Finn Bálor Punches His Ticket, Gunther Sends a Message Through a Table on WWE SmackDown

The go-home stretch to SummerSlam kicked into high gear on the July 24 SmackDown, with a chaotic fatal four-way, a contract signing that turned into a wood-splintering brawl, and the Women's ladder match field taking shape piece by piece.

Bálor Survives the Scrum, Books His Date With Zayn

SmackDown opened with four guys who all had a real claim to the top of the card getting thrown into one match, and that is exactly the kind of chaos that makes go-home shows worth staying up for. Finn Bálor, Damian Priest, Trick Williams and Royce Keys tore through the ring for a shot that actually means something, a SummerSlam meeting with Sami Zayn that could set up the next run at the Undisputed title picture down the line.

Bálor closed it out with the Coup de Grace on Priest, but the finish almost got lost in the noise happening on the outside. Jacob Fatu showed up to lay hands on Royce Keys mid-match, and word backstage is that Solo Sikoa and LA Knight nearly came to blows with the Usos before anybody even got to catering. None of that is small stuff. It tells you WWE is stacking dominoes for SummerSlam weekend and this was just the first one to fall.

Gunther and Aldis Sign the Papers, Then Break the Table

Nick Aldis stepped away from his GM duties for one night to put pen to paper across from Gunther, and if you thought a contract signing was going to stay calm, you clearly have not been paying attention to this feud. Gunther leaned in and told Aldis flatly that his career would be over before it properly started, and Aldis fired right back that a loss would leave him known as the guy who got humiliated by his own boss.

Words turned into a shove, the shove turned into a brawl, and the segment ended with Aldis going through a table courtesy of a powerbomb that the crowd is still talking about. This is the kind of heat that sells a SummerSlam match without either guy needing to throw a single kick beforehand. It also puts Aldis in an odd spot heading into the biggest weekend of the summer, since he now has to run SmackDown and prepare for the fight of his life at the same time.

The Ladder Match Field Is Taking Shape

The race for a spot in the interim Women's Championship ladder match got two new entries, and neither one came easy. Chelsea Green locked up her slot by hitting the Unprettier on Kiana James, proving that her chaotic style translates just fine into a high-stakes qualifier. On the other side of the card, Charlotte Flair looked like she had done enough against Nia Jax until Jade Cargill crashed the party, costing both women a clean finish and leaving Jax still searching for her ticket in.

There was a lighter moment too. Nikki Bella made her return from injury right after Brie Bella handled Lainey Reid, and Nikki wasted no time throwing down a challenge, setting up a six-woman tag with Brie and Paige against Fatal Influence for SummerSlam weekend. Five spots, a growing list of names still fighting for them, and a card that is quietly becoming one of the most stacked women's showcases WWE has run in a while.

Cody and Punk Trade Verbal Shots Before the Big One

Cody Rhodes and CM Punk finally shared a stage after the fallout from Saturday Night's Main Event, and it was every bit as tense as advertised. Cody made it clear he does not particularly like Punk even if he respects what he has done in the business, and Punk shot back that Cody cannot handle real pressure, promising to break his heart at SummerSlam the same way he has broken plenty of others before him.

There is a lot riding on this one beyond bragging rights. Both men know SummerSlam weekend is going to be measured by how this match lands, and neither side gave an inch on the mic. That is usually a good sign that the payoff in the ring is going to match the buildup.

Why Vegas Fans Should Be Watching This Closely

Every one of these storylines, the fatal four-way, the contract signing brawl, the ladder match qualifiers, gives our local crowd plenty to argue about at watch parties around town before SummerSlam weekend hits. It is also a good reminder of why we love breaking down cards like this at Piledrive Wrestling, because the buildup is half the fun.

If segments like the Gunther and Aldis dust-up get you fired up, that same physicality is on display every week at our training sessions here in Las Vegas. Whether you want to lace up for the first time or just watch a live indie card up close, come check us out. There is no better way to understand why these performers put their bodies on the line than to feel it yourself.

7 Things We Learned From SmackDown's Go-Home Show

A lot happened in two hours. Here is the rundown of everything that actually matters heading into SummerSlam weekend.

1. Finn Bálor is your new No. 1 contender: He survived a fatal four-way with the Coup de Grace on Damian Priest and locked in a SummerSlam date with Sami Zayn.
2. Jacob Fatu is still causing chaos: He interjected himself into the fatal four-way by going after Royce Keys mid-match.
3. Chelsea Green is in the ladder match: She used the Unprettier on Kiana James to punch her ticket to SummerSlam.
4. Charlotte Flair got robbed clean: Jade Cargill's interference turned her match with Nia Jax into a disqualification, leaving a qualifying spot still up for grabs.
5. Nikki Bella is back: She returned from injury and immediately booked a six-woman tag with Brie Bella and Paige against Fatal Influence.
6. Gunther and Aldis mean business: Their contract signing ended with Aldis going through a table after a heated exchange of words.
7. Cody and Punk are not backing down: Their face-to-face segment made clear neither man plans to give an inch before SummerSlam.

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