Latest WWE updates, rumors, and results
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WWE SmackDown aired March 20, 2026, live from the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina, featuring WWE Tag Team Champions MFT (Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga) defending their titles against Damian Priest and R-Truth. The show also included a singles match between Jacob Fatu and Drew McIntyre, plus Randy Orton addressing his assault on Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.
An advertised match for WWE SmackDown has been pulled from Friday's March 20 lineup, with WWE shifting focus toward storyline chaos instead of the previously scheduled bout ahead of WrestleMania 42. The show is expected to feature major storyline developments at both the beginning and end of the broadcast, emphasizing drama and unpredictability over standard match structure. Several matches remain on the card, including the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship match featuring Nikki Bella and Brie Bella challenging Nia Jax and Lash Legend, and Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga defending the WWE Tag Team Championships against R-Truth and Damian Priest.
Liv Morgan, who won the 2026 Royal Rumble, claimed that a current Raw star "wouldn't have lasted 12 years in WWE" like she has. Morgan made the statement referencing her own 12-year tenure with the company.
According to a report, at least one advertised match on WWE SmackDown is no longer scheduled to take place.
Tama Tonga responded to reports of receiving a WWE fine for posting rehearsal footage online by posting a neutral-face emoji on social media. According to wrestling media reports, WWE fined Tonga a significant amount of money after he posted behind-the-scenes rehearsal footage, which the company treats as restricted content. Tonga remains scheduled to defend the WWE Tag Team Championships alongside Solo Sikoa on the March 20 episode of SmackDown.
Cody Rhodes will not appear on this week's Friday Night SmackDown in Raleigh, North Carolina, as WWE is keeping him off television to sell the effects of Randy Orton's brutal attack from the previous week's show. According to PWInsider, the decision comes after Orton's heel turn during their contract signing segment on March 13, 2026, where Orton attacked Rhodes, put him through a table, and hit him with steel steps, leaving him bleeding. WWE is using Rhodes' absence to build anticipation for their WrestleMania 42 main event match while reinforcing the impact of Orton's assault.
According to PWInsider, Ilja Dragunov will be revealed as Carmelo Hayes' opponent for the March 20 WWE SmackDown episode. The match was originally announced as a United States Championship Open Challenge, leaving the opponent's identity a mystery until now.
Kevin Nash defended WWE Women's Champion Jade Cargill against fan criticism, stating that people who hate her are "insecure" and that the backlash stems from her confidence, lifestyle, and success outside of wrestling rather than her in-ring abilities. Speaking on the Kliq This podcast, Nash suggested that fans' negative reactions are rooted in how they perceive her overall image and presence, noting that her physical stature at 5'10" is also more imposing than people expect. Nash argued that the criticism says more about the critics themselves than about Cargill's wrestling capabilities.
Candice Michelle revealed that she was moved from SmackDown to Raw because WWE felt her character didn't fit the brand's PG direction following her controversial GoDaddy Super Bowl commercials. Speaking to Chris Van Vliet, she explained that WWE told her she was "too hot for SmackDown" due to the disconnect between her persona and the show's family-friendly presentation.
The Bella Twins discussed their match for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships on "WWE SmackDown" during an episode of the "Nikki & Brie Show." Nikki and Brie Bella talked at length about wrestling for the WWE Women's Tag Titles on that night's SmackDown episode.
WWE NXT drew 588,000 viewers on The CW Network for its March 17, 2026 episode, representing an increase of 47,000 viewers from the previous week's 541,000 viewers. The show earned a 0.07 rating in the key P18-49 demographic, down slightly from the prior week's 0.08 rating.
A WWE star has reportedly been legitimately given a significant fine ahead of SmackDown following a video that was shared last week. The specific details about which wrestler was fined or the nature of the video were not disclosed.