The May 8 edition of WWE SmackDown opened with a tribute graphic honoring Ted Turner, recognizing the late media mogul with the message “In memory of Ted Turner, 1938-2026.”
Jacob Fatu then kicked off the show in the ring ahead of his World Heavyweight Championship showdown with Roman Reigns at Backlash. Fatu declared that he was not fighting Reigns for the title, but taking it from him. He spoke about growing up in Roman’s shadow and said he was born with doubt while Reigns was born with opportunity.
The Usos interrupted, with Jimmy Uso warning Fatu about the consequences of losing and Jey Uso promising that Reigns would break him down emotionally and physically in front of his family. Fatu fired back by reminding Jey that he has never beaten Reigns and vowed there would be no acknowledgment ceremony for Roman because his family would witness him become champion. He closed the confrontation by warning The Usos not to interfere in the match or he would “burn the whole goddamn family tree down.”
Backstage, Nick Aldis condemned Gunther for his recent actions before Ricky Saints interrupted to boast about his SmackDown debut. Matt Cardona then confronted Saints and told him they would meet in the ring later in the night.
Backstage, Aldis wished Jacob Fatu luck before Fatu encountered Royce Keys, who encouraged him to “werewolf up” and defeat Reigns. Shortly afterward, Solo Sikoa approached Keys and said there was room for him in the family, adding that he needed an answer soon.
A video message from Chelsea Green aired wishing Tiffany Stratton luck in her first title defense.
Tiffany Stratton retained the WWE Women’s United States Championship against Kiana James
Elsewhere, Sami Zayn attended the funeral for The Gingerbread Man, where Aldis insisted everyone simply needed closure. R-Truth arrived carrying a rose and awkwardly attempted to comfort Zayn.
Backstage, Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss addressed their issues with Fatal Influence. Ripley warned that Fatal Influence had targeted the wrong women, while Flair and Ripley nearly argued before Bliss stepped between them and urged the trio to trust one another.
Later, Damian Priest told R-Truth to remain backstage because Talla Tonga, Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga would use him to get to Priest. Priest insisted he could handle the situation himself.
Talla Tonga defeated Damian Priest
After the match, The MFTs attempted to continue the assault until Royce Keys appeared, forcing the group to retreat.
Backstage, Danhausen searched for a tag team partner for Backlash when The Miz and Kit Wilson interrupted. Wilson joked that the only person toxic enough to team with Danhausen was Danhausen himself.
Additional comedic funeral vignettes honoring The Gingerbread Man aired throughout the night.
Nick Aldis later met with Paul Heyman regarding a contract when Gunther interrupted. Aldis reprimanded Gunther once again before Cody Rhodes headed to the ring. Gunther angrily walked away while Heyman followed Rhodes to the ring carrying a contract for a future match between Rhodes and Gunther. Rhodes questioned whether Heyman was now Gunther’s advocate, while Heyman admitted he owed Gunther a favor and revealed the proposed title match would take place at Clash in Italy. Rhodes mocked Heyman by noting that CM Punk, Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar were all gone, leaving him with fewer options. Gunther then attacked Rhodes from behind out of the crowd and briefly locked in a sleeper hold before Rhodes fought him off and dared him to return to the ring.
Backstage, Tama Tonga argued with Solo Sikoa over Royce Keys. While Tama viewed Keys as a problem, Solo insisted he saw him as a solution and a perfect fit for the family. Tama stormed off to handle matters himself.
Ricky Saints defeated Matt Cardona
The Gingerbread Man funeral storyline continued with Sami Zayn confronting a planking Johnny Gargano and later accusing Rey Fenix of participating in what he viewed as a giant joke at his expense.
Backstage, a ladder crashed behind Brie Bella and Paige before Danhausen ran by and stole a strand of Bella’s hair. Another vignette also aired teasing the arrival of Blake Monroe to SmackDown.
Brie Bella and Paige later addressed the women’s tag division in the ring, insisting they were not back for a nostalgia run and remained at the top of their game. Fatal Influence interrupted, with Jacy Jayne claiming the faction was taking over SmackDown and would soon control the women’s tag titles. Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid backed up Jayne’s comments before The Irresistible Forces, consisting of Nia Jax and Lash Legend, interrupted and demanded their own shot at the championships. The confrontation escalated before Ripley entered for the next match and stared down Lash Legend.
Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid) defeated Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss in a six-woman tag match
After the match, Jade Cargill mocked Bliss before Michin and B-Fab attacked Charlotte Flair. Ripley briefly fought them off before Cargill leveled her with a pump kick, while B-Fab delivered a full nelson slam to Bliss.
Backstage, The Usos confronted Royce Keys and warned him to stay in his lane before he caught Roman Reigns’ attention.
Royce Keys defeated Tama Tonga
Danhausen later attempted a bizarre cloning experiment backstage using Brie Bella’s hair and one of his own teeth. The experiment quickly malfunctioned.
After Tama Tonga’s loss, Shinsuke Nakamura approached him backstage and mocked the fact that even his own brother would not help him. Talla Tonga intervened and warned Nakamura to stay away from Tama before Nakamura walked off speaking Japanese.
Nick Aldis later welcomed Trick Williams to the arena and informed him that the remainder of the broadcast was dedicated to The Gingerbread Man’s funeral.
The show closed with Trick Williams presiding over the funeral service in the ring, including a musical eulogy and an AI-generated tribute video. Sami Zayn interrupted the ceremony, calling it a waste of television time and accusing Trick of mocking him. Zayn declared himself a “working class hero” and vowed to embarrass Williams at Backlash before attacking him with a cheap shot.
Moments later, The Gingerbread Man suddenly rose from the casket and unmasked himself as Lil Yachty, who struck Zayn with a candy cane. Trick Williams then laid out Zayn with the Trick Shot to close the show.
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