WWE SmackDown Live Updates, Results and Highlights Before Sunday Night's Main Event

After a shocking betrayal and weeks of buildup, Paige will battle Nikki Bella next week in Mexico City. Tonight, she approached the confident, cocky Hall of Famer and vowed to beat her on next Friday's show.

Paige said she rose to prominence through hustle, loyalty, and respect while Bella just "slept with it."

Seems to be the only insult that anyone can hurl at Bella these days.

Back from the break, Flair took the fight to the heels, rebuilding the babyface momentum.

A tag to Paxley led to the former NXT Women's Champion launching herself from the top rope and onto both opponents on the floor.

Jayne attempted to interfere, but Bliss wiped her out, preventing any chicanery.

Back in the ring, Paxley delivered Cemetery Drive to Reid and scored the pinfall victory.

After the match, Jade Cargill, B-Fab, and Michin hit the ring and beat down the babyfaces before a momentary, tense staredown with Fatal Attraction.

The heels continued their beatdown, with Michin and B-Fab delivering the BTA to Paxley and Cargill, flattening Flair with Jaded.

A solid, if unspectacular, segment that set up Flair and Paxley as potential challengers for Fatal Attraction's gold while serving as final hype for the six-woman tag match at Sunday Night's Main Event.

Backstage, Alexa Bliss revealed to Charlotte Flair that there has been a change in plans and that The Queen will be teaming with Tatum Paxley to battle Women's Tag Team Champions Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid, accompanied by Women's United States Champion Jacy Jayne, in non-title action tonight.

The reluctant Flair made her way to the squared circle with Paxley, then watched from the apron as the champions took her partner down and targeted her shoulder.

Commercial break.

Punk and Gargano, a wrestling fan's dream match, headlines tonight's show.

Backstage, SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis approached CM Punk about the need to find a new No. 1 contender, but the Undisputed WWE Champion had other plans.

He approached Johnny Gargano, lying on his avil case, and asked, "Are we still doing this?"

He put him over as the proud son of Cleveland and reiterated his desire to see Johnny Wrestling back.

When he got no reaction, he rejoined Aldis. Candice LeRae stopped him from leaving, just in time for Gargano to rise up, approach the champ, and utter, "Let's do it."

With that, a main event was made.

A great moment that paid off months of depressive Gargano lying around and doing nothing, just in time to potentially steal the show in his hometown.

Gunther kicked off the show and threatened to hold the show hostage, stating it would not continue until Sami Zayn came out to join him.

Zayn did, keeping his distance while touting his broken hand. "The WWE champion should be a good guy," the heel claimed before running down CM Punk as a hypocrite and the scum of the earth.

The Last Real Good Guy said this is how SmackDown is going to be from now on. "Nobody gets theirs until I get mine," he said. He claimed there would be no more No. 1 Contender matches, and no one would sleep until he slept.

Gunther threatened to come and drag Zayn back to the ring before Finn Balor stopped him and said he was going to get justice for himself.

Kevin Owens joined the fray, chasing Zayn to the back to close out a segment that continued to portray the heel as the central figure of the main event picture.

Friday's show kicked off with a recap of last week's broadcast, where Sami Zayn once again interfered in a main event, left everyone lying, and stood tall with the Undisputed WWE Championship in-hand while preaching for justice.

Ahead of Friday's SmackDown, Royce Keys issued a warning to the WWE Universe and officially named his group with OTM, "946."