WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - March 6th, 2026

[Kemo]

Drew McIntyre to battle Cody Rhodes in an Undisputed WWE Championship Match

After Undisputed WWE Champion Drew McIntyre cost Cody Rhodes his opportunity to win the Elimination Chamber, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis ordered The Scottish Psychopath to battle The American Nightmare for the title this Friday. Will McIntyre or Rhodes secure the gold? Who will go on to battle Elimination Chamber winner Randy Orton on The Grandest Stage of Them All?

— The show kicks off with a video recapping the events of WWE Elimination Chamber.

— Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore then greet audiences at home as Randy Orton makes his way to the ring.

Orton welcomes fans to "SmackDown", then recalls getting to the Moda Center earlier today and glancing at the WrestleMania 42 sign. He says he's been part of twenty WrestleMania's, but has only main evented two of those. He says it goes to show that it doesn't matter how many titles a Superstar wins or how much they accomplish because it doesn't guarantee a WrestleMania main event.

Orton says he's never been one to stand in the ring and call himself the best, but says he lets his peers do the talking and says a lot of them call him one of the best including men he admired growing up like Ric Flair, The Undertaker, Harley Race, and JBL during his time on the commentary desk. He says when he looks in the locker room now and sees the men he shares it with, it makes him proud to know that he's still wrestling and have people consider him to be at the top of his game.

Orton says he earned the spot that he has now in WWE, then says when it comes to main eventing WrestleMania 42, he has yet to know who he will be challenging for the Undisputed WWE Championship. He says it doesn't matter whether it's Drew McIntyre or Cody Rhodes because he'll leave Las Vegas, Nevada as Undisputed WWE Champion. He says he plans on accomplishing that one way: with an RKO.

The lights go off, and when they come back on, Trick Williams' music hits and he makes his way out. He says the sexiest and most entertaining WWE Superstar has arrived, then says he has voices in his head like Orton that are telling him that he has a bone to pick with Orton. He says he should be main eventing WrestleMania 42 for the Undisputed WWE Championship instead of Orton, then says Orton called him out at Elimination Chamber. Williams then continues to run his mouth.

Having heard enough, Orton blindsides Williams with a RKO.

— We see Carmelo Hayes talking to Nick Aldis backstage. Aldis says he's proud of Hayes for being a fighting champion. Aldis tells Hayes competitors have requested the open challenge and he has a great opponent for Hayes.

— Carmelo Hayes then makes his way to the ring. Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. follows, answering Hayes' US Open Challenge.

WWE United States Championship Open Challenge: Carmelo Hayes (c) vs. Hijo Del Dr. Wagner Jr.

The bell rings and Wagner Jr. delivers a dropkick to Hayes off the middle rope. Hayes lands a springboard leg drop on Wagner Jr., During the commercial break, Hayes lands a crossbody on Wagner Jr. and pins him back inside the ring. Wagner Jr. kicks out and sends Hayes crashing into the mat face first before he levels Hayes with a boot and delivers a chop to his spine. He follows it up with a senton and goes for a pin, but Hayes kicks out.

Wagner Jr. delivers a chop to Hayes and sits him on the top rope, but Hayes fires off headbutts on Wagner Jr. to send him crashing onto the apron. Wagner Jr. joins Hayes back on the ropes and delivers a superplex to him. He goes for a pin back from the break, but Hayes kicks out.

Hayes fires off chops on Wagner Jr.'s chest, then sends him crashing into the mat with Dirty Diana and goes for a pin. Wagner Jr. kicks out, then powerbombs Hayes into the mat and pins him. Hayes kicks out, then connects with The First 48 on Wagner Jr. and pins him.

Wagner Jr. kicks out, but Hayes sets up for Nothing But Net on Wagner Jr. off the top rope. Wagner Jr. moves out of the way and delivers a sit-out powerbomb on Hayes, then goes for a pin but Hayes kicks out. Wagner Jr. then ascends to the top rope and looks to land a moonsault on Hayes, but Hayes moves out of the way and connects with Nothing But Net for the win.

Winner and STILL WWE United States Champion: Carmelo Hayes

— After the match, Hayes helps Wagner Jr. up as a show of respect towards him.

— Back at ringside, The Irresistible Forces make their way out.

Nia Jax tells Portland to soak in herself and Lash Legend, then tells the live crowd to get a good look at two 6" stallions. She says now that herself and Legend have the Women's Tag Team Championship, they have the women's tag team division on lock and says all challengers are welcome. She says that it won't make a difference, and Legend adds that if anyone is brave enough to step to them, they'll get taken out. She says that herself and Jax aren't going anywhere, then proposes a toast for herself and Jax.

Jax and Legend each grab a glass of champagne and cheers to one another, but Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss interrupt the duo and make their way out. Bliss says she's happy that Jax found a coattail to ride to the top, and Flair says The Irresistible Forces are looking at their next challengers.

Giulia and Kiana James make their way out, and James reminds Flair that she beat her (and Jax) in a Triple Threat Qualifier for the 2026 Women's Elimination Chamber and Bliss that she pinned her in said Women's Elimination Chamber match. She says herself and Giulia plan on going to WrestleMania 42 together, but Nick Aldis makes his way out and makes a match between Bliss and Flair, and Giulia and James official.

Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss vs. Giulia and Kiana James

Back from the break, the bell has rung and Flair uses Bliss to land a dropkick on Giulia. James tags in, but Flair levels her with a boot and lands a senton off the ring apron on Giulia and James. James dumps Flair back in the ring and pins her, but Flair kicks out.

Giulia tags in and delivers a shotgun dropkick to Flair's spine, but James tags back in and looks to land a moonsault on Flair. Flair gets her knees up, but Bliss and Giulia tag back in. Bliss delivers a shotgun dropkick to Giulia, then sends her crashing out of the ring.

During the commercial break, James sends Bliss crashing into the top turnbuckle face first and tags out to Giulia. Giulia lands a shotgun dropkick on Bliss' spine, then tags James back in. James looks to land an elbow drop on Bliss, but Bliss rolls out of the way and tags in Flair.

Flair fires off chops on both Giulia and James, then delivers a Fallaway Slam on Giulia and kips up back from the break. She steps over Giulia and James, then lands a double moonsault on them both off the top rope and goes for a pin. James kicks out and catches Flair with a boot.

Giulia tags in and lands a back suplex on Flair, but Flair catches Giulia with a suplex and Bliss takes out James with a Tornado DDT. Flair then delivers Natural Selection to Giulia for the win.

Winners: Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss

— We then head backstage, Cody Rhodes sits in thought. Cathy Kelley approaches him and asks Rhodes about his match tonight. Rhodes says he's had lots of obstacles and the only remaining obstacle is Drew McIntyre. He says he wants to point to the sign and will be a champion by the end of the night. Kelley leaves and Sami Zayn comes up to Rhodes and says it's crazy Rhodes has a title match tonight. Rhodes asks what's crazy about this, and Zayn says he has let go how Rhodes beat Zayn to get to the Elimination Chamber. Zayn says it's crazy that he lost Elimination Chamber and Rhodes still gets a title shot and Zayn never got a second chance. Rhodes blows up on Zayn and says he's self serving. Zayn is offended that Rhodes thinks he's trying to snake his way into a title shot. Zayn says he came to wish Rhodes good luck and now they're arguing. Zayn tells Rhodes to go be the champ again, and Rhodes says ok and leaves. Zayn crashes out backstage after Rhodes leaves.

WWE No. 1 Contenders Tag Team Turmoil Match: Motor City Machine Guns vs. Fraxiom vs. Los Garza vs. The Wyatt Sicks vs Damian Priest & R-Truth

Alex Shelley and Nathan Frazer begin the action. The bell rings and the two men shake hands. Axiom and Chris Sabin tag in and go back and forth before Shelley and Frazer tag in. Frazer lands a DDT on Shelley, then helps Axiom send Sabin crashing out of the ring with a dropkick. Frazer and Axiom then deliver the Dive Train to Shelley and Frazer.

Back from the break, Frazer rocks Sabin with a kick to his head and delivers a double dropkick to him and Shelley that sends them both crashing out of the ring. Sabin then tags back in and looks to send Frazer crashing into the mat, but Frazer rolls up Sabin after Axiom has taken out Shelley on the outside. Sabin kicks out, but Frazer and Axiom double team on him. Sabin then gets pinned and Shelley looks to put his foot on the bottom rope, but doesn't quite do so in time and the referee completes his count to send The Motor City Machine Guns to the back.

Eliminated: The Motor City Machine Guns

Los Garza are the enxt entrants in the match, and they waste no time going after Frazer and Axiom. Axiom rocks Angel with an enguiriti to him as he sits on the top rope, but Berto pushes Frazer off the top rope and to the outside into one of the barricades. Angelo then sends Frazer crashing into the mat, and Los Garza send Axiom crashing into the mat with MTY to eliminate him and Frazer.

Eliminated: Nathan Frazer and Axiom

The Wyatt Sicks are the next entrants in the match.

Back from another break, Berto sends Joe Gacy crashing off the ring apron and whips Dexter Lumis into the corner chest first. Angel tags back in, but Tonga Loa appears at ringside and pulls Gacy out of the ring as JC Mateo appears on the other side of the ring. Angel then rolls up Lumis with a handful of tights to eliminate him.

Eliminated: The Wyatt Sicks

Damian Priest and R-Truth are the final entrants in the match.

Back from another break, Berto delivers a moonsault to Priest off the ropes and pins him. Priest kicks out, then sends Berto crashing into the mat spine first with a Broken Arrow and tags in Truth. Truth delivers a Five Knuckle Shuffle to Berto and cinches in an STF on him. Berto breaks the hold, but Priest delivers South of Heaven to him as Truth lands an Attitude Adjustment on Angel. Priest and Truth then pin Los Garza for the win.

Eliminated: Los Garza

Winners and NEW #1 Contenders: Damian Priest and R-Truth

— Backstage, we see Drew McIntyre doing bicep curls with resistance bands.

— Sami Zayn talks to Randy Orton backstage. Zayn says he's happy for Orton but wants to talk to Orton about the whole Cody Rhodes drama. Zayn asks Orton how he is ok dropping Rhodes even though they're friends. Orton says that sometimes you have to be selfish. Zayn asks if that makes someone a bad person and Orton says it has made him a fourteen time champion. Zayn tells Orton he's rooting for him. Orton says he believes in Zayn and Zayn just needs to believe in himself and tells Zayn to listen to his voices and leaves. Aleister Black and Zelina approach Zayn and tell Zayn that Orton can't help himself.

Rhea Ripley makes her way to the ring.

Ripley says Cargill has a lot to say about her and invites her to come out to the ring.

Cargill's music hits and she makes her way out. She says she gives Ripley a handshake because she respects her and her ability to earn her way to a Women's Championship shot at WrestleMania 42. She says she respects how hard Ripley has worked, but she's not impressed. She says while Ripley's arms and legs are big and powerful, hers are more bigger and powerful. She promises to beat Ripley at WrestleMania 42 and there's nothing Ripley can do about it because she's that bitch and drops her microphone.

Ripley and Cargill shake hands before Ripley tells Cargill that she physically impresses her, then admits Cargill's shoulders may be bigger than hers but asks Cargill if she thinks that she'll really stay down. She says Cargill won't get back up if she takes a strike at her, then says Cargill works out to be aesthetically pleasing while she works out to survive and thrive in the professional wrestling business. Ripley says Cargill can flex all she wants because she's going to fight and will dethrone her as Women's Championship. She says that she's that bitch and drops the microphone.

— Alex Shelley is with Candice LeRae and a depressed Johnny Gargano who is laying on a crate. Chris Sabin comes by and is mad Shelley is consoling LeRae and Gargano. Sabin and Shelley leave and LeRae tells Gargano to stop moping and go back to being Johnny Wrestling. Gargano agrees and tells LeRae they have to go to the ring.

— A video package for The Wyatt Sicks plays. Uncle Howdy says they'll stalk Solo Siko and his family until he gets his lantern back.

— At ringside, Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae stand in the ring. Gargano says it's about time everyone remembers who he is and more importantly he remembers who he is. He says he needs to be Johnny Wrestling again and that starts tonight and issues an open invitation. Oba Femi accepts the challenge and Gargano is distraught in the ring.

Oba Femi's music hits and he makes his way out to answer the call.

Oba Femi vs. Johnny Gargano (w/ Candice LeRae)

The bell rings and Gargano charges at Femi. Femi intercepts him and levels him with an overhand chop, then fires off running uppercuts on him in the corner and sends him crashing into the mat with the Puff Puff Toss. He follows it up with the Fall From Grace for the win.

Winner: Oba Femi

— We then head backstage, where Michin asks Jade Cargill if she's forgotten about her as B-Fab stands by her. Cargill tells Michin that she'll see her for the Women's Championship next week.

— We then head backstage, where Danhausen speaks to Nick Aldis about getting him into the WWE Hall of Fame and finding him a mentor. Aldis spots The Miz and approaches him about being Danhausen's mentor, but The Miz voices his displeasure with being his mentor despite Danhausen's perception that The Miz is his new mentor. When The Miz keeps refusing, Danhausen curses him and reminds him of that his curse on Dominik Mysterio on Monday's episode of "WWE Raw" cost him the Intercontinental Championship.

— Cody Rhodes then makes his way to the ring. Drew McIntyre follows for the upcoming commercial free match.

WWE Undisputed Championship Match: Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Cody Rhodes

The bell rings and McIntyre looks to storm to the back. Rhodes chases him up the entrance ramp and brawls with him in the ringside area, then dumps McIntyre back in the ring and rocks him with a Disaster Kick, then rains down right hands on him in the corner.

McIntyre sends Rhodes crashing into the mat with a Gut Wrench suplex, but Rhodes sends McIntyre crashing into the ring steps on the outside and looks to fly. McIntyre catches Rhodes with a right hand, then sends him crashing off the ring steps and onto the ring apron with a slam.

McIntyre delivers a chop to Rhodes' chest, but Rhodes fires off right hands on McIntyre and connects with a Cody Cutter on McIntyre. He sets up for Cross-Rhodes, but McIntyre rolls out of the ring and sends Rhodes' shoulder crashing into the ring post twice.

McIntyre gets Rhodes back in the ring, then uses the bottom rope to wrench on his arm and lands a Future Shock DDT on him. Rhodes responds with a superplex to McIntyre, then cinches in a Figure Four Leg Lock on him. He catches McIntyre with a suicide dive and clears the announce desk, then looks to send McIntyre crashing through it with a Cross-Rhodes.

The announce desk crashes under the weight of both men, but Rhodes opts to grab a table from under the ring. McIntyre blindsides him from behind and sets up the table, then powerbombs Rhodes through it and dumps him back in the ring.

McIntyre delivers Cross-Rhodes to Rhodes and pins him, but Rhodes kicks out and McIntyre sets up for a Claymore Kick on him. Rhodes avoids it and delivers a Claymore Kick of his own to McIntyre, then goes for a pin but McIntyre kicks out. Rhodes then sets up for a Disaster Kick on McIntyre, but McIntyre pulls the referee in front of him to take the move for him.

McIntyre manages to land a back body drop on Rhodes, then sends Rhodes crashing into the corner when he charges at him. He lands a chop on Rhodes, but Rhodes intercepts McIntyre with a Cross-Rhodes. Rhodes doesn't pin McIntyre with the referee still down and calls for another referee to come to the ring. A second referee runs down, but Rhodes turns around into a Claymore Kick from McIntyre. McIntyre then pins Rhodes, but Rhodes somehow manages to kick out.

McIntyre stares daggers at the second referee, but the referee gets McIntyre to back down and McIntyre sends Rhodes crashing into the ring post shoulder first twice. Out of frustration, McIntyre delivers a Glasgow Kiss to the second referee and grabs a chair from the ringside area. He looks to hit Rhodes with it, but Jacob Fatu appears and grabs the chair from McIntyre. This opens the door for Rhodes to roll up McIntyre as the first referee comes to, but McIntyre kicks out and delivers a Future Shock DDT to Rhodes.

McIntyre sets up for a Claymore Kick on Rhodes, but Rhodes moves out of the way and lands a Cody Cutter on McIntyre. He follows it up with Cross-Rhodes for the win.

Winner and NEW Undisputed WWE Champion: Cody Rhodes

— After the match, McIntyre lays in the middle of the ring, and Rhodes celebrates with his new championship belt, points at the WrestleMania sign with pyro going off behind him and we get the end credits.

[LionDen]

Scheduled so far:
- Undisputed WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre vs. Cody Rhodes.

- WWE Tag Team Turmoil Gauntlet Match for No. 1 contenders.

- WWE United States Championship Open Challenge: Carmelo Hayes (c) vs. ?.

- New WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Nia Jax and Lash Legend in ring celebration.

- Women's Elimination Chamber winner Rhea Ripley and WWE WWE Women's Champion face to face..

- Men's Elimination Chamber winner Randy Orton to appear.

[Kemo]

[Kemo]

[Kemo]

[LionDen]

Announced so far for next weeks WWE SmackDOwn on Mar 13 in Phoenix, AZ (Mortgage Matchup Center):

- Contract signing for the Undisputed WWE Championship match at Wrestlemania 42 between champion Cody Rhodes and Randy orton..

- Non Title Match. WWE Women;s Champion Jade Cargill vs. Michin

- Jelly Roll will appear.