By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Smackdown (Episode 1,398)
Bologna, Italy, at Unipol Arena
Streamed live June 5, 2026, internationally on Netflix, same-day delay on USA Network
[Hour One] A Clash in Italy recap video opened the show… Michael checked in on commentary. A quad screen display showed The Judgment Day (minus Roxanne Perez, Damian Priest, Bron Breakker, and Trick Williams, and then another showed another shot of Judgment Day, Bayley, Fatal Influence, and Kiana James, while Tessitore hyped the King and Queen of the Ring matches…
Michael Cole and Wade Barrett checked in from their broadcast table. Cole said he was filling in for Joe Tessitore, who had Zuffa Boxing duties this weekend.
Gunther hopped the barricade and started throwing items off the broadcast table. Gunther hopped on the table and said nothing would happen until he got justice for what happened at Clash in Italy.
Gunther recalled his foot being under the bottom rope when the referee counted the pin. Gunther said the ref and Cody know it. Gunther accused Cody of cheating and stealing what rightfully belongs to him. Gunther looked into the camera and was about to address Cody, but he was interrupted.
WWE Champion Cody Rhodes made his entrance and stood in the ring while Gunther stood on the broadcast table. Cody said Gunther was right. The fans sang Cody’s name. Cody said that if Gunther wanted a rematch, they could do it tonight.
Sami Zayn made his entrance to boos and spoke from the entrance aisle as he walked toward the ring. Zayn thanked his ride-or-die fans, and then a “Sami” chant broke out with some fans. Zayn said he tried to mind his own business, but he couldn’t take it anymore.
Zayn said Gunther was robbed of his championship opportunity. Zayn, who was in the ring, said he knows what that’s like, and he also referred to Cody as the golden boy. Zayn said Cody and Gunther both did him wrong. Gunther told him to shut up and get out of the ring.
Cody told Zayn that he was a little busy. Zayn said Cody was always blowing him off when the biggest threat to his championship might be looking him in the eyes. Cody asked if that was so. Zayn recalled Cody saying he would teach him a lesson after he beat Gunther. Zayn said Cody beat Gunther and asked when he was going to teach him that lesson.
Gunther entered the ring and shoved Cody into Zayn. Gunther fought with both men and ended up on the floor with Zayn. Cody went for a suicide dive, but Gunther moved, and Cody took out Zayn on the floor. Cody looked remorseful and offered a hand to Zayn, who blew him off and got up on his own…
Powell’s POV: They didn’t make anything official, but it looks like they are moving from Cody vs. Gunther to a Triple Threat with them and Zayn. Cody wanted the rematch with Gunther tonight, but I’m guessing they’ll go with the Triple Threat at WWE Night of Champions.
Backstage, The Miz was Facetiming with Kit Wilson. Miz vented about the Cleveland Cavaliers losing and Myles Garrett being traded by the Cleveland Browns. Miz found Danhausen’s lab. Danhausen warned Miz not to touch something. Miz ignored him and ended up being electrocuted. Danhausen found some food on the floor, said he’d been looking all over for it, and ate it before leaving Miz lying…
Raquel Rodriguez made her entrance and was accompanied onto the stage by Liv Morgan, who headed backstage before a commercial break… [C]
Backstage, Gunther vented to Smackdown General Manager about the lack of respect he’s been shown. He told Aldis to fix the problem, while threatening lawsuits if he failed to do so…
Bayley was making her entrance while being introduced by ring announcer Mark Nash. Jacy Jayne walked onto the stage with Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid, who headed backstage. The Italian broadcast team checked in. Cole labeled Jayne a future women’s champion. Kiana James made her entrance and was accompanied by Guilia, who followed her to ringside…
1. Bayley vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Jacy Jayne vs. Kiana James (w/Giulia) in a four-way Queen of the Ring match. Rodriguez performed a running crossbody block onto all three opponents in the ring. Cole said he considered Rodriguez the favorite to win the match. [C]
Rodriguez performed a corkscrew elbow on Bayley, and then covered her and James simultaneously for a near fall. A short time later, Rodriguez performed a double chokeslam on Bayley and James and tried to pin them both, but James broke it up. [C]
Late in the match, Jayne hit Giulia with a cheap shot on the floor. Jayen climbed on the apron, but Bayley sent her back to the floor. James rolled up Bayley and used the ropes for leverage, but Jayne shoved her feet off the ropes to break up the pin.
Giulia punched Jayne. James thought Giulia knocked her feet off the ropes and argued with her. Bayley put James down with a Rose Plant. Jayne dropped Bayley with her Rolling Encore finisher. Rodriguez blasted Jayne with a big boot. Rodriguez performed the Tejana Bomb on James and got the three count.
Raquel Rodriguez defeated Kiana James, Bayley, and Jacy Jayne in 14:05 in a four-way to advance in the Queen of the Ring tournament.
The updated brackets showed that Rodriguez will face Iyo Sky in the semifinals. Giulia checked on James and helped her to her feet. James shoved Giulia and told her to get off her. James shoved her again and said they were done. The fans booed. Giulia attacked James and hit her with a kick before James rolled out of the ring…
Powell’s POV: That was a fun and well-executed finishing sequence. Going into the show, I thought Jayne might go over, but that changed when Henley and Reid didn’t accompany her to the ring. And you had to know that James was going to lose when Giulia walked out with her. That said, it was a good call to have James and Giulia split up in Italy, where Giulia is over with the fans. Rodriguez is a dark horse tournament winner if they want to
Backstage, Sami Zayn vented to a comatose Johnny Gargano while waiting for Nick Aldis, who showed up and told Zayn to stay out of Cody Rhodes’ and Gunther’s business. Aldis accused Zayn of making a bad situation worse. Zayn questioned how he did that.
Aldis said he had to get to a meeting. Zayn was upset about being blown off again. Zayn asked who was so important that he couldn’t get a minute of the Smackdown GM’s time. “Well, if you must know,” Aldis said while motioning behind Zayn. Chad Gable was behind Zayn and had a brief staredown with him before entering Aldis’s office…
Cole said Gable is a hot property right now. He also hyped Royce Keys vs. Talla Tonga for after the break… [C] Cole hyped the WWE Podcasts… Entrances for the next match took place…
2. Talla Tonga (w/Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga) vs. Royce Keys. Solo sat in a chair near the broadcast table while Tama stood next to him. Keys performed the weekly spot of clotheslining Talla over the top rope, and Talla landed on his feet. [C]
Keys powerslammed Talla. Keys lowered the straps on his singlet, but he was distracted by Solo, who climbed on the apron. Tama got involved.
[Hour Two] Keys went to the floor to go after him. Keys ducked a clothesline, and then Tama jumped off the ring steps into, um, nothing. Keys returned to the ring and ate a big boot. Talla followed up with the Talla T-Bomb and scored the pin.
Talla Tonga beat Royce Keys in 8:00.
After the match, Solo ordered his guys to attack Keys. R-Truth ran out. Barrett said Truth was not medically cleared. The heels got the better of Truth. Damian Priest showed up and pulled Truth out of the ring. Priest asked Truth what he was doing. Priest said Truth is doing this every week and has to stop. Priest escorted Truth away from ringside, leaving Keys alone with the heels. Solo took a knee by Keys, who was lying on the mat. Solo said it didn’t have to be like this, but Keys won’t listen. Solo told Keys to join his family…
Powell’s POV: There was clearly miscommunication on that spot on the floor with Keys and Tama. I’m not sure if it’s intentional, but Priest is coming off unlikable for not helping Keys.
Liv Morgan, Dominik Mysterio, and JD McDonagh stood in a stairwell and applauded Raquel Rodriguez. Liv said if they both win, they could meet in the finals of the tournament, and then one of them could take the WWE Championship away from Rhea Ripley. Liv said something about her and Dom being king and queen, which upset Rodriguez…
Cole hyped the King of the Ring four-way match… [C] A Finn Balor vignette aired. He spoke about how he has proven he can go toe-to-toe with anyone, but he wants more…
Cole said Balor is the newest member of the Smackdown roster and will make his “debut” in a King of the Ring match against Jey Uso, LA Knight, and Royce Keys next week…
Backstage, R-Truth asked why Damian Priest didn’t want to help. Priest said Truth is his priority because they are the WWE Tag Team Champions. Truth asked Priest if he should check on Royce Keys. Priest asked what Truth was doing while saying that he’s not a doctor. Truth said his brother is a doctor. Priest said Truth doesn’t have a brother. Truth acted offended while saying that the Doctor of Thuganomics is his brother. Priest exited.
AAA Tag Team Champions “The War Raiders” Erik and Ivar approached Truth. Erik and Ivar had their tag team title belts over their shoulders and told Truth to let them know when he wants to put the WWE Tag Team Titles on the line against the AAA Tag Team Titles. Truth blew them off while saying he’d never met them before…
Cole hyped Sol Ruca vs. Lyra Valkyria vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Jade Cargill in a four-way Queen of the Ring tournament match for next week’s Smackdown…
WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley made her entrance. Cole noted that Ripley’s grandparents were born in Italy and eventually moved to Australia, where Ripley was born. Ripley said Jade Cargill tried to play the numbers game at Clash in Italy, but she failed to take her out. Ripley said she got a little help from someone unexpected.
Charlotte Flair made her entrance. Flair said she knew Ripley didn’t ask for her help, but she had Ripley’s back because she respects her. Flair said she’s had fun teaming with her lately. Flair spoke about winning the Queen of the Ring qualifier and then beating Ripley for the WWE Championship at SummerSlam.
Women’s U.S. Champion Tiffany Stratton made her entrance.
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