WWE SmackDown Live Results, Aug. 2, 2016: The Showoff tries to survive against The New Face of Fear

The New Face of Fear interjects a little fear into the WWE World Championship picture.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Mutual respect does not equal friendship. Example: WWE World Champion Dean Ambrose and his new No. 1 contender Dolph Ziggler.

The Lunatic Fringe kicked off SmackDown Live, wasting no time in calling out The Showoff in order to try and get the mental edge leading to their pay-per-view showdown. The two engaged in a war of words with Ambrose targeting everything from Ziggler’s appearance to his infatuation with ”stealing the show.”

Refusing to back down, Ziggler fired right back at Ambrose with a passionate plaea promising to beat him at SummerSlam, one that Ambrose simply debunked and then walked away.

As Ambrose made his exit, Ziggler was left to question whether he was as good as he thought he was alone … until the lights flickered ominously and then suddenly the No. 1 contender was met with a Sister Abigail from Bray Wyatt.

With The Showoff at his feet, Wyatt got on the microphone and claimed that Ziggler was not deserving of the title opportunity at SummerSlam, challenging an out cold Ziggler to a match tonight where if Ziggler lost he would relinquish his No. 1 contendership to The New Face of Fear.  

Three of SmackDown Live's most dynamic competitors engage in a free-for-all to determine who will be No. 1 contender to The Miz's Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam.

Earlier in the evening, The Miz complained to SmackDown Live General Manager Daniel Bryan that he wasn’t getting the respect he felt he deserved as Intercontinental Champion. Bryan agreed and, looking to put proper spotlight on the title, he set up a No. 1 Contender’s Triple Threat Match between Apollo Crews, Kalisto and Baron Corbin, as the A-Lister and his wife Maryse looked on from the commentary desk.

When Corbin was sent to the outside of the ring in the height of the action that followed, the powerful Crews seized his moment and rolled up Kalisto to ultimately secure the championship opportunity at SummerSlam.

As Crews began to celebrate his monumental victory outside the ring, an enraged Corbin blindsided the war torn Kalisto. Seeing this beat down occurring, Crews returned to the ring to come to Kalisto’s aid.

However, the numbers game caught up to the outnumbered Crews when the opportunistic Miz struck the new No. 1 contender with a Skull Crushing Finale while trying to fend off The Lone Wolf. However, the celebration was also short lived for The A-Lister as he then ate an End of Days from Corbin who walked away coldly with a wake of destruction behind him.

Eva Marie decides that she is not able to compete against Becky Lynch.

Becky Lynch and Eva Marie’s contest ended in controversy before it could even begin. Is that an oxymoron?

Following The Red Queen’s entrance, where she so graciously allowed the crowd to be seduced, enchanted, dazzled and entranced by her presence, she began to prepare for the contest. However, a red flag (get it?) was raised when she seemed to “injure” herself in the process.

The Irish Lass Kicker (and the WWE Universe) seemed incredibly skeptical of the injury; however, the referee was convinced enough to call off the match, leaving Lynch beside herself in the ring.

Heath Slater learns he can will a SmackDown Live contract next week if he can defeat the rampaging Rhyno.

Coming off being betrayed by his now former friend Jinder Mahal on Raw, Slater was back at it on SmackDown, yet again crashing the party in hopes of pleading his case as to why he deserved to be signed to a contract on Team Blue.

This time it would be Daniel Bryan to attempt to reason with Slater as he literally snuck in the backdoor of the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Naturally, refusing to take no for an answer, the idea of Slater having a match to win his way onto the SmackDown roster was broached. With both Slater and Bryan agreeing, it was now time to find Slater an opponent, or maybe, better yet, have an opponent find Slater.

Resembling shades of last week, Rhyno appeared and viciously hit Slater with a Gore in Bryan’s office. Bryan then made it official – Slater vs. Rhyno next week.

God bless, Heath Slater’s soul … and abdomen.

The Queen of Harts looks to teach a lesson to "The Princess of Staten Island."

In the wake of her loss to Becky Lynch to kick off the New Era of SmackDown Live last week, Natalya was all business as she now set her attention on Carmella, attacking her would-be opponent from behind before the match could even begin. From there, the results were not F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S for the hottest chick in the ring. Natalya applied the Sharpshooter before referees pried her off The Princess of Staten Island, ensuing in the Queen of Black Harts leaving on her own power.