The fall season is upon us but there is little change on Smackdown! Many of the same rivalries are continuing/will continue, particularly in the main-event picture for the WWE Championship. Both Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura have had championship matches with Jinder Mahal recently, and now the two are set to square off tonight to see who will face “The Modern-Day Maharaja” for the WWE Championship.

As well, Kevin Owens’ feud with Commissioner Shane McMahon goes on, as does Women’s Champion Natalya’s with Carmella and Naomi.

On another note, Smackdown! says “goodbye” to John “Bradshaw” Layfield has he has elected to leave his commentator’s position and work elsewhere in the WWE. He was a great commentator!

Smackdown! Live Television Report for September 5, 2017 – “Breaking Points”

Introduction Segment: Welcoming and Video Promos

Tom Phillips and Byron Saxton greet us and initiates Monday Night Raw/205 Live commentator Corey Graves to replace JBL

Randy Orton appears on screen and says he will through Shinsuke Nakamura tonight to meet WWE Champion Jinder Mahal for the title at Hell In A Cell; Shinsuke is seen warming up and says more/less the same, as well as that he respects Orton, and that he has a mission to the championship.

Match #1: Single – Carmella (with James Ellsworth) VS. ???

Before this begins, Kevin Owens walks out and says he will be the referee; before he can put the shirt on, Commissioner Shane McMahon dances out and denies Owens that job. He wants Kevin to put an end to faulting him for losing; they go-back-and-forth with bickering, with Owens insinuating Shane has always been taking risks in his career to get his father’s – Vince McMahon – attention. Kevin takes it too far when he mentions The Commissioner’s children, and Shane explodes with a fury of fists that spills them both over the announce table! It takes several referees, agents, and General Manager Daniel Bryan to break them apart.

Winner: No Contest due to No official start

Commercials.

Backstage Promo

Owens is being helped by referees when GM Bryan walks up and apologizes. Kevin isn’t having that, and instead declares he’s going to sue. Daniel tries to change his mind, and Owens then proclaims he’s going to “press charges.”

Match #2: Single – Carmella (with James Ellsworth) VS. Women’s champion Natalya

Prior to the contest, it is announced that Natalya will put her title on the line against Naomi on next week’s Smackdown! Live.

Natalya puts Carmella to the canvas with a side-headlock take-down, but Carmella turns Natalya around with an airplane-spin-headscissors! She goes into a wheelbarrow-snapmare and a dropkick, and then slaps Nattie a couple of times! Natalya hits back with a spinning-clothesline, sending her to recover with Ellsworth.

Commercials.

“Ms. Money In The Bank” has Nattie locked in a leg-scissors stretch, and then switches it into a guillotine! Natalya counters with a body slam, and then slingshots her into the corner! Carmella counters with an elbow and high-kick, but only gets two!

James throws the briefcase in the ring, which distracts Carmella as she doesn’t want to use it! Nattie takes advantage with a roll-up for the victory!

Winner via Pinfall: Women’s Champion Natalya

Post-match, Carmella verbally breaks up with Ellsworth!

Commissioner McMahon is shown contemplating what happened earlier with Kevin Owens.

Commercials.

Video Promo

A promotional video for WWE’s Connor’s Cure Foundation airs. This is truly and genuinely awesome, and very sentimental!

Arena Promo

Dolph Ziggler is out, but not with a new appearance. He takes a microphone on the stage and claims that we “have no appreciation for what I can do in that ring.” Dolph says “you don’t want me; you’d rather just have some ‘dumb gimmick.’” The lights go out and he walks away.

John Cena’s music plays, but out comes Ziggler, mocking him, and then the late-great “Macho Man” Randy Savage. He follows with Naomi’s entrance, and then finishes by putting the crowd down.

Commercials.

Match #3: Single – Aiden English VS. Sami Zayn

Sami starts with punches and a kick, and then backward-leaps over, and puts English into the corner. Zayn counters on the apron and runs the ropes, hitting Aiden with a clothesline. He soars off the top turnbuckle with a crossbody, but English ducks and then Oklahoma-rolls Sami for the 1 – 2 – 3!

Winner via Pinfall: Aiden English

Post-match, English sings about his win until Sami chases him up the ramp.

Office Promo

The New Day – Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston, and Big E. – and Tag Team Champions The Usos – Jimmy and Jey – talk about their Tag Team championship bout on Smackdown! Live next week with General Manager Daniel Bryan The Usos say it will be a Street Fight! New Day try to hype Daniel, but he dismisses them. He then gets a call from someone who he calls “sir,” and tries to convince him that there’s another way, but that man won’t budge, so Bryan says “I’ll do it right now.”

Commercials.

Arena Promo

General Manager Daniel Bryan walks out with no music and pomp; he stoically asks Commissioner McMahon to join him. Bryan asks Shane what happened, and then reminds him of his own verbal exchange with The Miz on Talking Smackdown! last year. Daniel tells Shane how he held back from physically hurting Miz because Shane told him to.

They argue about what happened because of “the legal problems” and the other wrestlers’ jobs. Bryan has been asked by Chairman Vince McMahon to “indefinitely” suspend Shane as of this moment. Daniel leaves the ring, and so does McMahon after applause and cheers for Shane.

Commercials.

Backstage Promo

Rene Young interviews WWE Champion Jinder Mahal about his upcoming opponent – Nakamura or Orton. Mahal does not prefer either, as he has defeated them both. He wishes “the better man” to win, but says that man will “fall to the ‘Modern-Day Maharaja.’” He then talks to the Indian Nation in Punjabi.

Match #4: Single – Baron Corbin VS. Tye Dillinger

(Note: United States Champion A.J. Styles is on commentary.) Baron faces-off with A.J., which allows Tye to dive through the ropes and hammer away! He throws Corbin into the barricade and stomps! Baron kicks him off and goes back in; Dillinger follows and tosses Corbin back to the floor!

Commercials.

“The Lone Wolf” is now in control, hitting a harsh clothesline after sliding in and out of the ring. 1 – 2 – Tye kicks out! Baron points at Styles, but gets a jawbreaker from Dillinger! He punches Corbin, and then hits him with a flying-forearm! He stomps on the mat and then in the corner multiple times! Dillinger goes for his Tye-Breaker, but Baron boots him to the outside! Corbin tries a one-arm or chokeslam, but Tye reverses into a victory-roll for a near-fall! He hits Baron in the corner with punches, but Corbin slugs him on the other side of the referee and then slams him on the ring post. Baron finishes this with End of Days!

Winner via Pinfall: Baron Corbin

Post-match, Corbin and A.J. glare at each other.

Commercials.

Backstage Promo

United States champion A.J. Styles walks up to Dillinger and promises Tye a United States championship open challenge for next week’s Smackdown!

Video Promo

A montage of “Glorious” Bobby Roode’s career thus far plays.

Backstage Promo

James Ellsworth pleads with Carmella to take him back, promising to “keep my mouth shut.” Carmella puts up her hand, but agrees, as long as it’s done her way! She plants a big kiss on him and then slaps him!

Shinsuke Nakamura makes his entrance and is ready to wrestle Randy Orton, next!

Commercials.

Match #5: Single – Shinsuke Nakamura VS. Randy Orton

(Stipulation: #1 Contender’s Bout to the WWE Championship.)

Shinsuke waistlocks Randy to start, but Orton turns that into a wristlock, which Nakamura flips out. Shinsuke goes for a high spin-kick, but Randy ducks and tries the R.K.O.; Nakamura shoves him off and they stare-down!

Shinsuke and Orton lockup and Nakamura releases; Randy promptly grabs him into a draping-DDT position on the middle rope, but Shinsuke escapes and they stare again!

Commercials.

Randy is governing now with holds until Nakamura breaks out with strikes. Orton grabs Shinsuke in a draping-DDT position again, and attempts it on the floor, but Shinsuke shoves him away and into the announcer’s table. Randy counters and backdrops Nakamura onto the table! Orton wears down Shinsuke with a standing side-headlock until Nakamura knees and spin-kicks Randy!

“The Artist” is firing up with hard kicks! Orton catches one, but Shinsuke counters with his other foot! He runs in the corner with a splash and then a knee-to-the-gut! Randy gets out of a reverse exploder-suplex with a backbreaker. Nakamura counters on the apron but is cut off on the top turnbuckle, and then brought to the canvas with a super-plex! 1 – 2 – Shinsuke just gets his shoulder up! Nakamura grabs Orton’s leg and trips him up! He knees him hard and runs for the Kinsasha, but Randy reverses into a powerslam!

“The Viper” drives Shinsuke to the mat with his Draping-DDT and goes for the R.K.O., but Nakamura reverses into an amrbar and then triangle-choke! Orton powers out and slams him with an almost-powerbomb! Shinsuke reverses another R.K.O again with a knee-to-the-back and then hits the Kinsasha knee-strike-to-the-head! Nakamura covers for the hard-fought (and awesome match) victory!

Winner via Pinfall and #1 Contender to the WWE Championship at Hell In A Cell: Shinsuke Nakamura

Backstage Promo

GM Daniel runs up to Kevin Owens and says that “Shane’s been suspended; it’s done.” Owens replies, “Daniel, we’re just getting started buddy. Listen, next week I’m going to make Smackdown! Live my ‘personal playground,’ and your ‘personal nightmare.’” He boasts that no one can stop him; Bryan retorts that one man can – Mr. McMahon! He will be on Smackdown! Live next week!

We go back to Shinsuke Nakamura celebrating to close the show.

End of Smackdown! Live.