WWE SmackDown airs live tonight on the USA Network in the United States and Netflix for international fans, emanating from the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
WWE SmackDown airs live tonight on the USA Network in the United States and Netflix for international fans from the Mullett Arena on the campus of Arizona State University.
After more than a year away from the ring, Ilja Dragunov stormed back into WWE in a big way—by taking the United States Championship from Sami Zayn on SmackDown.
Dragunov, who hadn’t competed since last September, became the seventh challenger to answer Zayn’s weekly open challenge. The “Mad Dragon” made the most of his shot, going toe-to-toe with the resilient champion in a hard-hitting clash that lived up to both men’s reputations.
The bout was physical from the opening bell, packed with punishing strikes and near-falls. Zayn looked to have things under control late in the match, lining up for his trademark Helluva Kick—but Solo Sikoa chose that moment to make his presence felt. The Bloodline powerhouse appeared at ringside, briefly distracting Zayn and giving Dragunov just enough time to recover.
Sensing an opening, Dragunov exploded with the Torpedo Moscow, flooring Zayn before sealing the deal with a thunderous H-Bomb elbow drop. The three-count ended Zayn’s 50-day reign and crowned Dragunov as the new United States Champion—his first title since joining the main roster. The victory adds to Dragunov’s already impressive résumé, which includes reigns as both NXT and NXT UK Champion.
However, Dragunov’s celebration was short-lived. Moments after the match, Sikoa and his MFT allies launched a brutal attack on both Dragunov and Zayn. Standing tall over the fallen Superstars, Sikoa declared that he would “bring gold back to his family.” But before The Bloodline could further their assault, the Wyatt Sicks emerged, creating a tense standoff that closed the show.
With Dragunov now holding the red, white, and blue gold, and Sikoa vowing vengeance, the United States Title picture just became one of the most volatile storylines on SmackDown.
WWE SmackDown airs live tonight on the USA Network in the United States and Netflix internationally, emanating from the SAP Center in San Jose, California.
It looks like WWE might be losing another major name to injury — and this one could have big implications for SmackDown storylines moving forward.
According to a new report from BodySlam, Jacob Fatu has suffered an injury that’s expected to keep him out of action for an extended stretch, potentially sidelining The Samoan Werewolf well into 2026.
While the exact details surrounding Fatu’s condition haven’t been made public, sources indicate that it’s a non-wrestling-related injury and serious enough to take him off WWE programming for the foreseeable future.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Fatu, who was gaining major momentum as part of his heated feud with Drew McIntyre. Many fans believed he was on the verge of breaking into the Undisputed WWE Championship picture alongside Cody Rhodes. After dropping the United States Title to Solo Sikoa back in June, it seemed WWE was positioning him for a main event push — plans that now appear to be on hold.
This isn’t the first health setback Fatu has dealt with since joining WWE. He missed brief time last year due to a foot injury following SummerSlam, and later tweaked something again during Survivor Series: WarGames, though he managed to bounce back quickly on both occasions. At this point, it’s unclear whether his latest issue is connected to either of those earlier incidents.
As for what this means for Drew McIntyre’s ongoing storylines, nothing has been confirmed. WWE hasn’t provided an update on McIntyre’s next feud or when Fatu was originally expected to challenge for the Undisputed WWE Title.
Hopefully, Fatu’s recovery goes smoothly — he’s been one of the most talked-about additions to the roster in recent months, and his absence will definitely be felt on SmackDown.
WWE SmackDown tonight on USA Network taped early this morning from Perth, Australia.
The numbers are in, and they’ve got people talking across the wrestling world. With Nielsen officially rolling out its new “Big Data + Panel” system, both WWE and AEW have seen noticeable dips in their TV ratings this week — and that’s raising a few eyebrows inside the industry.
While streaming has become a major player for both promotions — “WWE Raw” now living on Netflix and AEW airing live through HBO Max — traditional Nielsen ratings still carry major weight for networks, advertisers, and executives. The new hybrid data method, designed to more accurately reflect viewing habits across devices, has reshuffled the deck, leaving wrestling shows looking weaker on paper than before.
According to Fightful Select, AEW is keeping a close eye on the situation. Sources say Tony Khan understands the new methodology inside and out thanks to his well-known love of numbers and analytics. While the updated system might make week-to-week trends look rough, AEW still benefits from its simulcasts on HBO Max — even if those exact streaming figures aren’t being publicly shared. Reports suggest about 500,000 viewers tune in weekly to stream “Dynamite” and “Collision.”
A contact within Warner Bros. Discovery (AEW’s media partner) downplayed any panic, noting it’s far too early to make judgments with such a small sample size. The source also pointed out that AEW and WWE both ran head-to-head with Major League Baseball this past week, a sport that — along with college football and the NFL — has actually benefited from Nielsen’s new approach.
When asked if this change could spark talk of cancellations, the WBD insider reportedly laughed off the idea, saying that topic always comes up but is “never actually on the table.”
Interestingly, the new data system has one upside for AEW — it’s expected to end the use of “fast national” ratings, those early estimates that often circulated within hours of broadcast. Because Nielsen’s new reporting adds another day’s delay, those quick-turn numbers will no longer offer an accurate read, potentially eliminating a common talking point in the ongoing WWE–AEW ratings rivalry.
Over in WWE’s corner, USA Network and The CW are also monitoring the changes. While Raw has made the jump to Netflix, “SmackDown” remains on USA and “NXT” airs weekly on The CW — both still reliant on traditional TV numbers.
A USA Network source told Fightful they’re discussing the new metrics internally, but they’re not alarmed. The feeling is that while the numbers might suggest wrestling isn’t as “hot” as it looked under the old system, the overall value of WWE programming remains undeniable. WWE content continues to deliver strong returns at relatively low costs — something USA has appreciated for decades.
The CW didn’t comment, but the network has reportedly been pleased with NXT’s performance since day one. The shift in ratings measurement isn’t expected to change that enthusiasm.
One WWE insider did note that the updated Nielsen process could make things tricky for TNA Wrestling, which is currently seeking a new television home. Even so, company president Carlos Silva told Fightful the issue hasn’t come up during negotiations, and discussions with potential partners are still moving forward.
Meanwhile, talent across the major promotions have reportedly felt little direct impact, aside from a few more tweaks to production and travel schedules than usual.
At the end of the day, Nielsen’s overhaul is shaking up how TV success is measured, but the wrestling industry has weathered plenty of changes before. Between the rise of streaming, shifting network priorities, and a fan base that consumes content in more ways than ever, the true picture of viewership might take months — if not years — to fully understand.
For now, one thing’s clear: both WWE and AEW are still drawing millions of passionate fans every week, no matter how the math gets crunched.
Tonight’s WWE SmackDown will air live on the USA Network in the United States and Netflix internationally from the Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The closing moments of Friday’s WWE SmackDown women’s main event had fans buzzing for an unexpected reason — a botched pinfall that briefly threw the finish into question.
During the WWE Women’s Title Triple Threat Match, Tiffany Stratton appeared to have Nia Jax down for a three-count, but referee Daphanie LaShaunn (formerly known on the indies as Aja Smith) only registered a two despite Jax not kicking out. The hiccup was quickly overshadowed when Stratton went on to hit the Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the actual finish, but the moment didn’t go unnoticed.
LaShaunn later addressed the incident on her Instagram Stories, showing humility and appreciation in her response:
“I see all the love. I’m just human, but I can promise that I strive to always be better. Which will forever be my goal as long as I’m on this journey. I love this just like y’all. That I can swear to you.”
According to reports, the finish of the match had already been slightly reworked after Jade Cargill suffered a cut earlier in the contest. Stratton was always planned to leave with the victory, but the sequence leading up to it ended up playing out differently than scripted.
As is often the case with live TV, WWE quickly cleaned up the mistake for its official YouTube upload, editing the missed count out of the footage.
While the botch sparked chatter online, LaShaunn’s professionalism and accountability in addressing the situation have earned her plenty of respect from fans. Mistakes may happen, but Stratton still got her big win — and SmackDown closed with the intended result.
WWE SmackDown live on USA Network from the Kia Center in Orlando, Fl
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