SmackDown Live in brief – A short recap from 5/1/18

It’s night 2 from the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.  Another rowdy crowd is here for what would have been a mediocre go-home show anywhere else.

Let’s just get right to it.

• AJ vs Nak will be No DQ on Sunday. Nak can spam low blows with reckless abandon.
• The Miz banned Daniel Bryan from appearing on Miz TV since he no showed last week.
  • His guest is US Champ Jeff Hardy.  Mix tries to stir the pot by bringing out Randy Orton, but…they’re cool.  Shelton Benjamin shows up to declare that he’s owed the title shot just because he beat Randy last week.  Two faces and two heels…we got a tag team match, playa!  Jeff Hardy hits a Swanton on Shelton to win the match and immediately gets hit with an RKO out of nowhere.
• The Iconics basically just insult Renee, and the crowd, for being Canadian.  Going for that cheap heat, I see.
• Shinsuke demands an apology?  That’s sure to go well…
• Daniel Bryan wasn’t allowed to compete tonight because they’re afraid he might have a chest infection from too many chops?  That’s a thing?
  • Big Cass was out to claim he’s going to win on Sunday just because he’s 7 feet tall and a big strong boy and Daniel Bryan is a tiny weakling.  He invites DB out to have the match right now.  And…it’s a little person.  After revealing that it’s Piere, who’s available for booking, he hits a big boot on the little guy to draw “Casshole” chants.
• There’s a bizarre segment with The Bar and The New Day featuring Mr. Bootyworth, a pancake butler, baby oil, and Mortal Kombat quotes.  Big E massaging his pecs was almost TV-MA.
• Lana showed back up at Rusev’s side to basically imply that Aiden English is holding Rusev back.  You shut your mouth, Lana.  You might be married to Rusev, but you don’t insult him on Rusev Day.
• Samoa Joe interrupts AJ complaining about being hit in the balls all the time to stake his claim as the next in line to the WWE Championship.  And…AJ gets hit in the balls again.

• Asuka calls for the Avengers to assemble, meaning her, Becky, and Charlotte.  I do like that they’ve freed Asuka from the streak.  It opens her up to a lot more stories and allows her to be a little goofy sometimes.
• Xavier Woods Vs Sheamus. Woods wins with a roll up.  It was a fine house show match.
• Paige informs Absolution that they’re broken up.  They don’t get priority just because she’s the GM and they used to all pal around.
• In a pretty solid main event, Charlotte, Asuka, and Becky Lynch defeat the Iconics and Carmella.  It kind of feels like a “here’s a main event, sorry we did a huge show that you weren’t allowed to be on” type of thing.  Either way, it was the best match of the night by far and really does show that Carmella Vs. Charlotte really could be a fine match.

Nothing much to see here.  Hopefully Backlash is better?