By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Smackdown (Episode 1,397)
Barcelona, Spain, at Olimpic Arena
Streamed live May 29, 2026, internationally on Netflix, same-day delay on USA Network
NOTE: This review was written as the episode streamed live internationally this afternoon. For those watching USA Network at the regular time on Friday night, don’t scroll past what’s aired on television if you want to avoid spoilers.
[Hour One] Joe Tessitore opened the show and narrated arrival/backstage shots of WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, Gunther, Carmelo Hayes, Ricky Saints, Chelsea Green, and the duo of Nia Jax and Lash Legend. Green vs. Jax was listed for later in the show…
Tessitore and Wade Barrett checked in from their broadcast table and then introduced the Spanish broadcast team, who spoke with no volume. Oops. Tessitore and Barrett spoke about Clash in Italy, and set up a Saturday Night’s Main Event recap video…
Jade Cargill made her entrance with B-Fab and Michin. Jade said she was confused because the fans acted like she had something to prove, but she is one of one. B-Fab and Michin chimed in briefly.
WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley made her entrance while Barrett questioned whether it was a bad idea to get in the ring with Jade and her crew so close to Clash in Italy. Ripley reminded Jade that she beat her when it was just the two of them. Jade said B-Fab and Michin are with her because they want a piece of the power, whereas Ripley is with people who don’t even like her.
Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss made their entrance. Flair said Jade has been in WWE for five minutes, but she acts like she’s a Hall of Famer. Flair conceded that she respects how far Jade has come, but told her not to confuse her own hype for actual accomplishments.
B-Fab said Flair had some nerve speaking to the future WWE Women’s Champion that way. Flair said she’d ask if she wanted to hear from one of Jade’s accessories. Bliss said she’s gone toe-to-toe with people in the ring and on the mic who are way better than Jade, and warned her not to make her embarrass her.
Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis walked out to a strong reaction and called for a match between Jade and Bliss, and then the show cut to commercial… [C]
1. Jade Cargill (w/B-Fab, Michin) vs. Alexa Bliss (w/Charlotte Flair, Rhea Ripley). Jade caught Bliss going for a top rope crossbody block, and put her down with a uranage slam across her knee. Jade pressed Bliss over her head and then dropped her behind her back. Jade posed. Bliss came back and cleared Ripley from the ring. Bliss went for a huracanrana from the apron, but Jade caught her and powerbombed her on the barricade. [C]
Michin tripped Bliss from the floor. Flair and Ripley ran over and fought Michin and B-Fab to the back. In the ring, Bliss rallied with a DDT. She went for Twisted Bliss, but Jade put her knees up. Jade hit a pump kick and followed up with Jaded for the win.
Jade Cargill defeated Alexa Bliss in 9:35.
Afterward, Jade grabbed a chair from underneath the ring. Jade placed the chair in the middle of the ring and then performed Jaded on top of it. The fans booed loudly. Flair and Ripley ran back to the ring. Ripley and Jade jawed at one another while Jade made her exit…
Powell’s POV: No mystery regarding the outcome, but still a nice win for Jade heading into her WWE Women’s Championship match on Sunday. The Spanish fans know their English insults. They’ve changed “shut the f— up” and “you suck” in English. They even know the American class “Olé, Olé, Olé” song. Okay, I’m kidding about that last one.
Backstage, Cathy Kelley tried to interview WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, but he politely dismissed her when Sami Zayn entered the picture. Zayn asked Cody if he had something to say to him. Cody said he had nothing to say to him. Zayn said Cody should start by saying he’s sorry.
Zayn said Cody wanted the match last week. Zayn said he tried to help Cody when Gunther interfered, and then Cody hit him with CrossRhodes like a knife in his back. Cody got worked up as he recalled Zayn walking away when he could have saved him from Gunther’s attack. Zayn said it took everything he had not to help, but he realized that the right thing was to leave Cody there so he could learn a lesson. Cody said once he finished with Gunther, he hoped to teach Zayn a lesson…
Backstage, Nick Aldis told Danhausen he was sorry that his equipment was held up by customs, but he shouldn’t be conducting more experiments after last week. Danhausen asked Aldis what he wanted him to do. Aldis said he wanted him to appear in front of the crowd like he’s paid human money for. Danhausen asked what Aldis wanted him to do. Aldis suggested he improvise. “Great idea, business guy,” Danhausen said before running away.
The Miz approached Aldis and complained about the liquid limit at customs preventing Kit Wilson from entering the country due to having too much moisturizer. Miz wanted Aldis to postpone his match, claiming he had to teach Wilson. Aldis didn’t buy it and told Miz his match was up next… [C]
The Miz made his entrance, and then Axiom got the big home country ovation while heading to the ring with Nathan Frazer…
2. Axiom (w/Nathan Frazer) vs. The Miz. The lights flickered early in the match. Axiom cleared Miz from the ring with some kicks. Miz tried to leave, but Frazer blocked his path. Miz caught Axiom with a clothesline before a break. [C] Miz put Axiom down with a DDT and covered him for a near fall.
Late in the match, Miz went to the top rope, and then the lights flickered twice. Axiom went up top and performed a Spanish Fly. Axiom followed up with a Golden Ratio for the win. Barrett complained about Danhausen costing Miz the match, but Tessitore said there were rolling blackouts in the area…
Axiom defeated The Miz in roughly 9:30.
Powell’s POV: A nice moment for Axiom in his home country. Unfortunately, there’s no reason to think that a win in his home country will lead to a better push once the company returns to the United States.
World Tag Team Champions Damian Priest and R-Truth spoke backstage. Truth said he wasn’t medically cleared, and his deductible would go up if he got physically involved. Truth said he made an executive decision and got Priest a tag team partner for the night.
Royce Keys entered the picture while Truth explained that Priest and Keys would team against The MFTs. Priest said he would team with Truth or no one. Keys accused Priest of wanting to be a hero. Priest said it felt like a setup because he keeps hearing Solo Sikoa say that he and Keys go way back. Truth gave them a pep talk that left both men confused…
Sami Zayn complained about Cody Rhodes while Candice LeRae stood by. LeRae was flattered when she thought Zayn said she was one of the few people who got him, but Zayn was talking about John Gargano, who was lying face down on the stairs. LeRae rolled her eyes and walked away.
Matt Cardona showed up. Zayn wondered if Cody sent Cardona to talk to him. Cardona said things aren’t going Sami’s way, but he’s been back for five months, and things aren’t going his way either. Cardona said he’s not complaining or crying, and he wasn’t being “a little…” Zayn took offense and said he couldn’t let it stand. Cardona said he’d go talk to Nick Aldis…
Damian Priest made his entrance for the tag team match… [C]
[Hour Two] Tessitore hyped the schedule for WWE Clash in Italy coverage…
Charlotte Flair was shown sitting with Alexa Bliss and giving her ice for her head. Flair left the room. Rhea Ripley approached Flair and asked how Bliss was doing. Flair vented about Jade Cargill. Ripley said she would take care of her on Sunday. Flair said that if Ripley didn’t take care of Jade, she would…
Royce Keys made his entrance, followed by Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and Talla Tonga…
3. Damian Priest and Royce Keys vs. Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga (w/Solo Sikoa). Priest was throwing punches at Tama in the corner when Keys tagged himself in, which annoyed Priest. Moments later, Keys and Priest teamed to toss Talla over the top rope. [C]
The heels isolated Keys, who rallied with a chokebomb on Tama before tagging out. Priest was getting the better of Tama when Talla ran in. Keys cleared Talla with a clothesline over the top rope to the floor. Solo used the distraction to take a cheap shot at Priest.
R-Truth ran out and tried to help, but Solo caught him with a shot to the throat. Keys tried to help, but Tama hit him from behind. In the ring, Talla hit the T-Bomb chokeslam on Priest before pinning him. Afterward, Solo stood on the floor and told Keys that there was still time to join his family…
Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga beat Damian Priest and Royce Keys in roughly 9:30.
Powell’s POV: This was fine, but I will never buy Talla Tonga as a threat to win the Royal Rumble because he seems to be clotheslined over the top rope and land on his feet at least one a week.
Backstage, The Miz complained to Nick Aldis about the lights flickering during his match. Aldis said he agreed with him for once and would get to the bottom of it. Miz said they both knew who was behind it. Aldis said he might be right. They walked around the corner, where Danhausen was doing more experiments. Danhausen sprayed Miz with a fire extinguisher. Aldis approached the covered body, but Danhausen told him not to touch it…
Powell’s POV: Did Danhausen get the body from last week through customs or is this a new body? Never mind, the less I know the better.
Tessitore hyped a look back at the Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu feud… [C] There was a sponsored seat upgrade spot, and then the broadcast team set up the Reigns and Fatu video package…
The broadcast team ran through the Clash in Italy lineup. Tessitore said the Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther match for the WWE Championship will open the show to open the ESPN simulcast…
Chelsea Green found Women’s U.S. Champion Tiffany Stratton and discovered they were both wearing white. Green said Stratton got her message. Stratton said she was always planning to wear that outfit. Green mentioned their entrance. Stratton said she wasn’t going out with Green. Stratton said she appreciated what Green did last week, but that didn’t mean she would automatically be in her corner. Green was surprised and sad…
Sami Zayn made his entrance… [C]
Powell’s POV: The Green and Stratton dynamic has taken an encouraging twist. Green is clearly in babyface mode, as her heel character would be too oblivious to show sadness. Hopefully, the plan is for Stratton to be the heel Mean Girl, and this isn’t just a long build to Stratton accepting Green as an ally…
A video package set up the Original El Grande Americano vs. El Grande Americano mask vs. mask match that will headline Saturday’s AAA event on the WWE YouTube and Facebook channels…
The fans were still singing to Sami’s entrance music, and then they fell nearly silent when Matt Cardona’s entrance theme played…
4. Sami Zayn vs. Matt Cardona. Cardona performed a missile dropkick a few minutes into the match. [C] There were dueling chants for the wrestlers during the break, with the Zayn chants winning out (the screen goes black for a moment, and then they show the match during the breaks on the international feed).
Cardona went for the Rough Ryder, but Zayn stuffed it and powerbombed him for a near fall. Zayn went for a Helluva Kick, but Cardona hit the Rough Ryder and thought he won the match, but the referee pointed to Zayn’s foot on the bottom rope. Moments later, Zayn performed an exploder suplex and then followed up with a Helluva Kick. Zayn covered Cardona for the three count…
Sami Zayn beat Matt Cardona in 10:15.
Powell’s POV: A nice TV match. There was no reason to think Cardona would win, but the Rough Ryder spot made for a nice near fall. I enjoy the live crowd counting “uno, dos, tres” during the pinfalls, in part because I can’t count much higher in Spanish (insert your own joke here about how I can’t count much higher in English).
The broadcast team spoke about the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments that start on Monday’s Raw. Tessitore said the tournaments will end on June 27 (at Night of Champions) and the winners will earn world title shots at SummerSlam. A King and Queen of the Ring video package narrated by Barrett followed…
Lil Yachty knocked on the locker room door of Trick Williams, who came out and did a handshake with him. Tessitore said Trick would speak next…
Tessitore hyped the “WWE: Made in America” documentary that premieres tonight after Smackdown on USA Network. The documentary trailer was shown… [C]
Backstage, Nick Aldis told Gunther that he granted him and Cody Rhodes time to say what they had to say, and in return, he asked that they keep it civilized. Gunther asked if Aldis thinks he’s an animal. Gunther said he was going to attack Cody verbally. Gunther said if they consider coming back to Spain, they should go to Madrid next time, which drew some boos from the Barcelona fans…
U.S. Champion Trick Williams and Lil Yachty made their entrance. Tessitore pointed out that Yachty was holding a diamond-covered stick called the Trick Stick. Trick cut a brief promo and declared himself for the King of the Ring tournament.
Carmelo Hayes made his entrance and spoke from the floor. Hayes said yes to King of the Microphone and King of the Entrance, but he said King of the Ring was for grown folks and Trick is too little. Hayes said he was going to take care of Ricky Saints for getting involved in their business, and then he and Trick would “shoot a fair one” for the U.S. Championship.
Trick said Melo was being a little too melodramatic. Trick said Melo was saying if only Ricky Saints didn’t get involved, if only Trick didn’t have Yachty, and if only the fans would chant “whoop that trick” for him. Trick said if only Hayes could grow an inch for every time he made an excuse. Trick and Hayes went face-to-face.
Ricky Saints made his entrance and said nobody wanted to see the telenovela stuff between Trick and Hayes. Hayes said he would take care of Melo and then take the U.S. Championship. Trick told Saints to shut the hell up when he tells him to.
[Hour Three] Trick encouraged them to figure out which one of them is better and who would get a title shot. Saints called Trick a one-trick pony. Trick backhanded Saints, and then Yachty got Trick to leave the ring… [C]
5. Carmelo Hayes vs. Ricky Saints. The match was joined in progress. Saints did his rope walk strut spot before slamming Hayes to the mat. Saints dropped a knee on Hayes and covered him for a two count.
Later, Hayes performed Dirty Diana for a near fall. Saints came right back and got a near fall of his own. Saints charged Hayes, who held the top rope down, sending Saints to the floor. Hayes hit Saints with a flip dive. Saints tossed Hayes over the barricade, but Hayes hopped on the barricade. Hayes jumped off the barricade and clotheslined Saints. Hayes ran Saints into the ring steps and returned to the ring after the referee had counted out both men.
Carmelo Hayes fought Ricky Saints to a double count-out in roughly 11:00 of television time.
After the match, Hayes hit the First 48 on Saints, which cleared him from the ring. Hayes’ entrance music played…
Powell’s POV: The double count-out finish was greeted with boos and brought the crowd down momentarily. It was an entertaining match before the finish, which is logical if they are working toward a Triple Threat for the U.S. Championship.
A video package spotlighted the Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar feud…
Backstage, Nia Jax and Lash Legend approached Women’s U.S. Champion Tiffany Stratton and said it was smart of her not to be in Chelsea Green’s corner. Jax said they were going to take care of Green, and Legend said it would only be a matter of time before the Women’s U.S. Championship finds a new home… [C]
A Blake Monroe vignette aired. She was writing in her diary and spoke about Rhea Ripley. “Don’t get too comfortable, because The Glamour is coming to Smackdown.” A graphic listed her as coming soon…
Nia Jax made her entrance with Lash Legend. Chelsea Green made her entrance and played to the fans on her way to the ring…
6. Chelsea Green vs. Nia Jax. Barrett noted that it was Jax’s birthday. Jax was dominant to start, but Green came back and hit her with a suicide dive. [C] During the break, Barrett said Tessitore wasn’t invited to Jax’s birthday party, adding that Tessitore likes an early night. Barrett asked if Tessitore had a siesta earlier. “A very long one, yes, it’s called our production meeting,” Tessitore said, which got a laugh out of Barrett.
Late in the match, Green avoided being tripped by Legend, but Jax used the distraction to perform a Samoan Drop. Jax set up for her Annihilator finisher. Tiffany Stratton’s entrance music played. Jax encouraged Legend to take care of Stratton. As Legend and apparently the referee were looking at the stage, Stratton showed up at ringside and hit Jax with her title belt to knock her off the ropes. Green covered Jax for the win.
Chelsea Green beat Nia Jax in 6:30.
After the match, Green was celebrating her win on the floor and wanted to hug Stratton, who walked away. Green looked back at the ring and laughed…
Powell’s POV: I’m still holding out hope for a Stratton heel turn because she’s miscast as a babyface, but this seemed to point toward her and Green becoming allies.
Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviewed WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Paige and Brie Bella, but it was interrupted by “Fatal Influence” Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley, and Lainey Reid. Jayne declared for the Queen of the Ring tournament. Henley and Reid jawed at Paige and Brie about taking the tag team titles…
Tessitore hyped Cody Rhodes and Gunther meeting face-to-face… [C] A “Did You Know” graphic noted that Clash in Italy will be the first WWE PLE to emanate from Italy…
WWE Champion Cody Rhodes made his entrance dressed in a suit. The fans sang Cody’s entrance theme after it stopped playing. Cody presumably asked the fans in Spanish what they wanted to talk about.
Gunther made his entrance dressed in non-wrestling attire and joined Cody in the ring. The fans sang Cody’s name. Gunther said he wasn’t there to engage with the fans. Gunther said he was there to tell Cody exactly what he thinks of him. Gunther said the show has to be about Cody, and if it’s not, he’ll find a way to make it about himself.
Gunther said that’s the culture that Cody grew up with. He said Cody being called the American Nightmare is fitting because he is the perfect symbol of the crumbling American dream. He spoke about how easy things were for Cody, saying it only took one call for him to get into WWE and then to go back there after he left. Gunther said this made Cody an entitled brat.
Gunther said he and Cody might be in the same profession, but they are nothing alike. Gunther said Cody wants the approval of the fans and the office, but none of that matters to him because it’s unnecessary. He said the only thing that matters is to be the best professional wrestler and to protect the sport from people like Cody. Gunther said Cody only cares about Cody. Gunther said Cody isn’t a champion; he’s a mark for himself.
Cody said Gunther is a liar. He spoke about kids dreaming of holding the championship, and mocked the idea that Gunther didn’t want everything that comes with it. Cody said he knows Gunther wanted it, or he’d be talking to a 330-pound version of Gunther who worked in front of a couple of hundred people at an indy show. Cody said Gunther turned himself into the peak form of an athlete.
Cody recalled Paul Heyman trying to intimidate him by telling him about all of the things that would happen if he became WWE Champion. Cody said those things didn’t intimidate him, but it’s about what he didn’t say – that being champion is addictive. “And you are just as sick as I am,” Cody said. He added that Gunther would come “this close” to winning, and he would find out that he’s just not that good. Cody told Gunther that he’s easy to find and hard to beat.
Cody dropped the mic and was about to leave the ring when Gunther grabbed his arm and went face-to-face with him. Gunther took issue with Cody calling him a liar. Gunther recalled telling Goldberg, AJ Styles, and John Cena that he would make them tap out, and he did. Gunther promised Cody that he would choke him out, drop him like a wet towel, and “take this precious prize with me.” Gunther dropped the mic and left the ring as the executive producer credits were displayed. Tessitore hyped Clash in Italy to close the show…
Powell’s POV: They saved the best for last. A top-notch verbal segment with good lines from both men. Both wrestlers showed confidence heading into their title match, and they were both convincing as they spoke about who would win. This was a highly effective go-home segment that made me even more excited about a match that I was already looking forward to.
Overall, an enjoyable show, thanks in part to the hot international crowd. I will be back shortly with my same-day audio review of Smackdown, which will be available exclusively for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below.
Join me for my WWE Clash in Italy live review on Sunday at 1CT/2ET.
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