The New Day kicked off SmackDown LIVE by addressing the very controversial way they lost the SmackDown Tag Team Titles last week, as Big Show shockingly assisted The Bar to victory. Rather than dwelling on Big Show’s seemingly unprovoked assault, however, Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods and Big E focused on the challenges ahead … like Kofi’s one-on-one contest with a member of the new faction.

After some deliberation (and taunting) on the part of Sheamus, Cesaro and Big Show, The World’s Largest Athlete squared off with Kofi on the blue brand. From there, Big Show demolished Kingston, pulverizing The New Day member with a barrage of strikes and chops and punctuating the beatdown with a trio of Chokeslams.

Fed up and fearing for their partner’s safety, Big E and Woods attempted to interject, but they were quickly met by Cesaro & Sheamus. New Day were no match for the blue brand’s newest trio, however, as Big Show, The Celtic Warrior and The Swiss Cyborg issued a savage beatdown, featuring a Chokeslam to Big E and a Knockout Punch and a Chokeslam to Woods.

The message? The Bar has clearly been raised.