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WWE SmackDown Live: Daniel Bryan and Kane put Team Hell No back on the map and Shinsuke Nakamura faces Jeff Hardy at Extreme Rules
4th July 2018,
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WITH two weeks to go until Extreme Rules on July 15, things are shaping up on SmackDown LIVE.
Team Hell No is back, AJ Styles is preparing for Rusev Day, and there’s big news for the US title. Here are 5 things we learnt from SmackDown last night.
Team Hell No’s first match back together was a big “hell yes”
Daniel Bryan and Kane opened the show with an amusing promo, bickering over their, erm, troubled past – such as the time Kane tried to kidnap Bryan’s wife.
(Team Hell No have always been most entertaining when they’re lampooning the sheer ridiculousness of pro wrestling – see their anger management classes.)
But Bryan and Kane got back on the same page when The Usos came out to mock their hugging – leading to a match later in the show.
If The Usos won, they’d be added to the tag title match at Extreme Rules, but Bryan and Kane had the old magic and got the win with a running knee-chokeslam combo.
The Bludgeon Brothers came out for a stare-down post-match.
Hopefully a bit of Team Hell No’s personality will rub off on the champs.
Shinsuke Nakamura will challenge Jeff Hardy at Extreme Rules
Nak has been out of action thanks to being bitten by a police dog, but he was announced as the challenger for Hardy’s US Championship at Extreme Rules.
Before that, Hardy faced The Miz in a special Independence Day open challenge.
It looked like Miz had the “Charismatic Enigma” beat when he hiked his feet on the ropes for a pinfall, but the ref saw it and refused to count.
Hardy – in patriotic red, white, and blue face paint – then got the win with a Twist of Fate and Swanton Bomb.
Will Nakamura succeed where Miz failed?
Nak needs a big win – his heel persona is fun, but so far he’s failed at every title opportunity on the main roster.
SAnitY have pancaked The New Day’s celebrations
The New Day had a special pancake eating contest planned for the 4 th of July (it was actually the 3rd, but close enough).
Each man would try to break the record for pancakes eaten in five minutes (we’re pretty Big E would have won) but Eric Yong’s troupe of lunatics interrupted with a savage attack.
They tossed Kofi out of the ring, threw Big E into the announce desk, and elbow dropped Xavier Woods through a table.
It looks like SAnitY’s first big feud is set. Expect Young’s team and The New Day to collide in a six-man tag at Extreme Rules.
And it’s a welcome development after SAnitY’s strong main roster debut was spoiled by a worthless loss to The Usos and Jeff Hardy last week.
James Ellsworth WASN’T ready for Asuka
After declaring that WWE is a man’s world, Ellsworth took a predictable (but no less amusing) hammering at the hands of Asuka.
After retreating from the “Empress” several times, she spun him around with an aeroplane spin and nailed him a hard slap and blow to the back on the neck.
Ellsworth scarpered, prompting Asuka to give chase and get a double count-out.
Carmella eventually intervened by pushing Asuka into the barricade.
The funniest bit was yet to come, when Carmella dragged Ellsworth off by his hair like a naughty child.
AJ Styles got a taster of Rusev Day
Styles cut a promo about his upcoming match with Rusev – defending the title against a bigger, stronger opponent is just another day in the life of the WWE Champion.
Styles then faced Rusev’s lackey Aiden English, beating “The Drama King” with the Calf Crusher.
Rusev jumped Styles after the match, hitting the champ with a Machka Kick and locking in the Accolade.
It’s good to see Rusev contending for the WWE Championship, but as popular as Rusev is, it’s obvious that he’s got no chance of dethroning Styles.
This storyline is just a stopgap for Styles before bigger and better things at SummerSlam.
WITH two weeks to go until Extreme Rules on July 15, things are shaping up on SmackDown LIVE.
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