Smackdown Review – 08.14.26

By Niz on 15 August 2026

Smackdown returns with three big title matches tonight and comes to the USA/Netflix airwaves from the TD Garden in Boston, MA. The announcers for tonight’s broadcast include Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett on match calls and analysis, Mark Nash on ring introductions, and Cathy Kelley on interviews and news segments. Let’s watch some wrestling!

Then, Now, Forever…..TOGETHER

Who’s at work tonight? Here’s WWE Men’s Undisputed Champion CM Punk and shortly after him, Punk’s new best pal Kevin Owens arrives in a very nice Stone Cold Steve Austin shirt. Here’s a split-screen arrival of WWE Men’s US Champion Baron Corbin and his challenger on this evening’s card, hometown favorite Carmelo Hayes. Here’s another split screen featuring WWE Women’s US Champion Tiffany Stratton on the left, and on the right, Fatal Influence lead by Stratton’s challenger Jacy Jayne, who’s flanked by her pals WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid.

Mark Nash introduces Smackdown GM Nick Aldis and he gives the news that WWE Women’s Champion Chelsea Green suffered a broken orbital bone during the tag match on last week‘s show, and brings her out. Green has a prominent shiner and it was mentioned by commentary that the injury was in fact caused by Jacy Jayne’s Rolling Encore. Aldis says he’s talked to medical and he can’t in good conscience let Green compete with a broken eye socket. A tearful Green begs Aldis to not say what she thinks he’s going to say, but Aldis insists on Green relinquishing her title. The crowd yells “NO!” a bunch and says she knew all of this was too good to be true because every time something good happens to her it’s seemingly always followed by something devastating. Green mentions she’s never been the QB1 type and tells Aldis he knows how much she’s sacrificed to be here. Green says she’s put her face in birthday cakes and pies, and had the entire world laugh in her face, but every time she got into bed she told herself that this moment would come where Green had finally made it. Green tells Aldis he should understand that mindset after his experience at Summerslam. Green says the whole world applauded Aldis and then her. Green says until someone takes the belt off of her, the belt is hers. Green shoves the title at Aldis and leaves. Aldis lets her get halfway up the aisle and yells “WAIT. As Nick Aldis the GM, I think I’m doing the right thing. As Nick Aldis THE MAN, I don’t give a damn what medical says.” Green strides back to the ring and Aldis says he’ll give her 30 days to get cleared, work with a mask, whatever it takes. Aldis gives Green the belt back and she holds it up to a huge pop.

Here’s GUNTHER out to ruin everyone’s evening. GUNTHER doesn’t want to hear Green’s sob story and wants to talk about more important things and says Aldis answers to him now. Aldis says they can discuss it like men back in his office and says he’s dealing with a more important issue with the Women’s championship. GUNTHER dismisses Green’s accomplishment at Summerslam while mentioning he wrestled twice during those shows. GUNTHER asks why Kevin Owens was added to his match and Aldis says GUNTHER was actually added to Kevin’s match, and Aldis is “sorry” that GUNTHER couldn’t get the job done. GUNTHER tells Green to shut up after she tells Aldis how good his sick burn was, and Green tells GUNTHER that she only sees one champion in the ring and it’s her. GUNTHER walks towards Green and here’s Matt Cardona flying in to eyeball GUNTHER. GUNTHER: “Look at that, all the way from Catering to the center of the ring.” (I hate when this big goof gets off a good line but GODDAMN that was a zinger right there.) GUNTHER questions what Cardona could do about it if GUNTHER called Green every slur in the world. Green is begging Cardona to calm down and tells him they don’t need this, and they go to leave. GUNTHER says “Look at that, the dog is listening to his owner.” Of course that brings fists from Cardona and GUNTHER ends up on the floor. We go to commercials.

I’m not the biggest fan of off-screen couples relationships being used in angles, and I really don’t care about GUNTHER needling Matt Cardona, but at least there were a couple of funny lines in here. GUNTHER is going to straight murder Cardona after the commercial break, I’m sure.

GUNTHER vs Matt Cardona

As predicted, Aldis made this official during the break and we’re joined in progress. Green has remained at ringside to second Cardona. GUNTHER chops Cardona down and Cardona fires up with some clubbering rights. Cardona charges and gets chopped down again but Cardona slips a forearm and starts firing off some of his own. They go to the floor and GUNTHER drops Cardona back-first over the timekeeper area barricade. GUNTHER powerbombs Cardona on the announce desk, which doesn’t break, and then onto the ring apron. Green puts the bad-mouth on GUNTHER who re-enters to a chorus of boos. Green screams at Cardona to get up, so he goes in and gets immediately crushed by a GUNTHER lariat. GUNTHER and Green bark at each other, so GUNTHER wastes Cardona with a Saito suplex in response. There’s more verbals and Green jumps on the apron in anger. The ref intervenes and turns his attention to Green which allows Cardona to blast GUNTHER in the nuts with a kick. Cardona nails GUNTHER with the Ruff Ryder and covers for the longest of twos. Cardona tries it again but GUNTHER catches him and crushes Cardona with back-to-back powerbombs before finishing things with a Boston Crab.

Yeah, I’m okay with this overall. Again, I don’t give a rats ass about real-life relationships being used as storyline but if you’re going to do it, this is about as good as you can do I suppose. GUNTHER is a perfect bully antagonist in situations like this but he’s in limbo right now assuming he doesn’t try to jam himself into the Punk-Owens thing next week in Toronto.. I guess we’ll see. 2*

Winner – GUNTHER (Boston Crab submission)

Post-match sees Cardona being attended to by referees and here’s Nia Jax and Lash Legend out as Jax calls Green pathetic for being injured. Jax says Green wants to be a fighting champion so let’s not waste any time. Jax wants Green’s title, and her and Legend enter. Jax says she has a history of breaking faces….and here’s Tiffany Stratton down as the fisticuffs begin. Green watches Jax and Legend destroy Stratton helplessly, and the refs leave Cardona to protect a destroyed Stratton.

Tessitore and Barrett talk up the arrival of our good friend Tatum Paxleyat the end of the Charlotte Flair-Jade Cargill match during last week’s main event. Here’s Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss backstage and Flair hugs Bliss tight while telling her she missed Bliss something fierce. Flair says the Paxley thing was a one-time thing, and Bliss says Flair MUST be nice about the surprise Paxley has for them. Bliss opens a door and here’s Tatum Paxley in a room lit up by candles with pictures of Flair and Bliss decorating the walls. Paxley says it’s their new locker room and Bliss says the room takes her back while Flair says “A collage…..of me.” The door shuts behind the three of them. We go to a break.

Here’s a look at the ongoing Cody Rhodes-Randy Orton feud. There was a lot of chatter between the two last week. Here’s Cody Raheem Rhodes charging up to Nick Aldis and demanding to know when he’ll be facing Orton. Aldis suggests Sunday Night’s Main Event in Atlanta, and Rhodes says it’s all good no matter where it is. Here’s Sami Zayn sneaking in to start yelling about Aldis always giving Rhodes what he wants while Zayn gets moved into number one contenders matches that suddenly have three opponents instead of one. Rhodes says he doesn’t owe anyone anything and if Zayn wants to do something about it they can do it. Zayn says the last time they were in the ring together he did something that a lot of others were unable to and that was pin Rhodes for the title. Rhodes wants Zayn tonight but Zayn says of course he gets challenged on a night when he can’t go because of his broken hand. Aldis offers up that if Zayn beats Rhodes he will get the winner of Punk-Owens for the title but Zayn again mentions his hand. Aldis tells Zayn to let him know his decision and leaves.

Carmelo Hayes makes his entrance as we go to a break.

WWE Men’s US Championship: Baron Corbin (C) vs Carmelo Hayes

Corbin again does the motorcycle entrance and still has Trick Williams fluffy white belt. Hayes wallops Corbin with a tope con hilo and blasts him with some rights and lefts. Corbin escapes to the ring and Hayes follows as the bell sounds. Hayes continues assaulting Corbin who misses a charge to eat some Hayes chops. Hayes drops a bunch of right hands but Corbin tosses him away. Hayes hits a springboard clothesline and gets two. Hayes nails Corbin with a forearm and goes to the apron. Hayes ascends and Corbin goozles him off the jump. Hayes escapes and dumps Corbin when he charges. Hayes hits a springboard reverse legdrop and then follows with a First 48 attempt. Corbin prevents that with a powerbomb and a big boot that sends Hayes out. Corbin runs Hayes into the barricade and then a ring post. Corbin tosses Hayes into the timekeeper’s area and re-enters the ring as we go to commercials.

Corbin has been whomping on Hayes through the break says Tessitore, and he looms over Hayes when the show returns. Hayes fires up and Corbin shakes it off with a huge lariat. Corbin yanks Hayes over his shoulder and Hayes slips off to nail Corbin with some kicks and a springboard back elbow. Hayes ascends and crushes Corbin with a frog splash that gets two. Corbin slips another First 48 attempt and crushes Hayes with a big boot. Hayes gets yanked up but he slips over for a sunset flip that gets two. Hayes fires off a knee strike but runs into a Corbin Deep Six that gets two. Corbin misses End of Days and gets pulled into back-to-back First 48’s. Hayes ascends but Corbin rises and sends Hayes to the floor from the top turnbuckle. Corbin runs him back in and yanks Hayes into End of Days which immediately finishes things.

I’m not blind to how people perceive Corbin but this is two solid defenses in a row for the big lug, and I’m enjoying it. He’s such a difficult guy to deal with from an in-ring perspective being tall and kind of wiry while also being a solid power dude. I thought Hayes was fairly crisp here but all the springboard stuff gets a little repetitive to me. Anyway, no major issues with this as a television defense and Corbin hasn’t uttered the words “open challenge” ever. 2.75*

Here’s Trick Williams out post-match. As Corbin barks at Trick, Lil Yachty sneaks in with a kendo stick shot to Corbin’s back. Corbin no-sells it and then steals the kendo stick as Yachty bails. Trick flies in and crushes Corbin with the Trick Shot before heaving his vest at a downed Corbin. Trick and Yachty make fun of Corbin.

Here’s a hurting Tiffany Stratton being thanked by Chelsea Green, and Stratton tells Green she’s okay for her match. We go to commercials.

Here’s Tessitore telling us that during commercials Cody Rhodes vs Sami Zayn became official for the main event of tonight’s show. I sense we won’t get a clean finish in that match.

Here’s Kevin Owens out to a fairly sizeable pop. “Cult of Personality” then brings out WWE Men’s Undisputed Champion CM Punk. Owens sits impassively on a turnbuckle while Punk makes his entrance. Punk says Owens is probably a lot of things but being a coward isn’t one of them. Punk is happy to be alive in Boston Massachusetts and tells Owens to get on with it. Owens reminds Punk called Owens a fat slob last week and Punk says he’d say it right to Owens face. Owens tells Punk their story begins 20 years ago and says he and Phil wrestled for the same promotion 20 years ago. Owens says Punk chose to berate, insult, and scream at him in front of a locker room full of peers. Owens says that’s not the only reason, because the person that Punk has been for the last 20 years is not who people think he is. Punk dares Owens to say his friends names that hate Punk (I guess we’re really playing deep cuts here because this is clearly about the Young Bucks who have been friends with Owens forever. Inside INSIDE baseball, friends.) Punk says being hated by losers is the price he pays for not being one of them. Owens says he sees it in the locker room that people look up to him for making amends, but there’s one guy left who hates Punk and it’s Owens. Owens tells Punk to look at him and calls him a performative phony. Owens says Punk had no choice because he messed up everywhere else he went, and Owens has no respect for Punk. Owens says Punk’s breath is rough, and he backs off while saying he’s had a pretty solid career in WWE while Punk was away. Owens also puts over main-eventing Wrestlemania against Stone Cold while pointing out that Punk can never do that. Punk says he’s happy for Owens but points out that Owens wouldn’t have had those opportunities had he been there. Owens says that Punk would have called him a “fat indie slob” and wants him to just do it now so they can dispense with the niceties. Punk asks Owens is that what he thinks of himself, and then says he’s the undisputed champion of World Wrestling Entertainment. Punk says he’s called out Oba Femi and gets endometriosis instead. (DAMN.) Punk says Owens is a tough guy and he’d be foolish to take Owens lightly. Punk puts over Owens being able to speak two languages fluently while Punk can barely speak one, but chides Owens for not putting in the work to get better every day. Punk says he sees wasted potential because while Owens is tough, he’s also a bum. Punk says he’s evolved and wants to be 1% better than the day before every day, while Owens didn’t put enough work in to avoid a Bill Goldberg spear that ended his last reign. Owens laughs about Punk saying that Owens wants to be more like him, while Owens sees Punk as a guy who hates what he sees when he looks in the mirror. Owens says he’s the same indie loser that Punk screamed at 20 years ago will be standing across from Punk in Toronto. Owens says Punk couldn’t avoid Roman Reigns spear at Wrestlemania. Punk says he’s sees Owens is stubborn, loud, and always thinking he’s the smartest guy in the room, but to Punk he’s the same guy from 20 years ago. Owens says he’s regretted not punching Punk in that locker room for 20 years, and Punk tells him to do it now. Owens says Punk would have ruined his career if he’d punched him 20 years ago and won’t do it now because he can do it next week and beat Punk’s bitch-ass for the title while doing it. Punk says Owens was a greenhorn who thought he could disrespect Punk but in Toronto he’s going to put Owens fat ass to sleep. They go off-mic to continue chatting before Punk leaves.

This kind of meandered and went on a bit long for me. There was a lot of inside baseball here but I know a certain segment always gets ramped up about “ooh, he was talking about AEW!” type stuff so I guess we’re going there now. Owens strikes me as a guy who would absolutely go bonkers on Punk if THE CHAINS WERE OFF but Smackdown is not the place for that, sadly. I am looking forward to seeing them fight next week but these kinds of promos don’t help that feeling along. I did appreciate Owens at least mentioning taking the title as part of his Punk humiliation plan, though.

Here’s Finn Balor in Nick Aldis’s office to say that some heads up would have been nice about Summerslam. Here’s GUNTHER in to bitch at Aldis about making him wrestle in street clothes, while Aldis points out that GUNTHER is interrupting his conversation with Balor. GUNTHER mocks Balor and Balor calls GUNTHER a “condescending prick”. Balor says he was going to tell Aldis he’d do anything to get back in the title mix and if it means showing GUNTHER who the real Finn Balor is, all the better.

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

WWE Men’s Tag Team Championship Triple Threat: Damian Priest and R-Truth (C) vs AAA World Tag Team Champions The War Raiders (Erik and Ivar) vs The MFT’s (Talla and Tama Tonga)

Haku is with the MFT’s. It’s Truth, Erik, and Tama to start. Talla tags in, as does Ivar, and then Priest. A hockey fight breaks out and the MFT’s square off with the Raiders. They go to the floor and Truth assists Priest with a rope-walk cross-body. We go to commercials.

Truth is crawling to make a tag before dumping Tama to the floor. Priest tags in and he blasts Erik with some rights before driving him down with a forearm. Priest mashes the Raiders around before dropping Ivar with a uranage. Truth tags in and he and Priest want to superplex Ivar, but Talla intervenes to send the champs to the mat. Talla gets hit with a very awkward Ivar cannonball and Tama changes in to get whaled on by Erik. Tama mashes Erik with a headbutt but then charges into a Raiders lofted powerslam that gets two. Talla prevents another double-team by the Raiders before beating them down and stopping a charging Priest with a high boot. Talla nails a charging Truth with a powerslam and stands tall. Ivar and Priest loom up behind Talla and start beating him down before yanking him over in a vertical suplex. Truth pulls Talla into an STFU and Erik breaks it up with a kick. Erik mashes Priest and Truth around but Priest fires up and prevents the Raiders from destroying Truth. Priest goes to the floor and nails Erik with a couple spinkicks. Priest charges into the Raiders lofted powerslam and Ivar drives Priest through the timekeeper’s barricade on the follow-through. Tama charges over and dumps Erik over the announce table before charging into the ring and missing a Cut Throat attempt. Truth goes into the Cena routine and wants the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Truth hoists Tama up for the AA but Tama breaks out of it and Talla crushes Truth with the My Brother’s Keeper powerbomb to win the titles.

The resetting of the Smackdown title holders continues apace, I see. I think Priest is going to be doing more singles stuff here soon, especially in AAA, so I’m not surprised they took the titles off of them. At least the MFT’s are a team and not just two thrown together singles guys. 2.5*

Winners AND NEW WWE Men’s Tag Team Champions – The MFT’s (Talla My Brother’s Keeper powerbomb on Truth)

Jacy Jayne is making her way to the ring and has WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid with her. We go to commercials.

WWE Women’s US Championship: Tiffany Stratton (C) vs Jacy Jayne

Stratton appears to be mostly recovered from her earlier whooping, and we’ll see how this goes. Jayne charges at the bell and drives a shoulder in before driving Stratton down for a standing senton. Jayne drives a knee into Stratton’s back and then ties her up with leg scissors. Stratton rolls back and gets a two count, but Jayne leaps up to snap Stratton down by her hair. Jayne says it’s Jacy Time and then immediately misses another senton attempt. Stratton trips Jayne over the second rope and crushes her with a Hip Attack and a running shotgun dropkick. Stratton’s cover gets two. Stratton hits a lariat and Jayne bails. Henley and Reid interfere which gives a recovered Jayne time to sneak in and wallop Stratton with a lungblower. We go to a break.

Stratton has gotten pushed to the floor from a top turnbuckle as the show returns. Here’s Chelsea Green out to help Stratton up so Jayne flies out to mash Stratton in the back. Jayne drives Stratton back in and turns for verbals with Green. Jayne charges in to a Stratton roll up that gets two. They crash into each other and both are down. They start slugging it out and Stratton takes control with a back elbow. Stratton hits an Alabama Slam and ascends. Stratton hits a swanton for two (Stratton forgot to tuck early enough and just destroyed Jayne’s mid-section with her head when she landed. Like, Henley and Reid both gasped at the landing on camera.) Stratton eats a Jayne reverse thrust but grabs a roll-up for two when Jayne charges. Stratton snaps off a springboard stunner and hoists Jayne up for a rolling senton. Stratton’s Prettiest Moonsault Ever meets Jayne’s knees and Green grabs a cover for two. Jayne wants Rolling Encore but Stratton prevents it with a superkick. Jayne hits an enziguri but eats a knee strike in response. Henley jumps on the apron and Green yanks her down. Stratton eschews another PME attempt for a cross-body on Henley and Reid. Green and Stratton are happy for a second as Stratton heads back in to immediately get murdered by Jayne’s Rolling Encore. Jayne covers and becomes the new Women’s US Champion.

Jacy is having an interesting couple of weeks, having been responsible for both Brie Bella and now Chelsea Green’s injuries before becoming the Women’s US Champion. Maybe it’s just me, but I think Stratton was much better suited as a high-class dipshit heel than whatever this milquetoast babyface thing she has going. So Hunter is going to really try to make Fatal a whole thing and we’ll see how this goes. I’m tentatively okay with this, but I have my reservations about this act’s staying power. 3*

Winner AND NEW WWE Women’s US Champion – Jacy Jayne (Rolling Encore)

Post-match sees a stunned Green tend to the fallen Stratton while Fatal celebrate in the aisle.

Here’s Cathy Kelley with Jade Cargill, B-Fab, and Michin. Cargill is asked about the changes in the Flair-Bliss partnership and Cargill says if Tater-Tot wants to step up they’ll all get knocked down. B-Fab says they’re looking forward to giving Paxley a proper greeting to their show.

Cody Rhodes makes his entrance as we go to commercials.

As Sami Zayn’s entrance music is playing, here’s Randall Keith Orton in to waffle Rhodes from behind with a forearm. Orton drives Rhodes into a ring post as a stunned Zayn looks on from the aisle. Orton yanks Rhodes into a draping DDT and gets a nice pop from the crowd. Orton goes to a place and wants the RKO but Rhodes prevents it momentarily. Orton goes to the eyes and then drives Rhodes out to the floor for some battering with the top of the ring steps. Orton clears the announce desk and puts the bottom of the ring steps into position. Orton gets mashed by a cup of soda and Rhodes blasts him with rights. They go through the crowd brawling and Rhodes nails Orton with a garbage can. Rhodes batters Orton for a minute before Orton fires up. Orton clubbers Rhodes before going back over the barricade to ringside. Orton smashes Rhodes down onto the desk and here’s Nick Aldis and a bunch of officials to watch Orton continue battering Rhodes. Orton yanks Rhodes up to place him in between the V in the ring steps. Orton grabs a chair. Rhodes blasts Orton with a nut shot and then nails Orton with the chair. Rhodes thinks about a kill shot but he’s prevented from delivering it by the officials. The credits roll as Aldis tries to prevent anything further. Rhodes leaps back onto the desk as the show goes to black.

Kind of a cliffhanger ending there and I’m sure whatever happened will be covered on socials. Two title changes on one show feels like a fever dream after last week’s endless chat with wrestling adjacent, but here we are. This was a solid show, I’ll be honest, and while I’m not wildly enthusiastic about either of the two top men’s programs at the moment, I’m sure all four dudes will deliver when called upon to. I’m happy for Chelsea Green being given a chance to try to defend her title and hopefully a mask will be the way forward for her. I’m interested to see the fallout from the Stratton title loss in that storyline as well. I don’t have any major complaints with tonight overall, and we move on to a relatively huge Toronto show next week.

Enjoy your weekends!