Overview
- Sami Zayn attacked Kevin Owens, GUNTHER and Finn Bálor during a triple-threat that was to decide the No. 1 contender, causing the match to end in a no-contest on the Aug. 28 SmackDown taping.
- The attack preserved CM Punk’s reign by denying a clear challenger and heightened the personal conflict with Owens, who is making a comeback from neck surgery.
- Chelsea Green returned to the ring wearing a protective face mask but lost with Tiffany Stratton to Nia Jax and Lash Legend after SmackDown officials had raised the prospect of stripping her interim women’s title because of a broken orbital.
- Jacy Jayne retained the Women’s United States Championship over Paige and was followed by an attack from Nikki Bella, while Tatum Paxley made her SmackDown in-ring debut with a win over Michin.
- WWE taped additional Raw and SmackDown episodes in Cleveland that include follow-up title segments and a Punk challenge to Sami Zayn for a Sept. 11 show, with the company using taped spoilers to shape the nine-week run to Money in the Bank.