Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown Live recap for August 22, 2017

"The Phenomenal" AJ Styles shows up to start tonight's show. He welcomes everyone to the show, and says he is still the United States Champion. He has said before that he is the workhorse of the WWE, and says that won't change tonight as he is issuing an open challenge for the title and it starts...right...now. Kevin Owens shows up, but Styles says he beat him at SummerSlam and that they are done. Owens says Styles did not beat him, and says Commissioner Shane McMahon screwed him out of the title and that Styles cannot take credit for the win. Shane McMahon shows up, and tells Owens he did what he said he was going to do and that AJ Styles won fair and square. Owens complains about how Shane did not count his pinfall after he powerbombed Styles, then shows footage of said pinfall on the TitanTron and asks Shane if he clearly saw what was going on. Shane says that Styles foot was on the rope, and that he called it off as soon as he noticed it. Owens tells Shane that he is focused on the wrong body part, but Shane still has to explain it to him. Styles tells both of them to shut up, and Owens asks Styles if he does not like the truth. Styles then tells it like it is to Owens and says he doesn't like a whiny little bitch like him, and if he wants his US title rematch against him tonight, he can have it. Shane makes it official, but Owens wants more. He wants to be the person to pick the referee for this match. Shane is hesitant, but Styles says he is okay with this, as Owens will still lose regardless. Shane then adds another caveat: if Owens loses tonight, he cannot challenge for the title again for as long as Styles is United States Champion.

The Singh Brothers (Sunil and Samir Singh) clap for General Manager Daniel Bryan and bring out Jinder Mahal, who puts himself on a pedestal and paints himself as a hero who brings value and success to the blue brand. Daniel Bryan calls out Jinder Mahal for not being able to retain the WWE Championship without the help of The Singh Brothers, and as Jinder Mahal yells at D-Bry for painting him as a villain and being xenophobic, Daniel Bryan says that "The King of Strong Style" Shinsuke Nakamura deserves some retribution tonight. Jinder does not want to wrestle, but Daniel Bryan says he doesn't have to. Instead of getting a match against Jinder, Nakamura gets a match against The Singh Brothers.

Kevin Owens finds Sami Zayn backstage. He asks Sami to be the special guest referee in his match against AJ Styles for the WWE United States Championship tonight, as he is the one that he trusts the most even after all that they have done to each other. Sami Zayn says that he has been watching his DVD lately, and says that he has forgotten what they have been fighting over, and that they should probably stop fighting each other now. Kevin Owens agrees. He says that Sami hasn't been doing much since coming over to SmackDown Live, but says that Sami Zayn can do something that matters tonight. He gives Sami Zayn enough time to think it over.

Aiden English sings...but he is interrupted by former NXT Champion Bobby Roode in glorious fashion.

Bobby Roode beats Aiden English. After the match, Renee Young interviews Bobby Roode, who thanks Commissioner Shane McMahon and General Manager Daniel Bryan for breaking the bank and cashing in on him. He then says that everyone will find out soon enough that everything he has touched has become box office, and that SmackDown Live just went from good to glorious.

General Manager Daniel Bryan talks to Chad Gable backstage. Gable says he is worried about his future, but all anyone wants to talk to him about is Jason Jordan suddenly going solo and heading to Raw. D-Bry says he is worried about Gable's future, too, and says that in exchange for transferring Jason Jordan to Raw, he has to bring in one of Angle's old friends, whom he says will make a great new tag team partner for Gable. In walks The Gold Standard, Shelton Benjamin, whom Gable is a big fan of. Daniel Bryan tells them that their first match as a unit will be next week. Gable cannot wait.

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are abckstage, and Owens hands Sami a referee's shirt. Sami says that he has thought about it and looked back at all that Kevin Owens has done to him, and knows that Owens needs help. He tells him he hopes he can get it, as he will not be the special guest referee in his match tonight before tossing the shirt into his face.

The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) beat The Hype Bros (Zack Ryder and Mojo Rawley). After the match, The Usos make it clear that they are dominating the blue brand's tag team division, which will soon feel what The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Big E, Xavier Woods) felt on Sunday.

Jider Mahal watches the next match from ringside.

"The King of Strong Style" Shinsuke Nakamura beats The Singh Brothers (Sunil and Samir Singh) with a Triangle Hold from the top rope. After the match, Nakamura is blindsided by Jinder Mahal, but Nakamura hits the Kinshasa.

Backstage, Kevin Owens is confronted by Breezango (Tyler Breeze and Fandango), who offer to be his referees. Owens screams "No!" and tells them to go. Suddenly, he is approached from behind by Baron Corbin, who is willing to be the special guest referee for his United States title match against "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles if he gets first dibs at the title if he wins. Kevin Owens says it's when, not if, and tells him he has a deal. Baron Corbin becomes the special guest referee for the WWE United States Championship match between "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles and Kevin Owens later on tonight.

Before the next match, Natalya says that SummerSlam will be known as the night that "The Glow" was unplugged, and that she proved she is the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be. She tells Naomi to wipe th etears from her eyes and take a long look at what a real champion looks like, as she is now and forever SmackDown Women's Champion. She promises to restore honor to the title as it is not Glow Time...it's her time. Carmella and James Ellsworth congratulate Natalya - with Ellsworth doing it rather sarcastically by saying it took her a billion years and that she actually won something unlike the people of Brooklyn, New York, but Caremlla remind her that she is on her time as well as borrowed time. Carmella says she let Natalya have her SummerSlam moment, but it will only be a matter of time before she cashes in. James Ellsworth says Carmella might as well cash in the Money In The Bank contract tonight, and make it a 3-on-1 match where Natalya is left to her own devices.

Naomi and Becky Lynch beat Carmella and Natalya after Carmella leaves Natalya high and dry.

Kayla Braxton interviews a returning Dolph Ziggler. Ziggler says he is excited to be back...in a backstage interview. As he was gone, he watched a lot of WWE TV. He says he has figured it out, and says he will start singing, playing guitar, and rap. He plans to make himself look as bombastic as possible by combining every present day WWE gimmick ever...next week.

Lana meets with Tamina. The journey begins next week. This week is time to focus and realize "why we want this and need this." Lana asks Tamina to remember the feeling of being way too different for the locker room, as they are different. She tells Tamina to take the feelings from that and let them fester until they boil over into anger. Lana says she sees the anger. Next week, the reign of terror begins, and they will not stop until Tamina is champion. Lana says that Tamina will soon become the most feared woman on SmackDown Live.

"The Phenomenal" AJ Styles meets with Baron Corbin, who says he has made a deal with Kevin Owens and that has first dibs on the United States title if Kevin Owens wins. Styles says that when he retains, there will be an open challenge. If he wants a shot, he had better answer it. Corbin tells Styles he will see him out there in the ring.

"The Phenomenal" AJ Styles retains the WWE United States Championship against Kevin Owens in a match with Baron Corbin as special guest referee. During the match, Styles gets Owens in the Calf Crusher and keeps Owens away from the ropes, but Corbin breaks the hold, saying Owens touched the bottom rope. Owens pushes Styles in to Corbin, who pushes Styles into an Owens schoolboy pin. After a fast count attempt, Styles kicks out but Owens goes for another schoolboy that Styles kicks out of. After a double clothesline where both men are down, Shane McMahon shows up and argues with Baron Corbin. Owens hits Styles with a low blow, and when Corbin counts the pinfall, Shane drags Corbin out of the ring, as he saw the low blow. Corbin tells Shane that if he wants to be the referee, he can have the shirt. He tosses the shirt at him and walks off. Shane fills the role of referee and referees from that point on. Styles hits the Phenomenal Forearm, and Shane makes the three-count that allows Styles to retain the United States Championship. As per pre-match stipulation, Kevin Owens can no longer challenge for the WWE United States Championship for as long as "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles is WWE United States Champion.

Here's the top 10 moments from tonight's show!