WWE SmackDown live results, recap, grades as new era begins with Nia Jax vs. Naomi on tap
The three-hour era of WWE SmackDown begins on Friday. The blue brand permanently switches to three-hour programming this week, 12 years after Monday Night Raw made the change. SmackDown celebrates its new format with a WWE women's title match.
Nia Jax vs. Naomi is one of two matches advertised for Friday's show. Naomi has momentum after defeating Jax in a six-woman tag team match last week. Naomi pinned Candice LeRae, not Jax, but the challenger is glowing with confidence heading into their solo duel.
A non-title match between United States champion Shinsuke Nakamura and Andrade is also scheduled. The two came into conflict around the time of Nakamura's successful title pursuit against former champion LA Knight. If Andrade wins on Friday, a title shot may follow suit.
CBS Sports will be with you all night, beginning at 8 p.m. ET, with recaps and highlights of all the action from Footprint Center in Phoenix.
WWE SmackDown preview
- WWE Women's Championship -- Nia Jax (c) vs. Naomi
- Andrade vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
WWE live televised events schedule
Here's a look at the upcoming WWE schedule:
Dec. 30, 2024:Raw, Toyota Center Houston, Houston, TX
Jan. 3, 2025:SmackDown, Footprint Center, Phoenix, AZ
Jan. 10, 2025:SmackDown, Moda Center, Portland, OR
Jan. 13, 2025:Raw, Sap Center, San Jose, CA
Jan. 17, 2025:SmackDown, Pechanga Arena, San Diego, CA
Jan. 20, 2025:Raw, American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX
Jan. 24, 2025:SmackDown, Moody Center, Austin, TX
Jan. 25, 2025:Saturday Night's Main Event, Frost Bank Center, San Antonio, TX
Jan. 27, 2025:Raw, State Farm Arena, Atlanta, GA
Jan. 31, 2025:SmackDown, Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
Feb. 1, 2025:Royal Rumble, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN
Feb. 3, 2025:Raw, Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, Cleveland, OH
Feb. 7, 2025:SmackDown, FedExForum, Memphis, TN
Feb. 10, 2025:Raw, Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, TN
Feb. 14, 2025:SmackDown, Capital One Arena, Washington, DC
Feb. 17, 2025:Raw, Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC
Feb. 21, 2025:SmackDown, Smoothie King Center, New Orleans, LA
March 1, 2025:Elimination Chamber, Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
WWE SmackDown Results: Winners And Grades On July 26, 2024
WWE SmackDown advertised a Tag Team Gauntlet, with Jacob Fatu replacing Tama Tonga, LA Knight vs. Santos Escobar and Frenemies Tiffany Stratton and Nia Jax vs. Bayley and Michin.
Last week’s broadcast of WWE SmackDown garnered 2.313 million viewers.
Before the show, The bloodline (Jacob Fatu and Tanga Loa) were announced as part of a tag team gauntlet to decide the No. 1 Contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championship. Expect a title change next week on the go-home SmackDown for SummerSlam, similar to the SmackDown before Money in the Bank when DIY won the titles.
LA Knight cut a one-camera-shot promo on his way to the ring, and wrestled a highly competitive match against Santos Escobar. Wade Barrett did a good job talking him up, but also noted he may have overlooked Santos Escobar.
Just as Barrett said “there’s nothing Elektra Lopez can do” to help Santos Escobar, she interfered.
Logan Paul missed a right hand on LA Knight. Knight clotheslined Paul and hit a BFT on Escobar.
In a clear edit, Logan Paul pounced on LA Knight after the match. Knight’s comeback was cut off by Escobar as the two beat down Knight. Paul finished him off with a Frog Splash.
Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill called out The Unholy Union, who attacked the duo from behind but got beat up for their troubles. If and when Bianca and Jade win theWWE Women’s Tag Team Championships, WWE needs to go out of its way to make them dominant champions because that still hasn’t happened yet.
Backstage, Montez Ford was talking to Terrence Crawford and said “from one Ford to another...” it took me a bit to figure out what he meant because Terrence’s last name isn’t Ford, but technically, it is “Crawford.”
There was a great stereo somersault dive to the outside by Apollo Crews and Montez Ford to their opponents. Even with a crowd that had been there for no less than three hours, it elicited a “this is awesome” chant.
I was thinking WWE was really going to put over The Bloodline, particularly Jacob Fatu, by having him run the gauntlet. But they weren’t even the third team in.
The story of this gauntlet was The Street Profits getting massively over by running the gauntlet until they ran into a Bloodline buzzsaw.
At one point during a heated comeback, Montez Ford hit a flying DDT on Jacob Fatu, and of course, Fatu no-sold it. Fatu then hit a double springboard moonsault for the win.
Grayson Waller called out Terrence Crawford and challenged him to a fight. He then said that Austin Theory would knock Crawford out.
Once again thrown to the wolves, Theory was knocked out by Crawford.
Tiffany Stratton and Nia Jax jumped Bayley before the match, turning it into a handicap match.
Stratton’s briefcase was destroyed last week, and Nia Jax vowed to make her a new briefcase—which will likely be pink. This, after Stratton herself already said she was working on a new, more fashionable, briefcase.
The announcers were acting like Bayley had just entered herself into a Blood and Guts match. They couldn’t stop talking about how much danger Bayley was putting herself into ahead of a world title defense. Sounds like they’re setting up an excuse for if (and when) Bayley loses.
Michin blew one hell of a comeback, but after Stratton laid out Bayley with the Money in the Bank briefcase, Jax finished Bayley off with the Annihilator.
