Quick Results
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* Christian def. Damien Sandow via small package
* AJ Lee and Layla def. Kaitlyn and Natalya
* Rob Van Dam, Mark Henry, and Big Show def. The Shield
* The Miz def. Jack Swagger via roll-up
* Non-title match
Curtis Axel def. Zack Ryder
* No DQ match
Daniel Bryan def. Wade Barrett via Flying Goat from the top rope
Detailed Results
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The Smackdown video plays, and we go into the arena as Michael Cole and John "Bradshaw" Layfield welcome us to the show. Tonight, we'll see Big Show, Mark Henry, and Rob Van Dam take on The Shield. We'll also see Daniel Bryan take on Wade Barrett in a No Disqualification match.
"We're here."
The Wyatt Family makes their slow walk to the ring illuminated only by the faint glow of an electric lantern. A video airs that recaps the Wyatt Family's assaults on Kane. Bray Wyatt will face Kane in a "Ring of Fire" match at Summerslam.
Bray Wyatt is sitting in a rocking chair surrounded by his "family" consisting of Erik Rowan and Luke Harper. Wyatt bids hello to the crowd, and he says the men standing behind him are his brothers. Wyatt says they have come to the conclusion recently that their actions have been misinterpreted, so he wants to clarify a few things. He wants to tell a special little story.
Once upon a time there was a special little boy. This boy went to school like all the rest of the children, but kids can be so cruel. Even though this boy was bigger than all the rest of the children, he would cower to their harsh words. They would call him "freak" and beat him up. He would run home crying all for being himself. Then one day this little boy decided he was going to change the world. He would go to school and everything would be different, but instead of changing everything, he ran away. He found another little crutch to hide behind. This crutch gave him a new sense of power. It allowed him to be whatever he wanted to be. This crutch was a mask. Behind the mask, he gave himself a new name. That name was Kane. Behind that mask, he allowed himself to live this lie, and the people eat it up for no reason.
Wyatt yells no more lies. He knows who he is and what he is. He walks on water just to prove that he can. He'd bite the head off a snake just to taste the poison. Wyatt promises this Sunday he will prove to Kane that one man's hell is another man's paradise. Follow the buzzards!
Wyatt kneels down in the ring and extends his arms laughing. All of a sudden, the ring posts explode with Kane's fire. The Wyatt Family waits for him in the ring, but he doesn't come down the ramp. As they look toward the ramp, Kane pulls Erik Rowan out of the ring from behind, and he's sent into the ring post. Luke Harper tries to attack, but Kane sends him into the steel steps.
Kane then looks toward Bray Wyatt, who laughs and extends his arms. Kane gets in the ring, and he taunts Wyatt by sliding his thumb across his throat. Wyatt charges, and Kane puts him in the corner. Kane punches away at him and uppercuts him down. Rowan and Harper try to help out, but Kane takes them out with punches. Kane grabs Wyatt by the throat, but he has to go back to work on Rowan and Harper. Kane throws Harper over the top rope, and Wyatt takes him down with a back elbow. Harper and Rowan beat Kane down as Wyatt arks his back to look at him upside down. Wyatt then drops Kane with Sister Abigail. Wyatt kneels beside Kane and yells "Follow the buzzards!"
**Commercial Break**
Damien Sandow is out with his new Money in the Bank briefcase. Sandow handcuffs it to the ring post to prevent it from being stolen again. A replay is shown of Cody Rhodes interrupting Sandow's opportunity to cash in the contract last week on Smackdown.
Damien Sandow vs. Christian
They circle the ring and go for a test of strength, but Sandow kicks Christian down. Sandow goes for a back suplex, but Christian flips through and gives him a drop-toe-hold into the ropes. Christian slingshots over the top rope for an uppercut, but Sandow moves. Christian avoids an elbow drop and connects with a missile dropkick for a two count. Sandow punches him and gives him a front suplex on the top rope. Sandow then knees him off the top rope to the outside. Sandow goes outside and puts him back in the ring for a near fall. Sandow drops some knees before applying a waist lock. Christian fights up to his feet, but Sandow clubs him in the back and throws him out of the ring. Sandow goes outside and whips him into the steel steps.
**Commercial Break**
We come back from the break to see Christian trapped in a chin lock. Christian fights up and elbows out. Sandow quickly knees him in the midsection, gets out of the ring, and sweeps the feet. Sandow knees away at the face before standing on him while on the apron. Sandow gets in the ring and taunts the crowd. Christian quickly shoulders him in the midsection and goes for a sunset flip, but Sandow rolls through. Sandow misses a clothesline, and Christian takes him down with a back body drop. Christian gives him the ten punches in the corner before dropping him with a reverse DDT for a near fall.
Christian gets the crowd clapping before going to the top rope. Christian goes for a flying cross-body block, but Sandow moves out of the way. Sandow quickly comes back with a flipping neckbreaker for a near fall. Sandow charges him in the corner, but Christian slides through the ropes. Christian ducks a clothesline, gets in the ring, and hits a slingshot sunset flip for a near fall. Christian immediately follows up with a stiff right hand. Christian hits a flying elbow off the second rope, and he gets the crowd clapping. Christian goes for the Killswitch, but Sandow gets out and cartwheels away. Sandow sends him throat first into the ropes and hits a Russian leg sweep. Sandow goes for the Cubito Aequet, but Christian rolls away. Sandow goes to grab him, but Christian catches him with a small package for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Christian
Match Rating: * 3/4
Sandow cannot believe it as Christian has his hand raised. Sandow tries to blindside him, but Christian ducks and hits him with a spear. All of a sudden, Alberto Del Rio attacks him from behind, and he kicks and punches away at Christian. Del Rio grabs a microphone. Del Rio says Christian will never get the gold. This is the end of the road for Christian. He will never be World Heavyweight Champion again. Del Rio slams the microphone off Christian's face before going for the Cross Arm Breaker. Christian then counters that into the Killswitch! Christian stands over Del Rio as his music plays.
Renee Young is backstage with Rob Van Dam. Young congratulates him on his victory in the battle royal. She asks for his thoughts on facing Dean Ambrose for the WWE United States Championship on the Summerslam Kickoff. RVD says it has been a long time since we've seen gold around his waist. Young asks if there is any concern about the other members of The Shield interfering. Big Show and Mark Henry surround RVD, and he says he isn't worried.
Young asks what brought Big Show back. Big Show says he realized he has unfinished business with The Shield. They think they can do whatever they want. They call themselves "The Hounds of Justice." A hound is a hunter. They're the World Tag Team Champions. They're about to be the hunted. Mark Henry says they'll need a shield. They have a giant. At Summerslam, Rob has nothing to worry about. RVD says The Shield will get a taste of justice courtesy of Big Show, Mark Henry, and RVD.
**Commercial Break**
Kaitlyn and Natalya vs. AJ Lee and Layla
Layla will start against Natalya. Layla dances around before Natalya takes her down with a headlock takeover. Layla pulls on the hair and tries to pin her, but she only gets a one count. Layla applies a head-scissor, but Natalya kips out of it. Natalya applies a headlock before transitioning to a schoolgirl for a two count. Natalya kicks her and sends her into the ropes, but Layla takes her down for a two count. Natalya goes for the Sharpshooter, but Layla kicks her away. Natalya swats at AJ, and Layla attacker her from behind. AJ then kicks Layla in the head while the referee's back is turned.
Layla kicks at Natalya and bumps her in the face with her butt as AJ pretends to be sleeping. AJ tags in, and Layla chokes her on the ropes as AJ kicks her. AJ jumps on her back with a sleeper hold, but Natalya inches closer to her corner. AJ gets off and punches Kaitlyn. AJ quickly jumps back on Natalya's back and reapplies that sleeper hold. Natalya powers up and slams her off.
Kaitlyn is tagged in. She ducks a clothesline and takes AJ down with a flying shoulder block. Kaitlyn hits a back elbow and clotheslines her in the corner. Kaitlyn follows up with a backbreaker for a two count. Kaitlyn sends her into the ropes, but she lowers her head and eats a kick. AJ hits the ropes, and Kaitlyn catches her with a gut-buster. Kaitlyn pins her, but Layla breaks it up. Natalya takes Layla down, and the referee admonishes her. Layla kicks Kaitlyn in the back of the knee, and AJ follows up with the Shining Wizard for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: AJ Lee and Layla
Match Rating: * 1/4
Renee Young is backstage with Ryback. She asks if the reason he isn't on Summerslam is due to the brutality he's shown his opponents. Ryback mocks her before saying he lives for brutality. Of course he isn't on Summerslam because people are scared of him. Ryback looks off camera and asks what someone is looking at. Ryback approaches a very skinny guy in a headset. The man puts his head down. Ryback tells him to look at him before asking if he's scared. Ryback asks what he was looking at. The man says nothing. Ryback says that's good enough for him before punching him in the stomach. Ryback asks if he's ok before slapping him in the face and viciously throwing him over a table! Ryback goes back to Renee and says the he supposes people are scared of him.
A video package will air next highlighting "The Best vs. The Beast."
**Commercial Break**
A video package looks at the history of "The Best vs. The Beast." It's highlighted with one-on-one interviews with CM Punk and Paul Heyman.
The Shield makes their way to the ring. They'll face Big Show, Mark Henry, and Rob Van Dam, next.
**Commercial Break**
The Shield vs. Rob Van Dam, Mark Henry, and Big Show
Mark Henry will start the match against Seth Rollins. Rollins ducks a lockup, and Henry shoves him to the corner. Henry slams him against the turnbuckle before hitting a body slam. RVD is tagged in, and he hits a top rope kick to the face. RVD raises his arms to the crowd before hitting a rolling monkey flip. RVD does his taunt before doing a standing moonsault for a two count. Rollins reverses a whip, but RVD back flips over him. Dean Ambrose, who blind tagged in, clotheslines RVD in the back of the head.
Ambrose punches away at RVD before hitting a short-arm clothesline. Roman Reigns is tagged in, and he picks up a one count. Reigns body slams RVD for a two count. Reigns applies a chin lock, but RVD soon fights up. Reigns head-butts him down and pushes him down. Big Show gets the crowd into it from the apron. Reigns then knocks Henry off the apron. Reigns then turns into a spinning kick from RVD.
Big Show and Dean Ambrose are tagged in. Big Show hits a pair of clotheslines before sending him to the corner for a back body drop. Rollins runs in, and Big Show throws him over the top rope by his throat. Big Show hits a running butt bump to Ambrose before hitting the ropes, but Reigns pulls down the top rope. Big Show lands hard on his hip at ringside. Henry comes up from behind and throws Reigns over the commentary table. He lands on Michael Cole. Henry then turns into a summersault senton from Rollins! Big Show gets back in the ring before he's counted out. Ambrose grabs him with a front face lock, but Big Show throws him off. Big Show takes him out with the Knockout Punch! RVD is tagged in, and he hits Ambrose with the Five Star Frog Splash for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Rob Van Dam, Mark Henry, and Big Show
Match Rating: **
Daniel Bryan will take on Wade Barrett in a No Disqualification match in tonight's main event.
The Miz will be in action, next.
**Commercial Break**
The Miz vs. Jack Swagger w/ Zeb Colter and Antonio Cesaro
Zeb Colter asks if the people remember the song, "Do You Know How to Get to San Jose?" Colter says he's been here for a few hours, and he wonders how you get out. Colter says that no one likes The Miz. Just like his adopted town of Hollywood, he's a phony and a fraud. He walks around with all two of his Hollywood friends with his head in the clouds, not realizing what is going on with real Americans. He's oblivious to what is going on. Miz should be ashamed, as should everyone in the building that they allowed the state to be overrun by illegal immigrants, criminals, freaks, and bad actors. If Hollywood had any sense, they would put Jack Swagger and Antonio Cesaro's names in the lights. Their story is real. Colter then asks people to put their hands over their hearts and shout, "We the people!"
They lock up, and Swagger shoves Miz to the corner. Swagger punches him before attempting a short-arm clothesline, but Miz ducks it. Miz punches away at Swagger before going for the ten punches in the corner. Swagger shoves him to the opposite corner, but Miz boots him in the face. Miz ducks a clothesline and dropkicks the knee. Miz works on the knee, but Swagger kicks him off. Miz kicks him in the knee again, but Swagger hits a waistlock slam. Swagger shoves him to the corner and clotheslines him before whipping him to the other side and hitting the same clothesline. Swagger hits a short-arm clothesline before doing push-ups on The Miz. Swagger hits a pair of shoulder blocks. He goes for a third, but Miz catches him with the Reality Check.
Miz kicks and punches at Swagger. Swagger knees him and goes for a chop block to the knee, but Miz avoids it. Miz hits a snap DDT while Swagger is on his knees for a near fall. Swagger ducks a running kick to the face and goes for a powerslam, but Miz slides off and shoves him to the corner. Miz hits his patented corner clothesline. Miz avoids some interference from Cesaro, but the distraction allows Swagger to knock him off the apron. The referee then senses foul play as he ejects Cesaro and Colter from ringside. They both go ballistic. Miz then rolls Swagger up for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: The Miz
Match Rating: *
Daniel Bryan will face Wade Barrett in a No Disqualification match later tonight.
Curtis Axel is walking backstage with Paul Heyman. He'll be in action, next.
**Commercial Break**
Zack Ryder vs. Curtis Axel w/ Paul Heyman
Axel talks a little trash as they circle the ring. Ryder ducks a clothesline and rolls him up for a one count. Ryder hits a pair of arm drags, and he applies an arm bar. Axel gets to his feet, but Ryder applies a hammerlock. Axel grabs the ropes and elbows him in the face. Ryder punches back at him, but he has a whip to the corner reversed. Axel charges into an elbow, but he's able to avoid a leap from the second rope. Ryder lands on his feet, and he connects with a flapjack for a one count. Heyman rolls his eyes at ringside. Axel gets out of the ring, and Ryder follows. Axel quickly gets back in, and he punches away at Ryder. Axel goes for a suplex, but Ryder lands on his feet and connects with a pair of knees. Ryder hits a missile dropkick, and he forearms Axel in the corner. Ryder goes for the Broski Boot, but Axel gets out of the ring. Ryder boots him in the face and throws him into the ring. Ryder goes to the top rope for a cross-body block, but Axel moves. Axel punches and kicks away at Ryder as Heyman yells at him to capitalize. Axel hits a snap back suplex before hitting a hangman's face buster for the win.
Winner by Pinfall: Curtis Axel
Match Rating: 1/2 *
Paul Heyman gets in the ring and gives the WWE Intercontinental Championship to Curtis Axel. Heyman will speak after the break.
**Commercial Break**
Paul Heyman is alone in the ring when we return from the break. Heyman says CM Punk outsmarted him last Monday on RAW. Heyman congratulates him on pulling off the impossible. Brock Lesnar and himself conspired against Punk, and Punk picked up a camera and smashed Lesnar right in the face. Heyman says all Punk proved is how right he's been all along all these years when he hyped him as "The Best."
Summerslam has a very successful marketing plan this year. It's CM Punk's thirst for revenge against Paul Heyman and, most importantly, Brock Lesnar. That dynamic has shifted. This Sunday at Summerslam, CM Punk is now the target of revenge. That vengeance will come in the form of his "Beast" Brock Lesnar. Heyman then leaves the ring.
A video package highlights the John Cena/Daniel Bryan feud heading into Summerslam.
Daniel Bryan's music hits, and the arena comes unglued with "YES" chants. He'll face Wade Barrett in a No Disqualification match, next.
**Commercial Break**
No Disqualification
Daniel Bryan vs. Wade Barrett
They circle the ring, and Bryan listens to the "YES" chants. They lock up, and Barrett powers him to the corner. Bryan ducks a right hand and kicks away at him. Bryan hits a dragon screw before going for a Mexican Surfboard. Bryan stands on his knees and rips at the nose. Bryan then stomps on the knees. Bryan uppercuts him before having a whip reversed. Barrett then turns him inside out with a knee to the midsection. Barrett stomps him before bouncing him off the top turnbuckle. Barrett stomps him down before sending him to the opposite corner. Bryan climbs the turnbuckle and back flips over him. Bryan ducks a clothesline and hits a flying elbow. Bryan then clotheslines him over the top rope. Bryan claps his hands, and he goes for a baseball slide, but Barrett moves. Barrett sends him into the barricade twice. Barrett charges, but Bryan moves. Barrett crotches himself on the barricade. Bryan kicks away at him until he falls to the floor.
Bryan pulls a table out from under the ring and puts it in. Barrett then attacks him and slams him on the commentary table. Barrett sends him into the steel steps and taunts the crowd. Barrett looks under the ring and grabs a kendo stick. Barrett gets in the ring and cracks it off Bryan's back and midsection a few times. Bryan kicks Barrett and picks up the kendo stick. Barrett quickly gets out of the ring. Bryan immediately takes him out with a suicide dive. Bryan throws him into the ring and hits a top rope missile dropkick. Bryan kips up and screams "YES!"
Mr. McMahon's music hits, and the WWE Chairman makes his way to ringside in a crazy flannel inspired sports coat. The commentators wonder what he's doing here.
**Commercial Break**
We come back from the break to see Barrett hit a swinging neckbreaker for a two count. McMahon is seen at ringside. During the commercial, Bryan ran shoulder first into a steel chair. Barrett sets the table up in the corner, and he goes to powerbomb Bryan through it. Bryan counters into a hurricanrana, and Barrett falls out of the ring. Bryan gets on the apron, and he hits a running knee off the apron. Bryan gets in front of McMahon and does the "YES" chant. McMahon cannot believe it. Bryan kicks Barrett in front of McMahon. Barrett then blocks a suplex, and he executes one himself on the floor. McMahon smiles and does the "YES" chant!
Barrett sends Bryan into the ring post before sending him into the ring. Barrett grabs a steel chair from under the ring. Barrett smacks it off Bryan's back and midsection a few times. Barrett goes to the second rope for an elbow drop with the chair, but Bryan moves. Bryan pumps up to the "YES" chants, and he hits Barrett with a pair of corner dropkicks. Bryan screams before looking at the kendo stick. Bryan then alternates kicks and shots with the stick for a while. McMahon cannot believe what he is seeing. Barrett ducks a roundhouse and rolls him up, but Bryan reverses into the Yes! Lock! McMahon pulls the referee out of the ring as Barrett taps out!
Bryan yells at McMahon, asking him what he's doing. Bryan yells "NO" as McMahon yells "YES!" Barrett takes Bryan out with the Bull Hammer and covers, but there is no referee. McMahon calls for a referee to come out, and Brad Maddox runs down in a referee shirt! Maddox counts, but Bryan kicks out! McMahon is incredulous. Barrett goes for a pump-handle slam, but Bryan slides off and kicks him in the head. Bryan covers, but Maddox won't count the pin. McMahon supports the decision.
Bryan stares at Maddox as McMahon slips Barrett the kendo stick. Bryan ducks right as Barrett swings, and he connects with Maddox's skull! Bryan dropkicks Barrett into Maddox. Bryan goes for another Yes! Lock, but Barrett punches out. Barrett goes to powerslam him through the table in the corner, but Bryan slides off and puts him through it! McMahon takes off his jacket, rips the shirt off Mike Chioda, and he goes to put it on!
Triple H's music hits, and the WWE COO and referee at Summerslam makes his way to the ring in a referee shirt. Bryan smiles as he goes to the top rope. Bryan then connects with the Flying Goat for the win!
Winner by Pinfall: Daniel Bryan
Match Rating: ** 1/2
Vince McMahon looks disgusted at ringside. Daniel Bryan and Triple H both do the "YES" taunt to him. They shake hands, and Triple H raises Bryan's arm.
Triple H leaves Bryan in the ring to soak up the cheers when Randy Orton's music hits. Orton comes out to the stage with his Money in the Bank briefcase and holds it up. Bryan shakes his head "NO" as Smackdown comes to an end.
