SmackDown's London Leak Disaster

The O2 Taping Goes Horribly Wrong

Grab a beer, throw some wings on the tab, and let's talk about the absolute clown show that went down in London. WWE thought they were being slick by pre-taping Friday Night SmackDown at the O2 Arena last Tuesday, June 23, 2026, to save their roster the jet lag before heading to Riyadh. Instead, the internet did what the internet does, and the entire show leaked online.

We are talking full match results, backstage segments, and even the English commentary tracks floating around on Twitter and Reddit before the USA Network could even run its first commercial. Triple H and the Stamford office are reportedly throwing chairs backstage because this leak killed the element of surprise for what was supposed to be a major go-home show. WWE has been running these international shows like clockwork, but letting a vital broadcast leak days in advance is a massive black eye, as reported in PWInsider's live coverage.

It makes the company look like a local indie promotion forgetting to lock the back door. You can't hype a premium live event when every teenager with a TikTok account already knows the finish to the main event brawl.

Let's be honest, tape-delayed shows in 2026 are already a tough sell. When you add a full-broadcast leak to the mix, you get a crowd that is half-asleep because they already read the spoilers.

The O2 Arena is usually one of the loudest venues in the world, but the energy on the screen felt flat. Fans were sitting on their hands during some of the mid-card matches, knowing exactly who was going over. It's a prime example of why WWE needs to figure out a better way to handle these international tours.

The Bloodline Implosion and a Teased Reunion

The Tongans Walk Out on Solo Sikoa

The biggest news of the night wasn't the wrestling, but the complete collapse of Solo Sikoa's crew. Backstage, Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga cornered Sikoa and told him they were officially done with the MFT faction. The Tongans were furious about Sikoa costing them the WWE Tag Team Championship last week in their match against Damian Priest and R-Truth.

They also called him out for his obsession with Roman Reigns, which led to Sikoa interfering in Jimmy Uso's match against LA Knight on Raw instead of helping his own team. Tama Tonga dropped the ultimate hammer, telling Sikoa that they had heard from the elders and decided to walk. Sikoa, left standing alone and looking like a kid who just lost his lunch money, screamed that nobody leaves him.

The MFT faction is officially dead, and Sikoa is now a general without an army. He tried to salvage things later by offering a partnership to LA Knight to take down the main Bloodline faction. Knight, who has more than two brain cells, laughed in Sikoa's face and told him he wasn't interested in being a pawn in a family feud.

A Bullet Club Teaser Backstage

But the internet really lost its mind when Finn Balor was spotted backstage chatting with Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga. Since all three men have history in the legendary New Japan faction, the rumor mill immediately went into overdrive. While there was no actual faction reunion on the broadcast, just seeing them in the same frame got fans buzzing.

It was a clever tease that adds some intrigue to a night that was otherwise ruined by spoilers. You can read the full play-by-play breakdown on PWInsider's SmackDown report.

Cruiserweight Classics and the Women's War

Fenix Retains and Giulia Gets Blindsided

On the actual wrestling front, we got a stellar defense of the AAA World Cruiserweight Championship. Rey Fenix and Nathan Frazer tore the house down in a match that went 12 minutes of pure, high-flying adrenaline. Fenix hit a rolling cutter on the apron followed by a springboard Spanish fly to secure the pinfall victory.

This was, dare I say, a cruiserweight masterpiece. It was a refreshing break from the usual WWE style, focusing on fast-paced work and creative counters.

Meanwhile, the women's division had a very busy night. Giulia defeated Kiana James in a solid match, but the real story happened after the bell. Blake Monroe, formerly known as Mariah May in AEW, made her surprise debut by blindsiding Giulia.

Monroe laid her out with a running knee strike and stood tall over the former Stardom standout. It's a huge pickup for the blue brand, and this feud is already looking like a must-watch program.

Jade Cargill and Chelsea Green Trade Blows

We also saw Jade Cargill dominate Chelsea Green in a singles match that was more about storyline than in-ring work. Cargill got the win quickly, but she wasn't done for the night. She later interfered in the tag team match where Michin and B-Fab defeated Alexa Bliss and Tiffany Stratton.

Cargill's interference cost Bliss and Stratton the match, but Chelsea Green got her revenge. Green ran out with a kendo stick, swinging like a madwoman to clear the ring and save her allies.

Over in the men's tag division, Danhausen and Matt Cardona teamed up to defeat Los Garza. The match itself was a bit of a mess, ending with interference from The Miz and Kit Wilson. Cardona hit a Radio Silence on Angel to secure the win, but the booking felt a bit chaotic.

Paige also picked up a win over Jacy Jayne in a short match that didn't do much for either competitor. The show also featured a brief, forgettable segment with United States Champion Ricky Saints, Trick Williams, and Lil Yachty. It was standard pre-show hype that didn't add anything of value to the card.

The Chaos at the Top

Five-Man Brawl Ends the Show

The final segment of the night was the big face-to-face meeting between the three men in tonight's Undisputed WWE Championship match. Cody Rhodes, Gunther, and Sami Zayn stood in the ring to trade verbal barbs before their triple-threat clash. Rhodes took the mic and questioned Zayn's recent tactics and his friendship with Kevin Owens.

Gunther, as usual, stood like a stone wall, mocking both of his opponents for their emotional drama. The tension was building nicely, but then the segment went off the rails in the best way possible.

Jey Uso and Oba Femi, who are set to clash in the King of the Ring tournament final tonight, decided they couldn't wait. Both men stormed the ring, and the verbal confrontation quickly turned into a five-man physical brawl.

Uso and Femi traded massive right hands, while Rhodes, Gunther, and Zayn started tearing into each other. The show ended with referees and security guards running down to separate the chaotic pile of bodies.

It was a wild ending to a show that had been heavily compromised by the London leaks. While the backstage drama and the brawling built some solid hype for tonight's premium live event, the booking still felt a bit rushed.

Having two separate storylines converge into a single brawl is a classic WWE lazy booking trope. Still, with the talent involved, tonight's matches in Riyadh should be spectacular. We'll see who walks out with the gold and who leaves the arena in a stretcher.