Tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown leaked online ahead of schedule, and the company moved quickly to scrub the footage from the internet.
The June 26 edition of SmackDown was taped on June 23 in London, England. In addition to the spoilers that have circulated online, footage from the broadcast leaked across various websites. WWE responded by issuing copyright takedown notices, resulting in the removal of most of the clips.
According to Mike Johnson of PWInsider, the leak caused “internal unhappiness within WWE this week,” as the entire episode reportedly surfaced online in multiple places. Johnson noted that he had no idea how the leak happened, but said he could understand why it would upset people within the company.
The taped London show will air as scheduled tonight on the USA Network. WWE will run a similar pre-taped schedule next week, with the July 3 episode of SmackDown set to be recorded on Monday night following Raw. The advanced taping will allow WWE talent and staff to have the Fourth of July holiday weekend off. Here are the confirmed things for the show:
- WWE Champion Cody Rhodes to address Gunther and Sami Zayn
- Men’s United States Champion Trick Williams prepares to face Ricky Saints
- WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Paige vs. Jacy Jayne
- Jade Cargill vs. Chelsea Green
- Giulia vs. Kiana James
- Rey Fenix vs. Nathan Frazer
