By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event
July 18, 2026, in New York, New York, at Madison Square Garden
Streamed live on Peacock (and YouTube internationally)
WWE SNME Countdown (on YouTube)
Joe Tessitore and Stephanie McMahon hosted the pre-show from a podium just off the main floor… The broadcast team of Michel Cole and Wade Barrett checked from their ringside desk… Ring announcer Lilian Garcia delivered introductions as the wrestlers in the opening match made their entrances…
1. U.S. Champion Trick Williams vs. Laredo Kid in a non-title match. Before the match, Cole plugged the AAA show airing on the WWE YouTube page after SNME. Trick pulled a crown off Kid’s head and tossed it into the crowd. Kid shoved Trick, and the referee called for the opening bell.
Kid had a run of offense, but Trick cut him off and hit his backhand pimp slap. Trick slammed Kid and then pulled him up for a Bookend, but Kid countered into a pin for a near fall. Trick charged Kid, who pulled the top rope down, sending Trick to the floor.
Kid kicked Trick through the ropes, then went up top and dove off the ring post with a Swanton on Trick, who was on the floor. Back in the ring, Kid went for a corkscrew moonsault from the top rope that Trick avoided. Trick hit the Trick Shot and got the three count…
U.S. Champion Trick Williams beat Laredo Kid in 7:15 in a non-title match.
Powell’s POV: Laredo Kid came up a little short on the dive to the floor, which is likely why it was not replayed. The match felt completely random, but it was fine.
The broadcast team recapped Danhausen’s Uncursing Parade. R-Truth joined Danhausen in the rain…
Stephanie McMahon stood in the ring and introduced Oba Femi, who made his entrance in non-wrestling attire to the usual strong ovation. Steph asked if he had any trepidation heading into his Hell in a Cell match against Brock Lesnar.
Oba said he’s 1-1 against Lesnar. He said he is miles ahead of Brock in the mental game. Oba said he lives in Brock’s head. He said Brock is the one who retired and ran away. Oba looked into the camera and said Brock needs to understand that he won’t be locked inside Hell in a Cell with Brock, but rather Brock will be locked in the structure with him. Oba ran through some of his nicknames, and then his music played while the fans chanted his name…
WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event
A video package opened the show… Joe Tessitore narrated backstage/arrival shots of Jalen Brunson, plus split-screen shots of Bayley and Lyra Valkyria, Brie Bella and Paige on one side with Fatal Influence on the other, and then the main event players… Tessitore introduced Stephanie McMahon, who was with him on the podium set up just off the main floor…
Michael Cole and Wade Barrett checked in from the broadcast table. Barrett said it’s terrifying and exhilarating to perform at MSG, but the best in the business have been able to bring it inside the history building… Ring announcer Lilian Garcia conducted the introductions for the opening match while the wrestlers made their entrances. WWE used the small entrance set, and fans were seated above it…
1. Paige and Brie Bella vs. Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid (w/Jacy Jayne) for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles. Jessika Carr was the referee. Paige fought her way out of isolation to tag Brie, who threw the Yes Kicks. Brie had both challengers down and hit them with running knee strikes.
Brie hit Henley with a missile dropkick and covered her for a two count. Brie went for the Yes Lock, but Henley reached the ropes. Paige tagged in again and was hit with Henley’s sliding powerbomb. Reid went for a top rope move, but Brie pulled Paige out of the way. Paige went for the pin, but Henley, who was bleeding from the mouth, returned to the ring to break it up.
Paige was setting up for her finisher when Jayne climbed on the apron and distracted the referee. Henley ran in and clotheslined Paige to break it up. Paige crawled to her corner, but Brie was down. Paige avoided a charging Reid, who crashed into the corner. Paige tried to roll up Reid, but Henley held her partner’s arms. Brie returned to take out Henley, allowing Paige to roll up Brie, but Jayne interfered from the floor and was able to push Paige so that Reid ended up on top for the three count…
Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid defeated Paige and Brie Bella in 7:15 to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles.
Powell’s POV: I’m all for the title change, but the finish made the referee look oblivious. I didn’t catch what caused Henley to bleed. Also, Cole listed the attendance as 15,361. Roughly five hours before showtime, WrestleTix listed the venue as being set up for 14,649 with 13,500 tickets distributed. The total number of seats on the map is 18,742. The last time WWE ran the venue, 17,906 tickets were distributed for Raw back on March 30.
Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviewed Sami Zayn, who said he hasn’t been talking because he has to choose his words carefully. He said he’s not a victim, but everything that has happened to him has been egregious. Zayn said CM Punk and Cody Rhodes just had to say when to get their SummerSlam championship match, whereas he had to fight for ten years. Gunther showed up and told Zayn to stay out of his way and not to ruin SummerSlam for him…
Boxer Terence Crawford, streamer N3on, actor O’Shea Jackson Jr., and Trick Williams were shown in separate locations in the crowd…
A video package recapped Danhausen’s issues with Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh…
Backstage, Liv Morgan was talking with Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh when Cathy Kelley showed up and asked them about Danhausen. McDonagh cut a brief promo saying there would be no more games. The Judgment Day trio made their entrance while a small Danhausen blimp was flying over the ring. Morgan accompanied her guys to the ring, but then headed backstage before Danhausen’s entrance…
2. Danhausen vs. JD McDonagh (w/Dominik Mysterio) in a No DQ match. Danhausen wore gear with New York Knicks colors. Dom wiped his feet with the Knicks jersey that Dom stole from Danhausen. McDonagh left the ring when Danhausen tried to curse him.
Dom climbed on the apron and distracted Danhausen. McDonagh entered the ring and hit Danhausen from behind to go on the offensive. Later, Danhausen took the Knicks jersey back and put it on, which got a pop.
McDonagh and Dom took advantage of the No DQ stipulation by double-teaming Danhausen in front of the referee. Dom held Danhausen while McDonagh threw punches and headbutted him. McDonagh tore the Knicks jersey off Danhausen. Dom shoved McDonagh and pointed in Team 3D style, and then they went to the floor.
Danhausen left the ring. Dom and McDonagh pulled a table put from the ring, and it had a Minihausen on it. Two more Minihausens showed up and briefly got the better of the heels, but they came back and roughed them up.
Danhausen was on the stage. He grabbed the stuffed cat inside a cage that he had on Smackdown. Danhausen placed the cage inside his cloning machine. In the ring, Dom and McDonagh set up a table. Danhausen’s cloning machine started making noise, and then the door popped off.
Karl-Anthony Towns of the Knicks emerged from the cloning machine. Cole said it was Kathausen. Danhausen and Towns headed to the ring. Towns chokeslammed McDonagh, then chokeslammed Dom through the table. Kat cursed McDonagh before Danhausen hit the Triple D for the win (Cole explained that it’s the Danhausen Death Drop)…
Danhausen beat JD McDonagh in 11:35 in a No DQ match.
Powell’s POV: This was surely more fun for Knicks fans or big NBA fans than non-fans. If nothing else, Towns was a cute payoff for the stuffed cat in a cage bit from Smackdown. More than anything, I hope Dom can move on from the comedy and get back to generating mega heat.
Backstage, Cathy Kelley spoke with a disheveled Lyra Valkyria, who complained that Bayley was not who she needed her to be… Cole hyped Valkyria vs. Bayley for after a commercial break… [C] Cole set up a video package on Fanatics Fest…
Fanatics CEO Michael Rubin, composer Lin-Manuel Miranda, the great comedian Jeff Ross, and Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean were shown seated separately in the crowd. Cole noted that DeJean was booed because he plays for a rival of the New York Giants…
Jackie Redmond caught up with Bayley, who spoke about ending Lyra Valkyria before she gets started…
Lyra made her entrance to what sounded like a darker version of her entrance theme. Cole said Lyra had gone off the deep end. Bayley’s entrance followed…
3. Lyra Valkyria vs. Bayley. Lyra had new gear and her hair was tied back, and some of it was blue. Early in the match, Bayley had Lyra lying on the apron when she threw a punch that caused her to bleed heavily from the nose. Cole speculated that Lyra’s nose might be broken. Valkyria pulled Bayley into the top rope from the apron to take offensive control.
Late in the match, Bayley caught Valkyria in a crossface. The broadcast team noted that Bayley’s hands were over Valkyria’s injured nose, yet she refused to tap out. Valkyria rallied and went for her finisher, but Bayley slipped away. Moments later, Bayley went for her finisher, but Lyra countered with a new submission hold that choked out Bayley.
Lyra Valkyria beat Bayley in 10:30.
After the match, Lyra kicked Bayley under the bottom rope to the floor. Lyra followed and shoved Bayley into the ring post and then reapplied her new submission hold on the floor. Lyra released the hold and then removed the top half of the ring steps. Lyra picked up Bayley and performed a Night Wing onto the bottom half of the ring steps…
Powell’s POV: I get a kick out of Lyra’s transformation into an unhinged heel. I can’t help but wonder why WWE didn’t do more with Nikki Cross if that’s what they were looking for, but I digress. It’s a radical change for Valkyria from her girl-next-door babyface persona. I’m sure the bloody nose was no fun for her, but it definitely added to her crazed character. First Henley and now Valkyria. This has to be the most blood there’s been at an MSG show in years due to the athletic commission prohibiting intentional blood/blading.
A video package recapped the Smackdown segments involving CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Gunther, and Sami Zayn… [C]
A Zuffa Boxing video aired. Boxers Johnny Fisher and Efe Ajagba were shown in the crowd…
Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviewed WWE Champion CM Punk and Cody Rhodes. Cody said he was surprised she didn’t ask the age-old question of whether he and Punk could coexist. Cody said, of course, they would. He added that he didn’t want Punk to have any excuses when he beats him at SummerSlam. Punk smiled and delivered a similar line about not wanting Cody to have any excuses. Cody asked who goes out first. Punk recalled telling Cody he would go out with him. Cody’s entrance music played. Punk smiled and said the champ goes out second…
Cody made his entrance. Once in the ring, Cody got down on all fours and kissed the mat (he must really love the Chicken Shack’s Popcorn Chicken, which has a logo in the middle of the ring!). CM Punk’s entrance followed. Yes, it’s clobberin’ time. Gunther was out next, and then his partner Sami Zayn made the final entrance…
Powell’s POV: Wait, so the Roman Reigns and Jalen Brunson segment will close the show? That’s surprising.
4. WWE Champion CM Punk and Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther and Sami Zayn. Gunther and Zayn will be added to the WWE Championship match at SummerSlam if they are victorious. Once Zayn made it to the ring, he went to the ropes. Punk went after Zayn, and they traded punches. Referee Charles Robinson called for the opening bell. Cody hit a Cody Cutter on Gunther for a two count around 5:00.
Zayn tagged in and put Cody down with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near fall. Zayn went for a Helluva Kick that Cody avoided before diving toward his corner and tagging out. Punk hit Zayn with a high knee in the corner and then bulldogged him. Punk went up top and looked to the fans before hitting an elbow drop that led to a two count. Punk, who had a small cut on his nose, applied the Anaconda Vice. Gunther tried to break it up, but Cody took him down and put him in a Figure Four. Gunther reached over and gouged Punk’s eyes to break the Anaconda Vice. Zayn hit Cody to break the Figure Four.
Zayn hit Punk with an exploder suplex. Zayn went to the corner and was booed before he hit Punk with a Helluva Kick. Cody grabbed Zayn and put him down with CrossRhodes. Gunther clotheslined Cody. Gunther went for a short-arm clothesline on Punk, who ducked and then dropped Gunther with a GTS, leaving all four wrestlers down while a “this is awesome” chant broke out.
Moments later, Gunther caught Punk in a sleeper. Gunther shoved Punk into Cody to knock Cody off the apron. Gunther reapplied the sleeper. Cody returned to the apron, and Punk was able to reach him to tag out. Cody put Gunther down with CrossRhodes and went for the pin, but Zayn tackled Punk and drove him into Cody to break up the pin, and the referee was also knocked down. REF BUMP!!!
Zayn threw punches at Punk and then Cody. “You were supposed to be my friend,” Zayn yelled at Cody. Punk eventually recovered and hit Zayn with a GTS, which sent Zayn to the floor. Punk and Cody took turns punching and chopping Gunther. Punk held Gunther while Cody went for a springboard move, but Gunther broke free, causing Cody to collide with Punk.
Gunther went to ringside and returned to the WWE Championship belt, which he hit Cody with. Gunther powerbombed Cody and covered him. A second referee ran out and started to count the pin, but Nick Aldis showed up and pulled the second referee out of the ring. Aldis picked up the title belt and hit Gunther with it. Punk hit Gunther with a GTS and then placed Cody on top of him. Aldis revived the first referee, who made the three count.
WWE Champion CM Punk and Cody Rhodes defeated Gunther and Sami Zayn in roughly 15:00.
Barrett took issue with Aldis interfering despite his status as the Smackdown General Manager. Cody picked up the title belt and handed it to Punk before raising the champion’s hand. Punk smiled and then put the title belt over his shoulder, and part of the belt struck Cody in the eye…
Powell’s POV: Easily the best thing on this show. That’s not saying much, but it was an entertaining match with the expected outcome. Obviously, Aldis costing Gunther the match sets up their expected SummerSlam match, but it should also add to Zayn’s frustration. We know it’s Punk vs. Cody, and we assume it’s Gunther vs. Aldis, so now the question is where Zayn fits in at SummerSlam?
Cole plugged Fanatics Fest again… Joe Tessitore and Stephanie McMahon checked in from their podium. Steph said she was excited to see Punk vs. Cody in a singles match for the first time in nearly 18 years. They ran through the SummerSlam lineup… [C]
A SummerSlam ad hosted by Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson aired. He included a “JJETS” code for $25 tickets through Ticketmaster… Cole hyped SummerSlam Takeover for July 31-August 2. He said the event is free to attend, but they are selling autograph tickets via the WWE website…
Former NFL player James Harrison, Cade Cunningham of the Detroit Pistons, Dion Dawkins of the Buffalo Bills, and Oba Femi were shown in separate locations in the crowd…
Eli Manning narrated a video that labeled Jalen Brunson as the newest King of New York…
Music played, and then Jalen Brunson was shown walking backstage, and then some of his highlights were shown. Brunson, who had a brace on his left hand, walked past a batch of WWE photos on the wall. He stopped and nodded at a Danhausen photo, and then more of his NBA highlights were shown.
Brunson walked past a group of applauding people backstage, which included teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, whom he greeted. Roman Reigns popped out from behind a curtain and greeted Brunson. They headed into the Gorilla Position area together.
Roman’s entrance theme played, and then he walked out with Bronson. Reigns, who had the World Heavyweight Championship belt around his waist, and Brunson stopped and held up their index fingers while Roman’s pyro shot off. Cole said this was Bronson’s first time stepping foot in MSG since winning the NBA Championship last month. The duo eventually entered the ring together and raised their index fingers again while more pyro shot off on the stage.
“Well, this is something you don’t see every day now, do ya?” Reigns asked the crowd. Roman said it was rare air. He said this is where greatness acknowledges greatness. Roman said it’s no secret that New York City is the home of WWE. He told the fans that they make him feel like he’s home whenever he goes there. An “OTC” chant broke out.
Reigns said 53 years was way too long (since the Knicks won the NBA Championship). Reigns said Brunson would say that it’s a team sport. Roman said there’s only one Tribal Chief and there’s only one captain. Reigns said Brunson is the NBA Finals MVP, an NBA Champion, and the King of New York. An “MVP” chant followed, followed by a “Jalen Brunson” chant.
Reigns said every champion in WWE needs a title, so he made some moves. A crew member handed Roman a WWE Championship belt with Knicks colors, and then Reigns gave it to Brunson. A “you deserve it’ chant broke out. Reigns said Brunson doesn’t just deserve it; he earned it. Reigns said it was time. “New York City, acknowledge us.” Reigns and Brunson raised their title belts in the air.
Seth Rollins’ entrance theme played. Tyrese Haliburton of the Indiana Pacers walked out with a chair. Cole said the Packers knocked the Knicks out of the playoffs a couple of years ago, and New York hasn’t forgotten it.
Rollins entered the ring and hit Reigns from behind. Haliburton stood on the floor and handed his chair to Rollins while Bronson stood in the corner and watched. Rollins put Roman’s head on the chair and set up for a Stomp, but Brunson stood in his way and shook his head. Rollins removed his jacket while the fans chanted “MVP.”
Reigns hit Rollins with a Superman Punch. Rollins exited the ring and backed up the entrance aisle with Haliburton. Cole plugged the SummerSlam Kickoff for Sunday on ESP2 and SummerSlam in Minnesota.
A crew member placed the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy (NBA Championship) in the ring. Brunson held the title belts while Reigns picked up the trophy. Reigns held up the trophy while Brunson held up the World Heavyweight Championship. Pyro shot off. A still shot of Reigns and Brunson holding up the trophy and title belt closed the show…
Powell’s POV: While this was surely fun for Knicks fans and maybe for some other NBA fans. I lost interest in the NBA years ago, so this felt like a segment that belonged on an MSG house show for me. The Punk and Cody vs. Gunther and Zayn match was enjoyable. The rest of the show had a title change and a moment or two, but this was mostly a waste of two hours. We’ll see what Jake Barnett has to say about SNME when he and I record the same-night audio review that will be free for everyone as this week’s Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast. Let me know what you thought of SNME by voting for the best match and grading the overall show below.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzz!
Kind of a boring show!