WWE SmackDown Live Updates, Results and Highlights From July 17

Back from the break, Gunther controlled the match, driving the wind out of the former Undisputed WWE champion with a chop to the chest, then adding two big knees to the solar plexus.

Rhodes ducked a clothesline from his opponent and went on a tear, building momentum that included a trademark snap powerslam.

A Cody Cutter followed, and Rhodes tried for Cross Rhodes, but Gunther escaped.

As Gunther threatened to regain control, Living Colour's "Cult of Personality" played and CM Punk made his way to ringside, the audience in Albany serenading him with the lyrics to his iconic entrance music.

The Undisputed WWE Champion watched from ringside as The Ring General controlled the action entering the break.

Picture-in-picture allowed viewers to watch as Rhodes overcame a concentrated attack on his left knee to mount another comeback and deliver a Pedigree. Unable to follow up, though, the babyface missed a chance to score the win.

Gunther recovered and applied a half Boston Crab, taunting Punk at ringside.

Rhodes fought out, and the action intensified, just in time for Sami Zayn to attack.

The Last Real Good Guy brutally assaulted Punk, throwing him into the announce table. He then interfered in the match, drawing a no-contest finish.

RESULT: NO CONTEST

A brawl between all four Superstars ensued, with referees and producers rushing the ring in an attempt to pull them apart.

They failed.

The show went off the air with the sort of wild, chaotic brawl that drums up interest and excitement for the show it is promoting, a big win for a company criticized for an otherwise pedestrian build to its upcoming SummerSlam event.

If nothing else, Saturday Night's Main Event should be a fun broadcast, with a suddenly intense, high-stakes tag team marquee bout.

The American Nightmare attacked The Ring General during his entrance, then brawled around the ringside area before the main event of Friday's show could get underway.

Matthew Rhys, star of the phenomenal Widow's Bay, watched from ringside as a fired-up Cody Rhodes pummeled Gunther before entering the squared circle.

The match was officially underway from there, just in time for a word from the sponsors.

Commercial break

A video package recapped the show-closing events of Raw.

Monday night, Seth Rollins and World Heavyweight champion Roman Reigns signed the contract for their match at SummerSlam.

After The OTC took some pointed shots at The Architect, Rollins snapped, attacking him. He withstood a momentary comeback and delivered the stomp to put The Tribal Chief down and stand tall.

Tessitore and Barrett hyped their dream match before running down the card for Saturday Night's Main Event, including:

During the break, Ivar and Erik regained control of the bout.

They retained it after dodging a Phoenix Splash from Frazer, stacking the babyfaces on top of each other as Ivar headed up top for a moonsault. He missed the move, though, and the high-flying tandem had renewed life.

The heels recovered, though, overpowering the opposition and squashing Axiom in the corner.

A fresh Frazer, though, entered the match and sent Ivar crashing into the commentary table. With the heavyweight stunned, the Seth Rollins-trained competitor launched himself over the top rope and onto Erik at ringside.

A double superplex brought Ivar to the mat, and Frazer delivered a Phoenix Splash for a near-fall, broken up at the last moment by Erik.

Justified chants of "this is awesome!" spilled from the stands, just in time for the War Raiders to find another gear, obliterate their competition, and deliver Ragnarok to Axiom for the win.

WINNERS: WAR RAIDERS

The commentary team continued to hype the victors as the top contenders to WWE Tag Team champions Damian Priest and R-Truth.

Backstage, Adam Pearce granted Nia Jax another shot at qualifying for the SummerSlam ladder match, on next week's show, against Charlotte Flair.

Back in the arena, AAA World Tag Team champions The War Raiders entered the arena for a match-up against Fraxiom.

The bruising Erik and Ivar dominated the action early on, using their size and strength to flatten the high-flying duo of Nathan Frazer and Axiom. The latter, though, took the sky to wipe out both heels on the arena floor.

Commercial break

Before the match between Jax and Cargill could really get going, Charlotte Flair appeared at ringside and wiped out B-Fab and Michin.

Seeking revenge for Cargill's brutal attack on her tag team partner, Alexa Bliss, The Queen unleashed her fury on The Storm.

That caused a disqualification, allowing Cargill to advance to SummerSlam.

Infuriated, Jax attacked Flair and left her prone. Cargill delivered Jaded and stood tall with her Baddies.

WINNER: JADE CARGILL (via DQ)

Backstage, Gunther cut a promo on "golden boy" Cody Rhodes. He mentioned not caring about Sami Zayn, only to be interested by Candice LeRae, who said "we need the win."

Blake Monroe attacked LeRae from out of nowhere, introduced herself, and told the despondent Johnny Gargano that he needs a haircut.

A pre-taped promo from Baron Corbin aired one week after he made his shocking return, attacking Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes.

He warned both men that he was coming to take it all.

Williams attempted to respond, but Hayes interrupted. They bickered back and forth before the reigning United States champion told Hayes to mind his own business "while grown folks talk."

The segment highlighted the tension that still exists between the former friends, which may ultimately doom them in the face of a more focused and determined Corbin.

Back from the break, Stratton and Jayne teed off on each other, exchanging hard right hands, before the latter rocked her opponent with a pump kick.

Stratton recovered, though, and delivered a disjointed Alabama Slam. Jayne shook it off, caught Stratton on the ropes, and delivered a modified hanging neckbreaker for a near-fall.

The babyface recovered, downed Jayne, and delivered the Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the hard-fought victory.

WINNER: TIFFANY STRATTON

Stratton became the first woman to qualify for the ladder match. While it makes sense to load up the match with star power, Jayne feels like a competitor who has lost a ton of momentum since arriving on the main roster.

Once the centerpiece of the women's division on NXT, she feels like the third most important member of her own group, especially with Reid and Henley poised to capture tag team gold Saturday night in Madison Square Garden.

A series of pre-taped promos involving the competitors in tonight's Interim WWE Women's Championship Ladder Match qualifying bouts gave way to Women's United States champion Tiffany Stratton making her entrance ahead of her showdown with Fatal Influence's Jacy Jayne.

Before the match could get started, Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley joined Jayne in a three-on-one beatdown on Stratton.

Women's tag team champions Paige and Brie Bella hit the ring to make the save, fighting off their Saturday Night's Main Event opponents and leaving Jayne to fight her own battle.

The former NXT women's champion found herself on the defensive early as the recovered Stratton took the fight to her from the opening bell. She downed her, rocked her with a seated dropkick, and stood tall.

Commercial break

A blind charge into the corner left Tonga crashing into the turnbuckle and Bálor mounting a comeback.

He continued targeting the lower limbs of his opponent, then downed him with the Wicklow Drop.

A big Samoan Drop by the heel slowed Bálor, but the inaugural Universal champion once again had his opponent grounded. Tonga pulled him off the ropes, but the babyface countered into a DDT.

Bálor knocked Tama Tonga off the ring apron when he attempted to interfere on his brother's behalf, but ran into a big boot. He recovered, crotched the larger Tonga on the top rope, and wiped the other out with a Sling Blade on the arena floor.

A shotgun dropkick stunned the giant, and two Coup de Graces earned The Prince the win.

WINNER: FINN BALOR

Backstage, CM Punk caught up with Adam Pearce and took exception to the new stipulation for Saturday's main event.

A brief conversation gave way to a confrontation with WWE tag team champion Damian Priest in which each staked a claim to a title shot after SummerSlam.

One week after defeating Tama Tonga, Finn Bálor sought to make it 2-0 against the former MFTs as he battled the massive Talla Tonga.

Bálor struck early and often, looking to chop his opponent down with kicks about the thighs, knees, and calves.

The bigger, stronger Tonga refused to crumble, though, and even survived a tumble to the arena floor. The giant cut off his opponent's momentum, downed him, and stood tall, entering the timeout.

Commercial break

Adam Pearce's announcement regarding Rhea Ripley's injury status from earlier today aired.

From there, Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett announced the night's qualifying match-ups:

Entering to a chorus of boos, then greeted with an outpouring of "you suck" chants, Gunther wasted little time addressing his attack on Aldis.

"My whole career, I have prided myself on being an outstanding professional, but ever since joining SmackDown, I have been mistreated!" Gunther said before exclaiming that he should be the Undisputed WWE champion, and the only thing preventing it is Aldis.

The heel took exception to being partnered with Sami Zayn at Saturday Night's Main Event against Cody Rhodes and CM Punk, calling him a "bum" and "beneath him."

Adam Pearce interrupted and said Gunther should be thanking him for saving his job.

Pearce revealed that if Gunther and Zayn defeat Rhodes and Punk in Madison Square Garden, they will be added to the Undisputed WWE Championship Match at SummerSlam, and it will become a Fatal 4-Way.

Rhodes hit the ring and attacked Gunther, seeking revenge after the brutal attack that cost him a chance to regain the top prize in the company. He questioned the logic of giving The Ring General a title shot and challenged his rival to a match.

Pearce made it official.

Well, that is one way to enhance the significance of Saturday's marquee bout. Suddenly, what felt like a foregone conclusion has stakes that, at least creatively, would make sense should the heels emerge victoriously.

Considering Aldis will be looking for revenge, and Saturday is as good a time as any, it still feels rather unlikely.

A high-profile match between Rhodes and Gunther to headline tonight's show gives this one a greater emphasis, too, which is always welcome for WWE TV.

A video package recapping last week's show, where CM Punk made his first appearance as the Undisputed WWE champion.

It highlighted his exchange with Cody Rhodes and their agreement on a match for the title in the main event at SummerSlam.

From there, it recapped Gunther's demand to be included in the match and his brutal attack on SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis.

The video transitioned to the MVP Arena, where The Ring General made his entrance for a show-starting promo segment.

Before Friday's SmackDown hit the USA airwaves, Adam Pearce announced on WWE social media that Rhea Ripley is not cleared to compete, which means she cannot defend her WWE Women's Championship.

As a result, there will be a Ladder Match at SummerSlam to determine a new champion.

There was no word on who would compete, how many entrants there would be, or what it means for Ripley's reign.