WWE Friday Night SmackDown delivered a chaotic night from Boston's TD Garden, with championship changes, heated confrontations and unfinished business dominating the evening.
The show featured three championship matches, including Baron Corbin defending the WWE United States Championship against hometown favorite Carmelo Hayes, Damian Priest and R-Truth defending the WWE World Tag Team Championship in a Triple Threat and Tiffany Stratton putting her Women's United States Championship on the line against Jacy Jayne.
By the end of the night, two championships had changed hands, while the show's main event never officially got underway after Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes once again came to blows.
SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis opened the night by addressing the status of Chelsea Green and her injured orbital bone.
Because Green was unable to receive medical clearance in time to defend the Interim Women's Championship, Aldis initially informed her that she would have to relinquish the title.
Green was understandably furious, arguing that she has repeatedly competed through injuries and adversity throughout her career. She reluctantly handed the championship to Aldis before he stopped her and offered a compromise.
Green now has 30 days to become medically cleared or obtain a protective face covering that will allow her to defend the championship.
Before the situation could settle down, Gunther interrupted.
Gunther confronted Aldis about his own championship aspirations, but Green verbally sparred with the former World Champion. Gunther responded by insulting Green, prompting her husband, Matt Cardona, to come to her defense.
Gunther quickly got in Cardona's face, leading to an increasingly heated confrontation that ultimately became physical.
By the time SmackDown returned from commercial, Gunther and Matt Cardona were already competing in an impromptu match ordered by Aldis.
Cardona showed flashes of offense, including a diving dropkick and a Rough Ryder attempt, but Gunther dominated much of the contest.
Gunther repeatedly punished Cardona around ringside, including a back suplex onto the barricade and powerbombs onto the announce table and ring apron.
Green attempted to rally her husband, and Cardona managed to fight through the punishment. He even caught Gunther with a low blow behind the referee's back before hitting the Rough Ryder for a near fall.
Gunther eventually regained control and finished Cardona with a series of powerbombs before applying the Boston Crab.
Winner: Gunther
The chaos continued after the match when Nia Jax and Lash Legend arrived.
Jax reminded Green that she has only 30 days to defend the championship and made it clear that she believes she deserves another opportunity at the Women's Championship after what happened at SummerSlam.
Jax threatened to break Green's face again, prompting Women's United States Champion Tiffany Stratton to rush to Green's aid.
Stratton attempted to even the odds, but Jax and Legend overwhelmed her. Jax ultimately dropped Stratton with a leg drop.
Carmelo Hayes received a massive opportunity in front of his hometown crowd when he challenged Baron Corbin for the WWE United States Championship.
Hayes immediately brought the fight to Corbin, using his speed and athleticism to frustrate the champion. Corbin eventually slowed the pace and began targeting Hayes around ringside.
Hayes mounted several comebacks throughout the match, connecting with a springboard DDT, Frog Splash and multiple First 48 attempts.
Corbin repeatedly found answers.
Hayes finally connected with another First 48 that appeared to put Corbin in serious trouble, but the champion managed to survive. When Hayes climbed to the top rope looking to finish the match, Corbin shoved him to the floor and sent him crashing into the barricade.
Corbin then hit End of Days to retain his championship.
Winner and STILL WWE United States Champion: Baron Corbin
Corbin's celebration didn't last long.
Trick Williams emerged on his rotating platform, and rapper Lil Yachty unexpectedly joined the scene.
While Corbin was distracted by Williams, Yachty attacked the United States Champion from behind with a kendo stick.
Corbin chased Yachty away, but that distraction allowed Trick to enter the ring and connect with a Trick Shot, sending the champion out of the ring.
The rivalry between Undisputed WWE Champion CM Punk and No. 1 contender Kevin Owens escalated during another face-to-face confrontation.
Owens accused Punk of being a phony who has spent years treating people poorly while presenting himself as something he is not.
The heart of Owens' anger stems from an incident roughly 20 years ago, when Punk allegedly berated him in a locker room full of his peers.
Owens admitted that he has regretted not punching Punk in the mouth ever since.
Punk countered by questioning Owens' work ethic and reminding him that he has spent years evolving and improving himself.
The champion also mocked Owens over the injury that ended his previous championship run, arguing that Owens could have avoided the situation if he had worked harder.
Owens fired back with his biggest statement of the night: he has waited 20 years for this moment, and he can wait seven more days.
Next week in Toronto, Owens plans to finally settle the score and take Punk's Undisputed WWE Championship.
Backstage, Finn Balor confronted Nick Aldis regarding the changes surrounding SummerSlam.
Gunther soon interrupted and belittled Balor, claiming that the man standing in front of him is merely a shadow of the Superstar he once was.
Balor wasn't intimidated.
He called Gunther a condescending jerk and made it clear that he would gladly face him again for another championship opportunity.
Aldis appeared interested in the possibility.
The WWE World Tag Team Championship was on the line in a Triple Threat featuring champions Damian Priest and R-Truth, The War Raiders and The MFTs.
The match quickly descended into chaos, with all three teams battling around the ring and outside of it.
Priest delivered several impressive bursts of offense, while The War Raiders attempted to use their power advantage to take control.
Truth eventually found himself isolated by Tama and Talla Tonga.
The champions repeatedly attempted to regain momentum, but The MFTs remained dangerous throughout the contest.
Late in the match, Priest and the War Raiders battled on the outside, leaving Truth alone with the Tongan duo.
Truth attempted the Cena Sequence, but Tama avoided the Attitude Adjustment.
Tama and Talla then connected with their double-team powerbomb, allowing Tama to score the pinfall.
The result was a major championship upset.
Winners and NEW WWE World Tag Team Champions: The MFTs
Tama and Talla Tonga are now the new WWE World Tag Team Champions.
Tiffany Stratton entered her match against Jacy Jayne already dealing with the injuries suffered earlier in the evening.
Jayne immediately targeted Stratton's ribs, slowing down the champion and repeatedly cutting off her attempts to build momentum.
Stratton eventually mounted a comeback, connecting with a series of clotheslines, a spinning back elbow, an Alabama Slam and a Swanton Bomb.
She appeared to have the match under control, but Jayne continued to find ways to survive.
Stratton attempted the Prettiest Moonsault Ever, only for Jayne to get her knees up.
Later, Stratton became distracted when Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid confronted Chelsea Green at ringside.
Stratton dove onto Henley and Reid to protect Green, but the distraction cost her dearly.
Jayne capitalized with the Rolling Encore to score the victory.
Winner and NEW WWE Women's United States Champion: Jacy Jayne
Fatal Influence now has another championship in its possession.
Backstage, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss were seen together when they encountered Tatum Paxley.
Paxley had created an unusual shrine dedicated to herself, Charlotte and Alexa, immediately making the interaction uncomfortable.
Bliss attempted to remain friendly, while Charlotte appeared far less impressed by Paxley's obsessive behavior.
The segment continued Paxley's eccentric character work as she adjusts to life on the SmackDown roster.
Later in the night, Jade Cargill appeared alongside B-Fab and Michin.
Cargill expressed frustration with everyone involving themselves in her business and promised to handle the situation.
B-Fab added that the group was looking forward to giving Paxley a proper welcome to SmackDown.
The night's scheduled main event was supposed to be Cody Rhodes against Sami Zayn.
The stakes were significant.
Nick Aldis had announced that if Zayn defeated Rhodes, he would earn a future opportunity against the winner of next week's Undisputed WWE Championship match between CM Punk and Kevin Owens.
But the match never officially began.
As Rhodes waited in the ring, Randy Orton attacked him from behind.
Orton drove Rhodes into the ring post, hit the draping DDT and attempted an RKO. Rhodes escaped, but Orton continued the assault.
The attack became increasingly violent as Orton used the ring steps and barricade while attempting to recreate the brutal attack he previously delivered to Rhodes.
Rhodes eventually fought back, striking Orton with a can of Coke and battling him through the crowd.
The fight returned to ringside, where Orton attempted to position Rhodes for another devastating attack involving the ring steps.
Officials finally intervened.
Orton still managed to retrieve a chair and appeared ready to strike Rhodes.
Rhodes fought back with a low blow before grabbing the chair himself.
He then positioned Orton's head near the base of the ring steps and appeared ready to retaliate in kind.
An official intervened before Rhodes could deliver the shot.
Rhodes then charged after Orton as the broadcast came to an abrupt end.
Result: No Contest
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