Shocking Title Change On WWE SmackDown Hours Before Money In The Bank

Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley Capture WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles on SmackDown

WWE pulled off a major title change just 24 hours before Money in the Bank 2026, as Alexa Bliss and Tatum Paxley defeated Fatal Influence (Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid) to become the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions on the October 9 episode of SmackDown.

Bliss was forced into the championship match as a late replacement for Charlotte Flair, who was written off television earlier in the broadcast following a brutal backstage attack by Jade Cargill and her associates. Stepping up to partner with Paxley, Bliss faced immediate adversity as the defending champions capitalized on the makeshift team’s lack of chemistry.

Fatal Influence controlled a large portion of the contest, systematically isolating Paxley and cutting off the ring to prevent the tag. Henley and Reid repeatedly wore down Paxley, coming close to retaining their titles on multiple occasions.

The momentum shifted dramatically once Bliss made the hot tag. Re-energizing the crowd in Lafayette, Louisiana, Bliss unleashed a flurry of strikes, a DDT, and a blockbuster. Despite the onslaught, Fatal Influence managed to survive and kick out, dragging the match into a chaotic breakdown.

In the closing sequence, Bliss neutralized Reid on the outside by driving her into the floor with Sister Abigail. With Reid laid out at ringside, Henley was left isolated inside the ring with Paxley. Capitalizing on the moment, Paxley connected with the Cemetery Drive to score the pinfall victory and secure the gold.

The victory marks Bliss’ fifth reign as a WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion and the first major main-roster title win for Paxley, completely reshaping the division heading into Money in the Bank weekend in New Orleans.