WWE SmackDown Live
Episode 930
#SDLive
Original Air Date: June 13, 2017
Event Date: June 13, 2017 (aired live)
City: New Orleans, LA
Venue: Smoothie King Center
Commentary: Tom Phillips, JBL, Byron Saxton
Ring Announcer: Greg Hamilton
Intro Video
“Take a Chance” by CFO$
Ring Area
New Day heads to the ring with The Soul Rebels brass ensemble accompanying them. They talk about winning the tag titles at Money in the Bank and taking the belts all the way to Wrestlemania. The Usos interrupt and head to the ring. They begin to speak but are quickly interrupts by Breezango. Breezango says The Usos’ day one is not “H,” it’s “G.” For “gross.” Primo and Epico come out next and say Breezango are the worst detectives ever.
Match 1
New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston w/ Big E) & Breezango vs The Usos (SD Tag Champs) & Primo & Epico Colon
(referee: Dan Engler)
Result: Xavier Woods pins Primo after a diving double stomp
Time: 14:26
Match Thoughts
This was fun. Both teams worked well together, though New Day and Breezango even had some double team maneuvers the performed together. This was a good final match before New Day’s title shot at the PPV, and it did well to keep interest in Breezango and maybe build some much-needed interest in The Colons. All around a very good match.
Backstage
Styles warns Nakamura about Zayn’s tendency to get over-excited when Zayn walks up. He wants to talk strategy. Zayn talks and talks with Styles and Nakamura watching. Zayn finishes and walks away, and Nakamura comments that he likes Zayn.
Backstage
Dasha Fuentes asks Mojo Rawley where he goes from here since he lost his chance to be added to the Money in the Bank match. Mojo says he’s going to take his loss and use it as a springboard to become better. Zack Ryder walks up and tells Mojo that he’s back and the two of them have some unfinished business as a team.
Match 2
Naomi (SD Women’s Champ) vs Tamina
(referee: Ryan Tran)
Result: Naomi wins via pinfall after a split-legged moonsault
Time: 5:07
Match Thoughts
A good match. Both women looked solid and ready for Sunday.
Ring Area
After the match, Lana attacks Naomi and hits her with a sitout spinebuster. She takes Naomi’s title and holds it up before leaving the ring.
Ring Area
The Singh Brothers introduce Jinder Mahal. Mahal comes out and the three head to the ring. Mahal says he will embarrass Orton at Money in the Bank. He also says that Orton has hidden from Mahal ever since Backlash because he is scared. “The Day of the Viper” has passed and “The Era of the Modern Day Maharajah” has begun. He then begins to speak in Punjabi when Orton’s music plays.
The Singh Brothers head to the ramp to cut Orton off, but Orton comes through the crowd and hits Mahal with an RKO from behind.
Backstage
Kevin Owens talks with Ziggler and Corbin about their match tonight. He points out that they aren’t friends, but they shouldn’t be their own worst enemies tonight either.
Backstage
Renee Young asks Randy Orton about what Mahal just said in the ring. Orton says he said everything he needed to say by RKOing Mahal.
Match 3
Natalya vs Charlotte Flair
(referee: Danilo Anfibio; watching in the back: Becky Lynch, Carmella, James Ellsworth)
Result: Charlotte wins via pinfall after Natural Selection
Time: 8:16
Match Thoughts
Good match. Both women seemed very serious going into this match and it showed through the action that took place. This was a good, competitive match. I think it was especially one of Natalya’s better matches in recent memory.
Video
In the “Fashion Files,” Fandango admires his pecs then wonders where Breeze is. Breeze has been attacked. He gives a description of his attackers to Fandango who draws a sketch.
Video
Honoring Jarrius “Little JJ” Robertson as part of their WWE Hero program.
Backstage
Dasha Fuentes asks Lana about the controversy she’s created. Lana doesn’t care what anyone thinks or says, this Sunday she will shock the world.
Match 4
Kevin Owens (US Champ) & Baron Corbin & Dolph Ziggler vs Sami Zayn & AJ Styles & Shinsuke Nakamura
(referee: Jason Ayers)
Result: Sami Zayn pins Baron Corbin after a Helluva Kick
Time: 9:18 (joined in progress, 1 break)
Match Thoughts
A good match. Everyone had a chance to get their shots in before the PPV so that was good. This was fun if somewhat unsurprising. Sami Zayn ended up being the guy getting beat up a lot before the big breakdown at the end.
Ring Area
After the match, Ziggler and Owens attack their opponents. Owens brings a ladder into the ring, and he and Ziggler use it against Zayn and Styles. Corbin then takes out both Ziggler and Owens. Corbin sets the ladder up in the center of the ring and starts to climb it. Nakamura dumps Corbin from the ladder and hits him with Kinshasa. Nakamura climbs the ladder and removes the briefcase hanging above the ring as the show ends.
Show Impressions
I liked this as a final show before the PPV. It touched on all the matches currently announced, and the matches on this show were all good. The WWE Title match still seems like the least important match considering the completely underwhelming buildup though. That’s kind of a problem.
Match of the Night
Natalya vs Charlotte Flair
The main event was fun, but it wasn’t anything too special for a six-person match. Natalya versus Charlotte felt like they were both taking it very seriously, and the action was very good.