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WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
JUNE 26, 2026
LONDON, ENGLAND AT THE O2
AIRED ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY ERIC CORBRIDGE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves
Ring Announcer: Mark Nash
Attendance: As of Friday morning, WrestleTix reported that 13,328 tickets were distributed headed into the show. The arena has a capacity of 20,000 spectators when configured for concerts.
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[HOUR ONE]
– On the eve of Night of Champions, Smackdown aired from London’s O2 arena (filmed earlier this week). Superstar arrivals to the arena were shown including Sami Zayn, Gunther, Cody Rhodes, Paige & Brie Bella, and Fatal Influence. Michael Cole welcomed the crowd to the show.
– United States Champion Trick Williams went to the ring with his chum Lil’ Yachty. Trick said that he missed last week because he was in Jamaica getting married to Lash Legend (an on-screen heel). The fans cheered as Trick showed off his wedding ring. Lil Yachty ran down the menu of food and booty and said that love was in the air. Trick said it was the best day of his life and that they “whooped that trick all night long.” He sent a message to his new wife of “I’m thinking about you girl.” He shifted gears to talking about his Night of Champions opponent, saying he was going to whip Ricky Saints’ ass. Cue Ricky Saints.
Saints emerged from the back wearing what appeared to be a cut-off overall top that would probably be appropriate for painting a house. The crowd yelled at him and his retort was that he was their mother’s favorite lover. Ok. Trick said if he kept popping off he was going to smack Saints back to the London Bridge. Saints claimed that Trick was “on the sauce” and told him not to overlook him because Saints was going to take the U.S. title from him. Trick said he was going to kick his teeth down his throat and send him to the dentist, to which Yachty noted that Saints should “get a smaller size next time.” Saints predictably didn’t appreciate that slight on his chompers. Saints asked if he gets Yachty if he wins the title too. Yachty started talking and Saints smacked him and then retreated. When Trick helped Yachty to his feet, Saints went back in the ring, took a cheap shot at Trick, and then bailed again.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Standard promos. Nice to see a legitimate babyface vs. heel matchup with no gray areas, although I personally don’t like Trick’s on-air admission of him real-life marrying an on-screen heel character. Such is life in modern professional wrestling I suppose.)
– Cathy Kelley asked Alexa Bliss in the back for an update on Charlotte Flair after being attacked last week by Jade Cargill and her henchwomen. Bliss said Flair was recuperating and Bliss swore revenge against them, even if it meant teaming with Tiffany Stratton. Stratton walked in and said she only cared about getting through the match tonight so that she could defeat Jade at the PLE tomorrow night. Stratton made her entrance for the match. [c]
(1) TIFFANY STRATTON & ALEXA BLISS vs. B-FAB & MICHIN
Stratton started off with the crowd chanting “Tiffy Time” as she used a headlock takedown to drive Michin into the mat. She hit a basement dropkick and hooked the leg for an early two-count. Corey Graves claimed that Jade Cargill might be the most improved superstar in WWE over the last year or so. Bliss tagged in and kept control over Michin. Michin escaped a Sister Abigail attempt. B-Fab tagged in and took out Bliss on the floor with a sloppy crescent kick as they went to a split screen. [c]
Bliss made a lukewarm tag and Stratton hit some clotheslines and an Alabama slam, then covered B-Fab for a nearfall. She hit a stunner and covered again, but again B-Fab kicked out. Stratton continued with a swanton bomb but Michin broke up the cover this time. Bliss and Michin fought at ringside until Michin tossed her over the barricade into the timekeeper’s lair. Back in the ring, Stratton went up for her moonsault but Jade Cargill knocked her off. B-Fab hit a neckbreaker into a facebuster and covered for the three count.
WINNERS: Tiffany Stratton and Alexa Bliss won by pinfall in 7:00.
Post-match, Cargill raised the hands of “The Baddies” in celebration. They were about to attack Stratton. Chelsea Green ran out with a kendo stick and struck B-Fab in the aisle. Unfortunately for her, she accidentally dropped the stick as she was getting in the ring so Michin charged at her Green sidestepped her and like a dumb-dumb, Michin ran weakly into the turnbuckle face-first and was apparently dead from that. Cargill charged too and Green again moved and Cargill went over the top rope to the floor. The heels were upset on the outside while the babyfaces where happy, including Stratton who raised Green’s hand up in the air.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Michin’s weak attempt at running into turnbuckle sternum-first made her look like an idiot. She should give Bret Hart a call and ask for tips.)
– Solo Sikoa talked to Tama and Talla Tonga in a room somewhere in the O2. He bragged about attacking Jimmy Uso on RAW. Tama said that they were tired of getting dragged into Solo’s war and obsession with Roman Reigns. Tama said reminded Solo that last week during their tag team title match, he told Solo to stay in the back. Solo didn’t listen and now they don’t have the gold. Talla said the elders told them that they’re out. Solo said they can’t leave. Tama’s reply “we just did.” Solo yelled at them as they left. [c]
(Corbridge’s Analysis: If that was truly the end of the MFT faction, then I’m surprised it happened in a backstage segment of a taped show. I imagine there will be more to it.)
– Jade Cargill saw Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis in the hallway and demanded a match tonight with Chelsea Green. Aldis was cool with that.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Aldis must just wander around backstage during the show, waiting for angry grapplers or grapplettes to find him to make demands or complain. Apologies to Barry Horowitz and fellow Barry Hardy on having their scheduled match bumped again.)
(2) REY FENIX (c) vs. NATHAN FRAZER – AAA Cruiserweight Championship
Just like last week a Fraxiom member went at it without his partner in his corner, as Axiom wished Frazer luck and then returned to the back. Cole mentioned that Frazer was born 14 miles off the coast of France. After a standing switch, leap frog, and several displays of athleticism there was stalemate. The crowd applauded. Fenix hit a running splash but Frazer back flipped to the opposite corner and then sent Fenix into the second buckle. Fenix hit a top rope cross-body and covered for a two-count, then dropkicked Frazer through the ropes to the floor. Fenix leapt off the top rope with a cross-body that connected with Frazer on the outside. Fenix rolled Frazer into the ring, but he recovered quickly enough to prevent Fenix from re-entering. Frazer hit a somersault over the top rope to the floor. [c]
Fenix rallied with some extremely weak looking “machine-gun chops”, as Graves referred to them. Frazer sent him into the ropes, where Fenix handsprung back and nailed him with a stunner that Frazer took well. Fenix hit a neckbreaker and covered for a nearfall. Fenix was frustrated. Frazer hit a step-up enziguri to Fenix on the top rope. Frazer superplexed and was attempting another move but Fenix small packaged him for another two-count. They both kipped up and simultaneously kicked each other in the head and were back on the mat again. Frazer was up first and they traded blows until he hit a running knee to the mouth. Frazer with a Spanish fly from the second rope followed by a spinning suplex, then covered for yet another nearfall. Frazer missed a Phoenix Splash. Fenix perched him on the top and went for the Mexican muscle buster. Frazer escaped and kicked him to ringside by the announce desk. Frazer went for a dive through the ropes but crashed face-first into the desk. Fenix went up again and hit a frog splash. He hooked the leg but Frazer kicked out at two again.
Frazer got caught on the top again and Fenix grabbed him. He hit the Mexican muscle buster this time and wrapped him up for the one…two…three. Cole sang Frazer’s praised in defeat. Fenix and Frazer hugged.
WINNER: Rey Fenix won by pinfall in 10:00. Fenix retained the AAA Cruiserweight title.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: It was a predictably fast-paced, fun match. At 10 minutes however, it never reached “classic” level, despite Cole’s adamance.)
– During a Byron Saxton-led interview in the back, The War Raiders challenged Tag Team Champions Damian Priest and R-Truth to a title match with both sets of belts on the line. R-Truth talked to them like he had a Hispanic accent, which confused everyone (including me). Truth talked to his old pal Little Jimmy. Truth kept up his act and Priest dragged him off. Priest told the War Raiders that they were good with the match and that he’d let them know when and where.
– Cathy Kelley met L.A. Knight in the parking garage as he arrived fashionably late in his car. They both questioned why they were on Smackdown since they are RAW talent. Knight said he was about to go to the ring to get some answers. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
– L.A. Knight asked if he could talk to the crowd. They affirmed. Knight talked about defeating Jimmy Uso on RAW, saying he got what he deserved, despite being the one Bloodline member that he kinda respects. He called out Solo Sikoa. Cue Solo. Solo slowly sauntered to the ring wearing his bright red suit, with black undershirt, black leather gloves, and chains around his neck. The crowd surprisingly chanted “ooooh Solo Sikoa” when he got in the ring. Even Knight admitted that it was a catchy chant.
Knight wondered why he always attacks him. Solo said he came down to the ring because everyone in his family has left him. He was a sad Solo. Knight said that must hurt, but that “his heart doesn’t pump purple piss for you losing your family.” Knight said it just left him wide open to go back to the Bloodline. That prompted an “OTC” chant from the plebes. Solo got angry and said he hates the Bloodline, hates that he was part of it, hates the Usos, Jacob Fatu, and Roman Reigns. He said the only way for him to feel better was if he finished them and claimed that he and Knight both don’t like the Bloodline. Knight said he really should hate Roman Reigns, but so should Jimmy, Jey, and Jacob. Yet they went right back into the fold. He said that Jey Uso went from “Main Event” to “Baggage Handler.” Knight asked why this was different. Solo said he was alone and had nothing to lose. He claimed that he and Knight could work together and watch each other’s backs. Knight said he was skeptical but did acknowledge that he was outnumbered but did need help. But, he said that he’d live and die doing things his way, so thanks but no thanks on Solo’s offer. Cole noted that Solo was now truly “solo.”
(Corbridge’s Analysis: As usual lately, Knight made a lot of good points about the Bloodline. His seemingly one-man battle against them works because fans have watched him repeatedly be outnumbered by them. It’s intriguing to see who may help him in the future. Solo appeared to be telling the truth about hating them so it’s certainly possible that he could be an ally in the future. Perhaps Royce Keys will join in as well.)
– Saxton interviewed Sami Zayn somewhere in the back. Zayn defended his referee work from last week’s championship match, rightly saying that he called things down the middle till he was provoked. He admitted retaliating after that and said that anyone would have. He was mad that the only person who understood was the comatose plank-boy Johnny Gargano, who was laying behind him with Candice LeRae weirdly standing there. Zayn was happy that he now has a championship match now though. He brought up losing his last championship opportunity in Saudi Arabia, but because he stayed “good” he received a chance to redeem himself. He acted as if he’d just realized that he had this chance again and said that “I’m going to become WWE Champion.”
(Quick plug: I created BadWill, a workplace dramedy comic series about a thrift store that only accepts donations from failed relationships. Episode 1 is available now at badwillcomic.com, and on July 14 I’m launching a Kickstarter pre-order campaign for Episode 2, where readers can pre-order and help fund the production and printing of the book. If you’d like to be notified when the campaign launches, you can follow it here: Kickstarter- BadWill Episode 2 I’d love to hear what you think!)
– Paige, accompanied by her tag team champion partner Brie Bella, made her entrance to her hometown crowd. It was a good ovation, but not overwhelming as you might have expected. [c]
(3) PAIGE (w/Brie Bella) vs. JACY JAYNE (w/Fallon Henley, Lainey Reid)
The crowd did chant “let’s go Paige” as the match began. Jayne immediately laid her out with a thrust kick and almost scored and early win. Jayne aggressively attacked Paige and claimed it was “her house.” Paige too control and audibly took her house back. Paige locked in an STF but Jayne made it to the ropes and bailed to the floor to regroup. Paige hit a cannonball on the floor on Henley and Reid but Jayne nailed her with a kick from the apron after she turned around. [c]
Graves talked about Jayne being overlooked a lot in NXT and how’s she taken Fatal Influence to the next level. The women trade yay/boo blows and Paige hit a German suplex followed by a fisherman’s suplex and a Paige turner. She covered but Jayne just got the shoulder up. Jayne recovered and hit a running kick and hooked the leg, earning a two-count herself. Shen went for a rolling encore but Paige dodged it. Jayne tried to use the ropes for a leverage pin but Bella pushed her legs off. The referee saw none of it. Reid and Henley fought with Bella on the floor. Reid got up on the apron and Paige knocked her off. Jayne rolled up Paige from behind for a two count. Paige immediately rolled Jayne back up and scored the three count.
WINNER: Paige via pinfall in 9:00.
– In Danhausen’s lab, Miz and Kit Wilson were still hooked up to his electro-shock machines. They both had gray stripes in their hair now. Matt Cardona walked in and thanks Danhausen again for un-cursing the New York Knicks and “helping” them win the NBA Finals. He said he was still feeling funny after getting shocked last week. Danhausen freaked out because Miz and Wilson were suddenly gone. He ran out. Los Garza immediately walked in and wanted to know where “Freakhausen” was because he still owed them money. They left. Cardona was about to peek under the sheet on the stretcher that’s been there for several weeks now, but as usual Danhausen returned and stopped him. [c]
(Corbridge’s Analysis: There was absolutely not enough time for Danhausen to exit without bumping into Los Garza. Sometimes I feel like I’m the dummy for noticing.)
– Finn Balor told Tama and Talla as they were leaving the arena that it was nice to see them. He acknowledge his history as an ally of Tama again. Tama said it was a long time ago and reminded Balor how it went with his previous ally, Shinsuke Nakamura.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: My takeaway is that I guess Shinsuke is still employed.)
– Danhausen entered for the next match. He had zombie Mia and zombie Kit Wilson with him, so I guess he found them. They must have just wandered off like zombies do. When they got in the ring, Danhausen welcomed everyone to Danhausen TV with his guests The Legion of Danhausen. He asked Miz how he felt about him replacing him on his own TV show. Miz said it was awesome. He then asked hometown boy Kit Wilson how he felt about Los Garza destroying his experiments, to which Wilson replied “toxic, toxic, toxic.” Los Garza made their entrance and immediately threw Miz and Wilson from the ring. They were about to attack Danhausen but Matt Cardona came down to even the odds. Nick Aldis immediately came out and made a match between them. [c]
(Corbridge’s Analysis: I will continue to point out that without Aldis making this match on the spot, I guess we would have had dead air or possibly an intermission. Keep Horowitz and Hardy on alert .)
(4) MATT CARDONA & DANHAUSEN vs. LOS GARZA (Angel & Berto)
The match started during the break. Miz and Wilson were wandering around ringside. Angel knocked Cardona off the apron and then rolled him back into the ring. Miz and Wilson kept wandering around. Los Garza double-teamed Cardona, then double clotheslined Wilson over the barricade. Angel ran into the ring and ate a flapjack from Cardona for his trouble. Cardona tagged in Danhausen who came in with an inverted atomic drop, a clothesline, and a suplex. Danhausen hit a few running corner clotheslines but then got tired and went down to a knee in the middle of the ring. He fired himself back up and hit two more. He German suplexed Berto and covered but Angel broke it up and then kicked Cardona off the apron.
Berto grabbed a chair but Miz kept getting in his way so he couldn’t get back in the ring. He was about to hit Miz with the chair but Wilson grabbed it. Cardona hit the Rough Ryder on Berto on the floor. Back in the ring, Danhausen rolled up Berto for a nearfall. Berto nailed him with an SOS kick and went to the top rope for a moonsault attempt. Danhausen cursed him while he was up there and sparks shot up his ass. Berto fell off and was also blinded. Danhausen hit his inverted DDT and covered for the win.
WINNERS: Matt Cardona & Danhausen via pinfall in 6:00.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: For those scoring at home, Smackdown currently has one fun-loving vampire guy, two zombies, and one comatose plankton.)
– Byron Saxton asked Gunther for his thoughts on Sami Zayn’s earlier comments about seeking redemption at Night of Champions. Gunther said he was the one who got screwed out of the WWE Championship twice, so he was the one who needed redemption. Saxton reminded him that his record against Cody Rhodes wasn’t good. Gunther said he was going to tell Cody what would happen at the PLE later tonight. [c]
[HOUR THREE]
(5) JADE CARGILL vs. CHLESEA GREEN
Cargill slammed Green’s face into the mat. Green got up and slapped her, then saluted. That fired up Cargill. Just like earlier tonight, Cargill charged at her but Green pulled down the ropes, causing Cargill to fall to the floor. Green jumped off the apron but Cargill caught her and hit a fallaway slam. Cargill kipped up. [c]
Cargill pounded Green but then missed a corner shoulder attack. Green tried to rally with punches and a slow motion dodge of a Cargill “corner splash” attempt. Green hit a missile dropkick and covered for a two-count. She went for the Unpretty-her but Cargill escaped. Cargill hit the Jaded and covered for the relatively easy win.
WINNER: Jade Cargill via pinfall in 6:00.
Post-match, Cargill started to stomp on Green. Stratton and Bliss came out and made the save. B-Fab and Michin ran back out and all six women fought. The heels quickly eliminated Bliss and Green, then triple-teamed Stratton. Cargill dropped her with the Jaded and told her it was a preview for Saturday (aka tomorrow in story terms).
(Corbridge’s Analysis: That was not a good match. For a moment, when both women were trying to sell, they resembled Miz and Wilson doing the zombie gimmick.)
– Saxton asked Solo how it felt to be alone (mean). Royce Keys walked up and reminded him that Jacob Fatu was coming for him. Solo asked Keys if he was going to help him “like I helped you.” Keys just smiled, patted him on the back, and wished him luck. [c]
– They recapped the Bron Breakker/Seth Rollis feud. Then they ran down the full Night of Champions card.
– Cathy Kelley asked Trick Williams in the back about the cheap shot from Ricky Saints earlier. Yachty grabbed the microphone and said that he has their attention now. He said that only a sucker would sucker punch a man from behind. Trick said he and Saints weren’t on the same level.
– Giulia entered for the main event match of the evening. [c]
(6) GIULIA vs. KIANA JAMES
As soon as the bell rang, they charged at each other. James dropped Giulia with a big boot. After a few shoulders in the corner, James backflipped for some dumb reason and Giulia capitalized on her opponent backing off by hitting her with a dropkick. Good. They fought on the floor as the referee counted. Giulia faked getting in at the count of four but slid back out as James missed an elbow drop. Giulia pointed and her brain, then re-entered the ring. Giulia hit some solid kick strikes and got a two-count after another dropkick. She leveled James with a headbutt that sent her to the floor. Out on the floor, James caught Giulia and sent her into the steps as they went to a split screen. [c]
Giulia executed another missile dropkick right as they were coming back from the commercials. The crowd cheered as Giulia hit several strikes but then James countered with a side kick. James missed a standing moonsault. Giulia dropped her with consecutive shoulder tackles and a headscissors takeover. She kept on the offensive with a back suplex and covered for another nearfall. There was a mild “Giulia” chant. She went to the top but James rocket launched her off. James went for and hit a falcon arrow and covered, but Giulia kicked out. Giulia went for the arrivederci but James caught her and then powerbombed her and covered for the one…two…she kicked out again. James was mad.
James carried Giulia on her back up to the top rope. Giulia almost slipped off (which could have been catastrophic) but ultimately sunset flipped her off. Giulia lifted herself up and hit the arrivederci. Then she hit the northern lights bomb and covered for the pin and win over her former ally.
WINNER: Giulia won via pinfall in 10:00.
Post-match, Blake Monroe attacked Giulia from behind. She hit her with a driver of sorts (had her up in a normal piledriver position but jumped and fell forward) and bowed. [c]
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Welcome (back) to the main roster to Blake Monroe. This match was far better than Cargill vs. Green and even Paige vs. Jayne from earlier tonight. I hope this is the start of something with Giulia. She has far more potential than someone like Stratton or even Vaquer in my opinion. She’s like a cross between Asuka and Io Sky that has a very high ceiling.)
– The Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes made his entrance to crowd karaoke, wearing a suit like always. Before he could really say much, Sami Zayn came out wearing his “The Last Real Good Guy” shirt that I may buy. On his way to the ring, he thanked all his ride or die fans in London that have supported him since day one. He said that he needed to tell Cody, as a friend, that he was regretted how some things went down last week. At the end of the day, he said he was the last real good guy and he should have been better. He regretted hitting the official, making a fast count, and especially knocking Cody out cold with the WWE title belt. Cody questioned whether it was a mistake. Zayn said it was and that he needed Cody to understand that this wasn’t how he wanted things to be.
Cody yelled “Enough!” and claimed that this was exactly what Zayn wanted, since now he had a world title match in a country where he’s loved, where Cody doesn’t even have to be beaten. Cody said that the victim card that Zayn has been playing isn’t true and that Zayn was actually exhausting. Cody said he couldn’t understand how Zayn was best friends with Kevin Owens because Owens would have come out, said what he meant, and stabbed him in the front. He also pointed out that at least Owens had been a world champion. Zayn told Cody to keep Kevin Owens’s damn name out of his mouth. Cody said that without him Gunther would be the champion. He said that Cody should be on his hands and knees thanking him. But then after Night of Champions, he would no longer be the champion because of him too. Cue Gunther.
Gunther walked slowly but with a purpose. He questioned all the drama going on in the ring. He said he didn’t care. All he cared about was winning the title and said he should be now anyway. He said he was going to leave with the title on Saturday. He called Zayn a non-factor and said he would never be the champion. He told Cody to enjoy his last night as the Golden Boy. Cue Jey Uso.
Jey Uso came out from the stage entrance (no yeet) and walked to the ring. He did yeet when he got to the ropes. He was about to run it back, with Zayn and Cody’s approval, but Gunther stopped it. Jey said he was going to punch hit ticket to the Summerslam title match when he wins King of the Ring tomorrow. He individually told all three of them that he’d beat them, telling Gunther that he almost wants him to win it because he already made him tap before like a little b*tch at Wrestlemania. Gunter leveled Jey. They all ganged up and deposited Gunther from the ring. Former tag team champions and on-screen good friend Jey and Cody faced off. Cue Oba Femi.
Oba strutted to the ring as Cody and Jey simply watched him. While Oba stood on the apron, Jey took the opportunity to superkick Cody. Oba and Jey had a stare off. Gunther flattened Jey and had his own faceoff with Oba. Zahn came in and took out Gunther, picked up the belt and briefly looked at Oba. Cody came back and gave Zayn the Cross Rhodes. Cody went to pick up his belt but Oba stood over him. Cody stood up and raised his belt high while he faced Oba. Oba stared daggers at him.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: There wasn’t much said that we haven’t heard already. But the most fun thing was seeing the various one-on-one stare-downs between all five men. Lots of possible match machinations are slated for the near future. Good times.)
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