[M-A-G]

SmackDown!: August 17, 2040

We open with Lisa Benton who is happy to report that SummerSlam will go on as scheduled as a result of what went down last night on Superstars. Now, she's sure that Michael Hotbody is going to want to try some more of his legal nonsense to get that thrown out too because of the involvement of Riott. Well, seeing as Riott is in a sense on the payroll in a officiating capacity, Riott reserves the right to exercise those powers in an enforcer role as well when she deems it necessary so the decision stands. Lisa recaps the card for us: Kyle Jacobs vs. Xavier Cross, Michael Hotbody vs. Martyn LaSalle in a submission match for the Cruiserweight Title, Quentin McDaniels vs. Kerry Cemenko in a match just signed earlier today, Wrakk vs. Haven, the WWE Women's Tag Team Title match, and the Hell in a Cell Match for the Unified World Title between Noah Carmichael and Butch Fleming. Pretty damn good, but there's always room for improvement.

With that said Seth Von Kamp decides to make himself known and enters the ring joining Lisa. He agrees with Lisa's last sentiment and thinks that the best way to fill that room is with an Intercontinental Title match involving Seth challenging Brandon Reigns. Seth feels like he doesn't ask for much but this is something that absolutely has to happen for the sake of his sanity. Reigns has a lot to answer for and it begins with him manning up and taking his licks. He apologizes for putting Lisa on the spot like this but she can see it in his eyes how much this means to him. Lisa does indeed see it and commends Seth on his initiative. She agrees that a match between Seth and Reigns would be a great addition and...

...HOLD THE PHONE! Here is Brandon Reigns himself looking all kinds of disgusted at what's going on. "Oh, no, no, no. no, no, no, no, no, no...we're not doing this. I'm not doing any freebies, you got that? If you're going to pull rank and just grant Seth a match against me for my Intercontinental Title, he's going to have to put something up, too. Seth, you need to do what Jake Connelly and Conner Buchanan did before you. You want my title? You put your career on the line because let's be honest, after 9 years in the company with no singles title to your name, if you're not going to win one at SummerSlam, it's never going to happen. Those are my terms, Seth. Take it or leave it!"

"The only thing I'm going to take is the Intercontinental Title. You think you're putting me in a rough spot? I either win that championship or I go out giving the biggest ass kicking anyone's ever seen taking you with me. YOU'RE ON!" And thus we have one more title match for SummerSlam!

Backstage, Riott has been watching the show in her room when Jenna Kyle decides to join her. Jenna wants to ask Riott what her intentions are as far as being the referee for the Women's Tag Team Title match at SummerSlam. Riott is confused. "Intentions? Well, I plan on showing up, partake in a few shots with some of my old pals, maybe prowl for guys among the crowd lining up outside the arena, and then count somebody's shoulders down and hand the winners the new tag team titles. What are your intentions for SummerSlam?"

"You know that's not I'm taking about."

"Oh, right, I think I know what you're getting at. You think that maybe I'm holding some sort of grudge. Specifically, a grudge against you...because you're the one that beat me and forced me into retirement...and that grudge is going to come into play at SummerSlam and I'm not going to be fair and somehow cost you and Faith a chance at making history as some sort of payback. Is that it? Is that what you're getting at?"

"Something like that, yeah. You've been goine all this time and just now, when something major like this pops up, an opportunity of a lifetime, you just happen to stroll back into the picture? You expect me to trust you?"

"Jenna, I'm going to say this with the utmost respect because you need to hear it. Do not flatter yourself. Of all the things that live rent-free inside my head, you're not even a blip on the radar. What happens at SummerSlam is all on you, win or lose. I don't do pettiness and I wouldn't taking part in something like this just to taint it."

"Hmph...I just needed to look you in the eye. I'm going to hold you to that, you know?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way." And with that, Jenna takes her leave.

First Match: Alexander Piero vs. Azazel
This was set up on Superstars last night. Piero is making some awesome strides as a future top guy. Maybe not THE guy but who knows? Regardless, Orlando Kincaid evidently didn't get Piero's memo about leaving Madison alone and he comes out to chase her. Piero, of course, will have none of this and runs after Kincaid. Unfortunately this gives Azazel the countout win. Kincaid suckers Piero to the back and jumps him when he passes him in the Gorilla position. ****1/2, 92% overall.

Second Match: The Internet Darlings vs. The Pacific Connection
Oof, probably shouldn't have put this after the opener. I was kind of hoping The Pacific Connection were already at the point where they wouldn't feel the effects of following a hot match. Of course everyone's charisma sucks elephant dongs here so fuck me. Mika is left alone with The Internet Darlings and gets nailed with the Clickbait and the Internet Darlings get the pin. ****, 75% overall.

Backstage we have to deal with Luscious and Michael Hotbody. Disappointed as he is with what went down last night on Superstars, Galino & Farnes are hard at work as we speak combing through any last minute avenues that Hotbody can use. In the meantime, though, he and Luscious denounce the actions of Riott. How is she going to maintain control as the referee at SummerSlam when apparently no one has any control over her? It's no surprise that she's Lisa Benton's friend. As far as Martyn LaSalle goes, he needs to watch himself because Michael Hotbody is a supreme submission machine! You can add that to his list of accomplishments and he'll even prove it on Raw with a special exhibition series that's going to showcase what LaSalle is going to have to contend with!

Third Match: Jason Sorola vs. Patrick Dean Quartermaine
Sorola grabs the mic and proudly proclaims that he'll take that mantle of gatekeeper that Shawn Dangerson threw out. The cruiserweight division needs to know who the man is around here. He's got more big match experience than all of the other 'also rans' that want to try walking the walk. Shawn Dangerson will figure it out soon enough. So naturally this match is all about Sorola looking good. I'd like to figure out something for Quartermaine because he's one of the few cruiserweights that has charisma going for him along with talent. Regardless, Sorola gets the duke here with a roll up with tights. ****1/4, 94% overall.

At the announce table Josh Matthews brings up the main event at SummerSlam for the Unified World Title between Carmichael and Fleming and tells us about a sit-down interview he conducted with the challenger. Thus we go it:

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Matthews: Hello, I'm here with the man who will face Butch Fleming for the WWE Unified World Title at SummerSlam inside Hell in a Cell, the 2040 King of the Ring, Noah Carmichael. Noah, thank you so much for sitting down with me. The WWE fans are eager to hear from you.

Carmichael: I'm looking forward to this.

Matthews: So, first things first, congratulations on winning King of the Ring. This, of course, gave you the right to challenge for the Unified World Title at SummerSlam. However, a lot of people are curious, why Hell in a Cell? This was your idea.

Carmichael: Damn right it was my idea. Because let's face it, it sure as hell wasn't going to come out of Fleming's mouth. Fleming has had this uncanny ability throughout his entire tenure here in the WWE to paint this picture of himself as a savage, brutal, tough-as-nails force of nature and get people to buy into it. If any of that were true, the second he realized that he was going to be defending against me at SummerSlam, the idea of making it a Hell in a Cell match should've been the first thing to come out of his mouth. Here is the guy, me, who he calls the biggest disappointment of his life and the biggest pain in his ass and I'm nipping at his heels one more time with a shot at his title. He should have looked at that opportunity and said to himself, 'Damn, it'd be so sweet to finally end this son of a bitch once and for all.' He didn't do that, though. One, he doesn't have it in him to end me once and for all and two, he knows that I'm the vicious one.

Matthews: Well, that being said, he did accept the challenge.

Carmichael: AFTER he thought he had an advantage. (Noah raises his busted up fingers) Josh, I've always been a dangerous man. I've just never had a particularly good reason to go all out. Until now, that is.

Matthews: You haven't been in a Hell in a Cell match; Butch Fleming has. What makes you think that this is advantageous towards you in anyway?

Carmichael: I've always been told that the most dangerous man in the world is the man who has nothing left to lose. I don't have the Unified Title anymore. What relationship I even had with Quentin McDaniels is long gone. And I sure as hell am not interested in what Butch Fleming has to think or say about me so I'm not considering his feelings in regards to what I plan on doing. You could say I have the rest of my career. What kind of a career would that be? I'm letting you and anyone else watching this know, right now, this is it for me and Fleming. Regardless of the outcome, this match is going to be the end. No rematch, no looking back, no regrets. I may shave years off of my life and my career but if I leave that cell empty-handed? I don't even want to think about it. I can't think about it. I have to leave SummerSlam as the Unified World Champion or this year will have been a waste. I don't care how much more experienced Butch Fleming is than me. He's not more pissed off than me. That's a fact and I'm willing to prove it at SummerSlam.

Matthews: Well, I think we saw a glimpse of that on Raw when you threatened Michael Hotbody. Are you at all worried that this obsession is getting too out of hand?

Carmichael: I'll say this: you saw Michael Hotbody. I saw Butch Fleming. I saw an obstacle that's in the way of that title. Out of hand? I can't really answer that right now.
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Back to the announce table as Josh talks some more about the interview and how we can view it and even more on the website. He also brings up that he also sat down with Butch Fleming and that we'll see that interview on Raw.

Fourth Match: Wrakk vs. Daniel St. Croix
WRAKK SMASH!!! It'd be something else if Wrakk does something else that forces him off active competition for another stretch of time. I know I'd be pissed. Anyways, Wrakk finishes things off pretty decisively here with the Demon Cross. *****, 94% overall.

In-Ring Super Special Talky Time to Promote SummerSlam, this time with the Lonely Girls, Faith Connors and Jenna Kyle. Jenna talks about the reservations she had with Riott being appointed the guest referee for their match at SummerSlam. However, she wants to make it clear that those were the only reservations she had regarding the match. She's confident in the abilities between herself and Faith and that it's more than enough to overcome an alliance of convenience like the one that Eclypse and Naomi Bailey have. Faith adds that the toughest steel is forged with the harshest of fires. Jenna and herself have gone through such a fire and have come out the force that you all see in front of you. Now the word is that Naomi has found some way to take care of this force. Well it had better be a doozy because the Lonely Girls aren't going anywhere.

Naturally this brings out Eclypse and the Women's Champion Naomi Bailet themselves to offer their thoughts on the matter. Naomi finds it funny that her partnership with Eclypse is being called an alliance of convenience by someone who is partnering up with the only woman on the roster willing to put up with her. Jenna and Faith are fooling themselves and the idiots in the crowd with this charade of unity. Naomi knows it's fragile and she's going to prove it even before SummerSlam! Naomi is willing to offer ONE of the Lonely Girls a match on Raw against herself and ever better...it'll be for the Women's Championship! The kicker, however, is she's going to leave it to Faith and Jenna to decide who gets the match. She'll see them on Monday. The segment ends with Faith and Jenna giving each other an uneasy look.

Fifth Match: Kerry Cemenko vs. Steve Hayes
This is SmackDown!: BUILDING MOMENTUM Edition, I suppose. Cemenko looks forward to SummerSlam and giving the fans the match they would have seen if King of the Ring had gone different for himself and Quentin McDaniels. Hayes tries hard here but the overwhelming power of the Curb Stomp from Cemenko seals the deal. McDaniels runs down and hits the Great Depression on Cemenko for fun. ****1/2, 93% overall.

MAIN EVENT: Clubber Harris and Kyle Jacobs vs. Xavier Cross and Chris Collins
It's interesting how I'm often plugging in Jacobs into the main events every so often. Hopefully he branches out and becomes a legit top guy with the way I book him and is an even bigger star than either of his predecessors. It sound simple since I'm in control of things but as you can see with Seth Von Kamp's case, I'm easily distracted and can often overlook people. Anyways, this is a fun little main event as everyone just works well off of each other. Cross and Harris end up as the legal men and Collins uses some non-standard issue wrestling equipment behind the ref's back on Harris and that allows Cross to hit the Cross Cutter for the pin. *****, 94% overall.

Overall show rating: 88%