Friday Night SmackDown was packed with action and pivotal moments as the road to WWE Money in the Bank officially began. Coming off the high of Backlash, WWE has wasted no time pivoting to its next major event set for June 7 at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles. The episode wrapped up with an electrifying Women’s Championship match and also launched the eagerly awaited Money in the Bank qualifying matches.
In the main event, Tiffany Stratton faced off against the formidable former champion Nia Jax to defend her WWE Women’s Championship. The match took a wild turn when Naomi charged into the ring, wielding a steel chair, only to be intercepted by her rival Jade Cargill. Seizing the moment amidst the chaos, Stratton executed a dropkick that sent the chair crashing into Jax’s face, followed by her signature Prettiest Moonsault Ever to secure the victory.
The first women’s Money in the Bank qualifier featured a thrilling triple threat between Alexa Bliss, Chelsea Green, and Michin. After Green attempted to sneak in a win, Bliss countered with a devastating Sister Abigail DDT on Green, clinching her place in the ladder match.
In the men’s qualifier, Rey Fenix, Jimmy Uso, and Solo Sikoa went head-to-head. With some assistance from his new ally, JC Mateo (formerly known as Jeff Cobb), Sikoa delivered a powerful Samoan Spike to pin Fenix and secure his spot in the high-stakes match.
The night also featured LA Knight going toe-to-toe with JC Mateo, Fraxiom pulling off an upset against DIY, and R-Truth setting his sights on John Cena. With Tiffany Stratton successfully defending her title and MITB spots filling up quickly, the stakes are only rising from here.