Summary of WWE SmackDown on September 4, 2026
WWE SmackDown in Cleveland, Ohio
The commentators are Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett. The French commentary team is Christophe Agius and Nadir Mohammedi.
– Tonight it’s WWE SmackDown, the Blue Brand opens with the announcers welcoming us and we premiere a video of Sami Zayn interrupting last week’s main event on SmackDown.
– Gunther’s music hits and he strides to the ring. Gunther says he searched for Sami Zayn all day, and he won’t leave until Sami Zayn shows up. Sami Zayn enters through the crowd. Zayn says he’ll keep some distance from Gunther because he still has a broken hand. Zayn says it seems like everyone is upset with him. To be clear, it isn’t Gunther who’s the victim—it’s him. He’s the one who was robbed of the WWE title. The WWE Champion should be the last good guy around here. Yet, our champion is the biggest fraud in WWE, CM Punk, who breathes the same air as him. Zayn just wants the chance he was robbed of—the WWE Championship. He’s overcome the obstacles, yet Gunther ends up in a challenger’s match while he does not. So if Gunther isn’t happy, he’ll have to get used to it, because this is the future of SmackDown. No challenger match, no easy chance for anyone here. It doesn’t matter if it’s Gunther or someone else. No one will get a shot until he earns his own! No justice, no peace.
Gunther says he’s heard enough. If Zayn doesn’t show up in the ring, he’ll fetch him. Gunther heads into the crowd to find Sami Zayn, but Finn Balor arrives from the other side. Balor says he’s also chasing justice after last week, and he’s coming to settle the score! Sami Zayn manages to slip away from Balor and Gunther down the ramp, but Kevin Owens arrives! Owens pursues Zayn, and Zayn escapes once again through another exit.
– Backstage, Nick Aldis locates CM Punk. Aldis says they can’t keep doing this every time; they need to find a number-one contender. CM Punk spots Johnny Gargano in the distance. Punk asks whether Gargano fought for the rest of his career lying on a box or trying to become champion? Candice LeRae says she’s tried it all—nothing is working. Punk believes there’s still Johnny Wrestling hidden inside. So the Cleveland guy could face CM Punk tonight for the WWE title! What does he think? Gargano doesn’t say a word and remains propped on his box. Punk starts to walk off, but LeRae asks for a few minutes… Johnny Gargano rises to his feet!
Gargano stares Punk down and accepts the challenge.
– Backstage, Charlotte Flair reunites with Alexa Bliss and asks where she’s been. If they win, they could earn a title match. Bliss says there’s a small plan change. Tatum Paxley arrives and says she’s always dreamed of working with the queen; they’ll work well together! Bliss says she’s thought it would be a good idea to work on their relationship. Flair says she would have liked to be warned.
Tag Team Match
Charlotte Flair and Tatum Paxley accompanied by Charlotte Flair vs Fatal Influence (Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley) accompanied by Jacy Jayne
Toward the end of the match, Bliss shoves Jayne into the turnbuckle as she tries to intervene again. In the ring, Paxley resists a quick pin; Reid and Flair deliver a Double Big Boot! Paxley then connects with Cemetery Drive on Reid for the three-count.
Winners: Charlotte Flair and Tatum Paxley
– After the match, B-Fa, Michin and Cargill hit the ring to attack the winners. They hit their finishers on Flair, Paxley and Bliss!
– Backstage, Cathy asks Nikki Bella for comment on allegedly pushing the limits too far. Nikki says her trust in Paige went too far. Paige is the reason Brie is hurt; Paige is the reason her return was derailed. Paige arrives and says she’s realized that Nikki never liked her since day one. Not just since WrestleMania, but from the start, because she built her career on Hustle, Loyalty and Respect. Nikki would do well to bring everything back for their next match, otherwise she’ll end Nikki faster than her last relationship.
– Backstage, Gunther finds Nick Aldis. Gunther says he was forced to deal with Sami Zayn on his own because of Aldis’s decisions. Not to mention Finn Balor, who shouldn’t even be involved in this saga. And Johnny Gargano, sleeping on boxes, gets a title shot. He understands that, with the loss to him, Aldis is forced to make wild decisions to keep attention on him. Gunther says he needs to see Aldis manage the place properly. Aldis says Gunther can talk to Punk if he wants his title match. As for Zayn and Balor, that’ll have to wait because he must handle the women’s division. Danhausen arrives and says he understands exactly how Gunther feels. Gunther cautions him to be careful.
– Nick Aldis is in the ring with a WWE physician to provide an update on Chelsea Green. Green says it doesn’t matter what the doctor will say—they’ve already done this. She won’t plead or cry. She’s already played this game with Nick Aldis, and she won’t play it again. Tonight she is a furious champion. Because she’s still the champion, and it’s Nick Aldis who said she could be a champion who defends her title. She knows she has a target on her back. But she waited 13 years for this title. So if any wrestler thinks it’s easy to take her title, she invites them. She’s not afraid of her health, but of her legacy. Nick Aldis says it’s his job to look after everyone’s health. This is no longer his decision, but the doctor’s. The doctor says Green is not yet 100% healed. As long as Green wears a mask over her face, she can compete.
Nia Jax and Lash Legend come to the ring. Nia Jax says it’s time to stop pretending; everyone knows she wants this title. So either Green gives her a match now or she’ll break the other eye. Legend and Jax encircle Green, but Tiffany Stratton’s music hits. Stratton pushes Legend and Jax from the ring! Aldis says Jax is right—it’s time to stop waiting. Nia Jax will get her title match in Mexico City, but Stratton is ready to fight, so this match will take place tonight.
Singles Match
Nia Jax (accompanied by Lash Legend) vs Tiffany Stratton (accompanied by Chelsea Green)
At the end of the match, Stratton goes for a top-rope maneuver, but Legend distracts her. Jax takes advantage with a Samoan Drop on Stratton! Jax follows up with a Banzai Drop for the three-count.
Winner: Nia Jax
– After the contest, Jax and Legend remove Green’s protective mask to mock her, but Green approaches fearlessly and steps toward Jax and Legend, though they retreat from the ring.
– Backstage, Byron Saxton asks Kevin Owens for thoughts on Gargano’s upcoming match tonight. Owens says it’s great to have that chance for Gargano, but CM Punk didn’t do this out of kindness. Punk did it to dodge what awaits him and to get a visit from Sami Zayn.
– Backstage, Corey Graves is interviewing Cody Rhodes, but Randy Orton interrupts before an opening response. Orton says last week he stood in front of Cody Rhodes to insult his mother, and Cody did nothing. What kind of kid is that? What does he think of his son who didn’t do anything when insulted by a VR park trash? Orton invites Cody to strike him, but he does nothing. Orton says he could talk about his wife or his dog as well. Always nothing? He knows the problem: Cody is such a good guy that he won’t do anything for his family’s honor. Cody needs help; he loves the WWE Title more than his family. He’s the one who’s sick, with the voices in his head, but Cody is the sick one. Cody says maybe he knows he’s sick. But if Orton is right, that means Sunday Orton is in trouble.
– The WWE presents Sunday Night’s Main Event matches for this Sunday—the card and the schedule are here.
– Backstage, Trick Williams chats with Lil Yachty. Williams says he only needs to see Yachty survive five minutes, nothing heroic. Yachty shares a video of his training at the Performance Center. It shows Yachty partying and drinking in NXT. Baron Corbin arrives and says it’s no joke and it won’t be a joke when he humiliates Yachty in his hometown. Williams says that once Yachty survives against Corbin, he’ll make sure Corbin doesn’t survive. Corbin adds that Williams’ last chance at a title shot rests on Yachty; he’ll break that hope.
Tag Team Match
Bakusai (Shinsuke Nakamura and Kyoki) vs The Miz and Kit Wilson
At the end of the match, Wilson covers Kyoki for a quick pin, but Kyoki resists and retaliates with a Reverse Stunner for the three-count while Miz is knocked off the apron by Nakamura.
Winners: Bakusai
– After the bout, the MFT Tag Team champions come out to assert themselves against the new team.
– A video is shown detailing the War Raiders’ rivalry with Damien Priest and R-Truth, who will clash next week in Mexico City.
– Backstage, Cathy asks Blake Monroe for comments before her match. Monroe says she deserves a bigger opponent and a grander entrance. Giulia arrives and starts hammering her! Giulia drags her to the stage and slams her into the LED screens. Officials rush in to separate them.
– Backstage, Candice LeRae prepares Gargano for his match. Sami Zayn arrives and says he’s happy for his big match; tonight it’s for Gargano! It’s a match made for guys like them—justice. Even if he won’t be ringside with Gargano, he’ll be with him. If Gargano reaches the win, he wants the first match. Gargano agrees.
Undisputed WWE Championship – Singles Match
CM Punk (c) vs Johnny Gargano accompanied by Candice LeRae
At the end of the match, Punk lifts Gargano for a GTS, but Sami Zayn rushes to the ringside. Punk abandons Gargano and goes to strike Zayn at ringside! Zayn climbs back onto the ring, the referee ejects him. LeRae uses the moment to hit Punk with a Head Scissors! Gargano dives off the top rope with a suicide dive, bringing Punk back into the ring for a Tornado DDT and a cover, but Punk kicks out at two! Zayn grabs the WWE Title and tries to hand it to Gargano, but Kevin Owens runs in to attack Zayn! Owens attempts a Powerbomb, but Gunther rushes in with a Big Boot. Gunther tries to get in Zayn’s business, but Balor runs in and hits him with a Sling Blade! Zayn seizes the moment, grabs the WWE Title, and slams Balor, Gunther and Owens with it across their heads!
Punk nails Gargano with a GTS and covers, but LeRae distracts the referee! Zayn uses the distraction to strike Punk in the head with the WWE Title! Gargano covers Punk, but Punk powers out at the last moment! Nick Aldis and the officials arrive to remove Zayn and LeRae from ringside. Punk then seizes the moment and hits Gargano with another GTS for the three-count.
Winner: CM Punk
– After the match, Punk grabs the microphone. Punk says that he, too, can decide his own matches. He wants to break Zayn’s face even more than Zayn wants the title. Zayn will have his title match next week in Mexico City!
The show ends there.
