Tonight, WWE SmackDown goes live from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, at 8 PM ET on the USA Network. With WWE Elimination Chamber just one day away, here’s what’s happening:

WWE United States Championship Match: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. LA Knight

Nakamura has been playing mind games since winning the title from Knight at Survivor Series: WarGames. After weeks of attacks and taunts, Knight is determined to reclaim his gold.

Chelsea Green vs. Mystery Opponent

In her home country of Canada, our Women’s United States Champion Chelsea Green faces an unknown challenger hand-picked by General Manager Nick Aldis. Green is eager to shine in front of her hometown fans, but will her mystery opponent spoil the moment?

Cody Rhodes Appearance

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is set to address the crowd just one day before his confrontation with The Rock at Elimination Chamber. Last week, The Rock challenged Rhodes to abandon his principles and become the “corporate champion.” Will Rhodes provide any hints about his decision tonight?

Trish Stratus Returns to Toronto

WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus will appear in front of her hometown crowd. Ahead of her tag team match at Elimination Chamber alongside Tiffany Stratton against Nia Jax and Candice LeRae, Stratus is expected to deliver a message. Could this segment escalate into a physical altercation?25

What Else to Expect

The final build for Elimination Chamber matches, including potential appearances from Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest, who are set to compete in the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match tomorrow night.

Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest WWE news all weekend as we head towards Elimination Chamber 2025.

WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus has announced that she will be present at the February 28th taping of WWE SmackDown this Friday at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario. Stratus shared the news via tweet.

The announcement follows her return on the February 21st episode of SmackDown, where she was confronted and attacked by Nia Jax. Stratus is set to compete at WWE Elimination Chamber, teaming up with Tiffany Stratton against Jax and Candice LeRae.

Current Lineup for WWE SmackDown (February 28, 2025):

• WWE United States Championship: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. LA Knight
• Chelsea Green in action
• Trish Stratus set to appear

New Merch: Tiffy & Trishy Time T-Shirt at WWE Shop

The Rock’s return on tonight’s WWE SmackDown will be exciting for fans, but will come at the expense of many on the roster. WrestleVotes reports that WWE has adjusted the line-up to the February 21, SmackDown following the announcement of the Final Boss. There have been “rumblings” that a six-man tag-team match, pitting Cody Rhodes, Damian Priest & Braun Strowman vs. Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu & Tama Tonga has been cut.

A match pitting Liv Morgan against Naomi has also reportedly been cut, angering many fans of both women. On X, several fans shared their issue with the two women losing their time to a part-time performer in an already male-dominated program.

This backlash comes amid a wider conversation about the treatment of women in WWE. Several women in WWE are said to be frustrated with their current positions in the promotion. Some have also pointed out that the introduction of mid-card championships for the women have done little to help. The hashtag #WWEWomenDeserveBetter trended on X, as fans shared their agreement with those in the company who are feeling frustrated.

The Rock is one of the biggest stars in entertainment, and having him on SmackDown during WrestleMania season has left many excited. With that said, there are plenty of fans who are far from happy with the Final Boss taking the spotlight from full-time talent.

WWE has structured its creative team with multiple lead writers overseeing Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown.

SmackDown

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, SmackDown is now led by Brian “Road Dogg” James and John Swikata, as the workload required more than one head writer.

James spoke about his role with WWE during his recent interview on Insight with Chris Van Vliet. Road Dogg he described himself as a “creative consultant” working across WWE. He also noted the increased creative freedom under WWE’s current leadership. More on that at the end of this article.

WWE Raw

Meanwhile, Raw is managed by Ryan Ward and Jon Baeckstrom, with Ed Koskey overseeing and editing scripts.

Leadership Structure

Bruce Prichard, WWE’s Executive Director of Creative Writing and Talent, serves as the liaison between the writing team and WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Paul “Triple H” Levesque.

Subscribe to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter at F4Wonline.com.

The Rock announced late Thursday night on his social media accounts that he will appear on this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans. However, it remains unclear what his role will be on the show.

He captioned his post:

“Bold and disruptive. Unpredictable and dangerous. The Final Boss returns, LIVE on #SmackDown tomorrow at 8ET/7CT on @USANetwork.”

WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque added in a statement:

“Strap in. When The Final Boss shows up at this time of year, the audience knows absolutely anything is possible. Everything could change in an instant.”

The Rock was last seen on the January 6 Raw premiere episode on Netflix. On Raw, Roman Reigns defeated Solo Sikoa in a Tribal Combat match. Afterward, The Rock placed the Ula Fala around Reigns’ neck and embraced him. This moment followed a babyface promo from The Rock, where he seemingly dropped his “Final Boss” persona. He followed it up with making an appearance on NXT the next night.

While WWE was planning to do Rock vs. Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 41, it has been reported that Rock isn’t currently planned to wrestle at the show. However, he decides whether he wants to do something, and should he feel he is in ring shape, then its always a possibility he wrestles at the show.

WWE revealed a big hint about the mystery attacker of Jade Cargill on this week’s episode of SmackDown from Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

The former AEW star has been off TV after being attacked backstage by unknown assailants during the November 22, 2024 episode of the Blue Branded Show. Cargill held the Women’s Tag Team Championships with Bianca Belair at the time and was replaced by Naomi in the team.

There hadn’t been a lot of development in this storyline since then but with Cargill seemingly getting ready for her comeback now, it appears the company is finally ready to move this story forward.

• The Undertaker Has Flimsy Defence On Recent Public Outing With Vince McMahon

Jade Cargill Attacker Revealed On SmackDown?

General Manager Nick Aldis called the current tag champs to his office during the latest episode of the Blue Branded Show and revealed that he’s received an ‘anonymous tip’ on the Jade Cargill situation.

“Theres been a development in the Jade situation. We’ve received an anonymous tip.”

Video footage makes it look like Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez were responsible for Cargill’s attack. #SmackDown
pic.twitter.com/KT9MVxYcqa

— WrestlePurists (@WrestlePurists) February 15, 2025

He went on to play an alternate-angle video of the night of the attack, in which Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez can be seen walking away from the scene as the former TBS Champion is stretchered into the ambulance.

Before being taken out, Jade Cargill was originally supposed to compete at the Survivor Series WarGames event and the duo of Morgan and Rodriguez were part of the opposing team at the match beyond. So it makes sense for the Raw duo to have taken out the SmackDown star before the PPV.

Though many believe that this is a red herring and the real culprit is Naomi who ended up taking Jade’s title and her place at the Survivor Series team.

• Reason Ricky Starks Was Not Referred By His Name On NXT

WWE has officially assigned Alexa Bliss to SmackDown. Initially expected to land on RAW, internal discussions led WWE to shift plans, with PWInsider reporting that creative pitches for her on SmackDown gained significant traction.

Possible Connection to The Wyatt Sicks

One of the biggest questions surrounding Bliss’ return is whether she will align with The Wyatt Sicks. WWE initially intended to pair her with the faction, but contract negotiations delayed her comeback, putting those plans on hold. Now that she’s back, there is renewed speculation that WWE may revisit the storyline.

Secretive Royal Rumble Return

Bliss’ return at the Royal Rumble was highly secretive, with WWE finalizing her contract just hours before the event. Even wrestlers in the match were unaware of her involvement until she arrived at the arena in Indianapolis. Despite the secrecy, WWE had been preparing for months, as her merchandise was already in production weeks before the Rumble.

With Bliss now confirmed for SmackDown, she shares the same brand as The Wyatt Sicks, opening up intriguing possibilities for future storylines.

Alexa Bliss’ WWE Return Sparks Hollywood Interest

Cody Rhodes made the save for Damain Priest and LA Knight after this week’s SmackDown from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana went off air.

The main event of the Royal Rumble go-home show saw Knight and Priest battling Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga in a tag team match. This came after the former Bloodline duo interrupted Priest’s promo earlier in the night and declared that they were ‘off the leash.’

Priest managed to win the match for his team by pinning Tonga after Knight took out Fatu with a clothesline through the barricade. The Samoan Warewolf, however, didn’t stay out for long. Fatu attacked Priest immediately after the bell, and the show ended with the former Bloodline star standing tall.

• Cody Rhodes Reacts to Fan’s Disney Marathon Tribute

What Happened After SmackDown

Cody Rhodes made the save for Damian Priest and LA Knight after SmackDownpic.twitter.com/DFFmDvwtUa

— Anutosh Bajpai || SEScoops || Wrestling News (@AuthorAnutosh) February 1, 2025

The duo of Fatu and Tonga kept attacking their opponents even after the broadcast had ended. This continued till Cody Rhodes came out to make the save. The Undisputed WWE Champion sent Fatu retreating with a Cody Cutter. The babyface trio then took turns hitting Tama Tonga to end the segment:

Apart from this, the show saw a surprise appearance from CM Punk. The Straight Edge Star confronted Kevin Owens and the two had an intense promo battle before Owens backed off from a fight with Punk.

More names such as Chelsea Green, Zelina Vega and Candice LeRae also declared their entry into Royal Rumble tonight. You can check out our Royal Rumble hub for all the latest news regarding the show.

• Cody Rhodes Explains When He Plans to Retire

Cody Rhodes invited Matthew McConaughey to the ring after this week’s episode of SmackDown from Moody Center in Austin, Texas.

The main event of this week’s episode of the Blue Branded Show featured Kevin Owens taking on Jimmy Uso. The former Universal Champion picked up the victory in this match using a Pop-Up Powerbomb.

The Undisputed WWE Champion came out to make the save for Uso when Owens continued attacking him after the bout. The show went off air with the two Royal Rumble opponents brawling with each other.

WWE later shared an off-air video of Cody inviting the hometown star to the ring after KO had retreated. Following the tradition, Rhodes gifted his signed weight belt to a young fan after sharing a moment with McConaughey:

What a night! ? @CodyRhodes and @McConaughey shared a special moment with a fan after #SmackDown! ? pic.twitter.com/vvy13CK20d

— WWE (@WWE) January 25, 2025

• The Miz & Damian Priest Moved To WWE SmackDown, Tag Team Moved To Raw In Transfer Window

The Hollywood star wasn’t the only big name at the show. Other celebrities such as Shane Gillis, Gabriel ‘Fluffy’ Iglesias, Tony Hinchcliffe, and WWE legends Michelle McCool & Mark Henry were in attendance as well.

The Undertaker while not seen during the broadcast of the show, was in the arena too. The WWE Hall of Famer greeted Matthew McConaughey backstage and gifted the acting star a legacy WWE belt.

Cody Rhodes will be appearing on tonight’s Saturday Night’s Main Event from San Antonio. He’ll be signing the contract for his upcoming Royal Rumble match with Kevin Owens in a segment hosted by Shawn Michaels.

Hollywood star Matthew McConaughey was one of the celebrities in attendance for the January 24th episode of WWE SmackDown from Moody Center in Austin, Texas.

The acting star was shown sitting in the front row right behind the announcer’s desk during the broadcast. Former Universal Champion Kevin Owens also acknowledged The Golden Globe award winner during the episode.

Owens targeted McConaughey while cutting a promo standing at the announcer’s table. KO told the Texas native that he’s going to beat Cody Rhodes the same way Ohio State Buckeyes beat Texas Longhorns in a recent Football match.

McConaughey also got to meet The Undertaker backstage during the night and the Dead Man gifted him a Texas-WWE Legacy Championship

From one Texas Longhorns fan to another! @undertaker just gifted @McConaughey the perfect WWE Legacy Title ?

Get your WWE Legacy Title ??https://t.co/RalKYs9Pwr pic.twitter.com/Xg4oJ5L9hx

— WWE (@WWE) January 25, 2025

• The Miz & Damian Priest Moved To WWE SmackDown, Tag Team Moved To Raw In Transfer Window

Along with Matthew McConaughey, names such as Shane Gillis, Gabriel ‘Fluffy’ Iglesias, and Tony Hinchcliffe were in attendance for the event as well.

Kevin Owens is set to challenge Cody Rhodes in a ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Championship at the upcoming Royal Rumble PPV on February 1.

WWE has announced that Shawn Michaels will be holding a contract signing segment between the two for the title match at this weekend’s Saturday Night’s Main Event on January 25.

Apart from this segment, the show also featured a couple of big announcements including confirmation of the return date for former Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair. You can check out more about it here.

A couple of former world champions in The Miz and Damian Priest have been moved to the SmackDown brand as part of the transfer window.

Both these trades were confirmed during the January 24 episode of the Blue Branded show. The A-Lister was first informed of his move while meeting General Manager Nick Aldis in a backstage segment.

The Miz orchestrated to get the Wyatt Family moved to SmackDown before to try and get away from the group so he was not happy with this latest change.

• The Miz & Maryse Talk Balancing WWE & Being Parents

In another backstage segment, we saw Carmelo Hayes pacing in Aldis’ office waiting for an opponent when former World Champion Damian Priest walked in.

The SmackDown GM welcomed the former Judgment Day star to the show and made the match between him and Hayes official for later in the night.

The Miz tried to form an alliance with Greyson Waller and Austin Theory after this move to save himself from the Wyatts. Nick Aldis however, revealed another trade and informed the A Town Down Under that they were being moved to the Raw brand instead.

Apart from this, WWE also confirmed the return date for former Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair during the show. You can check out more about it here.

• Damian Priest Shares How The Undertaker’s Mentorship Shaped His WWE Career

Here’s the official preview for tonight’s WWE SmackDown, airing live from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, at 8/7c on USA Network. With just two days until Saturday Night’s Main Event, tonight’s show will set the stage for one of the most important nights on the WWE calendar.

Two high-profile matches have been announced for tonight’s episode:

• LA Knight vs. Tama Tonga: A heated singles match following last week’s Bloodline attack.
• Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) vs. Pretty Deadly (Kit Wilson & Elton Prince): A clash of top tag teams.

What’s Expected Tonight

Title Picture Updates

• WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton: After successfully defending her title against Bayley last week, Stratton is set to appear.
• Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes: Rhodes will make an appearance to build momentum ahead of his title defense at Saturday Night’s Main Event.

Building to Saturday Night’s Main Event

Tonight’s episode is the final stop before Saturday Night’s Main Event in San Antonio, an event featuring several championship matches and key rivalries. The following matches have already been confirmed:

• Cody Rhodes vs. Kevin Owens (WWE Championship)
• Jacob Fatu vs. Braun Strowman
• “Main Event” Jey Uso vs. GUNTHER (World Heavyweight Championship)
• Bron Breakker vs. Sheamus (Intercontinental Championship)

What Happened Last Week?

Highlights from the January 17 SmackDown:

• Tiffany Stratton retained the WWE Women’s Championship against Bayley.
• Kevin Owens and Rey Mysterio had their first-ever match, ending with Cody Rhodes making the save.
• Bianca Belair & Naomi defeated Nia Jax & Candice LeRae in tag team action.
• Motor City Machine Guns defeated Los Garza.
• Jimmy Uso vs. Carmelo Hayes ended in a no-contest after interference from Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga.

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown airs live on the USA Network at 8/7c from the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, California.

The main focus of tonight’s show is the highly anticipated return of Solo Sikoa, who has been absent since losing the Ula Fala and the title of Tribal Chief to Roman Reigns during the Raw on Netflix premiere.

WWE SmackDown Preview: January 17, 2025

• WWE Women’s Championship Match: Tiffany Stratton will defend her WWE Women’s Title for the first time against Bayley.
• Motor City Machine Guns vs.
  Legado Del Fantasma

• Solo Sikoa returns.

Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest WWE news as we continue on the road to the 2025 Royal Rumble.

What Happened Last Week on SmackDown

The January 10 edition of SmackDown included several notable moments:

• Main Event: Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Jimmy Uso lost to Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga. After the match, Kevin Owens and Cody Rhodes engaged in a chaotic brawl, culminating in both crashing through a table.
• Women’s United States Championship: Chelsea Green successfully defended her title against Michin.
• United States Championship Match: Shinsuke Nakamura retained his title against LA Knight, though the match ended in a disqualification due to interference from The Bloodline.
• No. 1 Contender’s Match: Bayley became the No. 1 contender for the WWE Women’s Title after winning a Fatal 4-Way Match against Bianca Belair, Naomi, and Nia Jax.

WWE has officially introduced a new commentary team for SmackDown, featuring Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett. The duo made their debut on Friday’s episode, marking a significant shift in the show’s presentation.

This change follows closely on the heels of Pat McAfee and Michael Cole assuming commentary duties for WWE Raw, which recently premiered on Netflix. These updates to the commentary teams reflect WWE’s broader strategy to refresh its programming across its flagship shows.

Tessitore, renowned for his extensive career in sports broadcasting, brings a seasoned perspective to the SmackDown announce table. Meanwhile, Barrett, a former WWE Superstar, has been steadily building his reputation as a commentator on various WWE programs in recent years.

WWE’s New Commentary Teams

Updated Overview of WWE Broadcasters:

Raw

• Commentary team: Michael Cole and Pat McAfee
• Ring announcer: Alicia Taylor
• Backstage interviewers: Jackie Redmond and Cathy Kelley

SmackDown

• Commentary team: Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett
• Ring announcer: Lilian Garcia
• Backstage interviewer: Byron Saxton

NXT

• Commentateam: Vic Joseph and Booker T
• Ring announcer: Mike Rome
• Backstage interviewers: Kelly Kincaid, Sarah Schreiber, and Blake Howard

The second three-hour edition of WWE SmackDown takes place tonight from Portland, Oregon at Moda Center. The hype for this show will focus on the build towards the 2025 Royal Rumble, set to take place on February 1, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The show will see Cody Rhodes face Kevin Owens in a Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Championship.

Kevin Owens Vows That He Hasn’t Snapped, Yet

Tonight’s show will also see an exciting United States Championship match, with Shinsuke Nakamura set to defend the gold against the man he took the title from at Survivor Series: WarGames: LA Knight. Will the Megastar be able to become a two-time champion tonight, or will this demented side of Nakamura prove that his victory last November was no fluke?

What happened last week on SmackDown

Last week’s 1/3 edition of SmackDown saw the show move to three hours and WWE delivered a show to remember. Highlights of the show included

• Tiffany Stratton cashed in her Money in the Bank contract on Nia Jax to become the new WWE Women’s Champion.
• Michin sought to earn a shot at Women’s U.S. Champion Chelsea Green with a win over Piper Niven.
• The New Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and Jacob Fatu) beat the OG Bloodline (Sami Zayn and the Usos.)
• Drew McIntyre confronted Cody Rhodes, leaving some to speculate that McIntyre and Kevin Owens are in cahoots.

WWE SmackDown expanded to a 3-hour format this past Friday (January 3, 2025), but the show will drop the extra hour later this year. Triple H, WWE’s EVP of Global Talent Strategy & Development, confirmed this transition during a Monday appearance on The Pat McAfee Show.

“Look, there are some parameters that we have to hit, but it’s no different than episodic television shows,” he began. “Sometimes there’s an episode that’s 45 minutes, the next week it’s an hour, right? It depends on what you need to put into that show.”

Triple H provided insight on the production-aspect of show lengths. “Sometimes when we do three-hour shows there’s a little bit of collapsible stuff in there that’s put in on purpose. It’s a little bit of fat in the show that you can trim off if you need to.”

When SmackDown will return to two hours

He added that sometimes with a two-hour show, they need to cut things out to keep the show as tight as possible. “So somewhere between that two and three-hour window, to me, is the sweet spot.”

“The Game” emphasized that while SmackDown is presently a three-hour spectacle, it is slated to return to the two-hour format in the foreseeable future. However, he refrained from specifying an exact date for this change.

“Yes, for right now (it is three hours), and then it switches back to two.”

Triple H confirms WWE SmackDown is returning to a two-hour format in 2025

Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics says SmackDown is slated to go back to two hours in June 2025 and credits Wrestlevotes with the scoop.

Meanwhile, WWE Raw, another flagship show from the wrestling giant, is gearing up for its Netflix premiere. The inaugural episode is scheduled to air on Monday, January 6 and the show will have no set run-time each week, a unique perk they’re afforded on Netflix.

42-Minutes? Triple H Says WWE Raw Runtimes Will Be Flexible

Tiffany Stratton has at long last cashed in her Money in the Bank contract and waited until the first three-hour edition of WWE SmackDown to do so. Stratton toppled Nia Jax to capture the WWE Women’s Championship but is hardly the first Superstar to cash in on the Blue Brand:

2007: Edge (May 8, 2007)

Mr. Kennedy claimed he’d wait a whole year to cash in Money in the Bank, but would in fact lose the briefcase to Edge in May 2007. Not wanting to make the same mistake as Kennedy, Edge cashed in days after winning the briefcase to win the World Heavyweight Title from The Undertaker.

2010: Jack Swagger (April 2, 2010)

After winning the Money in the Bank contract at WrestleMania 26, Jack Swagger attempted to cash in on the following Raw. When that didn’t work out, Swagger took advantage of a downed Chris Jericho, who had just taken a spear by Edge, to win the World Heavyweight Championship on SmackDown.

2017: Baron Corbin (August 15, 2017)

The only failed cash-in to take place on SmackDown, Baron Corbin tried to claim the WWE Championship that was held by Jinder Mahal at the time. The interference of John Cena (ironically the first man to fail a Money in the Bank cash-in) ended the match in a DQ and Corbin would never hold World Championship gold in WWE.

2018: Carmella (April 10, 2018)

The first-ever Miss. Money in the Bank, Carmella had to win her briefcase a second time on the June 27 episode of SmackDown, due to James Ellsworth’s interference. After waiting 287 days, the Staten Island Princess cashed in on April 10, 2018, SmackDown to win the SmackDown Women’s Title from Charlotte Flair.

2025: Tiffany Stratton (January 3, 2025)

After months of being dismissed and put down by her ‘friend,’ Tiffany Stratton got her revenge by cashing in Money in the Bank on Nia Jax. This win marks Stratton’s first title on the main roster, and the end of Jax’s reign as Women’s Champion that had begun at SummerSlam 2024.

Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Tiffany Stratton and her reign as the brand-new WWE Women’s Champion.

Cody Rhodes promised to kick Kevin Owens’ ass after tonight’s SmackDown from Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida went off air.

The American Nightmare confronted his former friend in the main event of tonight’s show. After an exchange of words, Nick Aldis confirmed that the two will face each other in a ladder match at Royal Rumble.

The segment ended with Owens shoving Aldis into Cody and beating up the WWE Champion until the officials made the save. Kevin then left with the Winged Eagle title still in his possession.

• John Cena and Cody Rhodes Poised for WrestleMania 41 Showdown?

What Happened After SmackDown

Rhodes on the other hand, stayed in the ring after the show went off air. He cut a short promo mentioning how his mother is from Tampa as well and promised to make KO pay for his actions before finally leaving.

The night continued with dark matches after the WWE Champion’s promo. The first dark match of the night saw Bianca Belair teaming up with Dakota Kai to defeat Pure Fusion Collective. This was Bianca’s second match of the night as she also competed in a six-women tag on SmackDown.

Jey Uso came out for the second dark match of the night. He faced Chad Gable in the bout and the OG Bloodline member picked up the victory. The New Bloodline attacked the Yeet man after the bell, however, prompting Braun Strowman and Sami Zayn to make the save.

• Hulk Hogan Weighs In on Cody Rhodes as WWE Champion

WWE has officially confirmed that SmackDown will be expanding from its current two-hour format to a three-hour broadcast starting in 2025. This significant change is set to take effect on January 3, 2025, with the first extended episode airing live from Phoenix, Arizona.

Starting next week, WWE SmackDown airs Friday nights on the USA Network from 8-11pm ET. Two championship matches are set for the broadcast:

• Andrade vs Shinsuke Nakamura (c) for the United States Championship
• Naomi challenges Naomi for the WWE Women’s Championship

SmackDown made its return to the USA Network on Friday, September 13, 2024, after a five-year stint on Fox. The return to USA Network was part of a new multi-year partnership between WWE and NBCUniversal, reportedly valued at $1.4 billion over five years. This deal not only brought SmackDown back to cable television but also included plans for WWE to produce four annual Saturday Night’s Main Event primetime specials for NBC.

WWE SmackDown results for December 27, 2024:

• Six-Woman Tag Team Match: Bianca Belair, Naomi, and Bayley defeated Nia Jax, Tiffany Stratton, and Candice LeRae. Naomi pinned LeRae after a roll-up.
• Singles Match: Braun Strowman defeated Austin Theory with Grayson Waller. Strowman won with a running powerslam.
• Women’s United States Championship Celebration: Chelsea Green celebrated her title win, but was interrupted by Michin, who attacked Piper Niven with a kendo stick.
• Tag Team Match: The Street Profits defeated Los Garza (Angel Garza and Humberto Carrillo) with Elektra Lopez. The Street Profits won with the Doomsday Blockbuster.
• Singles Match: Sami Zayn vs. Carmelo Hayes ended in a no contest. The match was disrupted by Braun Strowman chasing Hayes away, and then The New Bloodline attacked Zayn.
• Jade Cargill Saga: Nia Jax denied involvement in Jade Cargill’s injury and accused Bianca Belair of being the top suspect

The final WWE Smackdown of 2024 takes place tonight from Tampa, Florida at the Amalie Arena. The December 27, 2024 edition of WWE SmackDown broadcasts live on the USA Network at 8/7c. This will also be the last 2-hour episode before SmackDown expands to 3 hours on a weekly basis starting next week.

The hype for this show focuses around the return of Cody Rhodes, who has been sidelined since Kevin Owens took him out with a package piledriver following their match at Saturday Night’s Main Event. The American Nightmare actually returned to action last night at WWE’s holiday tour live event from Jacksonville, Florida. You can see footage here:

Cody Rhodes Makes Triumphant WWE In-Ring Return in Jacksonville

Other superstars advertised for SmackDown include LA Knight, Bianca Belair, Bayley, Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton. We’ll update this article if WWE announces any matches in the lead-up to the show.

Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest WWE news as we round out 2024.

What happened last week on SmackDown

Last week’s 12/20 edition of SmackDown saw The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga) defeat LA Knight, Apollo Crews, and Andrade in a six-man tag team main event. United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura interfered, attacking LA Knight and helping The Bloodline secure the victory.

Other highlights include:

• Kevin Owens appeared in a video segment, holding the winged eagle belt and issuing a warning to WWE management.
• Drew McIntyre confronted Solo Sikoa, warning him that he’s next on McIntyre’s revenge tour against The Bloodline.
• Bianca Belair and Naomi (filling in for Jade Cargill) successfully defended their WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles against WWE Women’s Champion Nia Jax and Candice LeRae.
• Carmelo Hayes defeated Braun Strowman via count-out in a rematch. The match was set up after Hayes interrupted Strowman’s appearance on the Grayson Waller Effect.
• Johnny Gargano defeated Alex Shelley in a singles match, with interference from Tommaso Ciampa and Chris Sabin.

WWE fans can look forward to an additional hour of weekly programming starting in the new year.

On Friday, the WWE website released an updated guide detailing how to watch Raw, SmackDown, NXT, and premium live events across various regions worldwide.

“SmackDown continues to air on USA Network every Friday night at 8/7 C in the U.S. At the start of 2025, SmackDown will expand to three hours starting with the Jan. 3 episode from Phoenix, Arizona.”

This marks the first time SmackDown will expand to three hours since its debut in 1999, making it a historic moment for the show.

WWE Raw reverted to a two-hour format in October 2024, over 14 years after it first expanded to three hours in July 2012.

SmackDown expanding to three hours highlights WWE’s strategy to differentiate its flagship shows. This move positions SmackDown as a broader platform for storytelling and talent development, including showcasing the new Women’s United States Championship held by Chelsea Green.

Mixed Reaction to the Change

Reactions on X to SmackDown expanding to three hours have been mixed:

• Some fans see this as a positive change, anticipating more screen time for storylines like the Bloodline, as well as greater opportunities for the women’s division and underutilized talent.
• Others are concerned that the current two-hour format already struggles with consistency, fearing the additional hour may lead to repetitive or diluted content.
• Some also view this as a strategic business move, benefiting WWE and USA Network by increasing advertising opportunities.

Overall, fans are divided between optimism for more in-depth storytelling and skepticism about whether the roster can sustain the added time with compelling content.

Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest wrestling news ahead of the big changes in store for WWE Raw and SmackDown.

This week’s episode of WWE SmackDown was pre-taped at the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut, following last week’s show. The decision to tape the episode in advance gives the WWE roster additional time off for the Christmas season.

Matches and Segments

The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga) vs. LA Knight, Andrade, and Apollo Crews

This heated six-man tag team match stems from The Bloodline’s attack on Apollo Crews, which has only escalated tensions in recent weeks.

Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Bianca Belair and Naomi (c) vs. Nia Jax and Candice LeRae

Belair and Naomi will defend their titles against the dominant Nia Jax and crafty Candice LeRae. Will the champs retain, or will new challengers claim the gold?

Kevin Owens Addresses the WWE Universe

Kevin Owens is set to address the crowd after his controversial actions at Saturday Night’s Main Event (SNME). Following his loss to Cody Rhodes, KO attacked Cody and made off with the Winged Eagle Championship. Owens, who has been parading around with the stolen title, has even declared that he’ll defend it next week during the WWE holiday tour.

Braun Strowman vs. Carmelo Hayes (Rematch)

Braun Strowman and Carmelo Hayes will face off in a highly anticipated rematch. Last week, during The Grayson Waller Effect, Strowman appeared dressed as Santa Claus, but things took a chaotic turn, leading to this showdown.

Johnny Gargano vs. Alex Shelley

Johnny Gargano, riding a wave of momentum, takes on Alex Shelley in a singles match. However, Shelley is looking to settle the score after Gargano’s shocking heel turn.

Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest WWE SmackDown updates as the road to the big WWE Raw Netflix debut on Monday, January 6, continues

WWE taped its December 20, episode of WWE SmackDown after the December 13, show from the XL Center in Hartford. WWE taped the two shows back-to-back to allow for talent and crew to have more time over the festive period at home. Below are the complete spoiler results.

Segment – The Bloodline opened the show but Drew McIntyre interrupted. After a heated exchange between the two sides, McIntyre escaped through the crowd.

Segment – Kevin Owens cut a promo in his car. Later in the show, Owens and Cody Rhodes brawled, suggesting their feud won’t end at Saturday Night’s Main Event.

Six-Man Tag Team Match – The Bloodline defeated LA Knight, Andrade, and Apollo Crews in a tag-team action. Jacob Fatu attacked Knight after the match.

In-Ring Segment – Grayson Waller hosted the Grayson Waller Effect with Braun Strowman as his guest, dressed as Santa Claus. Carmelo Hayes interrupted things to set up our next match.

Singles Match – Carmelo Hayes defeated Braun Storowman. The Monster Among Men returned during this week’s show to defeat Hayes.

Singles Match – Johnny Gargano defeated Alex Shelley. DIY had a new theme song to match their recent heel turn. This match was announced during the latest episode of SmackDown.

WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match – Bianca Belair and Naomi (c) defeated Women’s Champion Nia Jax and Candice LeRae. This match was announced during the latest episode of WWE SmackDown.

WWE SmackDown emanates from the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut this Friday night, serving as the final stop before the historic return of Saturday Night’s Main Event.

Announced Matches for SmackDown (December 13, 2024)

• Women’s U.S. Title Tournament Semifinal: Bayley vs. Chelsea Green
• Women’s U.S. Title Tournament Semifinal: Michin vs. Tiffany Stratton
• Carmelo Hayes vs. Mystery Opponent

The winners of the tournament semifinals on SmackDown will advance to the finals at SNME to crown the inaugural WWE Women’s Untied States Champion.

Chelsea Green Already Has Ideas For Women’s US Championship

Additionally, tensions are expected to reach a boiling point between WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens ahead of their championship clash on Saturday.

Stay tuned to SEScoops this weekend for complete coverage of WWE SmackDown on the USA Network and Saturday Night’s Main Event, simulcasting live on NBC and Peacock from the historic Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Top Moments from last week’s WWE SmackDown:

The action didn’t stop after this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown went off the air from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The show saw the blue brand deal with the fallout of Survivor Series: WarGames, new WWE Tag Team Champions crowned, and a new ‘Transfer Window’ be introduced.

Learn More About WWE’s Transfer Window And Potential Roster Changes

In the first dark match of the night, Intercontinental Champion Bron Breakker made quick work of Dominik Mysterio. Neither man was featured on SmackDown, though eagle-eyed fans spotted ‘Dirty Dom’ speaking to Nick Aldis during a segment with Chelsea Green, Bianca Belair, and Piper Niven.

In the second dark match, World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER retained his gold against Minnesota’s own Otis. Despite a valiant effort by the Alpha Academy star, GUNTHER retained his title with a powerbomb onto the superheavweight The 2021 King of the Ring appeared on SmackDown where he met with General Manager Nick Aldis.

The fans in Minneapolis certainly had a stacked night of WWE action, both during the SmackDown broadcast and after the show went off the air. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest from WWE SmackDown as the blue brand appears poised for major changes thanks to the upcoming Transfer Window.