WWE Smackdown 9/4/2026
Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2026/08/wwe-smackdown-8282026.html
Next week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2026/09/wwe-smackdown-9112026.html
We are in Cleveland, OH. Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett are on commentary.
Gunther comes out to talk. He says he's been looking for Sami Zayn all day. He says the show won't go forward until Sami gets out here. Sami then appears in the crowd and says he's here. Sami says it seems like everyone is so mad at him. He says Gunther isn't the victim, he is. He says he was robbed and still should be WWE champ. He says the nicest guy should be champ.
He says he wants an opportunity to get his title back that he says was stolen from him. He says he has to jump through obstacles week after week and wasn't even in the triple threat last week. He tells Gunther to buckle up if he's not happy of how things went last week because this is the future of SD. He says there's no easy ride for anyone. He says if he doesn't sleep or eat, no one else does. He says no justice, no peace. Gunther says he will drag him in the ring if he doesn't come. Gunther then goes into the crowd after Sami. Finn Balor appears and says he's out for justice for himself and will take it now. He chases Sami into the ring. Sami goes up the aisle then runs into Kevin Owens. Owens then chases Sami to the back.
Nick Aldis and CM Punk talk in the back. Nick says they need a #1 contender and Sami keeps sabotaging his attempts to get one. Punk then talks to Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae. Punk asks if Johnny fought his entire career to get here and lay on a box or become champ of the world. Punk says Johnny Wrestling lurks in there somewhere. Punk then says Johnny should challenge him for the title tonight. Johnny doesn't budge but Candice asks to give her a few more minutes. Johnny then gets up and says, "let's do it". Candice is then happy.
Charlotte Flair talks to Alexa Bliss and asks where she has been. Bliss says there's a change of plans. Tatum Paxley comes in and says they will work so well together. She says she always dreamt of teaming with The Queen. Tatum says it'll be so great and says their skin will touch multiple times. Flair tells her to take notes, do as she says and don't touch her.
Fatal Influence (Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid) vs Charlotte Flair and Tatum Paxley
LR pounds on TP and bangs her head off the buckles. TP sunset flips her but Fallon tags in. Fallong knees TP in the gut. LR hits a double underhook shoulderbreaker on TP. LR gets a 2 count on TP.
We go to break and return. TP superkicks Fallon. Flair top rope double crossbodies her opponents. Flair chops Reid and Fallon. Flair forward handspring lariats LR. Flair rolls up LR for 2. Flair fallaway slams Fallon. LR superkicks Flair.
TP plancha's both opponents off the post. Jacy gets on the ropes and TP swings at her. Bliss sends Jacy into the post. LR backrolls TP. TP hits cemetary driver on LR and pins her
Thoughts: It didn't get a ton of time. Flair mentioned in the promo prior to this that her team might get a title shot if they win, so that explains why they won here. TP's dive was nice but it wasn't much of note otherwise.
Jade Cargill's crew comes out and fights Flair and friends. Fatal Influence joins in. We then jump cut and Flair's crew is down. TP takes a double electric chair drop on her face. Jade hits a jade end on Flair.
Nikki Bella is interviewed. She says her trust in Paige went too far and she failed The Bellas' brand. Nikki says Paige is the reason Brie is hurt and said she hurt her big return. Paige comes in. She says Nikki has never liked her and Paige says it's because she built her career on hustle, loyalty and respects and Nikki just slept with it. Paige tells her to bring it next week or she will end her career quicker than her last relationship.
Gunther talks to Nick Aldis in the back. He complains about Nick's recent decisions. He says Finn Balor shouldn't be in line and then complains about Gargano being given a shot. We see Danhausen cleaning in the back. Gunther says Nick is addicted to the limelight and is making decisions to keep the attention on him. Gunther says he's worried. Nick says he can take Gargano up with Punk and says the business with Sami has to wait. Nick says he has important business with the Women's Title and leaves. Danhausen pops up and says he knows how Gunther feels. Gun says never to touch him again. Dan then puts an Employee of the Month portrait on Nick's desk.
Nick Aldis talks to a doctor who he says is here to discuss Chelsea Green's injury status. Chelsea Green comes out. She says she won't beg and cry. She says the crowd won't get waterworks but a p!ssed off women's champ. Green says she still is the champ. Green says she has waited 13 years for the title and says to let the women try to take the title if they think it's so easy. She says she doesn't need protection and isn't concerned about safety, just her legacy.
The doc says Green's orbital bone isn't fully healed. He says as long as she wears the face mask, she's cleared to compete.
Lash Legend and Nia Jax come out. Nia says she thought Green would never shut up. She says she wants the Women's title and she heads to the ring. Nia says Green gives her a match right now or she breaks her other orbital bone. Nia knocks Green's mask away. Tiffany Stratton runs down and fights Nia. Lash takes a backcracker from Tiff. Nick says Nia can get her title match next week but they can do Tiff vs Nia now.
Tiffany Stratton vs Nia Jax
Tiff baseball slides Lash and is lariated on the floor. We go to break and return. Tiff stunners Nia. Nia misses a corner charge and Tiff hurricanrana's her. Tiff basement dropkicks her for 2. Tiff is dropped on the top rope. Nia pop up headbutts her. Nia is tripped on the 2nd rope. Tiff gets a 2 count on her. Tiff clubs her and running lariats her. Tiff casadora stunners her. Tiff handspring stunners her. Tiff crucifix bombs her for 2.
Nia samoan drops Tiff. Nia banzai drops her and pins her.
Thoughts: This one got cut up by the break. Nia won a lot quicker than I expected and I was surprised to see Tiff beaten so easily. What we got was just so-so here as it dind't get the time.
Nia grabs Green's mask after. Lash laughs and Nia taunts her with the mask. Green goes in and gets in Nia's face. Nia and Lash walk off for some reason.
Kevin Owens is interviewed by Byron. He says he's happy for Gargano but says Punk only did this as he benefits from it. Owens says Punk thinks he can get Sami in the ring through this. Owens says if Sami goes out there, he won't be alone.
Corey Graves does a taped sitdown interview with Cody Rhodes. Randy Orton immediately interrupts. Orton tells Cody not to touch him and talks about the things he said to Cody's mom. He then rips him for not doing anything about it. He then talks about Cody's wife and says he will be burying his dog soon. He says Cody is an addict and needs help. He says Cody loves the title more than his own family.
Orton says Cody's more sick than anyone. Cody says maybe he's aware he's sick. He says if Orton's right, he's screw on Sunday. Cody leaves and Orton gets frustrated.
Tricky Williams and Lil Yachty talk in the back. Yachty says he will whoop that trick up and down Atlantis. Trick says he needs him to survive, not win. Yachty says he trained all week and shows us clips of him training and throwing money around. Trick says it was nice but says he wasn't on the treadmill or moving weights.
Baron Corbin comes in and says he's glad he thinks this is a joke. He says what won't be a joke is what happens at SNME. Trick calls him Megamind and Mr. Clean. Baron says Trick's shot relies on Yachty and he will slaughter him until he's dead like Trick's hopes and dreams.
Naamura says what he and Kyoki do is art. Kyoki says it's complete destruction. Nakamura says it's an exploding energy of madness they can't keep inside. They then say, "We are Bakusai".
Bakusai (Shinsuke Nakamura and Kyoki) vs The Miz and Kit Wilson
This is Kyoki's WWE TV debut.
Kit backs up Kyoki in the corner and gyrates at him. Kyoki crossbodies him twice. Kyoki corner lariats him and basement dropkicks him. Miz catches Kyoki's crossbody and chops him. Kyoki asks for more and says, "more please". Kyoki then chops Miz. Kyoki corner lariats him. Miz is laid up top and SN flying knees him in the gut for 2.
SN sliding lariats Miz. Miz kicks the middle rope into SN's crotch. Kit flying euros SN outside. We go to break and return. Miz running boots SN in the face. SN hits Miz in the gut. Miz knees him in the gut. SN hits both opponents then Miz is rolled up for 2. SN spinning heel kicks Miz. Kyoki tags in and hits shots on Kit. Kyoki flying headscissors Kit. Kit is sent into Miz and Kyoki makes Kit headscissors Miz. Kyoki superkicks Kit. Kyoki top rope sentons Miz and Kit outside and kind of powerbombs himself on the floor.
Kyoki falcon arrows Kit for 2. Miz throws SN out. Kyoki armdrags Miz. SN running knees Miz. Kit rolls up Kyoki for 2. Kyoki does a seated franchizer/reverse stunner and pins Kit.
Thoughts: The heels didn't know what do with most of Kyoki's offense. They really tried to put Kyoki over here and he was kind of amusing, but I don't know about this longterm. Kyoki is totally being used like Butch/Pete Dunne used to be used. It was average.
MFT come out and stare down Nakamura and Kyoki.
We get a video on The War Raiders vs Priest/Truth. Ivar says they won't lose their AAA Tag Titles soon and will hurt them to keep what is theirs. DP says The Raiders treat them like jokes. DP says they have had a lot of singles titles too and The Raiders have none. Erik says they will remind them they are ready for anyone. Truth says they will take their masks and then starts saying things in Spanish, which gets DP confused and mad.
Blake Monroe is interviewed. She brings up Giulia then Giulia attacks her (they are about to have a match). They then fight into the entrance area. Officials try to break it up and Giulia drops Blake with a knee to the face.
Johnny Gargano is up and looking in a mirror that Candice is holding. Sami Zayn tries to get his attention. He says he's happy for him. He says this is for Johnny and this is one for guys like them. Sami says even if he's not out there with him, he's out there with him. Sami tells him to take it if an opportunity falls in his lap. Sami says he wants the first shot if Johnny beats Punk and gets aggressive with it. Johnny agrees.
Undisputed WWE Title - CM Punk (c) vs Johnny Gargano
Punk slams JG twice. JG hits punches. Punk shoulders him over. JG monkey flips him and hits mounted corner punches. JG's slingshot is caught and JG headscissors Punk. JG enzugiri's Punk out and slingshot plancha's him.
We go to break and return. JG hits punches. Punk leg lariats him. Punk sits up top and is hit. Punk top rope crossbodies JG but JG backrolls through for 2. JG sunset flips him for 2. JG superkicks Punk for 2.
Punk hits punches and JG fires back. Punk high kicks him for 2. JG enzugiri's him then slingshot spears him for 2. Punk blue thunders him for 2. Sami Zayn comes out. Punk hits Sami. Canidce LeRae flying headscissors Punk from the apron. JG topes Punk. JG slingshot ddt's Punk for 2.
Punk grabs the WWE Title. Kevin Owens comes out and pounds on Sami. Gunther comes out and facekicks Owens. Finn Balor comes out and slingblades Gun. Sami hits Finn, Gunther and Owens with the title. Punk hits a GTS on JG but Candice distracts the ref. Sami hits Punk with the title and JG gets a 2 count on Punk.
Nick Aldis comes out with officials. They yell at Sami and Candice and Sami is kicked out. Punk hits a GTS on Johnny and pins him.
Thoughts: The match was fun with Sami coming out and them teasing a Johnny win. Thankfully he lost though. I didn't like them using Johnny here in this spot. He hasn't won any matches for months and he is just not a main event guy. He shouldn't be in this role.
Punk gets on the mic after. He says Sami doesn't want the title as much as he wants to break his face. Punk says Sami has a title shot next week in Mexico and says it's time for him to go to sleep.
Overall thoughts: The women's tag match didn't get a lot of time and neither did Nia/Tiff. Kyoki was kind of amusing in his debut but the heels didn't know how to take most of his offense. That match was average too. The main was fun but Johnny Gargano should not be in main events right now and I think any other person could have done a similar job to what he did as the scenario made that one work. This was all about Sami Zayn otherwise, but Sami is entertaining, so that's fine. I'd give the show a 6 out of 10 as they did well with some of the stories here and the main was fun. It was okay overall.
