Fatal Influence defeated Nikki Bella, Brie Bella and Paige in a six-woman tag at SummerSlam; after the match, Nikki attacked Paige while Brie did nothing, with Jacy Jayne pinning Paige, signaling a fractured Bellas–Paige alliance and a rising Fatal Influence on SmackDown.
SmackDown After Mania from Fort Worth saw Roman Reigns extend his hold on the top belt as the Bloodline’s reach crosses to Raw. The main event featured Jacob Fatu defeating Solo Sikoa, but a post-match battle with the MFTs signaled a looming power struggle. Debuting NXT trio Fatal Influence interrupted a tag-title bout, confronted Rhea Ripley, and triggered a DQ in a non-title match, signaling their bold arrival. Tiffany Stratton then captured Giulia’s United States Championship, injecting new life into the US title scene. The episode also included Danhausen–Miz segments, Trick Williams and Lil Yachty vs. Sami Zayn dynamics with Zayn turning more heel, and a teaser that Ricky Saints is joining SmackDown. Overall, the show delivered notable debuts and a title change, but largely served as a bridge to Raw’s ongoing programs, with the main storyline feeling somewhat skippable.
Paige’s surprise return on SmackDown led to her first title defense since coming back, but Jacy Jayne and Fatal Influence (Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid) interrupted and mauled the match, as three NXT call-ups invaded WWE’s main roster amid ongoing roster changes.