WWE SmackDown: Results, Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for June 12

Photo Source: WWE.com

WWE SmackDown Live has the final show before Money in the Bank this weekend. What can we expect?

Previously on WWE SmackDown Live, Shinsuke Nakamura needed a new pen. Jimmy Uso and Naomi proved themselves as the top married performers in WWE. Big Cass said stuff no one liked. And it was, of course, Rusev Day.

This week, it’s SmackDown‘s last chance to get the WWE Universe hyped for Money in the Bank. I mean, Raw hasn’t exactly been blowing things out of the water lately. Believe me, I know — usually, I’m the one suffering through three hours of Raw every week for our live reviews. But some scheduling conflicts led to Joe Soriano and I trading reviews for a week. (Joe, once again, I am so so so sorry you had to deal with Raw this week.)

On tap for the Blue Team this week, General Manager Paige will host a “Women’s Money in the Bank Summit.” I guess she’s feeling frisky after she managed one of WWE’s least chaotic contract signings of all time last week. All four of the SmackDown superstars competing in the Women’s MITB match will be face to face. Will things break down?

Paige has also signed two matches for this week’s show. Up first, United States Champion Jeff Hardy will square up against Shinsuke Nakamura. The two have been verbally sparring on Twitter for a couple of days, so it’s time to settle things in the ring. Will Nakamura be up to the task just days before facing AJ Styles in a Last Man Standing match for the WWE Championship?

The second match came from a bit out of left field, but that’s the way we like it sometimes. After Daniel Bryan responded to Big Cass with a blistering backstage promo, Shelton Benjamin of all people came at Bryan. Apparently, all it takes is a tweet to get booked on a main show lately, because Benjamin and Bryan will meet in what is sure to be a tremendous bout.

Follow along with our live WWE SmackDown review right here, starting at 8 p.m. ET.