WWE SmackDown (Sept. 25, 2026): Three Things We Liked, Three Things We Didn’t

What happened on SmackDown and why it matters

Two qualifiers for Money in the Bank were confirmed. Lash Legend pinned Giulia to qualify for the Women's Money in the Bank ladder match. On the men's side, CM Punk qualified as well. Those outcomes shift the contenders picture for the upcoming ladder matches and keep the MITB build active across the roster.

• A compelling, non-promo opening. SmackDown typically leans on interviews and backstage segments. Opening with a stipulation match provided variety and energy, especially after several formulaic episodes.

• Momentum for Money in the Bank. Lash Legend and CM Punk advancing gives the MITB field recognizable names and creates clearer stakes for the build to the ladder matches.

• Brief, focused champion interaction. Sami Zayn appeared in a backstage segment with Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae that avoided long-winded promos and fit the show's pacing.

• Questionable finish choice for Trick Williams. Choosing the Book End for the decisive third move felt less meaningful to some observers than if Williams had used his actual finisher, the Trick Shot, which would have reinforced his signature offense.

• Giulia's loss pattern. Giulia lost another high-stakes match when Lash Legend pinned her to qualify for MITB. That outcome continues a trend of losses in important spots, which raises creative questions about her positioning.

• Fatal Influence's program with Chelsea Green, Tiffany Stratton, and Paige was present on the card, and this episode focused its criticism on matches with explicit stakes rather than every single segment.

• Williams–Baron Corbin feud after a steel cage conclusion that some felt didn't land. Will creative give Williams a finisher-centric victory or continue extensions?

• The build for Women's and Men's Money in the Bank now that Lash Legend and CM Punk are in the fields. Ladder-match storytelling and placement on future SmackDowns will matter.

SmackDown delivered a different vibe by starting with a stipulation match and locking in two MITB qualifiers, but execution choices in the cage match and recurring creative decisions for certain performers left parts of the show feeling miscalculated. The episode moved storylines forward, but several outcomes invite skepticism about long-term direction.