WWE SmackDown Live Results And Grades For July 17, 2018

AJ Styles vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas

This non-title match between two of the best wrestlers in the world is exactly what we’ve been begging for, and it’s an example of how stacked the SmackDown Live roster is. Andrade “Cien” Almas’s business associate Zelina Vega called out AJ Styles before SmackDown in a backstage segment, and GM Paige booked a match between them. So once again, Paige shows why she’s the best GM in wrestling right now (all apologies to William Regal and Drake Maverick).

Almas comes out in some SICK white gear, reminding us all that he has some of the best gear in the business right now. His entrance gives me goosebumps every time, and he certainly has the aura of a champion.

Zelina Vega smiling on the outside and yelling “That’s El Idolo!” to pump up her client is absolutely wrestling #GOALS.

Styles is a bit worn out from defending the WWE Championship on Sunday against Rusev, and it shows. He uses his quickness and savvy on the stronger Almas, but Almas isn’t afraid to start using some back elbows to get out of Styles’s holds. Almas begins to overpower Styles in the opening exchanges as the fresher competitor.

And one of the best moments of the week happened. Styles went for a dropkick, but Almas scouted it out by going “Tranquiloooo!” in between the ropes. Beautiful.

Styles hit a Dragonscrew on Almas to soften him up for the Calf Crusher, but when Almas went to the outside, Vega sensed the danger and interfered. This allowed Almas to gain the upper-hand again.

As the crowd chants, Styles starts hitting rapid strikes for his comeback, but Almas ducks and hits him with a big chop. And now Almas continues to push the envelope on the champ.

Almas countered a Styles Clash attempt by dumping Styles to the apron and later countered the ensuing Phenomenal Forearm by smashing his body on the top rope. More great stuff from El Idolo. He later hit an insane moonsault follow-through and then smashed Styles with a double-stomp, getting a frantic near-fall with the knees to the ring post.

Afterwards, Styles rolls Almas into the Calf Crusher, and as foretold, this is the finish. Almas taps out rather quickly, which seems dis-heartening on the surface. But it gives him room to grow. Vega will light a fire under Almas for giving up on the match so quickly. He can’t make that mistake again, and she will remind him of his complacency.

Grade: A, This match was awesome and sowed seeds for a future match between these two. Almas is incredible. His performance tonight solidified that.