WWE SmackDown Live Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for August 8

Smackdown Live. Photo by WWE.com

This week WWE tries to cap off another good set of shows as the days wind down to SummerSlam.  SmackDown Live must follow a strong performance by Raw last night as WWE stays in Toronto.

The Air Canada Centre was host this week to the second to last SmackDown Live before SummerSlam.  While the go home show is considered the biggest show in the lead to a PPV, tonight’s episode was pivotal in carrying the momentum to next week’s show.

SmackDown Live started fast, and might’ve lost steam in any other city, but not Toronto.  As great of segments that AJ Styles/Kevin Owens, Breezango, and the tag team division had, if it was not for the Toronto crowd the last 45 minutes would have fallen flat.

The story telling set some feuds up beautifully for next week’s go home show, yet there were some booking choices that did not make sense.  None possibly more confusing than the match that took place between Randy Orton and Jinder Mahal.

Was SmackDown Live  bad?  No, actually this has been the more consistent show since last summer.  That being said, Raw is winning the arms race on the road to SummerSlam.

Let’s take a look at SD Live from August 8, the good and the bad.

Credit: WWE.com

The Future vs. The Franchise

The show starts with John Cena entering the ring to kick off the show.  John Cena spends this time giving Shinsuke Nakamura his due for winning last week’s No. 1 contender match, and earning a shot at Jinder Mahal’s WWE Championship at SummerSlam.

Baron Corbin has heard enough and interrupts John Cena.  He tells Cena, “I am the future, and I have no problem making you the past!”  This leads to a challenge from Cena, in which Corbin declines.

As The Lone Wolf attempts to leave Daniel Bryan’s music hits.  Daniel Bryan informs Baron Corbin that he will face John Cena at SummerSlam.

This segment just did not feel like a rivalry that was building for the second biggest show of the year.  John Cena is at his best on the microphone when he is able to bring emotion.  Admitting to defeat when referencing his loss to Shinsuke Nakamura was a problem, as well as Cena’s reference to Corbin as a “dumpster fire”.

The term “dumpster fire” is dated and shows that even Cena is not taking this feud seriously.  On top of Cena’s lack of intensity, Corbin did not even want to face the leader of the Cenation,

The tag line for the match of “The Future vs. The Franchise” seems to be something we will hear each time this match is referenced in the next week plus.  WWE might be trying to recapture some magic from Brock Lesnar vs. CM Punk at SummerSlam 2013, but this is not “The Best vs. The Beast”.

All that said, Cena is the guy and people will still care at SummerSlam.

Credit: WWE.com

The Usos vs. Tye Dillinger and Sami Zayn

Result: The Usos win via submission

Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars

Before the match, a clip was shown from two weeks ago of The Usos attacking The New Day.  This would be foreshadowing for later.

Sami Zayn and Tye Dillinger both came out to great ovations as it was their home country.  Dillinger and Zayn get off to an early advantage.  Then came the commercial break where every heel team takes control.

The Perfect 10 did receive a hot tag, but The Usos did what they usually do.  The Usos eliminated Sami Zayn from the equation, and attacked Tye Dillinger’s knee.  When placed in the Tequila Sunrise, the hometown kid had no choice but to tap.

Following the match, The New Day’s music played which served as a distraction.  While Big E stood on the ramp, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods attacked the Usos from behind.  Just as The New Day was looking for revenge with chairs, The Usos were able to squirm away.

The crowd support made this match a lot more fun than it should have been.  The Usos are still drawing the heat you expect from your top heel tag team.

An appearance from The New Day was perfect timing.  It had been two weeks since the trio was attacked, and they gave The Usos a taste of their own medicine.  The story telling has been patient and precise, yet the feud feels far from over.

Welcome to Fashion Peaks

Rating: 5 stars

The scene starts with Tyler Breeze talking to The Ascension, who have become regulars on The Fashion Files.  Breeze is still looking for Fandango, when Fandango appears in the room, confused with a tie around his head.

Both men have their usual banter, until Arn Anderson enters and admits to destroying “Tully” the horse.  He claims that the horse should have been named “Arn”.

Breezango hit another segment out of the park.  As of three months ago, it did not seem that Breezango had a place in WWE.  Now they are the top comedy act on either show, which could lead to a bigger role down the road.

The Arn Anderson joke referencing his former tag team partner Tully Blanchard was a real nice tip of the cap to wrestling historians.

Credit: WWE.com

Charlotte vs. Lana

Result: Charlotte wins via submission

Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars

This was essentially a squash match.  Charlotte did not take Lana serious in this match knowing that her talent was superior.  At one point Lana yanked down the back of Charlotte’s trunks which prompted a “thank you Lana” chant from the crowd.

After three minutes, Charlotte finally ended the match with the Figure 8.

This match never felt competitive, and the only reason I did not give it a one, is because Charlotte put Lana out of her misery before this match got stretched out too long.  Like I said before, at least it was quick.

Credit: WWE.com

U.S. Championship Face Off

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Shane McMahon who we found out last week will be the special guest referee in the U.S. Championship match at SummerSlam entered the ring first.  Shane O’Mac introduced Kevin Owens first, then followed by AJ Styles.

References to Shane McMahon’s past discrepancies as a referee were brought to the forefront at the start of the segment.  Threats were made by all three men regarding the match at SummerSlam.

Once tempers became heated, Kevin Owens took advantage by sucker punching Styles.  In retaliation Styles attempted a Pele Kick, but instead hit McMahon.

This was an absolutely great segment.  WWE seemed to have moved on from the Styles vs. McMahon rivalry in recent months, until Owens played a clip dating back to March, of Styles attacking McMahon.

The clip that grabbed my attention was the one from the ’98 Survivor Series, where Shane McMahon screwed Stone Cold Steve Austin.  Rarely are direct references made to the Attitude Era during the PG Era, and man it was refreshing to see.

As cliche as the missed attack to create chaos is, it was necessary.  I like that there are many possibilities for these three men at the biggest show of the summer.

Credit: WWE.com

Naomi vs. Carmella

Result: Carmella wins via pinfall

Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars

This match starts with both women trading slaps.  Throughout the match Naomi displayed her superior athleticism.

The crowd chanted for James Ellsworth the whole match knowing that his 30 day suspension is over.  After a few failed attempts by Carmella to get Naomi off the top rope, Ellsworth makes an appearance tossing the Women’s Champion from her perched position.

A hurting Naomi turns into a vicious kick.  That is all she wrote, as Carmella picks up the win with a big assist from James Ellsworth.

I was confused about why this match was booked at first.  Since Carmella tapped out last week to Naomi, booking Carmella for a second straight loss to the champion would be a tough pill to swallow.

Carmella needed this win, and I am starting to wonder if the championship will move before Carmella cashes in.  There has been a lot of free exposure in the rivalry between Naomi and Carmella recently, that a cash in and (inevitable) feud that would follow just wouldn’t make sense.

The return of Ellsworth just does something for Carmella.  Ellsworth is Carmella’s Maryse.

Credit: WWE.com

Nakamura Interview

Flashback is shown from Shinsuke Nakamura’s debut as well as his big win from the week prior vs. John Cena.  Nakamura claimed that at SummerSlam, “The Nakamura Dynasty begins.”

The interview was short, and was WWE’s attempt at giving the best parts from Shinsuke Nakamura’s interview.  Nakumara is difficult to understand at times, but I also think that is why the flashbacks were so important.

Nakamura could really benefit from feuding with a great talker, similar to AJ Styles with The Miz.  The King of Strong Style would benefit from feuding with a heel that can inform younger or casual fans of who Shinsuke Nakamura is.

Credit: WWE.com

Randy Orton vs. Jinder Mahal

Result: Randy Orton wins via pinfall

Rating: 2.0 out of 5 stars

The match starts out similar to a street fight.  Randy Orton takes the fight to Jinder Mahal outside of the ring.  An attempt to RKO Mahal through the announce table is reversed, sending Orton into the barricade.

Mahal takes control of most of the match following the reversal of the RKO.  As a viewer, it becomes apparent that Jinder Mahal is the crowd favorite with multiple “Jinder” chants.  As we’ve seen many times before, Orton ends the match with an RKO “outta nowhere”.

The booking of this match was just confusing to me.  Jinder Mahal is the WWE Champion, and he lost clean just 12 days before SummerSlam?  Even if Nakamura is set to take the title from Mahal, wouldn’t it be beneficial for Mahal to look strong before doing the favor?

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Then we see Rusev attack Orton in the last two seconds of SD Live.  The ending seemed mistimed, and too rushed.