WWE is working to load up the next two episodes of SmackDown with the go-home build for Money In The Bank, and fallout from the big event.
The final SmackDown before the 17th annual Money In The Bank event will be held next Friday, October 9 at the Cajundome in Lafayette, LA. WWE has confirmed that CM Punk will return on next week’s show, his first blue brand appearance since defeating Gunther and Finn Balor last week in a MITB qualifier.
WWE has also announced that the Women’s Tag Team Championship will be on the line one night before Money In The Bank from New Orleans. SmackDown will see Fatal Influence’s Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid defend the titles against Charlotte Flair and Tatum Paxley.
The October 10 episode will mark just the second title defense for Fatal Influence. Henley and Reid dethroned Paige and Brie Bella of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship at Saturday Night’s Main Event on July 18, and their only title defense came against Chelsea Green and Tiffany Stratton during SmackDown on August 7.
SmackDown on October 16 will be held at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, CA. WWE has announced that longtime associates Paige and Nikki Bella will lock up in singles action that night. This comes after Bella cheated for a quick win over Paige on September 11, then the WWE Hall of Famer was slapped by the former AEW champion on this week’s SmackDown. Nikki also continued to warn Chelsea Green that she is coming for the WWE Women’s Championship.
Paige and Nikki have worked 15 singles matches since 2014, but their upcoming SmackDown bout will be their 10th televised one-on-one contest. Bella currently leads that series at 6-3.
WWE is advertising a six-man dark match for next week’s SmackDown with Seth Rollins, LA Knight, and Solo Sikoa vs. 946’s Royce Keys, Bronco Nima, and Lucien Price. However, the Cajundome has 946 vs. The Usos and Jacob Fatu advertised. The following Superstars are also advertised to appear: CM Punk, Seth Rollins, Cody Rhodes, Gunther, Tiffany Stratton, Jade Cargill, Trick Williams, Sami Zayn, Randy Orton, Chelsea Green, Kevin Owens, Damian Priest, Fatal Influence, and Charlotte Flair.
WWE and the Golden 1 Center have the following Superstars advertised for October 16: CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Jade Cargill, Tiffany Stratton, Gunther, and Trick Williams.
