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"Melo! Melo!", chant the fans to welcome the former United States champion. Carmelo acknowledges that Trick may be "king" of many things, but not of the ring. Hayes points out that tonight he will take care of Ricky Saints. After that, both will be able to settle their unfinished business with the United States Championship. Williams believes that Melo is just making excuses. When he stops making them, he will be able to face Trick head-on. Then, he will know who is the best of them.

Ricky Saints bursts onto the scene!

"The Absolute" makes it clear that the fans do not want to see Melo and Trick, but him. Saints makes it clear to Hayes that his attack from last week will not go unpunished. And, once he takes care of him, he will snatch the championship from Williams. Williams advises Ricky to stay silent when he speaks. With that said, he lets Saints and Carmelo face off to find out who is the best. Meanwhile, he will take care of becoming the "King of the Ring". Saints interrupts again to make it clear that he is only the "King of illusions". With that said, he recommends that he leave the ring. Upset, Trick slaps him. A pained Saints seeks refuge at ringside. Trick and Yachti leave to end this segment.

Ricky Saints vs. Carmelo Hayes

Saints kicks Carmelo as soon as the bell rings. "Let's go, Melo!", chant the fans. Carmelo shows off his speed and agility to surprise Ricky with a dropkick. Melo immobilizes his rival in the ropes to execute a springboard legdrop. Saints surprises his rival to regain control. Ricky continues to strike Carmelo in one of the corners.

Hayes recovers to launch a counterattack. Carmelo crushes "The Absolute" in one of the corners before hitting him with a Penalty Kick directly to the back. Melo unleashes a relentless flurry of attacks on his rival in one of the corners. Carmelo tries to gain momentum on the ropes, a moment that Saints takes advantage of to push him out of the ring. Ricky throws his rival against the public barrier before returning to the ring to pose.

Hayes returns, only to fall into Saints' clutches. He takes him down with a side suplex before applying a knee drop. 1..2..NO. Saints hits Hayes with an Old School, finishing him off with a powerslam followed by another knee drop. 1..2..NO. Ricky traps Carmelo in a headlock on the mat. Hayes frees himself with a side suplex. Ricky surprises Hayes with an uppercut. 1..2..NO. Furious, "The Absolute" hits his rival's neck, who responds with fury.

Ricky takes Melo to the top of one of the corners. Carmelo makes him fall before leaping with a frog splash. Saints catches him with his knees. Ricky applies a bridging suplex. 1..2..NO. Melo recovers to surprise his rival with a diving DDT. Both are left lying on the mat. "Melo! Melo!", chant the fans. Carmelo and Saints exchange attacks in the center of the ring. Hayes surprises Saints with a springboard clothesline. Hayes follows up with a tilt-a-whirl facebuster. 1..2..NO. "This is amazing!", chant the fans.

Saints surprises Melo with a spinning neckbreaker. 1..2..NO. Hayes throws his rival out of the ring. Melo dives onto him with a tope. Ricky hits his rival's throat before throwing him over the public barrier. Melo returns to surprise him with a diving clothesline. Carmelo throws Saints against the metal stairs before returning to the ring, but the referee had already counted to 10.

Result: Double count-out disqualification

Ricky tries to attack Melo after the match, but his opponent doesn't allow it. Hayes gets rid of "The Absolute" with a facebreaker to end the segment.

We see a promotional video for the match between Brock Lesnar and Oba Femi at WWE Clash in Italy.

Nia Jax and Lash Legend approach Tiffany Stratton backstage. Nia points out that Tiffany has proven to be a smart woman by not being in Chelsea Green's corner tonight. Jax promises to take care of this problem today, showing Chelsea that she should never mess with them. Then, it will be time for the United States Women's Championship to end up in the hands of another owner. The Irresistible Forces leave to end the segment.

Blake Monroe stars in a new promotional video. "The Glamour" makes it clear that she doesn't need to do anything to make an impact, because her mere presence already captivates all eyes. The video ends with the British woman bidding farewell before her upcoming debut on SmackDown.

Nia Jax (with Lash Legend) vs. Chelsea Green

Chelsea tries to escape before the referee can ring the bell. Nia grabs her by the hair to throw her to the mat. Green hits Jax, who quickly charges against her opponent. She dodges, causing Nia to fall to ringside. Chelsea dives with a suicide dive. "Chelsea, Chelsea Green!", chant the fans. Chelsea celebrates with the fans before bringing her rival back into the ring. Lash approaches Green, distracting her long enough for Nia to surprise her. Jax throws the Canadian to the mat.

Jax punishes her opponent with the help of the ropes. Chelsea tries to fight back, but her rival stops her with an elbow. Nia traps her in a painful submission hold. Green frees herself, only to be taken down with a powerbomb. Jax catches her in a submission hold again. Chelsea escapes, only to fall into another powerbomb. 1..2..NO.

Green blocks Nia's next attack to execute a DDT. 1..2..NO. Chelsea continues with a diving dropkick before performing a Rough Ryder. 1..2..NO. Nia blocks the Unprettier, at which point Lash distracts the Canadian. Nia takes advantage to surprise her with a Samoan drop. Suddenly, Tiffany Stratton's theme music resonates in the arena. The referee and Lash turn their attention to the entrance ramp. Nia seeks height to finish off Green, but she is surprised by Tiffany, who knocks her out with the championship. Green covers Nia. 1..2..3.

Winner: Chelsea Green

Cathy Kelley interviews Paige and Brie Bella backstage. The WWE Women's Tag Team Champions are ready to continue overcoming obstacles in their reign. Fatal Influence interrupts the interview. Jacy Jayne announces her intention to participate in the Queen of the Ring tournament. Meanwhile, Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley suggest to Paige and Bella that they take good care of their championships, as they will soon be theirs. Jayne promises that they will not rest until all the gold is in the hands of Fatal Influence. The faction leaves to end the segment.

Cody Rhodes makes his entrance. The fans welcome him warmly. The audience sings the chorus of "Kingdom" as Cody heads to the ring. "Well, BARCELONA, what do you want to talk about?", Rhodes asks in Spanish. Suddenly...

Gunther interrupts the segment!

"The Ring General" heads to the ring, where he is greeted with boos. "Cody, Cody Rhodes!", chants the audience. Gunther makes it clear to the fans that he did not come out to deal with them, but to tell Cody what he thinks of him. Gunther acknowledges that he has been on SmackDown for a short time, but he knows that everything must revolve around Rhodes. But it's not his fault, but the environment in which he grew up, where nepotism prevailed. Gunther, however, traveled to the United States to earn his opportunities by working hard. Cody, on the other hand, only needed to make a phone call. And that makes him a spoiled child who thinks he deserves everything. They may be coworkers, but they are not equals. Cody needs the company's approval. Not Gunther. For Gunther, the only thing that matters is protecting the sacred canvas from people like Cody.

Rhodes believes that Gunther is nothing but a liar because he actually wants everything that he possesses. Cody points out that Paul Heyman taught him everything about this business. Everything except one thing: that being a champion is addictive. And at Clash in Italy, he will show him that he is not good enough to beat him. "Gunther, I'm easy to find, hard to beat," Cody says to end his promo. "The American Nightmare" prepares to leave the ring, but Gunther stops him. "Do you think I'm a liar? I promised Goldberg I would choke him out, and I did. I promised AJ Styles I would choke him out, and I did! And I promised your great role model, John Cena, that I would make him submit, and I did! And now I promise you that on Sunday I will choke you out, leave you lying on the canvas, and take this precious prize with me!", exclaims the Austrian before leaving. Gunther heads backstage while Cody remains silent in the ring. And so we reach the end of this week's SmackDown episode.