WWE SmackDown aired its final episode before Clash in Italy on May 29, 2026, from Barcelona, Spain, featuring high-stakes confrontations and match-ups ahead of the May 31 event. The show highlighted tensions between top stars, including Jade Cargill’s clash with Rhea Ripley and Cody Rhodes’ face-to-face with Gunther, while also setting up Axiom’s potential breakout as the “best technical wrestler” in WWE. Wrestleview.com reported the crowd’s visceral reactions to Cargill’s dominance, while Cageside Seats emphasized the significance of Axiom’s singles match against The Miz.
Confrontation and Chemistry: Cargill, Ripley, and the Baddies
Jade Cargill and her allies, B-Fab and Michin, opened the show with a fiery promo, drawing boos from the Barcelona crowd. Cargill, who has dominated recent storylines, claimed she “doesn’t need to ask permission” to assert her dominance, a statement met with chants of “shut the f–k up.” Rhea Ripley interrupted, confronting Cargill and declaring she would “beat her again this Sunday” at Clash in Italy. Wrestleview.com noted Ripley’s confidence, citing her WrestleMania victory over Cargill as a key reference. The exchange escalated when Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss joined the ring, with Flair criticizing Cargill’s “ego” and Bliss warning her against underestimating the “future” of the women’s division.
Cargill’s dominance was further underscored by her victory over Alexa Bliss in a singles match, where she secured the win with a Jaded pinfall. The Times of India highlighted the match’s intensity, noting Bliss’s attempts to counter Cargill’s aggression with the Twisted Bliss. The confrontation set the stage for their Clash in Italy showdown, with Cargill’s allies and Ripley’s supporters poised for a dramatic clash.
Axiom’s Technical Showcase: A Hypothetical Breakout
The show’s most intriguing match was Axiom’s singles bout against The Miz, a matchup that Cageside Seats framed as a “low card” contest. However, the segment gained significance when Gunther, the Undisputed WWE Champion, praised Axiom as “by far the best technical wrestler” in WWE, despite his tag team role. This claim, reported by Cageside Seats, positioned Axiom as a potential underdog in the men’s division, with his technical prowess set to be tested against Miz’s experience.
The match itself, F4W/WON reported, saw Axiom capitalize on the lights-out chaos to secure a pinfall with the Golden Ratio. While the outcome was decisive, the match’s extended runtime and Axiom’s in-ring precision fueled speculation about his potential as a main-event star. “This is Axiom’s first chance to show off his top-notch wrestling skills in a singles bout on SmackDown since January,” Cageside Seats noted, suggesting WWE may be grooming him for a larger role.
Rhodes vs. Gunther: A War of Words and Legacy
The final segment of the show featured Cody Rhodes and Gunther’s face-to-face, a heated exchange that underscored the stakes of their Clash in Italy title match. Rhodes, fresh off his victory over Gunther at WrestleMania, reiterated his dominance, while Gunther, the current Undisputed WWE Champion, countered with his trademark arrogance. WWE’s official site emphasized the segment’s focus on their rivalry, though no official match was announced beyond the existing storyline. <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/wwe/top