Wrestling On FanNation

WWE SmackDown Preview (5/16/25): Start Time, Match Card, How to Watch & Live Stream

Money in the Bank Qualifying Matches are set to get underway tonight on Friday night's episode of WWE SmackDown.
Rick Ucchino|
Money in the Bank Qualifying Matches to begin on SmackDown
Money in the Bank Qualifying Matches to begin on SmackDown | WWE.com

Life continues to move fast in the WWE. As the dust still settles from Backlash this past weekend in St. Louis, there's just a little over three weeks remaining until Money in the Bank in Los Angeles.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown emanates from the historic Greensboro Coliseum tonight and qualifying matches for both the men's and women's annual ladder matches are set to get underway in North Carolina. Chelsea Green, Alexa Bliss, Michin, Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa and Rey Fenix will all get their chance to move on to MITB later tonight.

12 Superstars laid their bodies on the line last year to claim a contract for a guaranteed World Championship opportunity, but in the end it was Drew McIntyre and Tiffany Stratton who emerged from those battles with the coveted briefcases.

The 2024 Ms. Money in the Bank was able to parlay her golden ticket into a WWE Women's Championship victory over Nia Jax back in January, and the Irresistible Force is still seeking revenge against her former protégé.

Jax earned a rematch against Tiffany Stratton last week on SmackDown when she defeated Jade Cargill. It was a tainted victory thanks to Naomi's interference, but a victory none the less. The WWE Women's Championship will be on the line as Stratton and Jax go one-on-one in tonight's main event.

Both the aforementioned Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair made their return to SmackDown last week in Dayton, but they each had a very different experience.

Bliss received a hero's ovation from the fans in her home state of Ohio as she teamed with WWE Women's Champion Zelina Vega to defeat Chelsea Green and Piper Niven in a tag team match. The Queen meanwhile, was booed out of the ring and vowed never to return to the Nutter Center.

Before Flair was able to get into her car to leave the arena, she was confronted by Alexa in the parking lot. Bliss said that Charlotte and herself needed to have a 'chat.' Could we find out what these former Women's Champions had to discuss with one another on this week's episode of SmackDown?

Randy Orton is being advertised for the show tonight in Greensboro. The Viper was unsuccessful in his bid to unseat John Cena as the WWE Champion at Backlash, thanks in large part to interference from R-Truth.

Truth slid into the ring to stop Randy from delivering his patented punt to the skull of his 'childhood hero', which opened the door for Cena to steal the victory. Truth was rewarded with an RKO, and later in the night, an Attitude Adjustment through a table.

Regardless of how it went down, Orton's final match against his longtime rival did not go his way. It is hard to imagine what the voices inside The Viper's head will be telling him do next with both WWE and his family's legacy still barreling toward an uncertain future.

A big question on the minds of wrestling fans across the globe is whether or not they'll see Cody Rhodes tonight.

The now former WWE Champion has not been seen since his loss at WrestleMania 41, but he's never been a man who stays down for long. The American Nightmare has built his entire career around his ability to overcome adversity and there is no way Cody Rhodes is going to sit back and let John Cena ride off into retirement with what he calls the 'North Star' of the professional wrestling industry.

Will Cody begin his climb back to the top tonight in Greensboro? We'll all find out soon enough. Here's everything we know about this week's Friday Night SmackDown. Check back often for updates as WWE announces more matches throughout the day.

Where to watch WWE SmackDown Tonight:

TV Channel: USA Network

Streaming: Fubo TV, Peacock, YouTube TV, DirecTV, Hulu+ Live TV

WWE SmackDown Start Time:

Time: 8 p.m. EST / 7 p.m. CST

WWE SmackDown Location:

Location: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina

WWE Smackdown Match Card (Announced):

Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Nia Jax for the WWE Women's Championship

Men's Money in the Bank Qualifying Triple Threat Match: Rey Fenix vs. Solo Sikoa vs. Jimmy Uso

Women's Money in the Bank Qualifying Triple Threat Match: Chelsea Green vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Michin

Aleister Black vs. Carmelo Hayes

Fraxiom vs. #DIY

Published | Modified
Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

Home/WWE