WWE Friday Night SmackDown returns back to our lives tonight (October 17, 2025) with a live broadcast from the SAP Centre in San Jose, California, including all of the repercussions from the Crown Jewel premium live event, which took place just last week all the way over in Australia.
After Crown Jewel, where Seth Rollins beat Cody Rhodes in a big main event, SmackDown came to USA Network on Friday. The show included Cody Rhodes’ first appearance since his loss in Perth, Australia.
Drew McIntyre fought Jacob Fatu in a clash of the heavyweights. Plus, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss defended their women’s tag team titles against Sol Ruca and Zaria from NXT.
Here’s what happened on the October 17 show.
Table of Contents
WWE Friday Night SmackDown returns
Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre
Jacob Fatu being found lying unconscious backstage, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes threw a wild challenge at Drew McIntyre for an immediate match.
Rhodes, who was not in proper attire for the match, angrily bit McIntyre. Off the ring. Rhodes hit McIntyre in the face with the WWE Title, thus stopping the match by way of disqualification. Rhodes and McIntyre then went to blows and had to be broken up by the WWE staff.
Motor City Machine Guns vs. Los Garzas
A backstage rivalry between The Motor City Machine Guns and Los Garza concluded in tag team battle, a rematch of Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley’s debut WWE match.
Angel and Berto isolated Shelley early on, cutting him off from his partner. Throughout the advertisement, they kept the match at a steady pace. When Sabin tagged in, they maintained their dominance, eliminating the babyfaces at ringside.
Back in the ring, the former tag team champions found an opportunity, delivered Skull and Bones, and secured a much-needed victory.
United States Championship: Sami Zayn vs. Ilja Dragunov
After Carmelo Hayes took out The Miz, Ilja Dragunov showed up in WWE again, answering Sami Zayn’s open challenge for the United States Title.
UNBELIEVABLE!! @UNBESIEGBAR_ZAR is BACK!!! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/j3hHSXIyyp
— WWE (@WWE) October 18, 2025
Zayn tried his Helluva Kick, but Dragunov surprised him with a kick, nearly winning. Zayn pulled off a huge Michinoku Driver from the top rope, but Dragunov managed to kick out.
Dragunov then hit a big Senton and a superplex from the top, but Zayn blocked his H-Bomb with his boots.
When Zayn went for the Helluva Kick, Solo Sikoa got in his head, and Dragunov took the chance to hit the Torpedo and an H-Bomb to win the United States Title. Dragunov defeated Zayn to win the title
Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss vs. Sol Ruca and Zaria: WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions
On Friday, the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship was at stake in a match between NXT’s Sol Ruca and Zaria vs Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss.
The challengers really worked over Bliss during the break, showing off the tag team chemistry which they used to climb the ranks and get this title shot.
After a hot tag, the main roster duo turned the tide as Flair took down and pummeled Zaria. However, that power was used to the advantage of Ruca through a tag, who then battled both champions. The double-champion stunned The Queen with a Sol Snatcher, only for Bliss to break up the pin.
The fight continued outside the ring, where Monroe distracted Ruca, enabling Flair to take advantage and hit her knee. The Figure Eight came next, and the challenger had to tap out.
Final Result: Bliss and Flair defeated Ruca and Zaria to retain the titles
