Storylines to watch on WWE SmackDown tonight: Ilja Dragunov's US title; Cody Rhodes vs Drew McIntyre & more (October 24, 2025)

Tonight’s SmackDown will intensify the build towards SNME.

The October 24 episode of Friday Night SmackDown is set to air live from the Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona. The episode will continue the build towards the upcoming November 1 edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event.

Multiple stars, including Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, Tiffany Stratton, Solo Sikoa, Jade Cargill, and Drew McIntyre, are advertised for the show.

Ahead of this week’s show in Tempe, Arizona, let us take a look at the top four storylines that will be in play on this week’s WWE SmackDown.

4. Tiffany Stratton vs Kiana James

WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton is set to take on Kiana James this week. The match was set up following their hostile interaction backstage last week, where James mocked Stratton for losing against Stephanie Vaquer at Crown Jewel.

The matchup is a breath of fresh air for WWE fans who have been witnessing Stratton take on similar opponents whom she had already defeated multiple times.

Also Read: WWE SmackDown (October 24, 2025): Preview, match card, news, timings & telecast details

3. NXT Promotions

It’s not just the WWE Women’s Title picture; several titles and storylines on SmackDown have been struggling, particularly the tag team division, which has been hit hard by the absence of key stars.

Fans have been demanding that WWE promote stars from the developmental territory, NXT, which has multiple rising talents. These rising stars would not only fill the void but would also give the Creative team a lifeline to improve the show.

2. Start of Ilja Dragunov’s US title reign

During last week’s show, Ilja Dragunov made his return to answer Sami Zayn‘s US title open challenge. The two stars battled in a blockbuster match with Dragunov picking up the win, due to Solo Sikoa’s presence, which distracted Zayn.

The win has now kicked off Ilja’s reign, and it will be interesting to see if he continues the US title open challenge or goes his own way. A rematch also might be in the plans for Zayn.

1. Cody Rhodes vs Drew McIntyre

Following their brawl and the title match, which ended in disqualification last week, GM Nick Aldis announced a title rematch between reigning Champion Cody Rhodes and challenger Drew McIntyre for the upcoming edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event.

The two stars will likely engage in a promo battle or a possible brawl to build up more hype for the upcoming clash next month.

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