Balor Wins Wild 4-Way, SummerSlam Card Shapes Up!

WWE SmackDown, airing on July 24, 2026, from Oakland Arena in Oakland, California, delivered a pivotal episode with several key matches and storyline developments for the upcoming SummerSlam event.

General Manager Nick Aldis signed a contract to face Gunther at SummerSlam, agreeing to relinquish his GM duties until after the event. This intense segment concluded with Gunther putting Aldis through a table.

Nikki Bella made a surprise return to WWE programming. Following a singles match involving Brie Bella, Nikki's appearance led to the formation of a six-woman tag team match for SummerSlam, reigniting the Bella Twins' presence.

The show also featured qualifying matches for a women's interim championship ladder match. Jade Cargill, Tiffany Stratton, Green, and Flair are set to compete, with one spot remaining.

A compelling in-ring promo between Cody Rhodes and CM Punk saw both stars exchange words, building anticipation for their SummerSlam encounter. Punk vowed to break Rhodes' heart in their championship match.

In the main event, Finn Balor triumphed in a chaotic four-way match against Royce Keys, Damian Priest, and Trick Williams. This victory earned Balor a match against Sami Zayn at SummerSlam to determine the number one contender for the WWE title. The post-show saw Baron Corbin attack Trick Williams, earning Corbin a title match at SummerSlam.