The Judgment Day appeared on WWE Friday Night SmackDown, or at least most of the group did. The Undisputed RAW & SmackDown Tag Team Champions Finn Balor and Damian Priest appeared, as did Dominik Mysterio. Rhea Ripley, on the other hand, did not appear.
Some fans may be curious as to why the three Monday Night RAW stars were able to appear on the blue brand. Due to some questionable decision-making regarding brand exclusivity as of late, many believe the move was another example of WWE ignoring its own rules.
That is not the case in this instance, however. As noted, Priest and Balor are the reigning tag team champions. As a result, they can appear on both RAW and SmackDown. Dominik's appearance is slightly more questionable, but he seconded his stablemates, which is a decent excuse.
The boys are here... 😈⚖️#TheJudgmentDay #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/N8LeCzfu4a
— WWE (@WWE) September 9, 2023
The talented duo of Priest and Balor defeated Butch and Ridge Holland in tag team action. Judgment Day then had a staredown with Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits. Towards the end of the night, the group surprisingly attacked AJ Styles, seemingly trying to form a truce with The Bloodline.
Why did Rhea Ripley miss WWE SmackDown?
While three of the four core members of The Judgment Day appeared on Friday Night SmackDown, Rhea Ripley did not. It is rare for the Women's World Champion to not appear alongside her stablemates, but there's good reason behind her absence.
The Eradicator of The Judgment Day represented WWE at a live event in India. She went one-on-one with Natalya at Superstar Spectacle. This special show also featured the India debut of John Cena, an Intercontinental Championship match, and even an appearance from The Great Khali.
Mami absolutely stole the show tonight at #WWESuperstarSpectacle! What an amazing experience it was to watch Rhea "Bloody" Ripley perform live 🤩 @RheaRipley_WWE
— Wrestlin' Marks (@Wrestlinmarks) September 8, 2023
P.s. Major missing @DomMysterio35 pic.twitter.com/DAWOzanIQr
While Rhea was absent from SmackDown, she is set for a top match on WWE RAW. She will defend her coveted title against Raquel Rodriguez in a rematch from Payback. This time, however, an added stipulation works against the champion.
Dominik Mysterio will be banned from ringside during the title match on RAW. The NXT North American Champion interfered during Rhea's bout at Payback, which is arguably why Big Mami Cool lost to the reigning champion.
The stipulation doesn't specify Damian Priest and Finn Balor being banned from ringside. For now, there's a chance that either man could interfere if the stipulation isn't updated by the time Monday Night RAW rolls around.