Back from commercial, we see Jacob Fatu and Tama Tong arguing with several WWE officials. Jacob pushes a few of them down and Jacob tells them they won’t take him away. In comes LA Knight who pushes Jacob through the door and to the outside of the arena. He then says he has a title to win back tonight.

WWE United States Championship Match – Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. LA Knight

The bell rings and we are under way. LA Knight with a headlock but Nakamura throws him to the ropes, a shoulder tackle by both men and both stay on their feet. Nakamura throws LA Knight to the ropes but LA Knight with a swinging neck breaker. He stomps on Nakamura in the corner and goes for a running knee but Nakamura rolls to the ring apron. LA Knight grabs Nakamura but Nakamura with a kick. Nakamura with a knee to the face and he throws LA Knight into the corner. Nakamura with a chop to the chest followed by a kick to the leg. Nakamura places LA Knight across the top rope and he lands a knee to the ribs. LA Knight falls to the outside of the ring. He gets back onto the ring apron, Nakamura goes for a kick but LA Knight with a clothesline and LA Knight throws Nakamura to the outside. LA Knight with a baseball slide and Nakamura slams into the announce table. LA Knight slams Nakamura’s head into the announce table and back into the ring. Nakamura gets to his feet and LA Knight clothesline him back to the outside of the ring. He lifts Nakamura up but Nakamura lands on his feet and he pushes LA Knight face first into the ring post.

-Commercial Break-

Back from commercial and LA Knight with a clothesline in the ring. He throws Nakamura to the ropes and lands a power slam. LA Knight lands a jumping elbow and he goes for the cover but Nakamura kicks out. He lifts Nakamura up and goes for a torture rack but Nakamura lands on his feet. Nakamura goes for a waist lock, LA Knight reverses it, he pushes Nakamura into the turnbuckle but Nakamura unties the second turnbuckle pad. LA Knight rolls him up for the cover but Nakamura kicks out. Nakamura with a kick and he climbs the top rope but LA Knight jumps to the top rope and lands a superplex! He goes for the cover but Nakamura kicks out. LA Knight with a reverse Boston crab in the middle of the ring but Nakamura makes it to the bottom rope. LA Knight goes for it again but Nakamura gets him in an arm bar, LA Knight rolls him up for the cover but Nakamura kicks out. Nakamura with a kick to the side of the head, he goes for Kinshasa but LA Knight moves out of the way. LA Knight goes for the BFT, Nakamura ducks and he hits him with a spinning back elbow.

Nakamura goes for the Kinshasa and he lands it! Nakamura goes for the cover but LA Knight gets his foot on the bottom rope. Nakamura places LA Knight chin first onto the exposed turnbuckle. Nakamura goes for the Kinshasa, LA Knight moves out of the way and Nakamura hits the exposed turnbuckle. LA Knight with the BFT! He goes for the cover but Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga break it up and the referee calls for the bell.

Winner: LA Knight by disqualification

Jacob Fatu with a pop up Samoan drop onto LA Knight and Nakamura rolls to the outside of the ring. LA Knight down in the corner and Jacob Fatu with two running hips to the head. Jacob with a moon sault off the top rope and out come Cody Rhodes and Jimmy Uso. All four men fight on the outside of the ring. Jimmy throws Tama Tonga over the barricade. Cody and Jimmy with double super kicks onto Jacob Fatu. Jimmy throws Jacob over the barricade and out comes Nick Aldis with WWE officials.

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Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Andrade

The bell rings and Nakamura lands a kick to Andrade. Andrade responds with a moonsault to Nakamura off the ropes on the outside.

Back from the break, Andrade connects with his signature moonsault on Nakamura and follows it up with a spinning back elbow. He goes for a pin, but Nakamura kicks out. Andrade sits Nakamura on the top rope and joins him up there, but Nakamura sends Andrade crashing into the ring post face first. He follows it up with a Kinshasa for the win.

Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura

LA Knight’s music hits, and he makes his way down to the ring. He fires off right hands on Nakamura and sets up for BFT, but Nakamura slides out of the ring before he can hit it. Knight then grabs a mic and warns Nakamura that he’s coming for his United States Championship, saying he will stop at nothing until he gets it.

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WWE United States Championship – LA Knight (c) vs. Carmelo Hayes

The bell rings and we are under way. LA Knight with a right hand and a clothesline. Hayes gets back up, he goes for a clothesline, LA Knight ducks and he clotheslines Hayes to the outside of the ring. Hayes points to Andrade who is standing in the time keeper area and LA Knight kicks Hayes into the announce table.

-Commercial Break-

Back from commercial, LA Knight with an atomic drop and a clothesline. He throws Hayes to the ropes and a pop up powerslam followed by an elbow. He goes for the cover but Hayes kicks out. LA Knight stomps on Carmelo in the corner. He backs up and runs towards Hayes but Hayes gets up and hits him with a super kick. He goes for the cover but LA Knight kicks out. He runs towards LA Knight but LA Knight ducks and hits him with a neck breaker. LA Knight climbs the second rope and jumps to the top rope and lands an elbow. He goes for the cover but Hayes kicks out. LA Knight goes for BFT but Hayes counters it and lands on his hands. A scissor kick by Hayes and he hits LA Knight with a cutter. He goes for the cover but LA Knight kicks out. Hayes climbs the top rope and he jumps, LA Knight moves out of the way, Hayes lands on his feet, Hayes goes for a cutter, LA Knight reverses it and hits him with BFT. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.

Winner: Still WWE United States Champion, LA Knight

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AJ Styles, Carmelo Hayes, LA Knight Segment 

AJ Styles: I have missed you guys, so much. And it’s only fitting that I’m here in Nashville, Tennessee, tonight. This is where it all started for AJ Styles. And over the past couple of months, I’ve done a lot of things that I regret, things I may not be forgiven for. But I’m not here to talk about my past, I’m talking about tonight, and rebuilding the legacy of AJ Styles. So, I know there’s a lot of guys that don’t like me, and I don’t blame them. There’s a lot of guys that need to be reminded that, this is still the house that AJ Styles built.

Carmelo Hayes: AJ, after everything that you’ve done, I’m not surprised there’s not a long line of guys there to welcome you back. But that’s okay, because you know what? I’ve taken it upon myself to be that guy to do that. Because AJ, you know, I don’t need to reintroduce myself to you. You know who I am. I’m him, Carmelo Hayes, the one that beat Andrade three times, and the one that’s been holding it down here on SmackDown while you’ve been gone. But believe it or not, I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I’m actually a huge fan of you. I love old timers like you. And I’m sure you’re out here to announce some legends contract that you just signed, and believe me, you deserve it, but if we’re going to talk about things that deserved, allow me to talk about myself for a minute. A guy like me, who deserves to be the US Champion, not LA Knight, and not Andrade. A guy like me.

AJ Styles: Well, if it’s okay with you, I would like to maybe give you some friendly advice. I’ve been in the ring with LA Knight before, and the guy is relentless. YEAH! He came to my house. We had a match at WrestleMania.

Carmelo Hayes: AJ, I don’t need your advice, because I don’t take advice from quitters.

AJ Styles: Nope, I earned that one. You really think you’re that good. Okay. If you were that good, if you were HIM, you would be United States Champion, right now, wouldn’t you?

Carmelo Hayes: Well, AJ, if you’re so phenomenal, then you would be WWE Champion, right now, wouldn’t you? See what you started.

AJ Styles: I’ll tell you what we’ll do. You’re in your wrestling gear, I’m in my wrestling gear, there’s ropes, a ring, it’s Nashville, Tennessee, why don’t you and I fight, right here, right now, in this very ring?

Carmelo Hayes: Nah, I’m good.

LA Knight: Let me talk to you. My god, ain’t this a familiar sight. Somebody wants to fight Carmelo, what does he do, he’s just going to run away, ain’t he? AJ, I’m not going to come out here and pretend that you and I are friends. Like you said, I’ve been to your house, we’ve been through it all. Let me be honest, the last time I saw you, you were busy misleading me and everybody in the entire world, telling everybody, basically, you were going to retire, and then you made a liar out of yourself. So, I don’t have a lot to say to you. But what I will say is this. I look at Carmelo, he comes out here, and he says, I deserve this, I’m HIM. I’ll tell you what. You are HIM. You’re the guy that is going to get stomped out, right here, tonight.

The only question is, there’s two options in this. The first option is, I can basically come down there, punch you in the mouth about four or five times, walk out of here, go down Broadway, have a couple of drinks, and have myself a goodnight. Or the other choice in this whole thing is, AJ, it seems like you made a little challenge here to Carmelo. He seems like he’s not ready to take it. So, I’ll tell you what, I’m gonna go ahead and make sure that you want to take it, Melo. Here’s what you got, if you can beat AJ Styles, right now, I’ll make a really convincing case to Nick Aldis that you can get the shot that you so hardly think you deserve at the US Championship. But I’m gonna tell you what. Regardless, the chances are, you’re going to get stomped out, tonight. I’m still going out to Broadway. And when it’s all said and done, after AJ Styles stomps you, I’ll tell you what, you’re still going to hear everybody saying, LA Knight. YEAH! Now, get me a referee out here, and let’s get this done.

AJ Styles vs. Carmelo Hayes 

LA Knight is watching this match from the ringside area. Collar and Elbow Tie Up. Hayes outpowers Styles. Styles with a BackBreaker. Styles slams Hayes head on the top turnbuckle pad. Styles unloads two knife edge chops. Short-Arm Reversal by Hayes. Hayes kicks Styles in the gut. Hayes with clubbing blows to Styles back. Hayes kicks Styles in the chest. Hayes with a straight right hand. Chop Exchange. Short-Arm Reversal by Hayes. Hayes rocks Styles with a forearm smash. Styles reverses out of the irish whip from Hayes. Styles leapfrogs over Hayes. Styles drops down on the canvas. Styles dropkicks Hayes. Hayes regroups on the outside.

Hayes with a toe kick. Hayes with a cross chop. Hayes whips Styles across the ring. Styles decks Hayes with a back elbow smash. Hayes avoids The Springboard Reverse DDT. Hayes with The Springboard Clothesline for a two count. Hayes with a Snap Vertical Suplex for a two count. Hayes dumps Styles out of the ring. Hayes poses for the crowd. Hayes with forearm shivers. Hayes sends Styles face first into the announce table. Hayes talks smack to Knight. Hayes has complete control of this match during the commercial break. Hayes applies the single leg crab. Styles kicks Hayes in the face. Styles delivers The Phenomenal Blitz. Styles with a Basement Forearm. Styles with a leaping corner clothesline. Styles hits The Ushigoroshi. Styles starts favoring his injured left ankle and the referee was forced to call off the match. After the match, Knight plants Hayes with The BFT.

Winner: Carmelo Hayes via Referee Stoppage 

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Blair Davenport says she is bothering her and with time, she will know exactly who she is. Blir leaves the office and Aldis tells Naomi her match is on. In comes LA Knight who asks Aldis if AJ is really going to retire an Aldis says he doesn’t know. LA Knight says he can’t find Logan Paul and Aldis tells him to take a seat.

Out comes LA Knight from Nick’s office and Kayla Braxton is there waiting. She stops him and he tells Kayla that Nick did not have much for him, the only thing he had for him was that Logan Paul is not there this week. And that just means he will talk to her next week. Wrong. Because he is here tonight and what that means is that if he’s not going to get the answer he wants, he will tell Logan Paul what he wants. He tells Logan that he wants that United States Championship.

In comes Carmelo Hayes and he says LA Knight does a lot of talking but is never saying anything. He tells him why Logan would want to face him and not a first round draft pick. Hayes says Logan knows ball and LA Knight is not that. If he wants to talk the talk, LA Knight is the guy but if he wants to walk the walk, Carmelo Hayes is him.

AJ Styles is walking backstage and LA Knight stops him. He says if the rumors are true, respect. AJ nods at him and continues walking. Cody Rhodes stops him, they shake hands and AJ whispers something into Cody’s ear. AJ keeps walking and is stopped by Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. They all hug and AJ tells them they have been through it all with him and it is only fair that they are out there with him tonight.

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