WWE SmackDown in London features surprise elements and match developments

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MADRID, SPAIN - JUNE 4: Cody Rhodes carries Danhausen during a WWE Live Event at Palacio Vistalegre on June 4, 2026 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Andrew Timms/WWE via Getty Images) | WWE via Getty Images Although the June 26 episode of SmackDown will air on USA in the United States and premiere on Netflix everywhere else at its usual time (8 p.m. Eastern), it won’t be live. That’s because WWE is in Saudi Arabia for their Night of Champions premium live event Saturday, and decided to film the go-home show in London on Tues., June 23 before leaving the United Kingdom. The show also faced the unusual problem of originally having been scheduled at the same time as England’s next Group Stage match in the World Cup. Upon learning that, WWE moved the show earlier and told ticket buyers they could stay in their seats at The O2 to watch the England/Ghana match from Boston on the arena’s big screens. It made for an interesting environment, and meant SPOILERS! Those follow, admittedly in a pretty bare-bones way because I’m just going off social media for the most part. If/when more detailed spoilers become available, we’ll update or pass those along… SPOILERS FOR THE JUNE 26 WWE SMACKDOWN Men’s United States champion Trick Williams was accompanied to the ring by Lil Yachty for a promo. This is where he announced that he & Lash Legend were married in Jamaica last week (more here). His Night of Champions challenger Ricky Saints interrupted, and things got physical. Yachty apparently was involved in the tussle. Jade Cargill helps Michin & B-Fab pick up a win over Alexa Bliss & Tiffany Stratton Jade Cargill def. Chelsea Green, then stands tall in a post-match dust-up with her NoC opponent, Women’s U.S. champ Stratton Talla & Tama Tonga confront Solo Sikoa about his dealings on Raw and helping LA Knight beat Jimmy Uso. They tell him they’re done being MFTs (bah-dum-tss)… Tama and Talla Tonga tell Solo Sikoa they are leaving the MFTs!! Solo is now….. well, ya know…. Solo. — Alex McCarthy (@AlexMcCarthy88) June 23, 2026 The Rey Fenix weekly AAA Cruiserweight title banger seems to be a new SmackDown staple, and we are not mad about it. British journalist/content creator Alex McCarthy (formerly of Daily Mail and talkSPORT) called Fenix’s successful defense over Nathan Frazier a “banger”. Solo Sikoa and LA Knight had a segment together in the ring that was interrupted by Royce Keys Paige def. Jacy Jayne A Danhausen TV in-ring segment with the electrocuted duo of Miz and Kit Wilson lead into a Danhausen & Matt Cardona tag match against The Garzas. pic.twitter.com/q7QcitlyrZ — Alex McCarthy (@AlexMcCarthy88) June 23, 2026 Woo Woo Woo, you know who won that. Danhausen & Matt Cardona 😍#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/P38zGIGfHc — Savitar ✰ (@DirtySavitar) June 23, 2026 Giulia faced her associate Kiana James, but it’s not clear if that match had a winner or not. What we know for sure is that Veermalina Blake Monroe stopped talking about and was about it. One episode after discussing her Stardom history with Giulia, fka Mariah May arrived to attack the Beautiful Madness in the UK. Blake Monroe saying “Hi” to Giulia before laying her out. I can’t even hate both are my favorites and I have been asking for this since Blake signed to WWE. 😭#SmackDown | #ジュリア pic.twitter.com/j73xctnki5 — ESYNTIAL (@esyntial0122) June 23, 2026 The show closes with an in-ring segment featuring WWE champ Cody Rhodes. Sami Zayn joins him, followed by the other man in their NoC Triple Threat, Gunther. King of the Ring finalist Jey Uso arrives to fire off warning shots, but when he gets to Der Ring General he gets punched in the mouth as things break down. The other KotR finalist arrives. Oba Femi watches from the apron for a staredown with first Gunther, then briefly Sami, then finally the American Nightmare. OBA FEMI IS HERE and stares down Cody Rhodes 😳 #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/IWu4JbBtBd — Savitar ✰ (@DirtySavitar) June 23, 2026 That appears to be the show. The advertised tag match between Femi & Seth Rollins and The Vision’s Bron Breakker & Austin Theory was the pre-soccer football dark match, won by these two… Just a couple of vibes guys pic.twitter.com/QRWFRJUS5u — Alex McCarthy (@AlexMcCarthy88) June 23, 2026 Who’s watching Friday night?