Smackdown – March 6, 2026: Ok Ok, One More

Smackdown
Date: March 6, 2026
Location: Moda Center, Portland, Oregon
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett

We’re done with Elimination Chamber and Randy Orton is the new #1 contender and on his way to Wrestlemania. However, his opponent is up in the air as this week will see Cody Rhodes challenging Drew McIntyre for the Smackdown World Title. That’s not a main event you often get around here so let’s get to it.

Here is Elimination Chamber if you need a recap.

We open with an Elimination Chamber recap. As a bonus, we get what was almost a fight between Nick Aldis and Drew McIntyre, with Aldis making tonight’s title match.

Here is Randy Orton to get things going. Orton swears he was on time getting here today and the Wrestlemania sign was already up. He’s been at twenty Wrestlemanias but he’s only main evented twice. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve done but you’re never guaranteed a great spot.

There are people who have put him in the category of the all time best and looking at the locker room today, it makes him proud to still be this high up. He doesn’t know who he’s facing at Wrestlemania but either way, it ends with an RKO. Cue Trick Williams to interrupt, saying he’s not happy with Orton calling him less than 6’5. Williams gets in, keeps talking, and is RKO’d.

Earlier today, Carmelo Hayes came in to see Nick Aldis, who has a surprise challenger for the US Title. Hayes doesn’t want to know who it is.

US Title: Carmelo Hayes vs. ???

Hayes is defending against…AAA’s El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. (whose AAA Latin American Title isn’t on the line). After a quick look at Wagner (nice touch), he dropkicks Hayes into the corner for a cannonball. A missile dropkick gets two on Hayes but he’s back up with a dropkick of his own. Hayes knocks him into the ropes for the Fadeaway and we take a break.

We come back with Wagner hitting a hard clothesline to leave them both down. Hayes hits a springboard clothesline of his own, followed by La Mistica for two. Wagner comes back with a powerbomb for two of his own but dives into the First 48. A top rope version misses though and Wagner is back with a spin into a sitout powerbomb for two. Wagner goes up but misses the moonsault, allowing Hayes to hit Nothing But Net to retain at 10:11.

Rating: B-. Remember all those other times where Hayes has beaten a random challenger for the title? This was the most recent instance. I’m not sure what to think of this as these two have no history together and Wagner isn’t likely to be around. As usual, it was good but that’s about it, which only gets you so far.

Ilja Dragunov says he isn’t going to be accepting a US Open Challenge because he isn’t being enough of a warrior at the moment. Miz comes in to mock him but Kit Wilson pops in to say Miz is being toxic. Dragunov says he’ll have to see them in the ring, but it isn’t clear which he means.

Damian Priest has been told he’s in a match tonight but doesn’t know who he’s facing. Nick Aldis is about to answer but R-Truth comes in to reveal that they’re a team in Tag Team Turmoil. Works for Priest.

Drew McIntyre comes in to see Aldis and asks if Aldis has come to his senses. Aldis says defend the title or forfeit, so McIntyre is ready to fight.

Here are the Irresistible Forces to celebrate winning the Women’s Tag Team Titles last week. They brag about their win and promise to face anyone. We get a toast, but here are Charlotte and Alexa Bliss to interrupt. Bliss says Jax finally found a coattail to ride all the way to the top and a fight is teased. Cue Kiana James and Giulia, with James bragging about her recent successes. Aldis, tag match, next.

Giulia/Kiana James vs. Charlotte/Alexa Bliss

We’re joined in progress with Bliss armdragging Giulia and bringing in Charlotte. House is quickly cleaned, including a flipping dive off the apron. James posts Charlotte to take over though and Giulia drops an elbow for two. Charlotte kicks James down and it’s back to Bliss, who basement dropkicks Giulia. James catches a dive off the apron though and Giulia adds a kick to the head as we take a break.

We come back with Charlotte putting both of them down, setting up the moonsault for the double two. Giulia’s belly to back suplex puts Charlotte down for the same but she’s back up with a boot to the face. Bliss’ running DDT hits James and Natural Selection finishes Giulia at 10:12.

Rating: B-. Another nice match here, with Bliss and Charlotte getting that much closer to the titles. That very well could be a Wrestlemania showdown, though I would expect them to have some kind of a multi team match (ladders wouldn’t stun me either). At the same time, Giulia and James have turned into a perfectly nice team, though I’m not sure how much Giulia needs to be US Champion.

Jelly Roll will be here next week.

Cody Rhodes says he wants to point at the sign and that means winning the title back tonight. Sami Zayn comes up and says it’s crazy that Rhodes has this title match. Rhodes: “What’s crazy about it Sami?” Well, Rhodes didn’t win the Elimination Chamber and he’s getting a title shot while Zayn isn’t getting one. Rhodes thinks Zayn is trying to get a title shot at a title Rhodes hasn’t even won yet but Zayn isn’t sure what he’s doing. He wants Rhodes to become champion. “Again.”

Trick Williams was on The Breakfast Club and talked about how awesome the fans have been since he made the main roster.

Tag Team Turmoil

For a future title shot and there are five teams with the Motor City Machine Guns in at #1 and Fraxiom in at #2. Shelley and Frazer start things off and, after a handshake, trade wristlocks. Frazer sends him outside but moonsaults back in rather than firing off the dive. Axiom comes in to take Sabin out of the air off a leapfrog and the rapid fire tags are on. Fraxiom hits some dives to the floor and we take a break.

We come back with Frazer getting the tag and hitting a running flip dive to the floor. Sabin rolls him into the corner, where Axiom comes back in with a dropkick. Shelley puts the boot on the rope…but it’s a three count anyway for the elimination at 8:04. Los Garza are in at #3, with Axiom having to make a quick save. Garza gets superkicked into a brainbuster for two with Berto making the save. Axiom goes up and gets caught with a super faceplant. MTY gets rid of Fraxiom at 10:23 total and the Wyatt Sicks are in at #4.

We take a break and come back with the Wyatts in trouble with Lumis getting powerbombed out of the corner. Gacy makes the save and everything breaks down. Cue the MFTs for a distraction, allowing Berto to get a rollup for the pin at 18:18. Damian Priest and R-Truth are in at #5 and, after a break, Priest comes in to clean house.

The Pounce sends Garza over the announcers’ table but Berto is back up with a springboard spinning kick to the head. A nice moonsault gives Berto two but it’s off to Truth (in Cena gear) for the Cena finishing sequence. Garza breaks up the STF so Priest tags himself back in and it’s an AA/South Of Heaven for the double pin on Los Garza at 25:40.

Rating: C. This is where WWE causes its own problems. The issue here is that a lot of these teams (save for the one who was assembled an hour ago) were doing nothing but standing around backstage for weeks. WWE has made it clear that these teams do not matter around here, so why should I want to see them for the better part of half an hour? It isn’t that the wrestling was bad, but the interest wasn’t there and that’s not on the wrestlers.

Sami Zayn comes up to Randy Orton and asks how Cody Rhodes is ok with Orton dropping him with an RKO. Orton says you have to be selfish occasionally, but Zayn asks him if that makes him a bad person. Orton doesn’t know about all that, but it does make him a fourteen time World Champion. He believes in Zayn, who might need to listen to the voices. With Orton gone, Aleister Black and Zelina come in to say that’s just the nature of the beast.

Here is Rhea Ripley for a chat. Ripley has heard that Jade Cargill has something to say to her so come say it to her face. Cargill comes out and offers a handshake out of respect. She respects the work that Ripley has put in but she isn’t impressed. Yeah Ripley has big arms and legs, but Cargill’s are better. She’s more worthy to be champion and Ripley can do nothing about the beating that is coming for her at Wrestlemania.

Ripley appreciates the honesty and yeah Cargill might be stronger. The thing is, Ripley isn’t staying down from Cargill’s best shot. But if Cargill takes Ripley’s best shot, she isn’t getting up. Cargill’s body is built for show, while Ripley’s is built for fighting. There’s nothing Cargill can do about what Ripley has in mind at Wrestlemania because Ripley is that b****. This wasn’t exactly Punk vs. Reigns, but it’ll do.

Alex Shelley and Candice LeRae are worried about Johnny Gargano but Chris Sabin comes up to ask why Shelley is doing this. Sabin says Shelley didn’t save him during the match. Shelley says he did and they’re off to talk. LeRae tells Gargano to get up and he does so, saying they’re off to the ring.

Uncle Howdy calls out Solo Sikoa, saying he’s going to get back what Sikoa stole. Soon there will be nothing to do but run.

Here are Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae for a chat. Gargano says it’s time for everyone, including him, to remember that he is Johnny Wrestling. The open challenge is on and I think you know who’s coming.

Oba Femi vs. Johnny Gargano

A string of running uppercuts in the corner and the Fall From Grace finish Gargano at 1:02.

Michin and B-Fab want Jade Cargill, who will face Michin next week.

Nick Aldis runs into Danhausen, who wants to be in the Hall Of Fame and a mentor. Aldis says that isn’t his responsibility, and then assigns Miz to do it. Danhausen wants to be WWE Champion and his own TV show, threatening a curse if he doesn’t get it. Danhausen: “Remember what happened to Dom.” Miz goes to yell but Danhausen vanishes.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

We look back at Drew McIntyre beating Cody Rhodes to win the World Title in January. Then McIntyre eliminated Rhodes from the Royal Rumble and cost him the Elimination Chamber, so now Rhodes gets his show anyway.

Smackdown World Title: Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre

McIntyre is defending and rolls outside while the bell is still echoing. The brawl starts in the aisle with Rhodes knocking him over the barricade. A drink to the face has McIntyre in more trouble and they head inside for Rhodes’ drop down uppercut. McIntyre manages a kick to the face and there’s the release belly to belly suplex. They go outside again where Rhodes sends him into the steps, only for McIntyre to cut off the dive.

A side slam drops Rhodes onto the apron and a suplex gives McIntyre two back inside. Rhodes fights back but can’t hit Cross Rhodes, with McIntyre rolling outside again. McIntyre rams the arm into the post a few times and starts working on the arm back inside. A Codebreaker to the arm sets up a big stomp but Rhodes is able to catch him on top with a superplex. Rhodes starts in on the leg but McIntyre grabs the rope to get out of the Figure Four.

McIntyre is already back on the floor, where the suicide dive takes him down again. The announcers’ table is loaded up but McIntyre fights out of Cross Rhodes. The table collapses anyway so of course the fans want tables. They get one set up on the floor, with McIntyre powerbombing Rhodes through it almost immediately. Back in and McIntyre hits a Cross Rhodes for two, so naturally Rhodes hits a Claymore for the same. The referee almost gets bumped a few times so McIntyre pulls him in the way of the Disaster Kick to make sure the bumping ensues.

Rhodes manages Cross Rhodes so another referee comes out, only for McIntyre to score with a Claymore for a very near fall. McIntyre is livid at another referee coming out so he drops said referee with a Glasgow Kiss. The chair is loaded up but here is Jacob Fatu to take it from McIntyre. The Claymore misses though and it’s a Cody Cutter into the Cross Rhodes to make Rhodes a three time champion at 20:40.

Rating: B+. This took its time to get going but wound up being rather good. I do like that they let McIntyre’s reign end off a pay per view quality match, but there wasn’t much for him in the title picture at Wrestlemania. Rhodes vs. Orton is automatically bigger, though making it a four way wouldn’t stun me either. Either way, solid match here and the right move for the title picture.

Rhodes celebrates to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This show really does not need to be three hours a week. That’s about all I think by the end of these things, as the shows feel drawn out and a lot longer than they should be. Again, it’s part of the problem of having so many people just standing around in backstage segments: at some point they have to get in the ring and carry the fans’ interest but that wasn’t on display in the 25+ minute match.

Now, there were certainly good parts for this, with Charlotte/Bliss and Rhodes getting closer to what are likely Wrestlemania title matches. Ripley/Cargill’s segment was good enough too and I like the main event situation far more now than I did coming in. It’s certainly not an awful show, but it feels every bit of those one hundred and eighty minutes.

Results
Carmelo Hayes b. El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. – Nothing But Net
Charlotte/Alexa Bliss b. Giulia/Kiana James – Natural Selection to Giulia
Damian Priest/R-Truth won Tag Team Turmoil last eliminating Los Garza
Oba Femi b. Johnny Gargano – Fall From Grace
Cody Rhodes b. Drew McIntyre – Cross Rhodes

 

 

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