This week's episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown promises significant developments as the road to Survivor Series: WarGames intensifies and John Cena's retirement tournament continues its thrilling first-round matches.
When to Watch SmackDown in the UK
The November 14th episode of Friday Night SmackDown airs live in the United Kingdom at 1am GMT on Friday, November 15th. The show streams exclusively on Netflix, with on-demand repeats available shortly after the live broadcast concludes. This scheduling allows UK fans to catch all the action as it happens from the United States.
Key Matches and Segments Announced
The American Nightmare, Cody Rhodes, is scheduled for a major appearance following the conclusion of his fierce rivalry with Drew McIntyre. With McIntyre now suspended storyline-wise (and reportedly away filming), Rhodes can fully focus on the brutal WarGames match at Survivor Series. He teams with 'Main Event' Jey Uso and CM Punk to battle The Vision, and his address to the WWE Universe will likely outline strategy for the impending steel cage showdown.
John Cena's 'The Last Time is Now' retirement tournament continues with two pivotal first-round matches on the blue brand. In one bout, Main Event Jey Uso will battle one of Cena's storied rivals, The Miz. The other tournament match features LA Knight squaring off against a mystery opponent, adding an element of surprise to the prestigious competition.
Elsewhere on the card, United States Champion Ilja Dragunov continues his open challenge tradition. After a stellar victory over Johnny Gargano last week, The Mad Dragon awaits any challenger brave enough to step up. With NXT stars potentially crossing over to main roster shows, speculation is high about a possible debut from the black-and-gold brand.
The women's division features a compelling clash as Jade Cargill faces B-Fab in a singles match. This contest stems from a heated altercation last week where B-Fab took exception to Cargill's new demeanour of supreme confidence. The match represents a crucial opportunity for B-Fab to prove herself against the undefeated powerhouse champion.
John Cena Retirement Tournament Latest Update
The tournament bracket has seen significant updates since its inception. Rusev advanced after defeating Damian Priest, while Sheamus progressed by overcoming Shinsuke Nakamura on the November 10th episode of Raw.
Tonight's SmackDown features The Miz versus Jey Uso and LA Knight versus his mystery opponent, with winners advancing to the quarter-finals. Additional first-round matches announced for Monday Night Raw include Gunther taking on NXT upstart Je'Von Evans and Solo Sikoa facing another opponent yet to be revealed.
Four more tournament spots remain unannounced, with potential reveals expected during tonight's SmackDown or the upcoming Raw episode. The current tournament participants include:
- LA Knight
- The Miz
- Jey Uso
- Gunther
- Je'Von Evans
- Solo Sikoa
- Six names yet to be announced
The tournament finals are scheduled for the Survivor Series: WarGames Premium Live Event on November 29th, which will also stream exclusively on Netflix for UK audiences. This sets the stage for what promises to be an emotional farewell to one of WWE's greatest superstars.