WWE Smackdown! Live Recap (August 2nd) John Cena, AJ Styles, What’s Next For Dolph Ziggler? The Debut of American Alpha & More!

Welcome to the Fightful.com live coverage for Smackdown! Live. I’m Ryan Cook and I’ll be taking you through all of tonight’s action. What’s next for the Showoff after he won the #1 contender spot last week, will Brock Lesnar retaliate against Randy Orton for attacking him last night on RAW and who will win between John Cena and AJ Styles? Be sure to come back here at 8 PM EST to see if these questions and more are answered!

-As we start the show they show Shane McMahon, Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton backstage, the two scolding Randy for what he did. Randy says it only takes one RKO to drop Brock Lesnar. They’re soon interrupted by The Miz and Maryse who says he’s not getting the same love as Dean Ambrose did. Daniel says Baron Corbin, Apollo Crews (Daniel called him Apollo Creed?) and Kalisto will face off tonight with the winner getting to face The Miz at Summerslam. Dean Ambrose comes out and says that he’s going to focus on building his legacy and representing the Smackdown! Live brand. He then focuses on Dolph Ziggler, asking him to come out for a chat, which Dolph does. Dolph says he’s a big fan and they are similar, to which Dean says, they’re nothing alike, Dolph is all show and Dean is all go.

Dolph says he had to work harder than Dean, saying he started his career as a male cheerleader. Dean asks Dolph is he is finished feeling sorry for himself and that he wastes his time complaining. Dean says he doesn’t care what people think and that he gets through and gets over and that’s how he became champion. He says Dolph is too worried about his image, what the fans think about him, the management, social media, when he should be worrying about winning. Dean says he’s the guy facing him at Summerslam and he’s going to lose. Dolph says he’s going to win then they square off, Dean saying that he isn’t as good as he thinks and he’s not being held back backstage, he’s not as good as he thinks he is. 

Bray Wyatt appears out of no where and hits a Sister Abigail on Dolph, saying that he doesn’t deserve to be champion. Bray says he wants to face Dolph and if he wins he’ll prove he’s worthy of being #1 contender, but if he loses, Bray will take his place at Summerslam as we go to commercial.

Baron Corbin vs Apollo Crews vs Kalisto Triple Threat #1 Contender Match

Corbin starts off, overpowering both Crews and Kalisto until Kalisto clears the ring then dives outside and takes out both Crews and Corbin as we go to commercial, As we come back Corbin is back in control, until Kalisto sends Corbin out of the ring, but Crews hits a samoan drop for a quick 2 count. Corbin hits the Deep Six out of no where for a very close 2 count, a lot of action going on here. Corbin catches Kalisto, but Crews dropkicks him over the ropes and gets the roll up on Kalisto for the pin and the win.

Winner: Apollo Crews via pinfall

-After the match Corbin attacks Kalisto, but Corbin starts to save him, only for The Miz to hit the Skull Crushing Finale then Corbin hits The End of Days on The Miz.

Becky Lynch vs Eva Marie

-Before the match starts they have a trainer come out, after being examined the referee says she can’t compete so there’s no match.

Winner: No Contest

-We have Renee Young backstage with Carmella in a set that looks like something out of Power Rangers. Natalya interrupts her out of no where and says that the women’s division needs a leader, like her. Carmella challenges her to a match and she accepts as they show American Alpha are debuting next as we go to commercial.

American Alpha vs The Vaudevillians

Gotch and Gable start it off with a lot of quick paced grappling. Gable tags in Jordan who hits a dropkick for a 1 count. Gotch tags in English, but after a front flip Jordan tags in Gable who hits a double clothesline off the top rope, clearing the ring. Gotch and English try to cut the ring in half, isolating Gable in their corner, tagging each other back in frequently. Gabe dives and tags in Jordan who hits a t-bone suplex then a belly to belly suplex, AA finishing it up with Grand Amplitude for the pin and the win.

Winner: American Alpha via pinfall with Grand Amplitude

-AJ Styles comes out and says he wants to talk about John Cena, but is immediately interrupted by who else, but Cena himself. Cena and AJ exchange words, AJ saying Cena’s fans are stupid, especially the little kids and their parents. AJ says they’re the type of parents who belive in a participation trophy and that no one is more delusional than John Cena, because he belives what the parents and kids think is true about him. AJ says you don’t get desert before dinner, you don’t get to stay up late before school and you don’t get a trophy for particpating, only for winning. AJ says among other things that he’s elite, wonder if that’s a wink to Bullet Club.

Cena says he doesn’t have any delusions, AJ asks why he’s still there and Cena says he’s there to shut him up. Cena says he’s there out of love and he doesn’t care what people think. Cena says he doesn’t know what a day off is, because he loves the brand, the company and the people. Cena says the only reason AJ is there is to be a good wrestler and if he can’t cut it he can leave and go somewhere else, but Cena says he can’t leave, he’s here out of love and asks AJ why he’s there. AJ claps and says he knew he’d say that. Cena says he’s going to teach him a lesson, accepting the match. AJ says that when Cena comes out after Summerslam after he beats him and if he doesn’t say AJ is better, he’s either a liar or a loser.

Randy Orton vs Fandango

Randy is in control, focusing on keeping Fandango grounded, getting a 1 count. Fandango turns the tables on dropkick. Orton gets out a reverse headlock with a back suplex then drops Fandango with various clotheslines then hits his signature slam into a draped DDT. Randy is about to win, but Brock comes out of no where, Randy hits an RKO on Fandango, but Brock jumps the barricade and hits the F5 on Orton as we go to commercial

-As we come back from commercial they escort Brock out then Heath Slater gets gored by Rhyno. We then cut to Renee interviewing Dean who says anything can happen, quickly leaving the interview. They plug Bray Wyatt vs Dolph Ziggler up next as we go to another commercial. Randy gets interviewed in the back, but quickly walks away without saying a word.

Carmella vs Natalya

Carmella does her intro on the ramp, but Natalya attacks her before the match can start then get put in a sharpshooter outside the ring. 

Winner: No Contest

Dolph Ziggler vs Bray Wyatt

Dolph goes for a famouser almost instantly for a quick 2 count. Bray goes outside, but Dolph chases, only to get laid out with a lariat. Bray is in control, until Dolph goes for a roll up for a quick 2 as we go to commercial. Bray has Dolph on the top rope as we come back, Bray hitting a superplex off the top rope, getting a quick 2 count out of it. Dolph hits a flurry offense himself for a quick 2 count. Dolph goes for a superkick, but it’s countered with a fall away slam into a senton for a quick 2 count. Bray tried to expose the turnbuckle, but got hit with a Zig Zag for a close 2 count. Dolph rips the turnbuckle cover off, but Bray goes for Sister Abigail, goes for the pin, but it gets reversed into a uranagi for a very close 2 count. Dolph bounces Bray into the exposed turnbuckle then hits a superkick for the pin and the win. 

Winner: Dolph Ziggler via pinfall with a superkick