WWE isn’t messing around with the August 14 edition of SmackDown. One day before the show, CM Punk, Kevin Owens, Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton have all been added to an already loaded night in Boston.
WWE announced the additions on August 13, with Punk and Owens now officially set to appear just one week before their Undisputed WWE Championship match in Toronto.
That puts the two rivals in the same building one final time before the title is on the line. WWE hasn’t announced what Punk and Owens will actually be doing on SmackDown, but with their championship match only days away, there isn’t much time left before things have to get physical.
And WWE didn’t stop there. Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton have also been added to the show. No matches or segments have been announced for either man, but suddenly SmackDown has four more former world champions walking through the door.
Then there’s Paige. She was already scheduled to appear after Nikki Bella blamed her for their SummerSlam loss to Fatal Influence and turned on her. Paige didn’t exactly take that quietly.
“I saved your ass from getting pinned twice at SummerSlam.. I’m also the one who WON those championships. I’ll be back next week. You haven’t seen anything yet babe.”
That “next week” is now here, putting Paige and Nikki in the same building for the first time since everything fell apart. And somehow, none of those names are even part of the three championship matches already announced.
Baron Corbin will defend the United States Championship against Carmelo Hayes. Tiffany Stratton puts the Women’s United States Championship on the line against Jacy Jayne, while R-Truth and Damian Priest defend the WWE Tag Team Championship against the War Raiders and The MFT in a Triple Threat Match.
That leaves WWE with plenty to work with in Boston. Punk and Owens have one final SmackDown before fighting for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Paige is coming back with unfinished business involving Nikki Bella. Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton have suddenly been added to the mix. And three championships are being defended before any of them even get involved.
WWE already had a busy SmackDown planned. Adding Punk, Owens, Cody and Orton one day before the show just made Boston considerably more interesting.
Confirmed for WWE SmackDown on August 14, 2026:
- WWE United States Championship: Baron Corbin (c) vs. Carmelo Hayes
- WWE Women’s United States Championship: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Jacy Jayne
- WWE Tag Team Championship Triple Threat: R-Truth and Damian Priest (c) vs. War Raiders vs. The MFT
- Paige to appear
- Kevin Owens and CM Punk to appear
- Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes to appear
What do you think WWE has planned for Punk, Owens, Cody and Orton on SmackDown? Let us know in the comments below.
