All articles tagged with #wwe smackdown
Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes battled on SmackDown in Lexington, with Gunther making a post-match appearance. Gunther trapped Rhodes in a sleeper and choked him out as Zayn, after a tense stare-down, turned away and walked off, leaving Rhodes’ night overshadowed and foreshadowing further heat in Gunther’s ongoing title pursuit.
On SmackDown's May 22 main event, Cody Rhodes defeated Sami Zayn after Gunther interfered; Zayn initially helped Rhodes by knocking Gunther down, but when Gunther returned to target Rhodes, Zayn turned on him and walked out, sparking debate over his allegiance and whether he’s a face or heel.
Jacob Fatu loomed over SmackDown, overpowering The Usos and Solo Sikoa and leaving the main event with no winner as Roman Reigns’ stance on him remains unclear. Cody Rhodes was medically cleared and defeated Ricky Saints, only to be attacked post‑match by GUNTHER, signaling cross‑brand title drama. Fatal Influence scored in the women’s division by helping Jacy Jayne pin Charlotte Flair, while Sami Zayn leaned into heel heat ahead of Backlash. Ricky Saints debuted and Royce Keys moved closer to Jacob’s orbit as MFT tensions rose. In short, SmackDown positioned Jacob Fatu as its centerpiece and seeded multiple Backlash showdowns.
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.
Royce Keys won the 12th Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on SmackDown, topping a final four that also included Aleister Black, Otis, and Talla Tonga; Keys eliminated Black and then Tonga to secure the victory, with Joe Hendry making a surprise entrance as part of the field. Carmelo Hayes was absent, and the piece muses on whether the win will meaningfully boost Keys' WWE push in 2026.
WWE star Giulia revealed on social media that she actually peed herself after a risky top-rope Swanton from Tiffany Stratton during a March 27, 2026 non-title SmackDown, underscoring the physical toll of high-risk spots in wrestling.
Cody Rhodes returns to WWE on SmackDown to confront Randy Orton after Orton defeated Matt Cardona; Rhodes attacks Orton as Jelly Roll arrives and is admonished, only for Orton to deliver an RKO to Jelly Roll, leaving Rhodes to stand tall as the show tees up a WrestleMania storyline with a mysterious caller in the background.
Spoilers indicate Friday's WWE SmackDown will end with Randy Orton vs. Matt Cardona, after weeks of tension and a possible opening-slot appearance by Orton, as WrestleMania momentum builds; the show also teases Cody Rhodes's return and other big segments.
PWInsider reports Ilja Dragunov will answer Carmelo Hayes’s United States Championship Open Challenge on the March 20 SmackDown, solving the mystery behind the challenger; the show’s card also features Randy Orton explaining his Cody Rhodes attack and other matches.
Drew McIntyre quit SmackDown after losing to Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship, challenging the result on-air before Jacob Fatu interrupted and suggested McIntyre was blaming the wrong people.
Randy Orton, previously a babyface, underwent a major character change on WWE SmackDown by attacking Cody Rhodes during a contract signing, signaling a return to his 2009-era heel persona and setting up their Undisputed WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 42, with Orton drawing unexpected crowd support as Rhodes was left bloodied.
WWE SmackDown on February 6 features a main-event triple threat between Aleister Black, Solo Sikoa, and Randy Orton for a spot in Elimination Chamber 2026, with additional qualifiers and matches including a women’s triple-threat, a Women’s Tag Team Championship defense by IYO SKY and Rhea Ripley, a Liv Morgan appearance, and Nakamura vs. Tama Tonga in their first WWE television bout.
The article reviews WWE SmackDown 9/12/2025, criticizing the forced humor involving Brock Lesnar, praising Sami Zayn's open challenge, lamenting NXT commentary, analyzing the women's title match, and expressing disappointment in the Women's US title storyline, while celebrating Cody Rhodes's return as WWE Champion.
WWE SmackDown on September 12, 2025, featured major matches including Drew McIntyre defeating Randy Orton, Tiffany Stratton defending her Women's Championship against Jade Cargill, Sami Zayn retaining the US Title against Rey Fenix, and a chaotic no contest between Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill. The show also included promos, backstage segments, and the announcement of Wrestlemania 43 in Riyadh 2027, ending with Cody Rhodes challenging Drew McIntyre.
Rey Fenix will answer Sami Zayn's US Open Challenge on WWE SmackDown, with fans eager to see if he can win the title from Sami Zayn, who recently faced John Cena and was involved in a storyline with Brock Lesnar.