Smackdown Review – 06.19.26

By Niz on 20 June 2026

A shockingly loaded Smackdown comes to the USA/Netflix airwaves this Friday evening from The T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, MO. The announcing team for tonight’s show consists of Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett on match calls and analysis, Mark Nash on ring introductions, and Cathy Kelley on interviews and breaking news. Smackdown tries to pretend it’s Raw tonight, so let’s watch some wrestling!

Then, Now, Forever……TOGETHER

Tonight is the 1400th episode of Smackdown and some folks are arriving to work: A split screen of King of the Ring opponents as we see Raw talents Je’von Evans and MAIN EVENT Jey Uso arriving ahead of their big match-up. Up next in split screen are Raw talent and WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan arriving alone, while Smackdown’s only representative in the singles knockout phase, Charlotte Flair arrives alongside her best pal Alexa Bliss. Up next is GUNTHER, followed by Sami Zayn, and then of course it’s time for WWE Men’s Undisputed Champion Cody Raheem Rhodes to make his presence felt, as all three main components of the big title match are now in the building.

Barrett promises an outstanding episode of Smackdown tonight, and we take a look at the build that’s happened to get us to tonight’s Rhodes-GUNTHER rematch with Zayn as the Special Guest Referee. Back in the arena, “Worlds Apart” brings Zayn out in his referee gear.

WWE Men’s Undisputed Championship: Cody Rhodes (C) vs GUNTHER – Sami Zayn is the Special Guest Referee

Mark Nash does the in-ring introductions, and we’re off. GUNTHER bullies Rhodes to the ropes and then chops him down. GUNTHER works the wrist and Rhodes reverses, with Zayn preventing Rhodes from slugging GUNTHER by physically restraining him. GUNTHER eats a Rhodes kick and his dropdown face punch but GUNTHER fires off some chops in response. Rhodes fires up with some rights and again he’s physically restrained by Zayn before GUNTHER flies out with a high boot to send Rhodes down. GUNTHER drives in a knee and then clubbers Rhodes down for two. GUNTHER drops an elbow and then rakes the face before having a few words with Zayn. Rhodes hits a Cody Cutter out of nowhere and starts firing off some rights. Rhodes hits a snap powerslam and gets an irish whip reversed. GUNTHER charges in and pounds away at Rhodes lower leg with kicks. GUNTHER slaps on a Figure Four and Rhodes almost has it turned as GUNTHER is using the ropes to keep his leverage. Zayn catches him and breaks the hold, while Rhodes grabs a roll-up for two. GUNTHER kicks Rhodes down and bickers with Zayn before waffling Rhodes with a lariat that gets two.

GUNTHER continues to bicker with Zayn and Rhodes springs up to nail GUNTHER with the CrossRhodes. Zayn manages to see GUNTHER’s foot under the edge of the ropes and breaks the cover count at two. It’s Rhodes turn to bicker with Zayn and that ends with Zayn two-handing Rhodes back into a GUNTHER sleeper hold. Rhodes makes the ropes and GUNTHER won’t break until Zayn yanks him off by the face. GUNTHER pushes Zayn in the chest and then pie-faces him. Zayn responds with a slap, so GUNTHER yanks Zayn up for a powerbomb. Rhodes works the Flip Flop & Fly followed by a super Cody Cutter. Rhodes hits another CrossRhodes and another ref flies down to count two. Rhodes ascends and GUNTHER meets him halfway to start fighting it out. Rhodes misses a dive and eats a GUNTHER shotgun dropkick and powerbomb. A recovered Zayn drags out the new ref as he counts two. Rhodes wants a sunset flip and GUNTHER grabs the ropes, so Zayn kicks his hands off and fast-counts a cover.

Rhodes immediately knows what happened as Zayn barks at GUNTHER from the aisle. Here’s Smackdown GM Nick Aldis out in the aisle to argue with Zayn while GUNTHER approaches. They all go backstage and we go to commercials.

After commercials, Tessitore talks over some highlights and everyone is yelling in Gorilla. An irate Rhodes goes back to the ring for a microphone and he calls for the match to be restarted with a “good referee”. Backstage, GUNTHER kicks the crap out of Zayn in Gorilla and Aldis sends GUNTHER back out with the ref that came down when Zayn was previously powerbombed to the floor. The bell rings and we’re going again with Rhodes and GUNTHER slugging it out mid-ring. Rhodes misses a Cody Cutter but manages to slip behind GUNTHER for a sleeper hold. GUNTHER reverses, Rhodes reverses, and GUNTHER reverses again. Zayn flies in from out of nowhere with a Helluva Kick that destroys GUNTHER. The ref immediately calls for the bell. Zayn mashes the ref with a right hand and then turns and mashes Rhodes in the face with the championship belt. Zayn screams a naughty word and a “Sami Sucks!” chant breaks out. Zayn leaves in a rage and gets into it with a fan who calls him a “bitch” before looking back at the fallen Rhodes and GUNTHER.

I think you can see where this is going for Night of Champions but we went a long way to get here, didn’t we. Functionally, I thought the wrestling was pretty boring overall. GUNTHER works like a big lumbering oaf and Cody has his stuff that rarely varies, so it felt like we were kind of just going through the motions to get to the denouement with Zayn’s nonsense. I get the storyline aspects here and if you watch this show regularly, you’ve seen week after week of things degrading between Zayn and Rhodes, so none of this should be too surprising in terms of what happened here. It’s a another Cody Special if you need a match rating. 3*

No Winner – Match thrown out when Sami Zayn attacked GUNTHER after a restart

Tessitore and Barrett move on to talking about last week‘s Queen of the Ring four-way that saw Charlotte Flair emerge victorious after Alexa Bliss and Tiffany Stratton took out Cargill’s hench-women. Cargill and Stratton had a confrontation after a subsequent tag match that saw Cargill leave Stratton laying with Jaded. Backstage, here’s Cathy Kelley with Jade Cargill, B-Fab, and Michin and Cargill’s mentions that she runs THIS DIVISION and will be making some time for Stratton. B-Fab and Michin chime in, and Cargill then tells Stratton she’s taking her title….easily. Tessitore runs down tonight’s card and we go to commercials.

Here’s more Rhodes-GUNTHER highlights when the show returns. GUNTHER accosts Nick Aldis and says it’s Aldis’s fault that he’s not champion. GUNTHER insists on another title match and stalks away from Aldis.

Here’s some highlights from last week’s King of the Ring four-way that saw Jey Uso emerge victorious. Here’s Solo Sikoa backstage being confronted by Jacob Fatu. Fatu says he’s not there to bring Sikoa home, he’s there under orders from Roman Reigns to make sure no one interferes in Jey’s match tonight. Fatu says Sikoa is making a very wrong decision in defying Reigns’s “come home” order and says Sikoa is running out of time. Fatu tells Sikoa to take those words how he wants to, and the responsibility lies with Sikoa to make the right choice. Fatu leaves as Tama Tonga questions Sikoa about the interaction. Sikoa brushes it off and tells Tama and Talla Tonga that tonight is their night to take the tag titles. Tama tells Solo to stay behind because his family business is starting to mess with the MFT’s family business. Tama says there’s no telling who will follow Sikoa if he comes out, and Talla says the Bloodline aren’t their problem, the tag titles are. They leave and Sikoa ponders things.

Here’s WWE Men’s Tag Team Champions Damian Priest and R-Truth making their entrance as we go to commercials.

Here’s another Blake Monroe diary vignette. This one concerns Giulia who tangled with Monroe once in Japan, and Monroe wants another taste. She’s still COMING SOON TO SMACKDOWN.

WWE Men’s Tag Team Championship: Damian Priest and R-Truth (C) vs The MFT’s (Talla and Tama Tonga)

It’s Priest and Talla to start. Priest invites Talla to suck it and then pounds him with rights. Priest hits a couple of running forearms before Talla trucks him down in response. We see AAA World Tag Team Champions The War Raiders watching this match in an inset. The MFT’s get the advantage and bully Priest around in their corner. Tama tags in and pounds away on Priest. Priest fires up with a flying elbow and pounds away with rights before tagging in Truth. Truth splashes Tama and hits his flying shoulder tackle. Tama cannot see Truth and it’s time for the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Talla wants to come in and Truth puts some stink on a right hand that sends Talla to the floor. Tama comes in from behind to drive Truth to the floor where he eats a huge boot from Talla as Tama has the ref distracted. Talla catches a flying Priest and slams him on the apron as we go to commercials.

Tama smashes Priest off the apron as the show returns before being kicked down by Truth. We reset with both guys down and Truth makes a tag. Priest smashes Tama down and then drives Talla off the apron. Priest hits a running back elbow and covers Tama for two. Talla stalks in and goozles Priest, but Priest fights back with a bunch of rights and a clothesline that sends Talla to the floor. Priest wanders into a Tama snap neckbreaker. Here’s Solo Sikoa out from the back to have words with Talla and he pushes Talla out of the way as Priest flies in. Priest sends Talla into the ring post and as he’s celebrating that, Tama grabs him by the hair. Truth, who is still legal, comes in and rolls up Tama from behind for three.

I legit have no idea why anyone would want these MFT goobers in the Bloodline because MY GOD they’re like the Three Stooges some nights. Sikoa cannot get out of his own way lately and causes havoc every time he shows up, and the Tongas are what they are. I know this is mostly just content while slow-playing whatever this thing will be with Sikoa and Reigns eventually, but it’s not making Sikoa look like anything more than a buffoon right now, and he’s better than that. Priest and Truth’s novelty act continues on I guess we’re going to the War Raiders next. At least they can toss people around. 2.5*

Winners AND STILL WWE Men’s Tag Team Champions – Damian Priest and R-Truth (Truth rolls up Tama)

Post-match sees a distraught Sikoa being confronted by the Tongas, who’ve apparently decided they’ve had enough. They leave alone as Sikoa stares up the aisle.

Here’s Sami Zayn chatting with Sad John Wrestling and a perplexed Candice LeRae. Zayn says he feels like he’s losing it and is still a good guy. Nick Aldis charges in to berate Zayn further, and Zayn says he was calling it down the middle until being powerbombed by GUNTHER. Zayn says Aldis got what he wants because GOLDEN BOY is still champion. Zayn says he didn’t want any of this but we’re here now and he’s not going away that easy. We go to commercials.

Jey Uso is fired up and promises to go to Summerslam, but here’s Je’von Evans in to say he’s a fan and “good luck, Unc”. Uso does NOT like that particular word and promises to SON Evans later.

WWE Men’s US Championship Number One Contenders Match: Carmelo Hayes vs Ricky Saints

These two stand at one win apiece so far, and the winner here gets a shot at Trick Williams at Night of Champions. Hayes starts with some rights and a springboard clothesline. Hayes wanders into a Saints right hand and then he does his shitty rope walk, but this time Hayes yanks him down into an atomic drop. Hayes pulls Saints down and he bails. Hayes hits a somersault plancha and ascends. Saints slips out of the way and drives a forearm into Hayes before bulldogging him down. Saints fires off some rights and then kicks him in the gut. Saints chops Hayes down and then gets dumped to the apron. Hayes hits a springboard DDT on the apron and we go to commercials.

Saints is in control when the show returns. Saints slaps on a rear chinlock before dropping Hayes with a belly-to-back suplex. Saints puts the boots to Hayes and Hayes fires up with some hops. Saints wants another bulldog but Hayes drops him with a Saito suplex. Hayes gets the boots up when Saints charges and then hits a springboard DDT for two. Hayes slugs Saints a bunch and Saints fires off a kick in response. Saints grabs a jackknife for two and then gets pulled into a Hayes small package that gets two. Saints hits a flapjack and covers Hayes for two. Saints walks into a Hayes superkick and then both guys lariat each other at the same time. We reset with both guys down. Hayes snaps off Dirty Diana and a twisting cutter but only gets two. Hayes pulls Saints to a corner and ascends but he misses his jump and eventually gets an O’Connor Roll on Saints for two while accidentally pulling off a turnbuckle pad. Saints reverses for two and then bickers with the ref. Saints mounts a charging Hayes on the exposed turnbuckle but Hayes drives him down. Saints crashes into the ropes and Hayes is crotched on the turnbuckle. Hayes somehow manages to pull off a First 48, but Saints drives Hayes into the exposed turnbuckle and his head hits the steel. Saints rolls up Hayes and that finishes things.

This was long and fairly heatless other than a tame “Let’s go Melo” chant mid-match. They didn’t have as much chemistry tonight as they’ve had in the past or something happened with agenting because there were some awkward sequences here. Saints remains wildly average to me, and Hayes is just trapped in this endless mid-card match cycle where it was Dragunov and Zayn for awhile and now it’s Saints. I’d almost suggest a move to Raw for him but we’ll see how all of it shakes out. 2.5*

Winner – Ricky Saints (roll up)

The match graphic for Saints-Trick pops up in the post-match and that will happen at Night of Champions.

Here’s Nick Aldis apologizing to a backwards-hatted Cody Rhodes. Rhodes says he’s tired of catering to these people and he wants both Zayn and GUNTHER in a triple threat at Night of Champions. Aldis says that’s fine and makes the match. Remember that Rhodes asked for this when we reconvene here after NOC happens, troop.

Here’s Cathy Kelley with Charlotte Flair who says that winning Queen of the Ring would mean a lot because it’s been a few years since she’s won a world title and she wants number 15. Flair promises to show Liv Morgan why she’s the Queen then, now, and forever.

Here’s some highlights of the New York Knicks championship parade as a front for Tessitore plugging their collection on wweshop.com. Here’s some highlights of Danhausen appearing on Stephen A. Smith, and Jalen Brunson talking about Danhausen on The Tonight Show. Back in the lab, Danhausen has The Miz and Kit Wilson wired up and responding with catchphrases. Here’s Los Garza in to scream at Danhausen over the Spurs losing to the Knicks and them subsequently losing a bunch of money to bets on the Spurs. Danhausen almost curses Los Garza but he’s stopped by Matt Cardona who orders the Garzas to let Danhausen go. Cardona wonders if Miz and Wilson are actually okay, and gets slightly electrocuted when he touches them. Danhausen seems happy about that development as Cardona leaves.

Here’s Finn Balor congratulating a buoyant R-Truth on retaining his tag team title. Truth says he’s excited about beating “The Wild Samoans” tonight and says that he and Balor are Judgement Day FOR LIFE. Damian Priest wanders in and seems unimpressed by the scene before telling Truth that whatever celebration he has planned won’t be with people he doesn’t trust while pointedly glaring at Balor.

It’s time to YEET, and here’s Jey Uso making his entrance through the crowd as we go to commercials.

Tessitore lets the audience know that the first hour of Night of Champions can be seen on ESPN before the show moves exclusively to the platform. Here’s more Rhodes-GUNTHER-Zayn highlights because we haven’t seen them enough by now.

Men’s King of the Ring Semi-Final: Jey Uso vs Je’von Evans

There’s some verbals at the outset and Evans grabs a roll up for two after some rope-running. Evans claps derisively at Uso who two hands him. Evans snaps off a dropkick and Uso bails to the floor. Evans hits another dropkick and Uso goes back to the floor. Evans hits a tope con hilo and we go to commercials.

Evans flips out of the way and smashes Uso with a kick when the show returns. Evans hits a vertical suplex and fires up the crowd before chopping away at Uso. Uso fires off a lofted Samoan Drop that really hurts Evans already-aching ribs. Uso pulls off Evans t-shirt to discover that Evans ribs are taped up. Uso stalks Evans and drives a boot into his rib area. They slug it out in a corner and Evans fires up before Uso drops him with a right hook. Uso hits a backbreaker and then bullies Evans along the ropes. Uso lines up Evans and runs into an elbow. Evans ascends and Uso pushes him all the way from the top turnbuckle to the floor and into the barricade. We go to more commercials.

Uso ascends as the show returns. Evans springs up and they slug it out before Evans gets sent back down. Evans flies up again and hits an enormous Spanish Fly that gets two. They slug it out mid-ring and Uso snaps off an enziguri before getting mashed by an Evans flying knee. We reset again and Uso fires up with a superkick and a spear that gets two. Evans rises with a superkick to a charging Uso and then mashes Uso with the Red Dot. Uso springs up and crotches Evans during an OG Cutter attempt, and then crushes Evans with a spear. Uso ascends for the Uso Splash and that finishes things.

There’s been a bunch of “older talent beats young up-and-coming talent” lately and I’m not sure how I feel about it. I thought this match was really good and was easily Jey’s best effort in a while but Evans is wildly developed for such a young person that it makes sense. Uso moves on to face Oba Femi and it feels like that match will have some shenanigans around it, but we’ll see. Raw gets both Men’s finalists for King of the Ring since no one from Smackdown could advance, and that grumps me out a bit. Anyway, match of the night so far. 3.5*

Winner – Jey Uso (Uso Splash)

Post-match sees Uso pull up Evans for a handshake and show of respect. Jacob Fatu was watching backstage, and here’s Solo Sikoa in to say that he’s got things figured out and has a message for Roman Reigns. The message is that if Reigns keeps sending people to his show to mess with him, Sikoa might just show up to Raw and start messing with Regins and his family. Fatu looks on impassively as Sikoa retreats.

Here’s a promo from Giulia. She says she wants Kiana James in London next week and they will find out which one is better without the other.

Here’s Cathy Kelley with WWE Women’s US Champion Tiffany Stratton who tells Kelley that Jade Cargill is desperate, and she’ll gladly meet her at Night of Champions. Chelsea Green charges in and Stratton mentions that Green has called her names for a year before this attempt to befriend her. Stratton says she doesn’t need Green’s help and she can do it on her own. We go to commercials.

The NXT Spotlight is on Alexa Bliss and her rise through that brand and subsequent graduation to the main roster. Tessitore mentions the Great American Bash which happens next Sunday evening on the CW – I’ll have that review for you all!

Here’s a promo from Liv Morgan regarding tonight’s Queen of the Ring semi-final where she promises to become the first champion-Queen of the Ring.

Here’s WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Brie Bella and Paige who talk about their upcoming match with Bayley and Lyra Valkyria, and say they’re up for the challenge. Bella promises that Bayley and Valkyria will go home empty-handed when they fight on Raw.

Here’s Fatal Influence yelling about losing their match last week with Bella and Paige, and they want another match if Bella and Paige win on Monday. Jacy Jayne wants a match with Paige next week for the London Smackdown so she can embarrass her in front of her family. (Jacy once beat Lola Vice in NXT in a match where Vice had her entire family ring-side, so there’s some actual history/continuity here that I love.)

Here’s Jey Uso dapping up Cody Rhodes backstage and telling him he’ll see him at Summerslam. Rhodes says he’s easy to find before leaving, and here’s Uso running into Sammy Zayn. Zayn says Uso is going to win King of the Ring, but he’s going to be facing Zayn as champion at Summerslam. Uso says if that’s the case, he’ll do what he has to do. Zayn tells him to say hi to the family for him, and Uso leaves.

Tessitore says runs down the current Night of Champions card and it looks to be a solid show.

Here’s Charlotte Flair being confronted by Jade Cargill and the sound for this segment is terrible. Flair and Cargill bicker and Flair tells Cargill can maybe be Queen of the Ring next year but for now, get moving. Of course Cargill and the crew assault Flair’s knee, and leave her laying as we go to commercials.

Highlights of the Cargill attack are replayed when the show returns, and back live sees a downed Flair telling Nick Aldis that she can go as Liv Morgan wanders by cackling at Flair’s predicament.

Women’s Queen of the Ring Semi-Final: WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan vs Charlotte Flair

Flair is Smackdown’s last hope of a finalist, I’ll point out. Flair limps out and down to the ring, and Morgan immediately clips her knee prior to the bell sounding. Medical flies out with Nick Aldis and Flair begs Aldis to not stop things while Aldis points out that she’s hurt and needs to consider her future. Flair wants to fight and the bell sounds, so here we go.

Morgan pushes Flair to the floor and slams her hurt leg into the LED board at ringside. Morgan runs Flair leg-first into the ring steps and we go to commercials.

Morgan eats a Flair elbow and then gets dumped to the apron for a Flair forearm. Morgan drags Flair down and smashes her hurt knee on the ring post before clubbering away. Morgan dropkicks Flair’s knee and covers her for two. Morgan hits an overhead suplex that drops Flair’s leg over the ropes. Morgan has another suplex attempt reversed and Flair fires up along the ropes. Flair hits a charging Morgan with a big boot and ascends for a cross-body that gets two. They slug it out and Morgan kicks out at Flair’s knee. Flair fires off some chops but when Morgan reverses an irish whip Flair just collapses instead of making the buckles. Flair hits a high boot and covers Morgan for two. Flair can’t lift Morgan and gets kicked in the knee. Morgan wants a springboard but runs into a Flair high boot that gets two. Flair ascends again but can’t get up for the moonsault, and Morgan flies in to powerbomb Flair for two as we go to commercials.

Morgan gets a two count when the show returns and then starts kicking Flair in the knee. Morgan ascends but her frog splash meets Flair’s knees. Flair covers for two and wants the Figure Four but Morgan kicks her off and hits a Backstabber for two. Flair puts the stink-mouth on Morgan and drops her face-first on a top turnbuckle. Morgan clips Flair’s knee again and then mounts her in the Tree of Woe. Morgan kicks at the damaged knee before ascending and pounding on the knee. Flair dumps Morgan down and hits her with a big boot. Flair hits a second rope Natural Selection and covers Morgan for two. Morgan grabs a crucifix for two and Flair springs up for the Figure Four. Morgan tries to fight her way out and Flair gets the bridge, but she can’t hold it and Morgan reverses. Morgan makes the ropes when Flair reverses and we reset. Morgan clips the knee again and then cinches in a single-leg crab. Flair inches towards the ropes and Morgan drags her back to the middle. Flair makes the ropes finally and rolls to the floor. Morgan wants to go out but here’s medical and Aldis over to once again insist that Flair give this up. Morgan comes in and drags Flair up to the apron. Flair drops her throat-first over the ropes and climbs in, but Morgan catches her with Oblivion and covers Flair for two. Morgan puts the half-crab back on and Flair taps.

So Raw just has all the finalists for these tournaments. That’s neat. Anyway, this was solid but lacked some heat. Charlotte Flair’s transformation to plucky underdog babyface is really something, team. She’s making it work, and obviously this won’t hurt her and moves Flair into the Stratton-Cargill situation which should be a decent use of her time if the tag thing with Alexa Bliss isn’t going to continue. I don’t get where they’re going with Morgan since she never defends her title, but perhaps she loses to Sky in the finals and that gives Sky the impetus to challenge Morgan for SummerSlam. I guess we’ll see but you know, you have to watch stupid Raw to actually see how it plays out. 3.25*

Winner – Liv Morgan (single-leg crab submission)

Credits roll as Morgan celebrates while medical and Alexa Bliss charge in to check on Flair.

They loaded up this show and it mostly delivered, but not really at what I’d call an epic scale. The Cody-GUNTHER-Zayn thing was just a whole-ass story within a match (and a second portion of the same match) and felt like everyone was really trying very hard to get over the animosity between everyone. The tag title match was just there, nothing special, really. I thought Uso-Evans was solid and the match of the night, and at least they went for it storyline-wise with Flair and Morgan and all of the moving parts there. So, for a big show, this was a mixed bag. We’ll go to London next week and see how that goes, and then it’s NOC the next day. Big weekend coming up next week so hold on to your butts.

Thanks for reading and commenting. Enjoy your Saturday.