Pearce tells Aldis that protocol dictates that as the General Manager of SmackDown, he cannot compete as a WWE Superstar.
He tells Aldis to enjoy it because he will end his career before it has even properly started.
Nia Jax throws Flair in the corner and Nia Jax with spears.
Nia Jax tells Jade to mind her business.
Nia Jax goes for a Samoan drop on Flair but Flair lands on her feet.
WWE SmackDown Results
July 24 2026
Oakland, California (Oakland Arena)
Results by: Roy Nemer of Wrestleview.com
WWE SmackDown kicks off with Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce in the ring.
We see a clip of Saturday Night’s Main Event and the SummerSlam kick off show. We see Triple H announcing Gunther against Nick Aldis at SummerSlam.
Live in the arena, Adam Pearce welcomes everyone to the show. He says he is there to make the match at SummerSlam official. Pearce introduces Gunther to the ring.
Gunther’s music hits and out he comes to the ring. Aldis and Gunther sit on their chairs with the table separating them. Pearce tells Aldis that protocol dictates that as the General Manager of SmackDown, he cannot compete as a WWE Superstar. Which means the second he puts his name on that contract, he voluntarily relinquishes his duties of SmackDown and Pearce will assume the responsibilities. Furthermore, there is an agreement which states that Aldis is returning to the ring on his own free will and choice. He says WWE bears no responsibilities after the bell rings in his match. He asks Aldis if they are crystal clear on it.
Aldis says he knows exactly what he is signing. And for him to be crystal clear, he never wanted any of this but Gunther is the one who brought this. But every man has his breaking point and Gunther found his. He says if he has to relinquish his responsibilities, so be it. Aldis signs the contract.
Gunther says this match will be greatest moment of Nick’s career. He tells Aldis that all of this is beneath him because he should be focusing and preparing for winning the WWE title at SummerSlam. But the only reason he isn’t is because Aldis does not know how to do his job. He says since joining SmackDown, Aldis has had an issue with him but he realized what it is. He says Aldis is jealous. He says he knows that Aldis is a former NWA World Champion. But to be honest, Nick never really made it. He was dreaming of being a wrestler for WWE, being a WWE superstar. But it never really happened but in comes Gunther. He says he walks in with his title. He has the titles, the records, he is a multi millionaire. Even the watch is worth half of his yearly salary. He says Aldis must ask why Gunther has all of that and he doesn’t. He says it’s because Aldis was just not good enough. But he will fulfull Nick’s dream. Gunther signs the contract and says he will turn Aldis into a legend because he will have Aldis join a list of very iconic legends. Goldberg, AJ Styles, John Cena. All legends that were stupid enough to step in the ring with the ring general when they were chasing one more moment. He tells Aldis to enjoy it because he will end his career before it has even properly started.
He stands up but Aldis tells him Gunther keeps repeating himself. But if he actually believes that, he would not be here saying that to him again. He says he figured Gunther out. The reason why he keeps saying that to him is because he is trying to get him to believe it because Gunther never thought it would come to this. HE says Gunther thought he would throw his temper tantrums, hit him, pay a fine and move on. But it didn’t go that way. But when he hit him with a right hand and Triple H made the match for SummerSlam, he saw it in Gunther’s eyes, he didn’t want any of this. Because Gunther has gotten himself into a situation that he can’t get out of. He put his career in jeopardy. He can talk about Goldberg, AJ Styles and John Cena. He says he hasn’t had a match in three years, he has nothing to lose. But when he beats Gunther at SummerSlam, he will go from a career killer to the man who got made a bitch by his boss. They hit each other with right hands. Pearce breaks it up but Gunther with a low blow. Gunther powerbombs Aldis through the table.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Cathy Kelley is in front of the trainer’s room but in comes Sami Zayn. He says at Night of Champions, he won the WWE title. And it became clear to him that the powers at be, Nick Aldis, Adam Pearce, they didn’t want him as champion. Because he had to defend his title within days on a show he wasn’t even on. It’s against Cody Rhodes but he gets injured and in comes corporate poster boy, CM Punk. He says they took the title, they got their match at SummerSlam. That looks good, everyone is happy. Nick Aldis, Gunther, they have a match at SummerSlam but what about him. The guy who 18 days ago was WWE champion. He is on the bench, to make it make sense. In comes Adam and he tells him to fix it. He says Nick Aldis deserves what he got. He says that match was his ticket for the match at SummerSlam. Pearce says it didn’t go his way. Zayn says to make it right, to make the match at SummerSlam a triple threat. Pearce says the match is Cody and Punk. He tells Zayn to shut up and he asks him if he watched teh show. He says Zayn got caught in the cross hairs but there’s a fatal four way tonight. Damian Priest, Trick Williams, Royce Keys and Finn Balor. The winner goes on to SummerSlam in a number one contender’s match against Zayn. He says that is his chance. Zayn says those guys get mentioned by Punk and they get an opportunity. But he has to earn his title. Pearce says he has given him an option, to take it or leave it. Zayn says fine and he takes it. He says no shenanigans, no more surprises. Pearce says he has to go check on Aldis and he walks away.
Brie Bella with Paige vs. Lainey Reid with Jacy Jayne and Fallon Henley
Fatal Influence cut a promo before the match about how they beat Brie and Paige at Saturday Night’s Main Event for the Tag Team titles. Jayne says she should be in the ladder match for the Women’s Interim title. But she found a solution. She tells Tiffany that her United States title will be hers in due time. But as for tonight, Lainey will humiliate Brie Bella and put her out of her misery once and for all.
Reid goes for a right hand on Brie but Brie with a right hand and she throws Reid to the outside of the ring. Reid grabs Brie to the outside but Brie with a clothesline. She throws Reid back into the ring. The bell rings and we are under way. Brie rolls her up but Reid kicks out. Brie throws Reid onto the ring apron but Reid slams Brie face first into the turnbuckle. Reid with a leaping cutter.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Reid rolls Brie up for the cover but Brie kicks out. Brie rolls her up and gets the pin. Fatal Influence get in the ring and begin hitting Paige and Reid. Out comes Nikki Bella and she makes the save. Fatal Influence leave the ring.
Winner: Brie Bella
Nikki challenges them to six women tag team match at SummerSlam.
-Commercial Break-
Interim WWE Women’s Championship Ladder Match qualifier – Chelsea Green vs. Kiana James
The bell rings and we are under way. Kiana with right hands onto Green. She throws Green to the outside and throws her into the barricade. James throws Green back into the ring. Green with right hands and lands a Russian leg sweep. Green with the Rough Rider. She goes for the cover but James kicks out. She grabs James but James with a double knees to the face. James grabs Chelsea but Chelsea with the Unpretty Her. She goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: Chelsea Green
We cut backstage and R-Truth is with Damian Priest. In comes Cody Rhodes, he tells him that he could be facing him for the title and not CM Punk.
We cut backstage and we see Royce Keys. In comes Solo Sikoa. In comes LA Knight and he tells Keys to stay focused on The Bloodline. Solo tells them both that he has their backs.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Cody’s music hits and out he comes to the ring. Rhodes introduces CM Punk to the ring.
Cody tells Punk that wasn’t an accident. Punk takes his jacket off and they are face to face. Cody tells him that for this story to have the proper ending, it’s fair for him to say that he has to beat CM Punk at SummerSlam.
Punk tells him that Cody doesn’t like that he is the champion. He casts a very large shadow that not only Cody but a few other people can’t get out. He says for Cody, brothers fight. This isn’t one way traffic, if he did those great things and Cody learned from him, good for him. But did he do that better than him, that’s not for them to decide. That’s for the people to decide. He says in 2022, he was learning from Cody because he was on the outside looking in because there. He says Cody can’t handle the pressure of rising to the occasion of just having an athletic contest with someone that he respects. He says Cody has to make himself the victim and everyone else the enemy. If Kevin Owens, Randy Orton and John Cena are his enemies, that makes him Cody’s only friend. He promised him years ago that he wasn’t going to stab him in the back, he was going to beat him. He says at SummerSlam, he will break Cody’s heart.
Cody tells him that it looks like they said all there is to say. He says he will get Punk the obligatory gift on Thursday but that gift is an apology for when he whoops his ass at SummerSlam. Punk tells Cody what a coincidence, he also got him a gift. He will give it to him at SummerSlam and it’s a monumental, pillar to post ass whooping, wrapped in a lesson called a loss. And if he is smart enough, he will take the lesson and that is that he is CM Punk, he is the best in the world in the ring and microphone. No one can touch him, not even Dusty’s kid.
Punk’s music hits cut Cody says to kill it, they don’t need that. He says that is where he is bringing it, Dusty’s kid. He says to play his music because that is what he will hear when he wins the title at SummerSlam. Cody’s music hits and they are face to face.
We cut backstage and Cathy Kelley is backstage with Charlotte Flair. She tells Kelley that she was not thinking about title opportunities last week. She is thinking that she is standing here and her best friend isn’t. She says she can’t thank Bliss enough for what she did for her this year. She says Jade can go after her all she wants but she won’t get to Bliss. She says if she has to go through Nia Jax to get to Jade at SummerSlam, she will.
-Commercial Break-
Interim WWE Women’s Ladder match qualifier – Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax
The bell rings and we are under way. Nia Jax throws Flair in the corner and Nia Jax with spears. She runs towards Flair but Flair with a boot to the face. Flair climbs the second rope and lands a hurricanrana. Flair with a chop to the chest. She gets on the ring apron and lands a big boot. Flair climbs the top rope and lands a cross body. She goes for the cover but Nia Jax kicks out. Flair to the ropes but Nia Jax with a powerbomb. She goes for the cover but Flair kicks out.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Flair climbs the second rope but Nia Jax trips her down. Nia Jax climbs the second rope and lands a leg drop. She goes for the cover but Flair kicks out. Nia Jax climbs the second rope but Flair with a knee chop. She lifts Nia Jax up and powerbombs her. Flair goes for the cover but Nia Jax kicks out. Flair climbs the second rope but Jade’s music hits and out she comes with B-Fab and Michin. That distracts Flair and Nia Jax trips Flair. She throws Flair to the outside of the ring. Nia Jax tells Jade to mind her business. Jade tells B-Fab and Michin to go to Flair. Nia Jax argues with the referee. Flair with a clothesline on B-Fab and she throws Michin into the barricade. Flair gets on the ring apron and she hangs Nia Jax up. Jade gets on the ring apron, Flair hits her with a right hand. Nia Jax goes for a Samoan drop on Flair but Flair lands on her feet. Flair with ab ig boot and Nia Jax falls to the outside of the ring. Jade hits Flair with a right hand and the referee calls for the bell.
Winner: By disqualification, Charlotte Flair
B-Fab and Michin get in the ring. Jade with the Jaded onto Flair.
Nia Jax clears the announce table and she gets angry.
-Commercial Break-
Fatal Four Way Match, winner faces Sami Zayn in Number 1 Contender’s Match for Undisputed Title at SummerSlam – Damian Priest vs. Finn Balor vs. Royce Keys vs. Trick Williams
The bell rings and we are under way. Priest and Balor fight to the outside and Keys with a fall away slam to Williams.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Priest with a kick to the side of the head onto Williams but Williams with a Trick slap. Balor throws Williams to the outside of the ring. Keys runs towards Balor but Balor lowers the top rope and Keys falls to the outside of the ring. Balor with a splash over the top rope onto Williams, Priest and Keys. Balor looks at the entrance ramp and out comes Solo Sikoa.
-Commercial Break-
Back from commercial, Williams goes for the cover onto Keys but Solo puts Royce’s leg on the ropes. Out come The Usos and they double team Solo. LA Knight’s music hits and out he comes from the time keeper’s area. He hits The Usos from behind. Both teams fight on the outside of the ring. In the ring, Priest climbs the top rope and lands a cross body onto both teams. Balor with a sling blade onto Williams. He lands a drop kick. Balor climbs the top rope and he goes for the Coup de Grace, Williams moves out of the way. Williams with a big boot. He goes for the cover but Balor kicks out. Priest with a right hand onto Williams and big boot onto Balor. Priest with the South of Heaven onto Williams. He goes for the cover but Keys breaks it up. He throws Priest shoulder first into the ring post. Keys with a spinebuster. He goes for the cover but Jacob pulls Keys to the outside of the ring. He throws Keys into the ring post. Fatu with a running hip attack. In the ring, Balor with a sling blade onto Priest. He lands a drop kick. Balor climbs the top rope and lands the Coup de Grace. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: Finn Balor
He celebrates and SmackDown goes off the air.
