7-4-17 - Smackdown Live - Phoenix Arizona
Smackdown is airing live from the Talking Stick Resort Arena in Phoenix Arizona on Independence Day. The show kicks off with the return of Free Agent John Cena but Cena gets interrupted by Rusev who is also returning. The confrontation ends with John Cena challenging Rusev to a “good old fashioned Flag Match”. Rusev accepts but not for tonight. He wants the match on his terms.
This opening segment is followed by a backstage segment where Smackdown Live General Manager Daniel Bryan makes a 'Win and You’re In' match between AJ Styles and Chad Gable where the winner will get a spot in the night’s main event: the Independence Day Battle Royal to determine the new Number One Contender for Kevin Owens’ United States Championship. Styles gets the win after a highly competitive contest and now has a spot in the main event.
Following the match, the cameras go backstage and show the Hype Bros Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley. Mojo is still down about their loss to the Smackdown Tag Team Champions last week but Ryder cheers him up by revealing that he got them both spots in the Battle Royal tonight. Rawley gets hyped and reminds his tag team partner that he was the winner of this year’s Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Next the cameras show Carmella and James Ellsworth heading to the ring. Carmella is proudly toting her white Money in the Bank briefcase which she won for the second time in last week’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match rematch. The duo are heading to the ring for a Carmellabration!
After the commercial break, 'Fabulous' sounds through the arena and Ms Money in the Bank Carmella makes her grand entrance with James Ellsworth. They receive a negative reaction from the fans due to the controversial tactics they employed in order for Carmella to win back the Money in the Bank briefcase last week. They eventually make it to the ring and the music cuts while the Chinless Wonder gets a microphone.
“I’m canceling Independence Day!” Ellsworth announces, “Because we’re here to celebrate something way more important! A Carmellabration!”
Carmella smiles and raises her briefcase but is met with boos from the crowd.
“So stand at attention!” Ellsworth continues over the booing crowd. “And salute your first, second aand ooonlyyy Miss Money in the Bank… CAAARMELLAAAA!”
Carmella takes the microphone and laughs at the WWE Universe. “Oh, you guys are upset! You thought-oh wait, you guys actually thought somebody else was gonna win the contract? You should see the looks on all your faces right now! Seriously, that’s classic! So funny… James, do you mind holding this for me?” Carmella hands off her briefcase to Ellsworth and goes back to trash talking the crowd.
“All of you people, all of you wanted to right a wrong!” Carmella taunts the fans. “You wanted to force Daniel Bryan to strip me of my contract. You wanted - all of you - you wanted to rewrite history! But uh, I think it was the Rolling Stones who said it best… they said… YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT! Unless… unless…” Carmella takes her briefcase back and poses with it. “...your name is Carmella! Because I always get what I want! And now that I have this...” Carmella raises her briefcase, “I have all the power. I get to decide where or when to defeat the Smackdown Women’s Champion Naomi! And I promise you, the only glow Naomi is…”
Carmella is cut off by Naomi’s theme 'Amazing'. The lights go out and everyone looks up at the dark stage as Naomi walks out from the back with her newly tricked out Smackdown Women’s Championship which has colored-changing LED lights around the edges and in the middle of the WWE Logo in the middle. The black light goes on an Naomi’s glowing green tights can be seen as she starts dancing on the stage.
Naomi slides down the ramp and ends up on her knees as the lights finally go back to normal. The cameras return to the ring and show Carmella tapping her watch in annoyance. Not only has her Carmellabration just been rudely interrupted but the person interrupting is taking her sweet time coming down to the ring.
“Carmella…” Naomi addresses the Staten Island Princess as she makes her way to the steps and enters the ring. “Congratulations on being able to call yourself Ms Money in the Bank. But let me remind you of what I like to call myself... THE Smackdown Women’s Champion! That contract gives you the power to cash in for my title at any place and any time. But I’m not shook nor scared ‘cause my eyes are always open and my glow will always be on.”
Naomi takes a step back and regards James Ellsworth. “And as for you… Ellsworthless. There is somebody else who got words for you.”
“Oh is that right?” Ellsworth challenges her.
'Flight of the Valkyries' plays and the fans cheer as Smackdown Live General Manager Daniel Bryan comes out from the back and does his Yes! taunt all he gallops down the ramp. He climbs up the steps and onto the middle rope and leads the cheering crowd in a loud YES! YES! YES! chant before he climbs down and joins the other three in the ring. Naomi hands the GM her microphone and the music cuts.
“James, James, James, James, James…” Daniel Bryan chides James Ellsworth. “What am I gonna do with you?” Bryan pauses as the fans begin chanting DAN-IEL BRY-AN!
“Daniel I really…” James starts to protest.
“SHUT UP JAMES!” Daniel cuts him off. “That was a rhetorical question. I know exactly what I’m gonna do with you. I am... barring you from the arena.”
The fans pop while Ellsworth laughs it off. “Hahaha-ha! Oh no! How ever will I get back in!?” He'd been barred from the arena last week but had still found a way back in so he could interfere in the Money in the Bank Rematch.
“HA! Hahahaha!” Daniel Bryan laughs along with him. “Aand... I’m fining you $10,000.”
“WHAT? Ten thousand dollars!?” Ellsworth exclaims while the fans cheer. “I don’t have ten thousand dollars just to throw away like that!”
Bryan starts laughing again, “AAH-hahahaha! And uh… Don’t expect a paycheck for the next thirty days… ‘cause you’re suspended.”
“WHAT!?” James yells in outrage while the fans chant YES! YES! YES! Despite the three punishments, Carmella doesn’t look overly concerned.
“And,” Daniel Bryan continues. “If you don’t leave this second. Or break any of these rules for any reason… I am stripping Carmella of the Money in the Bank contract.”
Carmella’s eyes go wide in alarm. She hugs her briefcase to her chest and immediately starts urging Ellsworth to get out of the ring. Carmella drags her boy toy out of the ring and to the back while Daniel Bryan’s music starts up again and he and Naomi lead the crowd in another YES! YES! YES! chant. The commentary team hypes the upcoming Women’s Championship Match between Naomi and Lana before Smackdown goes to a commercial break.
After the commercial, Carmella is shown backstage and is urging James Ellsworth to leave. Ellsworth is standing just inside an open door outside but looks reluctant to leave.
“Go! Go! Get out!" Carmella orders, "And this time stay gone! Daniel Bryan’s just waiting for an excuse to strip my of my contract again! Go! Go!”
“But I…”
“GET OUT!” Carmella shrieks and shoves 'the Big Hog' out the door then yanks it shut after him. Carmella let’s out a frustrated groan then turns around to find a female backstage hand behind her holding out a cellphone. "What are you doing with my phone!?"
“It's been ringing nonstop for the last five minutes,” the backstage hand informs her. “I think it's urgent so I brought it to you.”
Carmella snatches her phone away, “You’re lucky I already know who it is or I’d sue you for handling my personal property without my permission! Now scram! Vamoose!” The backstage hand backs away nervously while Carmella picks up her phone.
“Hey… did you see what just happened out there?” Carmella asks the person on the other end. “Yeah. Daniel Bryan is out to get me. He’s totally abusing his power.”
“...” Carmella pauses to listen to the person on the other end.
“Yeah. Plan B then. I can’t just wait around for him or Shane to find another excuse to take away something that I’ve already had to win twice. How soon can you get here?”
“...” Carmella nods in response to something the mysterious callers says.
“Alright. I’ll go ahead with it but get here ASAP, capiche?”
Carmella hangs up and tightens her grip on the handle of her precious briefcase as the cameras cut back to the ring where Naomi is waiting. The Smackdown Women's Champion was able to watch the backstage segment on the Tron along with the fans. Naomi looks a little uneasy about Carmella's mysterious phone call and the impending threat of the Money in the Bank contract.
Naomi's concerns shift as Lana makes her entrance for her third Smackdown Women’s Championship Match in three weeks. She was given this second rematch because both her shoulders hadn’t been down when Naomi pinned her last week. Naomi isn't taking any chances this time. She hits a quick kick then flips over Lana and immediately locks in her FTG headscissors crucifix choke submission move. Lana taps out and Naomi retains her title in less than a minute. After the easy victory, Tamina Snuka comes out and stands in between Naomi and Lana. Tamina stares down Naomi but doesn't lay a hand on her. Then to the surprise of many, the second generation star tells Lana to get up and leads the defeated challenger to the back.
Carmella was nowhere to be seen.