Warning: The following copy has SPOILERS for WWE SmackDown (Jan 17, 2025)
The action was underway started from the very start of this week's SmackDown in San Diego, as Rey Mysterio opened the show in his hometown to hype this year's WWERoyal Rumble. Kevin Owens and Cody Rhodes added more intrigue to their journey to the Rumble, and Solo Sikoa returned for the first time since his Tribal Combat defeat to Roman Reigns. There was more Bloodline action on SmackDown as Jimmy Uso took on Carmelo Hayes.
After her recent title win, Tiffany Stratton defended her WWE Championship for the first time against Bayley. The Motor City Machine Guns vs Los Garza will go along way to finding the next contenders for DIY's Tag Team Championships, and Women's Tag Team Champions Naomi and Bianca Belair vs Nia Jax and Candice LeRae were also in action.
WWE SmackDown Results - Jan 17, 2025
Rey Mysterio Jnr. opened the show in his hometown of San Diego and declares himself for this year's Royal Rumble.
Kevin Owens arrives and says he hopes Rey wins the Rumble and challenges for his Winged Eagle belt. Rey says Kevin is not the champion, Cody is. Things get physical and KO narrowly avoids a 619.
Naomi and Bianca Belair defeat Nia Jax and Candice LeRae. They will now defend their Tag Team Championship against Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson on NXT on January 28th.
B-Fab tells Chelsea Green that she is coming for the US Championship in a backstage segment.
Jimmy Uso vs Carmelo Hayes was a No Contest after Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga took out both men.
Solo Sikoa then returns. Solo is booed for so long, he simply drops the mic and leaves without saying a word.
Jacob Fatu says he is just getting started. LA Knight and Braun Strowman then hit the ring and step up to The Bloodline.
Motor City Machine Guns picked up the win over Los Garza. Pretty Deadly attempted to help Los Garza and cost them the match.
Both Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens have refused to sign an amended Royal Rumble match contract until the other person has.
Piper Niven defeated B-Fab. Chelsea Green then hit the ring to beat B-Fab down, before Michin intervened.
Kevin Owens defeated Rey Mysterio in a superb match. Owens went to package piledriver Rey after the match, Cody Rhodes then hit the ring to fight KO.
Braun Strowman vs Jacob Fatu is set for Saturday Night's Main Event. LA Knight vs Tama Tonga and Motor City Machine Guns vs Los Garza will take place on next week's SmackDown.
Apollo Crews is attacked by DIY for telling Pretty Deadly they are being played by the Tag Team Champions.
Shawn Michaels will oversee the Royal Rumble Ladder Match contract signing between Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens on Saturday Night's Main Event.
Tiffany Stratton defeated Bayley in a lengthy and high-quality match via pinfall with The Prettiest Moonsault Ever.
Kevin Owens Reign Of Terror Continues
It is one of wrestling’s most well known unofficial facts that Rey Mysterio is one of the nicest people in wrestling. Opening the show by declaring for this year's Royal Rumble with trademark humility, Kevin Owens briefly turned off his spiteful streak to say he respects Rey Mysterio more than anyone in WWE. Owens also points out that he and Rey have never had a one-on-one match, a crazy stat considering they’ve both been part of WWE since 2014.
As expected, Owens and Mysterio’s styles melded gloriously together. Rey leaping over Kevin Owens pump-up powerbomb attempt at 50 years old is abnormally impressive. This is just a step on the road to the Royal Rumble, but Mysterio's brilliance, KO's rage, and Cody's heroics meant everything worked excellently in a stand-alone episode of SmackDown.
Bianca Belair And Naomi Still Finding Their Groove
BIanca Belair and Naomi’s in-ring chemistry is as water tight as would be expected, but following thier latest victory over Nia jax and Candice LeRae, things are beginning to feel a little stale. The pair will revisit their rivalry with Lash Legend and Jakar Jackson in another reliable rager on January 28th. Most interestingly, Naomi tells us there are no new leads on who attacked Jade Cargill.
Taking things away from WWE television for a second, the rumor mill has been quiet on Cargill's expected return time since this angle started. There is no timeline for her return. In a non-stop deluge of online information, that is exciting in itself, but until there are murmurs about Cargill’s return, this whole union feels very bizarre.
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Solo Sikoa's Deafening Silence
What a difference a few months make. Prior to SummerSlam, there was once a negative feeling about Solo Sikoa in the online space. It felt harsh at the time, given his relative inexperience and the weight of The Bloodline saga falling on his young shoulders. Nevertheless, Solo's sonic speed acceleration to becoming one of WWE’s fastest improving performers has made a mockery of that deafening minority in the months since the Summer.
Fast forward to this week’s SmackDown, the San Diego crowd were incensed by Solo’s arrival and tipped over the edge when he refused to talk to them. He left all of the physicality to his henchmen. Solo’s lamenting after his loss to Roman Reigns is captivating, a new layer for a character that grows in intrigue with every passing quarter. Whatever his next steps and whoever might be caught in his sights for WrestleMania season, they are not to be envied.
Another Big Week For SmackDown's Tag Division
Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett talked up WWE’s new multi-year partnership with TNA while talking up the achievements of 3 times TNA Tag Team Champions, Motor City Machine Guns. There is more good news for WWE, as the tag division on SmackDown is currently great every week. Pretty Deadly’s bumbling antics have landed them yet more enemies in Los Garza, the imminent Motor City Machine Guns vs DIY rematch feels important, and someone REALLY needs to factor in The Street Profits sometimes soon.
Stratton's Time At The Tiffy Top Is Just Beginning
Even since before earning her Money In The Bank briefcase, Tiffany Stratton has been tipped for the Tiffy Top for good reason. Being dragged into deep water by Bayley was a great first outing for Stratton's Championship reign, the veteran's fire, experience and resilience needing pedigree and guts to be overcome by the young Champion. This was fun, but with rumors beginning to swirl about the return of Charlotte Flair, it is what comes next that will begin to define Stratton's first main roster championship reign.
It is a sign of how enjoyable WWE television is right now that a random episode of SmackDown can provide a sensational one-night feud between Kevin Owens and Rey Mysterio. Cody and KO escalated their rivalry, but this was a great week for veteran Rey Mysterioto shine away from his recent Dominik and LWO stories. The Women's Championship suits Tiffany Stratton immaculately, it's great to see a mid-card title leading to more women being given TV time, and SmackDown's Tag Team division is currently one of the strongest booked scenes in all of WWE. It was another solid week for SmackDown as we are two weeks from the Royal Rumble.
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