WWE SmackDown Live Updates, Results and Highlights From Aug. 28

Gunther applied the sleeper to Owens, looking to put him away with the same oppressive submission that he has defeated countless other Superstars with, including John Cena.

Balor delivered a Coup de Grace to break it up and spark his late-match flurry.

Before the Prince could score the win, Sami Zayn appeared and pulled him off the cover, breaking up the pin and drawing a no contest.

WINNER: NO CONTEST

With chaos reigning supreme and two different officials down, Undisputed WWE Champion CM Punk hit the ring and teed off on The Last Real Good Guy.

Zayn got the best of him, then Gunther, and stood tall with the top prize in the company raised high overhead.

The SmackDown title picture is jam-packed with elite talent, Zayn included. He has been the most consistently great element of WWE television, not-named Punk all year long and has earned his spot as a central figure in the main event scene.

The action was hot from the get-go in Friday's main event as three potential No. 1 contenders battled for the right to challenge CM Punk for the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Balor absorbed punishment early but escaped a powerbomb attempt by Gunther and wiped him out at ringside as the show headed to break.

Commercial break.

WWE Tag Team Champions Tama and Talla Tonga, along with Haku, cut a promo on the tag team division.

Haku ordered that his sons' challengers be destroyed.

In their locker room, Damian Priest and R-Truth discussed the future of their tag team, with The Archer of Infamy expressing his desire to refocus his attention on winning singles gold.

The Viking Raiders interrupted and the former tag team champions agreed to one last dance together.

Elsewhere, Nick Aldis booked The Miz and Kit Wilson against Shinsuke Nakamura and Kyoki on next week's show.

Back from the break, Michin dominated, trapping Paxley in a submission.

The babyface fought out and scored a quick near-fall that served as a much-needed spark. She battled back, rocked Michin with jumping forearms and an enzuigiri.

Firing up, Paxley delivered a rolling kick, then added the Cemetery Drive for the win.

WINNER: TATUM PAXLEY

After the match, Jackie Redmon caught up with Blake Monroe to discuss her attack on Giulia last week.

Before Monroe could say much of note, The Beautiful Madness attacked her, tossing her into a garage door. Producers and referees pulled the former United States champion away.

Elsewhere, Randy Orton approached Kevin Owens and told him, "I hate to say it, but you were right about Cody."

"I KNOW!" Owens said before heading to the arena for his main event match.

In her first main roster match, Tatum Paxley squared off with Michin.

Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss accompanied the recent NXT export while Jade Cargill and B-Fab were at ringside in support of Michin.

Paxley, unfazed by the enormity of the moment, outwrestled Michin and wiped her out at ringside with a moonsault before embracing Flair and Bliss.

Commercial break.

Penta and Rey Fenix, brothers, will battle in the finals of the No. 1 Contender's Tournament this Monday night on Raw.

Before then, a video package featuring both men hyped the high-stakes battle.

Backstage, Byron Saxton caught up with AAA Cruiserweight Champion Fenix. Before the luchador could say much, Ricky Saints interrupted but got verbally shut down by the masked babyface.

Cody Rhodes took to the squared circle to discuss his renewed rivalry with Randy Orton.

After reminding the WWE Universe of The Viper's career indiscretions and the manner in which he always got away without repercussions for his actions, the future Hall of Famer interrupted his protege and joined him in the ring.

Orton responded, telling Rhodes that he was his bitch, driving him from town to town and making sure he got to hotels safely and soundly.

"Are you at a crossroads?"

Orton taunted Rhodes, asking him if his dog, Pharoah, was dead and if his kids had to bury him. He called his mother "white trash" and asked if she would be sitting ringside when he beat her son.

Rhodes one-upped The Legend Killer, asking if he was a once-in-a-generation star like The American Nightmare's dad or if he was a career screw-up like his own dad.

This was a tense segment in which both men showed restraint ahead of a championship clash on September 6 at Sunday Night's Main Event.

Backstage, Baron Corbin interrupted Trick Williams and Lil Yachty and told the former United States champion that he "doesn't have to be entertaining. I'm the champ."

Not exactly the brag that he thinks it is.

The champion controlled the pace coming back from the break, wearing her challenger down with a rear headlock. Paige fought from underneath, created separation, and traded strikes with Jayne.

Paige sent the heel flying with a German suplex, then added a Paige Turner for a close two count.

Jayne fended off an attempted PTO (Paige Tap Out), but the babyface still managed to leave her reeling.

Reid interfered at ringside again, this time taking a bump into the ring. Fallon Henley attempted interference but suffered a big blow from the challenger. It was all the distraction Jayne needed to recover, roll her up, and score the win.

WINNER: JAYNE

After the match, Nikki Bella attacked Paige out of nowhere, leveling her with a hard forearm to the back of the head. The Rack Attack 2.0 ended the beatdown as the Hall of Famer stood tall.

Following a backstage confrontation on last week's show, Paige challenged Fatal Influence's Jacy Jayne for the Women's United States Championship, seeking to add that title to her resume for the first time.

Jayne trash-talked and paid for it early, suffering a barrage of knee lifts to the midsection as Paige rolled.

"This is my house!" the challenger exclaimed as she rolled Jayne back into the ring. Lainey Reid capitalized on a referee blind spot and took Paige down as the show headed to break.

Commercial break.

Back from the commercial, Stratton found herself forced to fight off her opponents by herself, thanks to Green reeling from injury on the arena floor.

She bounced off of her opponents, bumping for them while doctors checked on the women's champion at ringside.

Stratton avoided a double-team and dropped her opponents. Green, hellbent on continuing the match, rushed back to the ringa nd rocked Jax with a missile dropkick.

The consummate underdog wiped Jax out at ringside with a cross body block from the top rope, a ball of fire.

On the floor, Legend caught Stratton and swung her into the guardrail. Back inside, Jax delivered a Samoan Drop to Green and followed with the Annihilator for the win.

WINNERS: IRRESISTIBLE FORCES

The clean win for Jax further established her as the next challenger for Green, someone who can pose a legitimate threat to her title reign and even defeat her, based on her previous championship victories.

If she loses, it will not hurt, either, as Jax has demonstrated a knack for remaining over as a heel regardless of her win-loss record.

Backstage, Danhausen attempted to introduce himself to Gunther, who brushed him off and warned Nick Aldis that he would win the three-way main event for a shot at the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Looking to avenge recent attacks at the hands of Nia Jax and Lash Legend, WWE Women's Champion Chelsea Green and Tiffany Stratton squared off with their bigger, stronger rivals in tag team action.

Green took the fight to Jax early, but a headbutt to her face aggravated her injured orbital bone and forced her to tag Stratton into the match.

The show headed to commercial with the heels seizing control and working Tiffy Time over in their corner.

Commercial break.

Punk cut off Owens, telling him he was never asked his opinion on whether they were finished. As they teased battling again, Gunther arrived.

The Ring General staked his claim to a championship opportunity, only for Finn Balor to interrupt and do the same.

SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis announced a Triple Threat Match for the night's main event, pitting the three prospective challengers against each other for a shot at Punk's title.

This ran on fairly long for a segment intended to set up the main event. That there was no appearance by Sami Zayn on the heels of his involvement in last week's show-closing angle made it that much more curious.

Chants of "Ole...ole, ole, ole!" filled the arena, seemingly in support of Sami Zayn, as Owens set out to address the fans.

"Over the last few years, I have lost many, many WWE Championship matches, but none felt as bad to lose as last Friday," Owens said.

Owens recalled his mother fighting off death, then taking a big step by driving to Toronto with his father to see him compete against Punk last week. Then, Zayn ruined everything.

The former No. 1 contender said he could not forgive or forget that because it was an opportunity he would never have again.

Owens said that Punk knows he had him beat and that the two of them are far from finished, "bitch."

A video package recapping last week's monster main event between CM Punk and Kevin Owens for the Undisputed WWE Championship, which was marred by interference from Sami Zayn.

Wasting little time addressing the events of last Friday's broadcast, Kevin Owens entered the arena for an in-ring promo to kick off this week's show.