The May 15, 2026 episode of Friday Night SmackDown airs live from the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina, as WWE deals with the fallout from the Backlash Premium Live Event. With Clash in Italy quickly approaching, several major storyline developments are expected throughout the night.
Cody Rhodes is scheduled to appear following the announcement that he will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against GUNTHER at Clash in Italy on May 31. The title match was revealed to be the favor Paul Heyman had been referencing, and now fans are waiting to hear Rhodes respond.
GUNTHER will also make a major decision during tonight’s broadcast. WWE confirmed that “The Ring General” will decide whether he is officially joining the SmackDown roster. If he signs the contract tonight, his Undisputed WWE Championship match against Cody Rhodes will become official.
United States Champion Trick Williams is also set for a special homecoming celebration at the University of South Carolina, where he previously played college football before becoming a WWE Superstar.
In addition, Jade Cargill will address her actions after returning last week and attacking Rhea Ripley during a six-woman tag team match involving Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, B-Fab, Michin, and Fatal Influence.
The show kicks off at 8:00 PM ET on USA Network and is available for international fans on streaming platforms like Netflix. Ringside News will provide live, match-by-match updates and highlights throughout the night. Stay tuned to this page, refresh for the latest results as the action unfolds, and join the conversation in the comments below!
Matches & Key Moments Scheduled for WWE SmackDown on May 15, 2026
- Gunther to make a decision regarding Cody Rhodes and SmackDown
- Jade Cargill scheduled to speak
- Trick Williams returns to South Carolina for a celebration
- Damian Priest vs. Tama Tonga
- Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Michin & B-Fab
- Brie Bella & Paige vs. Giulia & Kiana James
WWE SmackDown Results (5/15/26): Live Match Updates and Highlights
Your announcers are Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore. We look back at Backlash.
The show kicked off with Superstar arrivals. WWE also noted that R-Truth was not cleared to compete, so Damian Priest will now face Tama Tonga in a singles match.
Trick Williams was then shown at the nearby University of South Carolina stadium ahead of his special celebration.
WWE aired a video package looking back at Backlash before returning to the arena. Trick Williams came out with the University of South Carolina mascot, Cocky, and received a big reaction from the hometown crowd. The crowd chanted “Whoop That Trick” as the United States Champion entered the ring. Trick posed on the turnbuckle before grabbing a microphone.
Trick talked about being back in South Carolina and showed love to the university. He brought up some of his favorite memories, including Kiki’s Chicken & Waffles and his time playing football for the Gamecocks. He also mentioned his family being in attendance and the advice his mother gave him. Trick said the fans helped create the star standing in the ring.
Before he could continue, The Miz interrupted him. Miz mocked Trick’s homecoming celebration and brought up the Gingerbread Man funeral from last week, saying it looked like rejected mascots from his daughter’s birthday party. Yachty yelled at The Miz for interrupting Trick Williams. He brought up Miz and Carmelo Hayes losing at Backlash and said Miz is cursed.
Miz denied being cursed. Kit Wilson then told Trick to wake up and said they clearly did not understand what “the master” was saying. He said he would speak in a language they could understand: slam poetry.
Yachty asked if he could respond, then brought up Miz’s history by mentioning his “tiny balls.” Miz told everyone to be quiet and said they were not saying that again. He said he wanted to get out of the city and claimed that if he lived there, he would volunteer to move to Tennessee. Miz then said he would beat Trick in front of his mother. Trick had enough and punched Kit before clotheslining Miz. He then sent both Kit and Miz to the floor.
Trick Williams vs. The Miz in a Non Title Match
The match started with both men locking up before Trick Williams sent The Miz to the outside early on. Miz recovered and hung Trick across the ropes before staying on the attack with a kick off the ropes. Miz continued targeting the champion’s back, driving his knee into Trick and keeping him grounded. The crowd started chanting “tiny balls” at Miz before Trick fired back with a neckbreaker to shift momentum. Williams followed up with stomps in the corner as fans chanted “Whoop That Trick.”
Miz tried to hit the Skull Crushing Finale, but Trick blocked it and sent Miz retreating to the outside. Williams chased after him and threw Miz into the barricade before sending him back into the ring. Kit Wilson then blindsided Trick from behind to slow the champion down.Miz took advantage and connected with a dropkick before trash talking Lil Yachty as the show headed to picture-in-picture. Picture-in-picture showed The Miz staying on the attack as he placed Trick Williams near the barricade in front of his family.
Trick eventually turned things around and sent Miz back into the ring. Williams tried to build momentum, but Miz stopped him with a clothesline. Miz then mocked Trick’s family before connecting with a running boot. He also taunted Lil Yachty at ringside. That distraction gave Trick an opening to fight back and take Miz down to the mat. Both men were left down as they slowly got back to their feet heading into the commercial break return.
Back from break, Trick Williams fed off the energy from the hometown crowd and started taking over with multiple scoop slams before picking up a two count. The Miz tried to regain control in the corner, but Trick countered a Skull Crushing Finale attempt into a roll-up for a near fall. Miz quickly went back on offense afterward, but he could only manage another two count. The Miz connected with the It Kicks, but Trick Williams countered into another roll-up for a near fall. Trick kipped up, only for Kit Wilson to trip him from the outside.
Miz rolled Trick up for two before Williams answered with another near fall of his own. Miz then hit the Skull Crushing Finale and went for the cover, but Trick kicked out at two. As Miz argued with the referee, Wilson distracted the official, allowing Miz to grab a kendo stick. Before he could use it, Lil Yachty pulled it away and cracked Wilson with it instead. Miz turned back around into a Trick Shot from Williams, giving the United States Champion the win.
Winner via pinfall: Trick Williams
Trick celebrated the victory as WWE headed backstage. Carmelo Hayes appeared and said people like Sami Zayn and Trick Williams were making a mockery of the United States Championship. Hayes also mentioned fans chanting “We Want Melo” before declaring that now they’ve got him.
Ricky Saints interrupted the promo and said he never properly got a hello from Hayes. Melo responded by saying he was not trying to run for President — he just wanted his United States Championship back. Hayes then mocked Ricky Saints before Saints walked away. Melo finished things off by saying looking at Ricky was like staring into a dirty mirror as SmackDown continued.
Backstage, Nick Aldis was shown talking with Rey Fenix about having his eyes on something big. Sami Zayn then walked in and admitted he was ashamed of how things went at Backlash. He said he acted out of character and called it a wake-up call. Sami asked for another title match so he could do things the right way. Aldis reminded Sami that he already got his rematch and said if he wanted another opportunity, he would have to earn it. Sami pushed back and questioned whether everything he had done over the last several weeks, months, and years had suddenly been forgotten. He added that his loyal fans had not forgotten him.
Aldis responded by saying nobody had forgotten Sami, but added that Sami was clearly dealing with personal issues. Aldis told him to handle those issues because, from his perspective, Sami was starting to sound entitled. Rey Fenix stepped in and told Sami to calm down. Sami responded by saying he was still the same Sami Zayn and claimed everything else around him had changed.
Cathy Kelley caught up with Brie Bella and Paige backstage to ask about the growing list of challengers coming after the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. Brie said it feels like they are swimming in a shark tank because everyone wants a shot at them. She also reminded everyone that they will defend the titles again on Monday. Paige added that it will not be easy for anyone to take the championships away from them. Lash Legend then interrupted and said she hopes Brie and Paige keep the titles through tonight and Monday because she wants to personally take them back at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Brie Bella and Paige vs. Kiana James and Giulia in a Non Title Match
Brie Bella and Kiana James started the match, with James backing Brie into the corner during the early exchange. Brie avoided a big boot and answered with a leg sweep. Paige tagged in and the champions briefly took control. Kiana tried to fight back, but Brie hit a bulldog before Paige followed with a knee strike for a near fall.
Giulia was then tagged in and immediately went after Paige. The champion responded with kicks after sending Giulia into the ropes. Giulia distracted the referee long enough for Kiana James to trip Paige from the outside, sending her crashing onto the apron. Giulia then took over as WWE headed to commercial break.
Back from break, Giulia placed Paige on the turnbuckle before the champion started fighting back. Paige escaped and connected with a sunset powerbomb to bring Giulia down. Kiana James tagged in and tried to stop Paige from reaching Brie Bella, but Paige managed to make the hot tag. Brie came in firing with knees to both opponents as “Brie Mode” took over. She followed up with the Yes Kicks before planting Kiana with a Bella Buster for a near fall until Giulia broke up the pin.
Giulia tagged back in and teamed with James to double-team Brie. Giulia then hit a Northern Lights Bomb, but Paige broke up the cover. Kiana avoided Paige, who then sent Giulia to the outside. Brie connected with a double knee strike for another near fall before tagging Paige back in. Paige finished things off with the RamPaige to secure the victory for her team.
Winners via pinfall: Brie Bella and Paige
Cody Rhodes is shown walking to the ring with contract in hand.
Cathy Kelley caught up with Tiffany Stratton backstage and asked where she sees herself fitting into the current state of the women’s division. Before Tiffany could fully answer, she stopped talking after noticing Giulia and Kiana James arguing nearby.
Tiffany brushed off the drama and said she was perfectly fine on her own. She also hinted that other people in the division could deal with all the numbers games and alliances if they wanted to.
Chelsea Green then walked into the conversation and started talking about the issues between Giulia and Kiana. Tiffany didn’t seem interested in getting involved, saying some people are simply oblivious before walking away.
After the backstage segment wrapped up, Cody Rhodes came out to a huge reaction from the crowd and started setting up the ring himself. Cody tossed a pair of office chairs into the ring before bringing in a table, clearly acting as the ring crew for what he called an “impromptu” contract signing.
After getting everything set up, Cody asked the Columbia crowd what they wanted to talk about. He then explained that all the formal pieces were now in place for a contract signing.
Cody revealed that the contract was for Gunther to officially join SmackDown and challenge for the WWE Championship. As soon as he said it, Gunther’s music hit and the Ring General made his way out with a microphone in hand. Gunther mocked the setup for his SmackDown contract signing and accused Cody Rhodes of turning the entire situation into something about himself. The Ring General said that despite all the preparations, Cody still found a way to steal the spotlight.
Gunther then said he only wanted one thing from Cody — professionalism. He told Cody to address him properly, show some respect, and simply say “please.” Cody Rhodes fired back by reminding Gunther that he was the one who blindsided him and convinced Paul Heyman to pull strings for a WWE Championship match that Cody believes Gunther did not earn.
Cody said Gunther was now acting like he might not even sign the contract. He joked that while he may have an American flag tattooed on his neck, Gunther was the one making the whole situation strange. Still, Cody decided to play along and sarcastically invited Gunther to the ring, telling him, “Please,” come down and sign the contract. Royce Keys then made his way out and stood next to Gunther, refusing to even look at the Ring General at first until Gunther finally turned toward him.
Keys said that if Gunther was not going to sign the contract, then he would. He entered the ring and asked for the pen, leading to a tense moment as Gunther repeatedly stopped him from signing. The two briefly fought over the pen before things escalated further.
Nick Aldis came out and addressed the situation, saying the contract process was supposed to be simple. Aldis pointed out that Gunther’s name was meant to be on the contract, but because he overplayed his hand, the championship opportunity was now up for grabs. Aldis then officially announced that Royce Keys would face Gunther later tonight, with the winner earning a WWE Championship match against Cody Rhodes in Italy. Cody Rhodes showed support for Keys and told him he was proud of him. Cody added that while they may be friends, Keys should understand that he is easy to find and hard to beat.
Backstage, Solo Sikoa spoke with Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga about the unexpected developments. Solo reminded Tama that R-Truth was not medically cleared, but Damian Priest was still walking around backstage. He instructed Tama to take care of Priest, while he and Talla planned to speak with Royce Keys. Shinsuke Nakamura then appeared and told Tama Tonga that he needed to make a decision. Before Tama could respond, Talla Tonga attacked Nakamura from behind and chokeslammed him through a table backstage.
Back from break, Gunther confronted Nick Aldis backstage and yelled about what happened with the contract situation. Aldis reminded Gunther that they already had a deal, but Gunther backed out of it. Nick told him that he does not play games, and now Gunther has to earn his WWE Championship match.
Carmelo Hayes vs. Ricky Saints
Ricky Saints started fast with punches and chops before Carmelo Hayes fired back with a pie-face. Ricky answered with a kick, but Hayes responded with an arm drag. Ricky connected with an arm drag of his own before both men missed dropkicks. Hayes then took control with punches and chops before sending Saints into the turnbuckles and chopping him again in the corner. Ricky Saints grabbed a wrist lock before heading to the top rope and hitting an Old School-style move. He followed it up with a punch, a pose for the crowd, and another chop.
Carmelo Hayes recovered and sent Ricky onto the apron. Ricky missed with a shoulder attempt through the ropes, allowing Hayes to connect with a kick and a springboard leg drop. Hayes kept the pressure on with a flip dive to the outside that nearly overshot Ricky before landing another punch on the floor. Carmelo Hayes connected with a flip dive to the outside that nearly cleared Ricky Saints before landing a punch and bringing the action back into the ring.
Ricky turned things around moments later by sending Hayes to the floor and dropping him across the apron. He followed that up with a leg drop on the apron. Back inside the ring, Hayes landed a chop, but Ricky answered with a boot from the corner for a near fall. Ricky then hit a suplex for another two count before Hayes fought back with a back elbow and a suplex of his own.
Hayes missed a clothesline, allowing Ricky to connect with one of his own for another near fall. Ricky stayed aggressive with punches and kicks before placing Hayes on the top turnbuckle. The two exchanged forearms on the ropes before Ricky tried for a superplex. Hayes countered with a gourdbuster off the turnbuckles and followed it with a frog splash, but Ricky still kicked out. Ricky Saints blocked First 48 and fired back with a punch before hitting a package powerslam. He slowed the pace down with a reverse chin lock as Carmelo Hayes tried to recover.
Hayes battled back with two superkicks. Ricky flinched on the next attempt, which allowed Hayes to fake him out before landing another superkick and a springboard clothesline. Hayes then connected with La Mistica for a near fall. He tried to follow it up with a suplex, but Ricky blocked it and landed punches in response. Hayes countered another suplex attempt into an inside cradle, but Ricky reversed it before connecting with a kick and a spinning side slam for another close near fall.
