston (with New Day partners Xavier Woods and Big E.)
Kingston controls this one for the first bit, including sling-shotting over the ropes with a senton!
Commercials.
Jimmy is now governing, wearing down Kofi slowly. He measures Kingston in the corner and runs, but Kofi counters with leaping double-knees! He hits a couple of clotheslines, a dropkick, and then a flying clothesline! He drops his legs for the Boom Drop, and goes for his Trouble In Paradise spin-kick, but Jimmy stops him.
Uso runs in the corner again, but Kingston kicks him back, however Jimmy stops Kofi on the top turnbuckle. Uso goes for a super-plex, but Kingston fights and pushes Jimmy off, but is reversed on when he went for a crossbody and Uso turns it into a cover of his own for the victory!
Winner via Pinfall: Tag-Team Champion Jimmy Uso (with Tag Team Champion partner Jey Uso)
Office Promo
Commissioner Shane McMahon is with Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Natalya, Lana, and Tamina, who will all wrestle in a five-way elimination match at Battleground to determine a number one contender for Naomi’s Women’s Championship. Shane wants to know who’s taking on who tonight, and Charlotte, Natalya want to meet Lana. Tamina declines this, and Natalya votes for Charlotte to wrestle Lynch. “The Queen” declines, instead wanting a “competitive match,” which Becky detests, but Shane books them anyway!
Commercials.
Video Promo
A recap of Raw where General Manager Kurt Angle told us that Jason Jordan is his son.
Video Promo
Rene Young interviews Chad Gable, who was Jason Jordan’s Tag-Team partner. He says that he had no idea but had a talk with Jordan and they are all good. Moving on, he has plans for himself.
Mike and Maria Kanellis make their entrance for Mike’s first match on Smackdown! Live, next!
Commercials.
Match #2: Single – Mike Kanellis (with Maria Kanellis) VS. Sami Zayn
Sami punches Mike to start and rams his head on the turnbuckle. He punches him a few times in the corner, and then dives on to him on the outside! Zayn rolls Kanellis into the ring, and soon clotheslines him to the floor on the opposite side! He chucks him into the corner of the barrier, and then clotheslines him again in the ring! He tosses him into the corner with an exploder suplex, but then Maria blocks Sami from doing any further damage. She soon moves and Kanellis (male) hits Zayn with a punch and then plants him to the canvas with a Samoan Driver, finishing this!
Winner via Pinfall: Mike Kanellis (with Maria Kanellis)
After the break, John Cena!
Commercials.
Arena Promo
John Cena enters the ring and attached to two of the ring posts are the United States flag and the Bulgarian flag, respectively. Cena puts over Battleground’s card, and asks the fans “what will you remember?” He tells them they will recall “a Flag Match.” He puts over what America is, and says that the people will be reminded that one of the flags will be raised at Battleground. John recognizes that some of the people don’t like him, but informs them he is “ready.” “I promise you, I AM READY!”
After worshiping America more, Cena takes the American Flag and shows it off until Rusev enters and beats him down! “The Bulgarian Brute” locks on The Accolade (Camel Clutch Submission); John tries to get out of it but Rusev overpowers him and Cena falls to the mat. Rusev takes his home country’s flag and holds it up. He walks to the stage and places it in a holder, much to the boos of the crowd.
Commercials.
Locker Room Promo
United States Champion A.J. Styles and his Tag-Team partner for tonight – Shinsuke Nakamura – are chatting. Styles tries to remind him about their time in Japan, but Shinsuke stares at A.J’s U.S. Title, and then tell shim, “one day you call, I answer.” Nakamura walks off as Styles looks on pondering.
Match #3: Single – Becky Lynch VS. Charlotte Flair
(Note: Natalya is on commentary.) Becky locks up Charlotte by her wrist and takes her to the mat. Charlotte kips out and they elbow-collar tie-up. Both work around each over, and then Lynch armdrags and dropkicks Flair. Becky offers a handshake but Charlotte goes for a clothesline, which Becky ducks. Charlotte back flips a couple of times, and Lynch soon tries her Disarm-Her hold, but Flair twirls out of it and goes to the outside for a break.
Commercials.
Charlotte is dominating now, and we see Women’s Champion Naomi look on from backstage. Flair goes for a Figure-4 or 8, but Lynch kicks her off and gives her a Becks-ploder a couple of moves later. She hits her “Fire-Arm,” (running forearm smash) but only gets two! She goes for her submission finisher two more times, but Charlotte gets out of them, and instead almost gets this with a roll-up and another cover respectively!
Flair climbs the turnbuckle and moonsaults off, but Becky rolls out of the ring and ties Charlotte in her Disarm-Her, eventually forcing Flair to give in!
Winner via Submission: Becky Lynch
Post-match, they shake hands and then Lana and Tamina march out. Natalya comes in and she, Tamina, Lana triple-team Charlotte and Becky. Natalya then hits Tamina and jaws with Lana, but Tamina comes back and knocks out Natalya, and then stares down Lana and leaves the ring.
Up next, “The Fashion X-Files!”
Commercials.
Backstage Promo
Rene Young asks Women’s champion Naomi about the five-way elimination match to see who she’ll face at SummerSlam for her Women’s championship. She says she’ll be ready for whomever, and then Carmella walks up and reminds her that she will be there where Naomi is with the Money In The Bank contract.
Video Promo
“The Fashion X-Files – ‘The Truth Is Not H’” are presented, complete with an intro much like The X-Files. Fangando is “Mul-Dango,” and Tyler Breeze is dressed as Agent Scully, with a red-haired wig. They rethink about “reality,” wondering if The Hype Bros are right. Suddenly, they hear a high-pitched tone, which is really Aiden English warming up his operatic voice. A light then appears above their heads, and a delivery man walks in. Fandango brushes his face and shoulders, saying “he’s so life-like,” and one of them called him “the little green man!” He states that he’s just “the delivery guy’ and he flicked on the light!
They open the box they are given, which is Tully’s head – their toy horse – ala the 1972 movie The Godfather. A note is inside the box that had Battleground written on it; they figured out this will be over then. A line pops up on the screen that reads “Concluded at Battleground.”
Commercials.
United States Champion A.J. Styles enters the ring, and as Shinsuke starts his, Baron Corbin attacks him! Styles runs to help, as does Kevin Owens, and they all brawl until Referee Charles Robinson gets order!
Commercials.
Match #4: Tag-Team – United States Champion A.J. Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura VS. Baron Corbin and Kevin Owens
Baron is now stomping away at A.J., as he took control after slugging Styles with a hard right hand. He tags in Owens who repeatedly kicks A.J., but eats a dropkick as he ran off of the ropes! Styles makes the hot-tag and Nakamura has the momentum over Kevin.
He continuously strikes Owens with knees, kicks, and fists, but tumbles to the floor after Baron pulls the top rope down. Kevin switches with Corbin, and he takes over in the corner, mudhole-stomping. He and Owens trade a couple of times, and Baron tries a slide, but Shinsuke counters with a dropkick!
Nakamura crawls but is yanked backward by Corbin, who also hits A.J. off of the apron. Shinsuke comes back with a few kicks, but is distracted by Owens, and then planted with Baron’s Deep Six spinning-backdrop! Nakamura manages to kick Corbin again and then get to A.J. to tag out!
“The Phenomenal One” is fired up against Kevin, and drives him to the mat with a wheelbarrow-buster! 1 – 2 – Owens gets his shoulder up! A.J. goes for his Fireman’s-Carry Knee, but Owens counters into a hard clotheslines. He switches with Baron, who tosses Styles from a calf-crusher attempt, but is soon has it clamped on anyway. Corbin gets to the ropes, but A.J. sets up for his Phenomenal Forearm. Owens pulls Styles off of the apron, and Shinsuke runs to defend, but is hurled into the corner on the outside!
A.J. has Corbin in position for the Styles Clash, but Owens stops it and slams him down with his Pop-Up Powerbomb! Kevin covers and receives the victory!
Winners via Pinfall: Baron Corbin and Kevin Owens
Post-match, they all stare each other down to close the show.
End of Smackdown! Live.
Until next week, Be Excellent Wrestling-Online and Wrestling Fans!
