WWE SmackDown Results – May 22, 2026 – WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley Kicks Off Show, WWE Women’s United States Open Challenge Match

WWE SmackDown Results
May 22, 2026

May 22, 2026
Lexington, KY – Rupp Arena
Commentary: Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett
Results via Roy Nemer of WrestleView.com and Marc Quill of F4WOnline.com

Quick Match Results

  1. Talla Tonga defeated Shinsuke Nakamura via Talla T-Bomb (pinfall)
  2. WWE Women’s United States Championship Open Challenge match – Tiffany Stratton (c) defeated Lash Legend via Roll-up (pinfall)
  3. WWE United States Championship – Trick Williams (c) defeated Carmelo Hayes via Trick Shot (pinfall)
  4. Charlotte Flair & Rhea Ripley defeated Fatal Influence via Natural Selection (pinfall)
  5. Solo Sikoa defeated Damian Priest via Samoan Spike (pinfall)
  6. Cody Rhodes defeated Sami Zayn via Cross Rhodes (pinfall)

Video: Last Week’s Show Recap

WWE SmackDown kicks off with highlights of last weeks show. We see Gunther getting the win against Royce Keys and Cody Rhodes attacking Gunther after his match.

In-Ring: Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Fatal Influence

Rhea says Jade and her crew tried to send a message but what they did was piss her off. She says she is back and wants a fight. She tells Jade that if she wants her rematch, she will happily beat her again. Rhea says she will take her on at Clash in Italy for the WWE Women’s Championship.

Charlotte Flair’s music hits and out she comes with Alexa Bliss. Flair says she appreciates that Rhea wants to defender her title but not to get ahead of herself because they still have a six woman tag team match tomorrow. Bliss says they have to be on the same page. Flair says she has to address the elephant in the room. She says they needed Rhea’s help last week and she asks Rhea where she was last week.

Rhea tells her she went home to go see her family. Flair says she is happy she went home to see her family but they needed her help. She says her and Bliss have their own battles to fight. Rhea says Flair was the one that said she didn’t need her. Flair says she did say that against Fatal Infleunce but now they need Rhea’s help with Rhea’s problem. Rhea says she is sorry that they got ambushed but it looked like Bliss took most of it. If Flair can’t have her best friend’s back, how can she trust her with her back.

Flair says Rhea is trying to create a problem that isn’t there, to grow a wedge between her and Bliss. Out come Fatal Influence. Jayne says she loves this and there isn’t anything she loves more than to see the women’s division unravel in front of her own eyes. And this started the second Fatal Influence stepped foot on the scene. She says they have ascended to the top of the division with ease because when they see an opportunity, they take it. She says they are looking at one right now.

Flair says they love their confidence but she is not there for the back and forth. She challenges two of them to a match against her and Bliss tonight. Jayne says that is all she needed to hear. Flair’s music hits.

Backstage: Solo Sikoa, The MFTs, Royce Keys

We cut backstage and in comes Cathy Kelley who stops Solo Sikoa, Tola Tanga and Tama Tonga. Solo says Tola Tonga is ready for his match against Shinsuke Nakamura. And he wants everyone to watch. Solo looks at Tama Tonga and Solo says he wants everyone to watch what will happen to Nakamura.

In comes Royce Keys and he tells Solo that he cost him a title opportunity last week. Solo says Keys threw the chair at his face and he is lucky they don’t hit him now. Solo says if Keys needs someone to watch his back tonight, they can do that and they walk away.

Backstage: Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss

Back from commercial, Charlotte Flair is with Alexa Bliss backstage. Bliss says she is not medically cleared and pretends to be sick. Bliss tells Flair that she is not sick but she is sick of being in the middle of Flair and Rhea when they argue. Bliss says tonight, Flair will tag team with Rhea.

Talla Tonga vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

The bell rings and we are under way. Nakamura with right hands but Talla Tonga with a right hand and a knee to the face. Talla Tonga goes for a knee to the face but Nakamura moves out of the way. Nakamura clotheslines Talla Tonga to the outside of the ring. Talla Tonga drags Nakamura to the outside of the ring and he throws him into the barricade.

Back from commercial, Talla Tonga with a bodyslam. Talla Tonga lifts Nakamura up but Nakamura lands on his feet. Nakamura with a right hand. Nakamura climbs the second rope and lands a kick onto Talla Tonga. Nakamura with kicks. Solo gets on the ring apron but Nakamura with a right hand. He turns around and Talla Tonga lands a Chokeslam. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.

Winner: Talla Tonga via Pinfall.

Solo goes for the Samoan Spike but Tama Tonga stops him. Tama Tonga hits Nakamura from behind. They grab Nakamura but out comes Damian Priest with a steel chair. Solo, Talla Tonga and Tama Tonga leave the ring.

Backstage: Nick Aldis, Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn

As Nick Aldis was chatting with Charles Robinson, the lights flickered briefly. Aldis told Robinson to look into it. Cody Rhodes interrupted and wondered when Gunther was coming. Aldis said that he was going to make sure that the Clash in Italy contract would be signed. Sami walked into the room and offered to help Rhodes against Gunther. “Thanks, but no thanks,” said Rhodes as he left the room.

A very petulant Zayn whined about how Cody Rhodes always going to get what he wants, unaware that Rhodes was standing behind him. This led to a match between Zayn and Rhodes to be made for later tonight.

Backstage: Solo Sikoa, The MFTs

The M.F.T.s were in conversation backstage, as Tama Tonga said the reason everyone was coming to get them, was that everyone thinks they’re weak. He said that Sikoa had to face Damian Priest on his own, for the sake of “The Family”.

WWE Women’s United States Championship Open Challenge Match
Lash Legend vs. Tiffany Stratton (c)

The bell rings and we are under way. Legend goes for a right hand but Stratton with a right hand. Stratton with a drop kick and Legend rolls to the outside of the ring. Stratton jumps over the top rope onto Legend. Stratton with a right hand but Legend with a right hand. Legend chokeslams Stratton onto the ring apron. Legend gets in the ring and out comes Chelsea Green.

Back from commercial, Legend with a clothesline. She goes for the cover but Stratton kicks out. Legend with a head lock but Stratton with a jaw breaker. Legend runs towards Stratton but Stratton moves out of the way and Legend spears the ring post. Stratton with a clothesline and a stunner. She goes for the cover but Legend kicks out. Stratton goes for the cartwheel Alabama Slam but Legend picks her up and power bombs her. She goes for the cover but Stratton kicks out. Legend goes for the Lash Extension but Stratton gets her in a crucifix cover but Legend kicks out. Stratton gets on the top rope. Nia gets on the ring apron and Lash distracts the referee. Stratton pushes her down. Stratton jumps, Legend moves out of the way. Chelsea pushes Nia into the ring post and that distracts Legend. Stratton rolls Legend up and gets the pin.

Winner: Tiffany Stratton via Pinfall to retain the WWE Women’s United States Championship.

Backstage: Nick Aldis, Danhausen

Back from commercial, Nick Aldis is backstage and he is stopped by someone. That person tells Aldis that the power issues are coming from that door. Aldis enters and it’s Danhausen. He is doing a scientific experiment and Aldis tells him they keep losing power. Danhausen says he is doing a science experiment and a fuse box goes off. Aldis turns around and Danhausen disappears. Aldis sees a body with a white sheet on top of him. Aldis goes to grab the sheet but we hear Danhausen say don’t touch it.

Backstage: The Miz, Kit Wilson, Fraxiom

We cut to Cathy Kelley who is with The Miz and Kit Wilson. Miz says he is not cursed and he doesn’t care what is going on with Danhausen. Kelley says the Cavaliers are losing and Miz says there is no curse. In come Fraxiom who say that The Miz is cursed. Miz says that Danhausen is causing his Cavaliers playoff matches. Kelley asks Miz if he is such a big fan, why isn’t he courtside. Miz says he is superstitious. Miz challenges Axiom to a match next week in his home town. Axiom speaks in Spanish and walks away. The Miz asks Kelley if she understand Spanish and Kelley says “un pocito”.

In-Ring: Trick Williams, Lil Yachty, Carmelo Hayes

In the arena, out comes Trick Williams and Lil Yachty. Trick says he thinks the people in Lexington like some Trick and Yachty and Lil Yachty says especially after what he did last week to The Miz. Trick says Miz is a future Hall of Famer. Lil Yachty says that is debatable. Trick says seven time tag team champion, Lil Yachty says he was carried. Lil Yachty says if you come out and interrupt the Champion, you get the lemon pepper steppers.

Out comes Carmelo Hayes. He tells Trick let’s talk about it. They both knew this day was going to come. He says Trick needs to do the right thing because if he wants to admit it or not, Trick screwed him out of his title. And if it weren’t for Trick, he would still be Champion. The fans chant “Whoop that Trick” and Hayes says to listen to the people, he did that. He says Trick came in, he took over, he rose to the top in record time and he applauds him. He says he always believed in him, he always knew he was capable of that. But there is a huge difference between carrying a title and being Champion. He defended that title, he won the people over with hard work and effort. He tells Trick to give him what he wants, to give the people in Lexington what they want. He says Trick against Melo for the United States Championship, right here, right now.

Lil Yachty says Trick would like to give him the title match but when you’re a champion like Trick Williams, you have a schedule. Lil Yachty takes out a note book. He says he has to get his hair twisted in 45 minutes, a pedicure in about a hour, his muscles massaged too.

Hayes asks if anyone understands what Lil Yachty is saying. Hayes says if Trick can find time between his hair appointment and nail appointment, he can defend his title. But that is only if his secretary allows it. He says they go way back, the old Trick Williams would not let someone tell him what to do. But Trick was always better at playing second fiddle.

Trick tells him to mind his business when grown folks talk. He doesn’t eat no dirty rice and chew his cabbage twice. That means he doesn’t play with his leftovers. But since they are in Lexington and the people want to see it, tonight, it’s Trick against Melo, let’s talk about it. Trick says the open challenges were done, the moment he won the title. But because he likes him and he respects what they did, he will get his match tonight but the ass whooping is on the house. Trick asks for a referee.

WWE United States Championship
Carmelo Hayes vs. Trick Williams (c)

Back from commercial, Hayes with a drop kick. Hayes with a chop to the chest. Trick grabs Hayes and goes for a chop but Hayes moves out of the way. Hayes with a chop to the chest. Hayes goes a chop but Trick with a right hand. Trick with a Trick slap. Trick goes for a kick but Hayes with a kick to the side of the head. Hayes to the ropes but Trick with a side kick to the face. Trick throws Hayes to the ropes, Hayes goes for a springboard but Trick with a slam. He goes for the cover but Hayes kicks out. Trick with a suplex. Trick goes for a side kick but Hayes moves out of the way and Trick falls to the outside of the ring. Hayes to the ropes and he goes for a splash but Lil Yachty is standing in front of Trick. Hayes stops and doesn’t jump to the outside.

Back from commercial, Trick with a head lock but Hayes with a jaw breaker counters it. Trick with a right hand and Hayes with a right hand. Trick with a jumping neck breaker. We see Ricky Saints at ring side.

Trick goes for a kick to the side of the head but Hayes with a springboard clothesline. Hayes with a Dirty Diana. He goes for the cover but Trick kicks out. Hayes with a kick to the face and he goes for another kick but Trick with a kick. He goes for the cover but Hayes kicks out. Trick goes for the Trick Shot but Hayes with a First 48. He goes for the cover but Trick kicks out. Hayes climbs the top rope and Saints gets close to the ring apron, that distracts Hayes. Trick pushes Hayes down to the outside. Trick to the outside and he pushes Saints down. Trick gets in the ring, Saints gets on the ring apron and that distracts the referee. Hayes rolls Trick but the referee is distracted. Hayes hits Saints with a right hand. Trick with a Trick Shot. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.

Winner: Trick Williams via Pinfall to retain the WWE United States Championship.

Backstage: Sami Zayn, Johnny Gargano

We cut to the back and see Sami Zayn. He is hitting water bottles down. He sees Johnny Gargano laying down on a piece of equipment. Zayn says he is glad to see him. He says Cody is his friend and now Cody wants to fight him. Even when Zayn was going through is own stuff, he was still there for Cody. He says Gargano is the last real good guy left. He says Gargano always does what is right in his heart, he doesn’t let anyone change who he is and Zayn walks away. Gargano pushes a water bottle down.

Backstage: Ricky Saints, Carmelo Hayes

Cathy Kelley is backstage with Ricky Saints. She asks him why he was at ringside. He says he is new but not new. He says Carmelo needs to learn but in comes Carmelo who hits Ricky Saints. He tells him to stay out of his business.

Video: Oba Femi, Brock Lesnar

A recap of Brock Lesnar’s return on Raw was shown.

Charlotte Flair & Rhea Ripley vs. Fatal Influence (Lainey Reid & Fallon Henley)

The bell rings and we are under way. Flair and Henley start the match. Flair with a clothesline and she hits Reid off the ring apron. Flair with a chop to the chest and Rhea tags herself in. Rhea and Flair argue. Reid is tagged in and Rhea with a drop kick. Rhea goes for a splash in the corner but Reid moves out of the way. Reid climbs the second rope and goes for a cross body but Rhea catches her. Rhea with a fall away slam and Flair tags herself in by tapping her hand onto Rhea’s head. Jayne gets on the ring apron and Flair with a big boot. Reid throws Flair to the outside of the ring and Henley is tagged in. Henley slams Flair onto the announce table.

Back from commercial, Flair and Reid in the ring. Flair gets on the ring apron and hits a big boot onto Henley. Reid distracts the referee and Jayne trips Flair on the ring apron. Reid tags Henley in and Reid with a twisted suplex. In comes Henley and Reid is tagged in. Henley climbs the second rope but Flair kicks her down. Reid gets back in the ring and Flair with a big boot. Rhea is tagged in and Rhea with a clothesline onto Reid. In comes Henley and Rhea with a drop kick. Rhea with a German suplex onto Henley and a kick to the side of the head onto Reid. Rhea with the Razor’s Edge and a running kick. She goes for the cover but Henley breaks it up. In comes Flair and she hits Henley with a big boot. Flair gets on the ring apron and lands a cannonball onto Henley and Jayne. In the ring, Reid goes for a big boot onto Rhea but she moves out of the way. Reid hits Flair down. Rhea goes for the Rip Ride and Flair tags herself in. Rhea with the Rip Tide and in comes Flair, she lands the Natural Selection. Flair goes for the cover and gets the pin.

Winner: Charlotte Flair & Rhea Ripley via Pinfall.

In comes Alexa Bliss but they are attacked by Jade Cargill, B-Fab and Michin. Fatal Influence also attack them from behind. In the ring, Jade hits Rhea with Jaded.

Backstage: Cody Rhodes

We cut to Cody Rhodes who is backstage. In comes Cathy Kelley. He tells her that he and Zayn are friends but he doesn’t recognize Zayn much. He understands the anger, this passive aggressiveness but after a while, it gets to be too much. He says 10 years ago, he felt all of those things. He says tonight, he will make Zayn accountable. For Gunther, he can take a front row seat, he can be on commentary. But one thing Gunther is not in control of is his match against him at Clash in Italy.

Backstage: Jade Cargill, Michin, B-Fab

Back from commercial, Cathy Kelley is backstage with Jade Cargill, Michin and B-Fab. Michin says that wasn’t a message, that was the truth. She says they are the best. B-Fab says after what they did tonight, Flair, Rhea and Bliss can save embarrassment and not show up. Jade says at Clash in Italy, luck won’t be on Rhea’s side.

Damian Priest vs. Solo Sikoa

As Solo is getting in the ring, Priest hits him with a right hand and Solo falls to the outside of the ring. Priest with a double axe handle and he throws Solo into the ring steps. Priest throws Solo into the ring. Solo with a right hand and he throws Priest into the turnbuckle. He throws Priest to the ropes but Priest with a spinning elbow to the face. Priest on the ring apron and he kicks Solo in the face. Solo distracts the referee, Tama distracts Priest and Solo with a Samoan drop.

Back from commercial, Priest with a suplex off the second rope. Priest and Solo with right hands. Priest with a running right hand. He lands a splash in the turnbuckle. Priest with a broken arrow and he goes for the cover but Solo kicks out. Tama Tonga distracts Priest and Talla Tonga with a right hand onto Priest. Solo with the Spinning Solo Slam. He goes for the cover but Priest kicks out. Solo goes for the running hip attack but Priest with a kick to the face. Priest with a clothesline. Tama Tonga gets on the ring apron and Priest hits him with a right hand. Solo goes for the Samoan Spike but Priest with a flatliner. Talla Tonga gets on the ring apron and Priest with a kick to the side of the head but Talla Tonga stays on his feet. Priest to the ropes but Solo with the Samoan Spike. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.

Winner: Solo Sikoa via Pinfall.

Talla Tonga and Tama Tonga get in the ring after the match but out comes Royce Keys. He hits Tama Tonga with a right hand. Keys with a right hand onto Talla Tonga. Keys and Solo are face to face but Solo leaves the ring.

Keys helps Priest back up but Priest grabs Keys for a chokeslam. Keys pushes him away.

WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Show Card Rundown

Saturday Night’s Main Event (5/23/26) Card:

  • World Tag Team Championship: Logan Paul & Austin Theory (c) vs. The Street Profits
  • Intercontinental Championship: Penta (c) vs. “All Ego” Ethan Page
  • Becky Lynch vs. Sol Ruca
  • Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, & Alexa Bliss vs. The Baddies (Jade Cargill, B-Fab, & Michin)
  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Paige & Brie Bella vs. The Irresistable Forces (Nia Jax & Lash Legend)

Backstage: Chelsea Green, Blake Monroe, The Irresistible Forces

Chelsea Green is backstage and she is stopped by Blake Monroe. They pose together and introduce each other. Green tells Blake that Blake already knows who she is. Blake says she wishes she didn’t and walks away. In come Nia Jax and Lash Legend who push Chelsea into WWE equipment backstage. Nia tells Green that she just made enemies. In come WWE officials who break it up.

Backstage: Royce Keys, Damian Priest

Back from commercial, Royce Keys asks Damian Priest what his problem is because it was Damian’s partner who asked him to have his back. Priest says he doesn’t care who asked him, he was jumped and someone grabbed him. He asks Keys what he would have done. Keys tells him anyone can get it and he walks away.

Sami Zayn vs. Cody Rhodes

The bell rings and we are under way. Cody and Zayn shake hands. Cody with a head lock but Zayn throws him to the ropes and Zayn with a hip toss. Zayn extends his hand for a handshake and they shake hands again. Cody with a right hand and he extends his hand but Zayn doesn’t shake his hand. Zayn with chops to the chest but Cody with right hands. Cody with a snap power slam. Cody goes for the Disaster Kick but Zayn trips him down and Cody rolls to the outside of the ring.

Back from commercial, Cody with a suplex. Cody with right hands and the bionic elbow. Cody’s left knee is in pain. Cody with the Cody Cutter. He goes for the cover but Zayn kicks out. Cody holds onto his left knee. He goes for the Cross Rhodes but Zayn gets out of it. Zayn throws Cody onto the ring apron and he pushes Cody off the ring apron onto the announce table. Cody gets back into the ring. Zayn goes for the Helluva Kick but Cody moves out of the way. Cody with a super Cody Cutter. He goes for the cover but Zayn kicks out. Cody grabs Zayn but Zayn with the Blue Thunder Bomb. He goes for the cover but Cody kicks out. Zayn kicks Cody’s left knee and he gets Cody in the figure four leg lock. Cody reverses it but Zayn gets to the bottom rope. Cody with a right hand and Zayn with a right hand. Cody with the Disaster Kick. Gunther gets on the ring apron and with the referee distracted, he gets Cody in a sleeper. Zayn pushes the referee. Zayn goes for the Helluva Kick onto Cody but he moves out of the way and Zayn kicks Gunther. Cody with the Cross Rhodes. He goes for the cover and gets the pin.

Winner: Cody Rhodes via Pinfall.

Gunther gets in the ring after the match and he powerbombs Cody. In comes Zayn and he is face to face with Gunther. Zayn looks at Cody and Gunther gets Cody in the sleeper hold. Zayn leaves the ring but he looks back at the ring. Gunther lets go of the sleeper hold. He lifts the Undisputed title in the air and Gunther’s music hit. Gunther gets on the second rope and SmackDown goes off the air.

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