Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s live coverage for "WWE SmackDown" on January 17, 2025, coming to you live from the Pechanga Arena San Diego in San Diego, California!
After defeated Nia Jax, Naomi, and Bianca Belair in a Fatal Four-Way Number One Contenders Match last Friday, Bayley will be challenging Tiffany Stratton for the WWE Women's Championship in what will be the latter's first defense since cashing in her Women's Money In The Bank briefcase to dethrone the aforementioned Jax on the January 3 episode of "SmackDown". Stratton and Bayley are no strangers to one another, having come face-to-face with one another a handful of singles, tag team, and multi woman tag team matches on television and at live events dating back to the May 3, 2024 episode of "SmackDown".
Speaking of Naomi, Belair, and Jax, they will all be competing in a match of their own tonight as the former two women join forces to take on the latter women and Candice LeRae. Although Naomi and Belair's WWE Women's Tag Team Championship will not be on the line tonight, they have an upcoming defense against Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson after they secured the right to a title match when they defeated The Unholy Union this past Tuesday on "WWE NXT".
Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin of The Motor City Machine Guns will be going head-to-head with Los Garza's Angel and Berto. Both teams emerged victorious last Friday, with the former WWE Tag Team Champions defeating A-Town Down Under and the Legado Del Fantasma members scoring a win against Pretty Deadly.
Additionally, Carmelo Hayes will be returning to televised action for the first time since facing Sami Zayn on the December 27, 2024 edition of "SmackDown" as he collides with Jimmy Uso. Solo Sikoa will also be making his first appearance on WWE programming since the January 6 episode of "WWE Raw" tonight as he still has yet to live up to his promise of acknowledging Roman Reigns after being bested by him in a Tribal Combat match and losing the right to call himself "Tribal Chief".
