Jefferson Lake
WWE Editor @jeffersonlake
SmackDown: Roman Reigns' attacker revealed
Last Updated: 07/08/19 8:48am
Roman Reigns finally discovered the identity of his mystery attacker from the past few weeks - Erick Rowan.
Daniel Bryan's tag-team partner has been the man behind a pair of attacks which, while neither injured Reigns, left him psychologically frayed in the weeks leading up to SummerSlam.
On last week's SmackDown a pile of shipping crates was tipped over onto Reigns and on Raw this week a speeding car narrowly missed him as he arrived at the arena in Pittsburgh.
Rumours had spread that Australian wrestler Buddy Murphy had been seen in close proximity to the first incident and so Reigns tracked him down and - quite literally - beat the truth out of him.
Murphy was initially reluctant to name the man he had seen but a few throws around the dressing room changed his mind and he eventually revealed it was Rowan.
The big man and Bryan had just completed their match against The New Day when the confession was given and his own reaction was almost non-existent. All of which begs the obvious question: why?
McMahon ambushes Owens
Kevin Owens hosted Shane McMahon on the KO Show and had a very simple proposition for his SummerSlam opponent - 'put your career on the line on Sunday night like I am'.
Unsurprisingly, McMahon was not keen on that idea and instead offered Owens the chance of an early preview for their match with an impromptu SmackDown scrap.
Owens, of course, will fight anyone but found himself blindsided by Elias as he prepared to throw down and, although he got a few shots in, was eventually overwhelmed.
McMahon put the finishing touches on a particularly brutal beatdown by throwing the commentary desk on a prostrate Owens before slamming a steel chair into his face.
Stratus makes her point to Flair
Trish Stratus was on SmackDown to tell Charlotte Flair she is right in her assertion that the former seven-time champion is simply seeking one last moment of glory.
Stratus quoted Harley Race - a long-term rival of Flair's father Ric - by saying there is "nothing quite like competing under these bright lights".
Flair responded with the verdict that Stratus is about to enter her own personal nightmare at SummerSlam, a comment for which she received a slap across the face.
Such an act might provoke an equally violent response in others but Flair had a different response - to laugh and slowly walk away.
