It was a crazy night in Madison Square Garden last week at WWE Saturday Night’s Main event, and WWE SmackDown tonight, July 24, 2026, will cover the massive fallout from the nostalgic WWE special. Here’s what you can expect one week out from the “Biggest Party of the Summer,” this Friday night. Let’s run it down.
WWE SmackDown Time Tonight (7/24/26):
- Start Time: 8:00 PM EST/EDT / 7:00 PM CST/CDT / 6:00 PM MST/MDT / 5:00 PM PST/PDT / 4:00 PM AKST/AKDT / 2:00 PM HST
- Channel/Streaming Service: The USA Network (United States) + Netflix (Internationally)
Read More: How to Watch WWE In Every Country It’s Available
WWE SmackDown Card Tonight (7/24/26):
- 5-Way Ladder Match for the Interim WWE Women’s Championship – Qualifier: Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax
Expected But Not Announced:
- Fatal Influence Celebrates Their WWE Women’s Tag Team Title Victory at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event
- Gunther and Nick Aldis Confrontation Ahead of SummerSlam 2026
- Undisputed WWE Champion CM Punk and Cody Rhodes Talk About Their SummerSlam 2026 Main Event
WWE SmackDown Tonight Live Rundown (7/24/26) – What to Expect:
WWE SmackDown will be as unpredictable as ever, and that’s because WWE doesn’t really announce anything when it’s a post-PLE or SNME show. What was announced, though, was a match between The “Queen” Charlotte Flair and the “Irresistible Force,” Nia Jax. Flair cost Jax an opportunity to qualify for the 5-Way Ladder Match at SummerSlam to crown the Interim WWE Women’s Champion, after it was announced Rhea Ripley’s status is still up in the air.
For our money, we think WWE will stack this ladder match up. We’ll see Charlotte Flair come out on top, joining Jade Cargill and Women’s United States Champion Tiffany Stratton, along with two more competitors that will probably be determined this week, or at the very latest, on the final SmackDown before the “Biggest Party of the Summer.”
Speaking of SummerSlam, it’s now official, and Nick Aldis and Gunther will finally face off, marking the former’s return to in-ring action, his first in WWE, after nearly half a decade. We are not going to lie, we’re really excited for Aldis to come back. Sure, he’ll probably be another victim to the “Career-Killer” list, but seeing him in a WWE ring, with Gunther no less, is more than worth the price of admission.
We truly hope Aldis gets physical, and have the Ring General have it with a Spine Shaker or a King’s Cloverleaf.
From one stellar match to another, WWE SmackDown tonight will more than likely see Undisputed WWE Champion and his challenger Cody Rhodes will more than likely have something to say to each other come this Friday night. They had a bit of a dust-up after defeating Gunther and Sami Zayn last Saturday, with Punk inadvertently (?) hitting Rhodes with the strap of the belt as he exited the ring.
We’re sure that Rhodes will probably bring it up and ask to talk about it: could it have been accidental or a scare tactic from the “Second City Saint?”
Last but not least, Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley slayed some legends on their way to claim the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. Jacy Jayne was unable to qualify for the Women’s Ladder Match. That said, it’s only a matter of time until Fatal Influence takes over the Blue brand, and what a heck of a way to start their march to dominance.
That’s all for WWE SmackDown tonight, July 24, 2026!
