WWE SmackDown Preview (10/17/25): Start Time, Match Card, How to Watch & Live Stream

The push toward the next Saturday Night's Main Event is on as WWE SmackDown goes live Friday night in San Jose, California.

Expect some fallout from last Saturday's Crown Jewel Premium Live Event as both WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and WWE Women's Champion Tiffany Stratton return from Australia having come up short in their bids to capture the 2025 Men's and Women's Crown Jewel Championships.

How will The American Nightmare respond after suffering his first loss to Seth Rollins since returning to WWE over three years ago? Will Stratton be able to bounce back quickly now that she's no longer undefeated in 2025? Which Superstars will step up to the challenge the potentially vulnerable champions? We should find out later tonight.

Drew McIntyre could be the man to step up to Cody Rhodes. The Scottish Warrior is scheduled to face Jacob Fatu later this evening, but the Samoan Werewolf has reportedly suffered a non-wrestling related injury and could be out of action until early 2026.

SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis took to social media Thursday night to announce that McIntyre versus Fatu is still on, but if Jacob is truly unable to compete, that could clear a path for Drew to make another run at the WWE Championship.

The WWE Women's Tag Team Champions are guaranteed to be on the line Friday as Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss defend their titles against NXT Women's North American Champion Sol Ruca and Zaria. The NXT stars pleaded their case for this opportunity last week, and the champs told them to give them their best shot.

Can't wait for this match! pic.twitter.com/LIcEHVYisM
— WWE (@WWE) October 16, 2025

Sami Zayn's Men's United States Open Championship Challenge has become must watch television on Friday nights, but his battle with Shinsuke Nakamura last week was interrupted by Solo Sikoa, a returning Tama Tonga and the rest of the MFT's.

It was the first of two messages that Sikoa's bunch sent on the night as they would later come face-to-face with the Wyatt Sicks after they successfully defended the WWE Tag Team Titles against The Street Profits.

The MTF's could enact the next phase of their plan when SmackDown goes live at 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT) on the USA Network. Randy Orton and Jade Cargill are also being advertised for the show. Here's everything we currently know. Check back for updates as more matches and segments are likely to be announced throughout the day.

Drew McIntyre vs. Jacob Fatu

Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu both have their sights set on Cody Rhodes's WWE Championship, but first, they have to settle their issues with each other. These two mammoth men have traded blows multiple times backstage in recent weeks and SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis has ordered them to fight it out in the ring tonight in San Jose.

WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Match

While Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss see a ton of potential in Sol Ruca and Zaria, they don't necessarily believe that they are ready to challenge for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships. After they defeated the Green Regime two weeks ago on SmackDown, however, Charlotte and Alexa agreed to give Ruca and Zaria the opportunity they were desperately seeking.