"WWE SmackDown" was in Boston on Friday to deliver three title matches in the TD Garden. Outside of the ring, bad blood continued to boil between four of the brand's hottest stars. But overall, this show was very clearly about one person. The Chelsea Green show Wow. Just wow. WWE really maximized the impending "absence" of Chelsea Green by giving her the entire first 30 minutes of "SmackDown," weaving her beautifully into three different angles. This. Was. Exceptional. Honestly, it's getting funnier and funnier by the week to see the investment in "SmackDown" creative rise while "Raw's" goes down. It was a rollercoaster in the best way. "SmackDown" general manager Nick Aldis welcomed Green to the ring to strip her of the recently won Women's Championship due to her broken orbital bone from last week. This segment was played perfectly between the two characters, with Green continuously leaning into her "second-fiddle" role that Michael Hayes had given her on Netflix's "WWE: Unreal."
Nick Aldis has informed Chelsea Green that she must relinquish the WWE Women's Title due to injury! 🤯@RealNickAldis | @ImChelseaGreenpic.twitter.com/ohjtil4S5g — WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2026
Then she compared the doubtful looks people gave her and Aldis ahead of the latter's SummerSlam match against Gunther. It was a nice touch, reminding the audience that Aldis did indeed return to action. You wouldn't have realized it last week. Green reluctantly gave Aldis the title before walking to the back. Aldis declined and instead gave her 30 days to get medically cleared before a title transfer must take place. Everyone in the Boston crowd was fully behind those two, and rightfully so. Stunningly, Gunther was the one to make the interruption, after missing the whole show last week.
WOW 👏 Nick Aldis is giving @ImChelseaGreen 30 days to get healthy and defend the Women's WWE Title! pic.twitter.com/CsH8FDQTa1 — WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2026
Matt Cardona wants Gunther to KEEP HIS WIFE'S NAME OUT OF HIS MOUTH!! 😳 pic.twitter.com/woZXCdBZpb — WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2026
If there was one negative to all of this, it was how Gunther very clearly buried the importance of the Women's Championship. He labeled it as less important than his matters, demanding an explanation from Aldis for screwing him in the Fatal-4-Way contender match. The banter was great between Aldis and Gunther, then even better between Green and Gunther, of all people. As Gunther grew more aggravated, it felt inevitable for Matt Cardona to arrive on the scene to defend his wife. But the duo has never been presented together on TV, so it was a toss-up. Ultimately, Cardona arrived and was held back by Green for as long as he could be. It led to an "impromptu" match between the two— in their pants! That was a very small but great wrinkle in all of this. When the wrestlers aren't in their gear, these days, you never expect them to wrestle on the spot. The match was fine, and largely a one-sided beatdown from Gunther, as it should have been.
The Ring General Gunther forces Matt Cardona to tap out! 😯@Gunther_AUTpic.twitter.com/um6DuTqO21 — WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2026
Gunther hit the bricks from there, and out came the Irresistible Forces. Nia Jax threatened to beat down Green and take the title, while Lash Legend stood there menacingly. That forced the ill-advised Tiffany Stratton save attempt. Stratton got destroyed, yet she maintained that she would defend her U.S. title against Jacy Jayne later on. So there was the easy out regarding a Stratton loss. Not that she needed protection from a Jayne loss, but that's exactly what we got, as they put on an absolute banger match rather than a quick title change.
OH NO 😟 The Irresistible Forces have brutalized Tiffy Time! pic.twitter.com/NyEmH7tmVx — WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2026
NEW WOMEN'S UNITED STATES CHAMPION 🏆@jacyjaynewwe has DONE IT! pic.twitter.com/ucvPD9dpMt — WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2026
The change, however, was the right move, more for Jayne's sake. All of this Green utilization that flowed through the show together was fantastic. You know. Like a real TV show. And in the end, Green cost Stratton the title by essentially distracting Stratton by staring down with Fatal Influence on the outside. Therapy session Mother of God. I have no words. Kevin Owen and CM Punk have made magic. This is one of those rare cases where you should just watch the full segment and take it in. These guys went everywhere you would hope before their epic first match next week. And spoiler alert, I feel like Owens almost has to win.
Aside from the fact that Owens has only wrestled once since his return, the story is so good with the history and relationships shared. Every line delivered feels like it isn't a line from either, but Owens' mic work is wildly refreshing. He has a different believability. Gripping doesn't even begin to describe this interaction. 🚗 Car Crash of the Night WWE went ahead and crowned the Tongans, who are, for some reason, still going by MFT despite Solo Sikoa's absence. Presumably, the integration of Haku will stir up some intrigue between the new champions. The triple-threat title tilt was a pretty solid, expected car crash. Mostly, it's just nice to have a real tag team as champion again.
We have NEW WWE Tag Team Champions! 🏆 With Haku by their side, the MFTs have stormed to the Titles! pic.twitter.com/7VUy6VEs1t — WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2026
Out of nowhere! Another Cody Rhodes vs. Sami Zayn match was supposed to happen to close "SmackDown." That came about when Zayn continued to point out Rhodes' backstage privileges. So, should he have won, he'd be next in line for the winner of Punk vs. Owens. Unfortunately for Zayn, Randy Orton still exists.
.@CodyRhodes vs @SamiZayn TONIGHT 🔥 pic.twitter.com/w8cXtmsDQY — WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2026
The match didn't happen, thanks to Orton attacking Rhodes during Zayn's entrance. It was largely a Rhodes beatdown that bled into the crowd, where he would rally until they got near the announce table. Orton aimed to repeat his pre-WrestleMania steps-chair spot, but Rhodes turned the tables (literally) and went for it himself. The producers who came out to halt and break everything up grabbed the chair, and that was that. Their match will seemingly go down at Sunday Night's Main Event.
OH MY GOD 😱 Randy Orton is hearing VOICES IN HIS HEAD! pic.twitter.com/MrKhfn6DuK — WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2026
An absolutely WILD ending to SmackDown! 🤯@CodyRhodes | @RandyOrtonpic.twitter.com/RHdbmxpFWD — WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2026
Admittedly, the whole time that final sequence was going down, I couldn't help but wonder why the hell Aldis didn't get physical with either. The man just returned to in-ring action. How are we supposed to believe he's scared of anyone when in "GM" mode? A nitpick, to say the least. 👑 Uncrowned Gem of the Night 👑 This whole show was a gem, as you'll see by the score. But, obviously, if one single entity deserves the shine, it was Green. She was the main character in this episode of "SmackDown" and hopefully continues to play a major role while injured. More of this, please. I give Friday's "SmackDown" a crown score of: 👑 10/10 👑 WWE SmackDown full-card results and grades:
Women's U.S. Championship: Jacy Jayne def. Tiffany Stratton (c.) — 👑 4.5/5 👑
WWE Tag Team Championship: The MFTs (Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga) def. Damian Priest & R-Truth (c.), The War Raiders (Erik and Ivar) — 👑 3/5 👑
U.S. Championship: Baron Corbin (c.) def. Carmelo Hayes — 👑 3.5/5 👑
Gunther def. Matt Cardona — 👑 2.5/5 👑