Here are your quick and dirty, editorial-free WWE Smackdown Live results for May 16, 2017. This week’s episode featured AJ Styles versus Jinder Mahal, a contract signing for a six-woman tag match, and Randy Orton squaring off against Baron Corbin.
Be back here tomorrow for the full Best and Worst of Smackdown column.
WWE Smackdown Live Results:
— The show opened with United States Champion Kevin Owens commandeering Chris Jericho’s Highlight Reel talk show and making it his own. He promised that Jericho would never be seen again, before being interrupted by his opponent at Backlash this Sunday, AJ Styles. Styles was then interrupted by Jinder Mahal, his opponent tonight, who promised to beat both Styles tonight and Randy Orton this Sunday for the WWE World Championship.
1. Jinder Mahal defeated AJ Styles. This match featured Kevin Owens on commentary. Styles was preparing to hit the Phenomenal Forearm on Mahal but Owens hit him in the knee with the United States Championship while the referee was distracted by one of the Singh brothers. Mahal then hit Styles with a Cobra Clutch slam for the victory.
— Another episode of the Fashion Files aired, this time with Tyler Breeze going undercover as a janitor to spy on the Usos.
— Randy Orton was asked about his upcoming WWE World Championship match against Jinder Mahal. He called him an ass.
2. Breezango defeated the Colons. Fandango scored the pin on Epico after hitting a Falcon Arrow. After the match, the Usos came out and informed Fandango and Tyler Breeze that they would be beaten this Sunday.
— Shane McMahon came out to preside over a contract signing for a six-woman tag match at Backlash between the team of Natalya, Tamina and Carmella and the team of Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Naomi. All six women signed the contract without incident, then James Ellsworth told Naomi, Charlotte and Becky that none of them had any chance to date him. A fight between Naomi and Carmella broke out, which made Shane make a match between the two.
3. Carmella defeated Naomi. Natalya, Tamina and James Ellsworth were all ejected from ringside, resulting in a brawl outside the ring with Becky Lynch and Charlotte. Carmella took advantage of the chaos and rolled up Naomi for the victory.
— Backstage, Dolph Ziggler spoke about his upcoming match against Shinsuke Nakamura. He claimed Nakamura had done nothing in WWE, whereas he had accomplished everything. Ziggler promised to beat Nakamura this Sunday at Backlash.
— Sami Zayn said he has been granted a match against Baron Corbin at Backlash. Corbin then jumped him from behind.
4. Randy Orton defeated Baron Corbin. Corbin had control for much of the match but the tides turned when he slammed into the ringpost. Orton then connected with a running powerslam and a DDT off the second rope before having an RKO attempt blocked, being hit with Corbin’s Deep Six instead. Orton eventually connected with an RKO for the victory. After the match, Jinder Mahal came down and told Orton to relish his time with the WWE World Championship as he would be taking it this Sunday. Orton was then jumped from behind by the Singh brothers. The Singhs and Mahal continued to beat Orton down as the show went off the air.
