Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown Live recap for August 7, 2018

Randy Orton shows up to start tonight's show. Orton says that last week, Jeff Hardy called him out, and that did not turn out well for him. After a replay of what happened last week on the TitanTron, he asks if people still believe before saying that watching people squirm is what he intended. He says that he will destroy the fans' favorite Superstars and become so violent that people will change the channel. However, they will not change the channel, as they still believe and hope, and still believe that Jeff Hardy will show up again and save the day. He then says he won't, because he has "erased the enigma" and Jeff Hardy is looking for the identity he took last week. He plans to erase all the Superstars that the fans love, as neither the fans or the people in the back give him any respect. Orton says that when he started, he was the youngest man in the locker room. He became the youngest World Champion and has won thirteen major titles as well as numerous others at numerous events, yet the people do not respect him. If he cannot get respect, he will have to take it, as sometimes you must take what you want in life. He says the fans have made their choice, and so has he. Starting with Jeff Hardy, he will destroy the Superstars that the fans love and it is all on the fans. He says people can call him whatever he wants, but he demands to be referred to as "RKO." Orton then leaves.

Backstage, Becky Lynch is met by Charlotte Flair. Charlotte says she was not trying to ruin Becky's moment, but Becky knows they both want the same thing and they get along because of that. Becky says she is in a tough position, for even though she wants to be happy for Charlotte, she wanted Carmella to herself. Becky says she will prove she is the best by beating the best at SummerSlam. With that, Charlotte asks if they are okay with tonight's tag team match. Becky replies by saying "Well, we're not Sasha [Banks] and Bayley."

Carmella guests on commentary for the next match.

Before the next match, The IIconics (Billie Kay and Peyton Royce) play a game of word association, mocking Orlando, Florida as well as their opponents, saying Charlotte Flair is overrated and that Becky Lynch will be stuck in Charlotte's shadow.

Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch beat The IIconics (Billie Kay and Peyton Royce) after Charlotte Flair tags herself in to make Billie Kay tap out to a Figure Eight.

Backstage, Renee Young interviews The New Day (Kofi Kingston, Big E, Xavier Woods). Big E says they were great on commentary last week, but this week, Kofi takes the role of Renee Young as "Kramer Kingston." Woods says The New Day has been Sheamus and Cesaro before and they can beat them again, and Big E says they are no stranger to danger, and at SummerSlam, The Bludgeon Brothers (Harper and Rowan) will bow down to the power of positivity.

We see footage from earlier today of The Miz on the set of Miz and Mrs. After much giving to the fans, Miz announces that he has something for Daniel Bryan: the gift of relevancy, because they will face each other at SummerSlam.

Backstage, Charlotte Flair admits that she and Becky Lynch make a great tag team, but Becky says it will be a different story at SummerSlam. Charlotte and Becky agree that they will both have to great against each other that night.

We see a video package of Samoa Joe's message to "The Phenomenal" AJ Styles from last week.

"The Phenomenal" AJ Styles shows up. Styles says a lot goes on inside the ring - trash talking and manhoods being tested - and when that happens, things get personal. He says Samoa Joe made it personal last week when he talked about his family. He says that he wants to be one of the greatest Superstars for his family. He says that this does not make him special, as he has to make sacrifices for his family as a father and as a real man. He is away from home over 200 days a year, and he misses big family events. He celebrated eighteen years with his wife on August 5th, but the reality is his wife is basically a single parent because he cannot be there. As Samoa Joe watches from backstage, Styles says he wants to give his children things he never had as a kid, and that is why the fans are here. He knows the fans want to be there for their children, as does he. He then says this is why Samoa Joe's words piss him off, because Joe knows his family and they both shared the cockroach-infested apartments and stale pizza together, and threw their friendship away over mentioning his family. He refuses to let Samoa Joe take the WWE Championship, and at SummerSlam, Joe will be lucky if he even walks out at all.

Backstage, Lana is working out when Rusev walks up to her. Rusev tells Lana he should be more supportive after her words from last week, and tonight, he will be in her corner for her rematch with Zelina Vega tonight. Suddenly, Aiden English shows up. He apologizes to Lana, saying he did not mean to cost her the match last week, and that he is sorry. Rusev says he and Lana forgive him, then Rusev tells him to stay backstage tonight.

Zelina Vega beats Lana after Aiden English runs out and tackles Andrade "Cien" Almas as he brawls with Rusev on the outside, inadvertently knocking Lana off the top rope and allowing Zelina Vega the win.

Backstage, Renee Young interviews "The Artist" Shinsuke Nakamura. He says Jeff Hardy was erased by Randy Orton, and that he will erase what is left of Hardy at SummerSlam so nothing is left for Orton. R-Truth shows up with "The Perfect Ten" Tye Dillinger, wanting a match against Nakamura for the United States title at SummerSlam, and says he will get it by beating Carmella. Nakamura says something in Japanese, and R-Truth apparently takes so much exception to this that he wants Nakamura tonight.

As Corey Graves complains about Byron Saxton getting an interview with The Miz that is coming up next, Byron Saxton gets irritated, removes his headset and leaves the announce table.

Byron Saxton interviews The Miz, who appears on the TitanTron on the set of Miz and Mrs.. He says that Miz and Mrs. is doing swell after two episodes, and that he is not here because he is a star. He then tells the fans not to miss the third episode of Miz and Mrs. after SmackDown Live, as he learns CPR in that episode. He then says Daniel Bryan needs to learn it to resuscitate his career. He goes on to say that Daniel Bryan has obsessed over him the last eight years while he has been busy with his own life. He says Daniel dreams of becoming the biggest Superstar in history like he is, and Miz says he should be WWE Champion. Miz goes on to say that he is done carrying Daniel Bryan and dealing with him for the last eight years, and that he is done with people saying he is hiding from him. At SummerSlam, he will prove that Daniel Bryan is beneath him. As he tells Byron Saxton to go interview Daniel Bryan, Daniel Bryan suddenly shows up on set and attacks The Miz. Security try to help, but The Miz has to take Daniel Bryan down by smashing a potted plant into his back. Daniel Bryan then gets back and follows both security and The Miz off the set.

"The Artist" Shinsuke Nakamura beats R-Truth.

We see footage from earlier today. Harper says two teams have survived a quest for greatness. Rowan says one escaped prison while the other escaped madness, and that another test takes place tonight. The Bludgeon Brothers then say that they will be waiting to break whoever arrives both mentally and physically.

The Bludgeon Brothers (Harper and Rowan) beat 3SK (Juan Rivera, Pabel Kozlov, Aleki Li) in a three-on-two handicap match.

The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Big E) beat Sheamus and Cesaro in the finals of the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship Tournament to face The Bludgeon Brothers (Harper and Rowan) for the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championships at SummerSlam. After the match, The Bludgeon Brothers are briefly seen watching from the crowd.

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