WWE Friday Night SmackDown September 25, 2026 Results and Recap: CM Punk Steals His Way Into Money in the Bank, Cody Rhodes Draws Boos

WWE Friday Night SmackDown continued its road to Money in the Bank last night from Indianapolis with a show that only featured four matches but somehow felt busier than plenty of cards twice that size. CM Punk and Lash Legend punched their tickets to Money in the Bank, Trick Williams survived Baron Corbin inside a Steel Cage, Fatal Influence continued running the women’s division, and the Undisputed WWE Championship picture around Sami Zayn became considerably more crowded.

The bigger story, though, is what SmackDown is becoming.

The blue brand finally feels comfortable as a three-hour show because WWE is actually using the roster depth to fill the time with intersecting stories, fresh faces and consequences instead of stretching two feuds across an extra hour.

Here are the full results

• Trick Williams (c) defeated Baron Corbin (United States Championship Steel Cage Match)
• Lash Legend defeated Charlotte Flair and Giulia (Women’s Money in the Bank Qualifier)
• Fatal Influence defeated Chelsea Green, Tiffany Stratton and Paige.
• CM Punk defeated Finn Bálor and Gunther (Men’s Money in the Bank Qualifier)

Trick Williams vs. Baron Corbin — United States Championship Steel Cage Match

Trick Williams and Baron Corbin opened last night inside the cage and treated it like the conclusion of a feud instead of another gimmick match.

Corbin superplexed Trick from near the top of the cage before the match developed into a strong closing stretch. Trick hit the Trick Kick for a near fall, but Corbin answered with a clothesline and chokeslam.

When Corbin crawled toward the open door, Lil Yachty slammed it into his head after Corbin had previously kicked the cage door into Yachty.

Trick followed with the Trick Shot.

Corbin kicked out.

Commentary immediately emphasized that nobody had kicked out of the Trick Shot before, and Trick looked genuinely stunned.

Corbin eventually regained control and hit Deep Six for another convincing near fall.

Trick finally put him away with three consecutive Book Ends to retain the United States Championship.

Lil Yachty’s involvement was the one part that slightly weakened an otherwise strong conclusion. The retaliation made sense because Corbin had attacked him first, but Trick ultimately did not need the assistance.

Grade: B+

What worked

• Corbin kicking out of the Trick Shot made him look dangerous even in defeat.
• The superplex from near the top of the cage gave the match its biggest visual.
• Deep Six created another convincing late near fall.
• Three consecutive Book Ends gave Trick a decisive finishing sequence.
• Trick leaves the match with momentum heading into Money in the Bank.

What didn’t work

• Yachty’s involvement gave Corbin an excuse for losing.
• A cage match this personal could have benefited from a completely clean finish.

Lash Legend Has Bigger Plans Than Qualifying

Cathy Kelley caught up with Lash Legend and Nia Jax before Lash’s Money in the Bank qualifier.

Lash acknowledged what Charlotte Flair and Giulia have accomplished but made it clear she was not intimidated. Nia eventually took over the interview herself, using a lipstick tube as a microphone while putting over Lash as more dominant and more gorgeous than her opponents.

It was short, but it gave Lash some personality and confidence immediately before one of the biggest matches of her main-roster run.

Grade: B-

What worked

• Lash received character time before the qualifier instead of simply walking into the match.
• Nia and Lash’s chemistry made the interview different from a generic pre-match promo.
• Lash came across confident rather than overwhelmed by Charlotte and Giulia.

What didn’t work

• It was brief character setup rather than a major storyline development.

Nick Aldis Tries To Control CM Punk And Kevin Owens

Nick Aldis brought CM Punk and Kevin Owens together and told them he could not have their issues bleeding into the Money in the Bank qualifiers.

Punk agreed to stay out of Owens’ way if Owens stayed out of his.

Owens said nothing and walked away.

That silence mattered more than another shouting match would have.

Grade: B

What worked

• Punk and Owens remained connected without hijacking last night’s qualifier.
• Owens refusing to verbally agree kept the tension alive heading into next week.
• Aldis acknowledged their recent chaos instead of pretending it never happened.

What didn’t work

• Nothing major. It was short and accomplished exactly what it needed to accomplish.

WWE also announced during last night’s show that WWE x AAA Worlds Collide will be available Wednesday, September 30 at 7 p.m. ET on WWE’s YouTube channel.

Chelsea Green Has Problems Everywhere

Chelsea Green is beginning to realize that being WWE Women’s Champion on this version of SmackDown means having enemies everywhere.

Money in the Bank threatens her championship. Nikki Bella wants it. Paige does not trust Nikki. Tiffany Stratton has her own ambitions. Fatal Influence already controls the other championships on the brand.

Chelsea was already panicking about eventually having to deal with the future Ms. Money in the Bank when Nikki confronted her and made her championship intentions clear.

Paige and Tiffany eventually arrived to back Chelsea up.

Chelsea’s paranoia suddenly looks pretty reasonable.

Grade: B

What worked

• Several women’s stories were connected instead of isolated.
• Chelsea’s anxiety makes sense considering the threats surrounding her.
• Nikki remained directly attached to the WWE Women’s Championship picture.
• The segment planted the seed for what happened later last night.

What didn’t work

• It was primarily setup, but the payoff came later.

Lash Legend vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Giulia — Money in the Bank Qualifier

This was fast, physical and ambitious, even if the timing was not perfect.

Charlotte and Giulia tried using their speed and experience against Lash’s power, while Lash repeatedly turned situations involving both opponents into opportunities to overpower them.

There were a couple of noticeably awkward sequences where the timing between Giulia and her opponents did not look completely natural. They were not match-killing botches, but they were noticeable enough to briefly expose the choreography.

The closing stretch was much cleaner.

Charlotte eventually trapped Lash in the Figure-Eight, but Giulia broke the submission. Giulia then took Charlotte down with a knee and Northern Lights Bomb and appeared moments away from qualifying.

Lash broke up the cover.

She planted Giulia with the Lash Extension and pinned her.

Lash Legend is going to Money in the Bank.

The finish accomplished several things at once. Lash received a major victory. Charlotte did not have to take the fall. Giulia came within seconds of winning before Lash stole the opportunity.

Grade: B+

What worked

• Lash Legend received one of the biggest victories of her main-roster run.
• Charlotte remained protected.
• The closing sequence gave all three women something meaningful to do.
• Lash’s pre-match confidence actually led somewhere.
• Giulia came close enough to winning that the loss did not make her look weak.

What didn’t work

• A couple of sequences had noticeably awkward timing.
• Those moments briefly made the choreography too visible.

Giulia And Blake Monroe Finally Get Their Match

Blake Monroe found Giulia backstage immediately after the loss and mocked her for failing to qualify.

Giulia struck Blake.

Blake attacked back.

Officials separated them before Nick Aldis stepped in and made Giulia vs. Blake Monroe official for next Friday, insisting that this time the match will actually happen.

After their previous scheduled matches failed to get started, WWE cannot keep delaying this anymore.

Grade: B

What worked

• Giulia’s frustration carried directly out of the qualifier.
• Blake knew exactly how to provoke her.
• The confrontation immediately gave Giulia another direction after losing.
• Next week now has a meaningful non-MITB match.

What didn’t work

• After explicitly promising that the match will happen, another non-start would become repetitive.

Randy Orton Puts Cody Rhodes In An Impossible Position

Randy Orton’s sit-down with Michael Cole was last night’s best pure character segment.

Orton attacked Cody Rhodes’ identity rather than simply threatening him.

He went through Cody’s history: Dusty Rhodes’ son, his protégé, Legacy, Dashing Cody Rhodes, Stardust and eventually the American Nightmare.

Through all those changes, Orton argued, Cody remained a good guy.

Orton contrasted that with himself.

He has done despicable things. He wants World Championships. He has never pretended to be anybody other than Randy Orton.

Then he created the trap.

If Cody kicks Orton in the head, Randy can argue that Cody has finally been compromised.

If Cody refuses, Orton can argue that Cody Rhodes has peaked.

Orton eventually got directly into Michael Cole’s face and demanded a yes-or-no answer on whether Cole believed Cody could actually kick him in the head.

Cole said no.

Orton calmly agreed, ended the interview and left as fans applauded.

That reaction only made this story more complicated.

Grade: A

What worked

• Orton attacked Cody’s identity instead of cutting another generic wrestling promo.
• Michael Cole became an important part of the segment.
• The black-and-white choice Orton presented Cody was simple and effective.
• The positive reaction to Orton added another layer to the rivalry.
• Cody was given something substantial to answer later.

What didn’t work

• Almost nothing. This was excellent character work.

Sami Zayn’s World Is Getting Crowded

Undisputed WWE Champion Sami Zayn complained that Nick Aldis does not want him to remain champion and presented himself as the person still doing things for the right reasons — the “last real good guy” surrounded by sharks.

Finn Bálor immediately challenged that version of events.

Bálor told Sami that people were coming after him because he had screwed them over on his way to the top. More importantly, Bálor made it clear he was coming for Sami and the WWE Championship.

Then Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae arrived.

Gargano wanted the championship opportunity he believes Sami owes him.

Sami admitted Gargano deserved the match and claimed he tried getting Nick Aldis to approve it. When Aldis refused, Sami instead secured Money in the Bank qualifiers for Gargano and Candice.

Then Sami wanted reassurance.

Was Gargano still “ride or die”?

Johnny said yes.

Candice looked considerably less convinced.

This is where SmackDown’s world-title picture is becoming interesting. Sami has Punk, Bálor, Gargano, Owens and Cody Rhodes all existing around the same championship ecosystem without WWE forcing everyone into the exact same feud.

Grade: A-

What worked

• Finn Bálor feels relevant in the world-title picture again.
• Johnny Gargano has an actual route toward a championship opportunity.
• Sami’s insistence that he is the good guy is becoming increasingly interesting.
• Candice’s skepticism adds another layer.
• Several stories now revolve around the WWE Championship without becoming one giant segment.

What didn’t work

• Sami’s character needs to keep evolving instead of repeating the same justification every week.

Fatal Influence vs. Chelsea Green, Tiffany Stratton and Paige

SmackDown’s women’s division has enough depth right now to support multiple championships and multiple stories at once, and this match was another example.

Paige eventually received the hot tag and nearly pinned Jacy Jayne with the Paige Turner before Fallon Henley broke up the cover.

Then everything broke down.

Tiffany Stratton launched herself from the top rope onto Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid at ringside.

Nikki Bella eventually made her move.

Nikki tripped Paige while Paige was running the ropes.

Jacy immediately hit the Rolling Encore and pinned her.

Fatal Influence won again.

That matters.

Jacy Jayne is the Women’s United States Champion. Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid are the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.

WWE is not merely telling viewers that Fatal Influence is dominant.

They are actually booking them like it.

Grade: B

What worked

• Fatal Influence continued winning.
• Paige and Nikki’s rivalry advanced.
• Tiffany received another athletic showcase.
• Multiple women’s championship stories overlapped naturally.
• Fatal Influence’s championships actually feel connected to the faction’s dominance.

What didn’t work

• Eight minutes was not enough for six women.
• Nikki’s involvement became fairly easy to anticipate after the earlier backstage interaction.

Damian Priest Has Had Enough Of R-Truth

Footage from the WWE Performance Center showed R-Truth trying to reason with Damian Priest about his recent behavior.

Priest responded by attacking him and pressing a chair across his throat.

Priest told Truth there would be no more jokes and said Truth should be pursuing championships instead of wasting his time bothering him.

It was brief, violent and intentionally uncomfortable.

Grade: B

What worked

• Priest came across genuinely dangerous.
• The segment abandoned comedy when the story called for seriousness.
• Truth’s personality made Priest’s aggression feel even colder.

What didn’t work

• The follow-up now needs to justify how vicious Priest became.

Gunther Does Not Believe In Danhausen’s Curse

Cathy Kelley interviewed Gunther before the main event, and Gunther was already irritated that someone of his stature had to compete in a Money in the Bank qualifier.

He also questioned which Finn Bálor he would face: the legendary version or a ghost of what Bálor used to be.

Then Danhausen appeared.

Danhausen took over the interview, proposed splitting the Money in the Bank winnings and eventually prepared to curse Gunther.

Gunther grabbed him and made it perfectly clear that he wanted nothing to do with any of it.

That was probably the correct amount of Danhausen around Gunther.

Grade: B-

What worked

• Gunther never became the joke.
• Danhausen provided a quick change of pace.
• Gunther questioning which Finn Bálor would show up was more important than the comedy.

What didn’t work

• Outside Gunther’s comments about Bálor, the segment was mostly disposable.

Cody Rhodes Answers Randy Orton

Cody Rhodes came out to answer Randy Orton and immediately framed Orton’s challenge as another unwinnable position.

Cody argued that his career has repeatedly placed him in those situations.

The Rock wanted his soul. Cody had to defeat John Cena during Cena’s retirement run. His first WWE Championship reign repeatedly put him opposite beloved wrestlers who were deeply connected to the audience.

Cody called himself the king of unwinnable positions.

Then he promised to kick Randy Orton’s head off his shoulders.

But he could not promise Orton would be the only person.

CM Punk walked onto the stage moments later and shared a brief staredown with Cody before heading toward the main event.

That final visual was not accidental.

The crowd response also added another layer. Cody received support at points during the promo, but the reaction was not completely uniform. That is considerably more interesting than pretending the audience is responding to him in only one way.

Grade: A-

What worked

• Cody directly answered Orton’s argument instead of ignoring it.
• Cody’s “unwinnable positions” argument gave the promo substance.
• His final threat expanded beyond Orton.
• The Punk staredown quietly connected Cody to the wider WWE Championship picture.
• The audience reaction gave the story another layer.

What didn’t work

• WWE should continue allowing the crowd response to develop naturally instead of trying to force a cleaner reaction than the audience actually gives him.

CM Punk vs. Finn Bálor vs. Gunther — Money in the Bank Qualifier

Last night’s main event delivered the best match of the show.

Gunther brought the violence.

Finn Bálor brought the speed.

Punk kept looking for openings.

Punk and Bálor briefly worked together and trapped Gunther in simultaneous Boston Crabs, creating the unusual question of what would happen if Gunther submitted.

Bálor later hit Gunther with Coup de Grâce and appeared ready to steal the match, but Gunther pulled him off the cover.

The match kept escalating.

Punk hit Gunther with the GTS.

Gunther answered with a dropkick and powerbomb for a strong near fall.

Then Bálor created another opening.

He hit Gunther with another Coup de Grâce.

Before Bálor could capitalize, Punk threw himself onto Gunther and stole the cover.

One.

Two.

Three.

CM Punk is going to Money in the Bank.

Finn Bálor created the opening.

CM Punk stole it.

That is exactly why the finish worked.

Grade: A-

What worked

• All three wrestlers had distinct roles.
• Gunther looked dangerous without winning.
• Bálor repeatedly came within inches of qualifying.
• Punk winning through opportunism gives Bálor another legitimate grievance.
• The simultaneous Boston Crab was a creative Triple Threat sequence.
• Gunther’s powerbomb on Punk produced an excellent late near fall.
• The finish advanced Punk without sacrificing Bálor.

What didn’t work

• Very little. The match accomplished exactly what the qualifier needed to accomplish.

Breakdowns & Reactions

SmackDown felt like a breath of fresh air last night because WWE has finally figured out what a three-hour show actually needs: depth.

Not filler.

Depth.

Trick Williams is United States Champion and going to Money in the Bank. Lash Legend just scored a major victory. Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid are controlling multiple championships. Giulia and Blake Monroe have their own issue. Paige and Nikki Bella have theirs. Tiffany Stratton, Tatum Paxley and Candice LeRae have a major qualifier next week.

The women’s division is deep enough to carry three championships because those championships currently exist in separate but interconnected stories.

Chelsea Green has the WWE Women’s Championship.

Jacy Jayne has the Women’s United States Championship.

Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid have the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship.

None of those championships feels like it is fighting over the same four women.

Fatal Influence deserves particular credit. WWE has spent enough years calling factions dominant while booking them to lose every other week. Fatal Influence actually holds championships and keeps winning.

The world-title picture feels equally refreshed.

Sami Zayn is champion.

Finn Bálor wants him.

Johnny Gargano believes Sami owes him.

Kevin Owens remains involved.

CM Punk now has Money in the Bank in his sights.

Cody Rhodes openly believes he can beat Sami.

That is a world-title division.

The crowd reactions are helping too. Randy Orton received applause after psychologically cornering Michael Cole. Cody received support during his response, but the reaction around him was not completely straightforward.

That does not automatically mean Cody Rhodes is turning heel.

It means the audience response has another layer, and WWE has something more interesting to work with because of it.

Last night was not flawless.

The women’s qualifier contained a couple awkward timing moments. The cage match probably did not need outside involvement. The six-woman tag deserved more time.

But those are criticisms of execution inside a show whose overall direction makes sense.

The biggest improvement is roster circulation.

Lash Legend can win a major qualifier. Johnny Gargano can stand inside the WWE Championship picture. Finn Bálor can lose a qualifier and still leave with a legitimate championship story. Fatal Influence can control multiple championships without every other woman disappearing from television.

That is why SmackDown finally feels deserving of three hours again.

Best Match and Segment of the Night

Best Match: CM Punk vs. Finn Bálor vs. Gunther

Last night’s main event had the best combination of wrestling, stakes and storyline consequence. Punk qualified, Gunther remained protected and Bálor came agonizingly close to winning without taking the fall.

Best Segment: Randy Orton’s Sit-Down Interview With Michael Cole

Orton did not need to attack Cody physically. He made Cody’s identity the weapon, trapped him inside an impossible choice and forced Michael Cole into the middle of it.

What Was Announced For Next Week’s WWE Friday Night SmackDown

• Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens vs. Johnny Gargano (Men’s Money in the Bank Qualifier)
• Tatum Paxley vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Candice LeRae (Women’s Money in the Bank Qualifier)
• Giulia vs. Blake Monroe.

Updated WWE Money in the Bank Match Card

• Roman Reigns (c) vs. LA Knight (World Heavyweight Championship
• WWE World Tag Team Champion Bron Breakker vs Je’Von Evans vs WWE United States Champion Trick Williams vs Penta vs CM Punk v TBD (Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match)
• Sol Ruca vs Lola Vice vs WWE Women’s United States Champion Jacy Jayne vs Roxanne Perez vs Lash Legend vs TBD (Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match)

Final Thoughts

Last night’s SmackDown did not need eight matches or a dozen manufactured surprises.

It needed movement.

Nearly everything moved.

Trick Williams survived another major battle with Baron Corbin and now heads toward Money in the Bank. Lash Legend took another step forward. Fatal Influence strengthened its grip on the women’s division. Giulia and Blake Monroe finally have their match. Nikki Bella screwed Paige. Damian Priest became nastier. Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton made their rivalry more complicated. Sami Zayn suddenly has challengers coming from every direction.

And CM Punk found another road toward the championship he lost.

The best part is that WWE still has another week of qualifiers before Money in the Bank.

Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens and Johnny Gargano fighting for the final men’s ladder-match position is not qualification filler. All three are already connected to the increasingly crowded WWE Championship picture.

The women’s final qualifier does the same thing on the other side. Tiffany Stratton, Tatum Paxley and Candice LeRae are fighting for one remaining spot in a field already filled with wrestlers WWE is actively trying to elevate.

That is why the three hours are working.

SmackDown finally has something that a three-hour wrestling show desperately needs:

Enough people who matter.

Overall Show Grade: A-

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