Smackdown – August 21, 2026: The One And Many
Smackdown
Date: August 21, 2026
Location: Scotiabank Arena, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett
We’re closing in on Sunday Night’s Main Event and that means we should be getting ready for that show. However, there is one big match to cover on the way there, with CM Punk defending the Smackdown World Title against Kevin Owens, in a match which is actual weeks in the making. Or twenty years depending on who you believe. Let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
We open with a long recap of Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes, with Rhodes having to be stopped from giving him a Conchairto.
Sami Zayn rants to Nick Aldis about everyone getting put in front of him, including Randy Orton, who pops up behind him. Cue Cody Rhodes in the ring to call Orton out here to finish what they started last week. Aldis says no but Orton comes out to say it’s happening at Sunday Night’s Main Event. Rhodes says there is nothing stopping them right now, only for Aldis to say that if either of them goes after the other before their match, they will NEVER get another title shot.
Orton rants about how he’s going to take Rhodes out, calling him the American Daydream. Rhodes says he’ll be the one to take out the last legend (Orton), no matter how many World Titles he wins. It always comes back to QB1 and he’ll be waiting for Orton. This is the Rhodes that gets interesting, as his best work is often when he’s ticked off.
The MFT’s want some competition. Haku comes in to say who are the mother f****** Tongans.
Tag Team Titles: Damian Priest/R-Truth vs. MFT’s
The MFT’s, with Haku, are defending. The brawl is on to start fast with Priest taking over on Tama. R-Truth comes in for an elbow in the corner and everything breaks down. R-Truth’s dive hits Tama, who comes right back to take over inside as we take a break. We come back with Priest cleaning house but Talla cuts him off with a clothesline.
That just earns Tama a jumping enziguri and it’s back to R-Truth for the John Cena finishing sequence. The AA gets two on Tama, with Talla making the save. Priest takes Talla down on the floor but gets chokeslammed onto the apron. That leaves Tama to give R-Truth a rolling neckbreaker into the Red Cross (High/Low) to retain the titles at 11:35.
Rating: C+. There was pretty much no reason to believe that the titles were going to change hands here and that’s fine. After winning the titles in a triple threat, it makes sense to have the new champions win again in a regular match. Priest and R-Truth hit their shelf life as champions and it’s fine to move on to someone else, which is exactly what we’re seeing here.
Post match Priest looks frustrated but hugs R-Truth.
CM Punk is ready for Kevin Owens, who is dealing with these issues from twenty years ago, even if they’re only in his head. Randy Orton comes in to say he’s coming for his fifteenth World Title, with Punk saying he’s looking forward to it.
We recap Chelsea Green being given thirty days to defend her title or get cleared.
Green apologizes to Tiffany Stratton, who lost her Women’s US Title last week. They run into Paige, who praises Green for her courage. Fatal Influence comes in to mock them and Paige could go for a shot at the Women’s US Title. Fatal Influence isn’t overly impressed.
Blake Monroe is picking her gear to make her in-ring debut in a dump like Toronto. Cathy Kelly thinks Monroe will look great in anything, so Monroe takes off her robe and figures the gear she’s wearing will be fine, because she can make anything work.
Blake Monroe vs. Giulia
Hold on as Monroe jumps Giulia from behind and the beatdown is on, with a Neutralizer leaving Giulia laying. No match.
Charlotte and Alexa Bliss are ready to do something when Tatum Paxley comes in. She can’t wait to go to brunch with them but wants to know if she needs to bring her own blood. Jade Cargill and the Baddies come in, with Paxley asking for their blood. This results in Paxley vs. B-Fab next week, with Paxley being happy that Charlotte had her back, which Charlotte seems to regret.
Here are Trick Williams and Lil Yachty for a chat. Williams is happy to have Yachty back but he doesn’t have his title back. Since Baron Corbin is backstage looking like a cue ball, why not come out here for a Trick Shot? Cue Corbin, with Williams saying he wants a title shot right now.
Corbin says the title is off getting a trim so Yachty takes him out with the Trick Stick. That’s enough for Corbin, who agrees to the title match at Sunday Night’s Main Event….but first he wants Yachty. If Yachty can last five minutes with him, he’ll give Williams the title shot. Otherwise, they’re done. Yachty actually agrees and Corbin promises it to be the longest five minutes of Yachty’s life. They’ve got to have something unique planned for that and I want to see what it is.
Kevin Owens is interrupted by Finn Balor, who is glad he’s back but could have gone for a heads up about Summerslam. Gunther interrupts as well, saying Owens needs to worry about him if he wins the title tonight. With Gunther gone, Balor gives Owens a pep talk.
Tiffany Stratton vs. Lash Legend
Nia Jax is here with Legend and Stratton is coming in with bad ribs. Legend gets dropkicked into the corner for a quick handspring elbow but comes right back with a slam. The bearhug goes after Stratton’s ribs but she avoids a running boot and grabs a Backstabber. The suicide dive is pulled out of the air and Stratton is rammed into the post as we take a break.
We come back with Stratton fighting out of trouble but the cartwheel Alabama slam is countered. The handspring Stunner works a bit better though and Stratton gets two off of a crucifix. The Prettiest Moonsault Ever is broken up though and the Lash Extension gives Legend the pin at 7:22.
Rating: C+. The point here was Stratton trying as hard as she could with the injury but ultimately falling short. The best sign out of all of this is that it doesn’t feel like an upset, with Legend coming off like a star on this level. I’m assuming this leads to Stratton going all evil, which is probably the best for her.
Post match the beatdown is on but Chelsea Green runs in for the save.
Video on CM Punk vs. Kevin Owens.
Shinsuke Nakamura does indeed have a new partner and it is indeed Kyoki, formerly known as Hiromu Takahashi. Kyoki wants more fights and madness and the clock is ticking.
Smackdown World Title: Kevin Owens vs. CM Punk
Punk is defending and Owens gets the home country reaction. We get the Big Match Intros and Punk is indeed soundly booed, as expected. Owens starts fast by winning a slugout and pounding Punk down in the corner. They’re quickly on the floor but Punk is able to stomp away back inside. That’s fine with Owens, who cuts him off and knocks him outside for the hard chops.
Owens loads up the announcers’ table, which Punk repairs and gives Tessitore a quick handshake. Back in and Punk counters the Stunner into a neckbreaker as we take an early break. We come back with Owens slugging away against the ropes and dropping Punk with a running clothesline. Owens just unloads on him and the Cannonball connects for two. Punk rolls outside, where Owens nails a superkick, meaning it’s a frog splash through the announcers’ table for a bit crash.
The Swanton gives Owens two back inside so Punk kicks him in the head for the same. Punk’s top rope elbow gets two more and he grabs the Anaconda Vice, which is quickly broken up. Owens counters the GTS into a Sharpshooter, because Canada, and Punk gets over to the rope.
Back up and the referee gets bumped, meaning Owens’ Stunner doesn’t get a count. The GTS connects as well but here is Sami Zayn to post Punk. Another Stunner gets a rather near fall so Zayn throws the belt in. Owens doesn’t want it that way so Zayn hits him with the belt, meaning the GTS can retain the title at 18:52.
Rating: B+. Zayn vs. Owens you say? With that required move out of the way, this was a more than very good TV main event and it felt like a huge showdown. The good thing is they have all kinds of people waiting to come after the title and that should open up some interesting options. Zayn costing Owens can set up whatever they’re doing next, while Punk can probably face whomever comes out of Rhodes vs. Orton.
Post match Zayn lays them both out with belt shots and screams about justice to end the show.
Overall Rating: B. The World Title suddenly feels red hot again and that’s because it’s driving the motivations around here. Punk has it, a lot of people want it, and some are mad because they can’t get close to it. That’s how you set up a bunch of stuff at once and it should be fascinating to see where it goes. The rest of the show moved enough stuff forward to keep it interesting, but this was all about the main event and not much more. Good show, but it could have used another big angle or match outside of Punk vs. Owens.
Results
MFT’s b. Damian Priest/R-Truth – Red Cross to R-Truth
Lash Legend b. Tiffany Stratton – Lash Extension
CM Punk b. Kevin Owens – GTS
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