Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for August 28, 2026

Kevin Owens heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Owens admits that this is not how he wanted to come back to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, as he has lost many WWE Championship matches and yet none of them felt as bad to lose as the one on Friday in Toronto. He says that it was perfect, as he did not know if he would ever get back in the ring, and when he was medically cleared, he got in the ring as soon as he could so he could be in that #1 contender's match and win the WWE Championship not just to do it in front of his own countrymen, but because his parents would be able to be at that show, as when he was here two years ago, his mother was fighting for her life, and luckily, she kicked out and is still here. He mentions that travel is more difficult for her now, but she and her father came to Friday's show. Owens then says that Sami Zayn made sure he did not win the WWE Championship in front of his parents, and that while he and Sami have done horrible things to each other, he cannot forgive or forget, as it was not just about winning the WWE Championship, but because he will never get another opportunity like Friday again. Owens tells Sami that he will deal with him when the time comes, but on that night, everyone knows that he had CM Punk beat and that he was better than the best in the world. Owens says that Punk got lucky and capitalized on Sami's actions, then tells Punk that they are far from done and just getting started, and that he will not stop until he takes the WWE Championship from him. All of a suddenly, CM Punk suddenly shows up and says he does need Sami's help and that he will send Owens packing again. General Manager Nick Aldis quickly gets between them as Punk gets to the ring, then Gunther shows up. Gunther says that if he keeps listening to this, his ears will start to bleed, then realizes that Punk and Owens hate each other so much because when they look at each other, they see themselves, then says that he is here to remind them of what matters now. Gunther tells Owens that while he is glad that his mother kicked out, he is glad that Owens did not. Before Gunther can address Punk, however, Finn Balor shows up, and Gunther interrupts Finn only for Finn to tell him to shut up and that everyone is getting tired of his act. He says that Owens already had his opportunity and that Owens and Gunther have yet to beat him, then says that the line now begins with him. General Manager Nick Aldis says that there is nothing more to discuss, and has Owens, Gunther and Finn Balor face each other in a #1 contender's Triple Threat Match in tonight's main event.

Backstage, Chelsea Green is met by Tiffany Stratton. Chelsea says she is heading out to the ring, and Tiffany says that she does not want anything to jeopardize Chelsea's championship reign. Chelsea tells Tiffany that she will be by her side and that she will see her out there.

The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend) beat Chelsea Green and Tiffany Stratton. During the match, Nia Jax re-breaks Chelsea Green's orbital bone with a headbutt, forcing Tiffany Stratton to wrestle on her own for a while as medical checks on Chelsea, but as medical helps Chelsea to the back, Chelsea gets back to the ring and tags herself in to save the match. The match ends with Nia Jax hitting Chelsea Green with the A-Nia-Lator.

Backstage, General Manager Nick Aldis is met by Danhausen, then Gunther shows up. Danhausen is impressed to meet Gunther, who is not happy that Aldis is making him jump through hoops. Aldis tells him that there are no shenanigans and no other hoops to jump through, confirming that if he wins tonight, he gets a shot at the WWE Championship. To Danhausen's disappointment, Danhausen cannot get into the match to make it a Fatal 4-Way.

Jacy Jayne retains the WWE Women's United States Championship against Paige with an inside cradle following the distraction by Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid. After the match, Paige is attacked from behind by Nikki Bella, who then hits Paige with the Rack Attack 2.0.

Backstage, "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes is met by Finn Balor, who mentions tonight's main event and tells Cody that by the time Cody is done with Randy Orton, there will be a new WWE Champion around here, and they can face each other for the title. Cody tells Finn that he will see him on the other side.

Backstage, Trick Williams meets with Lil Yachty regarding last week, asking him if he is ready for Baron Corbin, as Corbin is a monster. Lil Yachty says he has had bigger fish fried in his pan and that Corbin disrespected both of them. Lil Yachty says he will do the impossible and last the five minutes, then Trick will whup that trick and get the United States Championship back. Yachty leaves, then Trick runs into Corbin, who says that he does not ahave friends because friends make people do stupid things, then says he will whup Yachty. Trick says Corbin is not as entertaining as he is, but Corbin says he does not have to be entertaining because he is the champ.

"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes heads to the ring. Rhodes addresses Orton, saying that while he wants to beat Orton up right now, he does not think it accomplishes the whole "killing the Legend Killer" thing. Cody says that a fifteenth world championship is not in the cards for Orton anymore, as every time Orton moves up, he screws up and beats himself. Cody talks about how he was there first-hand when others got shown the door while Orton got slaps on the wrist and do-overs, and says that Orton screwed up again by getting between him and the WWE Championship at SummerSlam, and that it will be him killing the Legend Killer and not Randy beating Randy. Suddenly, Randy Orton shows up and heads to the ring, and says that he had zero accountability for his actions and made bad decision after bad decision while Cody was in the driver's seat for it, both figuratively and literally, and says that if he were Cody, he would punch him right in the face. Orton dares Cody to take a swing at him, which Cody refuses to do, then Orton says that he came back after a 100-day vacation to ensure that Cody did not beat Punk for the WWE Championship, and asks Cody if that makes him want to take another swing. Orton then mentions Cody's dog Pharaoh, and Cody takes his jacket off and walks in a circle around the ring before Orton tells Cody that he will beat him in his hometown at Sunday Night's Main Event. Orton then asks Cody if he will make sure that his "trailer park trash" mother is watching in the front row as he beats his ass, which causes Cody to loosen his tie. Orton then mentions Brandi Rhodes, asking if Brandi will be there before daring Cody to take a swing again. Cody says that he knows what Orton is doing and that he knew Orton would do this just to get out of their match, and that he is counting the days until Sunday Night's Main Event to find out if Orton really is the once-in-a-lifetime superstar like Dusty Rhodes or a first-class screw-up like "Cowboy" Bob Orton Jr. Cody then tells Orton that he will see him in Atlanta, Georgia.

Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews Tatum Paxley. Tatum says her mind has been racing, then whispers a secret into Jackie's ear. Jackie thanks Tatum, then laves. Tatum then meets with Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss and thanks them for the brunch, then finds out that they will face Jade Cargill, "Michin" Mia Yim and B-Fab in a six-woman tag match at Sunday Night's Main Event. Charlotte tells Tatum not to make her regret this as Tatum high-fives her and Alexa, then Tatum says she will see Charlotte and Alexa in the ring.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Rey Fenix. Fenix says he loves his brother Penta, but this is his moment, and he will be a World Heavyweight Champion. Ricky Saints shows up and says that Fenix will lose the tournament, come back with his tail tucked between his legs, and give him a shot at the AAA World Cruiserweight Championship. Fenix says he will win the tournament, then win the title, come back, and shut Saints up.

Tatum Paxley beats "Michin" Mia Yim in her main roster debut match.

Backstage, Jackie Redmond interviews Blake Monroe. Blake says her match with Giulia was beneath her, and asks why General Manager Nick Aldis would put her in a match like that in the first place. Blake then says that she will make her debut when she gets an opponent of her caliber, then she is suddenly attacked from behind by Guilia.

Backstage, Kevin Owens runs into Randy Orton, who says that while Owens was right about "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes, he has not forgotten how Owens dropped him on his head.

We hear from The MFT's (Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga) and Haku. Tama Tonga says Damian Priest and R-Truth brought everything they had, but it was not enough, and they put them down. Tama says that not everybody has gotten the message. Talla Tonga says that he put Nakamura on the shelf for months, but Nakamura is now back and he has brought Kyoki with him. Tama says that Kyoki is not in Japan anymore, and that he is in his territory just to get put in the dirt. Haku says they must not undestimate their enemies, and that their challengers should be destroyed because they are "the motherfuckin' Tongans." Backstage, Damian Priest has watched the promo, and R-Truth walks in and says that he and Priest are going to get the WWE Tag Team Championships back. Priest says the past summer has been incredible, but they no longer have the titles and that it is time to move on. Priest says he wanted to focus on singles championships, then tells R-Truth that he still has his back. The War Raiders (Ivar and Erik) show up wanting to give R-Truth and Priest the beating they wanted to give to The MFT's, but R-Truth takes this as a challenge and dares The War Raiders to put the AAA World Tag Team Championships on the line. Erik says they can do this in Mexico City, Mexico, and R-Truth says they have a match, much to Priest's chagrin.

Backstage, General Manager Nick Aldis is met by The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend). Nia Jax wants a championship match, but Aldis says Chelsea Green needs to be re-evaluated. Nia reminds Aldis of Chelsea's 30-days defense clause, and tells him that if she does not get a shot at the Interim WWE Women's Championship in two weeks, she will take it by force. The Irresistible Forces leave, then The Miz and Kit Wilson - who are now back to normal - show up and mention what Danhausen did to them and that Aldis owes them for what they had to go through with Danhausen. Aldis puts The Miz and Shinsuke and Kyoki.

Kevin Owens vs. Gunther vs. Finn Balor in an Undisputed WWE Championship #1 contender's Triple Threat Match ends in a no-contest. During the match, Finn Balor hits Gunther with the Coup de Grace only to be pulled out of the pinfall attempt by Sami Zayn, who then punches out referee Dan Engler when confronted by Engler. Owens hits Gunther with a Stunner, but the referee is down. Another referee heads to the ring, but Sami Zayn takes him out as well. CM Punk arrives and beats Sami up, saying "This is justice!" before throwing him into a ring post. Punk chases Sami into the ring only for Owens to brawl with him, and Owens lays Punk out only for Sami to hit Owens with the Undisputed WWE Championship and do the same to Finn Balor. Gunther gets in the ring and puts Sami in a sleeper hold, but Sami hits him with the WWE Championship. Punk then runs at Sami only to be hit with the title as well. Sami then lifts up the Undisputed WWE Championship and says "No justice, no peace" as the show ends.

Here are the highlights from tonight's show!

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!

Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for May 1, 2026

"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Cody mentions that earlier tonight, he met with WWE medical staff as well as General Manager Nick Aldis, and now, he is medically cleared for action. He then states that this begets the question of what is next for him, and all of a sudden, Ricky Saints, fresh out of NXT, shows up and heads to the ring. Saints introduces himself as the hottest new star on SmackDown, then mentions his history with Cody, stating that the change Cody feels in the air is a revolution and that the revolution is him as he welcomes everyone to "Friday Night Saints." Cody asks Saints what the difference is between now and the last time he stepped up to him, and Saints says it is Cody himself, saying his three world title reigns have aged him thirty years. He also says that he has been an NXT Champion since then and while he has cheered him on in the background at the detriment of his career, he will be the one to relieve him of his duties. Cody says he is game for action and that Saints also looks game for action, then proposes that they have a match and shakes hands on it. Saints is about to leave, but Saints says he is not here to make a statement, but to change who the show is about. Cody reminds Saints that he is easy to find and hard to beat.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. Rhea Ripley soon shows up and says she tried to take on Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley, Lainey Reid) alone last week and got ambushed, and she is willing to put differences aside if Charlotte is willing to. Charlotte says they have teamed before but they will not team again, but Rhea says there is three of Fatal Influence and only two of them. Charlotte says all she needs is Alexa, and three is a crowd, then Charlotte and Alexa head to the ring.

"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes vs. Ricky Saints is official for later tonight.

Before the next match, Jacy Jayne says that last week was a small taste of what Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley, Lainey Reid) is bringing to SmackDown, and someone just could not get enough. She then says she thrives off that, because if there is anything Fatal Influence loves to do, it is embarrassing a legend. Jacy proclaims that Fatal Influence will take out everyone's legends one at a time, and that there is nobody better to start with than Charlotte Flair.

Jacy Jayne beats Charlotte Flair after hitting the Rolling Encore on Charlotte after Charlotte boots Lainey Reid off the apron in response to Lainey clobbering Alexa Bliss for Alexa clobbering Fallon Henley for pulling Charlotte out of the Figure Eight. After the match, Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley, Lainey Reid) attacks Charlotte, and when Alexa comes to the rescue, they attack her, too. The fans chant for Rhea Ripley, who soon shows up and cleans house. Jacy slips out of the Riptide and nearly shoves Rhea into Charlotte as she escapes. Rhea and Charlotte shake hands.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Brie Bella and Paige. Brie says they are impressed by Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley, Lainey Reid), but their actions will catch up to them. Paige agrees, saying they will deal with them when the time comes; for now, they are focused on beating The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend) and staying champions. As for their match, Brie says that they are powerful former champions, but she and Paige have the experience to get the job done, as SmackDown is their house.

Backstage, Damian Priest meets with R-Truth speaking with Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom), who R-Truth thinks is Los Americanos (Rayo Americano and Bravo Americano). Priest says Fraxiom is deserving of a tag team title shot and looks forward to defending the title. Axiom is taken aback, but Frazer is delighted and goes to talk to General Manager Nick Aldis regarding the match. Priest then finds out that R-Truth was talking about taxes with Fraxiom, much to Priest's genuine confusion.

Backstage, The Miz and Kit Wilson try to trap Danhausen with a briefcase full of "free human monies." Danhausen opens the briefcase, takes only some of the money, and walks away with $40,000. When Miz opens the briefcase, he and Wilson gets blasted with white dust.

Damian Priest and The Miz retain the WWE Tag Team Championships against Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom). After the match, Talla Tonga and Solo Sikoa show up, and Talla Tonga lays waste to both teams at Solo's behest.

After the commercial break, Solo Sikoa and Talla Tonga are still in the ring. Solo says that Jacob Fatu made a big mistake last week. After a replay of what happened last week, Solo says that Jacob may have taken out his army, Jacob also took out his own family, brothers and blood, which Solo also claims as his. He says they are not here because of Jacob. Solo then says that when Jacob Fatu gets into the building, he is a dead man walking. All of a sudden, The Usos (Jimmy and "Main Event" Jey Uso) show up and head to the ring. Jimmy says Solo may have an issue with Jacob Fatu, but so does Roman Reigns, and that Jacob made a mistake not by attacking Solo's army, but by putting his hands on Roman and put him in the Tongan Death Grip, which Talla's father used and is a sacred last effort. Jey tells Solo and Talla Tonga to hold their plans up until Roman Reigns is done with Jacob Fatu. As Solo says there is plenty of Jacob to go around, Jey says that they are telling them, not asking them. Solo laughs and says he does not have time for this, but when he tells Talla to go, he nods his head when he goes to the ropes. Talla then takes out The Usos in short order, and Solo tells The Usos to tell Roman that he is not his tribal chief and that they do not give a damn, and whether Roman likes it or not, Jacob Fatu is a dead man.

Backstage, Sami Zayn confronts "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes for calling him "sarcastic" and "condescending" in response to him calling him "Golden Boy," saying it was a compliment and not an insult and addressing their history, saying they are "the last real good guys" and that they need to stick together. Cody says there is a lot in truth in that, but tells him that they are not the same.
The Usos (Jimmy and "Main Event" Jey Uso) vs. The MFTs (Solo Sikoa and Talla Tonga) is official for later tonight.

In backstage footage from earlier today, Danhausen announces that another fan and not Stephen A. Smith paid him off with real human monies, and for that, the New York Knicks are no longer cursed and are still in the NBA playoffs. He also makes it clear that Stephen A. Smith is still cursed.

"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes beats Ricky Saints. After the match, Cody Rhodes is suddenly choked out from behind by Gunther with a sleeper hold, and Gunther goes for a second sleeper hold as three referees try to pull Gunther off of Cody and succeed. Gunther then makes it clear he wants the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Danhausen heads to the ring. Danhausen says he has spent the money he found backstage on merchandise for the fans. As he tosses merchandise to the fans from out of a bag, The Miz shows up. The Miz says that horrible things have happened to him since Danhausen showed up, and that he has come to the realization that he is cursed. The fans chant "Yes, you are!" as The Miz reluctantly becomes Danhausen's mentor. As they shake hands, Kit Wilson shows up, saying that The Miz is mentoring him and that Miz is enabling him. Kit Wilson tells Miz to wake up, but Miz says that Danhausen has mastered, inspired and zoned in on what it takes to be a WWE Superstar, and asks Kit Wilson if he can say the same. He also says that Kit Wilson is not in the same league as him, and as Miz and Danhausen are about to shake hands, Kit Wilson begs for another chance. Kit Wilson says that Danhausen should not even be in the building and should be banned, and both men demand that Miz shake their hand. Miz ends up shaking hands with Danhausen and raising his hand. Miz then says there is only one thing left to do, and as Danhausen curses Kit Wilson, The Miz attacks Danhausen from behind, and Kit Wilson joins in. Miz hits Danhausen with the Skull Crushing Finale, and Kit Wilson hits a top rope elbow drop.

We see another vignette for Blake Monroe, who gets out of her bathtub and proclaims that nobody burns brighter than she does. Blake Monroe is coming soon to SmackDown.

Royce Keys beats Angel.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Tiffany Stratton. She wants more challengers for the Women's United States Championship, and issues an open challenge for the title when Chelsea Green shows up and stands up out of her wheelchair. As Chelsea says she will be champion, Kiana James and Giulia show up, with Kiana wanting to secure Giulia's rematch. Tiffany says she has the whole locker room to consider, then makes Kiana her first defense and wants to see how Kiana does when she is not being held back.

WWE backstage staff are seen bringing Trick Williams' gingerbread man costume to the ring.

Backstage, Royce Keys is met by Joseph Fatu, who congratulates him on the match. Royce says he has known Jacob for about fifteen years and he is still the same guy who would run with him seven days a week, even back when they worked at the warehouse. Royce says that The Usos (Jimmy and "Main Event" Jey Uso) are back in business and are ready to take everything, and tells Jacob Fatu to "werewolf his ass up" and prove that WWE did not make him soft, as people like them take everything. All of a sudden, Royce Keys is attacked by Talla Tonga, and Solo Sikoa shows up and attack Jacob Fatu when he tries to make the save.

Sami Zayn heads to the ring. Sami stands next to the the gingerbread man costume in the ring as he says that he really loves coming to Tulsa, Oklahoma, then talks about how the fans turned on Bob Dylan went electric and says that he can relate. He says he cannot figure out what caused the fans to turn on him, but he can deal with it, because he knows his ride-or-die fan club is in the house tonight and will continue to have his back. Sami says that while he can deal with some bad reactions, he cannot deal with disrespect, and calls Trick Williams "a shell of a man wearing a costume" and says it is easy to do what Trick does as he compares him to the gingerbread man costume. Sami says he can do what Trick does in his sleep and that what he really does is hard, as he leaves everything in the ring every day, month and year, and when he looks at the gingerbread man costume, he sees Trick Williams not taking him seriously. He also states that Trick Williams takes nothing seriously and takes that as disrespect, and is about to punch the gingerbread man costume in the middle of the ring. He then shakes the costume's hand before kicking the costume in the groin. Trick Williams then attacks and tears at the costume before pulling a gumdrop button off the costume. Trick Williams rushes in and fights Sami Zayn, and Sami Zayn flees through the crowd.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend). Nia says that they were not pinned to lose the women's tag team championships and that Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss were pinned instead, then Lash Legend says that they have something in store for Brie Bella and Paige. Nia says that "the math is mathing" with two teams in the ring and that they will end Brie Bella and Paige's reign and send them back on the couch with Nikki Bella.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Trick Williams, who says that Sami Zayn crossed a line by attacking both Lil Yachty and the gingerbread man, and that Sami is now messing with his money. Trick says he does not play with his money, then says that Sami has a big problem and that he is facing him at Backlash. Trick then finds out that the gingerbread man did not survive Sami's attack, and Trick says that he will whoop Sami.

Brie Bella and Paige retain the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships against The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend) after Paige kicks Nia's legs out from under her during the A-Nia-Lator and Brie Bella pulls back on Nia's legs to pin Nia's shoulders to the mat, win and retain.

It is announced, as per Trick Williams, that The Gingerbread Man is dead. In Memoriam, Gingerbread Man, 2026 - 2026. Rest in Pieces.

Backstage, Sami Zayn is talking with General Manager Nick Aldis regarding the funeral of the Gingerbread Man next week, saying that it is proof that Trick Williams takes nothing serious. Sami wants his rematch with Trick Williams for the United States Championship at Backlash, and Aldis gives it to him. Sami leaves, then Danhausen shows up wanting a match with Kit Wilson and The Miz. Nick Aldis says he will get that match if he can find a tag team partner.

The Usos (Jimmy and "Main Event" Jey Uso) vs. The MFTs (Solo Sikoa and Talla Tonga) ends with Jacob Fatu showing up and attacking Talla Tonga. After the match, Jacob Fatu smacks Talla Tonga with the ring steps, then confronts Solo Sikoa, who realizes too late from looking at Jacob's left hand that he is ready to hit someone with a Tongan Death Grip. Jacob briefly chokes out Solo, and when Talla grabs Jacob, he gets the Tongan Death Grip before Jacob Fatu puts Talla through the announce desk with a Samoan Drop. Jacob then confronts The Usos, then walks right through them to end the show. Afterwards, Jacob Fatu tells The Usos to tell Roman Reigns that he will dog walk him at Backlash.

Here are the highlights from tonight's show!

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!

Raw Deal - Raw recap for March 30, 2026

"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Stephanie McMahon makes a surprise appearance as Cody is about to get started with speaking to the fans to discuss the situation at hand regarding Cody, Randy Orton and WrestleMania, but admits Cody will not like what she has to say. She says that she, Cody and Orton are all multi-generational members of WWE history and that they understand the business better than most, and while Cody stayed on a golden path and has brought the best out of his business, he will not be able to do it with Orton. She says that this version of Orton is diabolical and that Cody will have to be able to think like Orton, and that Cody's father Dusty Rhodes knew better than anyone else and could get down and dirty with the best of them. She also says that Cody is not his father. Stephanie says that "this version of Cody Rhodes cannot beat this version of Randy Orton" and that Cody does not know how he is dealing with. Cody says he knows everything about Randy Orton and how Orton was the coal that became the diamond, the youngest world champion in WWE at one point, legend killer by merit, and at one point so violent that some of his own past actions cannot be shown today. Cody says that some of those actions happened to Stephanie and that he was there on the road with Orton to make sure he was still breathing after the matches he had been through. Stephanie slaps Cody in the face and says she is out here because she cares about him and that nobody is giving him guidance, and that this version of Orton is not only listening to the voices in his head, but also relishing them while listening to someone else. She then says that if Cody does not figure it out, WrestleMania will be the last time Cody is introduced as Undisputed WWE Champion. Cody stops Stephanie as she leaves, then thanks her and leaves himself.

Backstage, Danhausen shows up when iShowSpeed is talking with General Manager Adam Pearce, and a desperate iShowSpeed begs Danhausen to uncurse him. Danhausen wants a billion dollars and rights to his streaming services as payment, among other things. LA Knight, who will be guesting on commentary in the New York City Street Fight that is happening next, shows up briefly, and amazingly, Danhausen does not disappear afterwards.

LA Knight guests on commentary for the next match. Internet streaming personality iShowSpeed is seen in the front row.

The Vision (Logan Paul and Austin Theory) beat The Usos (Jimmy and "Main Event" Jey Uso) in a New York City Street Fight to win the World Tag Team Championships! During the match, Logan Paul's mother hands brass knuckles to Logan Paul, and as iShowSpeed does not want Logan to use the brass knuckles due to Danhausen cursing him, he inadvertently gets dragged into the match by LA Knight when Knight goes after Logan Paul. iShowSpeed grabs the knuckles, and when LA Knight notices this, iShowSpeed inadvertently knocks him out. The Usos briefly have the upper hand during the match, but Logan Paul is able to get the knuckles back, and despite being knocked to the outside, he is able to knock out Jimmy Uso. Jey hits Logan with a tope suicida, but Austin Theory is able to crawl up to Jimmy Uso for the pin, the win and the titles.

Comedian Jeff Ross and Hamilton playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda are seen in the crowd.

Liv Morgan heads to the ring. Liv tells Stephanie Vaquer that she is done not just for attacking her, but for also attacking her family. She says that Vaquer has no family in WWE yet wants to berate her for hiding behind her and attacking her any chance she gets. She asks if Vaquer is afraid to meet her face-to-face, then says that where she comes from, it is on sight. Liv says her mother taught her to never let anyone get the best of her, then states in Spanish that Vaquer's mother is trash and calls her out. Vaquer shows up, and Liv and Vaquer brawl in the ring. Vaquer drops Liv with a superkick, then grabs a metal folding chair only to be attacked from behind by a returning Roxanne Perez. Liv joins in on the beating, then hits Vaquer with Ob-Liv-Ion on the metal folding chair.

Backstage, iShowSpeed tries to tell The Vision (Logan Paul and Austin Theory) that he did not mean to get involved in their match, but Logan, still thankful for iShowSpeed's help regardless, tells iShowSpeed that he will be alright with them, especially now that he has enemies in WWE. "The Oracle" Paul Heyman shows up, agreeing with Logan, then tells Logan and Theory to take iShowSpeed out to dinner. iShowSpeed, Logan and Theory leave, then General Manager Adam Pearce shows up and tells Heyman to check his e-mail.

The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend) retain the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships against Bayley and Lyra Valkyria. During the match, The Bella Twins (Brie and Nikki Bella) show up, but so do Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. Both teams argue, and when Lyra Valkyria gets between them, Nia Jax tosses her into both teams. The Bella Twins get taken out, and Charlotte and Alexa get in the ring. Charlotte hits Nia Jax with a chop block, ending the match, and she and Alexa gang up on Nia. This leads to all four teams getting in the ring and forcing The Irresistible Forces out.

Danhausen announces that WWE will return to Madison Square Garden for Saturday Night's Main Event on July 18th, with tickets available April 2nd.

Brock Lesnar and "The Oracle" Paul Heyman head to the ring. Brock Lesnar is in his wrestling gear compared to previous appearance. Heyman says he is here to pontificate on the perils that await Oba Femi, and states that Brock was caught off guard by Oba when he was distracted by Seth "Freakin'" Rollins, then says that Brock was not dressed to fight a week later and that Oba decided to pick a fight anyway. Heyman then notes that Lesnar is now dressed to fight, as Lesnar has authorized him to let everyone know that he has seen this for 25 years in WWE and UFC, and that when Lesnar beats someone up, they end up pissing all over themselves. Lesnar then grabs the microphone and immediately calls out Oba Femi, then General Manager Adam Pearce shows up with security and states that this will not be happening tonight. Pearce says that he is preserving his WrestleMania main events and is out here to do just that, then tells Heyman and Lesnar to leave the ring as Lesnar and Oba fighting tonight is not happening. Oba Femi shows up and powers through security, then tosses Pearce to the side, circles to the ring and gets in the ring. Heyman leaves the ring as Oba and Lesnar have a staredown, and WWE Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque gets in the ring to reason with both men and get between them as things are about to get violent. Heyman and Lesnar leave as Triple H says this is happening at WrestleMania, and Lesnar grabs the ring steps before tossing them back down and leaving. Lesnar then hits a security guard with the F5 to send a message to Oba Femi.

We hear from Finn Balor. He says The Judgment Day ("Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh, Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Roxanne Perez) was a family as they ran Raw for four years, and in that time, he has made enemies and bad decisions, including thinking he could make a man out of "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio. He credits Dominik with turning his family against him, but reminds Dominik that he turned to him when he turned against his father Rey Mysterio and that he stepped up for him. He says that Dominik lost the Intercontinental Championship not because of his actions, but because he is a self-centered jackass. Finn Balor says he created that jackass, and that he will destroy him at WrestleMania.

Penta retains the WWE Intercontinental Championship against Kofi Kingston. During the match, Kofi keeps telling Grayson not to get involved on the match so that he can win the title on his own, and at one point, Grayson gives Kofi the "I told you so" treatment only to eat a Mexican Destroyer from Penta on the outside. After the match, Jackie Redmond congratulates Penta on the successful title defense, then asks what is next in store for Penta and the Intercontinental Championship. Penta announces that at WrestleMania, the Intercontinental Championship will be defended in a ladder match, stating that the top of the ladder is not his challengers' world, but his kingdom.

Backstage, General Manager Adam Pearce meets with "The Oracle" Paul Heyman and wants to know where Brock Lesnar is. Heyman states that Lesnar has left the building, then Pearce reminds Heyman about his e-mail. Heyman says he is from New York City and that he keeps an ear to the ground, then heads to the ring to speak to the fans again.

"The Oracle" Paul Heyman is in the ring. Heyman says he tried to do something special for the fans and give back to the community, and tried to give the fans Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi only for General Manager Adam Pearce to end it. Pearce shows up to tell Heyman to shut up. Pearce says he has tried to help Heyman a couple of times tonight, then asks him if he has checked his e-mail. Heyman says there is not something he does not already know, then Pearce tells him that Boston police have dropped all charges against Seth "Freakin'" Rollins. Heyman says he is a native New Yorker and is afraid of no man, then says he is the last manager standing from the 1980s and the last promoter standing from the 1990s. Pearce also announces that as of right now, Seth "Freakin'" Rollins is medically cleared to compete. Rollins shows up from behind Heyman with a metal folding chair and smacks Heyman with the chair. Rollins goes for The Stomp on Heyman onto the chair, but he is pulled out of the ring and put in a sleeper hold by a returning Gunther. Gunther chokes Rollins into unconsciousness, then points at the WrestleMania sign.

Elle Duncan of Netflix Sports is seen in the front row.

Raquel Rodriguez beats Iyo Sky. During the match, The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) show up, and Kairi gets on the apron only to get blasted by a big boot meant for Iyo Sky. Asuka then grabs Kairi and yells at her, and Iyo Sky hits Asuka with a tope suicida before telling Kairi to break the cycle and end things with Asuka. Iyo then gets back into the ring only for Raquel to hit the Tejana Bomb for the pin and the win.

We see a video from X (formerly Twitter) from John Cena, who announces that he will be hosting WrestleMania 42.

Backstage, General Manager Adam Pearce announces that Seth "Freakin'" Rollins is hurting, pissed and looking for a receipt, and that Rollins will get it against Gunther at WrestleMania.

Roman Reigns heads to the ring. After Roman demands that the fans acknowledge him, CM Punk also heads to the ring. Punk and Roman brawl, and Roman hits a Superman Punch. Roman goes to toss Punk out of the ring, but Punk reverses it, and the brawl goes to the outside where officials, including General Manager Adam Pearce, rush out to restore order. Pearce almost inadvertently gets elbowed by Roman, and officials have to stop Punk from hitting the GTS before separating both men. Roman then hits Petey Williams with a Spear, and Punk hits Roman with the GTS. Punk then looks at the announce table, now uncovered, then feigns walking away before attacking Roman again and powerbombing Roman through the table. Punk then goes for the ground and pound, and Adam Pearce has to pull a crazed Punk off of Roman before Punk celebrates on the top of the barricade.

Here are the highlights from tonight's show!

Here is this week's Raw Recap!

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!

Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for March 20, 2026

Drew McIntyre is seen attacking Jacob Fatu outside of the arena after smashing his car into Jacob's. Officials and security have to pull McIntyre off of a bloodied Jacob. Drew McIntyre then heads towards the ring, stating that he should have been in the main event of WrestleMania and that it was taken away from him. He warns anyone who tries to wrong him that their ass belongs to him. General Manager Nick Aldis shows up with security calling McIntyre the most self-sabotaging person he has ever met as he asks what his problem is, and states that McIntyre is only on his way to unemployment. He says that Donovan - Aldis' son - should be ashamed of having such a corporate stooge for a father. All of a sudden, Jacob Fatu shows up, and McIntyre and Jacob brawl again. This time around, Jacob gets the upper hand, and after tossing McIntyre over the announce table, security and officials try to force Jacob away from McIntyre, but Jacob runs through them in the crowd and splashes McIntyre through the table.

Damian Priest and R-Truth beat The MFTs (JC Mateo and Tama Tonga) to become the WWE Tag Team Champions! During the match, The Wyatt Sicks (Uncle Howdy, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis) show up and brawl with the rest of the rest of The MFT's (Tonga Loa, Talla Tonga, Solo Sikoa), with Uncle Howdy getting Solo Sikoa with a Mandible Claw on the outside while Rowan, Gacy and Lumis brawl with Loa, Talla and Tama. JC Mateo saves Solo Sikoa saves Solo from the Mandible Claw with a superkick, but runs into a flurry of offense and an Attitude Adjustment from R-Truth for the pin, the win and the championships when he runs back into the ring.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews The Bella Twins (Brie and Nikki Bella). Brie says they can beat The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend) tonight and that anyone underestimating them is making a big mistake. Nikki says they paved the way for the women's tag titles to exist, then Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss show up with pints of ice cream. Charlotte calls The Bellas selfish for getting to the front of the line by getting involved in their match, then says they have whoever wins the women's tag titles tonight. Nikki tells Charlotte to watch the match to see how legends get it done, then Brie takes Alexa's spoon.

Backstage, Danhausen shows up as Candice LeRae checks on Johnny Gargano, asks for "twenty human dollars" when Candice asks for help, then runs away before The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) pass by. Sabin reminds Shelley they have a match.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Sami Zayn. Sami says he should be focused on his match with Aleister Black, as he is dangerous, but he cannot stop think about "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes despite all they have been through recently. He says that Cody is a good person who goes the extra mile, and yet he gets taken out and put on a stretcher after Orton does what he does. Sami admits he does not know what to think about this, and feels the more he does the right thing, the more things go wrong and the more he believes that the world he believes in does not exist. Trick Williams interrupts, and Sami takes this as a challenge. Trick says he will be watching and might be giving a few pointers, and Sami tells him to get a very good look.

The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) beat Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom). During the match, Candice LeRae watches from the entrance ramp, and near the end of the match, Candice attacks Nathan Frazer on the outside, allowing Sabin to get the pin and the win.

Randy Orton heads to the ring. Once in the ring, Orton grabs a metal folding chair and sits in it in the center of the ring. Orton says that for years, when his entrance music hit, everyone sang along, and says that he showed love and gave back to the fans in return, which he admits puts a smile on his face. He then says that this smile is the most emptiest feeling he has felt in his entire life, and that while he has been in the business longer than most, nothing last forever, and he wants his legacy measured in the amount of world championships around his waist. Orton mentions winning the Elimination Chamber match, and while he knew who he needed to be to beat Drew McIntyre, "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes beat McIntyre first. He says that he loves Cody and still does, but Cody took that burden off his chest by telling him to be the best version of himself not just for him and the fans, but for himself, and to listen to the voices. Orton states that sometimes when listening to the voices, he does not always have control, and while he and others can get hurt, he needs that killer instinct to become a fifteen-time world champion. Orton then says that he hears voices in his head, and that they counsel him, they understand, and they talk to him and tell him that he will beat Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at the main event of WrestleMania.

Backstage, Randy Orton receives stares from fellow Superstars, then confronts Matt Cardona. Orton says he has no beef with Cardona, who confronts him for what he did to "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes last week. Orton asks Cardona if he has action figures to play with before calling him "a mark-ass stooge" and an "indy nerd" before forearming him and telling him to stay out of his business.

Before the next match starts, Trick Williams shows up to watch from the announce table.

Aleister Black beats Sami Zayn after Trick Williams throws his drink at Sami Zayn for shoving his foot off the announce table, which causes Sami to punch Trick a couple of times before sliding back into the ring only to run smack into a Black Mass.

Backstage, Matt Cardona wants General Manager Nick Aldis to give him a match with Randy Orton, but Aldis says it is not happening. Cardona leaves, then Carmelo Hayes shows up and finds out that the United Stats Open Challenge has been closed because somebody made a compelling argument to be the next opponent. Ilja Dragunov shows up and says he thought about what Carmelo told him, saying that Carmelo is right and that while he will always be fighting himself, he cannot be the best if he does not take the shots that are right in front of him. Carmelo says that for one of them, tonight will be champagne, but for the other it will just be pain. Dragunov says the pain will entertain, but asks if it will be his or Carmelo's.

We hear from The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend). Nia says it has been years since since The Bella Twins (Brie and Nikki Bella) have teamed up and have never won tag team gold, and that they have a snowball's chance in Hell of beating them. Lash Legend says that The Bella Twins are just trying to relive their glory days and trying desperately to stay on their heels, then says that other people want their titles and that it is time to put them all in check. Nia says The Bella Twins will be lucky to survive tonight after they demolish them, and all The Bella Twins can do about it is nothing and like it.

Jade Cargill heads to the ring. Cargill says she is not here to play around and calls out Rhea Ripley, as she knows she is backstage. Rhea Ripley shows up and heads to the ring. Rhea says that they said all that there is to say and that she does not feel like talking to her anymore, but Cargill says that while Rhea Ripley needs the WWE Women's Championship, she does not need the title or the fans. She says that Rhea Ripley has fought to be something, then says that with or without professional wrestling, she has always been "that bitch." Rhea is right about Cargill saying she needs the title, as she lives for this after having fought for this since she was sixteen years old. Cargill says she does not care about Rhea has had to sacrifice or the rest of the locker room, as she made wrestling matter, and without her, Rhea disappears. Rhea takes exception to the disrespect that Cargill is showing, and says that as long as the WWE Women's Championship has been around Cargill's waist, the title needs her, and now she wants that title and she is going to take it. Rhea then welcomes Cargill to the big leagues and dares Cargill to hit her after stating that they are done talking, but Cargill says she will do it on her time and leaves. As Cargill is on her way out, she is confronted by "Michin" Mia Yim and B-Fab, the former carrying a shinai, but instead of being against Cargill, they join her, and the three of them surround the ring. Rhea fends them off, but the numbers game takes over, and Michin and B-Fab hold Rhea down for a superkick to the face from Cargill followed by Jaded.

Backstage, Kit Wilson speaks with The Miz as he talks about dealing with Jelly Roll. The Miz is preoccupied with how his recent vacation was ruined, then Danhausen shows up wanting to be The Miz's enforcer. Kit Wilson says neither of them want Danhausen around, and when Danhausen tells Miz he can stay cursed, a ladder falls behind him as Danhausen leaves. The Miz tells Kit Wilson to go out there and implement "The Miz Method," then another ladder falls and lands on him after Kit Wilson leaves.

Backstage, Solo Sikoa is furious with The MFTs (Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Talla Tonga, JC Mateo) with losing the WWE Tag Team Championships and blames it all on JC Mateo and Tama Tonga. Tama Tonga tells Solo Sikoa to return the lantern back to The Wyatt Sicks, as he has not been acting like himself since he took it and that he is now sounding like Roman Reigns. All of a sudden, Jacob Fatu and Drew McIntyre brawl again, and McIntyre goes for Jacob's eyes as security and officials have to break up yet another backstage brawl.

Carmelo Hayes retains the WWE United States Championship against Ilja Dragunov.

Backstage, Jelly Roll congratulates Damian Priest and R-Truth on becoming tag team champions, then Priest asks Jelly Roll to join them for drinks later. He and R-Truth leave, then Jelly Roll meets Randy Orton. Orton apologizes to Jelly Roll, but Jelly Roll says he is worried about him and knows what it is like to be the bad guy and judged for the worst thing he ever did, and reminds him of how he fought from being feared backstage to being loved and giving back. He says he does not understand why Orton would go back. Orton admits he was out of line with Matt Cardona and does not know where to begin, but Jelly Roll just tells him to do the right thing and work from there.

Kit Wilson heads to the ring. After the commercial break, Kit Wilson states that Jelly Roll started everything when he crossed a line, then says that they will finish this as he calls Jelly Roll out. Jelly Roll heads to the ring, and Kit Wilson rolls out of the ring as Jelly Roll gets in. Jelly Roll tells Kit Wilson says that if this is what he wants, this is what he gets. He then calls for a referee so they can have a match. Kit Wilson says that they should settle things like civilized gentlemen, saying he fights with his words, not his fists. Jelly Roll is surprised that Kit Wilson wants a rap battle, stating that he is a decent dancer, but not a rapper. Kit Wilson then proposes a slam poetry battle, then proceeds to mock Jelly Roll's face tattoos, criminal history and weight loss. Jelly Roll fires back by mentioning Kit Wilson's mother more than once. Kit Wilson attacks Jelly Roll from behind, then goes up to the top rope for a corkscrew elbow and nails him with it.

Backstage, Giulia tells Kiana James that she did not get the job done and that she is going to put Tiffany Stratton in her place. Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre show up, and Chelsea proposes they team up against Tiffany. Giulia says she does not need any help from her, then she and Kiana leave. The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend) show up, and Nia shoves Chelsea - and her wheelchair - out of the way.

Backstage, Jelly Roll meets with General Manager Nick Aldis demanding a match with Kit Wilson. Aldis gives it to him for next week.

The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend) retain the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships against The Bella Twins (Brie and Nikki Bella) by disqualification after Charlotte Flair attacks Nia Jax on the outside. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss show up early in the match to watch from ringside, and after the match, all three teams are going at it. The Irresistible Forces soon come out on top in the three-team brawl.

Backstage, Randy Orton is on the phone. He tells the person on the other end that he will go into the ring and "fix it."

Randy Orton heads to the ring again. Once again, he has a metal folding chair in his hand. At first, Orton sits down in the center of the ring, but decides against it before stating that he has an apology to make and asking that Matt Cardona come to the ring. Orton says that he has been out of his head and is legitimately sorry for how he treated both him and his hobbies, then asks Cardona to forgive him. Both men shake hands and hug, then Orton kicks Cardona in the groin, hits an RKO, rips his shirt off and tosses him out of the ring. Orton then pummels Cardona on the announce table. An official shows up to stop Orton as he ready the ring steps, and more officials and security show up soon after. Orton stops, then grabs Cardona and tosses him back in the ring. Officials and security flood the ring as Orton wraps the metal folding chair around Cardona's left arm, and Orton stops again. When Orton is given room, he turns around, then turns back to Cardona and stomps the chair, injuring Cardona's arm. Orton and Cardona are separated, and as Orton is forced to the back, something is happening in the parking lot. Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu are brawling again, and Nick Aldis shows up with security. Both men drop from a balcony on the side of a building as Aldis as officials yell at them to stop, and the show fades to black.

Here are the highlights from tonight's show!

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!

Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for March 13, 2026

The show begins with Drew McIntyre showing and telling General Manager Nick Aldis he can take the contract for the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania and shove it up his ass, and that Aldis could not help himself and had to make sure Cody Rhodes got a title match before WrestleMania. Aldis shows up and says there is nothing to make right, then says that McIntyre headbutted a referee last week during that match and is playing the victim again. Aldis says that McIntyre should be concentrating on the consequences on his own actions. When McIntyre calls him a "corporate stooge," Aldis tells McIntyre that he knows who he is and where he came from, then says that the one shot that Cody got at McIntyre, he beat him. McIntyre gets in the ring and gets in Aldis' face, calling this "bullshit" before telling him to make this right or else. Jacob Fatu shows up and heads to the ring, saying that McIntyre would not even be champion if it were not for him. He says that he fixed the situation last week so McIntyre is no longer champion, and that McIntyre wants to blame everyone else when he screwed him. He asks McIntyre what he is going to do about it, and McIntyre says he is done with everyone and that he quits. McIntyre then exits the ring and leaves through the crowd.

Backstage, Solo Sikoa tells the rest of The MFT's (Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Talla Tonga, JC Mateo) that the planned work perfectly, and while The Wyatt Sicks (Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis) are not #1 contenders and they still have the lantern, they still have work to do. He tells Talla Tonga to take care of tonight's business, then entrusts the lantern to Tama Tonga. As The MFT's leave, Tama Tonga notices that Shinsuke Nakamura is behind him. Nakamura asks Tama when he will decide to be his own man, then Solo shows up and tells Nakamura to stay away from his family before he gets hurt.

Backstage, General Manager Nick Aldis and Jacob Fatu are surprised by Drew McIntyre's actions. When Jacob says that he was about to whup Drew McIntyre, Trick Williams shows up saying he is the only one doing the whupping around here. Jacob Fatu becomes absolutely furious with Trick and leaves when Aldis tells him to calm down, and when Trick does Aldis to do his job, Aldis does just that and puts Trick in a match with Jacob tonight.

The Wyatt Sicks (Uncle Howdy and Erick Rowan) beat The MFT's (Solo Sikoa and Talla Tonga) after Nikki Cross grabs the lantern on the outside following a ringside brawl with Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis and the rest of The MFTs (Tonga Loa, Tama Tonga, JC Mateo). After the match, Uncle Howdy reclaims the lantern, but Tama Tonga attacks him and takes it once again.

Backstage, Damian Priest and R-Truth are focused on becoming tag team champions when Los Garza (Angel and Berto) show up, saying they are #1 contenders because of their hard work. Damian Priest agrees before saying he and Truth wiped the floor with them anyway, and this leads to both teams having a match tonight.

The Spears Family are the recipients of the Cricket 3G Seat Upgrade.

We hear from Kiana James and Giulia. Giulia says that Tiffany Stratton is not deserving of the Women's United States Championship, and Kiana says she has zero issues shutting Tiffany up tonight.

Jade Cargill beats "Michin" Mia Yim after licking her on the forehead prior to the choke slam followed by Jaded. After the match, Cathy Kelley tries to interview Cargill, but Cargill takes the microphone and tells her to get out. She says that what happened to Michin is what happens to those who believe their own hypes, and says that when people see her in the hallway, they get real quiet. Everyone says she should be scared of one woman - Rhea Ripley - but she does not see a challenger or a threat and she has never been afraid of anything. She says she will beat Rhea's ass come WrestleMania and show why she is always on top. Rhea Ripley suddenly shows up and dares Jade Cargill to hit her, but Cargill gets out of the ring. Rhea says Cargill always runs her mouth, but wants to run out of a fight with her. She says that Cargill is not a symbol of women's empowerment, and at WrestleMania, Cargill is going to be her bitch.

Backstage, General Manager Nick Aldis meets with "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes. Aldis says that Drew McIntyre is just being Drew McIntyre, and asks him to focus on tonight's contract signing. Sami Zayn shows up and congratulates Cody, and says that he is rooting for him. Cody says he knows that he said the same thing to Randy Orton, and knows that Sami Zayn wants a title shot off of the back of everything. Sami says he congratulated Randy Orton because he is Randy Orton and that there will be nobody like Orton, and while he looks up to Orton, he does not look up to Cody because they are friends and equals. Cody says that he looked up to Sami, then says Sami does not have to look up to him and that he can look at the Undisputed WWE Championship instead before leaving. Sami gets angry with himself again, then Aleister Black and Zelina Vega show up. Aleister asks Sami if this is not meant for him, but Sami tells Aleister to stay far, far away from him.

Backstage, "Michin" Mia Yim and B-Fab are met by Rhea Ripley. Rhea compliments Michin on putting up a fight against Jade Cargill. Michin congratulates Rhea on the title match and says that if Cargill did not take out her shoulder, they would be having a completely different discussion.

The Bella Twins (Brie and Nikki Bella) show up before the next match. Nikki says that as much as they would like to wish Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss luck, Brie says they are here for gold and that they are next in line for the women's tag team titles. Nikki says that she and Brie will be watching the competition from ringside.

The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend) retain the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships against Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss by disqualification after Brie Bella attacks Nia Jax in response to Nia throwing Nikki into the path of a superkick on the outside and shoving Brie afterwards. After the match, all three teams go at it, but The Irresistible Forces stand tall in the end following an assisted leg drop out of the corner by Nia.

Backstage, Jelly Roll meets with Damian Priest and R-Truth briefly, then congratulates Randy Orton on making it to the WrestleMania main event. Orton tells Jelly Roll to whip Miz's ass if he starts talking too much during Miz TV.

Backstage, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss run into The Bella Twins (Brie and Nikki Bella). Alexa says she and Charlotte had their match won until they got involved, and Charlotte says The Bella Twins cost them the women's tag titles. Brie says they came back for the women's tag titles, and now, they are next in line.

Damian Priest and R-Truth beat Los Garza (Angel and Berto).

Backstage, Alex Shelley is with Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae. Shelley says that they need to get back to basics and get Johnny Gargano back to "Johnny Wrestling." Sabin shows up after Johnny and Candice leave and says that they have a match next week against Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom), and he wants Shelley to prove he is still focused on the team.

Backstage, Danhausen meets with The Miz, and wants his own version of Miz TV to the point that he replaces it. Miz wants nothing to do with this, and Danhausen curses him again. When The Miz is about to talk back to Danhausen, Danhausen has disappeared.

It's time for Miz TV. Tonight's guest is Jelly Roll. Jelly Roll heads to the ring, and Jelly Roll says he was not going to miss Randy Orton signing the contract for his WrestleMania match tonight. Miz says that Jelly Roll has everything, and just needs a mentor like him, and all Jelly Roll has to say is "yes." Jelly Roll says "no," saying that The Miz has a history of stabbing partners in the back. The Miz says that he is part of Jelly Roll's redemption story and that he is the reason Jelly Roll lost 250 pounds. Jelly Roll takes exception to The Miz taking credit for his own hard work and says that he will whip his ass, and when Miz demands respect, Jelly Roll calls him "a locker room loser." Kit Wilson shows up and tells Miz to stop wasting his time, saying the problem is not Miz mentoring Jelly Roll, but Jelly Roll himself, due to building a brand of bad behavior, face tattoos and criminal charges in addition to mocking him while he is having a serious conversation. He says that Jelly Roll is running away from who he truly is, which is "fatphobic." He says that Jelly Roll inspires nobody and upholds an impossible beauty standard, which makes him toxic. Kit Wilson shoves Jelly Roll, and Jelly Roll shoves him back. Jelly Roll then goes for a punch, but Kit Wilson dodges and Jelly Roll ends up punching out Miz instead.

Backstage, Ilja Dragunov and Apollo Crews laugh about Miz getting knocked out when Carmelo Hayes shows up. Apollo leaves, and Carmelo says that due to Dragunov's mother's passing, he may not be up to the United States Open Challenge. Dragunov says he is stuck between two extremes - extreme confident and ultimate self-doubt - and that this is the only way he knows how to live. Carmelo says he takes shots and makes shots, and if he did not take the shot, he would not be where he is today. Carmelo says Dragunov needs to lock in, as a lot of people are wanting to face him.

Backstage, Tiffany Stratton says she is beating Giulia and coming for the Women's United States Championship. As she does, Chelsea Green shows up, and Tiffany shoves her wheelchair out of shot before Alba Fyre runs after Chelsea.

Actress Vanessa Hudgens and UFC Hall of Famer Mark Kerr are seen in the crowd.

Backstage, Kit Wilson tells The Miz that if Jelly Roll wants a fight, he will get it. Danhausen then shows up with a jar of teeth after Kit Wilson leaves and says he could have defended Miz's honor. He says that there is only way to reverse the curse, then disappears.

Tiffany Stratton beats Kiana James. Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre show up during the match to watch from the bottom of the entrance ramp. During the match, Giulia saves Kiana from the Prettiest Moonsault Ever, but after Tiffany hits Kiana with a tope suicida, Chelsea tries to attack Tiffany with a foreign object only to be stopped by Giulia. Giulia then gets on the ring apron to grab at Tiffany, but Kiana ends up inadvertently booting Giulia off the apron and into both Chelsea and Alba after Tiffany dodges the big boot. Tiffany soon wins the match with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Trick Williams, who says that General Manager Nick Aldis needs to do his job and had no business making tonight's match with Jacob Fatu. He says that he will whip Jacob Fatu's ass for calling him out without his consent, then Sami Zayn shows up and says Trick has been talking a big game only to get dropped repeatedly because he keeps running his mouth and not backing it up. He says that Trick is embarrassed and he should be, and Trick says Sami should be lucky he has a match or else he would whip his ass right now. Sami says he is here every week and is easy to find, and that he will be seeing Trick around.

Trick Williams beats Jacob Fatu after Drew McIntyre shows up from out of the crowd and attacks Jacob Fatu on the outside. After the match, Drew McIntyre hits Jacob Fatu with a Claymore before giving a thumbs down.

Jelly Roll is seen in the crowd as General Manager Nick Aldis is in the ring for the contract signing for Randy Orton vs. "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania. Aldis welcomes Drew McIntyre back to SmackDown before putting him in a match with Jacob Fatu next week, then Randy Orton heads to the ring, followed by Cody Rhodes. Cody talks about his first impressions of Orton and how Orton was the only person that he had when he returned to WWE, then says that while he is not his son or his father, he is proud to be his boy. Cody then signs the contract. Orton is about to sign the contract when he stands up, picks up the microphone, and says that he needs WrestleMania, but he expected to face McIntyre, not Cody. Cody says that he will get the Legend Killer and the master of the RKO when the bell rings at WrestleMania, and that after the match is over, he will always love him. Orton then signs the contact, shakes Cody's hand, then slams him on the table and kicks him in the groin. Orton then tears at Cody's tie and shirt before hitting him with the ring steps. Nick Aldis confronts Orton only to be shoved to the floor before Orton goes back on the attack on a now busted-open Cody, and security steps in as well as Jelly Roll. Orton shoves Jelly Roll, then seemingly comes to his senses and leaves as Aldis calls for medical. Cody is now lying on the announce table with his head on the ring steps, and Orton suddenly returns from out of the crowd with a metal folding chair before smashing it on Cody's head. Orton then looks at the Undisputed WWE Championship while seated on the chair in the middle of the ring as the show fades to black.

Here are the highlights from tonight's show!

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!

Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for February 27, 2026

The show begins with "Main Event' Jey Uso being put in an ambulance , with Jacob Fatu joining him at the ambulance while demanding whoever did this be found out. Trick Williams shows up, saying "one down, four to go," and Je'Von Evans confronts him for this. As this goes on, Drew McIntyre shows up in the crowd and says he had nothing to do with what happened to Jey Uso. He says that he tells the truth all the time, yet he is guilty until proven innocent. He also mentions that he is outlawed on his own show and has to buy a luxury box to be on his own show, and says he should be able to do what he wants, when he wants, so he does. General Manager Nick Aldis shows up and tells Drew to head to his office, as there are twenty men who want to rip his head off. "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes shows up soon after, and says that he and Drew can fight right here, right now. Drew says that does not benefit him as the champion, then says he will leave because Aldis told him to. Cody Rhodes then tells Drew he has spent his entire championship reign running like a little bitch, then Randy Orton shows up. Orton says he will win in the Elimination Chamber, beat McIntyre and become a fifteen-time world champion, but as he speaks to Cody, Trick Williams shows up. Trick says he is the hottest thing in the business today, then Je'Von Evans shows up, smacks Trick in the back of the head, and says he will be the youngest world champion and beat Orton's record. LA Knight shows up and says he hears a lot of big talk and empty promises, and at the end of the day, there are 24 hours until Elimination Chamber, and everyone belongs to him. He also says that when it comes to him and McIntyre, the WWE Championship is also his. Trick Williams interrupts LA Knight only to get punched int he face, and the two of them brawl to the back. Orton then hits Je'Von with an RKO out of nowhere before leaving the ring.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Tiffany Stratton. Tiffany says that what happened to "Main Event" Jey Uso, but the women's locker room knows better than to mess with her right now. The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) show up, and Asuka says Tiffy Time is over and that nobody is ready for her. Tiffany says she is ready for Asuka in an attempt to get Asuka to put her money where her mouth is. Kairi Sane then grabs at Tiffany's dress, asks her if she is a jellyfish, then gets yelled at by Asuka and leaves.

Uncle Howdy beats Solo Sikoa with Sister Abigail as Solo goes for a third hip attack in the corner. After the match, Uncle Howdy takes back his lantern, but he is attacked from behind by the rest of The MFT's (Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Talla Tonga, JC Mateo), who take the lantern back again as they leave through the crowd. The Wyatt Sicks (Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis, Nikki Cross) arrive, but they are too late.

Backstage, General Manager Nick Aldis tells Drew McIntyre to stay home and stay out of trouble. Drew says the two of them need to be on the same page before leaving while The Vision ("The Oracle" Paul Heyman, Logan Paul, Austin Theory) arrives. Heyman says he wants to help Aldis by replacing Jey Uso in the Elimination Chamber match with Logan Paul. Logan says that he is the most important guy in WWE and that he is going to win, and Aldis finds it convenient that he sees Paul Heyman after the attack on "Main Event" Jey Uso, but Heyman says he is just trying to help Aldis out of a tough situation. Aldis finds this interesting, but mentions there is a lot of politicking involved and that he will have to make some calls.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley. Rhea says she has to take everything one step at a time, and tonight is about retaining the Women's Tag Team Championships. Iyo says they have no doubt that they will win and that Rhea will become WWE Women's Champion. Rhea says they are on the same page and have each other's back, but Jade Cargill shows up and says that nobody will have Iyo's back in the Elimination Chamber. She tells Rhea and Iyo not to hurt themselves before tomorrow night.

Backstage, Jacob Fatu meets with General Manager Nick Aldis, saying that Aldis has a Drew McIntyre and that he has a problem with Drew McIntyre, and wants in the Elimination Chamber match so he can win it, walk out to WrestleMania and beat Drew McIntyre. Aldis says he will take this under consideration as he makes some phone calls.

Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre guest on commentary for the next match. Jelly Roll is seen in the front row.

Before the next match, Asuka says she is smart and that she is resting before the Elimination Chamber, and that Tiffany Stratton will be facing Kairi Sane. Asuka says it is Kairi Time, not Tiffy Time.

Tiffany Stratton beats Kairi Sane after Tiffany Stratton shoves Kairi Sane off the top rope and into Alba Fyre before diving off the ring apron. Shortly after this, Kairi dives at Tiffany from the ring apron, but inadvertently takes out Chelsea Green as she argues with Tiffany Stratton, who avoids the dive so that Kairi wipes Chelsea out.

Backstage, General Manager Nick Aldis meets with The Vision ("The Oracle" Paul Heyman, Logan Paul, Austin Theory) in his office. He announces that Logan Paul will get his opportunity to compete in the Elimination Chamber, but only if he is victorious in a match against Jacob Fatu. Heyman takes exception to this, but Logan is confident he can win.

Oba Femi beats The Miz. During the match, The Miz tells Oba Femi they do not have to fight. Oba says Miz likes to talk, but Miz says nobody wants this match. He says that this is a misunderstanding, and wants to use this as a teachable moment. He says that he did not go after the locker room leaders when he started, then says that he wants to be the one to guide Oba. Oba has none of it, and tells Miz that he is dying tonight. Miz declares that he will use the opportunity to be the better man and walk away, but Oba grabs him. Miz strikes Oba, but all it does is make Oba angry and absolutely destroy him. The match ends with Oba blocking the Skull Crushing Finale before tossing Miz and hitting him with the Fall From Grace for the win.

Backstage, Carmelo Hayes sees Ilja Dragunov, who is still in his suit. Dragunov says that he does not deserve a shot at the United States Championship at this time and tells Carmelo to win tonight, but Carmelo tells Dragunov to give himself the pep talk, not him. He tells Dragunov to remind himself of who he is, and tells him that if he does not take this shot, somebody else will.

Carmelo Hayes' opponent for the United States Open Challenge is revealed to be Matt Cardona.

Carmelo Hayes retains the WWE United States Championship against Matt Cardona.

The SmackDown locker room is near the giant create, and R-Truth says everyone has to wait until tomorrow to see what is in it before telling everyone how to watch Elimination Chamber on the ESPN app. All of a sudden, Candice LeRae is seen pushing Johnny Gargano on a crate. As everyone laughs at Gargano, Kit Wilson shows up and calls everyone toxic for laughing. Everyone keeps laughing.

Jordynne Grace beats Candice LeRae after Candice is distracted by Johnny Gargano getting up from the announce table and leaving.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Raquel Rodriguez. Raquel saying being champion of both brands will prove that The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, JD McDonagh, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio, Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Roxanne Perez) rules WWE. As she says that she is focusing on doing what it takes to win tonight, Cargill shows up and says Raquel should focus on herself. She says that Stephanie Vaquer was not interested in Raquel, but at the same time, Vaquer set her up. Raquel says she will see Cargill soon, then leaves. Michin and B-Fab then show up and make it known that they want her title, as does everyone else. Cargill dares Michin to do something, but B-Fab stops Michin, telling her she will get her chance.

Backstage, Jacob Fatu is met by "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes, who hopes to see Jacob in the Elimination Chamber. Cody runs into Sami Zayn, and both men shake hands. Sami meets with Jacob and asks how "Main Event" Jey Uso is doing, but he is not convinced that Jacob did not attack Jey, as he leaves chaos in his wake trying to get to Drew McIntyre and that he was not there at first when Jey went down. Jacob tells Sami to be careful what he says next, and Sami tells Jacob that he wants to get his hands on Drew McIntyre, saying McIntyre screwed him. Jacob reminds Sami that he was the only one not to eat the Claymore, and that McIntyre wanted him in the Elimination Chamber. Sami apologizes, saying his head has not been on straight, then tells Jacob he deserves a second chance and tells him to win it for Jey. Jacob leaves, then Sami becomes angry with himself again.

Nia Jax and Lash Legend (now known as "The Irresistible Forces") beat Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky to win the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships after Rhea hits Nia with Riptide only for Lash to hit Rhea with the Lash Extension.

Backstage, Charlotte Flair is eating three pints of ice cream as Alexa Bliss joins her. Charlotte says that everything is fine as Alexa Bliss is going to Elimination Chamber, despite Nia Jax and Lash Legend becoming women's tag team champions. Kiana James and Giulia show up and says this is not fine while defending Giulia yelling at Alexa last week, saying she is just passionate. Jade Cargill shows up and wishes everyone luck.

Backstage, The MFT's (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Talla Tonga, JC Mateo)show up, wanting something done about The Wyatt Sicks (Uncle Howdy, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis, Nikki Cross) from General Manager Nick Aldis. Aldis says that The MFT's, not The Wyatt Sicks, are the problem in this care, then states that the WWE Tag Team Championships are not being defended enough for his liking and announces that new #1 contenders will be decided for the WWE Tag Team Championships next week.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend). Nia Jax wishes anyone who wants to take their titles away luck, and Lash Legend says this is the first of many titles before the two of them head to Elimination Chamber.

We see a video package of CM Punk in Chicago, Illinois before Elimination Chamber.

Backstage, Randy Orton is met by Aleister Black and Zelina Vega. Aleister wonders if the Black Mass woke up something inside Orton, as does Zelina Vega, and hopes that he utilizes it well. Orton says he does not know what goes in his head half the time, but he has a switch that he can flip at anytime and that Aleister should be careful what he wishes for. Orton then says he will see Aleister after Elimination Chamber and leaves. Aleister says he knows, because he and Zelina planned it that way.

Logan Paul beats Jacob Fatu in an Elimination Chamber qualifier. During the match, the mystery masked man shows up and attacks Theory, but Logan Paul lays him out and unmasks him to reveal a random man behind the mask. As the random man is taken to the back by security, Logan gets back in the ring and runs into a pop-up Samoan Drop by Jacob Fatu. Jacob goes to the top rope, but is smacked in the face with the WWE Championship by Drew McIntyre. That allows Logan Paul to get the pin and the win.

Here are the highlights from tonight's show!

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!