Smackdown – October 2, 2026: Their Last Chance
Smackdown
Date: October 2, 2026
Location: Ball Arena, Denver, Colorado
Commentators: Michael Cole, Wade Barrett
We’re in the fourth quarter of the year and just over a week away from Money In The Bank. The big story this week is another qualifying match, but we also have the issue of basically everyone being mad at World Champion Sami Zayn, which will have to be solved. That should be enough to carry things here so let’s get to it.
Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.
We open with a recap of CM Punk beating Gunther and Finn Balor last week to qualify for Money In The Bank.
Money In The Bank Qualifying Match: Tiffany Stratton vs. Candice LeRae vs. Tatum Paxley
LeRae gets smart early on by throwing Paxley at Stratton. That sends Paxley outside, leaving Stratton to get back up with a running hip attack in the ropes. Paxley is back in and they trade rollups for two each until LeRae and Stratton are knocked out to the floor. A moonsault takes the two of them out and Paxley is rather giggly as we take a break.
We come back with everyone down so Paxley gets up to clean house. Cole thinks it will change Paxley’s career trajectory if she wins here. No Cole, it won’t. Stratton gives LeRae an Alabama Slam into a Swanton but walks into a spinwheel kick from Paxley. LeRae’s Lionsault is broken up and the Cemetery Drive hits Stratton, with LeRae making the save this time. Paxley hits LeRae with her 450 but the Prettiest Moonsault Ever breaks it up, allowing Stratton to pin LeRae at 9:36.
Rating: B-. This was more of a showcase for Paxley than anything else but, you know, triple threat and stealing the pin and all that. I will be so glad when we get to the pay per view next week and can stop with these qualifying matches. They’ve been good for the most part, but my goodness mix it up a bit already.
Chelsea Green isn’t sure who is winning the briefcase. Nikki Bella comes in to say she’s taking the title anyway but Paige comes in with a challenge for Bella. They can fight in two weeks, but for now Paige will just slap her.
Rey Fenix/Fraxiom vs. War Raiders/Ricky Saints
Ivar and Frazer start things off with Ivar knocking him down without much effort. Erik comes in and gets enziguried, allowing the tag off to Axiom. Fraxiom fire off the dives and Fenix tries one of his own but messes it up pretty badly and doesn’t make a ton of contact. Everyone is down on the floor and we take a pretty quick break.
We come back with Saints hammering on Axiom and going after the mask as any villain should do to a masked wrestler. Erik grabs a front facelock but Axiom fights his way out, allowing Fenix to come in for the handspring cutter. The rope walk kick sends Erik outside and a superkick puts Ivar down. The frog splash connects with Erik making the save as everything breaks down. Axiom has to moonsault onto the floor to save Frazer and Fenix goes up top, only to get Roshamboed down to give Saints the pin at 10:33.
Rating: B-. It’s another good enough match, though seeing Saints challenge Fenix for the Cruiserweight Title isn’t the most interesting idea. If nothing else, it’s nice to see some people getting some TV time, even if neither of the teams has much going on right now. Perfectly fine match here, though I’m a sucker for this kind of six man tags.
Cody Rhodes knows that he and Kevin Owens have history but he’ll deal with Owens and Johnny Gargano. Trick Williams comes in to say he hopes Rhodes wins but Rhodes is losing at Money In The Bank. Williams: “Let’s talk about it.” Rhodes: “Sounds like we just did.”
Damian Priest is in New York City and says he’s getting back to what he was before. Yes it was personal when he attacked R-Truth and he’ll do it again.
Charlotte has gotten herself and Tatum Paxley a Women’s Tag Team Title shot. Paxley is thrilled but wants Paxley to be serious.
Here is Sami Zayn for a chat. Zayn says he hears the noise here and asks how many people are here to ride or die with him. The reaction is a bit disappointing to them but he’s still playing with injustice in the form of inequality. WWE Champions are supposed to get respect but there are a lot of people saying they are going to beat him. He knows he can overcome any of them and if you don’t believe him, ask Cody Rhodes or CM Punk.
Cue Raw’s Je’Von Evans of all people to say Zayn is sounding worried before moving on to Money In The Bank. Zayn cuts him off, saying he’s been where Evans is before. Evans suggests he might cash in on Zayn if he wins the briefcase, which brings out Penta. Zayn doesn’t seem happy as Penta promises to cash in on someone and win a World Title.
Trick Williams, Gingerbread Man jokes, respect, same thing Penta said. Zayn says he’s look at at least two losers, if not three, and gets in Williams’ face to say no one can do what Zayn can do. As Zayn goes to leave, Finn Balor comes out to say that he’s coming for the title. Cue Gunther to choke Balor out and send Zayn into the ladders.
Tiffany Stratton are very happy over Stratton’s win.
Gunther is asked why he did that and is interrupted by Danhausen (who appears to have a Ghostbusters PKE meter). This doesn’t work for Gunther, who is sick of this and leaves Danhausen laying.
Blake Monroe vs. Giulia
Giulia goes right after her to start but gets stomped down in the corner. A running hurricanrana out of the corner gives Monroe two so Giulia kicks her in the face. They go to the floor and Monroe knees her in the face as we take a break. We come back with Giulia shouldering her down a few times and getting two off a missile dropkick. Monroe’s Neutralizer is broken up so Giulia hits the running knee. A curb stomp gives Giulia two so she goes up top, with Monroe knocking her face first into the post. That’s enough to knock Giulia cold for the pin at 8:22.
Rating: C+. That’s certainly an interesting way to go as Giulia was dominating and then got knocked silly with one single shot. You don’t see it happen very often and it lets Monroe brag about her win without really beating Giulia. Odds are they’ll do a rematch where Giulia can lose again because that’s pretty much all she does these days.
We look at Jaida Parker taking out Jacob Fatu and joining 946 on Raw.
Johnny Gargano tells Candice LeRae that the night can still be salvaged but Sami Zayn comes in to give Gargano a big pep talk.
Money In The Bank Qualifying Match: Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens vs. Johnny Gargano
Rhodes hammers away at Owens to start before rolling Gargano up for two. Gargano is back up and Rhodes is knocked down, with Gargano knocking Owens out to the floor. We take a break and come back with Owens setting up a table but Candice LeRae saves Gargano. Rhodes is back up with a snap powerslam but gets caught in the Gargano Escape. Owens breaks that up and tries a Stunner, only to be pulled into the Gargano Escape as well.
That’s broken up as well and Rhodes drops Gargano onto Owens. LeRae tries another distraction so Rhodes knocks Gargano into her and…well not really through the table, which just cracks. Gargano is knocked through the rest of the table, leaving Owens to knock Rhodes down as we take another break. We come back again with Owens hitting Gargano with his swinging superplex and going up again. This time Rhodes cuts Owens off but gets shoved down, allowing Owens to hit a Swanton.
Gargano superkicks Owens to steal a near fall, earning himself a Stunner. Rhodes breaks up the cover by diving in front of the referee, which leaves Owens rather unpleased. Owens and Rhodes slug it out until Rhodes counters the Stunner into Cross Rhodes. This time it’s Randy Orton making the save so Rhodes goes after him with some rams into various hard items. Gargano jumps Rhodes though and grabs One Final Beat for two on Owens. Back up and Owens powerbombs Gargano, with Orton cutting Rhodes off to give Owens the pin at 17:03.
Rating: B. This was pretty much all you would have expected, with Orton’s interference being a nice bonus. If nothing else, it was cool to have the finish be anything other than a version of someone stealing the pin. If nothing else, Gargano can continue to pester Sami Zayn while Rhodes goes after Orton, likely in a big grudge match at Money In The Bank.
Post match Orton runs away from Rhodes to end the show.
Overall Rating: B-. This was a perfectly fine show, with the two qualifying matches being the focal points and people now talking about what happens when the briefcases actually get into play. That’s going to be one of the bigger stories for the next few months, though Zayn needs a challenger at the moment. Good enough show here, though it should be interesting to see what happens next week when they don’t have the qualifying matches to eat up so much of the show.
Results
Tiffany Stratton b. Candice LeRae and Tatum Paxley – Prettiest Moonsault Ever to LeRae
Ricky Saints/War Raiders b. Fraxiom/Rey Fenix – Roshambo to Fenix
Blake Monroe b. Giulia – Ram into the post
Kevin Owens b. Cody Rhodes and Johnny Gargano – Stunner to Gargano
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