Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown served as the final major stop before Crown Jewel 2026, highlighted by a heavily anticipated showdown between CM Punk and Kevin Owens.
Punk and Owens Deliver
The broadcast centered largely around the heavily hyped clash between CM Punk and Kevin Owens, which ultimately delivered a fantastic and physically violent encounter. Both competitors punished each other extensively, trading signature finishers until one man reached his physical limit.
That man proved to be CM Punk, as his ongoing storyline continues to follow a former champion desperate to return to the top while constantly derailed by Owens and other figures from his history. Meanwhile, Kevin Owens finds himself suddenly in the world title picture, and with his close friend currently holding the championship, a renewed rivalry appears imminent.
Women’s War Games Tease
With Survivor Series: War Games approaching, initial expectations pointed toward a match involving The Judgment Day’s Roxanne Perez, Raquel Rodriguez, and Liv Morgan squaring off against Iyo Sky, Chelsea Green, and Tiffany Stratton due to their recent television interactions.
Instead, television developments indicate a different lineup featuring a combination of Jade Cargill, Michin, B-Fab, and Fatal Influence colliding with Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Tatum Paxley, and Bayley. While the roster has been closely intertwined, the direction feels somewhat inconsequential.
What Crown Jewel Hype?
Aside from a few generic video packages, the broadcast offered very little substantive hype for the upcoming Premium Live Event. Storylines failed to advance, and no fresh developments were introduced for the wider card.
Most matches scheduled for the event received only fleeting mentions or were ignored entirely as the Punk versus Owens rivalry dominated the spotlight. On that specific promotional front, the show fell short.
