WWE SmackDown’s June 26, 2026, episode at London’s O2 Arena faced internal backlash after a pre-taped broadcast allegedly leaked online, sparking “internal unhappiness” within the company, according to PWInsider. The show, a go-home edition for the upcoming Night of Champions event, featured high-stakes drama between WWE champion Cody Rhodes, challenger Sami Zayn, and The Ring General Gunther, while also setting up the King of the Ring finals.
Zayn’s Apology and Rhodes’ Retort
Sami Zayn’s in-ring promo on the June 26 SmackDown episode took a dramatic turn when he addressed Cody Rhodes, claiming, “At the end of the day, I am a good guy. I am the last real good guy around here, Cody, so I should have been better.” Zayn admitted regret over his actions at Night of Champions, including fast-counting Gunther’s shoulders and attacking Rhodes, adding, “I need you to know: this is not how I wanted it.
Rhodes dismissed Zayn’s claims as “nonsense,” calling him “exhausting” and contrasting Zayn’s tactics with Kevin Owens’ “face-to-face” approach. “You keep Kevin Owens’ name out of your mouth!” Zayn retorted, vowing to “take the WWE Championship away from you” at Night of Champions. Gunther, meanwhile, shifted focus to his own title ambitions, declaring, “I don’t care about the intentions of either man, only winning the WWE title.
The King of the Ring Showdown
The episode also set up the King of the Ring tournament final between Jey Uso and Oba Femi, with both superstars targeting the undisputed WWE title. Uso interrupted Rhodes and Zayn’s confrontation, declaring, “Saturday night, I punch my ticket to SummerSlam and become King of the Ring.” His entrance escalated into a brawl, during which he superkicked Rhodes before being clotheslined by Gunther. Zayn briefly held the WWE title before being taken down by Cross Rhodes.
Femi and Rhodes later faced off in a rematch of their December 2025 Saturday Night’s Main Event clash, which ended in a disqualification. This segment, described as a “pre-taped, go-home show main event,” aimed to “plant seeds for SummerSlam” while disrupting the “familiar pattern” of the undisputed title storyline.
Leak Fallout and Broadcast Logistics
The June 26 SmackDown episode, taped at the O2 Arena, was the final show before WWE’s move to Riyadh for Night of Champions. However, the pre-taped broadcast reportedly surfaced online, prompting “internal unhappiness” among staff, per PWInsider. The leak occurred despite WWE’s usual precautions, with the company yet to confirm the source.
WWE’s scheduling adjustments also drew attention. The show was taped after Monday Night Raw, which aired in Atlantic City on July 3, 2026, to avoid conflicting with Independence Day. SmackDown was broadcast live on USA Network at 8 p.m. EST, with a Peacock stream available the following day.
Impact on Night of Champions Storylines
The June 26 episode emphasized the triple threat title match at Night of Champions, where Rhodes will face Gunther and Zayn. The segment also highlighted the King of the Ring finalists’ ambitions, with Femi and Uso positioning themselves as future title contenders. As CBS Sports noted, the show “accomplished several things: breaking the familiar pattern in the current undisputed title scene, promoting two matches and planting seeds for SummerSlam.
WWE’s decision to pre-tape the event underscored the high stakes of the Night of Champions card, which includes three title matches and a Steel Cage match between Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker. The leak, however, has raised questions about the company’s security measures ahead of its global expansion.
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