WWE SmackDown Results and Highlights (9/10/26): Money In The Bank challengers face off, Alexa Bliss & Tatum Paxley win Tag Gold and more
With WWE’s Money in the Bank Premium Live Event just around the corner on Saturday, SmackDown made its final stop in Lafayette, Louisiana, for one last night of action, rivalries, and high-stakes confrontations. The blue brand’s latest episode placed considerable emphasis on the upcoming PLE, bringing together the superstars competing in both the men’s and women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Matches. With the coveted briefcases within reach, the participants took the opportunity to make their intentions clear, explain why they deserved to win, and build momentum heading into one of WWE’s most unpredictable events of the year.
Although Money in the Bank dominated the spotlight, the episode also delivered championship action in the women’s tag team division. Charlotte Flair joined forces with Tatum Paxley to challenge Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship, adding another important contest to the night’s lineup. The title match provided a welcome change of pace from the ongoing Money in the Bank build-up, while giving the champions an opportunity to defend their position against a formidable challenge. With the briefcase contenders making their final statements and championship gold on the line, SmackDown served as WWE’s last major opportunity to raise the stakes before Saturday’s highly anticipated showdown.
Opening Segment
The latest episode of SmackDown opened with WWE General Managers Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis discussing the upcoming Money in the Bank Premium Live Event. Their conversation was interrupted by Trick Williams and Bron Breakker, whose confrontation quickly escalated and resulted in Pearce and Aldis booking the two superstars in a singles match later that night. Following the opening backstage developments, CM Punk made his way to the ring to address the audience and explain why he was prepared to put his body on the line in the dangerous Money in the Bank Ladder Match at this stage of his career. Punk climbed a ladder inside the ring and emphasized the opportunity to make history by becoming the first superstar to win the coveted briefcase three times, making it clear that the risks would not stop him from chasing another career-defining achievement.
Punk then turned his attention to the other competitors in the upcoming ladder match, prompting Kevin Owens to join him in the ring. The two exchanged verbal jabs as Owens climbed a second ladder, adding another layer of tension to the segment. Sami Zayn eventually made his entrance, sporting a confident smile as he joined the conversation and completed the gathering of three prominent contenders. While the segment offered all three superstars an opportunity to showcase their personalities and connect with the live crowd, it did little to significantly change the dynamics of the Money in the Bank match or establish a clear advantage for anyone involved. The promo also felt slightly longer than necessary, despite some entertaining exchanges between the participants. Overall, it was a serviceable opening segment that helped set the tone for the night, even if it stopped short of delivering a truly memorable final build-up to Saturday’s PLE.
Roxxane Perez, Lola Vice & Sol Ruca vs Lash Legend, Tiffany Stratton & Jacy Jane
All six women set to compete in the upcoming Money in the Bank Ladder Match joined forces for a six-woman tag team contest on SmackDown, giving the competitors one final opportunity to build momentum before Saturday’s PLE. However, the unusual team combinations made the match feel somewhat disjointed from the outset, particularly with heels and babyfaces sharing both sides despite an even split between the two groups. Roxanne Perez attempted to steal the spotlight early by tagging herself into the action, but her confidence quickly faded when Lash Legend entered the ring. Desperate to avoid facing Legend, Perez tried to escape, only for Lola Vice and Sol Ruca to abandon their positions on the apron and leave her to deal with the powerhouse alone. Although all six women possess distinct strengths and plenty of in-ring ability, the contest struggled to establish a natural rhythm. Several sequences felt mistimed or poorly connected, including a moment when Tiffany Stratton seemingly ignored Ruca to climb up and deliver a moonsault, only for Ruca to follow with a similar move moments later.
Despite the awkward exchanges, the match had a few entertaining moments and showcased the different styles each competitor will bring to the Money in the Bank Ladder Match. Unfortunately, the action often felt like a collection of individual spots rather than a well-structured contest with a clear storyline developing throughout. Lash Legend ultimately secured the victory for her team by pinning Sol Ruca with her finishing move, giving herself a valuable boost heading into the high-stakes ladder match. However, the biggest statement came after the bell, when Legend turned her attention to her own teammates, attacking Jacy Jayne and Tiffany Stratton to make her intentions unmistakably clear. The post-match assault helped reinforce Legend’s determination to capture the briefcase, even if the match itself fell short of its potential. With the Money in the Bank showdown approaching, Legend has made it clear that she is willing to take on anyone standing between her and the opportunity to change her career.
Tama Tonga & Tala Tonga vs The War Raiders
Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga, accompanied by Haku, squared off against The War Raiders (Erik and Ivar) in a hard-hitting tag team contest. Talla started the match against Erik and wasted no time asserting his dominance, dropping the Viking with a powerful clothesline. Although both teams traded offense throughout the opening exchanges, the action gained momentum after the commercial break when Shinsuke Nakamura and Kyoki appeared at ringside to distract the reigning tag team champions, allowing Tama and Talla to capitalize. Just as Erik and Ivar seemed poised to secure the victory, Haku intervened by striking Erik in the throat with his walking stick, creating the opening for Tama and Talla to connect with their double-team finisher and pick up the win. The celebration was short-lived, however, as Bakusai launched an immediate attack on the victorious champions after the bell. The defeat puts The War Raiders on the back foot heading into their next challenge, while the interference and post-match assault add another layer of tension to the tag team division and keep the championship picture firmly in focus.
Cody Rhodes confronts The Miz & Kit Wilson
The Miz and Kit Wilson came out to demand the respect they believed they deserved, but their segment quickly took an unexpected turn when Cody Rhodes made his way to the arena. The American Nightmare wasted little time making his presence felt, taking down both men before General Manager Nick Aldis arrived to address the situation. Aldis explained that this was precisely the kind of confrontation he had hoped to prevent by sending Randy Orton home, stressing that Cody and Orton continuing their rivalry outside the ring was creating unnecessary problems. He asked Rhodes to join him in his office to discuss the available options, but Cody refused to entertain another conversation and made it clear that he wanted their match officially booked.
The segment ended without any confirmation of a match between Rhodes and Orton, leaving their increasingly volatile rivalry unresolved. While the confrontation itself followed a familiar WWE formula, Cody brought enough intensity and conviction to keep the audience invested in his demand for a showdown. The Miz and Kit Wilson also played their roles effectively, serving as convenient foils whose antics gave Rhodes an opportunity to make a statement without diverting too much attention from the bigger story. With Aldis attempting to maintain order and Cody refusing to back down, the question now is whether WWE will finally give the American Nightmare the match he wants or continue building tension before making the announcement official.
Danhausen vs Gunther
Nick Aldis informed Danhausen backstage that he would be facing Gunther later in the night, a revelation that clearly left the eccentric WWE star unhappy. Adding to the bizarre atmosphere, Danhausen brought out his evil detector, which appeared to identify Finn Bálor as evil. Things became even more unusual when Gunther and Danhausen came face-to-face in what was easily one of the night’s most unexpected matchups. Before Danhausen could unleash one of his infamous curses, The Ring General struck him with a brutal kick and immediately began dismantling him. The referee attempted to intervene, but Gunther refused to stop his assault, and the contest never officially got underway. Just when the situation looked hopeless for Danhausen, Bálor arrived to even the odds, repeatedly attacking Gunther and forcing him to retreat through the crowd.
However, Gunther wasn’t finished. Returning to the scene while Bálor was checking on Danhausen, he blindsided The Judgment Day member and launched another vicious attack, leaving both men in trouble. Although fans never got to see an official match, the segment accomplished its primary objective by reminding everyone just how dangerous Gunther can be when he loses control. After recent developments, The Ring General needed a convincing display of dominance, and his merciless treatment of Danhausen and Bálor delivered exactly that. More importantly, Bálor’s intervention and Gunther’s subsequent retaliation laid the groundwork for a potential showdown between the two, giving WWE another intriguing rivalry to develop while keeping Gunther firmly positioned as a formidable threat.
Fatal Influence vs Tatum Paxley & Alexa Bliss ( Women’s Tag Team Championship)
The WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match underwent a major change after Charlotte Flair was attacked backstage by Jade Cargill, Michin, and B-Fab ahead of the commercial break. When the show returned, Flair attempted to convince Nick Aldis that she was fit to compete, but the medical team refused to clear her. With her partner sidelined, Alexa Bliss stepped in to team up with Tatum Paxley against reigning champions Fallon Henley and Jacy Jayne? The champions wasted little time exploiting the unexpected pairing, overwhelming Bliss with a series of double-team attacks after she briefly managed to take control. Paxley eventually entered the contest and mounted a counterattack, but Henley and Reid? pushed her to the outside as the match headed into another commercial break, leaving the challengers with plenty of work to do.
Despite the noticeable difference in experience between the four competitors, the match delivered a competitive contest, with Bliss bringing her nearly 13 years of WWE experience while Paxley continued to develop alongside more seasoned opponents. The biggest surprise came at the finish, when Bliss and Paxley managed to overcome the odds and defeat the champions to capture the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. The unexpected title change gave the show a major moment, particularly considering that Bliss had only entered the match as a replacement for Flair. For Paxley, the victory represents a significant breakthrough, while Bliss adds another championship achievement to her already impressive career. With new champions crowned under unusual circumstances, the women’s tag team division now has a fresh pairing at the top and plenty of questions about what comes next.
Trick Williams vs Bron Breakker
The main event was announced at the beginning of the show, with Bron Breakker going head-to-head with Trick Williams ahead of their respective appearances in the Money in the Bank match this weekend. With less than ten minutes remaining when the bell rang, the two superstars had little time to build a lengthy contest. Breakker immediately brought the aggression, taking control early and launching Williams over the announce table with a clothesline from the apron. Despite the limited runtime, both men maintained a strong pace and delivered a physical, hard-hitting encounter that offered a glimpse of their potential chemistry. However, the match never had enough time to develop into something truly memorable, and the commercial break in the middle of the main event only made the rushed presentation more noticeable. Both Breakker and Williams have the potential to become future world champions, making this an intriguing matchup that WWE could revisit on a much bigger stage down the road.
Unfortunately, the contest ended in disqualification when The Vision stormed the ring and attacked Williams. Je’Von Evans then rushed out to help Williams, although the sudden alliance felt somewhat questionable given the lack of an established partnership between the two. The chaos continued as Bronson Reed delivered a devastating Tsunami to Williams, bringing the show to a close on a destructive note. Elsewhere, Breakker told Sami Zayn backstage that he would see him soon, strongly hinting at a possible pursuit of Zayn’s championship should Breakker emerge victorious in the Money in the Bank ladder match. While the closing angle helped establish Breakker as a dangerous threat heading into the premium live event, the main event itself felt underwhelming due to its limited screen time and abrupt finish. Breakker’s visually intense entrance also made a lasting impression, but WWE could have given this promising matchup more room to breathe instead of squeezing it into the final minutes of the broadcast.
Other Notable Moments from the Show
– Backstage, Nikki Bella crashed Chelsea Green’s interview with Cathy Kelley and wasted no time making her championship ambitions clear. Bella declared that it was only a matter of time before she captured the WWE Women’s Championship, putting the reigning champion on notice. She then took a personal jab at Green by suggesting that even her husband, Matt Cardona, would prefer an upgrade to the real deal. The unexpected interruption quickly turned into a war of words, adding another potential challenger to Green’s growing list of threats and setting the stage for a possible showdown between the two women.
– Damian Priest opened up about his frustration at missing out on the Money in the Bank ladder match, reminding everyone that he had previously won the prestigious contract before cashing in at WrestleMania 40 to become champion. The Archer of Infamy blamed his recent partnership with R-Truth for keeping him occupied, suggesting that his focus on their tag team had come at the expense of his own championship ambitions. Things took a turn when Priest overheard Fraxiom discussing the situation, and the conversation escalated after the duo stood up for Truth. Furious at their comments, Priest launched a brutal attack on both men, but Truth soon arrived to defend his allies and confronted his former tag team partner, managing to fight him off. The segment highlighted the growing tension between Priest and Truth, leaving their fractured partnership looking increasingly difficult to repair.
– Damian Priest opened up about his frustration at missing out on the Money in the Bank ladder match, reminding everyone that he had previously won the prestigious contract before cashing in at WrestleMania 40 to become champion. The Archer of Infamy blamed his recent partnership with R-Truth for keeping him occupied, suggesting that his focus on their tag team had come at the expense of his own championship ambitions. Things took a turn when Priest overheard Fraxiom discussing the situation, and the conversation escalated after the duo stood up for Truth. Furious at their comments, Priest launched a brutal attack on both men, but Truth soon arrived to defend his allies and confronted his former tag team partner, managing to fight him off. The segment highlighted the growing tension between Priest and Truth, leaving their fractured partnership looking increasingly difficult to repair.
– Michael Cole and Corey Graves confirmed on Friday night that Roman Reigns’ World Heavyweight Championship defence against LA Knight will open Saturday’s premium live event. The announcement puts the spotlight on one of the event’s biggest matchups right from the start, with Knight looking to pull off a career-defining upset against one of WWE’s most dominant superstars. Reigns, meanwhile, will be determined to shut down The Megastar’s championship ambitions and begin the night with a statement victory. With the world title on the line and both competitors having plenty to prove, the opening contest promises to set an intense tone for the rest of the show.
– Backstage, Sami Zayn vented his frustration to Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae over CM Punk and Kevin Owens’ involvement in the Money in the Bank match, but his complaints were interrupted by World Tag Team Champion Bron Breakker. The powerhouse shifted his attention towards the WWE Championship before delivering a brief but ominous message to Zayn: “You know why I’m here. I’ll see you soon.” The exchange hinted at a potential showdown between the two superstars, whose history dates back to SummerSlam 2024, when Breakker defeated Zayn to capture his first championship on WWE’s main roster. With Breakker seemingly setting his sights on the WWE Championship, a renewed rivalry could be on the horizon, raising an intriguing question: could Zayn become a world champion by overcoming the very man who previously ended his title reign?
