WWE announced during the October 2, 2026 episode of SmackDown that CM Punk will return on the October 9 broadcast, which will air from Lafayette, Louisiana as the final SmackDown before Money in the Bank. The same show will also feature a Women’s Tag Team Championship match pitting Fatal Influence against Charlotte Flair and Tatum Paxley, according to Fightful, Ringside News, F4W Online, WrestleView, and POST Wrestling.
Punk’s return follows his qualification for the 2026 Money in the Bank ladder match, which he secured on the September 25, 2026 SmackDown by defeating Gunther and Finn Balor, per F4W Online. On the October 2 SmackDown, Kevin Owens also qualified for the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match.
The Women’s Tag Team Championship match was set up by a backstage segment on the October 2 show involving Tatum Paxley, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss. According to Fightful, Paxley was upset after losing her Women’s Money in the Bank Qualifying match, and Charlotte Flair subsequently informed her of the opportunity against the champions.
With Money in the Bank approaching, the October 9 SmackDown in Lafayette is shaping up as a significant go-home show, combining Punk’s on-screen return with a title match that emerged directly from the fallout of the October 2, 2026 Money in the Bank qualifiers.
