WWE has announced a Steel Cage Match for the United States Championship on this week’s SmackDown, with Trick Williams defending against Baron Corbin.
The match headlines Friday’s episode, which also features two Money in the Bank qualifying matches ahead of the October 10 event at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.
The two have been feuding since Corbin returned to WWE on the July 10 SmackDown, interrupting a match between Williams and Carmelo Hayes and hitting both men with End of Days. It was Corbin’s first appearance since his release in late 2024, ending a two-year absence after twelve years with the company.
Corbin attacked Williams again after the July 24 SmackDown and challenged him for SummerSlam, where he took the United States Championship on night two. The finish came after Corbin and Williams’ manager, Lil Yachty, fought over Williams’ custom title belt at ringside and Corbin sent Yachty off the apron through a table. With the referee distracted, Corbin hit Williams with the belt and followed with End of Days.
Corbin retained in a rematch on SmackDown the following week, winning the same way with the belt behind the referee’s back, then beat Hayes the week after that. Yachty cost him the Hayes match with a Trick Stick shot that set up a Trick Shot from Williams.
The story took another turn when Yachty pushed for a match of his own. Corbin agreed at Sunday Night’s Main Event on September 6, with the stipulation that Williams would get another title shot that same night if Yachty could last five minutes with him. Williams got the match and won the title back, beginning his second reign as United States Champion. Corbin is a two-time holder of the title himself.
The cage stipulation removes the outside interference that has shaped most of the feud. The title has changed hands twice since July, both times in finishes involving the belt, a distraction or Yachty at ringside, and a cage takes all of that out of the match. It is the first time either man has defended the championship under a stipulation during the feud.
Also announced for Friday’s show is a men’s Money in the Bank qualifying match between Finn Balor, CM Punk and Gunther, and a women’s qualifying match between Giulia, Charlotte Flair and Lash Legend.
Undisputed WWE Champion Sami Zayn is expected to appear following his first successful title defense, though WWE has not announced a segment. Bakusai is also expected to respond to WWE Tag Team Champions MFT.
Williams won the United States Championship for the first time at WrestleMania 42 in April, beating Zayn, and retained it against him at Backlash in May before the Corbin feud began. He was called up to SmackDown in January, interrupting Zayn on his first night, and arrived with two NXT Championship reigns behind him. His run since has been built around the white shoes he calls his lemon pepper steppers, the “Whoop That Trick” entrance and Yachty’s presence at ringside, with Yachty involved in the finish of most of the Corbin matches.
The Money in the Bank card is already taking shape, with Roman Reigns defending the World Heavyweight Championship against LA Knight in New Orleans on October 10. Friday’s qualifying matches will fill one spot in each of the men’s and women’s ladder matches. The event is running in October this year, later than the summer slot it has usually occupied, and it is the first Money in the Bank held in New Orleans.
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With things continuing to escalate, #SmackDown General Manager @RealNickAldis has some HUGE news regarding what's in store for United States Champion @_trickwilliams and Baron Corbin THIS FRIDAY in Indianapolis! ⛓️ 👀
📍: Indianapolis, IN
🎟️: https://t.co/k9MFNZ4PGF… pic.twitter.com/E6uwXTNKr1— WWE (@WWE) September 23, 2026
