WWE SmackDown live tonight at 8pm ET/ 5pm PT on the USA Network in the United States and Netflix for international fans from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
WWE Women’s United States Championship Match: Giulia (c) vs. Tiffany Stratton
Street Fight: The Wyatt Sicks vs. MFT
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has a message for Randy Orton one night before WrestleMania
How will Jacob Fatu respond to Drew McIntyre’s brutal attack last week on SmackDown as The Samoan Werewolf prepares to battle The Scottish Psychopath in an Unsanctioned Match at WrestleMania.
WWE SmackDown airs live tonight on the USA Network in the United States and Netflix for international fans, emanating from the SAP Center in San Jose, California.
How will Cody Rhodes respond to the assault by Randy Orton and Pat McAfee?
Drew McIntyre promises to expose the real Jacob Fatu
Sami Zayn is out for payback on Trick Williams
Royce Keys makes his SmackDown debut
Randy Orton is gonna save the business for future generations of wrestling fans. That’s so incredible to think about.. Very rarely do these types of obviously monumental moments happen in our lifetime.
My daughter and baby boy on the way are gonna have a WWE that is thriving.. a… pic.twitter.com/B3XpvhMZFx
Pat McAfee’s involvement in the Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton feud heading into WrestleMania 42 is reportedly causing some quiet tension behind the scenes.
According to PWInsider, several WWE talents feel the rivalry between Rhodes and Orton already had more than enough built-in history, making McAfee’s addition feel unnecessary. The two have a deeply rooted storyline dating back years, and some within the locker room reportedly believe the match didn’t need an extra element to elevate it.
There’s also said to be some confusion over how the decision came together. Previous reports indicate McAfee’s role was pushed by higher-ups within TKO Group Holdings, rather than coming directly from WWE’s creative team led by Triple H. That distinction has only added to the perception that the storyline shift wasn’t entirely organic.
McAfee’s recent SmackDown appearance—where he delivered an unscripted promo tied into the feud—reportedly drew a mixed response backstage. While some appreciated the energy he brings, others weren’t sold on how the segment meshed with the ongoing WrestleMania build.
Another layer to the situation is the pressure it may be putting on Cody Rhodes. While there’s no indication Rhodes himself has spoken out, there is said to be some sympathy internally, with the belief that the added spotlight and expectations could complicate an already high-profile match.
As it stands, Rhodes vs. Orton is locked in for Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. Whether McAfee’s involvement ultimately enhances the story or proves to be a distraction remains to be seen, but it’s clearly a talking point within WWE as the biggest show of the year approaches.
McAfee immediately made an impact by aligning himself with Randy Orton and going after Cody Rhodes, even delivering a fiery, reality-blurring promo that got people talking. It felt like a big-time moment—and according to new details, that was exactly the goal.
Earlier reports had already hinted that McAfee’s return was driven in part by TKO executives looking to create “corporate synergy,” particularly tying WWE more closely with ESPN while also adding star power ahead of WrestleMania 42. The idea was simple: bring in a recognizable name to help generate buzz and potentially move more tickets.
However, Dave Meltzer shared on Wrestling Observer Radio that things didn’t come together quite so easily behind the curtain. According to Meltzer, McAfee was actually the first choice for the role, with the push reportedly coming from TKO CEO Ari Emanuel, who was keen on incorporating celebrity involvement into WWE programming.
The twist? McAfee initially wasn’t on board.
Meltzer noted that after McAfee turned down the opportunity, WWE began looking for other options to fill that spot. That scramble didn’t last forever, though, as the two sides eventually worked things out and reached a deal that brought McAfee back into the fold—just in time for his high-profile SmackDown appearance.
In the end, what fans saw was a seamless return with major storyline implications, but behind the scenes, it was a last-minute success story that nearly went in a completely different direction.
With McAfee now back in the mix alongside Orton and already mixing it up with Cody Rhodes, it’ll be interesting to see whether this is a short-term attraction tied to WrestleMania season—or something that sticks around longer than expected.
WWE finally pulled back the curtain on one of the more intriguing mysteries heading into WrestleMania 42, and the answer added a major twist to Randy Orton’s path to the Undisputed WWE Championship.
On this week’s episode of SmackDown from St. Louis, Orton’s hometown, it was revealed that Pat McAfee was the voice guiding “The Viper” during his recent backstage phone segments. But this wasn’t the same McAfee fans were used to—he returned with a noticeably more aggressive edge, aligning himself firmly with Orton and turning heel in the process.
The show kicked off with Orton addressing the crowd, making it clear he was fighting not just for himself, but for his family seated ringside. His attention quickly turned to Cody Rhodes, referencing Rhodes’ recent appearance on Raw. That confrontation didn’t take long to escalate, as Rhodes made his way to the ring and the two immediately came to blows.
That’s when things took a turn.
McAfee—sporting Orton merchandise—jumped into the fray and dropped Rhodes with a low blow, officially revealing himself as Orton’s backup. From there, McAfee unleashed a fiery promo, criticizing both Rhodes and the current state of WWE, while hyping Orton as the man destined to restore order. He even claimed responsibility for pushing Orton to “destroy everything” in his path.
The segment didn’t stop at just aligning with Orton. McAfee doubled down backstage, referring to Orton as the “GOAT” and reinforcing his belief that “The Legend Killer” is the one who can fix what he sees as a broken system under Rhodes’ leadership.
As if that wasn’t enough, McAfee took things a step further after the show by issuing a bold ultimatum on social media: if Orton fails to defeat Rhodes at WrestleMania 42, he’ll walk away from wrestling television entirely. The former commentator didn’t mince words, calling out fans while framing the match as one of the most important in wrestling history.
Interestingly, McAfee’s return comes after months of uncertainty regarding his WWE future. He previously cited burnout and suggested the industry might be better off without him. Now, he’s back in a major storyline with a completely different attitude—and a lot on the line.
Behind the scenes, reports indicate this pairing wasn’t a standard creative decision. Instead, the move reportedly came directly from TKO executive Ari Emanuel, who sees McAfee as a crossover star capable of boosting visibility for WWE’s biggest event of the year. There’s also hope that McAfee’s mainstream presence—especially through his ESPN platform—can help bring additional attention to WrestleMania weekend.
Meanwhile, Cody Rhodes isn’t backing down. After the attack, he returned later in the night with a chilling message of his own, hinting that he has “voices” guiding him as well—and suggesting Orton may not like what they’re telling him to do.
With Orton chasing his 15th world title, McAfee putting his career on the line, and Rhodes promising a darker side of himself, this WrestleMania clash is quickly becoming one of the most emotionally charged matchups on the card.
WWE SmackDown airs live tonight at 8/7c on the USA Network in the United States and Netflix Internationally from the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri.
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What carnage awaits en route to Jacob Fatu’s Unsanctioned Match against Drew McIntyre?
With WrestleMania season heating up, any potential injury can raise alarms—and that’s exactly what happened to Nikki Bella following last week’s episode of SmackDown. Fortunately, the latest update suggests fans can breathe a sigh of relief.
During a chaotic tag team match featuring The Bella Twins against Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, things broke down quickly. The Irresistible Forces, Nia Jax and her partner, stormed in after the match and laid out both teams, sparking a larger brawl that brought Bayley and Lyra Valkyria into the mix. While most of the women stood tall by the end of the segment, Nikki Bella was notably absent from the in-ring celebration.
The reason? A scary moment late in the match where Nikki appeared to tweak her ankle during an exchange with Nia Jax on the outside. She was seen limping and didn’t return to the action, instead being checked on by WWE medical staff as the segment wrapped up.
According to Bryan Alvarez on Wrestling Observer Live, the situation doesn’t appear to be serious. Nikki is reportedly “fine” despite the awkward landing, which is a welcome update given how close WWE is to its biggest show of the year.
Despite the scare, Nikki didn’t stay out of the spotlight for long. The Bella Twins made their presence felt on Monday Night Raw during the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match between The Irresistible Forces and the team of Bayley and Lyra Valkyria.
That match was already high-energy, with Bayley and Valkyria using speed and teamwork to counter the champions’ power. At one point, Bayley launched herself onto Nia Jax with a suicide dive, while Valkyria mixed in high-risk offense to keep the champs off balance. Still, the strength of the cha
Nikki Bella may have hit an unexpected roadblock just weeks before WrestleMania 42.
During this past Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown, the Hall of Famer reportedly suffered an injury while teaming with her sister Brie Bella in tag team action against Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. While the match continued to its finish—with Brie ultimately scoring the win—Nikki’s involvement noticeably dropped off late in the bout, sparking concern both backstage and among fans.
The initial report came from Wrestling Observer’s Bryan Alvarez, who noted that Nikki appeared to be dealing with a leg issue after an off-screen exchange with Nia Jax. According to Alvarez, Bella was seen limping and was checked on by a ringside doctor for the remainder of the segment, never re-entering the match.
However, a conflicting report from Cory Hays of BodySlam suggests the situation may not be quite what it first seemed. Hays indicated that the injury was actually related to Nikki’s ankle and occurred during an in-ring sequence with Charlotte Flair—not during any altercation with Jax. Fan-captured footage circulating online appears to support that version, showing Nikki’s ankle awkwardly turning as Flair executed a fast-paced entry into the ring, leading into a roll-up spot.
She turned her ankle a little bit during the tag match with Charlotte and Alexa. It didn't have anything to do with Nia https://t.co/NddlgHelsr
the brawl isn’t when she got hurt.. she tweaked her ankle here, she just pushed through & finished the match but was limping when she came back into the ring to join brie after picking up the win. pic.twitter.com/bxsHAbtpDU
As of now, neither WWE nor Nikki Bella has publicly confirmed the nature or severity of the injury, leaving her status very much up in the air.
The timing couldn’t be worse. The Bella Twins recently inked new two-year deals with WWE following their return at the Royal Rumble, with their sights firmly set on finally capturing the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships—a goal that eluded them during their previous run.
The women’s tag division is heating up at exactly the same time. Alongside The Bellas, teams like Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss and Bayley & Lyra Valkyria are all circling the titles. Meanwhile, reigning champions Nia Jax and Lash Legend—dubbed “The Irresistible Forces”—are set to defend against Bayley and Valkyria on Raw.
There’s also been growing speculation that WWE is building toward a fatal four-way tag team match for the championships at WrestleMania 42, which is now less than three weeks away. If Nikki’s injury turns out to be serious, those plans may need a last-minute overhaul.
For now, it’s a waiting game—but all eyes will be on updates regarding Nikki Bella’s condition as WrestleMania season hits its peak.
Tama Tonga’s social media activity has landed him in hot water with WWE officials.
Tonga was reportedly hit with a hefty fine after posting a video from a recent rehearsal session. While Tonga has built a reputation for sharing behind-the-scenes content on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, this specific clip is said to have crossed an internal line.
According to reports, WWE maintains an unwritten policy that discourages talent from filming or distributing rehearsal footage. The reasoning is tied to preserving the illusion of the final product, as well as keeping certain production elements under wraps. Tonga’s video, which surfaced last week, apparently violated that understanding.
Tonga has become a fan favorite online for his candid and often entertaining posts, offering a rare peek behind the curtain of WWE life. However, this situation highlights the fine line talent must walk when it comes to balancing personal branding with company expectations.
There’s no word yet on whether Tonga’s posting habits will change moving forward, but the incident serves as a reminder that even informal policies can carry real consequences in WWE.
Check out the video that resulted in his fine below:
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