WWE SmackDown May 8, 2026 Preview: Backlash Go-Home Show

WWE Friday Night SmackDown live returns to Jacksonville, Florida this week, on May 8, 2026. The show will air on Netflix from the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena and will serve as the go-home show for Backlash, promising one last big night of story beats, promos, and potential surprises before the pay-per-view.

Here’s the full lineup, my quick predictions, and the latest episode of our podcast.

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SmackDown May 8, 2026 Lineup

• Six Woman Tag Team Match: Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid)

•  WWE Women's United States Championship: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Kiana James (w/ Giulia)

Also announced: Cody Rhodes, Rhea Ripley, The Bella’s, Sami Zayn, Paige, Randy Orton, Drew McIntyre, Jade Cargill, Jacob Fatu and Charlotte Flair!

OH. MY. GOD. 😱

Mason Rook has ARRIVED in NXT!! pic.twitter.com/GLex4us7KR

— WWE (@WWE) May 6, 2026

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SmackDown Predictions

• Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley defeats Fatal Influence. Post-Match Alexa turns on Charlotte Flair and Rhea, transforming into a villainous creature gimmick.

• WWE Women's United States Championship: Tiffany Stratton defeats Kiana James

• Danhausen announces his tag team partner for WWE Backlash in "Main Event" Jey Uso and then he superkicks The Miz and Kit Wilson.

• Trick Williams and Sami Zayn sign their championship contract inside the contract signing table during their WWE US Title Contract Signing.

• Carmelo Hayes defeats Drew McIntyre

• Cody Rhodes does a segment and then Johnny Gargano jumps Cody Rhodes with a One Final Beat DDT.

• Main Event: Ricky Saints defeats Shinsuke Nakamura

• WWE SmackDown is one of WWE's flagship weekly programs, showcasing the biggest Superstars on the SmackDown brand in explosive matches, heated rivalries, intense promos, and major storyline advancements that shape the future of WWE.

• It airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. ET on the USA Network (in the US), with episodes also available on demand shortly after the live broadcast on Peacock (in the US) and on WWE Network or Netflix internationally (depending on the region).

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