WWE SmackDown Results 7/31 - Damian Priest & R-Truth Defend WWE Tag Team Championship

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s live coverage for "WWE SmackDown" on July 31, 2026, coming to you live from the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin!

Damian Priest and R-Truth will be putting their WWE Tag Team Championship on the line for the first time on television since retaining against Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga on the June 19 episode of "SmackDown" as they defend against reigning AAA World Tag Team Champions and War Raiders tag team partners Ivar and Erik. This will mark The War Raiders' first match on "SmackDown" since picking up a win against Nathan Frazer and Axio on the July 17 edition of the show.

The final entrant in the Interim Women's Championship Five-Way Ladder Match at WWE SummerSlam Sunday will be revealed tonight, as former Women's Tag Team Champion Lash Legend squares off against former Women's United States Champion Giulia in a qualifier. As of writing, Women's United States Champion Tiffany Stratton, Chelsea Green, Charlotte Flair, and Jade Cargill have all won qualifiers of their own to earn their place in the Interim Women's Championship Five-Way Ladder Match.

Additionally, Undisputed CM Punk and Cody Rhodes will be meeting with one another ahead of their title match at SummerSlam Saturday tomorrow night. United States Champion Trick Williams will also be making an appearance of his own with a message for his SummerSlam Sunday opponent Baron Corbin ahead of their title match.

We are live! Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore greet audiences at home as Finn Balor makes his way to the ring.

Balor says with SummerSlam coming up, he can't help but think about his first SummerSlam in 2016. He says he went from the high of becoming the first ever Universal Champion to the low of having to relinquish it 24 hours later due to injury. He says he's been clawing to get back to the glory of that night, but before he can continue, Sami Zayn's music cuts him off and he makes his way out.

Zayn says he understands this is an emotional time for Balor, but he has stuff to get off his chest. He begins to vent once more about how he feels that the Undisputed WWE Championship SummerSlam match should be a Triple Threat with him. He says he would love to see Cody Rhodes dethrone CM Punk because he already beat Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship, then says he knows for a fact he could do it again. He says there's a big part of him who also wants Punk to retain his title because he's ascended to the high rank of "corporate poster boy #2". He says he has lots of respect for Balor, but Balor tells Zayn to come into the ring and say whatever it is he wants to his face.

Zayn makes his way down the entrance ramp and gets inside the ring. He says he has a lot of respect for Balor and says anyone who's watched Balor over the last 10 years knows how great he is. He says Balor should've probably been a WWE Champion anywhere from 2 to 5 times, then says there needs to be justice for him. Balor asks where his justice is, but Zayn says Balor might want to take the hint after 10 years. Balor responds by saying Zayn held the Undisputed WWE Championship for nine days not because of an injury, but because he lost it.

Zayn says he's the last real good guy in WWE and says he's going to walk away. He says he'll see Balor at SummerSlam, but GUNTHER blindsides both men from behind and levels Zayn with a clothesline. GUNTHER calls Zayn and Balor a joke, then says he's the rightful Number One Contender for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Adam Pearce appears, and GUNTHER asks him what he has to do to get what's rightfully is. He asks Pearce if he has to beat him too, but Balor blindsides GUNTHER from behind. Zayn pulls Balor off GUNTHER to fire off right hands on him before Zayn and Balor brawl. GUNTHER levels them both with clotheslines and sends them into the metal barricades, but Nick Aldis appears to dump GUNTHER in the ring. Security runs out to separate Aldis and GUNTHER.

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