These are the WWE SmackDown results from the May 22, 2026, episode from the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky. It’s also the second-to-last before Clash in Italy at the end of the month.
WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley opened these WWE SmackDown results by coming to the ring for a promo. It didn’t take long for Ripley to announce a title match against Jade Cargill at Clash in Italy. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss then joined the champ. Flair called her out for not helping them last week, which is when Fatal Influence (Jacy Jane, Fallen Henley, and Lainey Reid) showed up.
Flair wasn’t impressed with the interruption from the up-and-comers. Not trusting Ripley, she challenged two members of Fatal Influence to a tag match, later in the night. After the commercial break, Bliss told her tag partner that she’d need to tag with Ripley, so they could sort out their differences.
Talla Tonga, accompanied by fellow MFTs Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga, took on “The King of Strong Style” Shinsuke Nakamura. There was a smooth back-and-forth, but it was otherwise uninteresting and soft. As expected, Sikoa was the distraction that led to Tonga’s victory. One-half of the WWE World Tag Team Champions, Damian Priest, rushed in with a steel chair to stop the MFTs’ post‑match attack.
WWE Women’s United States Champion Tiffany Stratton had an open challenge for that title. Lash Legend, accompanied by the other half of The Irresistible Forces, Nia Jax, accepted the challenge. Legend looked strong and dominant early, while Stratton appeared to struggle, being severely undersized. Chelsea Green appeared ringside, as she’s been sucking up to the champ lately. Jax tried to interfere in the finish, but Green shoved her into the ring post.
Legend grabbed Green’s hair from the ring, which was all the Stratton needed. She retained from a simple roll-up pin in these WWE SmackDown results.
WWE United States Champion Trick Williams and Lil Yachty were interrupted by Carmelo Hayes early in their promo. Hayes requested an immediate title shot, but Yachty shot down the idea. A couple of insults later, Williams asked WWE to send a referee. “Absolute” Ricky Saints, who’s been eyeing this title, appeared ringside to study the competition. Let’s hope it was to stay healthy for Clash in Italy, because this was a soft one.
There’s been escalating heat between Saints and Hayes, and this only added to it. He’d distract the referee, helping Williams to victory in these WWE SmackDown results.
Flair, accompanied by Bliss, emerged for the aforementioned tag match. She’d partner with Ripley to take on Fallon and Reid.
Despite some friction with the tags and finish, Flair and Ripley picked up the victory. Cargill, B-Fab, and Michin attacked the victors post-match.
A short brawl later, only Ripley and Cargill remained. The title match may not be until Clash in Italy, but the challenger came out on top in these WWE SmackDown results.
Priest versus Sikoa, accompanied by Talla and Tama Tonga, was next. It took a few tries, but they eventually interfered enough to give their ally the win. The win wasn’t enough for the MFTS, as they continued the punishment after the bell.
Royce Keys ran down the ramp, looking for a fight with Sikoa, but the MFTs powdered. Keys tried to help up the beaten Priest, who grabbed him for a chokeslam, one can only assume out of instinct.
After hearing Sami Zayn call him “golden boy” to General Manager Nick Aldis earlier in the night, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes requested a match. It may be an old-head take, but it was nice to see them using snug collar-and-elbow tie-ups.
This finish saw Gunther appear on the apron. The match was thrown out when he started choking out Rhodes. Zayn actually helped his opponent, but to his own detriment.
Zayn knocked Gunther off the apron, but the opportunity would not pass Rhodes by. The champ hit Cross Rhodes to pick up the pin.
Gunther rushed Rhodes after the match, eventually having him in a sleeper hold in the middle of the ring. Zayn just watched and left him to it. Was this retaliation for the opportunistic victory?
That wraps up these WWE SmackDown results. Stay tuned to Stadium Rant for the latest as Clash in Italy approaches.
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