WWE SmackDown preview: Rhodes-Orton face‑off, R-Truth vs Damian Priest and Nikki Bella vs Paige in Sacramento

WWE Friday Night SmackDown returns on October 16 in Sacramento, California, with fallout from Money in the Bank 2026 and a billed face‑to‑face segment between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton. The episode, airing from the Golden 1 Center, also lists R-Truth vs Damian Priest and Nikki Bella vs Paige among its announced items.

The October 16 show follows the Money in the Bank weekend, where Penta won the men’s ladder match and Tiffany Stratton won the women’s ladder match to earn future title contracts, and comes after Liv Morgan recently captured the Women’s World Championship. WWE’s attention is now on Crown Jewel, scheduled for November 7 in Riyadh, and this SmackDown is positioned as a stop on the way toward that event.

One of the main attractions will be the Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton segment after Rhodes demanded SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis arrange a face‑to‑face meeting. Rhodes delivered a heated promo on the October 9 episode, insisting he wanted to confront Orton directly, and Aldis confirmed the meeting for the following week; WWE has not announced a match between the two for October 16.

Nikki Bella and Paige are set to renew their rivalry in a rematch after Bella defeated Paige on September 11. The build included an October 2 encounter in which Bella made her championship ambitions clear and Paige subsequently challenged Bella to another match to settle their differences.

R-Truth will meet Damian Priest in a singles match that stems from Priest turning on Truth during WWE’s September visit to Mexico City, when Priest accused his former partner of holding him back. The rivalry intensified on the October 9 episode with backstage actions and continued hostility from Priest, setting up their Sacramento encounter.

The advertised SmackDown card also includes names such as Tiffany Stratton, Jade Cargill, CM Punk, Gunther, and Trick Williams. The preview notes Tiffany Stratton can appear after recently becoming Ms. Money in the Bank, that Jade Cargill’s recent involvement in events tied to Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley’s Women’s Tag Team Championship win may lead to storyline developments, and that it is unclear which of the listed performers WWE has immediate plans for.

SmackDown will air live from the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, and, as per updates on October 14, Crown Jewel 2026 is scheduled to take place in Riyadh on November 7.