WWE Smackdown! Live Recap (August 23rd) What’s Next For AJ Styles? Two New Titles Revealed & More!

Welcome to the Fightful.com live coverage for tonight’s episode of WWE Smackdown! Live. I’m Ryan Cook and I’ll be taking you through all of what is bound to be a great edition as Commissioner and General Manager Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan are set to unveil two new titles for the Smackdown! brand. Also, what’s next for AJ Styles after beating John Cena Sunday night? These questions and more will be answered tonight so be sure to come back here at 8PM EST!

-We open with AJ talking to the locker room including Baron Corbin, Erick Rowan (in th mask), Apollo Crews, Rhyno and Dolph Ziggler. AJ says he now runs the place and wears Cena’s armband he left in the ring Sunday as a headband. He tells Dolph he doesn’t like losers then Dolph attacks him before they get separated. The rosters minus those people are now in the ring as Shane and Daniel come out to unveil the new titles for the women and the tag teams. Daniel announces that the 6 women in the ring were great at Summerslam and each has the potential to be the face of the Smackdown! Live womens division; referencing the new blue belts; the women’s belt looks really nice. They announce the womens six pack challenge for Backlash, the winner becoming the Smackdown! Live Women’s champion. Shane then mentions they’ll be crowning the tag team titles at Backlash as well. They announce the tag tournament starts tonight before being interrupted by Heath Slater. Heath wants to challenge for the tag belts, but he doesn’t have a partner, Heath saying that he can guarantee he can find himself a partner for the tournament and they will win it all. Daniel says if Heath can find a partner before the end of the night they will find a team for them to face next week. Shane declares the only way he’ll become a part of the roster is if he wins the entire tournament; if they do this and he wins that’s a heck of a storyline. AJ comes out and is almost immediately attacked by Dolph as we go to commercial as they’re broken up.

Becky Lynch vs Alexa Bliss

We have Naomi and Natalya on commentary as we start the match. Becky focuses on Alexa’s arm, Alexa getting a quick 2 count off of her signature face smash kicks. Alexa starts focusing on Becky’s arm, but Becky manages to drop her with two lariats and a dropkick then what she’s calling the Flying Fire Arm into the corner. Alexa hits a sunset powerbomb for a close 2 count, getting frustrated. Becky then hits the Disarmer out of no where for the pin and the win. I like Becky’s new look.

Winner: Becky Lynch via submission with the Disarmer

The Ascension vs The Usos

The Ascension are in control from the very beginning, being very agressive, going for multiple pin attempts for just 2 each time. Ascension isolate the ring like good heels, keeping one of the Usos isolated in their corner for the entire match so far; I can’t tell these guys apart unless they tell who it is. Jimmy Uso takes in Jey who takes out Viktor with a cross body for a quick 2 count then hits a superkick. Viktor gets 2 off a back slide then Jey hits an samoan drop for a quick 2. Jimmy dives out and takes out Konnor then Jimmy hits a splash for the pin and the win. Well, that certainly was a match.

Winner: The Usos via pinfall

-Randy Orton will be here to talk about his match with Brock Sunday.

-AJ Stlyes comes out next. AJ says he says a lot of jealous faces in the crowd and in the back including Dolph Ziggler, showing highlights from his match with John Cena Sunday. AJ says the arm band looks better on him and he did exactly what he said he was going to do; Beat up John Cena then beat him in the ring at Summerslam. AJ says he doesn’t know what the Cenation cries into, but they can be AJ’s fans now because he is now the face that runs the place. Dolph tries to get to AJ as Daniel comes out and says he’s not going to let them ruin the show; saying that AJ deserves to be #1 contender. Daniel announces they’re going to face one another tonight and if AJ wins he faces Dean at Backlash, but if Dolph wins he gets added and it becomes a triple threat.

-They then plug the return of Nikki Bella as we go to commercial.

Carmella vs Nikki Bella

Carmella attacks Nikki before their match starts as Renee is in the ring to interview her. 

Winner: No Contest match never started

-Carmella hits the Bella Bomb after the match

-As we come back they show the a recap of the Orton vs Lesnar match. Randy Orton comes out next and says he was in a hell of a fight against Brock, that he knew what he was getting into and he’d have rather went out on a stretcher rather than how he lost. Randy says maybe their paths will cross some day as the lights go out and Bray Wyatt comes out and sits in his rocking chair. Bray says that he is a great man, but just a man, a man who suffers and who dies. Bray says he’s not just a man, that he is a god and that a god can never die. Bray says Randy will find out about it in time then disappears as we go backstage with Sane being interviewed about Brock Lesnar. They then plug AJ Styles vs Dolph Ziggler then American Alpha vs Breezango later tonight.

-Heath Slater is backstage talking to Arn Anderson who says he made a huge mistake coming to him last rather than first as Rhyno agrees to tag with him; didn’t see that coming. 

American Alpha vs Breezango

Gable and Fandango start off with Gable taking him down repeatedly with some collegiate wrestling until Fandango tags in Breeze who gets the same. Gable tags in Jordan and they both take out and toss Breezango over the top rope. Breeze gets back in with Jordan who then tags in Gable, both focusing on the arm of Breeze, kind of strange for faces. Gable tags Jordan back in and he focuses on the arm and isolates the ring just like a heel would. Fandango comes in after Breeze distracts the referee and turns Gable inside out with a clothesline as we go to commercial.

Gable sends Fandango over the top rope then tags in Jordan who takes out both Breeze and Fandango with a series of suplexes then a spear. Jordan tags in Gable who hits a dropkick bridging german for a quick 2 count. Breeze hits a huricanrrana for a quick 2 then hits a Supermodel Kick that nearly gets them the win if it weren’t for Gable breaking up the pin. Gable takes out Fandango then Breeze hits an enzugiri for a quick 2 count. Jordan hits an alphaplex then a spear then AA hit Grand Amplitude for the pin and the win.

Winner: American Alpha via pinfall

They plug the debut of Bin Wang then Dean is interviewed in the back about #1 contender, saying he was upstairs gambling. Dean says he doesn’t know who was fighting, but he’s not concerned as we go to commercial.

AJ Styles vs Dolph Ziggler

Dean Ambrose comes out to join on commentary before the match. The match starts with Dolph being very aggressive, trying to take AJ down, but fails as Dean talks up AJ’s win over Cena. Dolph applies a rear naked choke as they talk about his amateur wrestler at Kent State. Dolph sends AJ out of the ring with a dropkick as we go to commercial.

AJ runs Dolph into the turnbuckle for a quick 2, AJ in complete control right now. AJ kicks Dolph’s head off, but decides to play to the crowd rather than go for a pin. AJ hits a reverse neckbreaker on Dolph who’s hung up in the second rope, sending him out of the ring as we go to commercial.

Aj is still in control as we come back, keeping Dolph grounded, focusing on Dolph’s injured arm. Dolph gets out of a submission with a series of right hands, but AJ drops him with a knee. Dolph hits a beautiful dropkick that sends AJ down to the mat. AJ hits an elbow, but Dolph drops AJ with a series of lariats then a dropkick goes for a quick pin, only getting 2. Dolph then hits a Famouser out of no where for a very close 2 count, Dolph holding his injured arm as they both get up. AJ hits an ushiguroshi out of no where for a very close 2 count; that was nice. AJ goes for a 450 splash, but misses then Dolph hits a satellite DDT, but only gets a close 2 count. AJ sets Dolph up for the Styles Clash, but reverses it then Dolph the Zigzag out of no where for a very close 2; I thought that was it. They both get to their feet, Dolph goes for a superkick and misses then and AJ hits the Styles Clash for the pin and the win.

Winner: AJ Styles via pinfall with the Styles Clash