WWE SmackDown Results 5/22 - Women's US Title Open Challenge, Rhea Ripley Appears

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s live coverage for "WWE SmackDown" on May 22, 2026, coming to you live from the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky!

Women's Champion Rhea Ripley will be making an appearance in the opening moments of tonight's show with something on her mind to share. With Ripley set to join forces with Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss to take on Cargill and her allies Michin and B-Fab at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event tomorrow night, Cargill called out Ripley during last Friday's edition of "SmackDown" and challenged her to define her title against her at WWE Clash in Italy on May 31.

Carmelo Hayes, Ilja Dragunov, and Sami Zayn brought back the US Open Challenge back during their recent respective reigns as United States Champions, and now Women's United States Champion Tiffany Stratton looks to do the same as she has issued an Open Challenge for her title to anyone who wishes to answer the call. Not only will this mark Stratton's second ever defense since dethroning Giulia on the April 24 episode of "SmackDown", but she also most recently defended her title against Kiana James on the May 8 episode of "SmackDown".

Speaking of Hayes, he will be making an appearance of his own on tonight's show with intentions to address United States Champion Trick Williams and Williams' close ally Lil Yachty. Hayes emerged victorious against Ricky Saints last Friday, rolling him up with his feet on the ropes in the closing moments of the match just moments after Saints had been caught doing the same thing.

As he prepares to challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Clash in Italy, GUNTHER will be making an appearance on tonight's show with something on his mind to share. GUNTHER emerged victorious against Royce Keys in a Number One Contenders Match last Friday to secure a shot at Rhodes' title at the May 31 Premium Live Event, but Rhodes left GUNTHER laid out in the ring moments after the match.

Additionally, Shinsuke Nakamura will be going head-to-head with MFT's Talla Tonga after Talla sent Nakamura crashing through a table backstage last Friday.

We are live! Wade Barrett and Corey Graves greet audiences at home before throwing it to a video of what went down between GUNTHER and Cody Rhodes last Friday.

Rhea Ripley then makes her way to the ring.

Ripley welcomes fans to Friday Night Mami and says she had one week off but someone really missed her: Jade Cargill. She says Cargill, Michin, and B-Fab tried sending her a message, but all they really did was make her mad and says she's itching for a fight. She tells Cargill that she'll happily beat her again to retain the Women's Championship at Clash in Italy.

Charlotte Flair's music hits and she makes her way to the ring along with Alexa Bliss. Flair says she appreciates Ripley wanting to define the Women's Championship, but she needs to remember their Six Woman Tag Team Match at Saturday Night's Main Event tomorrow night. She questions where Ripley was last Friday, and Ripley explains she wanted to go home and see her family.

Flair reiterates that herself and Bliss needed Ripley's help last Friday and says they have their own battles to fight. Ripley reminds Flair that she said herself and Bliss would be fine, then points out that Bliss took most of the ambush last Friday. Flair says Ripley is trying to drive a wedge between Bliss and herself, but Fatal Influence's music hits and Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley, and Lainey Reid make their way out.

Jayne says there's nothing she likes watching more than the "SmackDown" women's division implode, which started when Fatal influence arrived and says Fatal Influence has ascended to the top while everyone else is at each other's throats. She says Fatal Influence takes every opportunity that they see, prompting Flair to challenge any two members of Fatal Influence to face herself and Bliss tonight. Jayne accepts.

Hard refresh this page for updates — ctrl + F5 on Windows; Cmnd + shift + R on Mac