Wrestling fans are in for an exciting night Friday as WWE SmackDown airs live from MVP Arena in Albany, New York, at 8 p.m. ET on USA Network. The show marks the fifth episode in the seven-week buildup to Survivor Series: WarGames on November 29, and the action figures to be intense as the Last Time Is Now tournament continues its opening round matches to determine John Cena’s final opponent at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13.
The headline-grabbing matchup tonight involves LA Knight stepping into the ring against a mystery opponent in a tournament bout. General Manager Nick Aldis drew the name during last week’s SmackDown but has kept Knight’s opponent a secret, setting up an intriguing unknown variable for the Megastar. This mystery element adds drama to Knight’s tournament journey, as his opponent will have knowledge of the matchup while Knight walks in blind, creating an uneven playing field.
The Mystery Opponent Speculation
Speculation has run wild regarding who could face LA Knight tonight. WWE has indicated that the mystery opponent could be someone from outside WWE’s regular programming, a returning star fans haven’t seen in a while, or a WWE legend entirely. There’s also speculation that the mystery competitor could be Joe Hendry, the former TNA World Champion who has recently signed with WWE, though this has not been officially confirmed.
Knight has struggled in recent weeks despite his incredible workrate, earning the distinction of wrestling the most matches in WWE during 2025. His recent promo on Raw was even cut off mid-segment during a commercial break, adding to the sense that the company may be booking him for a tournament exit.
Jey Uso Takes On The Miz in Tournament Action
In the show’s other confirmed Last Time Is Now tournament match, Main Event Jey Uso faces The Miz. Though Uso is currently positioned as a world title contender on Raw, The Miz enters with a notable head-to-head advantage, having defeated Uso in four of their five previous singles matches. The two haven’t clashed one-on-one since 2019, making this a fresh encounter despite their history.
Jade Cargill’s Championship Reign Begins
Newly crowned WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill made a dramatic heel turn recently, attacking Tiffany Stratton and capturing the title at Saturday Night’s Main Event in early November. Tonight, Cargill steps into action in a non-title match against B-Fab. Though the championship won’t be on the line, the matchup will be an important early test for Cargill’s reign as she continues her transformation into a dominant heel character.
Ilja Dragunov Continues Championship Challenge Tradition
United States Champion Ilja Dragunov continues the legacy of championship open challenges tonight in a third consecutive title defense. Dragunov has successfully retained the title against Aleister Black and Johnny Gargano in recent weeks, establishing himself as a fighting champion willing to face any challenger. The champion’s opponent for tonight has not been announced, adding another layer of intrigue to the show’s card.
Building Toward Survivor Series: WarGames
The road to Survivor Series: WarGames is heating up as both brands prepare for the dual WarGames matches on November 29 at Petco Park in San Diego, California. The men’s WarGames team for SmackDown has already been partially formed, with Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, and CM Punk confirmed to face Logan Paul, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed from Raw.
Cody Rhodes is scheduled to appear on tonight’s show following his victory over Drew McIntyre at Saturday Night’s Main Event last weekend. McIntyre was suspended by Nick Aldis the following week on SmackDown after attacking referee Dan Engler during a main event segment, effectively removing the Scottish Warrior from immediate competition.
Other Points of Interest
The women’s WarGames team continues to take shape with Alexa Bliss, Charlotte Flair, Iyo Sky, and Rhea Ripley set to face Nia Jax, Lash Legend, Asuka, and Kairi Sane on November 29. Several of these competitors are expected to appear on tonight’s SmackDown as the storylines continue to develop heading into the pay-per-view.
Damian Priest’s involvement in the Last Time Is Now tournament came to an abrupt end after suffering a fireball attack to the eye from Aleister Black, with his already-announced tournament match elimination raising questions about potential follow-ups between Priest, Black, and Black’s manager Zelina Vega.
Tune In Tonight
WWE SmackDown airs tonight at 8 p.m. ET on USA Network in the United States and Netflix for international viewers. The show will continue building momentum toward both the Last Time Is Now tournament finals and the Survivor Series: WarGames pay-per-view event later this month.
