The Aug 15th edition of WWE SmackDown airs live on the USA Network from the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island, featuring the go home show to the upcoming SummerSlam pay-per-view (PPV) scheduled for this Sunday night in Brooklyn.
Advertised for tonight: John Cena vs. Jinder Mahal in a non-title match, and more!
The show opens with a video hyping up the Jinder Mahal vs. John Cena match for later tonight.

We are welcomed to the show by Tom Philipps.
The Singh Brothers make their entrance and gives Jinder his usual big introduction. Mahal gets on the mic and points out that today is the day of independence for the greatest nation on Earth, India. Regardless of what the fans think, his inspiration, strength, and pride come from his people.
He also says and not only do they celebrate their independence, they celebrate his reign as WWE Champion. And what better way to celebrate than by bringing out the dancers from his championship celebration to do another number? Jinder says all of the xenophobic people of Providence won’t appreciate this, but he has a woman in the ring to sing the national anthem of India.
He says the people can expect him to beat their hero, John Cena, later on tonight. For years Cena had the weight of the company on his shoulders, but there’s a new face. Before he could finish what he was saying, the crowd interrupts him with a loud USA chant and then he shifts to say he’s the one that makes WWE the global phenomenon it is today, the reason people around the world subscribe to the WWE Network.

He also says two weeks ago, Cena faced Shinsuke Nakamura in what was called a dream match, but tonight his dream becomes a reality when he beats Cena more convincingly than Nakamura ever could. And at SummerSlam, he’ll show Shinsuke why his destiny is to lose to the Modern Day Maharaja. He then addresses his people in Punjabi.
Shinsuke Nakamura interrupts and makes his way to the ring. Mahal yells at him for daring to interrupt him on this day, but the King of Strong Style keeps his cool and says today is indeed Indian independence day, but today in Japan is a day they commemorate those who have died in war and pray for peace. And Sunday, in America, is SummerSlam. And that’ll be the day Jinder loses the WWE title.
Nakamura does his usual shakes with a boost of energy and pulls faces as the crowd gets behind him and he continues, pointing out that he will be the one winning the title.

Commentary hypes up the title match for SummerSlam and tells us that AJ Styles will be apologizing for wiping Shane McMahon out with a kick last week.
Natalya and Becky Lynch are walking backstage, they’ll have a match after the commercial break.
Back from the commercial break, we get another medical update on Ric Flair. The Announce Team says that he is resting comfortably in Atlanta but remains in critical condition, and everybody in WWE sends him their best wishes.
Naomi then makes her entrance to join the commentary desk for our match.
Natalya def. Becky Lynch: Natalya slaps Becky across the face and Becky returns the favor in the early stages of the match. They brawl to the outside early on, then back in the ring Becky takes control of the momentum. Becky goes up top and misses a leg drop, leading to Natalya putting her in the Sharpshooter. Natalya stares down Naomi at ringside as she locks Becky in the Sharpshooter, and Becky taps out.
After the match, Natalya tries to put Becky back in the Sharpshooter, but Naomi comes in to make the save. Before Natalya can make it backstage, Carmella comes out to the stage with James Ellsworth. Carmella and Ellsworth says it doesn’t matter who wins the Women’s title at SummerSlam, because with her Money In the Bank briefcase Carmella will be the ultimate winner.
Commentary informs us that tonight we will see the finale of the Fashion Peaks and commentary also gives us a bit of hype for the John Cena and Jinder Mahal match for tonight before sending us to a commercial break.
Back from commercial break, we get a reminder that AJ will be apologizing to Shane later.
We go backstage where tamina is being interviewed. She is complaining to Lana about not having a title match yet, and Lana says that she’s not ready. Tamina points out that Lana got her title shots and she clearly wasn’t ready. Lana says everybody walks right past her and they don’t fear her yet, but if Tamina listens to Lana, she’ll use her beauty and she will manipulate her way to help Tamina.
Lana says that they will be unstoppable together, and only then will Tamina be ready to be champion.
We switch to Daniel Bryan hanging out backstage when the Usos enter. Bryan thinks they want him to be the third guy in their rap group, and Jimmy says they’ll think about it, but they’re here to figure out who they’ll be wrestling at SummerSlam. Bryan says they’ll have Big E and Xavier Woods. The Usos say that’s cool, but tonight they want Kofi and Xavier, and Bryan grants them the match.
Rusev makes his entrance, he’ll have a rematch against Chad Gable after the commercial break.
Chad Gable def. Rusev via DQ: Rusev overpowers Gable in the opening moments until Gable comes back with a boot to the face and a belly to belly overhead suplex. The fight spills out to ringside where Rusev throws Gable into the steel steps. Rusev throws Gable over the announce table and he crashes into the announcers’ chairs, prompting the referee to call for the disqualification. Rusev pulls Gable up onto the announce table and locks him in the Accolade for a minute as the crowd chants for Randy Orton.
After the match, Rusev steps into the ring with a mic. Rusev only gets one word out. He says Randy, then Orton runs in the ring and hits an RKO on Rusev out of nowhere. Orton poses on the corner and stares at Rusev on the mat.
Commentary hypes up the WWE Network as well as the Jinder Mahal and John Cena match once again that will take place tonight. We see AJ Styles walking backstage, his will come out to the ring and apologize to shane after the commercial break.
Back from commercial break, we get a re-run of the announcement that SummerSlam will be returning to Brooklyn once again next year.
AJ Styles makes his entrance and gets on the mic. He goes to begin but the AJ Styles chants cut him off at first. He continues and asks Shane McMahon to come down.
Shane McMahon makes his way to the ring. He thanks the crowd for their love and sends it right back at them before saying that if AJ invited him out here to apologize, he wants to be clear that there’s no reason for an apology. He’s the special guest referee at SummerSlam for one reason and one reason alone, because he can take a hit and keep going, so no apology necessary.
Styles says he wants him to know that the kick was totally accidental, but man-to-man, he wants to know if after what happened last week that he’ll use that as some excuse to screw him over. McMahon says what happened last week was inadvertent, in the heat of the battle, and on Sunday he’ll be wearing the black-and-white, and most officials, you can’t touch.
But he’s a little different, and he lets AJ know that if he pushes or shoves him, that’ll be a whole different story. Last week was an accident, but if he puts his hands on him again, Shane will put his hands right back on him. Styles asks if that was a threat, but McMahon says it wasn’t, he’s saying that on Sunday. Before he could finish what he was saying Owens interrupts him.
Kevin Owens makes his way to the ring. He says that AJ stands here and says that last week was an accident but he’s not so sure AJ didn’t mean what he did. But that’s besides the point, because he wants to know why Styles is getting so upset right now, when the referee is just telling him the rules. And Owens says he personally loves those rules, because it means that on Sunday AJ can’t go and get himself disqualified just by hitting the referee.
But while he’s out there, he wants to make it clear to Shane that unlike AJ, who has something planned, if he were to collide McMahon in any way it’d definitely be an accident, and he wants to look him in the eyes and shake his hand so he knows it’s the truth, because he knows Shane will call it right down the middle, which means he’s getting his title back.
McMahon refuses the handshake, saying it wouldn’t be appropriate and he recommends Owens shake AJ’s hand instead. Owens is game to offer his hand up but Styles hesitates. Things get hot and a shoving match breaks out. McMahon tries to break it up. He pulls AJ away, Owens charges in and super-kicks Shane which takes him out.
Shane McMahon writhes in pain as Owens begs off and takes his leave.
Commentary hypes up the John Cena and Jinder Mahal match for later tonight as well as Fashion Peaks. Commentary also hypes up the Usos and New Day match up before sending us to a commercial break.
Back from commercial, Big E does the usual New Day deal and the New Day make their entrance.
They get on the mic and Kofi says that your boys have a very important title match on Sunday against the Usos. Woods asks what E thinks about that and he thinks that it will be a breeze. They do a bit about all the places the Usos can catch these hands then continues on and says that no matter what they will still be the tag champs, because New Day rocks.
The Usos def. Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston: Big E is at ringside for this one. Kofi and Xavier take turns hitting repeated knee drops, leg drops, and sentons on Jey Uso in the opening minutes. The New Day members hit sliding dropkicks in tandem on the Usos at ringside, then brawl with them in front of the announcers’ desk. Kofi takes a shot to the ring post, and the Usos turn the momentum in their favor. Back in the ring, Jey works over Kofi and hits two power-slams. Kofi comes back with a back suplex, then Xavier and Jimmy get the tags. Xavier hits some kicks to the head, then Kofi tags back in. Xavier and Kofi hit a double superkick on Jimmy, then Kofi hits a backbreaker. Jey dumps Xavier off the top rope, then Jimmy takes out Kofi’s knee from behind. Jey tags in and The Usos hit a double superkick on Kofi for the win.
Commentary once again hypes up the Jinder Mahal and John Cena match for later on tonight, but up next is the last Fashion Peaks, right after the commercial break.
Back from commercial, we get some hype for tonight’s episode of 205 Live, which will feature a championship celebration for Akira Tozawa.
Fashion Peaks is happening right now, with Fandango talking into his phone about his experience with the aliens. He clarifies that the probe was mental. Tyler Breeze enters looking like the halfway point between the little Dutch boy and the Mountie. He asks what’s in the future and Fandango says they left a space rock in his back pocket, and if he throws it he can see the future and help catch the culprits.
It hits the Ascension, who are here to return their terrible pie. Fandango picks through the pie and finds some hair, saying it’s disgusting. He finds a used Band-Aid and some gluten, which leads Viktor to yell about being gluten free. They find a note last, which says Two B. Fandango says this goes far beyond Fashion Peaks and the whole tag division is in danger.
He licks the note and stares dramatically into the distance with Breeze, and we get a screen telling us that Breezango will return in twenty-five years, not 25 years, but two weeks.
John Cena and Jinder Mahal is up next, after the commercial break.
Back from commercial break, we get the entrances of both John Cena and Jinder Mahal.
Jinder Mahal vs. John Cena – No Contest: The Singh Brothers are at ringside for this non-title match. Jinder challenges Cena to a test of strength and does momentarily get the better of Cena before kicking Cena in the midsection. Jinder chokes Cena over the top rope, then one of the Singh Brothers cheap-shots Cena behind the ref’s back. Jinder stomps on Cena then throws him through the ropes to the outside. Back in the ring, Jinder continues the offense with a stalling vertical suplex. Cena comes back with some shoulder blocks and a back suplex, then hits the Five Knuckle Shuffle. 
Jinder rolls outside and the Singh Brothers get another cheap-shot in on Cena, leading to Jinder kicking Cena in the head. The referee ejects the Singh Brothers from ringside and the Champion is not happy about it. When Jinder turns around, Cena catches him in an STF but Jinder reaches the ropes to break the hold. Mahal hits an elbow to Cena’s head and drops Cena’s throat over the top rope. The Champion hits a running knee to the face of Cena for a two count. Mahal goes for the Cobra Clutch but Cena reverses into an AA for a two count. Cena takes Mahal up to the top turnbuckle and appears to be going for an AA off the turnbuckle. Cena hits the AA off the middle rope, but Baron Corbin runs in out of nowhere and breaks up the pin. Corbin hits Cena with the briefcase and Cena falls out to ringside. Corbin starts heading to the back, but then he looks at his briefcase, then looks at Jinder who is still down from the AA. Corbin hands over his briefcase to the referee and he’s officially cashing it in.
Jinder Mahal def. Baron Corbin: The referee holds Corbin back until Mahal gets up to his feet. When Mahal gets to his feet the referee calls for the opening bell. Cena gets on the apron and Corbin punches him off, which leads to Mahal capitalizing on the distraction by rolling up Corbin behind for the three count. Mahal wins to retain his WWE Championship, and he rolls out of the ring and escapes up the ramp. The Singh Brothers meet Mahal on the ramp and they celebrate with his WWE Title belt. Corbin is not happy, and he freaks out at ringside about losing his Money In the Bank cash-in match. Mahal and the Singh Brothers laugh at Corbin from the stage as he trashes the ringside arena. Cena gets to his feet and also laughs at Corbin’s loss. SmackDown goes off the air with Corbin looking distraught from ringside.