WWE SmackDown Results July 17th 2018, Latest SmackDown Live winners and video highlights

Jeff Hardy kicked off SmackDown Live and had some harsh words to say about Shinsuke Nakamura who beat him two nights ago in a title match. He said he will face Shinsuke in a rematch later in the night and will win back the US championship.

Backstage, Shinsuke was watching Jeff on a monitor backstage and said Hardy was a sad clown. He added that Jeff wears facepaint to hide his tears and that he will make everyone laugh tonight by making the clown cry again. He ended with: "God bless America!"

#1 AJ Styles vs. Andrade Cien Almas

Almas delivered a sling blade and then a huge elbow to AJ early on. AJ was caught in a headlock and managed to get out of it but missed the following dropkick as Almas saw it coming and calmly sat on the ropes taunting him. Almas delivered a dropkick of his own after AJ hit a big clothesline. AJ was on the top rope and Almas delivered a high dropkick and AJ came back with a devastating neck breaker.

Almas reversed AJ's springboard attack and went up to the ropes for a moonsault and it was only a near fall. Styles hit an Enzugiri and a Pele kick but took a double stomp to the chest and then the double knees in the corner. Styles hit the calf crusher and Almas tapped out, ending the non-title match in the champ's favour.

Result: AJ Styles def. Andrade Cien Almas

Backstage, Aiden English approached Lana and asked to see Rusev. Lana denied him and Aiden expressed his sorrow for causing Rusev's defeat during Extreme Rules. Lana said she wasn't sure if having Aiden around was the best thing for Rusev right now and English was disappointed.