WWE SmackDown Notes: Kevin Owens Advances To Men’s & Tiffany Stratton Advances To Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Matches, Paige Challenges Nikki Bella For Rematch at 10/16 Show, Blake Monroe Finally Makes In-Ring SD Debut & Beats Giulia, Kevin Owens Pays Tribute to Neville (PAC), 10/9 Show Card

Oct 2, 2026

Kevin Owens Advances To Men’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match at WWE Money In The 2026

Friday’s WWE SmackDown show at the Bell Arena in Denver, Colorado featured one qualifying match for this year’s Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder match.

This was Kevin Owens defeating Johnny Gargano and Cody Rhodes in a Triple Threat match.

.@FightOwensFight is headed to New Orleans!! 🔥👏 pic.twitter.com/BX0lJLoDtd
— WWE (@WWE) October 3, 2026

As a result of his victory, Owens joins Bron Breakker, Je’Von Evans, Trick Williams, Penta, and CM Punk as those who have qualified for the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder match at Money in the Bank 2026.

Tiffany Stratton Advances To Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match at WWE Money In The Bank 2026

Friday’s WWE SmackDown show also featured one qualifying match for this year’s Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match.

This was Tiffany Stratton defeating Candice LeRae and Tatum Paxley in a Triple Threat match.

.@tiffstrattonwwe saw an opportunity and took it! 😱 pic.twitter.com/UvssG388LP
— WWE (@WWE) October 3, 2026

As a result of her victory, Stratton joins Sol Ruca, Lola Vice, Jacy Jayne, Roxanne Perez, and Lash Legend as those who have qualified for the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match at Money in the Bank 2026, which takes place on October 10 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Current card for WWE Money in the Bank 2026:

WWE World Heavyweight Championship – LA Knight vs. Roman Reigns (c)
WWE Women’s World Championship – winner of Liv Morgan/Becky Lynch vs. Stephanie Vaquer (c)
Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder match – Bron Breakker vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Trick Williams vs. Penta vs. CM Punk vs. Kevin Owens
Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match – Sol Ruca vs. Lola Vice vs. Jacy Jayne vs. Roxanne Perez vs. Lash Legend vs. Tiffany Stratton
Oba Femi vs. “Big” Bronson Reed

Paige Issues Challenge To Nikki Bella For Rematch at Oct. 16th WWE SmackDown Show

Friday’s WWE SmackDown show also featured Paige issuing a challenge to Nikki Bella for a rematch between the two on the October 16th SmackDown show in Sacramento, California.

This new match was setup following a backstage segment involving WWE Women’s Champion Chelsea Green, Bella, and Paige. During the show, Cathy Kelly interviewed Green for some words about the field being set for this year’s Women’s Money in the Bank match. Green talked about how her title is in jeopardy for whoever wins that match but she hopes Stratton wins the briefcase since they are best friends. This led to Bella showing up to berate Green and claimed that she didn’t need a briefcase to take the title off of her. This then led to Paige showing up and brought up their bad blood issues. Paige then issued a challenge to Bella for a rematch in two weeks and slapped her to make her point about her challenge before leaving.

QUE CASEBRE É ESSE? 😭

Diretamente da cabana do Bray Wyatt, Chelsea Green é confrontada novamente por Nikki Bella.

Felizmente, Paige apareceu para conter a Fearless One e à desafiou para uma revanche!#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/q6xS9WrEL0
— Women’s Wrestling Brasil (@AcervoWWBR) October 3, 2026

Blake Monroe Makes In-Ring SmackDown Debut

Friday’s WWE SmackDown show also featured Blake Monroe finally making her official in-ring main roster debut for the SmackDown brand.

Monroe competed in a singles match against Giulia, which was won by Monroe.

Blake Monroe FINALLY makes her in-ring debut and defeats Giulia!#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/i9YtlsMXcp
— WrestlePurists (@WrestlePurists) October 3, 2026

This was the third time Monroe had been advertised to make her official main roster in-ring debut for the SmackDown brand following the previous two advertised in-ring debuts that did not end up happening due to Monroe and Giulia’s actions towards each other preventing it.

Kevin Owens Pays Tribute to Neville (PAC)

Friday’s WWE SmackDown show also featured Kevin Owens paying tribute to the late Neville, also known as PAC in AEW and the indies.

During the entrances for the Men’s Money in the Bank Qualifier Triple Threat match, Owens came out wearing an armband with the name “Ben” in tribute to Neville/PAC’s real name of Benjamin Satterley.