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.

We then head backstage, where Royce Keys comes face-to-face with Solo Sikoa and MFT once again. Sikoa says all Keys had to do last week is tell him that he didn't need help, but says there's no one better to help than family. MFT then makes their way to the ring, and Shinsuke Nakamura follows. 

Back from the break, Alexa Bliss tries to convince Charlotte Flair that she isn't medically cleared. Flair doesn't buy it, and Bliss reveals that she lied because she wants Rhea Ripley to replace her in tonight's match in order for Ripley and Flair to be able to co-exist tomorrow night at Saturday Night's Main Event.

The bell rings and the two lock up. Talla rocks Nakamura with a headbutt and fires off a boot on him in the corner, then delivers another headbutt to him and fires off stomps on him in the corner.

Talla whips Nakamura into the corner spine first, then connects with a bodyslam on him and levels him with a right hand to his spine. He sends Nakamura crashing into one of the barricades spine first on the outside, then sends him crashing into another barricade midsection first during the commercial break and follows it up with a right hand to Nakamura's midsection.

Talla dumps Nakamura back inside the ring, then lands an over the shoulder powerslam on Nakamura back from the break. Nakamura traps Talla into a Triangle, then transitions into a knee on the back of Talla's next and fires off kicks on Talla's chest.

Nakamura drapes Talla across the top turnbuckle and delivers a knee to his midsection, then sends him crashing into the mat and goes for a pin. Talla kicks out, but Sikoa hops up onto the ring apron as Nakamura sets up for a Kinshasa on Talla. Nakamura levels Sikoa with a knee, opening the door for Talla to deliver a scoop powerslam and the Talla T-Bomb on Namaura for the win.

Winner: Talla Tonga

After the match, MFT beats down Nakamura. Sikoa sets up for the Samoan Spike, but Tama Tonga stops him and lands a Cutthroat on Nakamura instead. He holds Nakamura in place with Talla for Sikoa to land a Samoan Spike on him, but Damoan Priest runs out to the ring with a chair in hand to come to Nakamura's aid.

We then head over to Nick Aldis' office, where the lights flicker as a referee leaves Aldis' office. Cody Rhodes walks in, and Aldis informs him that GUNTHER isn't here to sign the contract for their Undisputed WWE Championship Clash in Italy match. Rhodes tells Aldis he'll make sure GUNTHER signs the contract, but Aldis assures Rhodes that he'll handle it before Sami Zayn walks in and tells Rhodes that he has his back and can help him with anything. Rhodes declines Zayn's help, and Zayn becomes frustrated before knowing what he's doing tonight. Aldis says he may not have a spot for Zayn, but Zayn becomes frustrated and says Aldis would give Rhodes time if he asked. An irate Rhodes comes back into Aldis' office and demands a match against Zayn. 

Back at ringside, Tiffany Stratton makes her way out. 

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