On May 22nd, 2026 WWE aired the 1,396th episode of Smackdown live in Lexington Kentucky inside Rupp Arena & can watch it on USA Network (United States) & Netflix (Everywhere else).
-Kicking off this week’s Smackdown with a video of what went down between Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes & Gunther last week.
-Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley welcomes fans to Friday Night Mami and says she had 1 week off but someone really missed her: Jade Cargill.
-She says Cargill, Michin & B Fab tried sending her a message but all they really did was make her mad and says she’s itching for a fight. She tells Cargill that she’ll happily beat her again to retain the Women’s Title at Clash in Italy.
-Charlotte Flair’s music hits and she makes her way to the ring along with Alexa Bliss.
-Flair says she appreciates Ripley wanting to define the Women’s Title but she needs to remember their 6 Woman Tag Team Match at Saturday Night’s Main Event tomorrow night.
-She questions where Ripley was last Friday and Ripley explains she wanted to go home and see her family.
-Flair reiterates that herself & Bliss needed Ripley’s help last Friday and says they have their own battles to fight.
-Ripley reminds Flair that she said herself & Bliss would be fine then points out that Bliss took most of the ambush last Friday.
-Flair says Ripley is trying to drive a wedge between Bliss & herself but Fatal Influence’s music hits and they make their way out.
-Jayne says there’s nothing she likes watching more than the Smackdown women’s division implode which started when Fatal Influence arrived and says Fatal Influence has ascended to the top while everyone else is at each other’s throats.
-She says Fatal Influence takes every opportunity that they see, prompting Flair to challenge any 2 members of Fatal Influence to face herself & Bliss tonight. Jayne accepts.
We then head backstage where Royce Keys comes face 2 face with MFTs once again.
Solo Sikoa says all Keys had to do last week is tell him that he didn’t need help but says there’s no one better to help than family.
After the break Alexa Bliss tries to convince Charlotte Flair that she isn’t medically cleared.
Flair doesn’t buy it and Bliss reveals that she lied because she wants Rhea Ripley to replace her in tonight’s match in order for Ripley & Flair to be able to co exist tomorrow night at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Talla Tonga defeated Shinsuke Nakamura via Talla T Bomb
After the match MFT beats down Nakamura.
Sikoa sets up for the Samoan Spike but Tama Tonga stops him and lands a Cutthroat on Nakamura instead.
He holds Nakamura in place with Talla for Sikoa to land a Samoan Spike on him but WWE Tag Team Champion Damian Priest runs out to the ring with a chair in hand to come to Nakamura’s aid.
We then head over to Nick Aldis’ office where the lights flicker as a referee leaves Aldis’ office.
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes walks in, and Aldis informs him that Gunther isn’t here to sign the contract for their Undisputed WWE Title match at Clash in Italy.
Rhodes tells Aldis he’ll make sure Gunther signs the contract but Aldis assures Rhodes that he’ll handle it before Sami Zayn walks in and tells Rhodes that he has his back and can help him with anything.
Rhodes declines Zayn’s help and Zayn becomes frustrated before knowing what he’s doing tonight.
Aldis says he may not have a spot for Zayn but Zayn becomes frustrated and says Aldis would give Rhodes time if he asked.
An irate Rhodes comes back into Aldis’ office and demands a match against Zayn.
Women’s United States Title Match
Tiffany Stratton (c) defeated Lash Legend via Roll Up (STILL CHAMPION!!!!)
-We then head backstage where Nick Aldis discovers that Danhausen is the reason behind the power issues in the Rupp Arena as he experiments in his lair.
-Aldis spots a large item that resembles the size of a human under a blanket on a table but Danhausen tells Aldis not to touch it.
-Backstage The Miz & Kit Wilson were interviewed as Miz insisted that there was no curse.
-He complained about the Cleveland Cavaliers being cursed by Danhausen as Fraxiom shows up.
-This led to a Tag Team match between Wilson & Miz versus Fraxiom to be made for next week.
-Lil Yachty says if you interrupt a champion, you get lemon pepper stepped on.
-Carmelo Hayes’ music hits and he makes his way out and tells United States Champion Trick Williams that they both knew this day would come.
-He tells Williams to do the right thing and says Williams screwed him out of his United States Title but says there’s a difference between carrying a title and being a champion.
-He says he was a champion as United States Champion for 8 weeks and he won the people over with his blood, sweat and tears before he invites Williams to give him and the people what they want: a United States Title match between them.
-Yachty says Williams has a schedule as United States Champion and opens Williams’ planner including him getting a pedicure and a deep tissue massage.
-Hayes asks the fans if anyone can understand what he’s saying and once again asks for Williams to defend his United States Title if his secretary in Yachty will allow it.
-He says he goes way back with Williams then says the old Williams wouldn’t let someone tell him what his schedule is.
-Williams agrees to defend his United States Title against Hayes out of respect for everything they’ve been through but clarifies that he won’t be bringing back the United States Title Open Challenge.
Non Title Match
United States Champion Trick Williams defeated Carmelo Hayes via Trick Shot
-We then head backstage where Sami Zayn vents his frustrations with his friend Cody Rhodes wanting to fight him tonight to a depressed Johnny Gargano.
-He says Gargano is the last good guy left and tells him to never change then once Zayn left Gargano knocks down the water bottle with his fingers.
-We then head over and see Cathy Kelley catch up with Ricky Saints.
-An angered Carmelo Hayes appears out of nowhere to clock Saints and tell him to stay out of his business.
Tag Team Match
Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley & Charlotte Flair defeated Fatal Influence (Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid) via Natural Selection on Reid
-After the match Jade Cargill, Michin & B Fab sneak up behind Ripley, Flair, and Bliss to attack them.
-Fatal Influence joins them as Flair & Alexa Bliss brawl with Michin, B Fab & Fatal Influence.
-Left alone together in the ring Cargill hits a big boot and Jaded to Ripley to leave her laid out in the ring.
Solo Sikoa defeated WWE Tag Team Champion Damian Priest via Samoan Spike
-After the match MFT beats down Priest.
-Royce Keys’ music hits and he makes his way out.
-He rocks Tama Tonga with a forearm and low bridges Talla onto the ring apron then sends him crashing onto the floor with a clothesline and stares down Sikoa in the ring.
-Sikoa hops out of the ring before Priest can attack him & Keys helps up Priest.
-Priest sets up for South Of Heaven on Keys but Keys pushes Priest’s arm away.
Non Title Match
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes defeated Sami Zayn via Cross Rhodes
-After the match Gunther attacks Rhodes
