WWE SmackDown returns tonight at 8/7c on the USA Network from the Moody Center in Austin, TX.
Scheduled for tonight’s three-hour prime time Friday night program is LA Knight vs. Tama Tonga, Motor City Machine Guns vs. Pretty Deadly, Cody Rhodes will appear live and more.
Featured below are complete WWE SmackDown results from Friday, January 24, 2025. The following report was written by PWMania.com reporter Matt Boone (@MattBoone0709) as the show aired live from 8-11pm EST. on USA Network.
WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS 1/24/25
“WWE Then. Now. Forever. Together.” kicks things off as always. We then shoot inside the arena in Austin, TX., where Joe Tessitore welcomes us to the show.
Cody Rhodes Interviewed By Joe Tessitore
Tessitore then introduces his guest at this time, “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes. The Undisputed WWE Champion makes his way down to the ring to a big pop from the Texas crowd. He settles inside the ring to fans chanting his name.
He is asked about his title match against Kevin Owens and the contract signing tomorrow with Shawn Michaels moderating. Rhodes offers praise for Michaels’ work and says he trusts handing the title over to HBK for the ladder match at WWE Royal Rumble.
Tessitore brings up the package pile-driver from last Saturday Night’s Main Event and asks Rhodes about what he thinks of this version of Kevin Owens. Rhodes asks the crowd about Owens and they start booing. Rhodes says Owens is a genius in the ring and hell of an athlete except Owens always chooses the easy way out.
Rhodes says this is why a ladder match is the best match for this. Tessitore asks Rhodes if he has a message for Owens. Rhodes says that he’d tell Owens that even though he’s the poster child for WWE and is all smiles and stuff but to not forget he defeated Roman Reigns and the only thing he has to say to Owens is good luck.
Motor City Machine Guns vs. Pretty Deadly
Backstage, DIY talks to Pretty Deadly. Pretty Deadly asks about the game plan. Johnny Gargano says he has a match against Apollo Crews tonight so they can’t be out there with Pretty Deadly. Pretty Deadly feel their partnership with DIY is one sided.
DIY tells them to handle their business and do whatever they need to do to get this done. As Pretty Deadly is leaving, Legado Del Fantasma stare them down. That wraps up the brief backstage segment.
Inside the arena, the MCMG duo of Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley make their way to the ring for the first match of the evening. As they settle inside the squared circle, we shift gears and head into a quick pre-match commercial break.
When the show returns, Pretty Deadly make their pretty ring entrance and then the bell sounds to get this one officially off-and-running. Matthew McConaughey is shown at ringside sitting in the crowd. Sabin and Prince start the match and lock up. Prince kicks Sabin in the corner and Sabin comes back and arm drags Prince. Prince gets double teamed after Shelley is tagged in.
Prince slams Shelley and tags in Wilson. Shelley punches Wilson and Wilson gets double teamed after Sabin is tagged. Wilson is covered for a one count and Prince distracts Sabin allowing Wilson to send him out of the ring. Sabin is slammed into the ring post and then thrown over the barricade. Shelley attacks Pretty Deadly outside the ring and checks on Sabin.
Prince taunts Shelley outside the ring and goes back after Sabin and tosses him into the ring. Prince is now the legal and hammers on Sabin. Wilson is tagged in and Sabin is double teamed. We get a near fall when Wilson covers Sabin. Wilson slams down Sabin and covers again for a near fall. Wilson places Sabin in a headlock and Sabin fights out of it but is clotheslined by Wilson. Prince is tagged in and Sabin is placed armbar and he punches his way out of it. Prince takes Sabin to their corner and tags in Wilson and they beat Sabin in the corner.
We get another pinning attempt and Sabin kicks out. Wilson chokes out Sabin on the ropes and then pummels him on the mat. Prince is tagged in and he gives Sabin some boots and punches him in the corner. Wilson is now tagged back in and Sabin starts to fight back. Prince is tossed out of the ring and Sabin connects with a dropkick on Wilson. Shelley is tagged in and he takes out Prince and Wilson.
Prince is the legal man and Shelley covers for two. Sabin hits a suicide dive on both Wilson and Prince. Prince is double teamed in the ring and Prince avoids Skull and Bones. Shelley receives a bad apple gutbuster and Sabin is DDT. Pretty Deadly hit an elevated bulldog on Shelley for a near fall. Wilson is tagged in and Sabin hits a dropkick on Prince allowing Shelley and Sabin to double team Wilson. MCMG hit Skull and Bones for the win.
Winners: Motor City Machine Guns
The Miz Has Been Traded To SmackDown
Backstage, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis happens upon The Miz, who he informs has been traded to SmackDown. Miz says he purposely got The Wyatts moved to SmackDown so he didn’t have to deal with them. Aldis tells Miz he better make some new friends. And fast. The show heads to another commercial break on that note.
Kevin Owens Confronts Matthew McConaughey, Jimmy Uso Confronts Him
When the show returns, a really cool video package airs to promote the Jacob Fatu vs. Braun Strowman showdown at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Inside the arena, Kevin Owens crashes an on-camera for Tessitore and Wade Barrett. Owens takes Tessitore to task for interviewing Cody Rhodes but not him. He says he’s making him miss Michael Cole, who is too busy kissing Pat McAfee’s ass to be here.
Owens kicks pens at the announcers and says he’s the rightful WWE Champion and calls out Matthey McConaughey who is in the audience. Jimmy Uso’s music hits and he marches to the ring. Owens asks what this is about and what Uso wants.
Uso tells Owens he talks too much and attacks Owens. Owens rolls out and escapes before Uso can splash him. Uso suggests they go at it one on one tonight. The match is set. The show heads to another commercial break on that note.
Chelsea Green & Piper Niven vs. Michin & B-Fab
When the show returns, Carmelo Hayes complains to Nick Aldis about Kevin Owens and Jimmy Uso being announced for tonight, noting it was his match. Aldis tells him things happen, and he can have Uso next week. He tells him a new SmackDown acquisition is here and he would be the perfect opponent for him.
Hayes says he’s in and will show this person that SmackDown is the land of the animals, and he’s the big dog. Aldis just smiles. Back inside the arena, Chelsea Green and Piper Niven make their way out and head to the ring for the next scheduled match of the evening.
They settle inside and then Michin and B-Fab, their opponents, make their way out next. Michin and Niven kick things off for their respective teams. This one is over as quick as it gets started, with Michin hitting Eat DeFeat for the fast victory.
Backstage, Hayes learns that it is Damian Priest that has been traded to SmackDown. That’s his opponent for tonight. Aldis laughs and tells Hayes to lace ’em up tight. Priest says he’s ready to make some money and he’s ready to punish. We head to another break.
Winners: Michin & B-Fab
Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair & Naomi vs. Nia Jax, Candice LeRae & Liv Morgan
A Charlotte Flair vignette airs to announce her inclusion in this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble match. That is where she will return to the ring. Inside the arena, Tiffany Stratton makes her way out to the ring. Stratton says she’s the center of everyone’s attention – kind of like at the Rumble where 30 women will be fighting to face her. She says she beat last year’s champion so she isn’t worried.
Rhea Ripley’s music bellows through the arena and Ripley comes out with her title. Ripley and Stratton stand on opposite ends of the ring and Ripley tells Stratton that even though she’s pretty new here, that she’s a champion too. She says she respects what Stratton did to Jax but it won’t compare to what will happen to Jax at Saturday Night’s Main Event. This calls out Nia Jax and Candice LeRae.
Jax wants both champs to know this is a historical moment as she is entering and winning the Royal Rumble Match. Jax says she’ll still beat Ripley tomorrow and she’s still going to enter the Royal Rumble because she’s going to beat Stratton too. Bianca Belair and Naomi come out dancing. Naomi says they came out here to say that she and Belair will be entering the Royal Rumble but they both say they’ll win and then say if one of them doesn’t win the other will.
Liv Morgan’s music hits and Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan come out – Morgan starts talking trash talking Rhea Ripley and Tiffany Stratton. Liv says she doesn’t care about the other four women because everything is about her. They get in the ring and Morgan declares her entry to the Royal Rumble and declares her victory as well. She says Rodriguez will ensure her victory.
Ripley blasts Morgan with a head butt and all hell breaks loose. Stratton leaves the ring and Belair, Naomi and Ripley clear the ring and Nick Aldis makes his way out to the ring. When the show returns, the bell sounds and we’ve got a six-woman bout in progress.
After just a couple of minutes of action, the show heads into a mid-match commercial break. When the show returns, Morgan is working over Naomi. She tags in Nia, who picks up where she left off. Moments later, Liv gets a roll up as all hell breaks loose, and pulls off the pinfall victory.
Winners: Nia Jax, Candice LeRae & Liv Morgan
Johnny Gargano vs. Apollo Crews
Michin, B-Fab, Piper Niven and Chelsea Green are backstage and we find out Michin has another chance to fight Green for the WWE Women’s United States Championship. Inside the arena, Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa make their way to the ring. Gargano will be in one-on-one action. The show heads to another commercial break.
When the show returns, we see footage of Gargano’s attack of Apollo Crews backstage on last week’s show. Crews then makes his way out to the ring, as he will be Gargano’s opponent in singles action in our next bout of the evening. The bell sounds and off we go.
Crews comes out of the gate strong, dominating the early offense. Ciampa provides a distraction at ringside that allows Gargano to take back over. This doesn’t last long, however, as Crews fights back into the lead. Ciampa does the same again to help Gargano take over, and this brings out Motor City Machine Guns. Gargano is distracted and Crews rolls him up for the win.
Winner: Apollo Crews
Tama Tonga vs. LA Knight
We see Jacob Fatu doing a walk-and-talk backstage with Tama Tonga by his side. The two make their way out and head to the ring, as Tonga is scheduled for one-on-one action against “The Mega Star” LA Knight. But first, we head to a quick pre-match commercial break.
When the show returns, Shane Gillis and Tony Hinchcliffe are shown in the crowd, as is Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias, who sadly got a much louder pop than the other two much better comedians. LA Knight’s theme hits and the crowd explodes as he comes to the ring.
Knight cuts a quick promo and then the bell sounds. Knight gets off to a strong start, beating Tonga down and throwing him over the barricade after the action spilled out to the floor. Tonga fights back, tight-rope walking the barricade and leaping for a clothesline. Soon after, the show heads into a mid-match commercial break.
Knight throws Tonga back in the ring and shoulder checks Tonga and covers for two. Tonga is back body dropped and sent outside the ring again. Tonga slams Knight into the steel steps face first. Tonga continues to beat on Knight outside the ring and rolls Knight back into the ring. Knight is suplexed by Tonga and then kicked in the corner until the ref breaks it up.
Knight comes flying out of the corner with a running clothesline but walks into a boot by Tonga. Tonga elbows Knight across the throat and headbutts Knight. Knight starts chopping on Tonga but is quickly taken down by Tonga. Tonga single outs Knight’s right arm and slams it into the mat and gives him some back shots.
Knight fires back and hits a swinging neck breaker and covers for a near fall. Tonga hits a dragon screw taking out Knight’s leg and elbows the leg that was used for the dragon screw. Tonga hits a headbutt and attempts a suplex but Knight counters to a neck breaker and covers for two. Tonga knees Knight in the gut sending him crashing to the mat. Knight punches Tonga who kicks Knight but Knight takes him down and punches out Tonga on the mat.
Knight hits another neck breaker sending Tonga on the apron. Knight knocks Tonga off the apron and flies out of the ring onto Tonga. Back in the ring, Knight tries for the BFT but Tonga counters and hits a cradle DDT and covers for a near fall. Tonga sits Knight on the top rope and the men punch each other. Knight hits his elbow off the top rope, Jacob Fatu tries to interfere, Knight knocks Fatu off the apron and then hits the BFT on Tonga for the win.
Once the match wraps up, Fatu and Tonga attack Knight until Braun Strowman’s theme hits. “One Big S.O.B.” makes his way out and challenges Fatu to get in the ring. Tonga tries stopping him, but Fatu shoves him away and goes in the ring anyways. Strowman clotheslines Fatu out to the floor and this time, Tonga does stop him from engaging.
Winner: LA Knight
A-Town Down Under Traded To Raw
Backstage, The Miz finally finds some friends on the blue brand in the form of A-Town Down Under duo Grayson Waller and Austin Theory. That is, until SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis enters the picture and informs Waller and Theory that they’ve been traded to Raw. Miz’s search will presumably continue. We head to another break.
Damian Priest vs. Carmelo Hayes
When the show returns, a Shinsuke Nakamura vignette airs where he declares himself for the Royal Rumble. After this wraps up, inside the arena, SmackDown’s newest star, Damian Priest, settles inside the ring for the next match of the evening.
Out next comes his opponent, Carmelo Hayes. The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with singles action. Hayes kicks Priest and starts chopping him. Priest takes down Hayes with a body check and throws Hayes in the corner and beats him up. Priest walks on the ropes and splashes onto Hayes. Outside the ring, Priest uppercuts Hayes and tries to slam him.
Hayes tries to throw Priest into the ring post and then hits him with some kicks and punches. Hayes pushes Priest into the announce table and mounts Priest and punches him several times. Back in the ring Hayes kicks Priest in the corner. Hayes takes out Priest’s legs but Priest is able to slam Hayes onto the mat. Priest runs into the turnbuckles, and Hayes hits a spring board neck breaker and covers for a one count.
Hayes elbows Priest on the mat and Priest breaks out of the hold and takes down Hayes. Hayes comes back and takes Priest down using Priest’s hair and then dropkicks Priest. Hayes punches Priest in the corner and kicks Priest out of the ring. Hayes flips out of the ring on to Priest. Back in the ring, Hayes hits a high cross body and covers Priest for a two count.
Hayes chops Priest in the middle of the ring and this pisses off Priest who gets up and punches Hayes. Priest unleashes some kicks and punches on Hayes and uppercuts Hayes. Priest hits a broken arrow on Hayes and slams him down on the mat. Priest covers Hayes for a two count. Hayes rolls out of the ring and Priest runs at him tossing him over the barricade.
Back in the ring, Priest jumps into a superkick. Hayes hits First 48 and covers Priest for a near fall. Hayes gets on the top rope and misses Nothing but Net. Hayes rolls up Priest for a two count and Priest then hits Hayes with a clotheslines. Priest connects with South of Heaven for the win.
Winner: Damian Priest
Kevin Owens vs. Jimmy Uso
It’s main event time!
But first, WWE Tag-Team Champions DIY is backstage argue with Nick Aldis about MCMG costing Gargano his match. MCMG pop by and tell DIY they’ll be battling them at WWE Royal Rumble in a two out of three falls match. We head to another commercial break.
When we return, SmackDown matches are announced for next week. Michelle McCool and Mark Henry are shown in the crowd. Cody Rhodes runs into Damian Priest backstage, and welcomes him in friendly fashion. Priest smirks and says, “See you soon, champ!”
The commentators run down the updated lineup for WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event. Backstage, Miz is still on the search for a friend. He tries buddying up with Andrade to no avail. Jimmy Uso laughs as he walks by. Carmelo Hayes stops him and says it’ll take more than four moves to beat Kevin Owens.
Uso says it’ll only take him three to beat him next week. The theme for Jimmy Uso hits and the camera follows him to the curtain. As he passes through, he is attacked from behind by Hayes. Security and officials break them up. Uso continues heading to the ring for our main event as the show heads to a pre-match break.
When the show returns, Kevin Owens makes his way to the ring with the winged eagle title belt still in his possession. He settles in the ring and the bell sounds. These two get after it with a bang straight out of the gate.
After a couple of minutes of early action, Owens settles into a comfortable offensive lead. On that note, the show heads into a mid-match commercial break. When the show returns, Owens is still dominating Uso. He makes time to taunt Matthew McConaughey at ringside.
“Alright, alright, alright!” he says looking in the actor’s direction as he blasts Uso with another shot. Seconds later, Uso starts to show life for the first time in several minutes, and begins fighting back into competitive form. Uso goes for an Uso Splash, but doesn’t get it. Owens fights back and hits a Pop-Up Powerbomb for the win.
Once the match wraps up, Owens takes Uso to the commentary desk. He clears it off and taunts Matthew McConaughey once again before getting ready to hit Uso with a package piledriver through the table. Before he can do it, however, the theme for Cody Rhodes hits and “The American Nightmare” runs out and makes the save.
Rhodes beats Owens down as the show goes off the air with Tessitore promoting their contract signing tomorrow night at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event for next weekend’s WWE Royal Rumble 2025 ladder title match. That’s how this week’s show wraps up. Thanks for joining us!
Winner: Kevin Owens
