Top storylines to watch on WWE SmackDown tonight (May 15, 2026): Cody Rhodes vs Gunther; Rhea Ripley's response & more
(Courtesy : WWE.com)
Feuds on SmackDown continue to take ugly turns.
Tonight’s edition of Friday Night SmackDown emanates following Backlash 2026 last week. The show takes over the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina, and is set to address the fallout from the PLE, while building towards the upcoming Saturday Night’s Main Event and Clash in Italy.
Ahead of the show tonight, let us take a look at the top four storylines that might be in store for fans in South Carolina on WWE SmackDown tonight.
4. WWE Women’s Tag Team titles
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Paige and Brie Bella are set to defend the titles against Judgment Day’s Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez. The title defense comes in the wake of a vicious assault by the Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax & Lash Legend), who attacked the Champions last week on SmackDown.
As Jax and Legend are looking for a rematch, WWE giving a title shot to the Judgment Day might make them feel neglected and we might see anothe ambush by the former Champions.
Also Read: WWE SmackDown (May 15, 2026): Preview, start time & where to watch
3. Matches for SNME
The May 23 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event is only a week away. WWE already announced two matches for the show during this Monday’s Raw and is expected to announce more matches tonight so that the go-home show can be used to further build towards these matches.
2. Rhea Ripley’s response
During last week’s show, Jade Cargill made her return, along with B-Fab and Michin, to attack Rhea Ripley, even taking down Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair. This marked their first appearance since WrestleMania 42, where Jade dropped the title against Rhea.
The attack is likely to resume the feud between the two, and with Iyo Sky on Raw, it will be interesting to see who Ripley pairs up, especially since the trio last week also attacked Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss.
1. Cody Rhodes vs Gunther
The feud between Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes and Gunther kicked off with an attack two weeks ago, where Gunther put the Champion to sleep. Last week, Paul Heyman revealed that Gunther has challenged Rhodes to a title clash at Clash in Italy.
A favor that Gunther wanted from Heyman, and now fans await Rhodes’ response. That said, Gunther is going to turn up the heat, and while Rhodes has made it clear that he is ready for any challenge, will the Ring General prove too much for him?
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.