WWE SmackDown 3/6 Results: Cody Rhodes wins Undisputed Title, No. 1 contenders for tag team titles set

March 6, 2026 Jason Ounpraseuth NEWS, Show Reports
Photo Courtesy: WWE

Moda Center — Portland, Ore.

Results

  • United States Championship: El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. vs. Carmelo Hayes in 10:28
  • Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss def. Giulia & Kiana James in 9:55
  • Damian Priest & R-Truth def. Los Garza, The Wyatt Sicks, Fraxiom & Motor City Machine Guns in 25:40
  • Oba Femi def. Johnny Gargano in 1:03
  • Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes def. Drew McIntyre in 20:07

RKO back up top

Randy Orton opened the show, saying that after winning the men’s Elimination Chamber match, he thought about the 20 WrestleManias he’s been in and how he’s only been in the main event for two of them. He added that while he’s not one to call himself the best in the world, he lets others do that for him. He name-dropped Ric Flair, The Undertaker, Harley Race, and JBL as people who’ve called him one of the best of all time, but said he wasn’t given the main event of WrestleMania 42, he earned it. Right when he was about to finish by saying he’d given either Cody Rhodes or Drew McIntyre an RKO to walk out of Las Vegas with the WWE Undisputed Championship, the lights went out. Trick Williams interrupts, and he has voices in his head that tell him that he has a bone to pick with Orton. After a dig over Orton’s height, Williams eats an RKO.

United States Championship: El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. vs. Carmelo Hayes

The match was set up when Nick Aldis teased that he found an opponent within the company and around the world, and it was AAA Latin American Champion El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. who answered the United States Championship open challenge. The crowd didn’t really react to Wagner, but this match served as a solid showcase, with Wagner getting plenty of offense early. There was a nice closing sequence with Wagner kicking out of a First 48 and then hitting a Blue Thunder Bomb for a near-fall. Hayes rolled out to avoid a moonsault and hit Nothing But Net for the win.

Violence is the answer

Ilja Dragunov reiterates that he doesn’t deserve an opportunity at the United States Championship until he regains his winning ways, which is a mentality he said his mother taught him. The Miz came in and noted that back in his day, wrestlers seized their opportunities. Kit Wilson chimed in, stating Dragunov’s way of thinking was “toxic.” Dragunov decided to take the best of both worlds and seemed to imply a three-way match, where he could seize his opportunity and showcase his brand of violence.

A new odd couple, McIntyre-Aldis face-off

Damian Priest is looking for a path to WrestleMania 42, and he got a surprise when Nick Aldis and R-Truth revealed that Priest will partner with the latter in tag team turmoil later in the night. McIntyre came in and reminded Aldis that he is the face of SmackDown and that Rhodes would not have a rematch unless he won the Royal Rumble or Elimination Chamber. He told Aldis to make things right, but Aldis tells McIntyre that he broke his promise by interfering in the Elimination Chamber, so the match is still on.

New women’s tag team challengers

The Irresistible Forces celebrated their tag team title victory until Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss came out to challenge them. Bliss noted that they only lost the women’s tag titles to the Kabuki Warriors because The Irresistible Forces got involved. Kiana James and Giulia interuppeted, stating their desire to find a path to WrestleMania 42. James highlighted her vicory of Nia Jax and Flair, as well as pinning Bliss in the Elimination Chamber. Giulia proclaimed she and James would be the next tag team champions, and Aldis said a No. 1 contender would be decided tonight.

Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Giulia & Kiana James

Giulia and Kiana James spent various portions of the match isolating either Charlotte Flair or Alexa Bliss in their corner. An impressive hope spot came after Bliss fought off James and Giulia, capping it off with an enzuigiri before a hot tag to Flair, who set up Giulia and James for a moonsault on both for a near-fall. The final stretch featured a double-down spot after Giulia hit Flair with a backdrop suplex. Flair finished with a German suplex on Giulia, as she hit James with a superkick, followed up by a tornado DDT from Bliss, and Giulia was pinned after a Natural Selection from Flair. That makes Flair and Bliss the No. 1 contenders for the women’s tag team titles.

Cody and Sami’s tensions

After a video from Jelly Roll and a short interview, Sami Zayn meets up with Cody Rhodes, noting how “crazy” it is that Rhodes has a championship match. That word irked Rhodes, and he wondered what Zayn meant by “crazy.” Zayn points out that Rhodes lost the Elimination Chamber match and yet still has a title match. It’s as if everything falls on Cody’s lap, while Sami is left with nothing. Rhodes, still frustrated, accused Sami of “posturing” and “politicking” for a future title match, even though he hasn’t even won the title yet. He doesn’t know what Zayn wants, and Zayn yells back that he doesn’t know either, and all he wanted to do was wish Rhodes good luck against McIntyre. The segment ended with Zayn crashing into a water bottle.

Tag team turmoil

This is basically a gauntlet match with the Motor City Machine Guns starting off against Fraxiom. MCMG was eliminated after an awkward moment when Alex Shelley got Chris Sabin’s foot on the rope before Nathan Frazer tried to get it off, but a three-count was still made. Los Garaza take advantage of the confusion, and after sending Frazer onto the barricade from the top rope, they hit Axiom with MTY to eliminate Fraxiom. The Wyatt Sicks entered together under their full entrance, with a fair amount of their action occurring during the commercial break. Los Garza had Dexter Lumis isolated in their corner coming out of the break, with Joe Gacy breaking up a top-rope blockbuster. That opened up a hot tag for Gacy, who fought off Los Garza. The MFTs distract The Wyatt Sicks as they were about to finish things. That allowed a roll-up win, as the MFTs and The Wyatt Sicks fight to the back. The new team of Damian Priest and R-Trith entered amid the chaos. Los Garza isolated R-Truth, but he got a hot tag to Priest, who laid in a flurry of kicks and elbows on Los Garza. The closing sequence featured R-Truth calling back to John Cena with the shoulder tackles, the “You Can’t See Me”, and an STF that was broken up. Priest and Truth won with a stereo South of Heaven and Attitude Adjustment, respectively. They are the new No. 1 contenders for the tag team titles.

Advice for Sami

Randy Orton ran into Sami Zayn, who wished him luck at WrestleMania. However, Zayn asked how Orton could just hit an RKO on Cody Rhodes after Drew McIntyre interfered. Orton said sometimes you need to be selfish. When Zayn wondered if that made him a bad person, Orton noted that it’s what made him a 14-time world champion. Orton told Zayn to listen to the voices in his head, and in comes Aleister Black and Zelina Vega. Black told Zayn not to worry about Orton; it’s just the nature of the beast.

Dualing mic drops

It seems like Rhea Ripley referenced her social media beef with Jade Cargill when she called her out to the ring. Cargill offered Ripley a handshake, and she obliged. Jade said that while she respects Rhea, she’s not impressed. Cargill said that her arms and legs were bigger and that she was more powerful than Ripley. She claimed she beat the hell out of Ripley at WrestleMania because, “I’m that b-tch.” Ripley respected Cargill’s honesty and said she was impressed by Jade physically. However, Rhea went after Jade when she said Cargill’s body is for show, while hers is for fighting. Ripley said Cargill works out for aesthetics, while she works out to thrive in this business. She questioned whether Cargill can take her down with her best shot because she claimed she could and become the next women’s champion because, “I’m that b-tch.”

Gargano gets his groove back?

Alex Shelley is backstage trying to help Candice LeRae get Johnny Gargano out of his slump. Chris Sabin wondered what happened in their tag team turmoil match, given the lack of a breakup on the pin. They run off, as LeRae tells Gargano she wants to see Johnny Wrestling back. That seemed to be enough to inspire Gargano, as he heads his way to the ring.

Wyatt Sicks-MFTs feud is not over

Bo Dallas sends a message to Solo Sikoa, demanding the lantern back, and warns the MFTs to look over their shoulder and be sure to run.

Oba Femi vs. Johnny Gargano

Gargano cut a promo about how he’s ready to show people why he’s one of the best pro wrestlers in the world and presents an open invite to anyone. Oba Femi came out, and Gargano immediately regretted his decision. Femi made quick work out of Gargano, hitting a series of running uppercuts, a Puff Puff Toss and then the Fall From Grace.

Cargill-Michin

Jade Cargill runs into Michin and B-Fab. Michin demanded a shot at the title, and Cargill obliged for next week.

Mizhausen?

Danhausen made his SmackDown debut, introducing himself to Nick Aldis. Danhausen wanted his slot in the WWE Hall of Fame and a mentor. Aldis called upon The Miz to pass on his veteran leadership to the next generation. The Miz wasn’t too interested in being the mentor to the “goth kid no one invited to the party.” Danhausen asked The Miz to help make him WWE champion and to get him a TV show. The Miz refused, but Danhausen threatened to curse him and reminded Miz what happened to Dominik Mysterio before disappearing.

Drew McIntyre vs. Cody Rhodes

This was a physical contest, with McIntyre starting by working Cody’s back. Rhodes recovered with a powerslam, followed by a Cody Cutter, but McIntyre lured Rhodes out of the ring and slammed his shoulder into the ring post. McIntyre worked over Rhodes’ left arm and shoulder for a bit. Drew took a while to get to the top rope, and Cody met him for a superplex. Rhodes locked in a figure four to do damage to Drew’s knee. Suicide dive on Drew outside, and Cody sets up Drew for Cross Rhodes on the desk. Drew fought it off, and the table collapsed. Cody brought out a table, but Drew rakes Cody’s eyes to set up a powerbomb through the table. McIntyre hit Cody with a Cross Rhodes for a near-fall. Rhodes countered a Claymore with a superkick and hit a Claymore of his own for a two-count. After some close calls, McIntyre pulled the ref so that Rhodes hit him with a Disaster Kick. Cody got off Cross Rhodes, but no referee was in sight, so he didn’t go for a pin. Drew hit a Claymore as a ref ran in, but Cody managed to kick out at 2 1/2. McIntyre wasn’t happy with the count and got the ref’s face before sending Cody into the ring post multiple times. Another altercation with the referee ends with a Glasgow Kiss. McIntyre brings in a chair, but Jacob Fatu rips it out before he can use it. Rhodes rolled up McIntyre for a two-count, and Drew followed with a Future Shock DDT. McIntyre missed the Claymore, and Rhodes lands the super Cody Cutter and wins with the Cross Rhodes to become the new Undisputed WWE Champion and face Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42.

About Jason Ounpraseuth 24 Articles
Jason Ounpraseuth is a journalist from Massachusetts. He writes and reports about New England and Boston sports and professional wrestling.
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