WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - July 10th, 2026
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CM Punk returns to SmackDown as the new Undisputed WWE Champion
This past Monday's Raw proved to be an absolute firestorm. After Gunther took Cody Rhodes out of action with a brutal surprise attack, Chicago's own CM Punk stepped in to replace The American Nightmare in a title match against Sami Zayn, ultimately capturing the Undisputed WWE Championship. Zayn has since expressed his outrage on social media, there is no word on Rhodes' condition, and the dangerous Gunther could strike again at any moment. The landscape of WWE has once again been turned completely upside down. What will be the fallout on SmackDown now that The Second City Saint has captured the WWE Title?
:smackdown:
— Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore greet audiences at home before a recap of RAW from Monday focusing on Gunther taking out Cody Rhodes and CM Punk returning and taking Rhodes' spot and beating Sami Zayn for the World Championship.
— We cut to the ring where Nick Aldis welcomes everyone to SmackDown.
Aldis takes full responsibility for his part in his backstage confrontation with GUNTHER at Night of Champions, then announces he's been fully reinstated as SmackDown General Manager and introduces Punk. Punk then makes his way to the ring.
Aldis officially welcomes Punk to SmackDown and gives him the floor. Punk says he always wonders what he'll say in front of a live audience and says he misses the fans, then thanks Aldis for bringing him to SmackDown and says when title opportunities fall out of the sky, he catches them. He asks the live crowd if it's great to be alive on a Friday night as the new Undisputed WWE Champion, then says he's not like other wrestlers or champions. He says he intends to be the same kind of champion he was when he held the World Heavyweight Championship and promises to regularly defend his Undisputed WWE Championship, then dares anyone who thinks they can to to come wrestle him for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Punk calls out Sami Zayn and GUNTHER to wrestle him for the Undisputed WWE Championship, then also name drops Finn Balor, Royce Keys, Damian Priest, and Trick Williams as others he would love to wrestle.
Cody Rhodes' music hits and he makes his way out. He asks Punk how his black eye is, but Punk says Rhodes didn't come to the ring to ask him about his black eye and asks Rhodes what he wants to talk about. Rhodes says the last time himself and Punk were in the ring, the tables were turned and Rhodes was the one who had a black eye. He says Punk caught a championship opportunity that fell out of the sky, but then there's title matches that have been building for years.
Punk says he doesn't want anything to come between his friendship with Rhodes and foresaw himself and Rhodes' match happening in the main event of WrestleMania, but they can't run from each other anymore. Rhodes challenges Punk to an Undisputed WWE Championship match at SummerSlam, and Punk responds by offering his hand to Rhodes. Rhodes shakes it, and Aldis makes the match official.
— Jade Cargill, Michin and B-Fab are being interviewed by Cathy Kelley. Cargill says she'll kick Alexa Bliss' ass tonight to repay Charlotte Flair for costing Cargill her title match against Tiffany Stratton. Cargill says whatever happens to Bliss tonight is all Flair's fault.
— Back inside the arena, Finn Balor makes his way to the ring. Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga follow.
Finn Balor vs. Tama Tonga (w/ Talla Tonga)
The bell rings and Balor fires off right hands on Tama in the corner. Tama whips him into the opposite corner and levels Balor with a flying uppercut, but Balor delivers a shotgun dropkick to Tama and clotheslines him out of the ring.
Balor looks to fly out of the ring, but Talla trips him from the outside. This opens the door for Tama to blindside Balor from behind and land a neckbreaker on him, and Talla then sends Balor crashing into the ring apron face first on the outside as Tama distracts the referee.
Tama delivers a flying right hand to Balor off the ring steps, then fires off stomps on him inside the ring during the commercial break and rains down right hands on him. He wears down Balor with a submission hold, then delivers a backbreaker to him. Balor catches Tama with a Russian Leg Sweep and fires off stomps on him, but Tama sends Balor crashing into the mat with a spinning slam and goes for a pin. Balor kicks out.
Tama lands a pair of splashes on Balor, but Balor delivers a Sling Blade to Tama and lands a shotgun dropkick on him to send him crashing into the corner. Talla hops up onto the apron to distract Balor, allowing Tama to avoid the Coup De Grace and follow it up with Cutthroat. He sends Balor crashing into the mat, but Balor rolls up Tama. Tama kicks out, but Balor sends him crashing onto the floor over the top rope and flies out of the ring to take out Tama and Talla on the outside. Balor dropkicks Tama into the corner, then follows it up with a Coup De Grace on him off the top rope for the win.
Winner: Finn Balor
— Cathy Kelley is backstage with Carmelo Hayes. Kelley asks Hayes about his thoughts about his match against Trick Williams. Hayes says he comes up short sometimes and then talks smack about Williams and Little Yachty. Hayes says his aim has never been more clear and today he'll prove that he is HIM.
— R-Truth is backstage with Fraxiom. Nathan Frazer and Axiom leave after Truth pays them what he lost in a bet. War Raiders pop by and Erik says he wants Truth to go talk to Aldis for their title match. Erik and Ivar leave, Jimmy Uso and Jacob Fatu come by. Fatu asks if Truth has seen Royce Keys. Truth says he doesn't know Keys. Damian Priest comes by and tells them he's seen Keys today. Fatu and Uso leave. We head to a break.
— Nick Aldis is on the phone backstage talking to Sami Zayn on the phone. Zayn is upset about the title match and Gunther storms into Aldis' office. Aldis hangs up the phone and Gunther tells Aldis it's Aldis' first day off and he's here to give Aldis a chance to fix this. Gunther says he is next in line for a title shot and is giving Aldis till the end of the night to fix this. Aldis says he'll take this into consideration.
— Back at ringside, Jacob Fatu and Jimmy Uso are waiting inside.
Jimmy wastes no time calling Solo Sikoa to the ring, but Royce Keys' music instead hits and he makes his way out. Keys says Jimmy mentioned his name last Friday and tonight, then addresses Roman Reigns. Fatu tells Keys he can say anything else about anyone but Reigns, then warns him not to go there.
Jimmy says he has nothing to do with The Bloodline and Sikoa's issues, but Keys says blood doesn't make people family. He says The Bloodline has brother fighting brother and cousin fighting cousin, then says he wishes he could hug, call, or text family members he doesn't have. He says Fatu has been his brother for fourteen years and refuses to let him fall.
Fatu says he's out and leaves the ring, leaving Jimmy alone in the ring with Keys. Jimmy challenges Keys to a match up next and looks to clock Keys, but Keys sees him coming and levels Jimmy with a clothesline. He clotheslines Jimmy out of the ring.
Royce Keys vs. Jimmy Uso
The bell rings and Jimmy sends Keys crashing into the ring steps shoulder first on the outside. He dumps him back in the ring and ascends to the top, then throws him over the announce desk and dumps him back into the ring during the commercial break.
Jimmy wears down Keys with a sleeper hold, then sends him crashing into the mat with a belly-to-belly throw. Keys catches Jimmy with a belly-to-belly suplex back from the break, then sends him crashing into the hood of the announce desk twice spine first.
Solo Sikoa sneaks up behind Jimmy on the outside and looks to land a Samoan Spike on him, but Jacob Fatu runs back out to the ring and begins brawling with Sikoa. Fatu cinches in the Tongan Death Grip on Sikoa and sends himself and Sikoa crashing over the barricade near the timekeeper's area, opening the door for Jimmy to surprise a distracted Keys with a spear for the win.
Winner: Jimmy Uso
— After the match, Fatu brings Sikoa in the ring and starts beating him up. Keys stops Fatu and the two argue and Fatu superkicks Keys and then hits Keys with a senton. Uso gets a chair and throws it in the ring, Fatu places it around Sikoa's neck and goes to hit him with a running hip attack and stops. Fatu tells Sikoa to stop messing with them because next time he won't stop and says Roman Reigns wants to talk to him on Monday and he leaves Sikoa in the ring as he and Uso leave.
— Cathy Kelley talks to CM Punk backstage about Gunther wanting to jump the line. Punk says he wants everyone who wants to fight him to get in line. Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae are behind Punk. Gargano is laying on a crate and LeRae says Punk stole the dream of the underdog being on top. Punk says he remembers Johnny Wrestling and tells LeRae and Gargano to get back in the ring and stop doing whatever they're doing. Finn Balor comes by and welcomes Punk to SmackDown.
— Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair make their way to the ring. Jade Cargill, Michin, and B-Fab follow.
Jade Cargill (w/ Michin and B-Fab) vs. Alexa Bliss (w/ Charlotte Flair)
The bell rings and Cargill lands a mocking shoulder tackle on Bliss. Bliss stays standing, but Cargill gets in Flair's face on the outside. Bliss surprises Cargill by locking in a sleeper on her, but Cargill easily fights off Bliss and lands a couple of backbreakers on her.
Cargill once again gets in Flair's face on the outside during the break as the action spills out of the ring, then sends Bliss crashing into the ring apron face first and rocks her with an uppercut. Cargill whips Bliss into one of the barricades and dumps her back in the ring, but Bliss rocks Cargill with a kick to her face back from the break.
B-Fab trips up Bliss, but Flair delivers a jawbreaker to Cargill off the top rope as the referee is distracted. Michin charges at Flair, but Flair levels her with a big boot. B-Fab sends Flair crashing into the ring post, but Bliss takes out B-Fab. This opens the door for Cargill to deliver a pump kick and Jaded to Bliss for the win.
Winner: Alexa Bliss
— After the match, Michin throws a chair to Cargill in the ring. Flair runs in and attacks Cargill. B-Fab and Michin attack Flair and she takes them out. Cargill kicks Flair and then puts Bliss' arm in a chair and starts hyperextending it while Flair gets beaten up in the corner. Cargill slams Bliss' arm down in the chair and officials run in to check on Bliss who screams in pain. Cargill, B-Fab and Michin leave as Flair and officials check on Bliss.
— Trick Williams looks for his United States title backstage and assumes Ricky Saints has stolen it. Little Yachty comes in and tells Williams he got him a legacy title. Yachty presents Williams with a new title that is made from the same kind of fur that his jacket is made from.
— Backstage, Charlotte Flair and medics tend to Alexa Bliss. Flair is pissed.
— Back at ringside, Carmelo Hayes makes his way out. Williams and Yachty follow.
Trick Williams (w/ Lil Yachty) vs. Carmelo Hayes
The bell rings and the two lock up. Hayes delivers a springboard clothesline to Williams and looks to fly out of the ring, but Williams slides back inside and delivers a flapjack to Hayes. He levels him with a chop, but Hayes rocks Williams with a chop of his own on the outside during the commercial break.
Williams looks to land a delayed vertical suplex on Hayes, but Hayes manages to escape. Williams quickly takes control once again and levels Hayes, then whips him into the corner right shoulder first. Hayes catches Williams with a springboard DDT, but Williams lands a pop-up right hand on Hayes back from the break. Hayes responds with a Dirty Diana to Williams, but Williams levels Hayes with a pair of leg lariats. He follows it up with a uranage and goes for a pin, but Hayes kicks out.
Hayes delivers a diving DDT to Williams off the top rope and pins him, but Williams kicks out. We see Ricky Saints watching the action from backstage as Hayes levels Williams with a superkick and ascends to the top rope. Hayes sets up for a Frog Splash on Williams, but Williams intercepts Hayes with a boot. Hayes responds with a codebreaker to Williams and ascends to the top rope.
Baron Corbin appears out of nowhere to trip up Hayes and cause the match to be called off by the referee.
Winner: N/A (no contest due to outside interference)
— After the match, Corbin hits End of Days on Hayes and then slams Williams down with the End of Days. Corbin goes and gets the Unites States title and poses with it before dropping it on Williams and then Corbin leaves the ring.
— Gunther is shown walking backstage and we cut to a commercial.
— We come back from a commercial break and Gunther makes his way out to the ring.
GUNTHER wastes no time calling Nick Aldis to the ring to tell him what his decision about the SummerSlam Undisputed WWE Championship was. Aldis appears and says he's had time to think about what GUNTHER said, then says he'll give GUNTHER both Cody Rhodes and CM Punk at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event on July 18 when the two men team up to take on GUNTHER and Sami Zayn.
Aldis says he's still keeping the SummerSlam Undisputed WWE Championship match, but an angry GUNTHER blindsides Aldis from behind and levels him with a clothesline. He cinches in a sleeper on Aldis, but officials run out to pry GUNTHER off of Aldis. GUNTHER locks the sleeper back in on Aldis, but officials pry GUNTHER off Aldis. GUNTHER cinches in the sleeper on Aldis once again, but Cody Rhodes' music hits and he runs out to the ring (presumably) to come to Aldis' aid as the show goes off the air.
