WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event is set to return for the third time this year, as WWE heads to “The World’s Most Famous Arena” – better known to most as New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
Marking its first return to the arena since August 13, 2007, nearly 19 years ago, this event is stepping into a city already on fire. Energy in the building is bound to be palpable, especially with New York City still riding the massive wave of excitement following the Knicks’ historic NBA Championship victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
Expect to see several of those championship players in attendance this Saturday, with NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson confirmed for the event, where he will be standing shoulder-to-shoulder with World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns.
Now that we’ve given you a sneak peek of just one massive crossover moment, it’s time to dig into the rest of the card. Let’s break down the official preview for the historic 45th episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event.
The Bird Lady Who Became The Crazy Lady
What once seemed to be an unbreakable bond has completely shattered following Lyra Valkyria’s shocking, bold decision to turn heel on her best friend, Bayley.
The move occurred on the June 22 episode of Monday Night Raw, following another frustrating defeat at the hands of Paige and Brie Bella, who successfully retained their Women’s Tag Team Titles. Things officially reached a boiling point between the two this past Monday on Raw.
Rather than her typical “Bird Lady” look inspired by Irish folklore, Valkyria emerged looking like a crazed lunatic who hadn’t slept in days. Sounding completely deranged, she branded her former partner a “doormat” who drags the locker room down, even going so far as to call her “the worst of The Four Horsewomen.”
Bayley fired back by reminding Lyra of her historic resume, specifically her status as WWE’s first female Grand Slam Champion. She then revealed that after a conversation with Raw General Manager Adam Pearce, a match between the former friends is officially locked in for this Saturday.
The question heading in is simple: Will Valkyria end the night with the upper hand over her former mentor, or will Bayley be able to beat some sense into her?
An Unlikely Tag Team-Up
Perhaps even more bizarre than Lyra’s recent behavior is the main event that SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis has announced for this Saturday.
Following CM Punk’s first promo not only as an official member of the SmackDown roster but as the new Undisputed WWE Champion, Aldis announced that Punk would be teaming up with his soon-to-be SummerSlam opponent, Cody Rhodes, as the two take on Gunther and Sami Zayn.
Heading into this matchup, the biggest question isn’t just whether Punk and Rhodes can work together ahead of their clash in a few weeks, but more about how Zayn and Gunther will function.
Both men are deeply disgruntled: Gunther feels he’s been screwed over in every title match, and Sami is carrying that same resentment after losing his belt to Punk after holding it for only nine days.
The biggest unknown isn’t something that will be answered during the match, but rather, when the bell rings: Where will tensions lie between Punk and Cody? With their SummerSlam clash looming, it certainly seems we are on pace for something to fracture between the two.
Watch the WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event action on Peacock in the United States and on YouTube internationally!
WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event in MSG Preview & Match Card (7/18/26):
- WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Paige & Brie Bella (c) vs. Fatal Influence (Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid)
- No Disqualification Match: Danhausen vs. JD McDonagh
- Singles Match: Lyra Valkyria vs. Bayley
- Tag Team Main Event: CM Punk & Cody Rhodes vs. Sami Zayn & Gunther
