WWE SmackDown Live Updates, Results and Highlights From July 10

Gunther made his way to the ring to cap off Friday's show and demanded SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis inform him of his decision.

The authority figure revealed that he would give The Ring General what he wants: Cody Rhodes and CM Punk...in the World's Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden, as part of Saturday Night's Main Event, in a tag match with Sami Zayn as his partner.

He told Gunther he knew he would be a pain when he signed him, only to be cut off by a cheap shot. The heel attacked the general manager, applying his trademark sleeper before breaking it as referees and producers pulled him off.

He reapplied, leaving Aldis unconscious. Rhodes hit the ring to make the save as the show went off the air.

A short, sweet angle that did not overstay its welcome. It served as a cliffhanger of sorts to close out the broadcast and set up Aldis' long-awaited return to the squared circle, presumably at SummerSlam.

Back from the timeout, Hayes delivered Dirty Diana for a two-count. He added a DDT moments later for another near-fall as Williams showcased the resiliency that helped him win the United States Championship in the first place.

The champion recovered and delivered a jumping neckbreaker, but Hayes kicked out at two, leaving the aggressor pounding the mat in frustration.

The action intensified until Baron Corbin made his shocking return to WWE, laying both competitors out with End of Days as cameras caught fans in shock and awe of the developments.

The former United States champion stood over both competitors, the title in hand, a message loudly and clearly delivered to both men as chants of "holy s**t" rained down from the stands.

RESULT: NO CONTEST

A memorable return with long-reaching effects, including adding much-needed depth to the midcard on Friday nights. How he is booked from here on out, and whether the creative team can resist the urge to turn him into a comedy act again, will determine how successful this run is for a young star who originally flourished under Triple H's direction in NXT.

Backstage, Charlotte Flair accompanied Alexa Bliss to the trainer's room following her devastating injury.

In the arena, Carmelo Hayes and United States champion Trick Williams took to the squared circle for Friday's main event, the renewal of their long-running rivalry.

Williams weathered the storm early, downing his former mentor and friend to seize control ahead of yet another commercial break in a long line of them tonight.

Commercial break.

During the break, Cargill established dominance, using her size and strength to her advantage.

Bliss fought back as the show returned from the commercial, even teasing a Sister Abigail DDT.

At ringside, the numbers game proved too much for Flair as Michin and B-Fab left her lying. The distraction allowed Cargill to rock Bliss with a pump kick, then follow with Jaded for the win.

WINNER: JADE CARGILL

After the match, the heels brutalized the babyfaces, culminating with Cargill hyperextending Bliss' arm and slamming it into a steel chair.

Bliss screamed in agony while the ringside training staff checked on her. Her selling and, more importantly, her ability to bend her arm in the opposite direction seemingly at will helped sell this angle.

Backstage, Lil Yachty presented Trick Williams with a special fur, legacy title edition of the United States Championship.

A promo from Fatal Influence hyped their upcoming Saturday Night's Main Event match against women's tag team champions Paige and Brie Bella, live from Madison Square Garden, on July 18.

Back in the arena, Charlotte Flair accompanied Alexa Bliss to the squared circle for her match with Jade Cargill, who had B-Fab and Michin by her side.

The former WWE women's champion dismissed Bliss, brushing by her and focusing her attention toward Flair at ringside. The smaller competitor, a future Hall of Famer, made her pay for it by taking the fight to her and leaving the heel off-guard.

The babyface stood tall early on.

Commercial break.

The busy interviewer caught up with the Undisputed WWE champion, who said he hoped everyone was mad that he was the new champion.

From there, he addressed the still-despondent Johnny Gargano and his wife, Candice LeRae, who tore him down for ending the hopes of underdogs like her husband.

"You had hope for a whole nine days. Good for you," Punk said.

He turned his attention to Gargano. "Johnny Wrestling...cuz that's who I remember."

He suggested they get back to wrestling because whatever it was that they were doing now, "it ain't working."

Finn Balor approached Punk next, welcoming him to SmackDown with a big smile on his face.

Uso continued to control the match, cutting off any attempt by Keys to re-establish sustained momentum by targeting his opponent's injured arm.

It continued until Solo Sikoa appeared at ringside and grabbed hold of Uso, teasing a Samoan Spike. Jacob Fatu appeared and fought Sikoa off.

Back in the ring, Uso caught a distracted Keys with a spear for the win.

WINNER: JIMMY USO

After the match, Fatu attacked Keys with a Samoan Drop and a senton, seemingly ending their friendship. From there, he teased a steel chair attack on Sikoa but, instead, warned the enforcer to rejoin the family.

Back from the timeout, Keys bowled over Uso, showcasing physical dominance early and often in the match.

That ended on the arena floor when the larger competitor charged at his veteran opponent, who ducked out of the way, sending Keys crashing shoulder-first into the ring steps.

Uso sent his opponent over the announce table to further seize control of the bout, entering another ad break.

Commercial break.

"Last week, you said my name. This week, you said my name," Keys said as he confronted Jimmy Uso and Jacob Fatu in the squared circle, interrupting family business involving the absent Solo Sikoa.

Keys called out Roman Reigns for not being there, earning the attention of the Samoan Werewolf.

"You can say anything else about anyone, but when it comes to the OTC, please...don't go there," Fatu implored his friend.

Uso jumped. "You ain't part of this. You ain't part of this family."

"Blood doesn't make you family. Loyalty makes you family," Keys said. "Your family has family fighting family. Cousin fighting cousin."

Keys recalled Fatu being his brother when he had no other family and said he refuses to let him fall.

"You're going to cross a line you can't come back from," Uso said, before asking if he understood.

"It looks like there's a line right there and I just crossed," he said, taking a step toward the former tag team champion.

Uso used the collective "we" to refer to him and Fatu, but the Samoan Werewolf walked out. Big Jim called for Aldis to make the match official, then tried for a cheap shot, only to be downed and one-upped by his prospective opponent.

Commercial break.

As the SmackDown general manager reiterated in a phone call that he has the authority to make the SummerSlam main event between CM Punk and Cody Rhodes, Gunther entered his office.

Citing his first night back from suspension, an irate Gunther told him he had until the end of the night to reconsider and to add him to the championship clash in Minneapolis.

Another physical altercation incoming?

Backstage, Cathy Kelley caught up with Carmelo Hayes, who suggested Lil Yachty is the perfect hype man for Trick Williams because all of his best songs are features.

"This is my moment to prove to Trick what he already knows: that I..am...HIM."

Elsewhere, AAA Tag Team champions The War Raiders confronted WWE Tag Team champion R-Truth until Jimmy Uso and Jacob Fatu not-so-subtly demanded his time. The former asked about Solo Sikoa, who Truth said was babysitting, while the latter asked about Royce Keys.

"I ain't never seen him a day in my life," Truth claimed before Damian Priest arrived on the scene and said that they had, earlier in the day, and that he was there.

When Truth took exception to it, Priest reminded his tag team partner that Keys is not their problem.

Balor fought from underneath following the commercial, taking his familiar foe down with the Sling Blade.

He wiggled free from a powerslam attempt and dropped Tonga with a Final Cut for a near-fall.

Tonga fought back and downed Balor with a spinning side slam, scoring his own two-count, much to his chagrin. He delivered a corner splash and added a crawling taunt. When he rushed the corner for another, Balor caught him with a Sling Blade.

Balor tried for the Coup de Grace, but missed and Tonga delivered Cut Throat (Hidden Blade). Balor recovered and delivered a senton to both of the heels on the arena floor.

Back inside, the babyface delivered the Coup de Grace and earned a hard-fought, albeit unnecessary, victory that Tonga would have benefited from.

WINNER: FINN BALOR

Two of the founding members of the revolutionary Bullet Club in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, once friends and now enemies, squared off to kick off the in-ring portion of Friday's show when Finn Balor battled Tama Tonga. Talla Tonga was at ringside.

Tonga took control of the match early on as the show headed to a timeout, during which his taller sibling attacked the inaugural Universal champion at ringside, dropping him sternum-first on the ring apron.

Commercial break.

"How's your eye?" The American Nightmare asked Punk as he came face-to-face with the new titleholder.

"What do you want to talk about?" Punk asked, mocking his friend.

Rhodes said there is one match that has been building. Punk agreed, suggesting they cannot keep avoiding it.

The American Nightmare reminded The Best in the World that, when he was champion, he had told Punk, "Just say when."

Punk jumped in, uttering, "when," accepting the former champion's match.

"SummerSlam," Rhodes responded. A handshake and the official announcement from Aldis followed, setting in stone an enormous marquee match-up for the annual summertime spectacular.

Backstage, Jade Cargill told Cathy Kelley that she is not responsible for what she does to Alexa Bliss later tonight. Instead, you can blame Charlotte Flair.

SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis kicked off the show, revealing that after mediation, he has been restored as the blue brand's leading authority figure. He did not, however, apologize for the altercation with Gunther following Night of Champions that led to his suspension.

From there, Aldis introduced new Undisputed WWE champion CM Punk, who arrived to a thunderous ovation from the OKC faithful.

Sporting a shiner following his war with Sami Zayn on Monday night, Punk admitted he missed the fans and said he had negotiated with WWE, NBC Universal, and USA Network, as well as Aldis, to come to SmackDown.

"When championship opportunities fall from the sky, CM Punk catches them," he said.

Punk said he intends to be a fighting champion. He does not call himself the Best in the World because he is cocky, but because it puts pressure on him to prove it. He told the locker room that if they want a championship opportunity, they should get it.

"Sami Zayn, I understand how you feel. If you want a shot, you certainly deserve a rematch. I'll give you a shot."

He named Gunther, Finn Balor, Royce Keys, Damian Priest, and Trick Williams before a familiar face interrupted him.

An aerial shot of Oklahoma City gave way to a video package recapping Gunther's brutal attack on Cody Rhodes and The American Nightmare's failure to be cleared for competition.

It continued, with highlights of CM Punk's surprising return, and the Best in the World's victory over Sami Zayn for the World Heavyweight Championship on this past Monday's Raw.