Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for October 17, 2025

General Manager Nick Aldis is in the ring to start tonight's show. Nick Aldis announces that the main event is now a #1 contender's match for the WWE Championship, with the winner facing "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes, who heads to the ring. Cody admits that Seth "Freakin'" Rollins beat him to become Crown Jewel Champion, then says that Rollins needs to handle his business while he handles SmackDown business. Cody questions if his next opponent will be Drew McIntyre or Jacob Fatu, then says that tonight's lights are bright and that the main event for Saturday Night's Main Event runs through San Jose, California.

Backstage, Solo Sikoa and the MFT's (Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Talla Tonga, JC Mateo) confront Rey Fenix. When Fenix refuses to step aside when Solo demands his photo shoot be next, Solo and the MFT's lay out Fenix.

Blake Monroe is seen in the front row before the next match.

Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss retain the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships against Sol Ruca and Zaria by submission after Blake Monroe distracts Sol Ruca from the crowd, allowing Charlotte Flair to make Sol Ruca submit to the Figure Eight for the win.

Backstage, "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes is met by Jacob Fatu, who welcomes him to San Jose before telling him that after he dog walks Drew McIntyre, he will show him the real meaning of "ghost riding the whip" and show him he is all gas and no brakes.

We hear from Aleister Black, who says that he has been selling an image and that everything he has done has been a calculated move on his part, and he has not felt this accomplished as aligning with his wife Zelina Vega. Aleister and Zelina says this was by design, and Aleister says that there is no one more violent than Zelina. Zelina says they are not the infection; just the mirror that shows it. Aleister says that he and Zelina are what one considers "a necessary evil" and a balance, and Zelina says they are not poison, but salvation.

Backstage, General Manager Nick Aldis is speaking with The Miz when Sami Zayn shows up wondering why he is not on tonight's show. Aldis mentions that Shinsuke Nakamura wants a proper rematch, then mentions Solo Sikoa and the MFT's (Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Talla Tonga, JC Mateo) attacking him recently. Sami states that he refuses to hide backstage and says the open challenge means everything to him, then says he is going out to the ring for his open challenge anyway. Sami Zayn leaves, then The Miz tells Aldis "No thanks...I'm good" when Aldis asks him if he needs anything else.

We see a preview of Hulk Hogan's Rock 'n Wrestling, now on the WWE Vault YouTube channel.

Before the next match, The Miz shows up and says that he is sick of Sami Zayn's open challenge matches before he is attacked from behind by Carmelo Hayes, causing officials to show up and try to restore order. Sami Zayn then finds out his open challenge opponent is none other than a returning Ilja Dragunov, who has not been seen in WWE for almost a year due to an injured right knee.

Ilja Dragunov beats Sami Zayn to become the WWE United States Champion following the distraction from the stage by Solo Sikoa. After the match, The MFT's (Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Talla Tonga, JC Mateo) attack both Sami and Dragunov and ultimately lay them out. Fenix runs out and fends off The MFT's, but he gets choke slammed by Talla Tonga. Solo Sikoa then proclaims that his family tree will take back everything they have lost and become champions once again. All of a sudden, Bo Dallas appears on the TitanTron. He tells Solo "Seek and ye shall find, knock and ye shall enter...but are you ready for what is on the other side?" The Wyatt Sicks (Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis, Nikki Cross) then appear behind Solo Sikoa and the MFT's, and both sides have a staredown. Solo and the MFT's then back out of the ring.

WWE looks back on their recent tours in Australia and Japan.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Tiffany Stratton. Tiffany admits she is not happy about losing, but Stephanie Vaquer took her to her limits. As she thinks about what is next, Kiana James shows up and says Tiffany would have won if she employed her services like Giulia did. Tiffany takes this as Kiana being less then capable in the ring and challenges Kiana to a match, which Kiana accepts.

In backstage footage from earlier today, The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) are about to celebrate one year in WWE when Los Garza (Angel and Berto) show up and make fun of the Machine Guns for starting off like a Ferrari and petering out like Berto's grandfather's lawnmower. Sabin reminds Los Garza that they lost in their debut, and challenges them to a one-year anniversary rematch.

The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) beat Los Garza (Angel and Berto).

Backstage, Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom) discuss the current state of the SmackDown tag team division. Nathan Frazer wants to do something, but Axiom prefers to pick when to strike. #DIY (Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Candice LeRae) shows up, and Ciampa says they have stayed out of the way for the last couple of weeks and that nothing has changed. When #DIY go for Axiom's mask, Axiom snaps back by challenging #DIY to a tag team match.

Before the next match, it is revealed that Jacob Fatu has been laid out backstage, and that he is not only bleeding out of his mouth, but he also has some teeth knocked out. After the commercial break, Drew McIntyre heads to the ring with a smile on his face as General Manager Nick Aldis checks on Jacob Fatu and asks him if he saw anything before he was attacked. McIntyre demands that the referee raise the hand of the new #1 contender for the WWE Championship when Aldis suddenly shows up. McIntyre tells Aldis that he had nothing to do with the attack on Jacob Fatu and demands he be named #1 contender. Suddenly, "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes shows up having had enough of McIntyre, then tells him that if he wants his title match, he can get it right now. Cody and McIntyre then brawl around the ring. After the commercial break, both men finally make it back into the ring and the match begins.

Drew McIntyre beats "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes by disqualification after Cody smacks McIntyre with the WWE Championship on the outside. After the match, Drew McIntyre gouges Cody's eyes, and security and officials has to stop Cody from hitting McIntyre with Cross Rhodes on the announce table. This does not stop Cody from diving onto McIntyre from the top rope to end the show.

Here are the highlights from tonight's show!

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!