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WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS
AUGUST 7, 2026
PHILADELPHIA, PA. AT XFINITY MOBILE ARENA
AIRED LIVE ON USA NETWORK
BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett
Ring Announcer: Mark Nash
Attendance: WrestleTix reports as of today 9,138 tickets were distributed so far. The arena has a capacity of 21,000 spectators when configured for concerts.
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PWTorch editor Wade Keller will be joined by PWTorch’s Derrick Hubbard to review WWE Smackdown LIVE on YouTube. We’ll be incorporating live viewer comments into the show so join us LIVE!
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[HOUR ONE]
-The show opened with a graphic of Dory Funk Jr. noting his death this week.
-WWE’s Then, Now, Forever, Together brand stamp aired.
-Joe Tessitore introduced the show as the showed an aerial view of Philadelphia, Pa. Then they showed backstage arrival clips of Trick Williams, Baron Corbin, Charlotte Flair, and Jade Cargill & Michin & B-Fab. They went to Tessitore and Wade Barrett at ringside. Tessitore said it’s always special when they are in Philadelphia. He said “the next 30 minutes of Smackdown are completely commercial-free.” (We’ll see about that.)
-Cody Rhodes made his ring entrance. Tessitore and Barrett talked about Randy Orton’s interference in the CM Punk vs. Cody Rhodes match.
(Keller’s Analysis: They once again didn’t pass any judgement and treated it as a “moment” or a “remarkable happening” rather than ruining any chance of a decisive finish that would enter into the storyline that either Cody or Punk was the better man that night. If nobody cares about a match deciding who is better, why does WWE spend weeks before every big match making it seem like that aspect of the world they present is vital and worth emotionally investing in? Instead, fans are conditioned to just react to “moments” and participate in vapid “communal” chants.)
-Cody’s music stopped and Cody called for Orton to come out, with a grinding, angry voice. He said the fans want it right now. Fans chanted, “Randy! Randy!” Cody shifted to paying tribute to Dory Funk Jr. He talked about WrestleMania 40 just down the road and then how he lost to “the best in the world” on Saturday. “Now I am going to assume that CM Punk didn’t know that Randy Orton was going to roll into this ring and hit me with an RKO.” Punk’s music interrupted Cody before he could continue.
Punk walked out to the ring. Fans chanted “CM Punk!” His t-shirt had “Phil: Best in the World” on the back. Punk said he heard his name so he buzzed the truck and asked them to play his music since it seemed Cody had a question for him. Cody asked: “Did you know?” Punk said it kind of hurt that Cody would ask, but he understands. He said if he needs to hear it from his lips, he’ll tell him he didn’t know. He said he isn’t as mad about it as Cody is, but he is pissed about it. He said they could be a two-man power trip and go find Orton “and beat his ass together.” Cody said he is going to find Orton and “kick his ass myself.” Cody told Punk that the ring is his and then left. Punk told Cody that there is unfinished business between them, so just “say when.” Cody nodded. Kevin Owens’ theme then played and KO walked out.
Cody and KO stopped and stared at each other. Cody offered his mic to KO. Owens took it and walked to the ring. KO talked to Punk off mic. Nick Aldis showed up on the ring apron and eyed them. KO noticed him and told him not to worry. He said they are two pros. Punk asked Owens if he was ready to wrestle. KO, who was wearing pants, said he wrestles in shorts, not pants. He said all he’s wanted to do was wrestle for the last 17 months. He said he lived in uncertainty for those 17 months. He said he has been proving people wrong his entire career “and here I am.” Punk applauded. Fans chant, “You still got it!” KO said, “I never lost it.”
He said for three years, he had people tell him that he should give him a second chance, saying “Phil has changed; he’s a different guy.” KO said he never bought it because he knows who Punk is. He said he told Cody “just say when” yet he is the no. 1 contender to his WWE Title. He said he’s not surprised he’s looking past him “because you think you’re better than me, you think you’re better than everyone.” He said Punk still the same “arrogant sociopath he’s always known him to be.”
Punk stepped up to KO’s face. He said his arrogance is why he got to WWE and why fans cheer him when he gets to the ring and chanted his name for ten years when he was gone. He said the title he holds means he’s the best in the world. (Maybe if he retained the title without Orton’s help, that’d carry more weight.) “This place called me skinny-fat; you think they were really waiting around, holding their breath, waiting for Kevin Owens?” He pointed at Owens’ gut as he said that.
Owens said it’s been ten years since he was world champion. He said now he doesn’t just get to win the WWE Championship, he gets to humble Punk and beat his ass for it. Punk said it’s great to have “impossible dreams.” He said some of his dreams scare him. He said he could see KO is a little bit scared. KO burst out in laughter at that. Punk told him to practice some gratitude because he wouldn’t be there without him. He said he’d be a weekend warrior wrestling indy shows, calling him and asking for a ticket for him and his kid. He said he doesn’t think he’s the best the world, he knows it. He said the people know it too.
KO said Punk was a trailblazer and he kicked down doors for people like him. He said he should also thank him because he’s also shown him what not do, what not to become, how not to treat people around you. “You showed me that somebody’s ego can get so inflated they actually believe the crap that comes out of their mouth when they call themselves the best in the world,” he said. “Dude, you must be so lonely on that pedestal you put yourself on.” He said seeing what Punk has become has made him determined not to let the business to turn him into “a miserable piece of shit like you.”
Punk threw up his arms and got in his face. He told KO he was supposed to keep it professional. KO shoved Punk. Aldis and some officials and referees stepped into the ring and kept them apart. Punk’s music played. Barrett said a match was lit to ignite 20 years of hatred between these two that has not had an outlet until now. “I cannot wait,” Barrett said.
(Keller’s Analysis: Very good segment. Yes, it’s yet another instance of WWE putting two popular wrestlers opposite of each other and giving reasons for fans to reassess their support of them. Still, it’s two of the best talkers of the last several decades and this will be fun to watch more of. WWE is leaning heavily on issues between them on the indy scene that aren’t part of WWE on-air cannon, though.)
-Cathy Kelley interviewed Charlotte backstage. She asked what it is about Jade gets under his skin. She said tonight she isn’t fighting for her legacy or her career. She said she is fighting for Alexa Bliss. She looked into the camera and said, “Jade, two alphas, one ring. And if you’re half the woman you say you are, you’ll come alone.”
-A soundbite aired with Trick Williams. He said he’s getting his rematch against Baron Corbin tonight. He said the only reason he Corbin his title is because he cheated and took shortcuts. He said Corbin doesn’t have what it takes to beat him. He said nothing will stop him from beating him down tonight. He said tonight Philly is going to whoop that Trick. “Let’s talk about it,” he said. Trick turned and headed to the ring to his music.
(1) BARON CORBIN vs. TRICK WILLIAMS – WWE US Title match
Corbin rode a motorcycle onto the stage. Corbin tackled Trick as he charged at him as the bell rang 27 minutes into into the hour. Trick tossed Corbin into the ringpost and then over the ringside barricade. He leaped onto Corbin and then stood on the barricade and played to the cheering crowd. They cut to a break at 1:00. [c/db]
(Keller’s Analysis: They came up a few seconds short of 30 minutes into the show before cutting to a break, and if we’re being technical, when Tessitore said “the next 30 minutes will be commercial free,” they were already a few minutes into the hour. But this was better than saying “commercial-free first hour” and then cutting to a break 55 minutes into that hour as they have multiple times in the past.) [c]
Corbin landed a Deep Six for a near fall at 7:00. Trick landed a leaping neckbreaker and then clotheslined him over the top rope. Corbin shoved Trick into the ringpost and then took the furry belt and brought it into the ring. The ref grabbed it. Trick then caught Corbin with a Tricky Book End for a near fall. Trick then hit a Trick Shot, but Corbin grabbed the bottom rope to stop the count at two. Corbin then picked up the title belt and bashed Trick with it and scored a three count. (A corner graphic advertising Money in the Bank almost obscured the impact of the belt shot.) Barrett said Corbin is “just a salty veteran playing games with younger talent here.”
WINNER: Corbin in 10:00.
(Keller’s Analysis: It’s so strange how there’s no voice on commentary framing cheating to win negatively. They just frame it either neutrally or as ingenuity and cleverness.)
-Sami Zayn walked up to Aldis and said he didn’t get a chance to talk to him since Summerslam. He said when Aldis’s kid came into the ring and hugged him, he cried. He asked if he was going to congratulate him on Summerslam. Aldis said, “Here it comes.” He said he should be the no. 1 contender right now if he didn’t add Gunther and Owens to the match at the last second. KO walked up to him and made a face that said Sami might have a point. Aldis said they had something to talk through and he turned to walk away. KO told Aldis he wanted his title match at Money in the Bank in Toronto.
Sami said, “Welcome back.” He said no one is happier he’s back and he’s happy for him, but he wants KO to acknowledge to him that his return “100 percent screwed me, 100 percent came at my expense.” He said if KO acknowledges that, they can move on. KO said him coming back that way did mess things up for him. Sami asked if he could say he is sorry. KO said, “I’m sorry – that it affected you that way.” He told Sami to acknowledge he would have said yes under the same circumstances, though.
KO said Punk said he didn’t earn it, but the last match he had before leaving was against Sami and he beat him, who was also in that match. Sami offered help against Punk. KO said he has waited a long time for this, and he was going to handle it on his own. Sami told KO he doesn’t need him and that’s fine, but just because KO got what he wanted, don’t think he’ll stop chasing what he wants.
(Keller’s Analysis: Those two are always magic together.) [c]
-Kelley approaching Corbin backstage and asked for comments on him scoring two upsets in two weeks. He didn’t like her framing him as an underdog. He said Trick will never, ever get his hands on that title again. He said there isn’t a man in the locker room who can challenge him for the title. He saw Carmelo Hayes. When Corbin asked what he wanted, Hayes jumped him. He said he just talked to Aldis and they’re wrestling next week for the US Title in his hometown.
-A clip aired of Chelsea Green’s ladder match win to become Interim Women’s Champion.
-Green made her entrance. She held up her belt and pyro blasted. The ring was decorated with balloons. She smiled and said, “I love you guys.” She said she appreciated them pledging their allegiance to her. She thanked Tiffany Stratton and called her “a blond bombshell of a best friend.” Tiffany made her entrance.
Green said she’s sorry for what happened on Sunday, but their friendship is stronger than that. She said she wanted to make a toast to “strong female friendships.” Tiffany said she actually wanted to talk to her about something, but then Fatal Influence’s music interrupted. Jacy Jayne said that’s enough of this “cringy little soap opera.” Falon Henley and Lainey Reid also spoke. Jayne said she wants to take the US Title away from Tiffany and then she’ll be Tiffy-No-Title. Tiffany said she’ll give her a title match next week if they give them a tag team match right now. After a brief conference, Jayne accepted and called for Aldis get a ref to the ring. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
(2) CHELSEA GREEN & TIFFANY STRATTON vs. LAINEY REID & FALLON HENLEY
The bell rang at the top of the hour. After early back-and-forth action, Tiffany and Green dove onto Henley and Reid at ringside. Then they cut to an early double-box break. [c/db]
Green hot-tagged out to Tiffany after the break and she rallied. Later, Green tagged in and went for an Unprettier on Reid, but Reid avoided it. Jayne distracted Green after she landed an Unprettier on Reid. Jayne then interfered with a rolling encore. The heel duo then gave Green their Fatal Flaw finisher for the win.
WINNERS: Fatal Influence in 8:00.
-Afterward, Nia Jax and Lash Legend attacked Chelsea.
-Kelley interviewed Priest backstage. He talked about Haku adding a new dangerous element to the MFTs. The War Raiders walked up and said they deserve a shot at the tag titles. R-Truth walked in and said they aren’t scared of them. He revealed there is a three-way match next week for the tag titles. Erik said they’d be happy to drop both them and the MFTs next week in one match. When the Raiders left, Priest was upset with Truth that they’re defending their tag titles, but the Raiders aren’t putting their AAA Tag Titles on the line. [c]
-A video package aired on the career of Brock Lesnar and clips of him passing the torch to Oba Femi at Summerslam. Then a clip aired of Lesnar announcing on ESPN this week that he is retired. He said he is grateful for those who took a chance on him and believed in him.
-Orton made his entrance. A clip aired, in black and white, of Orton leaving Cody bloodied at WrestleMania. Barrett said he hoped they got an explanation for what he did to Cody at Summerslam. Tessitore said, “An RKO and Cody’s hopes were dashed.” As Orton was about to speak, fans chanted “Randy! Randy!” Then Cody’s music played and he marched out. When Cody slid into the ring, Orton rolled out of the ring. Cody called Orton into the ring. Orton teased entering, then retreated. Cody said it’s been 100 days and he knows he wants it, so “get in this ring right now!” Orton set the mic down and walked to the ring, but then turned around and left. Fans booed. Barrett said, “Orton, just toying with Cody right now.” Cody asked, “Really, really? That’s how we’re gonna do it when we know where this all ends up?”
Cody said he knows Orton doesn’t answer to anybody, but after 20 years and all they’ve been through, he owes him an explanation. Orton said, “I owe you. I owe you? Are you crazy? I don’t owe you jack?” He said Cody asked for this. He said during the Road to WrestleMania, Cory gave him permission to be the very best version of himself. “You cocky, arrogant son of a bitch,” he said. He said he gave Cody the best version of him and in the middle of the ring, he beat him. He congratulated him.
He said he felt something snap and he heard an echo and it got louder and louder. He said “the voices” came back and told him to do whatever it took to take him down and kick him in the face as hard as he could. He said in that moment, he realized the best version of him wasn’t going to bring home no. 15, but the worst version “can and will.” He said he doesn’t care if it’s Owens or Punk, he’ll take it. He said he will make sure it’s not Cody, though. He said he’ll do everything to make sure he is never, ever WWE Champion again.
Cody said he isn’t held to the standards of being champion anymore and he doesn’t have to turn the other cheek. He said he doesn’t have to be the damn good guy anymore. He told Orton he calls himself the Legend Killer, but if he looks around, he’ll see he’s the last legend left in WWE. He asked who is it who will kill him. He dropped the mic. Orton’s music played. Aldis and some officials stood in between Orton and the ring as Orton and Cody yelled at each other from a distance.
-Sami was ranting backstage to Candice LeRae. Johnny Gargano was still in a trance on a crate. Sami said KO gets to look Punk in the face and tell him what a fraud he actually is. LeRae pointed behind Sami. Sami turned and there was Punk. Punk told Sami he has a big mouth when he’s not around. He said at least KO has the decency to tell him what he thinks to his face. Sami said he’ll tell Punk to his face that he’s a fraud. Sami said he has a broken hand, but if he didn’t, he’d break his face. Punk said he wouldn’t because he lost in Chicago and he would have done it there if he could. He told Sami he’s in the back of the line. He said he’d give LeRae or Gargano a title shot before him. When Punk left, LeRae told Sami to calm down as he was yelling at Gargano.
-Kelley interviewed Jade, B-Fab, and Michin backstage. Michin said Charlotte is jealous of Jade for being everything she isn’t. Jade said she’ll put an end to the disrespect by whipping Charlotte’s ass. [c]
-As they showed an aerial view of Philadelphia, Tessitore talked about LeBron James playing there next season.
-A vignette aired with Nikki Bella explaining her decision to turn on Paige. She said Paige lost the tag titles and leached off her sister. She said she did everything she could to get along with her, but the loss at SummerSlam was the final straw. She said it’s because of Paige that her sister is hurt. She said she’ll make sure whatever career she has left, it will be pure misery.
-Tessitore plugged next week’s Smackdown line-up: Corbin vs. Hayes, Stratton vs. Jayne for the IC Title, and the Triple Threat tag team match for the WWE Tag Team Titles.
-A vignette aired with Shinsuke Nakamura next speaking about Haku. He said he is back and this time he will not be alone. He said he is starting a war and he is no longer a one-man army.
(3) CHARLOTTE FLAIR vs. JADE CARGILL (w/Michin, B-Fab)
Charlotte made her entrance first. Then Jade. The bell rang 45 minutes into the hour. They battled back and forth in the ring and then to ringside. Jade dropped Charlotte over the ringside barricade. They cut to a double-box break. [c/db]
They battled back and forth several more minutes. Charlotte landed a top rope bodypress, but Jade rolled through. Jade eventually lifted Charlotte onto her shoulders and powerbombed her for a two count. Jade climbed to the top rope, but Charlotte met her up there. Jade shoved her. Jade powerbombed Charlotte off the top rope for a near fall at 11:00.
Charlotte ducked a big boot from Jade and then swept her leg and applied a figure-four. She then bridged into a Figure-Eight. B-Fab distracted the ref as Michin broke up the hold. Alexa Bliss made her return. “Are you kidding me?” Tessitore said. She had her arm in a contraption. She had Lilly the doll with her. The lights went dark, and when they came back on, Tatum Paxley was standing on the top rope and she leaped onto B-Fab and Michin. “What’s she doing here?” asked Barrett. Charlotte then gave Jade a Sister Abigail followed by a top rope Natural Selection for the win.
WINNER: Charlotte in 14:00.
JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE POST-SHOWS…
PWTorch editor Wade Keller will be joined by PWTorch’s Derrick Hubbard to review WWE Smackdown LIVE on YouTube. We’ll be incorporating live viewer comments into the show so join us LIVE!
Email our post-show at wadekellerpostshow@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Smackdown. We’ll read your emails live during the post-show.
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