WWE SmackDown Recap & Reactions (Aug. 7, 2026): Crowded at the Top

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - AUGUST 7: Kevin Owens and CM Punk in the ring during SmackDown at Xfinity Mobile Arena on August 7, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Brien Adams/WWE via Getty Images) | WWE via Getty Images Once the dust settled from SummerSlam weekend, one of my first reactions was to marvel at how stacked the main event scene is on SmackDown. With Randy Orton and Kevin Owens making their returns last weekend, all of a sudden, the blue brand has a bevy of former World Champions on its roster. Tonight’s show was pretty light on in-ring action (only 3 matches took place), but much of the night was focused on the WWE Champion, CM Punk, and the impressive list of top-tier possible contenders he has right now. Throughout the evening, SmackDown managed to get most of those main event players to interact with each other, either in the ring or through backstage segments. Before taking a look at the rest of the show, here’s a breakdown of those interactions: Part 1: