Kevin Owens returned to WWE SmackDown on August 7, 2026 in Philadelphia, making his first appearance in months. As the No. 1 contender, Owens confronted Undisputed WWE Champion CM Punk in a face-to-face segment and challenged him to a title match in Toronto, reigniting one of the pair's longest-running rivalries.
The post-SummerSlam episode also featured the return of Alexa Bliss alongside the debuting Tatum Paxley. The duo helped Charlotte Flair defeat Jade Cargill, with Paxley making an immediate impact by wiping out Michin and B-Fab with a top-rope crossbody to ringside. A pre-taped vignette continued teasing Shinsuke Nakamura, who warned Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga that he is back and not alone.
In in-ring action, WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid defeated Interim WWE Women's Champion Chelsea Green and Women's United States Champion Tiffany Stratton, adding to a crowded SmackDown landscape following SummerSlam 2026.