WWE SmackDown Live Coverage 1/17 - Women's Title On The Line, Naomi & Bianca Belair Face Candice LeRae & Nia Jax

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".

We are live! Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore greet audiences at home as Rey Mysterio makes his way out to the ring.

Rey welcomes fans to "SmackDown" and says it feels great to be back home with his daughter in the audience. He says he requested some time in the ring in order to officially declare himself as an entrant in the 2025 Men's Royal Rumble match. He reminisces winning the 2006 Royal Rumble and winning at WrestleMania 22 before he says the competition is heavy in this year's Royal Rumble.

Kevin Owens' music hits and he makes his way out. He apologizes for interrupting Rey, but says he had to come out after hearing Rey talk about winning the Men's Royal Rumble match. He says there are very few in the professional wrestling industry that he respects as much as Rey, then says he's rooting for Rey to win the Men's Royal Rumble so that he can have his dream match against him at WrestleMania for the Winged Eagle Championship.

Rey says he's all about challenges and competition, but he isn't Undisputed WWE Champion. Owens becomes enraged with Rey's comments and begins yelling at him, and Rey tells Owens to calm down as he's reminding him of Dominik Mysterio. Owens looks to take a shot at Rey, but Rey sees it coming and looks to dial it up for a 619 on Owens. Owens rolls out of the ring before he can land the maneuver.

Candice LeRae and Nia Jax then make their way down to the ring. Naomi and Bianca Belair follow.

The bell rings and Jax attacks Naomi from behind. Belair goes after her before LeRae fires off left and right hands on Naomi. Belair levels LeRae with a shoulder tackle and follows it up with a vertical suplex, then fires off a shoulder on her in the corner. She rains down right hands on LeRae and dumps her over the top rope with a Gorilla Press on top of Jax to take down both of them.

Jax tags in and Belair whips her with her braid. Belair then pins Jax, but Jax kicks out and tags LeRae back in. LeRae wears down Belair with a submission hold, but Belair rolls up LeRae. LeRae kicks out, and Belair looks to tag out to Naomi. LeRae prevents her from doing so, but Belair escapes her grasp and looks to do so a second time. Jax pulls Naomi off the apron before she can.

Jax tags in and connects with a Samoan Drop on Belair. Naomi tags in and delivers a roundhouse kick to Jax's head from the apron. Belair tags back in, but Jax levels her and hits a Samoan Drop on Naomi. Belair levels Jax with a spear and looks to land a springboard moonsault on her, but LeRae tags in and catches Belair with a dropkick. She follows it up with a step-up senton, and Jax then delivers a senton of her own to Belair.

Belair delivers a springboard moonsault to LeRae and pins her, but Jax looks to break the fall with a leg drop. She accidentally hits LeRae with the maneuver, opening the door for Naomi to connect with a Full Nelson Bomb for the win.

Winners: Naomi and Bianca Belair

Jimmy Uso then makes his way down to the ring. Carmelo Hayes follows.

The bell rings and Jimmy fires off right hands on Hayes. He looks to land a superkick on him, but Hayes slides under the bottom rope before he can. Hayes sends Jimmy's face bouncing off the top rope and fires off stomps on him, but Jimmy flies through the middle rope with a tope suicida to level Hayes on the outside.

Hayes fires off right hands on Jimmy back inside the ring, then connects with a Hip Attack on him in the corner and wears Jimmy down with a submission. Jimmy lands an open palm strike on Hayes, but Hayes sends Jimmy crashing into the mat face first. Hayes looks to fly off the top, but Jimmy intercepts him with a superkick and goes for a pin. Hayes kicks out.

Jimmy delivers a Hip Attack to Hayes and sets up for a Samoan Drop, but Hayes counters into a roll-up. Jimmy kicks out and catches Hayes with a spear, then looks to fly off the top. Jacob Fatu distracts Jimmy, and Tama Tonga pushes Jimmy off the top rope causing the disqualification.

Winner: N/A (disqualification due to outside interference)

After the match, Fatu and Tama continue beating down Jimmy. Fatu delivers a Hip Attack to Jimmy in the corner before Solo Sikoa makes his way down to the ring.

Fatu demands that fans stop reigning boos on Sikoa in order to allow for him to speak. The fans continue to make their distain for Sikoa known, and Sikoa opts to leave ringside through the crowd instead of speaking. Fatu then grabs the mic once again and berates fans for disrespecting Sikoa with their boos. LA Knight's music then hits, but instead of appearing on the entrance ramp, he looks to blindside Fatu and Tama from behind. Fatu and Tama overpower Knight, but Braun Strowman's music hits and he makes his way out. Tama looks to fly over the top with a crossbody to level Strowman. Strowman catches him and sends him crashing into the barricade, then gets in the ring and stares down Fatu. Before anything can happen, Tama encourages Fatu to back down and he does so.

Motor City Machine Guns then make their way down to the ring. Legado Del Fantasma follow.

Alex Shelley and Angel begin the action. The bell rings and the two lock up. Angel delivers an open palm strike to Shelley and lands a chop on him, then tags in Berto. Los Garza double team on Shelley, and Berto delivers a standing moonsault to him. Chris Sabin tags in and lands a double back body drop on Berto with Shelley. The Motor City Machine Guns then double team on Angel.

Berto continues wearing down Sabin before Angel tags in and follows suit, wearing down Sabin with a submission hold. Berto and Shelley tag in, and Shelley fires off right hands on Berto. He follows it up with a back elbow and takes a shot at Angel on the apron, but Sabin tags in and lands a Dragon Screw on Berto. Shelley lands a second one on him, and The Motor City Machine Guns land a double dropkick on Berto. The Motor City Machine Guns lock in double Figure Four Leg Locks on Berto and Angel, but Angel and Berto escape. Berto then delivers a sit-out powerbomb on Shelley and pins him, but Shelley kicks out.

Los Garza double team on The Motor City Machine Guns, but Sabin uses Berto as a launching pad to land a Tornado DDT on Angel. Shelley then holds the middle rope open for Sabin to fly through. The Motor City Machine Guns set up for Skull and Bones, but Kit Wilson knocks Sabin off the top rope as Elton Prince distracts the referee. Berto rolls up Sabin, but the referee misses the pinfall. The Motor City Machine Guns then land Skull and Bones on Berto for the win.

Winners: The Motor City Machine Guns

Piper Niven and Chelsea Green then make their way out to the ring. B-Fab follows.

The bell rings and B-Fab connects with a superkick on Niven. She follows it up with a Facebuster, but Niven sends B-Fab crashing into the mat and looks to land a running senton. B-Fab rolls out of the way to avoid it and delivers a DDT to Niven, then goes for a pin but Niven kicks out. B-Fab sends Niven crashing off the ring apron with a big boot and gets her back in the ring, but Niven lands a senton on her when she slides back inside the ring and follows it up with a Michinoku Driver for the win.

Winner: Piper Niven

After the match, Michin runs down to the ring with a kendo stick in hand. Niven inserts herself between Green and Michin in order to prevent Michin from hitting Green with the kendo stick.

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