– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown opens with a Money In the Bank mention. Charlotte Flair, Tamina Snuka, Natalya and Becky Lynch are backstage arguing about what happened on Sunday. SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan returns and promises to hear them all out but first he wants to see what James Ellsworth and Ms. Money In the Bank have to say. Bryan walks off and they keep arguing.
– We go to the ring and out comes the first-ever Ms. Money In the Bank Carmella with James Ellsworth. Greg Hamilton does the introductions. Tom Phillips is on commentary with JBL and Byron Saxton. Tom welcomes us to SmackDown from Dayton, Ohio.
Ellsworth demands fans give it up for Carmella. She welcomes us to the Fabulous Era. Carmella has Ellsworth hold the briefcase so she can address the elephant in the room. Fans boo as Carmella talks about how she’s been trending worldwide since last night. Carmella mentions how fans are saying she made a mockery of the division and she disrespected a historic moment. What does Carmella say to that? She says… who cares. Fans boo as the briefcase is raised again. Carmella says she has been overlooked ever since she was the last pick in the WWE Draft. Carmella says she’s not here for girl power, that’s for damn sure. She knocks the other MITB competitors and says none of them mattered at the end of the day because she’s that intelligent. While the others were worried about making history, Carmella was planning her future. She says she won the match fair and square. She talks about how Kane helped Seth Rollins win a few years back. She also mentions how Bray Wyatt stopped Roman Reigns from winning a few years ago. She knocks the fans, calling them internet trolls. She says they are pathetic and should be ashamed. Carmella says she earned the contract. She says the match was a No DQ match and wonders how you can break a rule when there aren’t any.
Fans chant for Bryan and Carmella says he will be out here later. She says Bryan needs to man up, make a decision and recognize that she is Ms. Money In the Bank. Carmella says there’s nothing any of us can do about it. Her music hits and she leaves with Ellsworth.
– Bryan is backstage watching what just happened. Charlotte walks back in. Bryan says he talked to the WWE trainers and they checked on Charlotte’s neck… she cuts him off and is upset about what was just said in the ring. She talks about how MITB ended and says Bryan needs to do the right thing. Charlotte walks off.
– Still to come, Dolph Ziggler vs. Shinsuke Nakamura. Also, Luke Harper vs. WWE Champion Jinder Mahal in a non-title match. We see The New Day backstage walking. Big E vs. Jimmy Uso is next. Back to commercial.
Big E vs. Jimmy Uso
Back from the break and out comes The New Day. They cut promos on how The Usos retained at Money In the Bank and issue a warning. The music hits and out come the SmackDown Tag Team Champions.
Back from another break and Jimmy has control after Jey Uso distracted Big E during the commercial. Jimmy keeps control and boots Big E in the face. Uso stands tall and fans boo. Uso keeps Big E grounded now as Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods look on. Big E sends Uso to the apron and charges but Uso decks him. Uso goes to the top but Big E catches him with an overhead belly-to-belly on the way down. Big E with another suplex, and another.
Big stands over Uso and dances before running the ropes for a splash. Uso jumps up and counters with a Samoan Drop for a 2 count. Uso nails Kofi with a cheap shot. Big E takes advantage and slams Uso. Uso slides out of a Big Ending and retreats to the floor. Fans boo as The Usos try to walk out. Kofi comes flying off the steel steps and takes Jey out. Woods stops Jimmy from leaving. Big E comes over but Uso rocks him. Uso comes back into the ring but misses a kick. Big E nails the Big Ending for the win.
Winner: Big E
– After the match, The New Day celebrates as we go to replays. The New Day taunts The Usos from the ring.
– Bryan is backstage talking to SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon on the phone when Natalya walks in with Tamina Snuka. Natalya is happy to see him back. Bryan asks how her shoulder is doing. Natalya rambles about Bryan being a father when Tamina speaks up and wants to know what Bryan is doing about Ellsworth. He promises to make an official decision soon. Tamina leaves while Natalya thanks Bryan over and over. She also leaves and Bryan asks Shane if he can call him back. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and we get another promo for John Cena’s July 4th return.
– Dasha Fuentes is backstage with SmackDown Women’s Champion Naomi. She’s confident Daniel Bryan will make the right decision over the MITB controversy. She talks about how the other women better be ready for her glow… Lana interrupts and asks what about her. She says she would’ve won the title at Money In the Bank if it weren’t for Carmella and Ellsworth. Lana challenges Naomi to a rematch. Naomi talks about beating Lana but says she’s a fighting champion and will give Lana another shot next week. Naomi tells Lana to get out of her face or get slapped back to Russia.
– We see stills from WWE Champion Jinder Mahal’s win over Randy Orton at MITB. Tom leads us to a sitdown interview he did with Orton earlier in the day. Orton says this is far from over, he’s going to end Jinder’s career. He doesn’t care if he has to break the necks of The Singh Brothers. Orton says Jinder disrespected his family so maybe he will fly to India and rain down RKOs on all of Jinder’s family. Orton says Jinder made a mistake and now there’s no turning back.
Dolph Ziggler vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
We go to the ring and out comes Dolph Ziggler. Back to commercial.
Back from the break and out comes Shinsuke Nakamura to a pop. The bell rings and fans start chanting for Nakamura. They’re slow to get going but they trade holds early on. Nakamura goes for a cross armbreaker but Ziggler avoids it. They lock up again and Ziggler takes control. Ziggler with a 1 count. More tangling on the mat. Ziggler with a 2 count. They go to the ropes and the referee breaks it up. Nakamura dodges a cheap shot and tells Ziggler to bring it. Nakamura drops Ziggler with a shot to the face. Nakamura with more offense and some good vibrations in the corner.
Nakamura misses in the corner but still blocks a Ziggler dropkick. Ziggler pulls Nakamura face first into the ring post and the turnbuckle. Ziggler waits on Nakamura to get up and nails a dropkick for a 2 count. Ziggler keeps Nakamura grounded now. Ziggler continues taking his time working Nakamura around the ring. Ziggler runs Nakamura’s face across the top rope and keeps him down with a headlock. Nakamura ends up dumping Ziggler over the top rope to the floor. Ziggler is down on the floor as we go to commercial.
Back from the break and Nakamura is fighting out of a headlock. Ziggler shuts him down but Nakamura comes back with a big kick to take Ziggler down. Nakamura with more kicks and offense. They go on and Nakamura goes for a Kinshasa but Ziggler takes out the knee and nails a Fame-asser for a close 2 count.
Ziggler misses a superkick but gets a 2 count. Nakamura pulls him into a triangle. Nakamura ends up getting the cross armbreaker applied in the middle of the ring. Ziggler breaks it with a cheap shot to the face but the referee did not see it. Ziggler with an elbow to the face. Nakamura with a kick but he misses the reverse exploder as Ziggler counters and hits a Zig Zag for another close 2 count. Ziggler comes right back and applies a sleeper hold. More back and forth as the hold is broken. Nakamura drops Ziggler with a knee.
Nakamura waits in the corner as Ziggler is slow to get up. Nakamura nails the Kinshasa for the win.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
– After the match, Nakamura stands tall as his music hits. We go to replays. Nakamura hits the corner and stands tall as fans cheer while Ziggler is down on the floor.
– Bryan is backstage talking to Sami Zayn. Bryan reveals that he’s booked Sami vs. Baron Corbin for next week. Becky Lynch walks up and Sami says he wanted to talk to Becky about MITB. He gives her props and says she got robbed, but he was pulling for her. Sami walks off and Becky brings up MITB to Bryan. What bothers Becky is the most is how she had her hands on the briefcase. She says SmackDown feels like the land of handouts, not the land of opportunities. Becky expresses frustration and asks Bryan what can she do. Bryan says it’s complicated. Becky asks if doing the right thing is really that complicated. She walks off.
– We see the WWE United States Champion backstage walking. He will issue an open challenge next. Back to commercial.
– Back from the break and out comes WWE United States Champion Kevin Owens for a Face of America Open Challenge. Owens says he’s not standing here with the MITB briefcase because of an injustice that happened Sunday night. Owens goes on and says he’s still here and he’s the US Champion. Owens continues and says tonight he’s going to give one lucky individual from Dayton, OH a chance to take his title. Owens announces that the Face of America Open Challenge begins now and if here’s anyone in the back from Dayton that wants to… the music interrupts and out comes AJ Styles to a pop.
Styles is ready to go but Owens says he didn’t listen just like most dumb Americans. Owens says this open challenge is for people from Dayton. American Alpha’s music hits and out comes Chad Gable. Owens asks why Gable is here because he’s not from Dayton either. Gable says he’s here to answer the challenge because he just moved to Dayton… this morning. Owens asks for his address. AJ verifies the address and tells the referee to ring the bell for Gable’s title shot.
WWE United States Title Match: Chad Gable vs. Kevin Owens
Owens asks what’s going on. Gable comes from behind and starts dumping a confused Owens with suplexes. Gable goes for the ankle lock but Owens makes it to the bottom rope.
AJ joins the announcers for commentary as Owens rolls to the floor for a breather. We go to commercial.
Back from the break and Owens finally is able to turn it around coming out of the corner. Owens drops Gable for a 2 count. Owens talks some trash and scoops Gable but wastes time by talking trash to AJ. Gable drops Owens and goes to the top for a moonsault. Owens kicks out at 2.
Gable keeps control but Owens sends him into the post. More back and forth. Gable hits a big German suplex and holds it for a close 2 count. Owens manages to hit a pop-up powerbomb for the win.
Winner: Kevin Owens
– After the match, Owens leaves with the title and backs up the ramp as AJ stares him down.
– Daniel Bryan is backstage with The Hype Bros. Zack Ryder shows us footage from December where they won the battle royal to become new #1 contenders. Mojo Rawley says the title shot should still be valid. Bryan says the tag team division has changed a lot since December but he will give them a chance next week – if they can defeat SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos in a non-title match, they will earn a title shot. The Hype Bros. thank Bryan and we go back to commercial.
– Back from the break and we get a Sonic ad with Tye Dillinger and Sami Zayn.
– We go to the ring and out comes SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan as the “yes!” chants start up.
Fans chant Bryan’s name as the music stops. He says it’s great to be back. Bryan says he and Shane McMahon have been working on a decision for the women’s MITB controversy and he was told that he has to take his emotions out of it, to stick to the WWE rule book. Bryan brings the women’s MITB competitors to the ring and out first comes Charlotte. Tamina is out next, followed by Natalya and then Becky Lynch. Ms. Money In the Bank Carmella is out next with James Ellsworth.
Bryan says his decision involves everyone in the ring. He listened to Carmella earlier and she had some valid points – MITB matches are No DQ matches and there’s nothing in the rule book that says you can’t have someone else climb the ladder and take the briefcase. Fans boo. Bryan says the rule book simply says the first woman to hold the briefcase is the winner. Bryan says there has been interference in the past but there has never been a case of someone unhooking the briefcase and giving it to someone else. Bryan says we are in unfamiliar territory. Ellsworth asks Bryan what’s gotten into him. James says being father to a little hippy, vegan baby has made Bryan soft. Bryan tells Ellsworth to shut up. Bryan says if Ellsworth talks about his kid one more time, he will punch Ellsworth in the mouth and fire him. Bryan gets fired up. Carmella goes in on Bryan but Becky hushes her up. Natalya has words for Becky next but Flair shuts her up. Charlotte is here for a decision and if Natalya doesn’t shut up, she’s going to make Natalya look like Ellsworth. Tamina threatens Charlotte to shut her up.
Bryan says everyone needs to calm down. Bryan says Carmella is going to be the first woman ever to have to hand over the briefcase. Bryan says he’s not going to let someone like Ellsworth interrupt one of the most important moments in women’s WWE history. Bryan says he’s taking the briefcase and there will be another MITB Ladder Match on next week’s show. It will be Tamina, Carmella, Becky, Natalya and Charlotte going at it. Bryan snatches the briefcase from Ellsworth and leaves with it as his music hits. Carmella and Ellsworth are not happy. A brawl breaks out. It comes down to Charlotte and Becky standing over Carmella on each side. They taunt her but she pleads with them. Charlotte nails Natural Selection on her. Becky applies the Disarm Her. Ellsworth looks on from outside of the ring as Carmella taps but Becky keeps the hold locked. Becky’s music hits and she taunts Ellsworth from the apron. We go to commercial.
Jinder Mahal vs. Luke Harper
Back from the break and out come The Singh Brothers to the stage. They introduce WWE Champion Jinder Mahal and out he comes for tonight’s main event. Luke Harper is out next for this non-title match.
They lock up and Jinder takes Harper to the corner with offense. Harper drops Jinder coming out of the corner. Harper keeps control and nails a dropkick. Jinder goes to the floor for a breather as we go to commercial.
Back from the break and Harper went for a dive but Jinder put one of The Singh Brothers in the way. Jinder floors Harper and brings it back into the ring. Jinder keeps Harper down before unleashing more offense. Harper fights back but Jinder drops him. Jinder keeps Harper grounded again as The Singh Brothers look on. Jinder with elbows now. Harper ducks a clothesline and drops Jinder with a butterfly suplex.
Harper fights back and makes a comeback now. Harper drops Jinder and gets a pop. Harper launches himself over the top rope from the apron and goes on to hit a big boot for a 2 count. Jinder with an elbow but Harper catches him in a side-slam for another 2 count. More back and forth. Harper goes to the top but Jinder cuts him off. Jinder climbs up and nails a superplex. The music interrupts and out comes Baron Corbin with his MITB briefcase.
Jinder looks on from the mat as Corbin approaches the timekeeper’s area but stops and just laughs. Corbin keeps walking and points at Jinder, warning him. Corbin leaves as Jinder looks on. Harper comes from behind with a 2 count. Harper drops Jinder with a superkick. Harper goes to knock one of The Singh Brothers off the apron as he jumps up but he jumps right back down. Jinder takes advantage of the distraction and hits The Khallas for the pin.
Winner: Jinder Mahal
– After the match, Jinder stands tall as we go to replays. Jinder raises the title with The Singh Brothers in the middle of the ring but Randy Orton’s music hits and out he comes. Orton meets The Singh Brothers at ringside and takes them out. Orton hits the ring and unloads on Jinder. Jinder slides out but Orton runs around the ring and clotheslines him on the floor. Orton slams Jinder into the announce table and slams him on top of the barrier, causing him to fall into the timekeeper’s area. Orton gets riled up as fans pop. Orton with a draping DDT from the barrier to the floor. Orton brings it back into the ring and waits for the RKO but The Singh Brothers attack him. Orton fights them off and delivers a RKO to one of the brothers, knocking him to the floor. We see Jinder retreating through the crowd. The other Singh brother comes off the top rope but Orton nails the RKO in mid-air. Orton stands tall and looks out at Jinder as his music hits. SmackDown goes off the air.
