Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley are the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions after defeating Fatal Influence’s Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid on the October 9, 2026 episode of SmackDown, in a title match that was not supposed to feature Bliss at all.
The bout was originally scheduled to see Paxley team with Charlotte Flair for a shot at the titles, but Flair was attacked backstage by Jade Cargill before the match could happen. With Flair unable to compete, Bliss stepped into her spot alongside Paxley. According to Fightful, the attack happened toward the end of the broadcast window, forcing the late change in plans for the championship bout.
Despite the last-minute swap, Bliss and Paxley got through what multiple outlets described as a hard-fought contest against the champions. Paxley ultimately secured the win and the titles for her team, pinning one of the Fatal Influence members with the Cemetery Drive, according to Diva Dirt.
The victory ends Fatal Influence’s reign at 83 days, with the pairing of Henley and Reid managing only one successful title defense during that stretch, per Diva Dirt’s reporting. The title change also lands just 24 hours before WWE’s Money in the Bank premium live event, giving the new championship picture immediate stakes heading into the pay-per-view, as Ringside News noted.
The circumstances around Flair’s absence remain tied specifically to the backstage attack by Cargill; none of the reporting on the SmackDown segment has detailed the nature of any injury or whether Flair’s status beyond that night has changed. What is confirmed is that Bliss filled in on short notice and left SmackDown as a champion alongside Paxley, while Flair’s spot in the match, and the reason for it, was directly tied to the Cargill assault earlier in the show.
With the title now in new hands entering Money in the Bank, attention will turn to whether Fatal Influence seeks a rematch and whether Flair’s confrontation with Cargill carries forward onto the pay-per-view card. WWE has not announced further plans regarding either storyline beyond what unfolded on the October 9 broadcast.
