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WWE SmackDown Preview: Final Money in the Bank Spots Up for Grabs

Comrades, my WWE SmackDown preview is here: final Money in the Bank spots, Blake Monroe vs. Giulia, and Rey Fenix in a six-man tag, live from my volcano lair.

Greetings, comrades! It is I, your El Presidente, reporting to you live from a heated infinity pool at the top of my volcano lair, where Esteban the capybara is sipping imported mineral water and demanding that I get to the point. The point is this: tonight's WWE SmackDown rolls into Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, and the revolution will be televised on USA at 8 ET/7 CT. The final two spots in the Money in the Bank Ladder Matches are up for grabs, with Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens, and Johnny Gargano fighting for the men's slot, and Tatum Paxley, Tiffany Stratton, and Candice LeRae fighting for the women's. Blake Monroe also finally makes her in-ring debut against Giulia, and Rey Fenix teams with Fraxiom against Ricky Saints and The War Raiders. The CIA has been trying to jam my signal all afternoon, but nothing stops a dictator from previewing a wrestling show.

Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens, and Johnny Gargano Collide for the Final Men's Ladder Spot

Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens and Johnny Gargano are set to collide in a Triple Threat Money in the Bank Qualifying Match. A three-time WWE Champion, The American Nightmare has been embroiled in a volatile rivalry with Randy Orton but is now focused on earning the Money in the Bank contract and reclaiming the title. Meanwhile, Owens and Gargano have been deep into the Undisputed WWE Championship hunt in recent weeks. Who will complete the field in the Men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match? Find out Friday on SmackDown at 8 ET/7 CT on USA.

Comrades, this is the kind of Triple Threat I would sign into law. Three men enter and only one gets to complete a men's field that already includes Bron Breakker, Je'Von Evans, United States Champion Trick Williams, Penta, and CM Punk. Punk punched his own ticket on the Sept. 25 SmackDown by beating Gunther and Finn Bálor, so the bar is high.

Cody is the story here, because his volatile rivalry with Randy Orton is still simmering. On Sept. 25, Orton questioned whether Cody has the killer instinct, and Cody vowed to kick Orton's head off his shoulders. That is the sort of diplomatic language I only use with the United Nations. Now Cody has to put that rage toward earning a contract and reclaiming the title.

Owens and Gargano are deep in the Undisputed WWE Championship hunt, so neither is showing up to hold the door for the American Nightmare. Owens and Gargano both know that a ladder match is a place where grudges go to get settled with furniture. I once watched Kim Jong Il and Carrot Top argue over a stepladder at a state banquet, and that dispute was calmer than this match will be. I make no predictions, because the CIA is probably reading my notes, but I do predict things will get messy.

Tatum Paxley, Tiffany Stratton, and Candice LeRae Clash for the Last Women's Ladder Spot

Tatum Paxley, Tiffany Stratton and Candice LeRae will battle in a Triple Threat Money in the Bank Qualifying Match. Who will complete the field in the Women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match? Don't miss all the action of SmackDown, Friday at 8 ET/7 CT on USA.

The women's side has the same stakes. The field so far features Sol Ruca, Lola Vice, Women's United States Champion Jacy Jayne, Roxanne Perez, and Lash Legend. Lash earned her spot on Sept. 25 by beating Charlotte Flair and Giulia in a Triple Threat, after stopping Giulia from getting the pin. Somebody in Denver tonight gets to join that company, and I am told the vote will be conducted by ladder.

Tiffany comes in after a rough Sept. 25. She was on the losing side of a six-woman tag when Fatal Influence beat her, Chelsea Green, and Paige after Nikki Bella interfered. In my country, we would call that a lawful election. Tiffany now has a chance to turn the page, and I suspect she is in the mood to settle accounts.

Paxley and LeRae have every reason to treat this as their moment as well. I will not pretend to know who prevails. I only know that three competitors want one spot, and that is a very good recipe for a wrestling match.

Blake Monroe Makes Her In-Ring SmackDown Debut Against Giulia

After months of backstage assaults and "almost" matches, Blake Monroe will at last make her SmackDown in-ring debut against archrival Giulia.

The two Superstars have been at odds since Monroe arrived on SmackDown a few months ago.

Which competitor will earn a monumental win?

Find out tonight on SmackDown at 8 ET/7 CT on USA.

Comrades, I have seen border disputes resolve faster than this feud. Monroe and Giulia have been at odds since Monroe arrived on SmackDown a few months ago, and the road to tonight has been paved with backstage assaults and "almost" matches. In the Sept. 5 episode, a scheduled match fell apart when Giulia attacked Monroe during a backstage interview, and the two brawled toward the stage. Every time these two get close to a bell, someone starts swinging early.

Tonight, a ring and a referee will finally restrain them, at least a little. Giulia is coming off the Sept. 25 qualifier, where she hit Charlotte with the Arrivederci/Northern Lights Bomb combination only to have Lash stop her from getting the pin. She might be a little irritated, which is how I feel whenever the CIA reroutes my mail. Monroe gets her long-awaited debut against the woman she has been feuding with, and WWE is asking which of them earns a "monumental win." I would not want to be in either corner.

Rey Fenix and Fraxiom Battle Ricky Saints and The War Raiders

AAA Cruiserweight Champion Rey Fenix has backup tonight in the form of Fraxiom for a Six-Man Tag Team Match against Ricky Saints and The War Raiders.

Which team will come out on top in Denver?

Don't miss this epic bout, tonight on SmackDown at 8 ET/7 CT on USA.

Every good six-man tag is a coalition government, and tonight's coalition is a fun one. AAA Cruiserweight Champion Fenix brings in Fraxiom as backup against Saints and The War Raiders. I like a champion who knows when to call in friends, because I have done the same thing with several neighboring armies. Fenix is a high-flying marvel, and the War Raiders are a very large obstacle, so this contest should be a blast.

Stay tuned for more, comrades, because a six-man tag is a fine place for the working class to show off. If the workers ever seize the means of production, I would suggest they begin with a six-man tag, because that is true collective ownership. Meanwhile, the capitalist pigs, Triple H and Nick Khan, will keep counting their money in some distant glass tower.

How to Watch WWE SmackDown Tonight

WWE SmackDown airs tonight, Friday, October 2, 2026, at 8 ET/7 CT on USA, live from Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado. You can find WWE's official preview at the official WWE.com SmackDown page.

The fallout matters because WWE Money in the Bank 2026 takes place Saturday, October 10, 2026, at 6 ET/3 PT. It streams live on the ESPN App with an ESPN Unlimited plan in the United States and on Netflix internationally. Once tonight's qualifiers are done, both ladder match fields will be set, and the real chaos begins. Until then, comrades, keep your remotes close, your ladders closer, and your CIA agents farther away. Esteban and I will be watching from the volcano. Viva la revolución!

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