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SmackDown Preview: Final Show Before SummerSlam 2026 Features Punk vs. Rhodes, Tag Team Title Clash, and Ladder Match Qualifier
On Friday, July 31 2026, WWE’s flagship program Friday Night SmackDown will air live from the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, at 8 p.m. Eastern Time on USA Network. The episode is billed as the last SmackDown before the company’s 39th annual SummerSlam, a two‑night pay‑per‑view scheduled for August 1 and 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The event will be the first SummerSlam held in Minneapolis, the first to air on ESPN in the United States, and the first to stream internationally on Netflix.
The card is built around several high‑stakes matches that set up the SummerSlam main event and other title contests. The Undisputed WWE Champion, CM Punk, will face longtime friend and rival Cody Rhodes in a match that has been promoted as a “dream match.” Punk, who captured the title from Sami Zayn in a triple‑threat match at the 2025 SummerSlam, will defend the championship on the SmackDown stage before the two meet again at the pay‑per‑view. Rhodes, who has held the WWE Championship three times and won the 2024 Royal Rumble, has been a key figure in the brand’s storylines and has a history of both cooperation and competition with Punk.
In a champion‑vs‑champion bout, the WWE Tag Team Champions Damian Priest and R‑Truth will defend their titles against the AAA Tag Team Champions Erik and Ivar, collectively known as the War Raiders. Priest and R‑Truth captured the WWE Tag Team Championship on March 20 2026, while the War Raiders have held the AAA World Tag Team Championship since 2024. The match is the first time a WWE tag team title has been defended against an AAA title on a WWE program, and it is scheduled to be a title‑for‑title contest.
The women’s division will feature a ladder‑match qualifier for the WWE Interim Women’s Championship. Giulia, a former Women’s United States Champion who has been a top contender in the division since 2023, will face Lash Legend, a former WWE Women’s Champion who has been active on the roster since 2022. The winner will earn the final spot in the ladder match that will take place at SummerSlam. The interim title was created after Rhea Ripley suffered a knee injury in 2025, and the ladder match is intended to crown a new champion.
The United States Championship storyline continues with Trick Williams, the current title holder, confronting Baron Corbin, who attacked Williams after a SmackDown show in early July. Williams has held the United States Championship since March 2026, and Corbin’s assault has set up a title match at SummerSlam. The storyline has been a focal point for the mid‑card and has drawn significant fan interest.
SummerSlam 2026 is set to be a marquee event for WWE. The two‑night format, first used in 2025, will feature 13 matches, including the main event of CM Punk defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes. The event will also showcase the WWE in‑ring debut of Nick Aldis, who has been a prominent figure in the independent circuit since 2023. The pay‑per‑view will be available on ESPN’s streaming service in the United States and on Netflix in international markets, following the 2025 transition of WWE content to the platform.
The build‑up to SummerSlam has highlighted several storylines that have dominated the SmackDown brand over the past months. The Punk‑Rhodes rivalry has been a centerpiece of the brand’s programming, while the tag‑team title clash has drawn attention to WWE’s partnership with AAA. The women’s ladder‑match qualifier and the United States Championship feud have added depth to the mid‑card, ensuring a diverse card for the upcoming pay‑per‑view.
In summary, the July 31 SmackDown episode will serve as the final chapter in the lead‑up to SummerSlam 2026, featuring title defenses and qualifiers that will shape the event’s card. The show will air live from Green Bay, with the final matches setting the stage for the two‑night SummerSlam event in Minneapolis. Fans can expect the culmination of the Punk‑Rhodes feud, a champion‑vs‑champion tag‑team bout, a ladder‑match qualifier for the interim women’s title, and a United States Championship confrontation, all leading into the biggest summer spectacle of the year.
The card is built around several high‑stakes matches that set up the SummerSlam main event and other title contests. The Undisputed WWE Champion, CM Punk, will face longtime friend and rival Cody Rhodes in a match that has been promoted as a “dream match.” Punk, who captured the title from Sami Zayn in a triple‑threat match at the 2025 SummerSlam, will defend the championship on the SmackDown stage before the two meet again at the pay‑per‑view. Rhodes, who has held the WWE Championship three times and won the 2024 Royal Rumble, has been a key figure in the brand’s storylines and has a history of both cooperation and competition with Punk.
In a champion‑vs‑champion bout, the WWE Tag Team Champions Damian Priest and R‑Truth will defend their titles against the AAA Tag Team Champions Erik and Ivar, collectively known as the War Raiders. Priest and R‑Truth captured the WWE Tag Team Championship on March 20 2026, while the War Raiders have held the AAA World Tag Team Championship since 2024. The match is the first time a WWE tag team title has been defended against an AAA title on a WWE program, and it is scheduled to be a title‑for‑title contest.
The women’s division will feature a ladder‑match qualifier for the WWE Interim Women’s Championship. Giulia, a former Women’s United States Champion who has been a top contender in the division since 2023, will face Lash Legend, a former WWE Women’s Champion who has been active on the roster since 2022. The winner will earn the final spot in the ladder match that will take place at SummerSlam. The interim title was created after Rhea Ripley suffered a knee injury in 2025, and the ladder match is intended to crown a new champion.
The United States Championship storyline continues with Trick Williams, the current title holder, confronting Baron Corbin, who attacked Williams after a SmackDown show in early July. Williams has held the United States Championship since March 2026, and Corbin’s assault has set up a title match at SummerSlam. The storyline has been a focal point for the mid‑card and has drawn significant fan interest.
SummerSlam 2026 is set to be a marquee event for WWE. The two‑night format, first used in 2025, will feature 13 matches, including the main event of CM Punk defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes. The event will also showcase the WWE in‑ring debut of Nick Aldis, who has been a prominent figure in the independent circuit since 2023. The pay‑per‑view will be available on ESPN’s streaming service in the United States and on Netflix in international markets, following the 2025 transition of WWE content to the platform.
The build‑up to SummerSlam has highlighted several storylines that have dominated the SmackDown brand over the past months. The Punk‑Rhodes rivalry has been a centerpiece of the brand’s programming, while the tag‑team title clash has drawn attention to WWE’s partnership with AAA. The women’s ladder‑match qualifier and the United States Championship feud have added depth to the mid‑card, ensuring a diverse card for the upcoming pay‑per‑view.
In summary, the July 31 SmackDown episode will serve as the final chapter in the lead‑up to SummerSlam 2026, featuring title defenses and qualifiers that will shape the event’s card. The show will air live from Green Bay, with the final matches setting the stage for the two‑night SummerSlam event in Minneapolis. Fans can expect the culmination of the Punk‑Rhodes feud, a champion‑vs‑champion tag‑team bout, a ladder‑match qualifier for the interim women’s title, and a United States Championship confrontation, all leading into the biggest summer spectacle of the year.
