The WWE SmackDown results tonight from May 22 2026 saw the Clash in Italy card take its final shape — Rhea Ripley vs Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Championship was confirmed for Turin, Cody Rhodes defeated Sami Zayn in a physical main event with Gunther watching from backstage, and Carmelo Hayes officially challenged Trick Williams for the United States Championship at Saturday Night’s Main Event tomorrow. Here are the full Friday Night SmackDown results from the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky — every match winner, segment, and Clash in Italy development from tonight’s SNME go-home show.
For the preview, see our SmackDown May 22 preview. For the Clash in Italy build and SNME card, see our dedicated coverage.
ALSO READ: SNME Results May 23 2026 Every Winner And Title Change From Saturday Night’s Main Event XLIV
SmackDown Results May 22 2026: Quick Results
| # | Match / Segment | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhea Ripley opens SmackDown — Cargill confrontation | Ripley accepts Cargill’s Clash in Italy challenge; Ripley vs Cargill confirmed for Turin |
| 2 | Women’s US Championship Open Challenge: Tiffany Stratton (c) def. Chelsea Green | Stratton retains — Prettiest Moonsault Ever |
| 3 | Talla Tonga def. Shinsuke Nakamura | Tonga wins after MFT interference |
| 4 | Carmelo Hayes confronts Trick Williams | Hayes challenges Williams for US title at SNME tomorrow — confirmed |
| 5 | Charlotte Flair & Rhea Ripley def. Fatal Influence (Jayne & Henley) | Flair and Ripley win by pinfall |
| 6 | Cody Rhodes def. Sami Zayn | Rhodes wins — Cross Rhodes; Gunther watches from backstage |
SmackDown Results Tonight May 22 2026: Full Segment-By-Segment Breakdown
Rhea Ripley Accepts Jade Cargill’s Challenge — Clash In Italy Women’s Championship Confirmed
SmackDown opened with WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley addressing Jade Cargill’s challenge from last week. Ripley told the Lexington crowd she beat Cargill once and will do it again — officially accepting the title match at Clash in Italy on May 31 in Turin. Cargill, flanked by Michin and B-Fab, interrupted and the two came face to face. Before the segment could turn physical, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss arrived to even the numbers — setting up a tag match later in the night.
Rhea Ripley vs Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Championship at Clash in Italy is now confirmed. The Turin card now has three championship matches.
Tiffany Stratton (c) def. Chelsea Green — Women’s United States Championship Open Challenge Retained
Stratton issued a Women’s United States Championship Open Challenge and Chelsea Green answered. Green — who lost the Secret Hervice faction after Alba Fyre was released from WWE — has been repositioning herself as a singles competitor. The match was competitive with Green landing several near-falls, but Stratton’s athleticism proved decisive. Stratton connected with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the pinfall to retain the Women’s US title.
Talla Tonga def. Shinsuke Nakamura — MFT Numbers Game Wins Again
The only pre-announced match on the card delivered exactly what was expected — a strong Nakamura performance undermined by MFT interference. Nakamura hit the Kinshasa early but Solo Sikoa pulled Talla’s foot onto the ropes. Nakamura rallied with Good Vibrations and a second Kinshasa attempt, but Tama Tonga distracted the referee. Talla caught Nakamura with a chokeslam for the pinfall. Post-match, Solo ordered an MFT beatdown before Royce Keys and Damian Priest ran down for the save.
Carmelo Hayes Challenges Trick Williams — US Championship Match Confirmed For SNME Tomorrow
Hayes confronted Williams and Lil Yachty in the ring. Hayes praised Williams as champion but made it clear he wants his shot — pulling out his own championship medal from his previous US title reign to make his case. Yachty tried to stall, pulling out a pocketbook schedule to claim Williams was booked, but Williams cut him off and accepted. Trick Williams vs Carmelo Hayes for the United States Championship at Saturday Night’s Main Event tomorrow is confirmed. This adds a fourth championship match to the SNME card.
Charlotte Flair & Rhea Ripley def. Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne & Fallon Henley)
Ripley and Flair — rivals forced into alliance by Cargill’s faction — teamed up against Jayne and Henley with Lainey Reid at ringside. The match served as a preview of tomorrow’s six-woman tag at SNME, with Ripley and Flair showing surprising chemistry as a unit. Flair dominated Henley with chops and the Figure Four before Ripley tagged in to finish Jayne with the Riptide for the clean pin. Post-match, Cargill, Michin, and B-Fab appeared on the ramp staring down the babyface team — the battle lines for tomorrow’s SNME six-woman tag and the Clash in Italy Women’s Championship match are now firmly drawn.
Cody Rhodes def. Sami Zayn — Gunther Watches From Backstage
The main event delivered a strong 15-minute match between the Undisputed WWE Champion and the increasingly erratic Zayn. Rhodes controlled early with arm drags and a delayed vertical suplex. Zayn mounted a comeback with the Blue Thunder Bomb for a near-fall and targeted Rhodes’ previously injured eye with a series of jabs. Rhodes fought through the damage, countered the Helluva Kick into a Cross Rhodes, and pinned Zayn clean.
Throughout the match, cameras cut backstage to Gunther watching on a monitor — expressionless, arms folded, studying every move. After Rhodes’ victory, Gunther was shown turning off the monitor and walking away without a word. Nine days before their Undisputed WWE Championship match at Clash in Italy, The Ring General let his silence speak louder than any promo.
Danhausen Curses The Cleveland Cavaliers
In the comedy segment of the night, backstage vignettes showed Danhausen conducting “scientific experiments” that kept blowing the building’s power. Nick Aldis investigated and found Danhausen with a body under a white sheet and a malfunctioning fuse box. The Miz confronted Danhausen, insisting he isn’t cursed — but Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom) told Miz that the Cavaliers are losing their NBA playoff series because of Danhausen’s curse. The Miz denied it. The Cleveland Cavaliers are, in fact, losing their real-life NBA playoff series.
Updated Clash In Italy 2026 Card After SmackDown
The Clash in Italy card is now the most stacked European PLE in WWE history:
- Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs Gunther
- World Heavyweight Championship — Tribal Combat: Roman Reigns (c) vs Jacob Fatu
- WWE Women’s Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) vs Jade Cargill (confirmed tonight)
- Additional matches expected from SNME outcomes
The Turin card is now the most stacked European PLE in WWE history — see every confirmed match for Clash in Italy 2026. Clash in Italy takes place on Saturday, May 31 at the Inalpi Arena in Turin, Italy.
What’s Coming Tomorrow And Beyond
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| May 23 | Saturday Night’s Main Event — Fort Wayne (Penta vs Page IC title, Vision vs Profits World Tag, six-woman tag, Lynch vs Ruca, Women’s Tag title, Williams vs Hayes US title) |
| May 29 | SmackDown — Barcelona, Spain |
| May 31 | Clash in Italy — Turin |
SmackDown Highlights May 22 2026: Watch Key Moments
Watch the official WWE SmackDown highlights from May 22, 2026 — every key moment from tonight’s SNME go-home show in Lexington, Kentucky.
Full SmackDown Highlights — May 22, 2026
The complete highlight reel from Friday Night SmackDown, featuring Gunther’s attack on Cody Rhodes, Chelsea Green unexpectedly helping Tiffany Stratton retain, and more.
FULL MATCH: Cody Rhodes vs Sami Zayn
Cody Rhodes battles Sami Zayn in the SmackDown main event with Gunther looming — and The Ring General makes a violent statement after the match to set up Clash in Italy.
Tama Tonga Drops Shinsuke Nakamura After Talla Tonga’s Win
The MFTs celebrate Talla Tonga’s victory over Shinsuke Nakamura by launching a post-match attack on The Artist.
Carmelo Hayes vs Trick Williams — Old Rivalries Unleashed
Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams collide for the United States Championship in an impromptu match on SmackDown, setting the stage for their SNME showdown.
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