Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown Live recap for January 30, 2018

"The Artist" Shinsuke Nakamura shows up to start tonight's show. Nakamura says that at Royal Rumble, Sami Zayn, John Cena, and Roman Reigns got a knee to the face. At WrestleMania, "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles will also get a knee to the face and he will become WWE Champion when he does just that. He then points at the WrestleMania sign, then Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn show up. Owens congratulates Nakamura on his Royal Rumble Match victory, then talks about how he and Sami Zayn were screwed out of the WWE Championship. He says they should be standing in the ring as the first co-WWE Champions; instead, AJ won after pinning the wrong guy. Owens says that once again, they are victims of Comissioner Shane McMahon's vendetta machine bent on keeping them down. Sami Zayn says the referee had one job: protecting the integrity of the match at all costs. He says Owens never legally tagged in, but his passion combined with the referee's incompetence cost them the match. Owens says they have every right at another match at the WWE Champion, and says that Nakamura will be facing them. Sami Zayn leaps around saying "Yep," but Nakamura says Styles is the winner, and they are losers. Suddenly, AJ Styles shows up. Styles tells Owens and Sami that they can complain all they want, but there will be a dream match in New Orleans, Louisiana at WrestleMania 34 between himself and Nakamura. As for tonight, he proposes turning the dream match into a dream match and take on Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn tonight. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn back out of the ring and leave, but think about it and Sami tells them that if they want the match...nope. Shinsuke and AJ knock Sami and Owens off the apron.

Backstage, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn meet up with General Manager Daniel Bryan. Daniel says "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles cannot make matches, but he can, and makes the tag team match challenge official. Also, the referee's decision from Royal Rumble is final. Owens disagrees, and tells Daniel Bryan to make it right and not to let Commissioner Shane McMahon push them to the back of the line. Daniel Bryan gives them another shot at the WWE Championship. The winner of next week's main event will get a shot at the WWE Championship, and that main event is Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn.

Bobby Roode guests on commentary for the next match.

Rusev beats Kofi Kingston, Zack Ryder and Jinder Mahal in a Fatal 4-Way to become #1 contender for the WWE United States Championship and face Bobby Roode for the title next week. During the match, Sunil Singh grabs at Rusev's ankles as he goes for a suicide dive, and Aiden English does not take kindly to this. He shoves Sunil into Xavier Woods and Big E, causing Big E's entire plate of pancakes to fall to the floor. As everyone is about to go at it at ringside, the referee ejects them all from ringside. After the match, Rusev confronts Bobby Roode and makes it clear he wants the United States title.

We hear from The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso), who say that they have had the SmackDown Live tag team division on lock. They are about to put everyone on notice next.

It's time for The Fashion Files. Breezango have The Ascension help out with their social media questions. Suddenly, Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin show up and say Breezango is embarrassing the SmackDown Live tag team division. Tyler Breeze brings up Gable and Benjamin's loss at Royal Rumble, then Gable and Benjamin say that Breezango cannot beat them before they topple the nearby table with the laptops. Breeze says that they will handle this in the ring.

The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) show up. Since Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is "the city of brotherly love," The Usos ask the crowd to show them some love. They brag about their victory against Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin at Royal Rumble, and says they have swept the tag team division since they showed up. A CGI jail cell door slams shut on the screen as The Usos name every tag team they have "locked down." When they talk about "Day One-Ish," they are not talking about money or merchandise, they are talking being themselves and being true to themselves, and that "Day One" represents the struggle of making it day to day. The Usos pledge to share their struggles together, and says this bond makes them better than the rest of the SmackDown Live tag team division. They then brag about being the best tag team in the division, and dare the rest of the division to "run up...and get done up." Suddenly, The Bludgeon Brothers (Harper and Rowan) show up. Harper and Rowan pay no attention to The Usos as they approach the ring for the next match.

The Bludgeon Brothers (Harper and Rowan) decimate two unnamed wrestlers. (It is later revealed that one of them is Rory Gulak, the real-life brother and tag team partner of Drew Gulak as part of The Amazing Gulaks.)

We hear from General Manager Daniel Bryan, who introduces "The SmackDown Top 10 List." The Superstars will vote on who is the most deserving of future opportunities. He and Commissioner Shane McMahon will not have a vote, and Superstars cannot vote for themselves. He says that the Top 10 List will help out making future shows, and he cannot wait to get started.

Commissioner Shane McMahon is met by "The Perfect Ten" Tye Dillinger, who wants to revitalize his career. Suddenly, Baron Corbin shows up complaining about the SmackDown Top 10 List and General Manager Daniel Bryan giving opportunities to Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. Dillinger gets in Corbin's business, saying he is still here, unlike Corbin's Money In The Bank briefcase. Before it can get physical, Shane tells them this will be settled in the ring. Corbin leaves, and Dillinger tells Shane that sometimes, the truth hurts.

Charlotte Flair shows up, and she is interviewed by Renee Young. Charlotte could not be more proud of all the women in the locker room, and admits she wanted to face the legends at the Royal Rumble Match to see if she could hold her own. She then talks about the sudden arrival of Ronda Rousey into the WWE. All she knows is that she is walking into WrestleMania as SmackDown Women's Champion, but she does not know who will be standing across from her in the ring. Suddenly, The Riott Squad (Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan) shows up. Ruby Riott asks Charlotte if she hears herself, and says Charlotte's ego is as big as that of her father "The Nature Boy" Ric Flair. She says Charlotte would think she would win the Royal Rumble Match and handpick her opponent for WrestleMania, and that she has seen talented people like her who are entitled. Ruby prides herself on being an individual, and says Charlotte is a cheap imitation of her father. She tells Charlotte her time is over, and if it were up to her, she would not even make it to WrestleMania. Charlotte asks if she is done yet. Charlotte throws the first punch at The Riott Squad, punching Ruby Riott, and Charlotte manages to hold her own against the numbers game. She then takes her jacket off and dares them to take her on. The Riott Squad gets in the ring again, and this time, the numbers game catches up to Charlotte. The Riott Squad lays Charlotte out, and Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan pick Charlotte up so Ruby Riott can hit Charlotte with the Riott Kick. As The Ruby Riott leave, Carmella runs into the ring with a referee. She kicks at Charlotte, then cashes in her Money In The Bank Briefcase. As The Ruby Riott leave, Carmella runs into the ring with a referee. She kicks at Charlotte, then cashes in her Money In The Bank Briefcase. Charlotte gets up however, and when Carmella drop kicks her, she inadvertently boots Charlotte into the referee that she showed up with. After screaming at the referee to get up and call for the bell to start the match does nothing, Carmella gets out of the ring, grabs the briefcase, and runs away from both the ring and an angry Charlotte Flair.

In the locker room, "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles meets with "The Artist" Shinsuke Nakamura. All Nakamura is thinking about is beating Styles at WrestleMania, but that is just him messing with Styles. He tells Styles they will be fine if he just listens to him.

Renee Young interviews Carmella, who admits that her Money In The Bank briefcase cash-in did not go as planned. Nevertheless, the briefcase makes her the most dangerous woman in the SmackDown women's division.

Baron Corbin beats "The Perfect Ten" Tye Dillinger.

We hear from Aiden English and Rusev. Rusev tells Bobby Roode that next week is his swan song as United States Champion. We also hear form Bobby Roode, who says he has an appointment next week. He says the calendar can fill up very quickly as he writes "GLORIOUS" around Rusev Day on a nearby calendar.

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are in the locker room. Sami says that the good news is that at least one of them gets a shot at the WWE Championship, but it is a shame that they have to face each other. Sami gives Owens a hard time for being pinned, and Owens gives Sami a hard time for being tossed out of the Royal Rumble in five minutes. Nevertheless, each says that the other will not fail tonight.

Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable beat Breezango (Tyler Breeze and Fandango). During the match, The Ascension (Konnor and Viktor) are seen watching the match from backstage.

"The Phenomenal" AJ Styles and "The Artist" Shinsuke Nakamura beat Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. During the match, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are at odds with each other following miscommunication with one another, and Sami Zayn watches the match from the stage and has Kevin Owens go it alone. Sami eventually runs back into the ring and clotheslines AJ in the back of the head during a pinfall attempt, but he and Owens are eventually at odds with each other again. Sami leaves Owens high and dry again, and this time, Sami heads to the back. Near the end of the match, Nakamura readies the Kinshasa, but Owens gets out of the ring. He tries to leave through the crowd, but Styles throws him back into the ring and Nakamura hits the Kinshasa. Renee Young then interviews Sami Zayn, who has watched the finish from backstage. Sami Zayn says his friendship with Kevin Owens is not over, but he has been overlooked and that it is his time to be champion. By WrestleMania, he plans to be known as the WWE Champion.

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