WWE SmackDown to air live from Corpus Christi on September 18 with Money in the Bank qualifiers and Cody Rhodes return
WWE SmackDown will be broadcast live on September 18, 2026, from the Hilliard Center in Corpus Christi, Texas, and the show will continue Money in the Bank qualifying matches on the Blue brand. The episode is set to feature the return of Cody Rhodes and is expected to address last week’s title change when Sami Zayn defeated CM Punk to regain the Undisputed title.
After losing to Randy Orton at SNME in his hometown of Atlanta on Sunday, Cody Rhodes was absent from last week’s SmackDown in Mexico City. Rhodes is now confirmed to return on this Friday’s show, with Michael Cole scheduled to conduct a sit-down interview with him. That segment will mark his first appearance on WWE TV since the loss and, according to the announcement, will set the tone for how the feud will continue.
WWE began qualifying matches for the men’s and women’s Money in the Bank on Raw, and the Blue brand will carry on that process on Friday’s SmackDown. The preview notes that two spots in both the men’s and women’s matches have already been filled by qualifiers during recent Raw editions. WWE has not yet announced the participants for the qualifying matches set to take place on SmackDown.
Bron Breakker and Je’Von Evans have qualified for the men’s Money in the Bank match, while Sol Ruca and Lola Vice have secured the first two spots in the women’s Money in the Bank match. The third spot in each match remains open, with at least one of those spots described as up for grabs on this Friday’s show. Promoters have not released a list of competitors who will compete for the remaining spots.
The show is also anticipated to address the shocking title change last week when Sami Zayn defeated CM Punk to regain the Undisputed title. That development is listed among the topics expected to be covered during the Corpus Christi broadcast. Separately, Money in the Bank 2026 is set for October 10, 2026, at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
The immediate stakes for this Friday’s SmackDown are the remaining Money in the Bank qualifying positions and Rhodes’ first televised remarks since SNME; the third qualifying spot will be decided on this show ahead of Money in the Bank on October 10, 2026. For more updates, follow Khel Now Wrestling on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Telegram & Whatsapp.