WWE rolls into Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania tonight for the final Friday Night SmackDown before tomorrow’s Saturday Night’s Main Event—and the stakes could not be clearer. With John Cena’s final match just 24 hours away against “The Ring General” Gunther, and a nationally spotlighted slate of NXT vs. WWE exhibition matches designed to test the present against the future, SmackDown serves as the last pressure point before history is written.
Tonight’s episode is built around three advertised matches, headlined by a United States Championship showdown that has been simmering for weeks as Ilja Dragunov defends against Tommaso Ciampa. The reunion of Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley as The Terror Twins promises chaos in a heated mixed tag match, while Alexa Bliss vs. Lash Legend adds another intriguing stylistic clash. With Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes also scheduled to appear ahead of his own Saturday test, this is a go-home show designed to elevate tension, momentum, and consequence.
Here is everything advertised for tonight’s show
- WWE United States Championship: Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Tommaso Ciampa
- Mixed Tag Team Match: Damian Priest & Rhea Ripley vs. Aleister Black & Zelina Vega
- Alexa Bliss vs. Lash Legend
- Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is scheduled to appear
Ilja Dragunov vs. Tommaso Ciampa: a U.S. Title fight with real stakes
Ilja Dragunov’s United States Championship reign has been defined by violence with purpose. Every defense feels less like a match and more like a trial by fire, and Tommaso Ciampa is walking into it fully aware of the cost. This rivalry has grown increasingly personal, built on disrespect, ambushes, and the shared belief that pain is currency.
Ciampa has never shied away from suffering to reclaim relevance, while Dragunov thrives in environments where survival is questioned. On the final SmackDown before a major network special, this match isn’t just about retaining gold—it’s about establishing who truly controls the pulse of the blue brand heading into the weekend.
The Terror Twins reunite: Priest & Ripley vs. Black & Vega
When Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley stand side by side, the atmosphere changes instantly. The reunion of The Terror Twins signals calculated brutality, and across the ring stands a pairing equally comfortable in chaos.
Aleister Black and Zelina Vega bring precision, venom, and unfinished business, making this mixed tag match less about exhibition and more about payback. Go-home shows are about statements, and this one has all the ingredients to spill directly into future singles and faction warfare.
Alexa Bliss vs. Lash Legend: control vs. collision
Alexa Bliss remains one of WWE’s most cerebral competitors, capable of dismantling opponents by forcing them to wrestle emotionally instead of strategically. Lash Legend, on the other hand, thrives on dominance, confidence, and raw physicality.
This match is a study in contrasts: manipulation versus momentum, experience versus explosive presence. Whoever dictates the pace early will likely dictate the outcome, making this far more than a routine singles bout.
Cody Rhodes appears with tomorrow in mind
Cody Rhodes does not appear on television without purpose, and tonight is no exception. Tomorrow night at Saturday Night’s Main Event, the Undisputed WWE Champion steps into a non-title exhibition match against NXT Champion Oba Femi, a collision framed as present dominance versus future inevitability.
Anything Cody says—or doesn’t say—on SmackDown serves as positioning. He represents the top of the mountain. Oba Femi represents the force climbing it faster than anyone expected.
Here is the final Saturday Night’s Main Event card
- John Cena vs. Gunther
- Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. NXT Champion Oba Femi (non-title exhibition)
- World Tag Team Champions AJ Styles & Dragon Lee vs. Je’Von Evans & Leon Slater
- Bayley vs. Sol Ruca
John Cena vs. Gunther: the end of an era
This is not just a main event—it is a farewell. John Cena’s final match comes against the most unforgiving standard-bearer of this generation. Gunther is not here to grant nostalgia; he is here to test legacy through pain. Win or lose, this match closes one of the most important chapters in wrestling history.
Cody Rhodes vs. Oba Femi: why the NXT Champion must win
This exhibition match carries enormous symbolic weight. Oba Femi defeating the Undisputed WWE Champion—even in a non-title bout—instantly validates NXT not as a developmental brand, but as a parallel powerhouse. A win establishes Oba as more than the future; it brands him as a present-day threat capable of standing toe-to-toe with WWE’s very best.
For Cody, defeat does not weaken him. For Oba, victory elevates an entire generation.
Styles & Dragon Lee vs. Evans & Slater: the torch-passing opportunity
Je’Von Evans and Leon Slater stepping into the ring with AJ Styles and Dragon Lee is the kind of spotlight NXT talent rarely receives on this scale. A win for Evans and Slater would send a clear message: speed, innovation, and fearlessness are no longer on the horizon—they’re here.
Exhibition or not, this is a moment where the future should announce itself loudly.
Bayley vs. Sol Ruca: evolution in real time
Bayley brings championship experience, adaptability, and big-match composure. Sol Ruca brings a movement style that feels years ahead of her peers. This is the clearest example of why NXT stars should win on Saturday: a Sol Ruca victory would symbolize evolution, athletic progression, and the inevitability of change.
Tonight’s SmackDown is not about endings—it’s about alignment. It is the final checkpoint before a weekend designed to honor the past, showcase the present, and boldly elevate the future. Tomorrow night, the bell rings on history. Tonight, the stage is set.
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