Smark Out Moment

Tonight's episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown for July 17, 2020 is coming to you live from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. Follow along here for ongoing coverage of the results of the show to find out what happens as things occur and chat with fellow WWE fans in the comments below!

• AJ Styles and Matt Riddle explain in pre-taped segments how they will win the Intercontinental Championship match tonight. Alexa Bliss explains he has a mystery opponent tonight, whilst The Miz and John Morrison discuss facing off against Braun Strowman tonight. Braun Strowman then shows up to say he hopes Bray Wyatt is watching, whilst The New Day and the team of Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro discuss beating each other.
• Cesaro defeated Big E by pinfall.
• Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura attempt to put Big E through a table, but Kofi Kingston is able to ward them off.
• King Corbin is interviewed by King Corbin about Matt Riddle, with Corbin calling him a little boy and declaring his prediction that AJ Styles will retain the Intercontinental Championship tonight.
• Cesaro declares the stipulation for this Sunday's SmackDown Tag Team Championship match as a Tables match.
• Alexa Bliss is joined by Nikki Cross for A Moment of Bliss. Bliss and Cross discuss the 5 year anniversary of the women's evolution, before moving onto her mystery guest. Cross mistakenly believes it is herself who is the guest, but Bayley and Sasha Banks come to the ring before Bliss can reveal who it is. Bayley tells Cross to get used to disappointment and Banks runs her down by saying she will be back in the shadow of Bliss after Extreme Rules. Bayley demands credit for the women's evolution, but Bliss reveals Asuka is her guest. Bayley and Banks attack Bliss and Cross, only to be joined by Asuka who clears the ring.
• Daniel Bryan shares a video from earlier today noting that AJ Style could be the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time, but he needs to be wary of Matt Riddle.
• Bayley and Sasha Banks defeated Asuka and Nikki Cross by pinfall.
• The Miz and John Morrison discuss facing off against Braun Strowman, believing they are heroes who can slay the monster.
• Bray Wyatt kicks off Firefly Fun House from the Wyatt Swamp, singing to himself as he says how beautiful and peaceful it is. It camouflages the horrors which lie within, with Wyatt referring to Braun Strowman as a lost sheep. He created a monster, only to be left. or so he thought. The Wyatt Swamp is a place where horrors feel at home, and once you enter you never truly leave. Wyatt knows the monster is waiting to come home as it still lies within Strowman. Wyatt must control the gift he bestowed upon Strowman, so he will end the monster that he has become.
• Braun Strowman says he is prepared to walk though hell and stare the devil in the face. The last thing he wants is for him to turn into The Fiend, as he is everything bad that has ever happened to him.
• Braun Strowman defeated John Morrison by pinfall.
• Braun Strowman tells Bray Wyatt that he hopes he was watching, as Strowman is coming home.
• John Morrison is almost stretchered out of the ring, but he is able to leave with assistance from The Miz.
• Lacey Evans defeated Naomi by pinfall.
• Kayla Braxton interviews Jeff Hardy, who notes battling Shamus is like battling addiction. Hardy is then attacked by Sheamus who taunts The Charismatic Enigma by claiming he will cleanse him of his demons.
• Bayley and Sasha Banks are interviewed by Kayla Braxton as we return from commercial, with Bayley highlighting how she and Banks have more momentum than Nikki Cross and Asuka going into Extreme Rules.
• Nikki Cross discusses her chances of winning at Extreme Rules with Alexa Bliss, noting her confidence is shaken. Cross then attacks Bayley and is pulled off by Sasha Banks and Bliss.
• AJ Styles defeated Matt Riddle by pinfall to retain the Intercontinental Championship.
• Matt Riddle and AJ Styles share a handshake, only for King Corbin to attack Riddle as Styles walks away. Corbin leaves Riddle lying prone in the ring as we go off the air.