{"id":193581,"date":"2026-07-17T18:30:32","date_gmt":"2026-07-17T23:30:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prowrestling.net\/site\/?p=193581"},"modified":"2026-07-17T19:50:02","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T00:50:02","slug":"wwe-smackdown-results-7-17-powells-live-review-of-gunther-and-nick-aldis-cm-punk-and-cody-rhodes-preparing-to-team-at-saturday-nights-main-event-finn-balor-vs-talla-tonga","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/prowrestling.net\/site\/2026\/07\/17\/wwe-smackdown-results-7-17-powells-live-review-of-gunther-and-nick-aldis-cm-punk-and-cody-rhodes-preparing-to-team-at-saturday-nights-main-event-finn-balor-vs-talla-tonga\/","title":{"rendered":"WWE Smackdown results (7\/17): Powell&#8217;s live review of Gunther and Nick Aldis, CM Punk and Cody Rhodes preparing to team at Saturday Night&#8217;s Main Event, Finn Balor vs. Talla Tonga"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"prowr-883792129\" class=\"prowr-apple-podcast-button-link prowr-entity-placement\" style=\"margin-left: auto;margin-right: auto;text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/pro-wrestling-boom-podcast\/id1365989370\" aria-label=\"SUBSCRIBE IN APPLE PODCASTS\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/prowrestling.net\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/advanced_ads\/2019\/07\/Logo2019_ApplePodcasts_320wide.png?fit=320%2C78&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"SUBSCRIBE IN APPLE PODCASTS\"  srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/prowrestling.net\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/advanced_ads\/2019\/07\/Logo2019_ApplePodcasts_320wide.png?w=320&ssl=1 320w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/prowrestling.net\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/advanced_ads\/2019\/07\/Logo2019_ApplePodcasts_320wide.png?resize=300%2C73&ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px\" width=\"320\" height=\"78\"   \/><\/a><\/div><p><b>By Jason<\/b> <strong>Powell<\/strong>, ProWrestling.net Editor (<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/prowrestlingnet\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">@prowrestlingnet<\/a>)<\/p>\n<p><strong>WWE Smackdown (Episode 1,404)<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Albany, New York, at MVP Arena<br \/>\nAired live July 17, 2026, on USA Network and streamed internationally on Netflix<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>[Hour One]<\/strong> Highlights from last week&#8217;s episode opened the show&#8230; Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett were on commentary&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Gunther made his entrance dressed in a suit. Once in the ring, Gunther said he wanted to address the elephant in the room. Gunther said he&#8217;s been a professional throughout his career, but he&#8217;s been mistreated ever since he arrived on Smackdown. Gunther blamed Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis for making things personal. Gunther took issue with having to teach with Sami Zayn, adding that Zayn is beneath him.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Enough, enough, enough,&#8221; Raw General Manager Adam Peare said while walking to the ring. Pearce took issue with Gunther&#8217;s treatment of Aldis. Pearce said that if this had happened on Raw, he would have fired Gunther. Pearce said Aldi petitioned to make sure Gunther was not fired.<\/p>\n<p>Pearce said Gunther should have waited last week, and he would have found out about the stipulation, but he attacked Aldis instead. Pearce announced that if Gunther and Zayn beat CM Punk and Cody Rhodes, they will be added to the WWE Championship match at SummerSlam, making it a four-way.<\/p>\n<p>Cody Rhodes made his entrance and attacked Cody once he was inside the ring. Cody threw a punch that knocked Gunther through the ropes to the floor. Cody got a mic and said Gunther was handed another stipulation. Cody recalled Gunther kicking his head into a car on a recent Raw show, and said he should have known that he would kick his ass at first sight. Cody called for a match with Gunther, which Pearce made official&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Tessitore and Barrett spoke from their broadcast table and set up a video package. Adam Pearce announced that Rhea Ripley is dealing with a torn meniscus and will not be able to compete at SummerSlam. Pearce announced there will be five qualifying matches on Smackdown over the next two weeks. The winners will earn a spot in a ladder match at SummerSlam that will crown the Interim WWE Women&#8217;s Champion&#8230;.<\/p>\n<p>Tessitore narrated various backstage\/arrival shots of Jade Cargill with B-Fab and Michin, Nia Jax and Lash Legend, Women&#8217;s U.S. Champion Tiffany Stratton, and the Fatal Influence trio. Graphics listed Jade Cargill vs. Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton vs. Jacy Jayne in ladder match qualifiers&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>Finn Balor made his entrance for the opening match before the first commercial break&#8230; [C]<\/p><div id=\"prowr-1778884789\" class=\"prowr-content-4 prowr-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: prowrestling_incontent_2 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"prowrestling_incontent_2\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"prowrestling_incontent_2\", slotId: \"prowrestling_incontent_2\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Powell&#8217;s POV:<\/strong><\/span> A newsworthy start to the show. They announced the Ripley news beforehand, but they had not announced any of the qualifying matches. Gunther and Adam Pearce were both very good in their roles, and Cody showed great fire when he attacked Gunther.<\/p>\n<p>A shot aired of the host city. Tessitore said Mike Tyson made his pro debut in Albany in 1995&#8230; Talla Tonga made his entrance with Tama Tonga while being introduced by ring announcer Mark Nash&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><strong>1. Finn Balor vs. Talla Tonga (w\/Tama Tonga).<\/strong> A couple of minutes into the match, Talla charged Balor, who held the top rope down, which sent Talla to the floor. Talla returned to the apron and stuffed a Balor move. Balor fought off a chokeslam attempt, but Talla clotheslined him and ran him into the turnbuckle. [C]<\/p>\n<p>Talla caught Balor on the ropes and set up for a T-Bomb chokeslam, but Balor put him down with a DDT. Balor went for a shotgun dropkick, but Talla beat him to the punch with a big boot. Balor avoided another running kick, leaving Talla with one leg over the top rope. Tama distracted the referee. Balor bounced the top rope into Talla&#8217;s groin.<\/p>\n<p>Tama ran to Balor&#8217;s side of the ring, and Balor put him down with a sling blade clothesline. Back in the ring, Balor shotgun dropkicked Talla. Balor hit his Coup de Grace finisher, then decided to hit a second on the big man before pinning him&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><em>Finn Balor beat Talla Tonga in 9:35.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Powell&#8217;s POV:<\/strong><\/span> I&#8217;m surprised that Talla took a clean loss rather than being protected. I grumble a lot about WWE trying to protect too many people, so I&#8217;m not going to complain about Balor pinning Talla clean.<\/p>\n<p>Backstage, WWE Champion CM Punk clarified with Adam Pearce that his SummerSlam title match could become a four-way if Gunther and Sami Zayn beat him and Cody Rhodes on Saturday Night&#8217;s Main Event. Punk said he&#8217;s old school and prefers one-on-one. He said Gunther would try to hurt Cody in the main event rather than beat him. Punk said he was going to talk to Cody.<\/p>\n<p>Damian Priest entered the picture after Punk left and shook hands with Punk. Priest said he appreciated the shoutout last week. He said he&#8217;d be waiting for Punk if he&#8217;s still champion after SummerSlam. Punk said he hopes Priest keeps the tag team titles because he and Cody would go on a roll and make him a double champion. Punk and Priest bumped firsts. R-Truth popped up behind Priest and startled him. Priest wondered if Truth had been there the whole time&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>A video package aired with Jade Cargill, Nia Jax, Jacy Jayne, and Tiffany Stratton talking about their qualifying matches and hopes of becoming the Interim WWE Women&#8217;s Champion at SummerSlam&#8230;<\/p><div id=\"prowr-3548310450\" class=\"prowr-content-5 prowr-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: prowrestling_incontent_3 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"prowrestling_incontent_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"prowrestling_incontent_3\", slotId: \"prowrestling_incontent_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Women&#8217;s U.S. Champion Tiffany Stratton made her entrance for the first qualifying match&#8230; [C]<\/p>\n<p>A WWE Unreal clip featured Cody Rhodes at the WWE Warehouse. Cody said the warehouse holds their history, and he wished more guys would check it out. Cody checked out a casket and several awesome ring jackets, including one worn by his father, Dusty. The third season of WWE Unreal drops Tuesday on Netflix&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>Powell&#8217;s POV:<\/strong><\/span> I would love to spend a day checking out the warehouse. The closest I&#8217;ve come to having an experience like that was being allowed to check out the awesome items in the basement of the <a href=\"https:\/\/nwhof.org\/national-wrestling-hall-of-fame-dan-gable-museum\">National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The Fatal Influence trio of Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley, and Lainey Reid made their entrance for Jayne&#8217;s qualifying match. The trio attacked Tiffany Stratton. WWE Women&#8217;s Tag Team Champions Brie Bella and Paige ran out and ended up fighting to the back with Henley and Reid&#8230;<\/p>\n<p><strong>2. Women&#8217;s U.S. Champion Tiffany Stratton vs. Jacy Jayne in a qualifier for the ladder match for the Interim WWE Women&#8217;s Championship at SummerSlam.<\/strong> Stratton was on her feet and caught Jayne by surprise when the bell rang to start the match. Stratton was in offensive control going into an early break. [C]<\/p>\n<div id=\"prowr-3105814862\" class=\"prowr-after-content prowr-entity-placement\"><a class=\"spreaker-player\" href=\"https:\/\/www.spreaker.com\/show\/pwboom\" data-resource=\"show_id=3275525\" data-theme=\"light\" data-playlist=\"show\" data-width=\"100%\" data-height=\"340px\">Listen to \"Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast\" on Spreaker.<\/a><script async src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/widgets.js\"><\/script><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":172270,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[50,2,15,16],"tags":[321,706,47,4337,4176,3744,247,284,5229,613,4299,101,31],"class_list":["post-193581","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mustreadarticles","category-newsticker","category-tv_reports","category-wwe_tv_reports","tag-cm-punk","tag-cody-rhodes","tag-finn-balor","tag-gunther","tag-jacy-jayne","tag-jade-cargill","tag-nia-jax","tag-nick-aldis","tag-talla-tonga","tag-tama-tonga","tag-tiffany-stratton","tag-wwe","tag-wwe-smackdown"],"yoast_head":"<!-- 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