Sami Zayn Drives SmackDown Chaos Toward a Night of Champions Twist

Sami Zayn’s volatile guest-refereeing in Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther opens SmackDown with controversy, restart drama from Nick Aldis, and a late finish that sets up a looming Night of Champions triple threat; the show also features Liv Morgan's knee-injury-influenced win over Charlotte Flair in King/Queen of the Ring action, Jey Uso's advancement, and ongoing Bloodline intrigue with Solo Sikoa, plus a batch of midcard angles. Overall, a middling episode highlighted by strong Zayn character work and a few underwhelming matches, graded a C.