WWE Talking Smack Recap (5/16): Jinder Mahal Talks WWE Title Match, Erick Rowan Gets Strange, More

WWE Talking Smack Recap – 5/16/17

Renee Young welcomes us to Talking Smack, and she's joined this week by Commissioner Shane McMahon. They give a huge congratulations to Brie and Daniel Bryan on the birth of their daughter Birdie as we see pictures of the new baby on Instagram. We shift gears to Backlash and Renee asks if Shane is ready for Sunday's event. He said he's looking forward to it and that they have a stacked card.

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We go to footage of the Six Pack Challenge last month where Jinder Mahal became the #1 Contender as we welcome Jinder and the Singh Brothers to Talking Smack. He wants to know why Renee thought that his win in the match was a "shock," and lets her know that he is the crown jewel of SmackDown. When he wins the WWE Title, he'll let her be the first to interview him. Renee says that Jinder becoming #1 contender definitely wasn't something that everyone saw coming, and Shane congratulates him for taking the ball and running with it. Jinder says he told them on Talking Smack in Boston that he would become WWE Champion, and he's offended by Renee's comments. She follows up with how Mahal and the Singh Brothers stole the title and Shane wants to know if Jinder was trying to get in Randy Orton's head. He says maybe Randy has lost his edge and it's time to exploit the former Legend Killer. Orton's guard is down and it's the Maharaja's time to win the title.

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Renee shows us footage of Jinder stealing the title last month and says he's been making statements, and that she definitely was not trying to offend him. Jinder says she can be the first to congratulate him when he wins Sunday. Shane brings up how Conor McGregor has been able to get under Floyd Mayweather's skin, and compares that to how Jinder has gotten under Orton's skin, interfering in the House of Horrors match.

Jinder says at Payback, Randy wasn't focused and he took advantage. Shane tells Jinder that he's been leading some ambushes and finally pinned Randy clean in the ring, and wonders how he feels following this success. Once again, he says that it proves Orton has lost focus, and his wins over AJ Styles, Sami Zayn and Randy Orton have all made him unstoppable. This will be the crowning of Jinder Mahal and the Era of the Maharaja. Shane won't count Randy out and says it only takes one RKO. Mahal tells him that there have been plenty of opportunities for RKOs and Randy hasn't caught him yet.

Shane wishes him the best of luck and is very interested to see if Jinder holds the title above his head at Backlash. Jinder tells him that he will absolutely hold the title above Randy Orton again in Chicago. Renee asks about his relationship with the Singh Brothers who are behind Jinder Mahal in the room, and when she asks if they will be a part of the match, he says that's completely up to him. The hosts are hesitant and Jinder says they're his brothers who will have his back to make sure Randy isn't stepping out of line. Renee wishes him the best of luck and he says next week he'll be here as WWE Champion.

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We're reminded that this week's Talking Smack is brought to us by Rocket League, the show's first official sponsor. Shane says he's very impressed with Jinder and the way he's backed up his words. Renee asks if part of him is worried that Randy might come up short, and Shane says whatever happens happens, and that maybe Jinder is a little overconfident. He's been in many situations where there have been high expectations for him to perform in the ring, and he says Jinder Mahal needs to believe everything he says.

Erick Rowan walks in as the hosts discuss the title match Sunday and he wants to show them something that he made, throwing a burlap sack on the table. He says it's something that makes him smile and laugh. It's his sheep mask with a clown face painted on. He hands Renee a balloon and pops it, then starts laughing maniacally before taking the mask off and shushing it. Renee slowly asks him about how he's dealt with the breakup of the Wyatt Family. He says he loves to count sheep, and tosses sheep masks out of the bag. Sheep are like a family, but Luke Harper decided to leave the family. He screams asking if we know what happens when somebody leaves the family as Shane tells him to chill. Rowan apologizes and says he's been left a lot in his life, and when he sees Luke fighting with his family, it makes him upset.

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Last week he taught Luke a lesson, but the punishment does not deserve the crime, meaning Harper needs more punishment. He brings up Backlash and laughs at the clown-sheep mask, then asks Shane if he can make a match between himself and Luke Harper. Rowan says it's what he and his "friends" want. Shane grants him the match, and as they say goodbye Rowan cuts them off to show something that soothes him. He pulls out a sheep mask with blonde hair on it, placing it up to Renee's hair.

The hosts are freaked out and thank Rowan for sharing, and as he walks off he starts getting upset. He sits in Renee's chair and starts digging through the bag before putting on a sheep-gas mask. Shane asks if this is the calming mask, and that Rowan needs to leave so they can continue their show. Renee has walked to the side as Rowan gathers his masks, handing the mic to Shane and waving to Renee as he walks away.

Both Renee and Shane are eager to move on and sit back down to talk about the tag division. They mention Breezango's match earlier tonight and how motivated they look heading into their tag team title match. Renee wants to know if The Usos not wrestling in a few weeks will have an effect, and Shane reminds her that they're seasoned veterans who will be just fine. She tells him that she's still shaken up by Erick Rowan, and moves on to the US Title Match, wondering if Kevin Owens is more focused on Chris Jericho or AJ Styles. Shane says he's doing exactly what he does best, which is getting into people's heads and backing it up. But he tells her not to count AJ out, attesting first hand to how talented he is in the ring.

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They move on to the Dolph Ziggler – Shinsuke Nakamura match and Shane says he was really entertained by Ziggler's promo. He thinks everyone forgets what an accomplished superstar Dolph Ziggler is, and Renee wants to know if Nakamura is aware of how talented Ziggler is in the ring. Shane believes that as a veteran, Shinsuke is here to make a name for himself and has risen to the occasion, when Charlotte, Naomi, and Becky Lynch enter the room.

Renee says we have a lot to get to as all three women seem to be on the same page following Charlotte and Naomi's matches over the last month and the fact that they're all fierce competitors. Charlotte says she still has unfinished business with Naomi and the WWE Smackdown Women's Champion completely agrees, saying she still has a lot to prove to herself and the WWE Universe.

Shane asks if they can all work as a team, and Renee says that these are all champions at the table. Becky says they need to be on a united front and believes they're all on the same page, but Renee reminds her of when Lynch led the Welcoming Committee to believe that she would join their group. Shane wants to know if she made up her mind on the spot and she says it was all part of the plan, but he doesn't sound convinced. Renee asks if Becky and Charlotte are good and Becky says it's one day at a time.

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Naomi tells us she's ready for Backlash and hot about Carmella stealing a second pinfall victory over her tonight. Becky says James Ellsworth looks like a combination between E.T. and a thumb. Shane asks if any of the girls were feeling Ellsworth laying down his game earlier tonight and they all laugh at the idea. Naomi says that the Welcoming Committee is the biggest threat to the Women's Division right now, and they think that Natalya is running the show in the group. Shane asks if Charlotte felt how much raw power Tamina has when they squared off tonight, and she says she definitely won't be taking her lightly following their confrontation. Becky says while they can't take her lightly, they can still take her down.

Renee thanks them for coming on the show and Becky thanks Shane for officiating the contract signing earlier. He says Naomi almost took his arm off trying to get to Carmella, and Naomi said she was trying to get herself together and snatch Carmella bald at the same time. Shane says he doesn't want to be snatched bald as they wish the women the best of luck at Backlash. As Renee sums up the feud in the women's division, Shane doesn't seem too sure if all three of their guests this evening will be on the same page in their tag team match. Renee reminds us that Backlash will be live this Sunday from Chicago on the WWE Network as we sign off for the week.

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