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WWE SmackDown Results: Cody Rhodes forced to give up title; 14-time champ's comeback teased; huge return (1/17/25)

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Rey Mysterio kicked off WWE SmackDown and declared that he would be participating in the Royal Rumble this year. He talked bout winning Royal Rumble #2 in 2006 and then going on to win the Heavyweight title in the main event of WrestleMania.

He brought up all the other participants for this year like Drew McIntyre, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and John Cena. Kevin Owens showed up and talked about his accomplishments before saying that he was the 'rightful' WWE Champion.

However, Owens still had to get a one-on-one match against Rey and wanted Mysterio to win the rumble to challenge him, the champ. Rey reminded KO that Cody was the real champ and the latter disagreed.

Mysterio called Owens delusional and that he reminded him of Dominik before setting him up for the 619. Owens dodged the move and ran off before we headed for the opening match.

Backstage, Cody Rhodes told Rey that he was getting checked by medical or he would have helped him in the ring. Rey told him to get clear first and let him focus on beating Owens.

Cody said that he was cleared to compete and Nick Aldis told him that there was an addendum to the Ladder Match contract with Owens and he needed them to sign it. Rhodes told Aldis that he wanted Owens to sign it first.

WWE SmackDown Results (January 17, 2025):

WWE SmackDown Results: Bianca Belair & Naomi vs. Candice LeRae & Nia Jax

Jax got a cheap shot on Naomi early on and took control of the match before tags were made and Belair took Candice out with a vertical suplex and sent her out to the floor.

Belair took crossbody and LeRae dropped her using her hair braid. Naomi came in and we got an X-Factor and a moonsault before Jax got the Samoan Drop on her. LeRae came back with a dropkick on Naomi before Nia got a senton.

Bianca took Candice down and hit a moonsault before Nia accidentally took LeRae out with a leg drop. Naomi got the Full Nelson Bomb on Candice before picking up the win.

Result: Bianca Belair & Naomi def. Candice LeRae & Nia Jax

Grade: B

B-Fab and Michin were backstage and ran into Piper Niven who mocked them. B-Fab set up a match for later in the night before SmackDown moved on.

Carmelo Hayes and Jimmy Uso got backstage promos back to back to hype up the next match.

WWE SmackDown Results: Carmelo Hayes vs. Jimmy Uso

Uso had the upper hand early on before Hayes took him down in the corner and got some kicks in. Jimmy came back with a snap suplex and a dive to the floor before we got a break on SmackDown.

Back to the match, Hayes hit the Fade Away before they took each other out with double neckbreakers. Jimmy got a Samoan Drop before Melo got the codebreaker. Melo missed Nothin' But Net before hitting a superkick.

Jimmy got a spear in and headed up top for a dive but Fatu and Tama attacked him, dragging him down to the ring before the match was called off.

Result: Jimmy Uso def. Carmelo Hayes

The Bloodline attacked and took out Jimmy in the ring before Solo came out and joined them in the ring.

Grade: B+

Solo Sikoa was still in the ring on SmackDown and after some booing from the crowd, dropped his mic in the ring before walking out. Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu were still there as well and Fatu grabbed the mic to say that he was tired of the disrespect and hate.

LA Knight showed up and attacked Fatu and Tonga from behind but was overpowered before Braun Strowman made his big return to help him. Strowman was about to wipe Fatu out but Tama dragged him out of the ring and the Bloodline retreated.

WWE SmackDown Results: Motor City Machine Guns vs. Los Garza

Shelley and Garza kicked off the match and they traded submission holds early on before tags were made. Sabin was isolated in the ring and tagged Alex back in who took Berto out with an elbow and locked in a figure four leglock.

Los Garza got a big double-team finisher on the Machine Guns for a near fall before Sabin took them out with a big dive. Pretty Deadly came out and ran distraction letting the former tag champs hit the Skull and Bones on Berto for the win.

Result: Motor City Machine Guns def. Los Garza

Grade: B

Nick Aldis was trying to get Kevin Owens to sign the match contract for the upcoming Ladder Match and said that Cody said he wanted KO to sign first. Owens said that he needed Cody to sign it first before walking away.

WWE SmackDown Results: Piper Niven vs. B-Fab

B-Fab made her in-ring return after nearly twelve months and Chelsea Green tried to distract her early on but B-Fab took Niven down with a counter. Piper took some big boots and was sent outside before Green taunted Fab and got taken out with a diving clothesline. Back in the ring, the distraction allowed Niven to get the pop-up driver on B-Fab for the win.

Result: Piper Niven def. B-Fab

After the match, Green and Niven attacked B-Fab and Piper Niven came out with a Kendo Stick and chased them off.

Grade: C

WWE SmackDown Results: Kevin Owens vs. Rey Mysterio

Rey was sent outside early on before coming back with a takedown and a pin. Owens hit a senton before he was sent into the barricades outside with a rana followed by a frog splash on the floor.

Back in the ring, Rey took some big strikes and KO almost set him up for the 619 but missed. Owens got a frogsplash for a near fall before Rey got a big sunset flip off a counter.

Owens missed the Swanton Bomb and took the 619 before running into the ref and causing Rey to drop on the ropes. KO followed up with the pop-up powerbomb and picked up the win.

Result: Kevin Owens def. Rey Mysterio

Grade: B+

Owens shook Rey's hand after the match before attacking him and was about to hit the piledriver but Cody Rhodes ran in and attacked him. Officials came out to stop Cody and Owens but the brawl continued and Owens managed to grab his title and escape into the crowd.

Backstage on SmackDown, Nick Aldis told Cody that he was tired of his and Owens' antics. He would make them relinquish both title belts at Saturday Night's Main Event where Shawn Michaels will moderate the contract signing for their ladder match.

DIY walked up to Pretty Deadly backstage and Ciampa called them a joke, saying that they weren't worthy of a title shot. Apollo Crews came in to tell the Deadly that he tried to tell them and the duo walked off.

As soon as Crews was alone, Gargano attacked him and knocked him into a road case.

We got a short video teasing the return of Charlotte Flair before heading for the main event of SmackDown.

WWE SmackDown Results: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Bayley - WWE Women's Championship match

Stratton dodged the early offense from Bayley before slapping her in the face. Bayley took the champ down with a clothesline and sent her outside before Stratton drove her shoulder-first into the ringpost and then the barricades.

Bayley dropped Stratton on the apron before dropping her with a belly-to-belly suplex on the floor. Back after a break on SmackDown, Tiffany got the powerbomb and locked in a submission hold but it was reversed.

Bayley got some big suplexes in before Stratton got the takedown but the moonsault was interrupted. Stratton got the cartwheel Alabama Slam and followed up with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever getting the win.

Result: Tiffany Stratton def. Bayley to retain the WWE Women's Championship

Grade: B+

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