WWE SmackDown Before Sunday Night’s Main Event Preview: CM Punk Defends His Title (9/4/2026)

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Here’s a full preview of the September 4 edition of WWE SmackDown:

[This article contains spoilers for the upcoming episode of Friday Night SmackDown]

#5. Tiffany Stratton squares off with Nia Jax

Chelsea Green and Tiffany Stratton have been involved in a heated feud with Nia Jax and Lash Legend for the past few weeks. However, things will get quite interesting tonight as Stratton is set for one-on-one action with Jax. The two superstars will look to settle their scores on SmackDown. Since the show has already been recorded, fans saw a clear winner in this bout.

Nia Jax defeated The Buff Barbie and secured a huge victory with the Annihilator. But a major thing happened before the match. The Irresistible Force confronted Nick Aldis backstage and secured a future WWE Women’s Championship match against Chelsea Green. This bout would take place during the company’s upcoming tour in Mexico City.

#4. Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton come face to face

Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton are set to collide in a marquee match at the upcoming Sunday Night’s Main Event. This rivalry has reached a whole new level, with both superstars willing to tear each other apart. However, they could not lay a finger on each other on SmackDown, thanks to Nick Aldis’ restraining orders. Tonight, fans would see Orton and Rhodes having one last confrontation.

The two superstars will sit down for an interview with Corey Graves. Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton took shots at each other, heightening the intensity of their feud. Both superstars vowed to end one another at Atlanta, Georgia, this weekend, showcasing their pure, unadulterated animosity. The sit-down interview between Rhodes and Orton didn’t last very long.

#3. Giulia sets out on a rampage against Blake Monroe

The women’s division has gotten interesting of late as Giulia is embroiled in a heated feud with Blake Monroe. It all began after their scheduled match got snubbed due to The Glamour attacking the Japanese star and berating her. Last week on SmackDown, The Beautiful Madness launched a brutal attack on Monroe in the locker room amid her interview.

The two superstars are scheduled to have a match on this week’s SmackDown. However, fans will once again witness the bout getting canceled. During an interview with Cathy Kelly, Giulia once again launched an attack on Blake Monroe. The brawl continued from the backstage area all the way down into the ring, due to which their scheduled match got scrapped once again.

#2. Kyoki makes his highly anticipated SmackDown debut

One of the biggest highlights of this week’s episode is the arrival of the new tag team Bakusai. Kyoki, who was known as Hiromu Takahashi, is set to make his blockbuster debut on SmackDown tonight. Along with that, Shinsuke Nakamura will also make his much-awaited return on television. The Japanese duo will face The Miz and Kit Wilson in a huge tag team match.

Fans witnessed an incredible match where Bakusai secured a dominant victory. However, what happened after the match generated quite a bit of excitement as the MFT confronted them. WWE has been teasing their feud for quite some time now and it looks like the company has already pulled the trigger. It will be interesting to see what’s in store for MFT and Bakusai.

#1. CM Punk defends the Undisputed WWE Title

CM Punk defended the Undisputed WWE Championship on the upcoming episode of SmackDown in an impromptu match. During a backstage segment, The Second City Saint confronted Johnny Gargano. Punk was frustrated with how Gargano has been lying motionless and depressed on the production cart for over six months. As a result, the champ offered him a title shot as the show was taking place in his hometown of Cleveland.

Miraculously, that awakened Johnny Gargano and he stood up for the first time in six months. The 39-year-old accepted the challenge, leading to an Undisputed WWE Championship match with CM Punk in the main event of SmackDown. Both superstars delivered a banger in Cleveland, where Punk eventually defeated Gargano to retain his coveted title. The match however featured a lot of interference from Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Finn Balor and Gunther.

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