WWE SmackDown this week featured further fallout from Sami Zayn’s grip on the Undisputed WWE Championship picture, along with CM Punk defending that title in another banger against a hometown favorite. The episode also featured a health update on WWE Women’s Champion Chelsea Green, WWE Sunday Night’s Main Event build, and more in this complete results and recap from the September 4, 2026 episode.
WWE SmackDown opened with “The Ring General” Gunther cutting an in-ring promo, calling out Zayn for ruining the title match last week. His call was quickly answered, but in the crowd, from a safe distance. Gunther tried to rush him, but Finn Balor and Kevin Owens showed up. Everybody ran or fought in different directions to end the segment.
Fatal Influence (Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid), accompanied by WWE Women’s United States Champion Jacy Jayne, had a tag match against Charlotte Flair and Tatum Paxley (with Alexa Bliss). This was a rough, choppy watch, with little physicality or believability. As expected, Bliss and Jayne got tied up on the outside, and it was Paxley who took advantage to pick up the pinfall victory for her team.
B-Fab, Michin, and Jade Cargill joined Fatal Influence in a post-match beatdown of Flair, Paxley, and Bliss. The trio that joined in, and the trio on the receiving end, face off at WWE Sunday Night’s Main Event.
SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis brought a doctor and Green, the WWE Women’s World Champion, to the ring for an update on her medical status. The moment she was cleared, so long as she wears a face mask, The Irresistible Forces, Nia Jax and Lash Legend, crashed the party. Jax came in with threats and a title demand, but Tiffany Stratton came to even the numbers.
Following the commotion, Jax and Stratton had a singles match. It was painfully slow, with awkward gymnastics and little intensity. One-half of The Irresistible Forces pulled out the win.
The Miz and Kit Wilson vs. Bakusai (Shinsuke Nakamura and Kyoki) was next. Kyoki had a crisp in-ring debut, showing off his great speed and volatility. He introduced his finisher, which wasn’t named, but was referred to by commentary as a reverse stunner. The WWE World Tag Team Champions, MFT (Talla and Tama Tonga), came to the entrance ramp after the match, seemingly to tease a match, as nothing came of it.
For the second consecutive week, the match between Giulia and Blake Monroe broke down before it could begin. This week, however, Monroe ended up on the ground, lifeless.
To finally break his terrible gimmick, Punk gave Johnny Gargano a shot at his Undisputed WWE Championship. The hometown crowd was behind Gargano, and Punk shined him up with some tense near-falls.
Zayn showed up to ruin this match, as well. As the referee was dealing with him, Gargano’s wife, Candice LeRae, delivered a surprise hurricanrana to Punk. Owens, Gunther, and Balor interjected at ringside, as things completely broke down. Punk hit a GTS, seemingly for the win, but LeRae paid off once more, distracting the referee from the three count.
Gargano had another epic near-win, but it was not to be. Another GTS ultimately led to the championship retention. Punk grabbed the mic after his victory, addressing the chaos. He’s tired of Zayn ruining everything and gave him a title shot next week to put an end to it.
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WWE SmackDown set up Sunday Night’s Main Event, shone a new light on the tag-title picture, and delivered another wild main event championship match. The Undisputed WWE Championship may be the hottest storyline in wrestling, with a deep pool of brand-name talent involved.
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