Across a restart, we got Cody Rhode retaining, Gunther angrier than ever, and now an official PLE Triple Threat.

This is Wrestling Inc.'s live coverage for "WWE SmackDown" on June 19, 2026, with the Undisputed WWE & WWE Tag Team Championships both on the line!

“WWE Friday Night SmackDown” is airing the 25th episode of its 28th season on Friday at 8 p.m. You can watch live as it premieres on the USA Network on Sling TV or DIRECTV (free trial). This week, the episode will be part of the lead up to “Night of Champions” in Saudi Arabia on June 27.

Cincinnati’s Heritage Bank Center was originally scheduled to host SmackDown on that date, but the arena has removed its listing for the show and Ticketmaster says the event has been canceled by the organizer. A new location for the episode has yet to be announced.

Shawn Michaels was a known presence across WWE TV, but once revealed why he never showed up on SmackDown. During an interview with WWE while promoting the 2017 Christian comedy film The Resurrection of Gavin Stone,

So, what happened to Pretty Deadly? On SmackDown, Kit Wilson showed up all by himself. No Elton Prince, just Kit. And didn’t even explain why he was alone. Rumors have been swirling for weeks that Elton Prince might be sidelined with an injury,

WWE has been dealing with an awkward power dynamic for quite some time, as fans have noticed just how stacked the main roster talent pool is on Raw compared to SmackDown. However, it appears the blue brand is set to welcome a major star in the coming weeks who can help balance the scales: CM Punk.