SmackDown Live Live SmackDown Discussion thread, August 11th 2023: Austin Theory defends the US Championship

[Dale]

Santos Escobar to challenge Austin Theory for the United States Championship​

In the United States Championship Invitational, Santos Escobar overcame Butch, Grayson Waller and AJ Styles in a turbulent Fatal 4-Way Match and then went on to defeat his mentor Rey Mysterio of The LWO after the contest was stopped due to a Mysterio injury. Now, the determined Superstar will battle Austin Theory for the United States Champion!

Escobar already proved he can defeat the outspoken Theory when he scored a non-title victory over the titleholder on the July 21 edition of SmackDown. But can he pick up the big win again when the U.S. gold on the line?​

 

[Chris]

 

[Hidden Blaze]

As much as I hate to say it. Theory needs to drop the title as it’s literally doing nothing for him at all. Rebuild time

 

[Cwalker]

Why are Styles and Kross STILL wrestling each other?!

 

[Wiseman]

Why are Styles and Kross STILL wrestling each other?!

To make sure AJ Styles fans are annoyed.

 

[Cwalker]

To make sure AJ Styles fans are annoyed.

Well it’s working

 

[Wiseman]

Well it’s working

I concur.

 

[Hidden Blaze]

Say sike

 

[Wiseman]

Feel like WWE is about to do their best attempt at a shitty, cheap mob movie with this story line.

 

[Chris]

 

[Sabretooth]

Yeah this is what I did not want to happen. Now I change my mind. This sucks

 

[Dale]

I'm gonna give them the benefit of doubt and say the social media team worded it horribly and it's more of an 'explains his actions'

 

[Chris]

I'm gonna give them the benefit of doubt and say the social media team worded it horribly and it's more of an 'explains his actions'

I'm assuming the "hail to the chief" branding thing is kayfabe Heyman/Roman's request for Jimmy, doesn't necessarily mean he's going to do it. I'd actually be surprised if he, wouldn't even chalk it up to an error, just a purposeful red herring

Until he just does it at least

 

[Dale]

See what happens, it just comes off like the social media team tried to use all the catchphrases and buzzwords to say that 'Jimmy returns to SmackDown to explain his actions' and ended up making it sound like he's like returning to SmackDown to acknowledge Roman and rejoin The Bloodline.

Cue Jimmy rejoining The Bloodline

 

[Chris]

See the thing is they also advertised it exactly like the tweet on Raw tho which announcers mentioning it so its def intentional IMO but otherwise I really wouldn't put it past what you're saying bc they've done that before with the random tweets