Lineup for WWE SmackDown Tonight (July 24, 2026) ft. Interim WWE Women’s Championship Qualifying match, SNME Fallout & more
(Courtesy : WWE)
WWE SmackDown’s GM Nick Aldis spoiled the party for Gunther at SNME.
WWE traveled to Madison Square Garden on July 18 to deliver the third Saturday Night’s Main Event of 2026, and the fallout from that show now sets the stage for tonight’s go-home episode of SmackDown ahead of SummerSlam.
The show will address the aftermath from SNME, while continuing the build towards SummerSlam, possibly announcing more matches. Before that, here is a detailed lineup for tonight’s SmackDown.
What’s in store for tonight’s SmackDown?
The July 24 edition of Friday Night SmackDown will air live from the Oakland Arena in Oakland, California. Multiple top names, including Cody Rhodes, Jade Cargill, Tiffany Stratton, CM Punk, Gunther, and Trick Williams, are listed as featured superstars for the show.
Notably, the July 18 edition of SNME saw Fatal Influence (Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid) defeat Brie Bella and Paige to become the new Women’s Tag Team Champions, while Danhausen defeated JD McDonagh and Lyra Valkyria submitted Bayley.
The main event of the show saw CM Punk and Cody Rhodes take on Gunther and Sami Zayn, with the stipulation that if the latter two won, they would be added to the title showdown between Punk and Rhodes at SummerSlam. However, Nick Aldis, who had been absent from programming since Gunther’s attack on him, returned during the match to attack Gunther and cost him the bout. WWE has already announced the showdown between Punk, Rhodes, Gunther, and Aldis for SummerSlam.
Last week, acting GM Adam Pearce announced a ladder match for the Interim WWE Women’s Champion at SummerSlam, as WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley remains out of action due to an injury. Two qualifying matches for the ladder match have already concluded, and now a third will take place in Oakland.
In the second qualifying match, Jade Cargill took on Nia Jax. However, Charlotte Flair, determined to get some payback on Jade & co. for the attack on Alexa Bliss two weeks prior, targeted Michin and B-Fab ringside before stepping into the ring to take out Cargill. This ended the match in disqualification, handing Jade the win.
Later in the show, Jax, along with Lash Legend, complained to acting GM Pearce about the interference. Pearce announced a qualifying match between Nia and Flair for the July 24 show, granting Jax another chance after Flair cost her the first one.
- Charlotte Flair vs Nia Jax – Interim WWE Women’s Championship Qualifying match
- SNME fallout
- Cody Rhodes, Jade Cargill, Tiffany Stratton, CM Punk, Gunther & Trick Williams are listed as featured superstars
Returns expected on tonight’s show
No specific return has been reported heading into tonight’s SmackDown. However, with the SNME fallout still playing out and Nick Aldis back in the fold after weeks off television, the door remains open for a surprise appearance in Oakland.
Aldis had been absent from WWE programming since Gunther’s attack on him, only reappearing during the SNME main event to cost Gunther his match. His comeback adds an unpredictable element heading into tonight’s show, especially with WWE already booking him into a mixed tag match against Gunther, CM Punk, and Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam.
On the injury front, WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley remains sidelined with a meniscus tear and has said her return timeline is still up in the air, ruling her out of tonight’s show. With the Interim Women’s Championship picture taking shape through the ongoing qualifying matches, her eventual comeback is expected to factor into the title picture once she’s medically cleared.
Start time for tonight’s SmackDown in Oakland
- United States, Alaska, Hawaii & Puerto Rico: 08 PM ET, 07 PM CT & 05 PM PT (Friday)
- Canada: 08 PM ET (Friday)
- United Kingdom & Ireland: 1 AM BST (Saturday)
- India: 5:30 AM IST (Saturday)
- Bangladesh: 06 AM BST (Saturday)
- Saudi Arabia: 03 AM AST (Saturday)
- Australia: 10 AM AEST / 11 AM AEDT (Saturday)
- France: 02 AM CET (Saturday)
- Brazil: 09 PM BRT (Friday)
- Mexico: 06 PM CST (Friday)
- Singapore: 08 AM SGT (Saturday)
- China: 08 AM CST (Saturday)
- Nigeria: 01 AM WAT (Saturday)
- South Africa: 02 AM SAST (Saturday)
- Germany: 02 AM CET (Saturday)
- Japan: 09 AM JST (Saturday)
- Italy: 02 AM CET (Saturday)
When and where will WWE SmackDown take place this week?
The upcoming July 24, 2026, edition of SmackDown will air live from the Oakland Arena in Oakland, California.
When and where will SummerSlam 2026 take place?
The 39th edition will air as a two-night spectacle on Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2, 2026, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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