SmackDown airs tonight with a live show emanating from Oakland Arena in Oakland, California. This is the fourth episode of SmackDown during the five week build to SummerSlam, which takes place on the weekend of August 1.
Cody Rhodes has finally had enough of CM Punk’s bullshit
Things seemed okay between Cody Rhodes and WWE Champion CM Punk one week ago, but then Saturday Night’s Main Event happened, and CM accidentally clipped Cody in the face with his belt after they won their tag team match. Rhodes lost his cool in a backstage confrontation afterwards with Punk.
The next day at the SummerSlam Kickoff event, Punk implied that “little brother” Cody should be embarrassed and apologize for what happened, but his ego is getting in the way. That’s when Rhodes said he didn’t want to hear any more of Punk’s bullshit about ego and it being an accident. Punk added fuel to the fire by pie-facing Rhodes and saying that one was on purpose. WWE officials had to step in at that point to keep the situation from escalating.
That’s where things stand between these SummerSlam main event opponents heading into SmackDown tonight. WWE hasn’t yet announced what Punk or Rhodes are doing on the show, but it seems like a good bet there will be a talking segment that could potentially end with punches to the face this time. SummerSlam is only eight days away, after all, so it’s the right time for violence.
Who will strike first if things get out of control between Punk and Rhodes tonight? Will one of these stars lean more into heel tactics heading into SummerSlam? Does CM plan to make fun of Cody’s hideous tattoo? Tune into SmackDown to find out.
The rest of the card
Rhea Ripley is out injured, so WWE decided to create an interim women’s championship that will go to the winner of a 5-woman ladder match at SummerSlam. Women’s United States Champion Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill both qualified for the match last week. Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax takes place tonight in another qualifying bout. This match came about after Flair was a giant dumbass and got Jax disqualified in last week’s qualifier against Jade. Considering that Flair vs. Cargill was likely the original plan for SummerSlam, I’d be shocked if The Queen fails to advance to the SummerSlam ladder match, where Jade is already waiting for her.
Other stuff to keep an eye on
– In addition to Flair vs. Jax, there has to be two more qualifying matches to round out the field for the interim title ladder match. Which women on the roster will get chosen for these qualifiers? Could this be where “The Glamour” Blake Monroe gets her first televised match since joining the WWE main roster? What about Chelsea Green? Kiana James probably won’t be in the mix, considering she just lost a rematch to Giulia on WWE Main Event.
– Nick Aldis vs. GUNTHER is official for SummerSlam after Nick blasted GUNTHER in the head with the WWE championship at Saturday Night’s Main Event and they brawled over it the next day. How will WWE try to convince its fans that the rusty SmackDown GM has any chance in hell to beat the man who sent Goldberg, AJ Styles, and John Cena into retirement? Will GUNTHER up the ante by demanding that Aldis put his career on the line too?
– Baron Corbin is back in WWE and he’s coming straight for Trick Williams’ custom furry United States championship. Corbin has since implied that the WWE locker room is full of wannabe tough guys, and they will all quickly learn that he is the real deal. He also referred to Carmelo Hayes as collateral damage. Will Melo step up and try to get booked as Corbin’s first opponent back in WWE so he can shut this mid-carder up?
– Fatal Influence are the new WWE women’s tag team champions after Jacy Jayne blatantly cheated in front of the referee, who somehow didn’t see it. Will Paige and Brie Bella come looking for a rematch tonight, or is this the end of their makeshift team?
– Former WWE Champion Sami Zayn has nothing to do at SummerSlam after his partner GUNTHER got pinned in their tag team match against Rhodes and Punk at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Will Sami complain to Johnny Gargano about it backstage and get the justice he deserves after Aldis screwed his team over? If not, does The Last Real Good Guy have to find a random babyface to pick a fight with in order to get a spot on the SummerSlam card?
– Will Royce Keys team up with Solo Sikoa tonight for a tune up match against some kind of jabroni team like Fraxiom before they join forces with LA Knight to face The Bloodline at SummerSlam?
– WWE Tag Team Champions Damian Priest and R-Truth vs. AAA World Tag Team Champions War Raiders in a winner-take-all match is going to happen at some point, but it sure is taking a long time to announce a date for it. Why not do the match at SummerSlam?
– Is Finn Balor done with the Tongans after beating both Tama and Talla in recent weeks? Is this story leading to a SummerSlam match for Balor?
– Kit Wilson has cooled off now that he is stuck being an electrified zombie puppet for Danhausen. Will Matt Cardona accidentally press a button that restores Kit and The Miz to their original forms while also changing himself back to Zack Ryder, or is there no longer enough TV time on two hour SmackDown to resolve this story?
– Where the f*** is Jordynne Grace?
What will you be looking for on SmackDown?
