Cajundome · Lafayette, Louisiana · Go-home show for Money in the Bank
WWE Friday Night SmackDown delivered a dramatic night of championship action, heated rivalries and Money in the Bank confrontations on October 9.
The biggest headline was the shocking WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship change, as Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley defeated Fatal Influence to capture the titles ahead of the premium live event.
CM Punk, Kevin Owens and Undisputed WWE Champion Sami Zayn also intensified their rivalry, while Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton continued building toward a major confrontation.
Opening segment: CM Punk, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
The show opened with Raw General Manager Adam Pearce confronting SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis over the use of Raw talent.
Their disagreement escalated when Trick Williams and Bron Breakker arrived, leading Pearce to book the two rivals against each other in the main event.
CM Punk subsequently entered the ring with ladders set up to promote Money in the Bank.
Punk discussed his previous victories in the ladder match and made it clear that he wanted to capture the briefcase for a third time.
Kevin Owens interrupted, insisting that stopping Punk was just as important as winning the briefcase himself.
Sami Zayn then joined the confrontation, warning both men that winning Money in the Bank would not make it easy to take his championship.
The segment established the personal stakes heading into the event, with three competitors determined to outsmart and outlast one another
Match-by-match results
1. Six-woman tag team match
Team SmackDown vs. Team Raw
Winners: Jacy Jayne, Lash Legend and Tiffany Stratton
Team SmackDown defeated the Raw trio of Roxanne Perez, Lola Vice and Sol Ruca in an energetic contest featuring fast-paced exchanges, high-flying offence and repeated breakdowns in teamwork.
Lash Legend delivered the decisive Lash Extension to Sol Ruca to secure the pinfall.
However, the celebration quickly turned sour when Legend attacked her own teammates, striking both Jayne and Stratton.
The victory gave SmackDown momentum heading into the Women’s Money in the Bank ladder match, but Legend’s actions raised questions about whether she could trust anyone heading into the event.
2. MFTs vs. War Raiders
Winners: The MFTs — Talla Tonga and Tama Tonga
The MFTs battled Erik and Ivar of the War Raiders in a physical contest.
Both teams used their size and strength to gain advantages, with the War Raiders attempting to turn the match into a brawl.
Interference and distractions ultimately played a decisive role.
The MFTs took advantage of the chaos to secure the victory, while the ongoing tension involving Bakusai added another chapter to the rivalry.
The result kept the MFTs looking strong, although the circumstances surrounding the finish left room for further confrontation.
Gunther and Danhausen segment
Scheduled singles match.
The planned match between Gunther and Danhausen never officially got underway.
Gunther attacked Danhausen before the opening bell, prompting Finn Bálor to intervene
Bálor initially came to Danhausen’s aid, but Gunther returned and ambushed him from behind.
The Ring General once again demonstrated his willingness to use overwhelming force, while Bálor’s involvement intensified their conflict
.
The segment ended without an official match result.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
The championship match took an unexpected turn when Charlotte Flair was attacked backstage by Jade Cargill and her associates, leaving Flair medically unable to compete.
Alexa Bliss stepped in as Flair’s replacement, joining Paxley against the reigning champions. SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis banned everyone from ringside to help ensure a fair contest.
Bliss and Paxley gradually gained control, combining their experience and athleticism to overcome Fatal Influence.
In the closing sequence, Bliss helped neutralize the opposition before Paxley connected with Cemetery Drive to piFall
Henley.
The referee counted three, crowning Bliss and Paxley the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.
The title change was the night’s defining moment. It also gave Paxley a major championship achievement and established a new partnership with Bliss at a crucial point in WWE’s women’s tag team division
Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton rivalry intensifies
Cody Rhodes also found himself at the centre of a heated confrontation after The Miz and Kit Wilson attempted to take over the show with a birthday celebration.
Rhodes interrupted the segment and quickly took action against both men.
The situation drew attention back to his ongoing dispute with Randy Orton.
Orton had told Aldis that he intended to leave rather than cause trouble, but he continued to insist that Rhodes was the real problem.
Rhodes rejected that narrative and demanded that WWE arrange a face-to-face meeting between the two rivals.
The confrontation kept their rivalry firmly in focus and set the stage for further developments on the next episode of SmackDown.
Main event: Trick Williams vs. Bron Breakker
Champion vs. champion — interbrand showdown
The main event brought United States Champion Trick Williams face-to-face with Bron Breakker in a clash between two powerful personalities.
The match was set up earlier in the evening after an argument between Pearce and Aldis over the involvement of Raw competitors.
The bout also carried added significance because both men were heading into Money in the Bank with championship ambitions and a chance to change their careers.
The contest ended in a disqualification after outside interference disrupted the action.
The interference and ensuing chaos prevented either man from securing a clean victory, leaving their rivalry unresolved as WWE moved toward the premium live event.
