WWE SmackDown Live Updates, Results and Highlights From July 3

Back from the break, the combatants exchanged hard right hands before The American Nightmare downed the former world champion with a Cody Cutter.

Rhodes set up for the Cross Rhodes, but Uso countered out, despite an apparent ankle injury, suffered in a tope suicida moments earlier, hampering his offense.

The action spilled to the floor, where they fought onto an announce table and off again. Back inside the squared circle, the competitors took each other down entering the final break of the show.

Commercial break.

Back to the action as Rhodes leveled Uso with another Cody Cutter for two. The former champion looked to add a Disaster Kick, but Uso rocked him with a superkick. A spear followed, but the Right Hand Man was unable to put his opponent away.

Rhodes recovered and delivered the Cross Rhodes, but desperation set in when Uso kicked out at two.

Another exchange of blows gave way to Uso applying the sleeper that earned him the world title in his WrestleMania 41 match with Gunther. Rhodes tried to counter in a spot that did not go according to plan.

Moments later, Rhodes delivered another Cross Rhodes and this time, put Uso away to earn another shot at the top prize in the company.

WINNER: RHODES

The match was fine, if not disjointed due to the commercial breaks in the middle of it. it was a bit messy in the closing moments and the finish did not hit as hard as it probably should have, but it was a star-studded main event that set the stage for a high-stakes match Monday night on Raw from Chicago.

For the sake of the audience's acceptance of Rhodes as a babyface, he cannot win that match and title or risk considerable and vocal backlash from an audience gradually growing fatigued with The American Nightmare's relentless title push.

Two of the most popular stars in WWE squared off in the main event, with a shot at Sami Zayn's Undisputed WWE Championship awaiting the victor, as Cody Rhodes battled Jey Uso.

Both stars entered the arena to big ovations ahead of the high-stakes contest.

Before the match could really get underway, the show headed to the penultimate timeout of the evening.

Commercial break.

Backstage, Cody Rhodes apologized to Finn Balor for not welcoming him to SmackDown and the former universal champion replied by telling him that he came to the blue brand to challenge The American Nightmare for the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Balor told him to go win the match and get his title back.

Afterward, Tama and Talla Tonga confronted Balor, the big man shoving him down on an anvil case and choking him with a pipe.

Tama, one of the founding members of the famed Bullet Club alongside Balor during their days in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, told him he is getting rid of things in his past, and the Prince is next.

Michael Cole and Corey Graves ran down the card for next week's show:

They also announced Danhausen vs. JD McDonagh and Fatal Influence vs. Paige and Brie Bella for the Women's Tag Team Championship on the July 18 Saturday Night's Main Event.

The war over the Women's Tag Team Championship between titleholders Paige and Brie Bella and Fatal Influence continued Friday as the Hall of Famer squared off with Lainey Reid, accompanied by Jacey Jayne and Fallon Henley.

Reid rocked Bella with a stunning right hand early, but the babyface recovered with a tornado single-arm DDT for a quick two count. The heel recovered and delivered a side suplex, but missed an elbow drop.

Bella continued to focus on the left arm of her opponent, but Reid turned the tide in her favor, delivering a corner enzuigiri and heading up for a superplex attempt. The tag team champion fought out and delivered a missile dropkick, then added the YES! Kicks.

Bella applied the YES! Lock, but Henley attempted to interfere. Paige pulled her down, then sent Jayne into the ring post, but was laid out. The distraction pulled Bella's attention from her opponent, who capitalized and dropped her for the win.

WINNER: REID

The match was rushed and lacked real flow, but it continued the tag team title rivalry, so it was successful in that regard. Even if Fatal Influence feels significantly colder than they were upon their arrival after WrestleMania.

Backstage, AAA tag team champions The War Raiders confronted WWE tag team champions Damian Priest and R-Truth at an impromptu "cookout." A verbal exchange culminated in a winner-takes-all match between the two being agreed to.

Danhausen continued to work on his experiment with The Miz and Kit Wilson when Matt Cardona entered the picture.

As things went sideways and the heels appeared to be electrocuted again, the very nice, very evil Superstar told "Zack Ryder" to take care of the mess and bailed on it.

Wilson spouted off Miz's catchphrases, hinting that they may have switched personalities.

More fun, inoffensive hijinx involving guys unharmed creatively because of it.

United States champion Trick Williams and Lil Yachty hit the ring for an in-ring promo, only to be interrupted by Carmelo Hayes before either could address the WWE Universe.

"Let's get serious. Let's get to business. On Saturday, Ricky couldn't get the job done, so Atlantic City, it looks like we don't have no other choice but to run it back," Hayes said.

Hayes gave Williams his flowers, calling him unstoppable. "But that's because I haven't decided to stop you yet."

The former NXT world champion told Williams that the US title isn't for him. It's a workhorse belt. He has to be able to defend the title and be the best. Trick is not that, Hayes claimed.

Yachty spoke on behalf of Williams, offering the prospective No. 1 contender a match on next week's show. "Please understand, next week, when things get tricky, there will be no more excuses as to why you can't get the job done."

Williams said he knew Hayes like the back of his hand, then slapped him before walking off. Not one to let that stand, Melo wiped the champion out with a plancha, then watched him pull Yachty off the apron and exit.

A video package recapped the electric conclusion to Monday's Raw, where Seth Rollins interrupted Roman Reigns and challenged The Tribal Chief for the World Heavyweight Championship. The OTC accepted, and the SummerSlam main event is official.

Backstage, Royce Keys interrupted Jacob Fatu and Jimmy Uso and took exception to The Samoan Werewolf's actions of late.

"I've known you for the last 14 years, so as far as I'm concerned, I'm your family. Right, Jacob?" Keys asked.

"Not no more, right, Jacob?" Uso responded before walking out.

Michael Cole and Corey Graves recapped Blake Monroe's SmackDown debut from last week, where she laid out both Giulia and Kiana James to close out the show.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley caught up with Giulia. The former women's United States champion was interrupted in short order by James. Before they could come to blows, Monroe attacked, leaving both lying for the second consecutive week.

With the women's title pictures jam-packed on SmackDown, introducing Monroe in a rivalry she can conceivably win, rather than booking themselves into a corner, is the best move the creative team can make.

The unbridled aerial arsenals of Fenix and Vikingo were on full display after the break.

The challenger turned Fenix inside out with a poison rana from the top rope. With momentum on his side, Vikingo scaled the ropes and tried for a 450 splash, but crashed and burned face-first on the mat.

The champion recovered and delivered his Mexican Muscle Buster finisher to secure the win and a successful title defense.

WINNER: FENIX

A good, albeit way too short match that highlighted both men and served as a teaser for the excellence seen Saturday nights on the AAA YouTube page.

Two of the most talented, celebrated competitors in this modern era of lucha libre squared off with the AAA Cruiserweight Championship at stake when Fenix defended against Vikingo.

Raw athleticism (and some showboating) was on full display early on, with each man utilizing their lightning-quick and high-flying offense to wow the crowd and keep the other guessing.

An ill-fated baseball slide by Fenix ended with him caught up in the ring apron and Viking wiping him out with a springboard moonsault to the floor.

Commercial break.

Michael Cole and Corey Graves recalled the backstage altercation between Gunther and SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis before reiterating that both had been sent home and, as a result, Adam Pearce will serve as the interim blue brand authority figure.

Backstage, Sami Zayn approached Candice LeRae and a despondent Johnny Gargano.

Zayn thanked Johnny Wrestling for lending an ear when he was at his lowest and claimed he would not be champion without him. He posed for a photo with him, but only after making LeRae take the picture.

A fun, funny backstage vignette that played off their previous segments together.

Flair fought to fend off her opponents and eventually did, finally making the hot tag to Green, who entered the ring to a thunderous ovation.

She unloaded on Michin and delivered a Rough Ryder and covered, only to have the pinfall broken up by B-Fab.

The action broke down from there, with Stratton becoming involved. The action spilled to the floor, but Cargill recovered and grabbed Green for Jaded.

The Hot Mess countered with a rollup, but Cargill kicked out. Green rocked B-Fab on the comeback with a right hand, but The Storm recovered and flattened her with Jaded to earn the win for her team.

WINNERS: CARGILL, MICHIN, and B-FAB

An energetic match if nothing else, it highlighted all six wrestlers while keeping Stratton and Cargill mostly apart so as not to overexpose that match-up. Cargill earning the win was key after she had suffered so many losses of late.

Jade Cargill, Michin, and B-Fab entered the arena for the six-woman tag bout together, showing the unity that the babyface side lacked when they arrived individually, with tension between Flair and Stratton threatening to boil over.

The babyfaces started hot, but the heels took Flair out at ringside to seize control, which they retained throughout the timeout.

Commercial break.

Cathy Kelley caught up with Charlotte Flair backstage ahead of the night's Six-Woman Tag Team Match and asked her why she interfered in the Women's United States Championship bout between Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill last Saturday at Night of Champions.

Alexa Bliss interrupted and expressed frustration over The Queen not communicating with her about her plans. Flair called her out for not telling her about teaming with Stratton last Friday night.

The United States champ entered the picture and told Flair that she never needed her help. Before tensions could get too high, Chelsea Green arrived to a big pop and tried to get everyone on the same page.

The Queen entered the arena for the night's first match.

Commercial break.

Former undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes interrupted the champion's promo, joining him in the ring for the first time since Saturday's premium live event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

"Sami."

"Cody. So, what do you want to talk about?" Zayn asked, smugly.

Rhodes told the new champion that he was the first to come to the ring at WrestleMania 40 when The American Nightmare defeated Roman Reigns to win the gold, and he wanted to be the first to do so tonight.

He extended his hand to Zayn, who hesitated, then accepted the sign of respect.

Zayn told Rhodes to let down the act and be real, but before Cody could, Jey Uso hit the ring to add another star to the segment.

"You earned that. You deserve that, but you know why I'm here. Bloodline business, uce. This is your warning shot. I have to bring that back to the family," Uso said.

"At what point did my boy, Jey Uso, resort to running errands for The Tribal Chief?" Rhodes asked his former tag team title partner.

"Jey, what did you say? You have to take this back to the family? As far as I'm concerned, it still is," Zayn said.

Acting general manager Adam Pearce appeared and made the predictable match: Rhodes vs. Uso in a No. 1 Contender's Match, with the winner to battle Zayn on Monday night on Raw.

A video package recapping Sami Zayn's improbable, historic Undisputed WWE Championship victory over Cody Rhodes and Gunther at Night of Champions.

From there, the new champion entered to a big reaction and exaggeratedly high-fived fans along the guardrail. The fans in Atlantic City greeted The Last Real Good Guy by serenading him with his theme song, and pyro exploded at the entrance in celebration of his triumphant moment.

"It seems to me like a lot of folks out here came to ride or die with the Last Real Good Guy!" Zayn exclaimed to start his promo.

The champion quickly turned on the fans, criticizing them for being the same fans who booed him out of the building for the last six months. He could be petty, he said, and tell the fans to kiss his ass, but he won't.

Because he is a good guy.

"I won this the same way I always said I would. I won it my way. I won it the right way!" he said, holding the title up.

He said he could tell the doubters to kiss his ass, but he won't because it is a celebration.

"We are celebrating me. I will forever go down as one of the greats. Sami Zayn: WrestleMania main eventer. Grand slam champion," he said. "No amount of booing, no amount of noise, will ever take that away from me!"