WWE Friday Night SmackDown comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Jan. 17, 2025) with a live show emanating from the Pechanga Center in San Diego, California, featuring all the latest build to the upcoming Royal Rumble premium live event scheduled for early next month in Indianapolis.
Advertised for tonight: Tiffany Stratton puts the women’s championship on the line for the very first time against Bayley, who won a Fatal 4-Way for the right to challenge her.
Elsewhere, Solo Sikoa will make his return for the first time since losing Tribal Combat, the Motor City Machine Guns take on Los Garza, Bianca Belair & Naomi take on Nia Jax & Candice LeRae in non-title action, and a whole lot more!
Come right back here at 8 pm ET when the SmackDown live blog kicks off once the show starts on USA Network. It will be below this line here. (Note: Links to illegal streams are prohibited. Pics and GIFs are allowed.)
WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR JAN. 17
Come walk with me through endless time. See what has been and what the future sees. Share the wisdom of the old world that has passed, step in a life that’s yet to be born, while I live blog this here pro wrestling show for these folks.
The show opens with commentary walking backstage talking up the history of the arena.
The usual montage of talent arriving at the arena follows.
Rey Mysterio makes his entrance and gets on the mic.
After pleasantries, he says he came out here to announce that he intends to do the impossible again and he declares for the Royal Rumble. He talks about winning the Royal Rumble from #2 back in 2006 and then main eventing WrestleMania and winning the World Heavyweight Championship. He can’t lie, he’ll be realistic, the competition is heavy this year.
Drew McIntyre, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, John Cena, it’s gonna be tough, but remember back in 2006 he did it for a friend that we all know very well. “Eddy!” chants go up—
Enter Kevin Owens.
He apologizes for interrupting Mysterio, but he had to because he heard him talking about how he’s gonna win the Royal Rumble, but from the bottom of his heart, there’s very few men in this business he respects as much as Rey. He’d even go as far as saying that there’s nobody he respects as much.
He’s accomplished things he dreamed of as a kid, he main evented WrestleMania against Steve Austin, he won tag titles with his best friend in the main event of WrestleMania, and now he gets to stand here with the title belt all his idols won and now he stands here as your true, rightful WWE Champion.
But there’s one thing he has to accomplish before his career is complete, and that’s a one-on-one match against the legendary Rey Mysterio. So, face-to-face, man-to-man, he hopes he beats all those other idiots and wins the Royal Rumble, and he asks him to promise that he’ll be the champion that Rey picks.
Unsurprisingly, Mysterio has to point out that Owens is not actually the champion, Cody is. But, he’ll tell him this— if he wins the Royal Rumble and Kevin is champion, he’d be more than glad to fight him for the title. KO disagrees, yelling in his face about how he’s the real champion.
Rey calls Owens delusional and says he’s reminding him of Dominik right now, and sets him up for the 619 but KO rolls out to the floor to avoid it!
Bianca Belair and Naomi are chatting backstage about how there still aren’t any leads to figure out who injured Jade Cargill and they agree to focus on their tag team match tonight. Naomi asks Bianca to wrap her braid up so there’s no accidental contact again and Belair damn near whips her with it while she’s coiling it on her head!
Candice LeRae & Nia Jax make their entrance to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Nick Aldis is chatting with Rey Mysterio and informs him that he’s giving him his match against Kevin Owens.
Cody Rhodes walks in and says he saw what happened and was getting checked out by a medic or he would have helped. Rey tells him to focus on getting cleared and let him handle his own business tonight. Cody informs Nick that he’s been cleared and Aldis says there’s lots of time between now and the Royal Rumble and he has an addendum to the contract for the match that he needs sidned.
Rhodes asks if KO has signed it, Nick says he’s his next stop, and Cody gives the contract back, saying he’ll sign it when Kevin does.
Bianca Belair & Naomi vs. Candice LeRae & Nia Jax
Jax with a cheap shot on Naomi out the gates, LeRae beating Belair down and now it’s Nia pressing her attack on Bianca. Candice in, Belair with a vertical suplex on her, back elbow, mounted punches, EST military presses LeRae to the floor and into Nia and we go to break!
Back from commercial, Belair with a schoolboy pin on LeRae, Candice diving crossbody, Bianca rolls her through! LeRae slips out with a handful of braid, pulling her to the mat with it! Jax tags in, Samoan drop, Bianca off the top with a crossbody and both women are down and out!
Naomi tags in, slingshot X-Factor for two, mounted punches, winging Nia into the turnbuckles, split-legged moonsault… CANDICE BREAKS IT UP! Tag to Belair, Jax fends them both off, Samoan drop on Naomi! Off the ropes, blind tag from LeRae, handspring from Bianca is met by a basement dropkick, step-up senton follows!
Nia off the ropes, senton, Candice with the pin… NOPE! Charging in, Bianca Gallon Throws her into the turnbuckles, handspring moonsault, Nia tries to break it up and just drops a leg on LeRae! Belair takes her down with a lariat, Naomi tags in…
Bianca Belair & Naomi win by pinfall with a full nelson bomb from Naomi on Candice LeRae.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get footage of Byron Saxon interviewing Bayley in the empty arena this afternoon.
She says we all dream of main eventing in our home state and she talks about her disappointment in her last title reign and that this time, it’s personal.
Mia Yim and B-FAB are chatting backstage when Piper Niven rolls up playing pretend Secret Service for Chelsea Green.
She says the room is clear and Green comes in and taunts them about now standing up for her. B-FAB says if it wasn’t for the mall cop she’d never have been champion, Piper gets in her face and suggests a match for later tonight.
Jimmy Uso walks and talks backstage ahead of his match against Carmelo Hayes.
Uso makes his entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Carmelo Hayes cuts a promo in his entrance about how Jim Uso is living in his brother’s shadow, and his brother in turn is living in Roman Reigns’ shadow, and how you gonna throw shade sitting on the bench?
Carmelo Hayes vs. “Big” Jim Uso
Uso in control early but Hayes comes back with a fury and puts boots to him in the corner! Chops in the ropes, Jim with a back body drop to the apron and a right hand staggers Carmelo! Uso with a snap suplex on the apron, Jim follows it with a suicide dive and we go to break!
Back from commercial, up in the turnbuckles, jockeying for position, nobody home on a Whisper in the wind but Hayes hits Fade Away! Back on their feet, both men go for neckbreaker drops and both men are down and out! Trading strikes, Hayes floats over a fireman’s carry, La Mistica connects… NOPE!
Jim with a pop-up Samoan drop for two, up top for a diving splash, Melo counters with a Codebreaker… SO CLOSE! Nobody home on Nothing But Net, Uso comes back with a superkick… STILL NO! Roll-up from Hayes, no deal, Jim with a spear! Uso goes up top, Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu appear and Tama shoves him down…
“Big” Jim Uso wins by disqualification.
Post-match, the erstwhile Bloodline gentlemen dominate Uso and lay him out!
Solo Sikoa makes his entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Solo Sikoa gets on the mic.
Or rather, he lets the crowd boo for a long moment before dropping the mic and leaving, taking his blazer off and slinging it over his shoulder.
Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu are left hanging back in the ring.
Fatu grabs a mic and asks if this is what it comes to? He’s tired of the disrespect and the hate, but even on his bad day we can’t touch him. He doesn’t give a damn if we cheer or boo him, but one thing he won’t let us do is act like he never got his. Did you think he was crazy or unhinged?
The crazy thing about this situation is that he’s just getting started.
Enter LA Knight, sliding in the ring from behind to blindside Tonga and Fatu! They overwhelm him in relatively short order but Braun Strowman makes the save! Strowman swats Tama aside and gets into the ring with the Samoan Werewolf! Jacob is fired up to fight but Tonga pulls him out of the ring!
Legado Del Fantasma are backstage and Santos Escobar gives Los Garza a pep talk, but Elektra Lopez reminds them that one victory doesn’t earn them the tag titles. Escobar tells them to beat Motor City Machine Guns and take respect from their hands and their throats tonight.
MCMG make their enrance to send us to break.
Los Garza (Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo) vs. Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin)
Shelley and Garza to start, side headlock, block the shoot off, off the ropes, drop down, trading heel trips, Angel offers a hand! Slap, back and forth, Los Garza in control and we go to break!
Back from commercial, Sabin on the wrong side of town, nearfall! Chris gets an enzuigiri for separation and tags Shelley back in! Alex lighting Carrillo up with right hands, flying elbow, boot up, tijeras, into a figure four leglock! Sabin with one of his own as well! Readjusting, Humberto kicks him into the corner and slams him, cover for two!
Garza legal, both Machine Guns, a dropkick assisted powerbomb / World’s Strongest Slam… STILL NO! Alex holds the ropes open, Chris dives on both of ‘em! Back inside, corner lariat and a tag, front kick, Pretty Deadly are here to run interference! Chris sends ‘em packing, tag, double boot…
Motor City Machine Guns win by pinfall with Skull & Bones on Humberto Carrillo.
Nick Aldis rolls up on Kevin Owens to get him to sign the addendum.
Owens doesn’t want to sign it until Cody does and he also wants to read the addendum first, but right now he has a match so he’s not doing it just yet.
Chelsea Green and Piper Niven make their entrance to send us to break.
B-FAB vs. Piper Niven
Feeling out, B-FAB with a facebuster out of a hangman’s neckbreaker position, charging in, Niven with a huge Rock Bottom! B-FAB rolls away from a senton, float-over DDT, cover for two! Piper on the apron, B blasts her to the floor with a boot! Throwing her back inside, getting in Chelsea Green’s face, dropping the champion with a lariat off the apron!
But when she goes back inside, Piper cuts her off with a senton, off the ropes with a shove, fireman’s carry…
Piper Niven wins by pinfall with a Piper Driver.
Post-match, “Michin” Mia Yim runs in and saves B-FAB from an attack at the hands of the heels.
We see Rey Mysterio walking backstage.
Commentary memorializes WWE Hall of Famer Bob Uecker and we go to break.
Back from commercial we get a recap of Tiffany Stratton winning the WWE Women’s Championship.
Byron Saxton interviews a very wet-looking Tiffany Stratton backstage.
She says Bayley’s had a lot of moments but so has she and she’s living in her moments in the first-run and right now it’s Tiffy Time.
We see Victoria in the crowd.
Kevin Owens vs. Rey Mysterio
Owens backs Mysterio into the corner, clean break, go-behind, waistlock takedown! Rey comes back with an arm drag, Kevin is frustrated! Front kick, clubbing blows, wristlock applied, Mysterio flips off the ropes to reverse, side headlock, shot off, KO cuts him off and shoves him through the ropes and to the floor!
Back inside, test of strength, Rey pops up for a rolling sunset flip for two, off the ropes, tijeras sends Kev packing into the ropes! Elbow clobbers him, whip reversed, Owens counters to a facebuster and follows it with a running senton! “Culero!” chants go up as KO works Mysterio over, catching a slingshot, electric chair, blocking a victory roll over the ropes and he drives his knee into Rey’s sternum and sends him to the floor!
Following after, elbows against the barricade, Mysterio gets on the apron, diving tijeras bounces Kevin off the barricade! Rey back inside, he takes his shirt off, off the ropes, sliding tope under the bottom rope and we go to break!
Back from commercial, Owens has a reverse chinlock in, mat slam puts Mysterio back down, crotch chop at the crowd, Mysterio off the top, la casadora into the bulldog, only two! Kevin has a 619 scouted, Rey denies the pop-up powerbomb and hits a satellite DDT… SO CLOSE! Up top and jockeying for position, KO hits a frog splash… STILL NO!
Back up top again, Rey with a sunset flip powerbomb, follows it with a Yoshi Tonic… OWENS KICKS OUT! Stunner connects… REY KICKS OUT! Kevin goes up top, senton atomico… THE KNEES ARE UP! THE 619 CONNECTS! Mysterio lame in one leg, headed up top but Owens crotches him, off the ropes…
Kevin Owens wins by pinfall with the pop-up powerbomb.
Post-match, KO looks for a package piledriver on Rey and Cody Rhodes makes the save!
They brawl, referees and road agents and security pull them apart! Over the announce desk trhe brawl continues, Rhodes goes back in the ring as Owens stands tall on a road case in the crowd and we go to break!
Back from commercial, Nick Aldis is furious at Cody Rhodes for doing the brawl and informs him that at Saturday Night’s Main Event, he and Kevin both will relinquish their title belts and “Heartbreak Man” Shawn Michaels will moderate a contract signing between the two of them.
Commentary hypes up Saturday Night’s Main Event, including a freshly-booked match between Jacob Fatu and Braun Strowman, before hyping up next week’s SmackDown.
Pretty Deadly run into #DIY backstage.
Tomato Camper is mad at Pretty Deadly for handing the win to Motor City Machine Guns earlier and calls them a joke and says if they want a title shot they need to become men. Johnny Gargano tries to gloss it as tough love and says they should want to make life easier for them so they can make life better for PD.
Apollo Crews rolls up after and points out trying to work with #DIY has gotten Pretty Deadly nowhere.
They leave and Johnny Gargano ambushes Crews and beats him down against a road case, telling him to keep their name out of his mouth.
Bayley makes her entrance and Roxanne Perez is shown in the front row to send us to break.
Back from commercial, we get a music video for Charlotte Flair’s inevitable return.
Bayley vs. Tiffany Stratton (c) (WWE Women’s Championship)
Circling, collar and elbow, struggling into the corner, clean break. Back to the lockup, headlock takeover from Stratton, headscissors escape, back to the headlock, shot off, standing switch, Bayley shoves her away and they trade heel trip nearfalls! Back elbow sets up an arm drag, sliding lariat, only two!
Tiffany hauls off and slaps the Role Model to the mat and gets clotheslined to the floor in return to send us to break!
Back from commercial, Bayley sends Stratton crashing to the floor, dropkick through the corner, block a second, Tiffany trips her up on the apron a few times, back inside, cover for two! Back outside, around the way but the Role Model cuts her off with a back elbow and flapjacks her into the apron!
Back inside, cover for two, Stratton bails, Bayley off the ropes and Tiffany cuts her off with a right hand before trapping her in the ring skirt and blasting her with a hip attack against the steel frame of the ring! Stratton inside to take the count, plancha countered… BAYLEY-TO-BELLY CONNECTS AND WE GO TO BREAK!
Back from commercial, Bayley gets a nearfall off a superplex and goes up top, Stratton cuts her off and sends her crashing to the floor! Back inside, Tiffany up top, senton atomico connects, Tenryu Powerbomb… BAYLEY KICKS OUT! Fujiwara armbar applied on the kickout, Stratton wrenching it in, Role Model reverses to a cover and gets away!
Slinging Stratton to the floor, Tiffy pulls her out with her, handspring countered, Bayley gourdbusters her into the announce desk and then suplexes her off of it! Jawing with Roxanne Perez, back inside, diving elbow for two, Bayley with a Just Facelock but Stratton counters!
Spinebuster for two, back and forth, Bayley-to-Belly… STILL JUST A TWO COUNT! Up for the moonsault, Role Model cuts her off, sunset flip powerbomb into the turnbuckles, cover… STRATTON KICKS OUT! Fireman’s carry, swing out into a Lightning Spiral, only two!
Tiffany with kicks in the corner, backslide for two, Bayley steps over, Roseplant countered, cartwheel Alabama Slam connects and Stratton double-jumps…
Tiffany Stratton wins by pinfall with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever, retaining the WWE Women’s Championship.
That’s the show, folks.
