After WWE’s first PLE since WrestleMania, some of its top stars will talk about their night… and maybe surprise us.

This week’s WWE SmackDown results for May 22, 2026, cover the night beforeWWE Saturday Night’s Main Event XLIV! Tomorrow’s event will feature a couple of high-profile championship matches involving WWE’s fastest rising stars in spotlight matches that will provide the WWE Universe a glimpse into the stars that will guide the company into the next

WWE's post-WrestleMania show has become one of the weakest points in its calendar. Is it time to rethink Backlash?

Reigns survived Fatu at WWE Backlash 2026 in Tampa, escaping with his championship intact after a chaotic main event. But the real story came after the bell, when Fatu snapped and launched a vicious post-match assault on Reigns, locking in the Tongan Death Grip as officials struggled to pull him away.

WWE has an annual round of releases in which the company lets go of a majority of its talent who failed to meet expectations. The period came right af.