WWE SmackDown Live
Episode 976
#SDLive
Original Air Date: May 1, 2018
Event Date: May 1, 2018 (aired live)
City: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Venue: Bell Centre
Commentary: Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, Corey Graves
Ring Announcer: Greg Hamilton
Backstage
Paige says that Shane McMahon will not be here tonight because of what Strowman did to him at the Greatest Royal Rumble. She also says that because of what AJ Styles and Nakamura did to each other at the GRR, their title match at Backlash will be No Disqualification.
Ring Area
In the ring, The Miz welcomes everyone to Miz TV. Due to Daniel Bryan’s no-show on Miz TV last week, he has been banned from the show. He also says he’s going to take back the Intercontinental Title from Seth Rollins.
Miz then introduces his guest for tonight, Jeff Hardy. Jeff heads to the ring. Miz asks Jeff if he thinks Miz is a better IC Champ than Seth Rollins. Jeff thinks Miz is obnoxious and overbearing, and if he’s better than Rollins, then he would have won at the Greatest Royal Rumble. Like Jeff won. Miz then shows Jeff the footage of him overtaking Randy Orton during the Superstar Shakeup. Miz wants to know what Orton thinks about that, so he introduces Orton as his second guest.
Orton heads to the ring, and Miz tries to get Orton angry at Hardy. Orton isn’t upset though. He did the same thing to Hardy a week later, so they’re even. Miz reminds Orton about him being ninth on the SD Top Ten List. Orton doesn’t care about the top ten list. Miz says Hardy cost Orton his match last week. Miz wants Orton to strike, but Orton says no one tells him when to strike. Orton turns to Hardy and says he earned a title shot, and this Sunday he’ll be taking the US Title back. Hardy invites Orton to try.
Shelton Benjamin comes out and says Orton doesn’t deserve a title shot. Benjamin beat Orton last week, so if anyone deserves a title shot, it’s Benjamin. Orton goes to attack Benjamin which sparks a brawl in the ring. The brawl ends quickly when Hardy hits Miz with Whisper in the Wind.
Match 1
The Miz & Shelton Benjamin vs Randy Orton & Jeff Hardy (US Champ)
(referee: Mike Chioda)
Result: Jeff Hardy pins Shelton Benjamin after a swanton bomb
Time: 12:08 (joined in progress)
Match Thoughts
This was fine. It was a thrown-together tag match that hit all the expected marks. Nothing wrong with it, but nothing special.
Backstage
Renee Young welcomes Billie Kay and Peyton Royce. Peyton attempts to imitate Renee, but she sort of does a Minnesota accent instead of a Canadian one. Peyton doesn’t care. She says Minnesota and Canada are both garbage anyway. Billie Kay proclaims that The Iiconics are better than Asuka since Asuka was on the losing team in their match last week.
Billie excuses Renee, then she introduces Carmella. Carmella is excited to team with The Iiconics tonight, and she’s excited about beating Charlotte again at Backlash.
Video
From the Greatest Royal Rumble, Daniel Bryan talks about his record-breaking time in a Rumble match. The commentators say that Bryan is not cleared to compete tonight because of his torn-up chest from the GRR.
Backstage
The Bar encounters New Day. New Day wonders where The Bar’s RAW Tag Titles are. The Bar says they always wanted to be on SmackDown anyway. New Day presents a tray of pancakes (brought by Mr. Bootyworth) as a welcome present for The Bar, but The Bar throws the pancakes down the hall. Sheamus wants a match instead. Big E accepts, but Sheamus says he wasn’t talking to E, he was talking to Woods. Woods accepts the challenge.
Backstage
Aiden English prepares to sing for Rusev, but Lana walks up so Aiden excuses himself. Lana tells Rusev that something is holding him back. Rusev doesn’t think that anything is holding him back. Aiden walks up and Lana gives Rusev a look.
Ring Area
Big Cass says New Yorkers are better than other people. He also says Daniel Bryan is small and weak. He goes on to say that he doesn’t need to wrestle (and that he doesn’t know a lot of wrestling moves) to beat Bryan. He then invites Daniel Bryan to the ring.
A dwarf with a fake beard comes out and heads to the ring. Cass makes some short jokes. Then he boots and beats up the dwarf.
Ring Area
In the ring, Renee Young introduces AJ Styles. Styles heads to the ring. Young asks Styles about the No DQ stipulation added to his title match against Nakamura, but Styles isn’t worried. Young then asks Styles about Nakamura’s request for an apology. Styles won’t apologize for anything. He says Nakamura is a coward. This Sunday, Styles can get as dirty as Nakamura. Styles begins to call Nakamura to the ring when Samoa Joe interrupts.
From the ramp, Joe tells Styles that he’s not focused on the correct match. Everyone should be focused on Joe’s match against Roman Reigns. He says that after he puts Reigns to sleep, he’s coming after the WWE Championship.
Nakamura’s music plays, so everyone looks at the stage. Nakamura uses the distraction to hit Styles with yet another low blow from behind. Nakamura then hits Syles with Kinshasa.
Backstage
Becky Lynch is still upset about her match last week and costing Asuka her first match on SmacDown Live. Asuka tells Becky to forget about last week. Charlotte says she is going to teach Carmella a lesson in respect.
Match 2
Sheamus w/ Cesaro vs Xavier Woods w/ Kofi Kingston, Big E
(referee: Danilo Anfibio)
Result: Xavier Woods wins via pinfall with an inside cradle
Time: 7:36
Match Thoughts
Good match. I liked how Sheamus and Woods worked together, and the shenanigans at the end will lead to some more very good matches between these two teams.
Backstage
Last week, Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose talk about Becky Lynch losing while Becky stands right next to them.
Backstage
Paige welcomes Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville to SmackDown Live. She tells them that if they want a title match, they’ll have to earn it. Rose and Deville are confused, but Paige tells them that Absolution is dead.
Video
Zelina Vega says Andrade Cien Almas will change SmackDown forever, but we won’t know when his debut is until she wants us to know.
Match 3
Charlotte Flair & Becky Lynch & Asuka vs Peyton Royce & Billie Kay & Carmella (SD Women’s Champ)
(referee: Ryan Tran)
Result: Asuka forces Peyton Royce to submit to the Asuka Lock
Time: 10:02 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Very good match! Carmella and The Iiconics did a good job of separating their opponents from each other so they could isolate people in the ring, but their luck eventually ran out. The final segments of the match had a ton of energy and some very nice moments. Once Asuka got tagged in late in the match, the action was non-stop until the end.
Show Impressions
This show was light on the wrestling, but the main event was definitely worth watching. I liked the Sheamus/Woods match as well, and I liked how that came about. Other than that, this show felt like a long promo for Backlash, which I suppose it was.
Match of the Night
Charlotte & Becky Lynch & Asuka vs The Iiconics & Carmella
Super entertaining!
Official Results: http://www.wwe.com/shows/smackdown/2018-05-01