Takeaways From SmackDown Two Weeks Ahead of SummerSlam

As we get closer to the party of the summer known as SummerSlam, which is going to be an event to remember, we got a closer look last night on SmackDown as there was a lot that unfolded. Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens defeated A-Town Down Under in the main event. Then, the Bayley and Nia Jax's rivalry is getting spicy as they confronted one another during their backstage interview. Then LA Knight and Logan Paul were spitting fire on the microphone as Logan Paul manned up and signed the contract to make their United States Championship match at SummerSlam official. 

Cody Rhodes addressed the Bloodline’s attack on Randy Orton to kick off the show, which proceeded to Rhodes teaming up with Kevin Owens in the main event to defeat A-Town Down Under

The WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes kicked off the show by addressing the Bloodline attacking him and Randy Orton last week. Cody said how much Orton has helped him in his career being his mentor and also a great friend. He said he wouldn’t be WWE Undisputed Champion today if it weren’t for Randy Orton. A-Town Down Under interrupted Cody Rhodes to tell him that the only reason Randy Orton got taken out was because of him. Cody didn't take too kindly to that as fended off A-Town Down Under with a steel chair to end the segment. Rhodes then found a partner in Kevin Owens to take on A-Town Down Under in the main event. Cody hit a Cross-Rhodes on Austin Theory for the pinfall victory for him and Owens. The Bloodline came out after the match to take out Kevin Owens as well as put Cody Rhodes through the announce table to end the show. Can Cody Rhodes stop the Bloodline now that they have taken out both Randy Orton and Kevin Owens?

Logan Paul signed the contract to make the United States Championship match against LA Knight at SummerSlam official

LA Knight and Logan Paul tore the house down on the microphone as they made the fans even more excited about their match at SummerSlam. Logan Paul was saying how LA Knight needs this match a lot more than Paul does, but Knight responded by saying that Logan should want the match because, over the past year, LA Knight has “owned and cooked him.” Knight also brought up the fact that he pinned Logan Paul to earn his spot in the Money in the Bank ladder match. But what broke Logan Paul into signing the contract was the fact that LA Knight said Logan Paul’s brother Jake Paul is willing to step into the ring with Mike Tyson, while Logan on the other hand isn’t willing to do the same. Logan proceeded to sign the contract to make the match official. As Logan Paul exited the ring, he immediately ran back in to start a brawl that lasted about 15 seconds as Paul escaped from a possible BFT from LA Knight to end the segment. Santos Escobar then confronted LA Knight backstage to say that he didn’t get pinned in the Money in the Bank qualifying match. LA Knight and Santos Escobar are set to face off next week on SmackDown.

Bayley and Nia Jax were mouthing off to each other during their backstage interview, and then Michin defeated Ms. Money in the Bank Tiffany Stratton

The Queen of the Ring Nia Jax started off by saying how at SummerSlam, she’s going to put Bayley down like “an old, sick dog” and put her out of her misery. The WWE Women’s Champion Bayley responded by saying how Nia hasn’t changed a single bit since she walked into WWE 10 years ago. Bayley also mentioned how Jax took her out of her SummerSlam match in 2017, which proceeded to change the trajectory of her career. Bayley said Nia Jax took her out back then because she is “big, clumsy, and reckless.” Bayley plans to walk into SummerSlam as the WWE Women’s Champion and plans to walk out as the WWE Women’s Champion. Later in the night, with Nia Jax in her corner, Tiffany Stratton thought she had the upper hand until Bayley showed up towards the end of the match and took out Nia Jax in favor of Michin. Bayley took it upon herself to dismantle Stratton’s Money in the Bank briefcase as a distraction so Michin could pick up the pinfall victory, which she did to win the match. Next week on SmackDown, Bayley and Michin will team up to face Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton in a tag-team match.