Several Matches Confirmed for Tonight’s SmackDown & 205 Live Tapings

As seen at Sunday’s WWE Battleground event, Nakamura won his match against Baron Corbin via disqualification when he was nailed in the crotch by Corbin. PWInsider reports that a rematch is set to take place between the two at tonight’s SmackDown Live Event from Richmond, Virginia.

Speaking of tonight’s tapings, Neville will face Ariya Daivari and Cedric Alexander & Rich Swann will team together to take on the team of Tony Nese & TJP.

Check back here at 8PM ET for our live play-by-play coverage of tonight’s event.

Title Match Set for Next Week’s SmackDown Live

As seen on tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live, AJ Styles pinned Chris Jericho in a Fatal 3-Way for US Championship to capture the title. Kevin Owens announced after the match that he wants his rematch for the Title on next week’s show.

Also confirmed for next week’s show is John Cena facing Nakamura for a shot at the WWE Championship against Jinder Mahal at SummerSlam.

Why Brock Lesnar Must Become A Free Agent

Rumours have been circulating this week that Brock Lesnar will return to UFC. There is also an accompanying rumour that Lesnar will not resign his contract after Wrestlemania 34. Even if these are simply rumours WWE and Vince McMahon must be scared. Lesnar is sports entertainment’s biggest draw bar none. He is a mega star and a huge asset to the company. However, his career is winding down and there is still infinite value in Lesnar over the next year or two. His value will be used best though if he becomes a free agent and here’s why.

More Dream Matches

Samoa Joe vs Brock Lesnar was a legitimate dream match. WWE capitalised on this feud and booked it perfectly from Extreme Rules all the way to Great Balls of Fire. This feud proved Joe to be a superstar and also that Brock Lesnar dream feuds are a necessity. Dream matches with Brock Lesnar create superstars. They give wrestlers a career defining match as well fans exactly what they are desperate for.

That said, there are not that many dream feuds left for Lesnar on RAW. The only real one is Finn Balor which is as dream worthy as Samoa Joe was. Behind Balor is – at a stretch of the word dream – Bray Wyatt and even Braun Strowman. These feuds must happen in Lesnar’s time left in WWE without a doubt, particularly with Balor. On Smackdown Live however there are more. Three legitimate dream matches face Lesnar on Smackdown Live. Kevin Owens, AJ Styles and of course there is also Shinsuke Nakamura. On a smaller level there is also stars like Corbin and Zayn who would likely be excellent opponents for Lesnar.

Heyman can simply announce the Beast Incarnate will do what he wants and go where he wants. This opens the door for so many feuds and matches that WWE must capitalise on. Especially now that Lesnar is likely in the very end of his WWE career. With Lesnar fighting only a limited number of times a year, now is the time to do this. If not for the wrestlers opposite Lesnar, then for us the fans.

Favorites to Win at Sunday’s WWE Battleground Event

Here are the current bedding odds for Sunday’s WWE Battleground event, courtesy of Bet Wrestling. These betting outcomes will most-likely changed several times between now and Sunday.

(Note: The lower the number, the more favorable they are in winning the bout)

WWE Championship – Punjabi Prison Match
Jinder Mahal (c) -333 vs. Randy Orton +220

WWE United States Championship
AJ Styles (c) -300 vs. Kevin Owens +188

Smackdown Tag Team Championship
The Usos (c) +163 vs. The New Day -227

Flag Match
John Cena -1000 vs. Rusev +500

Fatal 5 Way for the Smackdown Women’s Championship #1 Contendership
Charlotte +120 vs. Lana +200 vs. Becky Lynch +230 vs. Tamina +350 vs. Natalya +1000

Shinsuke Nakamura -250 vs. Baron Corbin +175

Aiden English +150 vs. Tye Dillenger -200

Three Matches Announced for Tonight’s SmackDown Live

WWE has announced that Jinder Mahal would be facing Tye Dillinger in a non-title match on tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live. In addition to that match, they have also announced Xavier Woods vs. Jey Usos and Baron Corbin vs. Nakamura.

Check back here at 8PM ET for our live play-by-play coverage of the event.

Record Set at Sunday’s Money in the Bank Event

The Money in the Bank ladder match set a new record this past Sunday.

This year’s Money in the Bank Ladder match featuring AJ Styles, Nakamura, Dolph Ziggler, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Baron Corbin was the longest one in WWE history. The match clicked in at 29:50.

The women’s Money in the Bank match was the second shortest in WWE history, with a running time of only 13:18.

Dinner with the King Recap – Great Balls of Fire Insight, Advice for Wannabe Wrestlers, Who Had the Best ‘Puppies’ in WWE? More!

Lawler is joined on today’s show by his co-host Glenn Moore.

Lawler informs that he appeared at the Comicon in Washington, DC this past weekend. He says that he had a great time there and he was able to see a lot of old friends. WWE Superstars Charlotte Flair and Nakamura even made an appearance on Saturday.

A listener writes into the show and asks Lawler which current WWE Superstar would fit well in Memphis Wrestling back in the day. Lawler says that he worked as the top babyface in Memphis for a long time, so their goal was always to find big, strong heels to work against him. Guys like Kamala and Bam Bam Bigelow fit that mould.

In that sense, there are a number of guys in WWE today that would work out well in Memphis. Lawler says that they would have made a lot of money with someone like Brock Lesnar in Memphis back in the day. They could also do wonders with talents such as Baron Corbin, Bray Wyatt and of course Braun Strowman.

The Taz Show Recap – Smackdown Analysis, Mahal’s Celebration, Ed Nordholm Goes Rogue, More!

Block 1:

Taz opens today’s show speaking about last night’s episode of Smackdown Live.

He says that he liked last night’s show, but he has a few criticisms as well. He says that Nakamura should have came out to the ring first in the opening segment of the night. Having Nakamura do his full entrance while all the other performers were standing in the ring felt incredibly long and awkward to Taz.

He understands that WWE wanted Nakamura to come out last because they’re building him as the biggest star. However, having him come out last put heels like Kevin Owens and Dolph Ziggler in a bad situation, because Taz expected those guys to just attack Nakamura while he was finishing his entrance in the middle of the ring.

Taz also points out that it was strange for Shane McMahon (a babyface authority figure) to give Kevin Owens (a heel) his way, after Owens complained about not being an entrant in the Money in the Bank ladder match. If Shane was a heel authority figure that would have made sense, but heels are supposed to complain, and it’s strange when babyfaces succumb to heel demands.

Taz says A.J. Styles should win the Money in the Bank ladder match in his opinion, because Styles is a top babyface who can surprise the Champion at any moment and have a terrific match. Styles is also good on the mic and can back up his briefcase win with believable promos.

WWE Title Match & Participants Announced for Money in the Bank

Shane McMahon opened up tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live announcing that Randy Orton will get his rematch for the WWE Title against Jinder Mahal at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view event.

Shane also announced AJ Styles, Baron Corbin, Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler, Nakamura and Kevin OWens as participants for the Money in the Bank Ladder match.

Money in the Bank will take place on June 18, 2017 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri. As always, we will be providing live play-by-play coverage of the event.