WWE SmackDown Results - October 17, 2025: Chaos in the Bay as Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre Collide, Sami Zayn Loses the U.S. Title, and the Wyatt 6 Send a Chilling Warning
The Fallout from Crown Jewel Shakes SmackDown
This week’s WWE SmackDown from the SAP Center in San Jose was wild from start to finish. General Manager Nick Aldis wasted no time making headlines, turning the scheduled Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre bout into a #1 Contender’s Match for Cody Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Championship.
But before that match could even happen, chaos erupted — and the night spiraled into mayhem that no one saw coming.
Cody Rhodes Opens the Show
Cody Rhodes kicked things off, addressing his loss to Seth Rollins at Crown Jewel. He made it clear that while he respects Rollins, their rivalry is behind him — SmackDown is his kingdom now. The Bay Area crowd roared as Rhodes promised to keep his focus on leading the blue brand, but reminded everyone that “the Vision” isn’t done with him yet.
Rhodes hyped up the #1 contender’s match before heading backstage to prepare for a turbulent night.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship:
Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair (c) def. Sol Ruca & Zaria (“ZaRuca”) via submission
An energetic, back-and-forth bout saw Sol Ruca’s athleticism shine and Charlotte Flair prove once again why she’s “The Queen.” Despite ZaRuca’s strong teamwork, Flair locked in the Figure Eight on Ruca for the win.
After the match, a brief ringside confrontation with fan-favorite Blake Monroe suggested Charlotte might have a new challenger brewing.
Backstage: Fatu’s Confidence, McIntyre’s Fury
Jacob Fatu promised Cody backstage that he’d win his match tonight and prove why “California breeds the best.” Moments later, cameras caught Solo Sikoa brutally attacking Rey Fenix during a backstage photoshoot — reminding everyone the MFTs still run SmackDown.
Aleister Black & Zelina Vega Speak
Aleister delivered a dark and poetic promo, accompanied by his wife Zelina Vega and a live snake (yes, really). He declared their reunion was inevitable, warning the WWE Universe that their “venom” is not poison — but salvation.
Expect a new wave of sinister storytelling from this pair.
U.S. Title Open Challenge Chaos
Sami Zayn once again proved he’s a fighting champion by issuing an open challenge — despite Nick Aldis advising against it. The Miz tried to claim it, only for Carmelo Hayes to attack him from behind. Amid the chaos, Ilja Dragunov made his shocking return to accept!
Ilja Dragunov def. Sami Zayn (c) via pinfall to win the WWE United States Championship
A match-of-the-night contender filled with hard-hitting strikes and emotional intensity. Dragunov survived multiple near falls, finally connecting with Torpedo Moskau followed by the H-Bomb for the clean win.
After the bell, the MFTs swarmed the ring, attacking both Dragunov and Zayn — until Rey Fenix tried to make the save, only to be chokeslammed into the mat by Talla Tonga.
Then came the eerie twist — The Wyatt 6 appeared, standing across from the MFTs as the arena went dark. Bo Dallas’ cryptic message echoed through the tron:
“Seek and you shall find… but are you prepared for what’s on the other side?”
The lights returned to an explosive face-off that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
Motor City Machine Guns def. Los Garza
A slick tag team bout between two teams who know each other well. The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) proved experience trumps arrogance, putting away Angel Garza & Humberto Carrillo with their signature Skull and Bones finisher.
DIY vs. Fraxiom Teased
In a humorous backstage exchange, #DIY (Ciampa & Gargano) mocked Axiom & Nathan Frazer, setting up a potential singles match for next week — and perhaps a new rivalry in the tag division.
Main Event:
Cody Rhodes (c) def. Drew McIntyre via disqualification
(WWE Undisputed Championship)
Before the match, chaos erupted backstage — Jacob Fatu was found bloodied under scaffolding, eliminating him from competition. With Fatu out, McIntyre demanded to be named #1 contender automatically.
Nick Aldis refused, leading to a furious Cody Rhodes storming the ring. What followed was an unsanctioned brawl turned impromptu title match. McIntyre nearly ended it with a Future Shock DDT, but Cody fought back with a Cody Cutter and a wild outside dive.
It ended when Cody used his championship belt as a weapon — earning a disqualification. The two continued fighting post-match until security swarmed the ring. Rhodes capped off the show by diving from the top rope onto McIntyre and security guards, standing tall to end the night.
Wrestling.news | Backstage Take
SmackDown this week was pure chaos with consequence. WWE packed more storylines into one night than most brands do in a month — and it worked.
The U.S. Title scene just got a massive shake-up with Ilja Dragunov’s emotional win, while Solo Sikoa’s MFT faction continues to dominate every corner of the blue brand. But the moment that will have everyone talking? The Wyatt 6 confronting the MFTs — that’s the kind of supernatural-meets-street-war tension WWE hasn’t nailed since The Shield vs. The Wyatt Family.
As for Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre — this feud is getting dangerously personal. Fatu’s “accident” raises big questions, and with McIntyre smirking through it all, it’s safe to say Aldis has a problem on his hands.
