WWE SmackDown Winners, Live Grades and Reaction Before SummerSlam 2026

This weekend is the annual SummerSlam PLE, but before we get there, we have one last episode of SmackDown.

A face-to-face segment was announced for Cody Rhodes and CM Punk ahead of their WWE title match this weekend.

Damian Priest and R-Truth put their Tag Team Championships on the line against Erik and Ivar on Friday.

We also saw Giulia take on Lash Legend in a qualifying match to see who would join the other four competitors in Sunday's women's world title Ladder match.

Let's take a look at what happened on this week's SmackDown.

Two Men With One Goal

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After the usual intro and shows of Superstars walking backstage, we went live in the arena, where Finn Balor made his way to the ring.

He talked about how he won the Universal Championship during his first SummerSlam and how he had to give the belt up immediately due to an injury. Sami Zayn came out and said he needed to get something off his chest.

He talked about feeling like he was screwed out of the title and how he should be in the main event of SummerSlam instead of fighting for a title shot.

Zayn said Balor is great and should have been a champion multiple times by now, but this is his moment, not Balor's. They were going to leave it at that, but Gunther ended up attacking both men out of nowhere.

Nick Aldis came out to fight with Gunther after he took out both men a second time. He had The Ring General locked in a cloverleaf until several officials separated them.

Balor's promo portion of this segment was pretty straightforward, but the interaction with Zayn was more interesting. Both men made some good points, but Zayn did a great job coming across as the angrier of the two.

The stuff with Gunther and Aldis felt a little tacked on, but it was a good way to inject some energy into the opening segment.

Grade: B-

Notable Moments and Observations

• It's great to see Balor back to being a babyface. He spent so long as a heel. He feels more natural in this role.
• Zayn being petty is always funny.

Michin and B-Fab vs. Chelsea Green and Tiffany Stratton

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Last time in action: B-Fab, Michin and Cargill defeated Green, Stratton and Charlotte Flair (SD, June 29)

Tiffany Stratton and Chelsea Green teamed up this week to take on Michin and B-Fab in tag team action. Jade Cargill was at ringside to support her allies.

The United States champion took control right away and managed to get both opponents on the ropes so she and Green could double-team them.

The Baddies took control during the break, but Tiffy and Chelsea made a comeback when the show returned.

Jade attacked Stratton and sent her into the steel steps behind the ref's back, which allowed B-Fab and Michin to get the win over Green. Charlotte Flair came to the ring and fought with Jade while Green and Stratton kept the others at bay.

It felt like more of this match took place during the break than on TV. What we got was fine, but it wasn't enough. The interference ending felt unnecessary, too. Green and Stratton losing right before they have a PLE match isn't ideal either.

Result: B-Fab and Michin defeated Green and Stratton

Grade: C

Notable Moments and Observations

• Green and Stratton had matching gear, so they might stick together as a team for a bit.
• They barely got two minutes into the match before going to a break.

War Raiders vs. Damian Priest and R-Truth

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Last time in action: Truth and Priest defeated MFTs (SD, June 19), War Raiders defeated Fraxiom (SD, July 17)

The WWE and AAA tag titles were both on the line in this match. Erik and Ivar tried to get an early advantage by rushing Priest and Truth as soon as the bell rang.

They took out Truth and Priest with some double-team moves before the show cut to a break. The Archer of Infamy started to build some momentum during the picture-in-picture portion of the break.

The referee tried to break up all four men fighting in the corner, but he got shoved down twice, so he called for the bell to declare a no contest decision.

They kept fighting at ringside and into the crowd. Tama and Talla Tonga attacked both teams, which made their intentions of chasing the tag titles very clear.

The action in this bout was decent, but the ending felt like a total cop out. WWE booked a title-for-title match that ended without a winner, so nobody wins or loses anything.

Result: No Contest

Grade: C+

Notable Moments and Observations

• Much like the first match, it felt like we barely got into this one before the show went to a commercial.
• Erik's running knee always looks so brutal.
• Truth had an easy night at the office this week.
• It was great to see Haku with the Tongas. Let's hope he sticks around.

Will Baron Corbin Whoop That Trick?

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Trick Williams came to the ring to talk about his upcoming U.S. title bout against Baron Corbin this weekend at SummerSlam.

He didn't waste much time and called out Corbin, who came out right away to respond. He said he has learned patience, which Trick doesn't have.

This segment was short and ended without any physicality. It was nothing special, but both men did their part to build the match.

Grade: C

Notable Moments and Observations

• The video package for Aldis showing moments from his career was good stuff.
• Williams told CM Punk he would be coming for the WWE title eventually during a backstage segment.

Rey Fenix vs. JD McDonagh

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Last time in action: Fenix defeated Vikingo (SD, June 29), McDonagh lost to Oba Femi (Raw, July 20)

JD McDonagh ended up getting himself a shot at the AAA Cruiserweight Championship after a backstage altercation with Rey Fenix earlier in the night.

Dominik Mysterio was at ringside to offer support for his Judgment Day compatriot, and he took some opportunities to provide some distractions, too.

The ability of both of these men is well documented, so it would have been surprising if this was anything short of a good match.

This was the first time these two had ever worked together, and they quickly found their groove and turned this into an entertaining contest.

Fenix was able to retain his title with a spinning Muscle Buster.

Result: Fenix defeated McDonagh

Grade: B+

Notable Moments and Observations

• WWE needs to stop playing around and put Penta and Fenix together for a run as the tag champs.
• McDonagh has done a lot of jobbing as part of Judgment Day. It was nice to see him get a chance to remind people he has some skills.

Giulia vs. Lash Legend

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Last time in action: Giulia defeated Kiana James (Main Event, July 17), Legend defeated Green (SD, June 5)

The final competitor in the Ladder match scheduled for SummerSlam was decided when Giulia fought Lash Legend for the open spot.

Nia Jax wasn't at ringside, so it felt like an even matchup. Legend had the power advantage, but Giulia had speed, experience and agility on her side.

Unfortunately, this ended up being a very short match. Legend got the victory in just a couple of minutes to advance to this weekend's title bout.

It's really sad to see Giulia being used this way because she has the potential to be a top star if booked right.

Result: Legend defeated Giulia

Grade: D

Notable Moments and Observations

• Giulia's gear is always so unique.
• WWE doesn't make a big enough deal about Legend's strength. She should lean more into being a powerhouse.

One Last Segment

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The night ended with the announced segment with Cody Rhodes and CM Punk. Before Rhodes could even do his signature pose on the stage, Punk's music hit and he walked right past Rhodes to the ring.

They immediately got on the mic and started talking trash to each other. They talked about how long they have known each other and how they have always been on a collision course.

No new ground was tread, but both men brought a lot of energy to this segment. The crowd seemed to be into it, and that is the most important thing.

Punk put down his title and prepared for a fight. He dared Rhodes to hit him, and The American Nightmare was happy to oblige. They had a little brawl to end the show on a high note.

Grade: B-

The Final Word

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If any episode of SmackDown defined the word mediocre, it would be this one.

The biggest highlight of the night was the cruiserweight title bout with Fenix and McDonagh. They worked together to deliver a fun, fast-paced bout.

Everything else on the card was either uneventful, ended in a no contest, or was too short to be anything special.

There was plenty of time put into hyping SummerSlam, but the weekly shows still need to be worth watching, and this one fell short.

Let's hope the PLE this weekend allows the Superstars to do what they do best, because the normal TV WWE has been putting on lately leaves a lot to be desired.

Grade: C-