WWE SmackDown Live
Episode 994
#SDLive
Original Air Date: September 4, 2018
Event Date: September 4, 2018 (aired live)
City: Detroit, MI
Venue: Little Caesars Arena
Commentary: Tom Phillips, Byron Saxton, Corey Graves
Ring Announcer: Greg Hamilton
Ring Area
In the ring, Renee Young welcomes Brie Bella and Daniel Bryan. Renee shows footage that Miz and Maryse recorded earlier. Miz and Maryse were in an empty arena and called Brie and Daniel to the ring. They say they wanted to save Brie and Daniel the embarrassment of getting beat up again. When Daniel and Brie don’t show up (because they’re not there), Miz and Maryse say Daniel and Brie are scared.
Daniel responds by calling Miz and Maryse cowards. Brie agrees. She also wants a fight. Daniel agrees. Brie calls Miz and Maryse to the ring, but Renee informs them that they Miz and Maryse already left the building. So instead, Andrade Almas and Zelina Vega come out to the stage.
Zelina mocks Daniel and Brie for once again “crying” about how unfair everything is. Almas wants a fight, and Vega wants to join him. They both head down to the ring.
Match 1
Daniel Bryan w/ Brie Bella vs Andrade “Cien” Almas w/ Zelina Vega
(referee: Jason Ayers)
Result: Daniel Bryan wins via pinfall after a running single leg high knee strike
Time: 11:40
Match Thoughts
Good match. There was one sequence where Almas failed to get out of the way of one of Bryan’s kicks which forced them to do the sequence a second time, but it wasn’t a big deal and was nicely covered. This was good, though I feel like they could do a lot more given more time in the ring and more time to learn more about each other as they have more and more matches. As it is, it was fast-paced and hard-hitting. I liked it.
Ring Area
After the match, Brie Bella attacks Zelina Vega and hits her with a running knee strike on the ropes.
As Brie and Daniel celebrate, Miz and Maryse appear on the tron. Miz and Maryse say they’re taking the night off to go on a dinner date. Brie and Daniel will have to wait until Hell in a Cell to be embarrassed. Brie and Daniel aren’t impressed.
Backstage
Kayla Braxton asks Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella why they are leaving the venue so early. They say they’ve decided to go on a dinner date. In their ring gear.
Ring Area
Tom Phillips hosts an interview with Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch (who are both joining via video from separate locations). Charlotte starts by saying she thinks Becky deserves to be champ, but did Becky want Charlotte to just let her win? Charlotte looked at Becky as an equal, but Becky threw it all away.
Becky says it was “a full time job” being Charlotte’s friend. Becky’s only purpose now is taking back the title. Charlotte tells Becky she’ll get her chance at Hell in a Cell, but even though Charlotte saw them as equals as friends, she says Becky is just second best in the ring.
Match 2
Naomi vs Peyton Royce w/ Billie Kay
(referee: Danilo Anfibio)
Result: Naomi wins via pinfall with a slingshot sunset flip
Time: 1:22
Match Thoughts
This was barely a match. It was a quick way for Naomi to get some retribution. It made sense though. It was fine.
Ring Area
After the match, the IIconics attack Naomi. After a few seconds, Asuka heads down to the ring and destroys both of the IIconics. Asuka then goes to help Naomi get back to her feet.
Video
Jeff Hardy says Randy Orton despises and fears him because of Hardy’s connection to the fans and his willingness to take risks. Hardy has never had a reason to fight inside Hell in a Cell, but he does know. He will fly high and sink low into depravity.
Backstage
Miz and Maryse tell Paige they cut their dinner date short so they can confront Brie and Daniel tonight. Paige informs them that Brie and Daniel left. Miz isn’t surprised. Paige also tells Miz that he has a match tonight. Miz doesn’t want a match, so Paige tells him he can leave, but if he does he can’t ever come back.
Backstage
R-Truth searches for Carmella, but he finds Maryse. Miz tells Truth not to speak to his wife. R-Truth is confused. He didn’t know Miz was married to Carmella.
Ring Area
Samoa Joe heads to the ring. He’s proud of himself for making Styles and his family think he would invade their home, but he says he is not a monster. Joe’s goal was to make Styles care about his wife, and that’s just what happened. Joe kept his promise to Wendy. Styles is home with his wife and kids.
AJ Styles appears on the tron. Styles says he understands threatening another man, but when you threaten someone’s family, that’s when the talking stops. Styles comes out and runs to the ring. A brawl erupts. Joe grabs a chair, but Styles his Joe with an elbow before he can use it. Styles grabs the chair and swings, but Joe ducks out of the way.
Referees finally come out to break things up, but Styles dives to the floor, taking out Joe and a referee. Paige comes out and tries to calm Styles down. Eventually, Styles leaves.
Backstage
Tye Dillinger accompanies R-Truth as he continues to search for Carmella. Dillinger finds Carmella, so Truth asks her if she knows where Carmella is. He then asks Carmella to accompany him to the ring tonight when he fights The Miz. He gets her to agree wen he tells Carmella what Maryse said about her.
Video
Randy Orton is glad that Jeff Hardy refuses to go away quietly.
Match 3
Triple Threat Tag Match
The Usos vs Eric Young & Killian Dain w/ Alexander Wolfe vs Aiden English & Rusev w/ Lana
(referee: Mike Chioda; stipulation: The winner will face The Bar next week to determine the number one contender for the SD Tag Titles)
Result: Rusev pins Eric Young after the Machka Kick
Time: 9:07 (1 break)
Match Thoughts
Good match. After the first few minutes where everyone got involved, a lot of the match was fought between The Usos and SAnitY. Rusev and English were able to pick their spots, so they were able to make some big impacts throughout the match. Everyone looked good here, and the nature of the match (and lots of blind tags) helped to make it difficult to pick a winner up until the last few seconds. I liked it.
Ring Area
After the match, The Bar comes out to the stage. They smile and laugh.
Backstage
Maryse helps Miz get ready for his match.
Ring Area
The Miz and Maryse head to the ring. Miz shows footage of last week when Miz and Maryse blindsided Brie Bella and Daniel Bryan. Afterward, Miz begins to again call out Daniel and Brie, but Maryse stops him. She says Miz already knows that Daniel and Brie won’t come out. Miz knows she’s right, so he asks, “who’s the coward now?”
Match 4
The Miz w/ Maryse vs R-Truth w/ Carmella
(referee: Ryan Tran)
Result: R-Truth wins via pinfall with a roll up (after a distraction from Daniel Bryan and Brie Bella)
Time: 7:20 (joined in progress)
Match Thoughts
Pretty good match. The best part was really just seeing R-Truth in the main event.
Ring Area
Immediately after the match, Daniel Bryan attacks Miz and puts him in the Yes Lock. Brie Bella stalks Maryse. Brie sets Maryse up for a running knee strike on the ropes, but Zelina Vega trips Brie before she can do anything. Andrade Almas attacks Bryan which allows Miz and Maryse to escape. Almas and Vega attempt to continue their attack, but Bryan and Bella put them each in a Yes Lock. Miz and Maryse think about what to do for a few seconds before running towards the ring. They stop short when Bryan and Bella stand up to wait for them. Miz and Maryse walk away.
Show Impressions
This was a pretty good show. The Daniel Bryan/Miz stuff felt like nearly the only thing going on tonight, and everything else felt like it was just filling time until the show got back to them. It’s not that the other stuff wasn’t interesting, it’s just that the non Bryan/Miz stuff was short and didn’t have a lot to it. Hopefully next week will find better balance.
Match of the Night
Triple Threat Tag Match
The Bryan/Almas match was probably just as good, but the final sequence of the tag match (and the redo of the kicks in the Bryan/Almas match) put the triple threat over the top for me tonight.