WWE SmackDown Live Updates, Results and Highlights From July 24

Back from the timeout, Williams stomped away at the competition as the crowd chanted "Whoop That Trick!" He dumped Priest to the floor, only to find himself deposited there by Balor, who also sent Keys over the top.

The inaugural WWE Universal champion, still seeking the next big win that will take him to the top of the blue brand, launched himself over the top rope and onto the opposition.

Balor continued his offensive during the break, sitting Keys up top for a superplex. Former tag team partner-turned-rival Priest joined him up top for the move. Williams, though, brought everyone down to the mat in a Tower of Doom spot.

As the show returned from the break, The Usos hit the ringside area, teeing off on Sikoa. LA Knight made the save for his SummerSlam teammate and joined him in teeing off on Jimmy and Jey.

Priest launched himself off the top rope, wiping the brawling foursome out on the floor.

Balor tried for the Coup de Grace on Williams, but the United States champion rolled out of the way and rocked him for a two-count. A Trick Shot was interrupted by Priest, who drove him down with South of Heaven.

Keys entered, delivered the Ultimate Spinebuster to Priest, and appeared to have the win in hand when Jacob Fatu appeared from out of nowhere. He leveled Keys, wiping him out on the floor as that rivalry intensified.

Back in the ring, Balor caught Priest with a shotgun dropkick and added the Coup de Grace for the win.

WINNER: FINN BALOR

It is refreshing to see Balor back in a meaningful role, this close to a championship match. Time will tell how serious management is about pushing him back to the top of the card, but for now, this feels like a spot the founder of Bullet Club belongs in.

The match was strong, and all of the interference made sense considering Keys' involvement in it.

A fun, action-packed conclusion to a solid show that probably could have used more in-ring content, but focused on effectively and efficiently building to SummerSlam.

The winner of this main event heads to SummerSlam to square off with Sami Zayn in a No. 1 Contender's Match.

The action started fast and furiously, with Keys showing off his dominance in front of his hometown crowd in Oakland. He powered down Williams and drew a big ovation, then headed up the ramp, grabbed Balor, and sent him face-first into the ring apron.

During the picture-in-picture commercial break, Priest ran the ring steps and flattened Keys, only to be downed on the commentary table by Williams.

The United States champion paired off with Balor inside the squared circle, delivering a delayed standing vertical that left the audience in awe.

The Prince fought back, dropped Priest and delivered a double stomp, then caught Williams with a short dropkick as the show returned from break.

Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett discussed the current SummerSlam card, which includes:

Back from the break, Flair mounted a comeback, but Jax pulled her from the ropes, dropping her face-first on the mat.

The heel scaled ropes herself and delivered a leg drop for a two-count. Frustrated, she pulled her opponent across the ring and tried for the Annihilator, but Flair recovered, grabbed hold of her, and drove her to the mat with a powerbomb of her own for another near-fall.

Before Flair could capitalize, Jade Cargill, Michin, and B-Fab interrupted, marching to the ring. Jax threw Flair to the ringside area and demanded Cargill and the Baddies mind their own business.

As Michin and B-Fab attempted an attack, Flair fended them off. She caught Cargill with a hard right hand, knocking her off the apron. Jax grabbed hold of her for a Samoan Drop, but the babyface escaped.

Cargill rocked Flair with a right hand to draw the disqualification.

WINNER: CHARLOTTE FLAIR (via disqualification)

After the match, an irate Jax claimed she was screwed, setting in motion the possibility that she gets one last opportunity to qualify.

Backstage, a determined Charlotte Flair cited the injury caused by Jade Cargill to her partner, Alexa Bliss, last week as the driving force behind her match tonight.

Jax, like James in the previous qualifier, got the commercial break entrance, an unfortunate blow to her SummerSlam chances.

The Queen took the fight to The Irresistible Force, cutting a frenetic pace in an attempt to keep her opponent off-kilter. Jax cut her off, driving her to the mat with a sit-out powerbomb for a near-fall.

Commercial break.

A short video recapped Rhodes and Punk's win over Sami Zayn and Gunther at Saturday Night's Main Event before The American Nightmare entered the arena. Another video, this time recapping Rhodes' appearance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, aired.

Rhodes wasted no time calling out his SummerSlam opponent, Undisputed WWE Champion CM Punk.

After Punk entered the squared circle, Rhodes "accidentally" dropped a microphone, drawing the champion's ire.

Rhodes claimed it was an accident and set out to explain why he needed to beat Punk at SummerSlam.

"I don't like you," he said, "and I'm going to tell you why."

Rhodes recalled following Punk's pipebomb promo to a T. He dropped a nuke on the business, only to hear everyone tell him they wished it was Punk. The former champion said that he is tired of apologizing for everything he worked for.

"You don't like me...or you don't like that I'm the champion?" Punk asked before saying he casts a large shadow that is very tough to get out of.

Responding to Rhodes telling him he showed him there was a way out, Punk admitted that he watched from a distance as Cody showed him there was a way back.

He claimed that Rhodes was unable to face the pressure of beating an opponent he loves and respects, so he makes them his enemies because that is the only way he can win.

They went back and forth on the mic again, with Punk echoing the pipebomb promo referenced earlier in the show, and claiming that neither Rhodes nor anyone can touch him on the mic or in the ring.

Not even Dusty's kid.

Rhodes answered by promising to win his fourth WWE Championship.

This was a fire promo that brought all of the tension to the surface.

Kiana James got the commercial break entrance, suggesting a trip to SummerSlam may not be in the cards for her this year.

That did not stop her from being aggressive from the start and seizing control of the bout. As the match returned to the squared circle from the floor, though, Green mounted an offensive, dodged an elbow drop, and took James over with a pair of arm drags.

Green delivered a Rough Ryder, ala husband Matt Cardona, but could not put her opponent away.

James recovered, rocked the babyface with a superkick, and drove her to the mat with a Falcon Arrow for a two-count. Green recovered, caught James with the Unprettier, and cashed her ticket to SummerSlam.

WINNER: CHELSEA GREEN

Anytime Green enjoys any kind of success, it is a great thing. No one works harder to make the most of what is given to her creatively than the Hot Mess.

Backstage, R-Truth and Damian Priest bantered before Cody Rhodes arrived on the scene. The American Nightmare reminded Priest that, if he does seek out a title shot, it could be Rhodes he faces and not CM Punk.

Priest exclaimed, "We're tired of the same people being the face of this brand," and said it does not matter who emerges with the title because he is dropping them.

"I like that attitude," Rhodes said.

Backstage, Royce Keys prepared for his Fatal 4-Way Match for the right to face Sami Zayn at SummerSlam when Solo Sikoa interrupted.

Sikoa gassed his friend up before LA Knight slid into frame and reminded Keys to stay focused on The Bloodline at SummerSlam. Keys shut both men down, reminding them that he is a "grown-ass man."

That did not stop Sikoa from hyping both men up and claiming to have their back.

Elsewhere, Women's United States champion Tiffany Stratton and Chelsea Green discussed their futures at SummerSlam.

When The Hot Mess exited the picture, Blake Monroe appeared and admitted that she likes Stratton. She added that when she climbs the ladder in Minneapolis, everyone will be left looking up at what she has. "But you already knew that, didn't you?"

Monroe walked off to close out the segment.

In the arena, Green made her entrance for her qualifying match.

Commercial break.

Bella fought her way back into the match coming out of the break, unloading on Reid with a barrage of "YES!" Kicks and catching her with a running knee. She added a running bulldog as the least experienced member of Fatal Influence reeled.

A momentary distraction by Fallon Henley allowed Reid to stun Bella with a kick to the head. The Hall of Famer still tossed the heel off a superplex attempt. Paige prevented interference from Jacey Jayne and Bella countered a rollup for the win.

WINNER: BRIE BELLA

After the match, Fatal Influence attacked the victor and her tag team partner until Nikki Bella hit the ring, making the save for her sister. From there, she laid down the challenge for a Six-Woman Tag Team Match pitting the Bellas and Paige against Jayne, Henley, and Reid.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviewed Finn Balor, who recalled scratching and clawing for 10 years to get back in title contention, only for Gunther to interrupt. The Ring General claimed he was next in line.

Tease for Balor vs. Gunther? Hell yes!

Jacey Jayne led Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid, the new Women's Tag Team champions, into the Oakland Arena for the latter's match with Brie Bella.

Jayne expressed her frustration over losing to Tiffany Stratton last week and missing out on the SummerSlam Ladder Match for the Interim WWE Women's Championship.

She vowed to take the Women's United States Championship from Stratton sooner rather than later, then turned Reid loose on her Hall of Fame opponent.

Reid withstood an early onslaught from Bella, downed her, and stood tall entering the timeout.

Commercial break.

As Cathy Kelley attempted to provide an update on Aldis' health, Sami Zayn interrupted, grabbed the camera, and cut an impassioned promo.

He called Cody Rhodes the golden boy who magically became the No. 1 contender and referred to CM Punk as "poster boy No. 2" before imploring someone to make sense of The Last Real Good Guy being left off the SummerSlam card.

He caught Pearce entering the trainer's room and tried to convince him to add him to the Undisputed WWE Championship Match at SummerSlam.

Instead, Pearce informed Zayn that there is a Fatal 4-Way Match tonight. The winner of it will face the former champion at SummerSlam.

A reluctant Zayn accepted the opportunity, but was clearly frustrated.

Conspiracies? Zayn? The last time those two things went together, the future Hall of Famer ended up an Honorary Uce. Might be worth keeping an eye on.

Raw general manager Adam Pearce stood inside the squared circle, introducing the contract signing between SmackDown GM Nick Aldis and Gunther for their match at SummerSlam.

Pearce revealed that Aldis cannot be the general manager and compete as a WWE Superstar. As a result, the moment he signs on the dotted line, the Raw authority figure will take over for his peer.

"I know exactly what I'm signing," Aldis said in response to Pearce informing him of the hold-harmless agreement in the deal.

The former NWA world champion said Gunther found his limit, pushed him past it, and wasted little time signing the contract.

"This match will be the greatest moment of your career," Gunther said. He continued, "All of this is beneath me because I should be focusing on and competing for the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam. The only reason I am sitting here is that you were not doing your job."

He told Aldis that he never really made it; that he never became a WWE Superstar. Gunther, on the other hand, walked in the front door, and he had it all. "You have to tell yourself that you're just not good enough," he added.

"All legends stupid enough to get in the ring with the Ring General when they were chasing one more moment," Gunther said after rattling off the names of John Cena, Goldberg, and AJ Styles, men he will happily have Aldis join at SummerSlam.

Aldis called his bluff. "I haven't had a match in three years. You have everything to lose because you go from being the Career Killer to the bitch who got beat by his boss."

A brawl ensued that ended when Gunther delivered a low blow and drove his SummerSlam opponent through the table in a great, visual moment.

Earlier today, CM Punk and Cody Rhodes arrived at the arena ahead of their confrontation tonight.

Also earlier, Brie Bella arrived, seconded by Paige, ahead of her match with Fatal Influence's Lainey Reid. Reid and Fallon Henley defeated Bella and Paige at Saturday Night's Main Event to win the Women's Tag Team Championship.

From there, the commentary team introduced a quick video package recapping the recent events between Nick Aldis and Gunther.