Smackdown Synopsis for 7/31/20 (Bayley vs Nikki Cross)

By
Ian Abugov

Summer Loving, it’s not just about John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Love sizzles between Mandy Rose and Otis. The couple will return to the Blue Brand tonight after a considerable hiatus. Will Sonya Deville save the day with a jar of Nivea, time will tell. Summer not only is synonymous with love, but it also makes us all scream for ice cream. That is perfect for this sweltering Friday night. We are in store for a double scoop of championship action on tonight’s card. This is the Smackdown Synopsis for 7/31/20.

Bayley Dos Straps will defend her SD Women’s title against Nikki Cross. After months of teasing a Bayley-Banks fissure, their bond seems stronger than ever after this week’s Raw. And The Phenomenal One will be putting his I-C title on the line against Gran Metalik. Between Big E getting a single’s push and Metalik in one on one action, the SD tag team division is looking thinner than a spear of asparagus. Not much out there for Cesaro and Nakamura…

Intercontinental Championship
AJ Styles (c) vs Gran Metalik

With his win in the fatal four-way last week, Gran Metalik gets his shot at the title. He challenges AJ Styles for the coveted I-C championship. The challenger has nada to lose and everything to gain. The encounter began with a pair of clean breaks but shortly thereafter, the Phenomenal One resorted to rough house tactics. Styles then transitioned into a more technical style and administered a protracted suplex for a two count.

The momentum would briefly switch to Metalik’s side. After a failed moonsault, Metalik hit a cross-body splash and came within milliseconds of a victory. The Face that Runs the Place as he likes to refer himself as, rebounded with a series of stinging kicks. Before going to work on Metalik’s left knee and ankle. Metalik was not about to go anywhere. He even managed to garner a pair of two counts via the missile dropkick and the DDT.

Styles responded with a series of stiff kicks that put Metalik in a world of trouble. He would hit an Ensiguri which was followed by a Calf Crusher and an immediate tap out by the Luchador. Then, there was a nice helping of cream on Metalik’s humble pie with a post-match beatdown.

Winner – AJ Styles

King Corbin is backstage and is trying to entice Shorty G into vying for the King’s Ransom by taking out Matt Riddle.

In the ring, a jubilant Jeff Hardy rejoices over beating Sheamus in last week’s bar fight. King Corbin, never one to want for air time taunts Hardy by saying that he has a pathetic life and implies that he is too whiny to even make a play for the King’s Ransom. He then stated, “My kingdom is becoming an insane asylum.”

Smackdown Synopsis for 7/31/20
King Corbin vs Drew Gulak

Gulak seizes a very early advantage with a string of scientific maneuvers before being rattled by a right hand by the former Golden Gloves standout. Corbin would follow up with a half crab on Gulak’s left leg. This hold was adeptly countered into a cross face which culminated in a rope break. Corbin would then bounce back with an End of Days as well as a Deep Six.

Winner – King Corbin

That was by no means the end of the story. Matt Riddle burst on the scene to attack the redoubtable King. Shorty G. though would emerge to take the first steps in collecting the King’s Ransom and attacking the Original Bro. Money talks and Shorty G listened attentively. Proof positive that in these difficult times, varlets are never too hard to find.

Smackdown Synopsis for 7/31/20
Big E vs The Miz

It’s more than just a new day for Big E, it’s a new phase. The highly anticipated launch of his solo run. Quite the opponent for E tonight, The Miz who has won nineteen various championships during his WWE tenure. The Miz, who rarely travels light, was of course accompanied by John Morrison. Early on E dominated with his power game. The A-Lister was hurled over the top rope, thrown on to the announce table, and then into the barricade.

Things were looking bleak until John Morrison interfered with an acrobatic kick, springboarding off the ring stairs. The Miz was then in complete, albeit, short term control. He locked on a variation of the sleeper hold and laid on some stiff kicks to the face.

Big E still had quite a bit of fuel left in his tank. A neck breaker and a pair of belly to belly suplexes put him in the driver’s seat. The ride though was short. The Miz would counter with a rake of the eyes followed by a DDT. He garnered a two count and struck with a barrage of Yes kicks. He then went to work on E’s left leg and hit the eight-time tag team champion with a pair of running knees.

After being caught in mid-air, The Miz was the victim of a two count. John Morrison then interfered with a kick for the second time which paved the road for a Skull Crushing Finale, or not quite. Yet again, just a count of two.

Miz would then administer a Figure Four but the potential submission was halted by a rope break. Three maybe the charm but it sure wasn’t tonight for the Shaman of Sexy. When Morrison attempted to interfere for the third time, he was apprehended by Charles Robinson and banished to the back. Big E benefitted from the diversion and a lamenting opponent by attempting a roll-up which was followed by a Stretch Buckle. The Miz tapped out in the proverbial two shakes of a lamb’s tail.

Winner – Big E

Backstage, Nakamura and Cesaro are enjoying a champion’s party (ala Inner Circle style) with a little bit of the bubbly. The Lucha House Party attempt to join in but are unceremoniously dismissed.

Sheamus is then featured. The Celtic Warrior says that he’s is through with Jeff Hardy. “I’ll sit back, relax, and let nature take its course.” The entire SD locker room is put on notice. The Fella looking to inflict a world of hurt just like he did before the Charismatic Enigma returned to the scene.

Smackdown Synopsis for 7/31/20
Lacey Evans vs Naomi

Ready, steady, GLOW! This match played itself out in no time. Naomi was constantly eluding Evans attempting to tie her hair to the ropes. The newly anointed social media darling also had to resist being planted hard twice on the back of her neck and having her face driven into the ring post. Naomi showed resilience by hitting Evans with a modified Sunset Flip. While that move was only good enough for a two count, Naomi would win via a backslide after Evans swung and missed with a Woman’s Right.

Winner – Naomi

Lacey Evans is now on a losing streak quickly approaching that of Barry Horowitz.

Love is in the air and backstage. Otis and Mandy are back on the airwaves and making dinner plans. BBQ seems to be the people’s choice tonight. Sonya Deville was seen lurking in the back. Look who’s stalking!

While Mandy was applying her makeup, she was brutally attacked and had lipstick smeared all over her face. Things took a calamitous turn when Deville found a pair of scissors and took to cutting Rose’s golden locks. When she reached for an electric razor, help arrived at the very last second.

The Miz and Morrison added to the fun and frolics by engaging in a series of wisecracks which Heavy Machinery did not take kindly to. Can we expect a storyline between these two teams sooner than later? In the meantime, Brutus Beefcake may place a call or two to explore gimmick infringement.

Smackdown Women’s Championship
Bayley (c) vs Nikki Cross

Bayley enters the ring in her 294th day as SD Woman’s champion. Nikki Cross has come close so many times. She hopes tonight’s the night. The challenger perhaps pinning her hopes on the great song of her countryman Rod Stewart.

Punches are traded as we commence. This match turned out to be a see-saw main event worthy affair. Nikki Cross took us back to the territories with a Monkey Flip, later a leg drop on the apron leading to a count of two. Shortly after, Nikki Cross scored three sequential counts of two pursuant to a Cross Body, a Suplex and, a Tornado DDT.

Bayley, as if she wasn’t in enough trouble already, was taken out on the announce table and thrown into the barricade. The challenger hit another Cross Body for a two count only to be reversed by Bayley for another close call. This was followed by a roll-up by Cross for another two count. Ultimately Bayley would hang on to her dos straps via the Face Plant.

Winner – Bayley

As the cliché goes the shame isn’t in losing, it’s in almost winning. A crestfallen challenger was consoled by Alexa Bliss but shoved to the canvas by a frustrated Cross. The latter left in a huff leaving Bliss alone in the ring.

The lights dimmed as we heard haunting music. The Fiend entered the ring, he promptly hovered over Bliss and then administered the Mandible Claw. His warning that “none of you are safe” ringing eerily true as the show and this Smackdown Synopsis for 7/31/20 comes to a close.

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