Archana Unnikrishnan

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Emraan Hashmi is back in a world that many of his fans consider his home ground. Awarapan 2 has arrived in cinemas nearly two decades after the original film, and the response has been nothing short of phenomenal. While the 2007 prequel did not set the box office on fire during its initial release, it eventually grew into a massive cult classic due to its soulful music and intense performance by Emraan. In a staggering turn of events, the sequel has already surpassed the entire lifetime collection of the original prequel on its very first day, signaling a massive comeback for the character of Shivam. The momentum on Day 2, which coincides with the Independence Day holiday, is showing an even steeper growth trajectory. Looking at the hourly booking trends on BookMyShow, the movie is performing significantly better than it did on its opening Friday. Between 6 am and 2 pm, the film has already sold approximately 1.80 lakh tickets, which is a huge jump from the 1.00 lakh tickets sold during the same window yesterday. The speed of bookings was particularly impressive during the late morning hours. Between 11 am and 12 pm, the film hit the 1 lakh ticket milestone for the day, and in the following hour, it recorded over 40,000 ticket sales, making it the 16th Bollywood film since August 2023 to achieve this feat in a single hour. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) In the national multiplex chains, the momentum is exceptionally strong with approximately 1.57 lakh tickets sold in advance for the second day. PVR leads the tally with roughly 73,000 tickets sold, contributing a gross of approximately ₹3.0 Cr. INOX has added about 55,000 tickets worth roughly ₹2.0 Cr, while Cinepolis has recorded nearly 30,000 ticket sales with a gross of approximately ₹1.1 Cr. Altogether, these major national chains have already contributed about ₹6.1 Cr in gross collections for the day. This widespread demand across urban centers is a clear indicator that the sequel has managed to tap into both the nostalgia of the older audience and the interest of newer viewers. As of now, the movie is running across nearly 4,900 shows nationwide. The live tracking for Day 2 shows a net collection of approximately ₹7.23 Cr so far. When combined with the strong opening day performance, the total India net collection currently stands at roughly ₹29.23 Cr, while the total India gross has crossed the ₹34.93 Cr mark. Given that evening and night shows typically see the highest occupancy on a public holiday, these numbers are expected to surge significantly in the coming hours. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Predicting the final tally for Day 2 requires looking at the current acceleration rate. Since the film is trending nearly 80 percent higher than yesterday in terms of hourly ticket sales, it is very likely that the Day 2 net collection will land in the range of ₹28 Cr to ₹30 Cr. This would take the two-day total net collection to nearly ₹50 Cr, setting the stage for a blockbuster weekend. The themes of redemption and sacrifice, combined with the crime-action genre that Emraan Hashmi excels in, seem to be the perfect recipe for this box office success. With its massive Day 2 momentum, the big question now is where Awarapan 2 will land on the 2026 leaderboard. Based on its opening day collection of approximately ₹22 Cr net, the film originally secured the 9th spot among the highest openers of the year. However, the Independence Day surge has changed the math entirely. Given that the film is trending toward a Saturday net of roughly ₹29 Cr, the two-day total is already touching the ₹50 Cr mark. If the Sunday performance follows the usual growth pattern for a blockbuster sequel, the film is looking at a three-day weekend total of approximately ₹75 Cr to ₹80 Cr. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Looking at the current Top 5 first weekend collections for Bollywood in 2026, the entry barrier is relatively high but within reach. Dhurandhar 2 leads the pack with a massive ₹290.94 Cr, followed by Border 2 at ₹121.00 Cr. The current third spot is held by Dhamaal 4 with ₹65.00 Cr, while Welcome To The Jungle and Bhooth Bangla round out the top five with ₹60.00 Cr and ₹54.25 Cr respectively. Based on these projections, Awarapan 2 is not just entering the Top 5; it is on track to potentially clinch the third position on the Bollywood leaderboard, comfortably overtaking both the established comedy franchises and recent horror-comedy releases.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Kartik Aaryan is preparing for a highly productive period over the next two years, with several major projects moving into active production. According to a confirmed update from Lets Cinema, the actor’s ambitious project, Captain India, is officially set to begin filming in September 2026. This film has generated considerable interest because it marks the return of acclaimed director Shimit Amin. Amin, who is widely respected for his work on Chak De! India and Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year, is returning to feature film direction after a seventeen-year hiatus. His involvement suggests a grounded and meticulous approach to a story rooted in real-life events. The film is being positioned as an intense action-drama based on heroic humanitarian rescue missions. In a significant departure from his usual romantic-comedy roles, Kartik will portray an Air Force Pilot who leads these high-stakes operations. Interestingly, the core idea for the film was originally pitched by Kartik himself to the director and producers, showing a deep personal investment in the story. The project is being produced by Harman Baweja under Baweja Studios, along with T-Series and Midnight Chai Films. To ensure the scale of the rescue mission is captured accurately, the production team has planned a schedule across various locations in India and Morocco, with a theatrical release date locked for August 13, 2027, just in time for the Independence Day holiday weekend. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) While Captain India is a major highlight, it is only one part of Kartik's crowded calendar spanning 2026 and 2027. His upcoming creature comedy, Naagzilla (Naag Lok Ka Pehla Kaand), produced by Dharma Productions, has seen a shift in its timeline. Originally slated for an August 2026 release, the film is now scheduled to arrive in cinemas on February 12, 2027, strategically placed just ahead of the Valentine's Day weekend. In this fantasy project, the actor takes on the unconventional role of a shape-shifting snake creature. Meanwhile, work is progressing quickly on Anurag Basu's musical romance, reportedly titled Tu Meri Zindagi Hai. His co-star Sreeleela recently resumed filming her crucial portions in Mumbai, and reports indicate that Kartik has already completed a significant part of his shooting schedule for this movie. Looking further ahead, the actor seems to be heading toward a significant box-office onslaught in 2027. If current timelines hold, he could have three to four theatrical releases in that year alone. This packed schedule includes the February launch of Naagzilla followed by Captain India in August, alongside his musical collaboration with Anurag Basu. For Captain India specifically, the journey to the filming stage has seen its share of changes since its initial announcement in 2021 with director Hansal Mehta. However, with the script now locked and Shimit Amin taking the helm, the project is finally prepared to move from pre-production to active filming next month.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Suriya is back on the big screen with Vishwanath and Sons, and the opening day figures confirm that his star power is firmly intact. Directed by Venky Atluri, who is fresh off the success of Lucky Bhaskar, the film has been one of the most anticipated releases of the season. It is clear that Suriya is successfully continuing the winning momentum he regained with Karuppu, marking a definitive end to what had been a relatively quiet decade for the actor. According to early feedback, the movie benefits immensely from its well-rounded cast, with veteran actress Radhika and the rising star Mamitha Baiju receiving special mention for their impactful roles in this emotional family drama. Vishwanath and Sons has made a solid start. The film has raked in a worldwide gross of approximately ₹31.51 Cr. This total is composed of a domestic gross of around ₹17.51 Cr and a very strong overseas contribution of approximately ₹14.00 Cr. Looking at these figures, it is clear that the movie is benefiting from a balanced demand both at home and in international markets. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) When we look at the historical rankings, Vishwanath and Sons has secured a spot among the all-time top openers in Kollywood. With a Tamil net collection of approximately ₹9.15 Cr on its first Friday, the film currently holds the 34th position on the list of highest Friday openers in the history of Tamil cinema. It sits comfortably in the company of major hits like Varisu and Kaappaan, proving that Suriya’s pull at the box office remains highly competitive against the industry’s biggest releases. What is even more interesting is how this film compares to Suriya's previous outing, Karuppu. On its opening day, Karuppu had managed a slightly higher domestic gross of ₹17.93 Cr, but Vishwanath and Sons has managed to overtake it on a global scale. While Karuppu finished its first day with a total worldwide gross of ₹28.93 Cr, the latest release has pushed that boundary significantly to ₹31.51 Cr. The real difference-maker here is the overseas market, where the current film collected roughly ₹14.00 Cr compared to the ₹11.00 Cr earned by Karuppu. This shift highlights a growing international audience that is now playing a much larger role in defining the star's commercial success. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The ticket sales on BookMyShow provide even more context to this opening. On its first Friday, the film sold about 454K tickets. When you add the pre-sales of approximately 305K, the total ticket count on the platform stands at a massive 759K. This performance has earned the film a spot in the top ten list of highest first-day ticket sales for Kollywood movies on BookMyShow, currently sitting at the ninth position. It is trailing just behind big-ticket films like Vettaiyan and Amaran, which shows that the audience was eager to catch this one on day one. In the national multiplex chains, the film maintained a steady pace despite the heavy competition in the North. According to the data, the movie sold approximately 83,000 tickets across major chains like PVR, INOX, and Cinepolis. This translated to a gross of roughly ₹1.80 Cr from these venues alone. PVR was the standout performer among the chains, recording an occupancy rate of nearly 47 percent, which indicates a strong preference for premium screens in urban centers. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Beyond the online bookings, the actual tracked footfalls provide a clearer picture of the movies ground-level demand. The Tamil version recorded approximately 454,514 tracked footfalls, with about 320,319 of those being actual seats filled excluding blocked ones. Similarly, the Telugu version saw approximately 337,467 tracked footfalls, with a solid 233,478 when adjusted for blocked seats. These figures confirm that the movie is drawing significant crowds to the theaters in both its primary languages. Breaking it down by region, the film shows a healthy split between its Tamil and Telugu versions. The Tamil version brought in a net of approximately ₹9.15 Cr, while the Telugu version contributed around ₹6.00 Cr. State-wise, Tamil Nadu led the charts with a gross of approximately ₹7.25 Cr, followed by the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana region with a gross of around ₹6.75 Cr. Karnataka and Kerala also added significantly to the tally, with gross collections of approximately ₹1.80 Cr and ₹1.50 Cr respectively. The occupancy trends were particularly encouraging in the evening and night shows. For instance, night shows in Chennai saw an occupancy of 84 percent, while Hyderabad maintained a strong overall occupancy of 64 percent. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The overseas performance is another highlight of the day one report. According to data tracked by Venky Box Office, the film had a fantastic start in North America. The premieres alone brought in around $305K, making it the second-highest premiere for a Suriya starrer after Kanguva. By 7pm PST on Friday, the Day 1 gross had climbed to approximately $322K from 256 locations. Interestingly, the Telugu version is doing a lot of the heavy lifting in this region, contributing about $194K to the total so far.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 15 - The Independence Day weekend witnessed a major Bollywood box office clash between Emraan Hashmi's Awarapan 2 and Sunny Deol's Batwara 1947, and the former has emerged as the clear winner on opening day. The sequel to the 2007 cult favourite has delivered a career-best start for Emraan Hashmi, while Sunny Deol's Partition drama has struggled to convert the patriotic weekend into a strong theatrical opening. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Awarapan 2 opened at around 22 crore net (updated) in India on Friday, marking the biggest opening of Emraan Hashmi's career. The film registered an overall theatre occupancy of around 45.73%, with the night shows witnessing particularly strong momentum. Its worldwide gross stood at approximately 29 crore on Day 1, giving the film a strong platform heading into the Independence Day holiday. In comparison, Batwara 1947 collected only around 5.75 crore net in India on its opening day. The Sunny Deol and Preity Zinta-starrer was expected to benefit from the Independence Day period and its patriotic theme. Still, it could not generate sufficient momentum at the box office. The film's opening is roughly one-fourth of Awarapan 2's Day 1 collection, highlighting the massive gap between the two releases. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The result is particularly significant because Batwara 1947 had the advantage of Sunny Deol's strong patriotic image and a release timed perfectly around Independence Day. However, Awarapan 2 benefited enormously from nostalgia surrounding the original film, Emraan Hashmi's comeback appeal and strong pre-release buzz. The sequel had already established a substantial lead in advance booking before release, and that advantage translated directly into opening-day numbers. The box office battle is far from over, though. August 15 is a major national holiday, and Batwara 1947 has an opportunity to improve its collections through walk-ins and positive word of mouth. Awarapan 2, meanwhile, enters the holiday with a huge lead and is now strongly positioned to dominate the Independence Day weekend. For Emraan Hashmi, this is a major career revival, while Sunny Deol's film faces the challenge of recovering from a surprisingly low start.

BY JITU JANGIR

Jacob Fatu has opened up about the advice Randy Orton gave him shortly before his WWE debut, recalling how surreal it was to see one of his childhood wrestling heroes backstage on the biggest day of his career. During his appearance on What’s Your Story with Steph McMahon, Fatu discussed his first experiences inside WWE and the support he received from several established stars. Fatu recalled being backstage shortly before his debut when he saw Orton standing in Gorilla position. “So right before my debut, we're walking out. It's the biggest day of my life. And Randy's right there in gorilla,” Fatu said. Despite being on the verge of making his own WWE debut, Fatu admitted that he was still a fan when he saw Orton. “I don't really know Randy like that,” Fatu recalled. “But I'm like, dude, he's hella big. This is Randy Orton, man.” Fatu explained that he has always been a fan of professional wrestling and believes that genuine passion for the business is important. “I'm a fan at the end of the day,” Fatu said. “And if you not a fan of what you love to do, this ain't your job. You're doing the wrong thing.” Fatu then revealed the advice Orton gave him as he prepared to begin his WWE career. According to Fatu, Orton wanted to help him adjust to life inside WWE and gave him some straightforward advice about handling his finances. “Randy told me this, like, hey, man, because I love your Uncle Umaga so much, in order for me to help y'all to tap back in, I'm gonna tell you right now, save your money and pay your taxes.” The advice came at an important point in Fatu's life. After a difficult journey to WWE, he was finally getting the opportunity he had dreamed about, and he was entering a locker room filled with experienced performers. Fatu has previously spoken about the support he received after joining WWE, particularly from members of his family and established stars. He said the experience had been filled with “love and respect” since he arrived.

BY JITU JANGIR

Shinsuke Nakamura has officially put the new WWE Tag Team Champions on notice, while also teasing the arrival of a mystery partner. Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga captured the WWE Tag Team Championship on the August 14 episode of SmackDown, defeating Damian Priest and R-Truth and The War Raiders in a Triple Threat Tag Team Match. The victory marked a major moment for the MFTs, but they did not have much time to celebrate. Following the show, WWE released an exclusive video featuring Nakamura addressing the new champions. The Japanese star congratulated Tama and Talla on their victory but immediately warned them that their championship reign could be coming to an end. Nakamura also revealed that he will not be coming after the MFTs alone. He told the champions that his partner is on the way and suggested that the mystery star possesses qualities he believes Tama and Talla only pretend to have. “MFTs, congratulations. You are now the champions. Are you savoring the feeling, knowing it'll be gone soon?” Nakamura then turned his attention toward his mystery partner, describing the person as experienced, vicious and deadly. He also made it clear that the individual will bring an unpredictable element to the rivalry. “My partner is what you all pretend to be. Experienced, vicious, deadly.” Nakamura's final warning was perhaps the most intriguing part of the message. He described his upcoming partner as “chaos” and a “ticking time bomb,” before telling the champions to prepare themselves. “He is chaos. He's a ticking time bomb. Take cover.” Nakamura did not reveal the identity of his partner, leaving fans to speculate about who could be joining him in the fight against the new champions. His description has already led to speculation about Hiromu Takahashi, who is famously known as “The Ticking Time Bomb.” However, WWE has not officially confirmed that Takahashi is the person Nakamura was referring to.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 14 - The Independence Day weekend box office battle between Emraan Hashmi's Awarapan 2 and Sunny Deol's Batwara 1947 is turning into a one-sided affair with the former taking a big lead over Deol's period drama in the morning shows on its opening day. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The Emraan Hashmi-led actioner has opened up a significant lead in advance bookings. The sequel clocked over 11 crore in advance sales, while Batwara 1947 has managed approximately 4+ crore. This gave Awarapan 2 a lead of more than 7 crore and already put it well ahead of the Sunny Deol starrer even before the first shows begin. The strong response to Awarapan 2 can be attributed to the cult following of the 2007 original, with Emraan Hashmi's return to the franchise generating considerable nostalgia. The film is also positioned as a dark romantic actioner, giving it a different appeal from Batwara 1947, a period drama centred on the Partition era. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Considering the initial response, Awarapan 2 is expected to score almost 3x that of Batwara 1947 and with the positive word of mouth coming from the initial shows sets up the stage for the massive opening weekend for Rajkumar Santoshi's directorial, which could be well over 75 crores net. For Batwara 1947, the slower advance sales are certainly a concern, particularly given Sunny Deol's post-Gadar 2 box office standing. However, the Rajkumar Santoshi-directed film has a strong Independence Day setting, and if the word of mouth is positive, it has the potential to do well at the box office. But as things stand, Awarapan 2 has taken a commanding lead in the opening-day battle and is expected to be the clear winner in the long run.

BY JITU JANGIR

Paige and Nikki Bella’s feud has become increasingly personal following a shocking betrayal at SummerSlam. At SummerSlam, Paige teamed with Nikki and Brie Bella against Fatal Influence in a six-woman tag team match. Fatal Influence won when Jacy Jayne pinned Paige with the Rolling Encore. After the match, Paige appeared to believe the situation was over and raised the Bellas’ arms in a show of respect. Instead, Nikki attacked Paige from behind. Brie Bella then joined Nikki in the assault before Nikki hit Paige with the Rack Attack 2.0. Nikki made it clear that she believed Paige had taken her place, telling her not to take her spot again. The betrayal stemmed from a much longer story. Nikki and Brie had originally returned to WWE with the goal of capturing the Women's Tag Team Championship. However, when Nikki was unable to compete at WrestleMania 42, Paige returned to WWE and replaced her, teaming with Brie to win the titles. The Bellas later lost those championships to Fatal Influence, further increasing Nikki’s resentment toward Paige. At SummerSlam, that tension finally boiled over into the post-match attack. Nikki subsequently explained that she blamed Paige for the tag team title loss and believed Paige had taken advantage of her opportunity with Brie. She also threatened to make Paige’s remaining WWE career miserable. In an EXCLUSIVE(WWE's YouTube Channel), Paige sets the record straight for Nikki Bella following this week's SmackDown episode, accusing Nikki of trying to change the story surrounding their relationship. “Nikki, since you decided to try and rewrite history last week, let's set the record straight.” Paige rejected Nikki’s claim that she was responsible for revitalizing her career, pointing out that she spent eight years working to make her WWE return happen. She also strongly denied Nikki’s accusation that she had been using the Bella family for her own benefit. Paige explained that Nikki was actually the person who contacted her before WrestleMania and asked her to help Brie. “Did I come begging to be an honorary Bella for my big return after being gone for nearly a decade? No, you called me.” Paige said she agreed because she cared about Brie and wanted to be there for her. She also accused Nikki of not being there for her sister when Brie needed her. The SummerSlam loss became another major point of disagreement between them. Nikki blamed Paige for what happened, but Paige argued that she had actually saved Nikki from being pinned twice during the match. Paige then suggested that Nikki’s actions were not really about protecting Brie. Instead, she believes Nikki is angry because Paige has taken the position Nikki once held alongside her sister. “You act like you're doing this to support your sister, but really, you're just jealous that someone else took your spot, and did it.” Despite Nikki’s warning that she would make her career miserable, Paige refused to back down. She made it clear that she believes she has earned her place in WWE and intends to remain there. “This is my house, and I plan on being here for a very long time.”

BY JITU JANGIR

Chelsea Green refused to give up her championship on the August 14 episode of WWE SmackDown, delivering an emotional speech about everything she had sacrificed throughout her wrestling career. Green was confronted by SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis, who was dealing with the difficult situation surrounding her injury. Rather than quietly accepting the medical decision, Green made it clear that she believed the championship belonged to her until somebody physically took it away. With the crowd firmly behind her, Green recalled the sacrifices she had made to reach the position she was in. “You know how much I've sacrificed to be here. I have missed the weddings. I've missed the funerals. I have broken bones. I have left all my blood, sweat, and tears in this ring.” Green continued by listing some of the unusual and painful situations she had endured during her career, including putting her face through birthday cakes and pies, being thrown into dumpsters and having the entire world laugh at her. She explained that despite everything, she continued telling herself that the sacrifices would eventually be worth it because she would one day reach this moment. “But every night when I got into bed, I told myself it was all worth it because this moment would come. And now here we are. I made it.” Green then compared her situation to Aldis' own experience at SummerSlam, pointing out that he had recently experienced a major career moment surrounded by his wife and son. She argued that both situations represented the same idea — proving that outside opinions did not matter. “What matters is what we think about us.” Green insisted that she had earned the right to call herself a champion and refused to surrender the title simply because of her injury. Aldis initially maintained that he was doing what was medically appropriate as SmackDown General Manager. However, he then separated his professional responsibilities from his personal feelings. “As Nick Aldis the man, I don't give a damn what medical says.” Aldis ultimately decided to give Green a chance to remain champion. He granted her 30 days to get medically cleared, obtain a protective face mask if necessary and do whatever was required to return to competition and defend the championship. Aldis made it clear that, in his view, Green would remain champion until somebody actually defeated her for the title. “But as far as I'm concerned, until someone takes this from you, this is yours.”

BY JITU JANGIR

Friday, August 14, 2026, airing live at 8 p.m. ET on Netflix, WWE SmackDown emanated from TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. It was a major night for championships, with three titles changing hands. Jacy Jayne defeated Tiffany Stratton to become the new WWE Women’s United States Champion, while Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga captured the WWE Tag Team Championship alongside Haku. Elsewhere, Baron Corbin successfully defended the United States Championship against Carmelo Hayes, CM Punk and Kevin Owens had a heated confrontation ahead of their Undisputed WWE Championship match, and Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton erupted into a wild brawl. Chelsea Green Forced to Relinquish Interim Women’s Championship The show opened with Nick Aldis informing Chelsea Green that he could not allow her to compete with a broken orbital bone. Aldis asked Green to relinquish the Interim Women’s Championship, but she refused, insisting that she had worked too hard to give it up. Aldis eventually gave Green 30 days to get medically cleared and return to action. The segment later turned physical when GUNTHER confronted Green, leading to Matt Cardona coming out to defend his wife. GUNTHER def. Matt Cardona GUNTHER dominated Matt Cardona after Cardona attacked him during the earlier confrontation. Despite Cardona using a low blow and hitting Radio Silence, GUNTHER kicked out and eventually put him in a Boston Crab, forcing Cardona to tap out. Afterward, Nia Jax demanded an Interim Women's Championship opportunity from Green, while Tiffany Stratton came out to help Green before Jax attacked her. Baron Corbin def. Carmelo Hayes to Retain the United States Championship Carmelo Hayes attempted to regain the United States Championship from Baron Corbin, but the champion survived Hayes' offense and finished him with End of Days. Corbin retained the title, although his celebration was cut short when Trick Williams and Lil Yachty attacked him after the match. CM Punk and Kevin Owens Come Face-to-Face CM Punk and Kevin Owens had a tense confrontation ahead of their Undisputed WWE Championship match next week. Owens brought up their history dating back 20 years and accused Punk of being a phony, while Punk fired back by questioning Owens' work ethic. Owens eventually told Punk that he would punch him in the face next week and beat him for the championship. MFT def. Damian Priest & R-Truth and The War Raiders to Win WWE Tag Team Championship Damian Priest and R-Truth defended the WWE Tag Team Championship against The War Raiders and Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga. The chaotic three-way match ended when MFT hit Brother's Keeper on R-Truth, giving Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga the victory and making them the new WWE Tag Team Champions. Haku accompanied the brothers to ringside. Jacy Jayne def. Tiffany Stratton to Win Women's United States Championship Tiffany Stratton put her Women's United States Championship on the line against Jacy Jayne. With assistance from Fatal Influence members Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley, Jayne survived Stratton's biggest attacks and caught her with Rolling Encore to score the victory. Jayne became the new Women's United States Champion. Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton Brawl Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton's ongoing issues exploded into another violent confrontation. Orton attacked Rhodes from behind before their scheduled match with Sami Zayn could begin. The two eventually brawled through the crowd and around ringside, with both men using weapons and the environment around them. Officials struggled to separate them as SmackDown went off the air.

BY JITU JANGIR

Friday Night SmackDown delivered two championship changes at TD Garden in Boston, headlined by a chaotic Triple Threat for the WWE Tag Team Titles and a statement win for Fatal Influence's Jacy Jayne. Champions Damian Priest and R-Truth defended against both The War Raiders (Erik and Ivar) and The MFTs (Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga, with Haku at ringside) in a three-way match. The finish came in chaos at ringside — Ivar powerslammed Priest through the barricade and Tama sent Erik through the announce desk, clearing both other teams out of the equation. Back in the ring, Tama raked R-Truth's eyes and shoved him into Erik, allowing Talla Tonga to hit a high-angle assisted powerbomb for the pin. The MFTs are your new WWE Tag Team Champions, ending Priest and Truth's reign. Tiffany Stratton put her Women's U.S. Title on the line against Fatal Influence's Jacy Jayne, with Chelsea Green watching from ringside. The match swung back and forth — Stratton nearly won with a Prettiest Moonsault Ever attempt but got caught with raised knees for a near-fall. Stratton then broke off her own momentum to dive onto Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid at ringside to protect Green, and paid for it: Jayne caught her with a Rolling Encore for the win. Jacy Jayne is the new Women's United States Champion. Fatal Influence is dripping in GOLD! pic.twitter.com/sp7nW5cRMt— WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2026 We have NEW WWE Tag Team Champions! 🏆With Haku by their side, the MFTs have stormed to the Titles! pic.twitter.com/7VUy6VEs1t— WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2026

BY JITU JANGIR

WWE legend Haku is reportedly set to appear on tonight’s episode of SmackDown in Boston, continuing his surprising return to WWE programming. According to PWInsider’s Mike Johnson, Haku is already in Boston ahead of tonight’s show and is expected to appear. However, Johnson noted that it has not been confirmed whether the 67-year-old has returned to WWE in a full-time capacity. Haku previously made his surprise WWE return on the July 31 episode of SmackDown, appearing alongside his sons Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga, formerly known as Hikuleo. WWE’s official results confirmed that Haku watched as Tama and Talla attacked WWE Tag Team Champions Damian Priest and R-Truth, along with The War Raiders. The appearance marked Haku’s return to WWE television as part of an active storyline involving his sons. During the segment, the legendary wrestler reminded Tama and Talla of their Tongan heritage and encouraged them to make their presence felt in WWE. Haku is one of the most recognizable veterans in wrestling history. He competed in WWE under names including King Tonga and King Haku and was also part of The Colossal Connection with Andre the Giant, with the team winning the WWE World Tag Team Championship in 1989. His connection to the current storyline is personal, as Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga are his sons. Talla previously wrestled as Hikuleo before joining WWE. Now, with Haku reportedly back in Boston, fans could see him once again standing alongside his sons. Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga are scheduled to challenge Damian Priest and R-Truth for the WWE Tag Team Championship in a Triple Threat Tag Team Match that also includes The War Raiders. Haku’s presence could therefore play an important role in the match and the ongoing storyline involving his family.