Lineup for WWE SmackDown Tonight (May 15, 2026) ft. Backlash fallout; Cody Rhodes to appear & more
(Courtesy : WWE)
The aftermath of Backlash will be addressed tonight on SmackDown.
Last week’s Friday Night SmackDown hyped up fans before the 2026 edition of Backlash in Tampa, Florida, on May 9. The show saw Trick Williams retain the United States title in a WrestleMania 42 rematch against Sami Zayn.
On the other hand, Danhausen teamed up with Minihausen to defeat the team of Miz and Kit Wilson. With the conclusion of the PLE last week, WWE shifts its focus to the upcoming events while addressing the fallout from Backlash.
What’s in store for tonight’s SmackDown?
The May 15 edition of the Blue brand will take place live from the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
As noted, tonight’s show will address the fallout from Backlash 2026. The show is also anticipated to announce matches for the May 23 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event, following in the footsteps of this Monday’s Raw, where two matches were announced.
The build towards the Clash in Italy PLE is also going to pick up pace, especially after Gunther’s challenge to Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes last week.
- Backlash 2026 aftermath
- Gunther must decide whether to join SmackDown to challenge Cody Rhodes
- Jade Cargill will address the WWE Universe after returning to attack Rhea Ripley
- Trick Williams returns to the University of South Carolina for a special celebration
- Drew McIntyre, Cody Rhodes, Jade Cargill, Tiffany Startton, and Randy Orton are listed as featured superstars
Returns expected on tonight’s show
No returns have officially been announced for tonight’s show. However, Randy Orton is being advertised for the show. This has made fans speculate if the Viper is going to return for the first time since WrestleMania 42, where he lost in the Night 1 main event against Cody Rhodes.
Apart from that, no major return is speculated for the show. On the other hand, WWE has been teasing Blake Monroe’s SmackDown debut, while there is no confirmed date for her debut, WWE might pull the surprise tonight.
Start time for tonight’s SmackDown in Columbia
- 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: 01 AM CEST (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: 01 AM CET (Saturday)
When and where will the May 15, 2026, edition of WWE SmackDown take place?
Tonight’s SmackDown will emanate live from the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina.
Where can fans tune in to catch all the action live?
Fans in the United States can tune into the USA Network, while international fans can tune into Netflix (excluding select markets) to catch all the action live.
When and where will the upcoming edition of SNME take place?
The May 23 edition of SNME is set to emanate live from the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
When and where will Clash in Italy take place?
Inalpi Arena in Turin, Piedmont Region, Italy, will host the upcoming edition of the Clash in Italy PLE on May 31.
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Abhijit Singh is a budding sports journalist with over three years of experience in the field, and a photographer capturing stories through his lens since 2018. With a background in philosophy and political science, he brings a thoughtful, analytical edge to his reporting where every word is guided by curiosity and intent. Whether he's capturing the emotion of a moment or unpacking the deeper narratives within the game, Abhijit’s work is rooted in insight and passion. When he’s not covering sports, he’s often exploring new ideas through reading, traveling or just procrastinating.