By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Smackdown (Episode 1,386)
Phoenix, Arizona, at the Mortgage Matchup Center
Simulcast live March 13, 2026, on USA Network and internationally on Netflix
[Hour One] Joe Tessitore spoke while shots aired of the host city… A video package recapped Cody Rhodes beating Drew McIntyre to win the WWE Championship on last week’s show… Allegiant Stadium was shown while Tessitore said WrestleMania 42 was 36 days away. Tessitore spoke while shots aired of Cody Rhodes talking with Jelly Roll, and a separate shot of Randy Orton walking backstage…
Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis was shown reading over the WrestleMania contract. Drew McIntyre called out and said, “Aldis, you can take that contract and shove it up your ass.” McIntyre was shown hopping the barricade before climbing onto the broadcast team.
McIntyre said Aldis couldn’t help himself because he had to make sure that his golden boy Cody got the title match before WrestleMania. McIntyre told Aldis to come out and make things right. McIntyre said he would stay out there all night long.
Aldis walked out and said there was nothing to make right. He said McIntyre lost in a fair contest despite headbutting the referee. McIntyre called Aldis a corporate stooge. “Don’t you dare call me that,” Aldis said. “You know who I am and where I came from.”
Aldis added that he knows why McIntyre did everything he could to prevent Cody from getting a fair shot. “Because the first time he got one, he beat you,” said Aldis. McIntyre jumped off the table and entered the ring, where he went face-to-face with Aldis. McIntyre told Aldis to “make it right or else.”
Jacob Fatu’s entrance music played, and he headed to the ring. Fatu and McIntyre stared one another down while a “Fatu” chant broke out. Fatu told McIntyre that he wouldn’t have been champion were it not for him. Fatu said he fixed the situation last week so that McIntyre is no longer champion.
Fatu said it’s not about Aldis, Cody, or anybody else. He said if McIntyre wants to point fingers and blame people, he’d keep it 100 with him. “I’m the one who screwed your ass,” Fatu said. He asked McIntyre what he was going to do about it.
“You want to know what I’m going to do about it?” McIntyre asked. ‘You, Nick, Cody, these people, I’m done with you all.” McIntyre approached Aldis and said, “I quit.” McIntyre dropped the mic, exited the ring, and hopped the barricade. McIntyre was shown walking past production row…
Tessitore and color commentator Wade Barrett spoke at their broadcast table. Tessitore continued to talk while a shot aired of Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss in a backstage area with R-Truth. There was also a shot of WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Lash Legend and Nia Jax, followed by a shot of The Miz…
Backstage, Solo Sikoa spoke with Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Talla Tonga, and JC Mateo. Solo said he needed Tama to guard the lantern they stole from the Wyatt Sicks with his life. Solo told the crew that it was time to go to work. Tama took a step toward following, but he stayed behind.
Shinsuke Nakamura showed up. Tama asked him why he was there. Nakamura spoke in Japanese. Solo returned and told Nakamura to stay away from his family before he gets hurt. Wyatt Sicks imagery flashed on the screen…
The Wyatt Sicks made their entrance… [C]
Powell’s POV: McIntyre fuming over losing the WWE Championship last week was a good way to open the show. I don’t think anyone is taking his threat to quit seriously, but we’ll see if it leads to anything more than a sneak attack on Fatu. On a side note, WrestleTix listed the venue as being set up for 9,780 with 10,469 tickets distributed. The listed capacity is 18,422.
Backstage, Aldis and Fatu spoke about McIntyre quitting. Fatu was cut off from saying that he was about to whoop McIntyre’s ass. Trick Williams interrupted and said he does the whooping around here. Fatu yelled at Trick until Aldis told him to chill out. Fatu told Aldis to remember what happened the last time he told him that. Fatu said he wouldn’t be disrespected anymore and then walked away.
Trick asked Aldis if he was going to let Fatu talk to him like that. Trick said what Orton did to him last week was disrespectful. Trick told Aldis to do his job. Aldis said Orton was busy with the contract signing, so he’d give Trick what he wanted. Aldis booked Trick in a match with Fatu. Trick wasn’t happy about it…
The MFTs made their entrance…
1. WWE Tag Team Champions Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga (w/Tonga Loa, Talla Tonga, JC Mateo) vs. Uncle Howdy and Erick Rowan (w/Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, and Nikki Cross) in a non-title match. The champions were in offensive control before an early picture-in-picture break. [C]