WWE SmackDown Live 08/09; The Viper set to clash with The Essence of Excellence tonight!

[Kross Rhodes]

SmackDown Live, Aug. 9, 2016: Orton to clash with Del Rio tonight on SmackDown Live

Tonight The Viper squares off with The Essence of Excellence on SmackDown Live in a clash of former World Champions. Plus, following the chaos last week on SmackDown Live, will the scourge of Bray Wyatt continue to influence the growing conflict between WWE World Champion Dean Ambrose and his SummerSlam No. 1 contender Dolph Ziggler.

Orton and Del Rio will clash in a battle of former World Champions

First announce on the WWE Twitter account, Randy Orton will face Alberto Del Rio on SmackDown Live tonight at 8/7 C in a blockbuster showdown.

The Viper is looking to prove his mettle coming off his volatile exchanges with Brock Lensar last week, including falling victim to an F-5 from The Beast on SmackDown Live. Will Orton be able to mentally rebound from the savage attack or will Del Rio reclaim his position as a player to watch on Team Blue?

Will The New Face of Fear continue to haunt the WWE World Title?

After falling short in his attempt to become No. 1 contender to the WWE World Title in a Six-Pack Challenge one week earlier, Bray Wyatt returned to SmackDown Live last week to attack the Superstar who claimed that distinction, Dolph Ziggler. Then, after nearly stealing away The Showoff’s SummerSlam title opportunity, he and Erick Rowen took out both Ziggler and WWE World Champion Dean Ambrose as SmackDown Live came to a close. Will Wyatt be satisfied with his dark statement or will the failure of his adversaries to keep him in check only lead to further mayhem?

Moreover, although Ziggler only put his No. 1 contender position on the line against Wyatt to prove “who he was” to both Ambrose and the WWE Universe, could Wyatt’s aggression against both champion and challenger ironically force them to work together to repel The Eater of Worlds? In any event, it will be interesting to see how much chaos will come from further interaction between Ziggler and The Lunatic Fringe.

Are tensions heating up between Team Red and Team Blue?

The wake of the turmoil created when Randy Orton and Brock Lesnar completely disregarded the brand split and attacked each other on Raw and SmackDown Live last week – prior to their Aug. 21 showdown at SummerSlam – Raw General Manager Mick Foley invited SmackDown Live General Manager Daniel Bryan to Monday Night Raw to discuss the situation.

While things started on a very cordial note between the two GMs, it was soon clear that Foley was rather annoyed by a crack Bryan made about Raw’s new Universal Title on the premiere episode of “Talking Smack” – exclusively on WWE Network. Unfortunately, Rusev interrupted before the matter could be settled, leaving the WWE Universe to wonder what, if anything, will happen next. Will Foley show up on SmackDown to finish his point? Will other Superstars follow the example of Orton and Lesnar? Or, perhaps more importantly, will this unresolved issue serve as a catalyst that helps transform the friendly competition between Team Red and Team Blue into a more exasperated situation? Find out tonight at 8/7 C on SmackDown Live.

Will the tag team division get turned upside down by Bryan ‘Talking Smack’?

After weeks of speculation over whether SmackDown Live will create new titles to fill the void left by the ones they lost at the WWE Extension Draft, SmackDown Live General Manager Daniel Bryan poured gasoline on the fire during the premiere episode of “Talking Smack" last week, implying that new titles of one form or another are in fact under discussion.

Might the fact that the former World Champion addressed the topic with debuting tag team American Alpha sitting next to him somehow foreshadow their own bright future within the tag team ranks? Well, at the very least, it can be said that the thought of Gable and Jordon led Bryan to consider the question of tag team excellence in the first place.

In addition to American Alpha, though, it stands to reason that SmackDown’s tag team division will be completely energized by the possibility of new titles. After all, opportunities are everywhere on Tuesday night (just ask Dolph Ziggler). Can former WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos once again fly to the top of the mountain?

Or will hungry up-and-comers like Breezango or The Vaudevillains step up their game? Let us not forget, The Ascension still hold the current record for the longest NXT Tag Team Championships and remain a dangerous as they come. Will we see more of the Hype Bros (Woo woo woo, you know it!)? Or will a new tandem present itself, looking to affirm its own glory? Find out in the coming weeks at 8/7 C on USA Network.

Can Heath Slater defeat Rhyno to earn a place on the SmackDown Live roster?

Despite going unselected in the 2016 Brand Extension Draft, Heath Slater may ultimately end up on Team Blue … under one rather painful condition: SmackDown Live General Manager Daniel Bryan informed Slater that in order to get his contract, he must overcome Rhyno! It’s worth mentioning that he’s the very same Man Beast who has Gored the Blue Brand hopeful not once, but twice already!

Will Rhyno return to action with a bang and Gore #SignHeathSlater from our Twitter feeds forever? It looks like we have to wait until tonight at 8/7 C on USA Network to find out, babaaayyy!!!

SmackDown Live’s Women’s division – take two!

Last week was a bumpy road for the Women’s division of SmackDown Live. An irate Natalya attacked Carmella before their match could even start, and Eva Marie suffered a mysterious injury, deemed herself unable to compete and left a frustrated Becky Lynch … well, frustrated.

Tonight on Team Blue, don’t miss a moment of the action when the race to determine the premier female competitor in the Women’s division heats up.

Be sure to be here as we continue towards SummerSlam on the blue side of The new Era.

 

[Crippler]

Essence of Excellence might be the gayest nickname of all time.

Eva better fake more injuries

 

[Kross Rhodes]

Essence of Excellence might be the gayest nickname of all time.

Eva better fake more injuries

If Eva gets "hurt" again, I'll just laugh so hard at her desire to be taken seriously.

We'll see if blue gives us any quality women's matches tonight.

 

[Kross Rhodes]

It's time to see what the blue show has in store for us.

 

[Crippler]

This Charlie chick

 

[Kross Rhodes]

SmackDown has been taken to Viperville right at the start.

 

[Deezy]

Orton plunging that "1 RKO to enter Vioerville" shit lower than Del Rio's collar.

 

[Kross Rhodes]

The Essence of Excellence offering to break The Viper's arm for the Beast before SummerSlam. What a guy.

 

[Kross Rhodes]

We're being treated to a dose of The Wyatt Family 2.0 early tonight. How nice.

 

[Sabretooth]

The Wyatt Family lives. There is no killing the fam

 

[Sabretooth]

Essence of excellence? Sounds like Bret harts nickname rearranged

 

[Kross Rhodes]

What are the odds on seeing The Wyatt Family and Ambrose/Ziggler tonight?

 

[Crippler]

Rowan still needing guidance

 

[Sabretooth]

Dolph man he's a god man. Man

 

[Kross Rhodes]

The Wyatt Family lives. There is no killing the fam

Wyatt should kill it dead before it ruins him.