
Title Change On WWE SmackDown
A title change occurred on tonight's March episode of WWE SmackDown at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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A title change occurred on tonight's March episode of WWE SmackDown at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, North Carolina.

WWE has filed trademarks for five new potential ring names: Max Abrams, Gianna Capri, Jacari Ball, Veronica Haven, and Anya Rune. The filings were submitted under WWE's standard entertainment classification, which covers professional wrestling performances and appearances across television and digital platforms. These trademark filings often signal WWE preparing for new character launches, name changes, or developmental debuts, particularly within its WWE NXT system.

Drew McIntyre opened WWE SmackDown by attacking Jacob Fatu outside the arena, smashing a windshield and dragging Fatu from a vehicle before assaulting him with punches and headbutts that left Fatu bleeding. The brawl continued at ringside after McIntyre entered the arena and delivered a promo about deserving a WrestleMania main event spot, with Fatu eventually retaliating and driving both men through the announce table with a splash off the barricade. Security was unable to separate the two wrestlers during the chaotic opening segment.

A major match scheduled for the March 20 episode of WWE SmackDown has been canceled due to a car crash. WWE announced that the previously advertised match will no longer take place on tonight's show.

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.