WWE SmackDown Results Oct 2, 2026: Randy Orton Costs Cody Rhodes

Orton yanked Rhodes out of the ring just as he looked set to pin Kevin Owens inside Ball Arena in Denver, allowing Owens to steal the win over Johnny Gargano instead and complete this year's eight-man ladder match field.

That finish capped off a genuinely stacked card built almost entirely around setting the Money in the Bank line-up in stone. Tiffany Stratton punched her own ticket on the women's side earlier in the night, while Sami Zayn found himself surrounded by five separate challengers during a tense championship address that boiled over into violence before the show even reached its main event.

Elsewhere, Blake Monroe made a statement debut, and tag team chaos continued building between Ricky Saints, The War Raiders and the cruiserweight pairing of Rey Fenix and Fraxiom. Here's a full breakdown of how Denver's show unfolded.

Also Read: WWE Smackdown 25/9: CM Punk Vs Gunther And The Money In The Bank

Orton's Interference Costs Rhodes The Final Spot

Rhodes, Owens and Gargano delivered a genuinely frantic main event, trading finishers and near falls across nearly eighteen minutes. Rhodes looked to have things won after countering a pin attempt and following up with a flurry of strikes on Owens, only for Orton to appear from nowhere and drag him out through the ropes entirely.

Rhodes immediately turned his attention toward Orton instead of climbing back into the ring, brawling at ringside and sending his rival crashing into the post. That decision proved costly, since Gargano finished Owens off with a DDT moments later, only for Owens to respond with a Pop-up Powerbomb and secure the pinfall while Orton kept Rhodes occupied outside.

• Kevin Owens defeated Johnny Gargano and Cody Rhodes to complete the Men's Money in the Bank field
• Randy Orton pulled Rhodes from the ring at the critical moment, preventing him from breaking up the winning pinfall
• Owens joins Bron Breakker, Je'Von Evans, Trick Williams, Penta and CM Punk in the ladder match

A Crowded Championship Picture Confronts Sami Zayn

Before that qualifier even began, Zayn faced an uncomfortable reality check during his own ring address. After complaining about disrespect from fans and rivals alike, he found himself interrupted first by Je'Von Evans, then Penta, and finally United States Champion Trick Williams, each man laying out their own case for eventually dethroning him. Williams summed up the mood bluntly, mocking Zayn's reaction by needling that he “would never respect a champion” lacking basic hygiene.

Things escalated further once Finn Balor confronted Zayn on the entrance ramp, only for Gunther to blindside both men with a sleeper hold and matching clotheslines. With five realistic challengers now circling the title, Zayn's path through Money in the Bank season looks considerably rockier than his promo suggested.

Stratton Books Her Return To Money in the Bank

Tiffany Stratton opened the show by outlasting Candice LeRae and Tatum Paxley in a frantic Triple Threat, surviving a Cemetery Drive and a 450 Splash before landing the Prettiest Moonsault Ever on LeRae for the win. That victory sends Stratton into her second career Money in the Bank Ladder Match, joining Sol Ruca, Lola Vice, Roxanne Perez, Lash Legend and Women's United States Champion Jacy Jayne.

• Tiffany Stratton defeated Candice LeRae and Tatum Paxley to complete the Women's Money in the Bank field
• Blake Monroe defeated Giulia in her SmackDown in-ring debut
• Ricky Saints and The War Raiders defeated Rey Fenix, Nathan Frazer and Axiom

Blake Monroe also made a strong first impression, overcoming a vicious Giulia curb stomp before sweeping her legs and sending her face first into the ring post for the win. Meanwhile, Ricky Saints continued building tension within his own six-man tag unit, sneaking in a blind tag to steal victory with a Rochambeau on Fenix after The War Raiders absorbed most of the physical punishment.

Loaded Money in the Bank Field Heads Toward New Orleans

With every qualifying spot now filled, both ladder matches look genuinely unpredictable heading into next month's pay-per-view. Owens' win, aided heavily by Orton's interference, adds yet another complication to an already tense Rhodes-Orton rivalry, while Zayn now has five separate challengers circling his title with briefcase ambitions of their own.

Whatever happens in New Orleans, Friday's show made one thing clear: Orton's grudge against Rhodes is far from finished, and SmackDown's title picture has rarely looked this crowded