WWE Friday Night Smackdown: matches and segments announced, UK start time and when is the next PLE?

• The King and Queen of the Ring are to be in attendance on this evening’s episode of WWE Smackdown.
• Cody Rhodes and Jade Cargill are also set to be joined by Tiffany Stratton, who is set to lay out her plans for WWE Evolution, and Solo Sikoa - no doubt with new charge Tala Tonga.
• Here’s your preview for WWE Friday Night Smackdown, the UK start time on Netflix and what Premium Live Events are coming up in the immediate future.

Another WWE Premium Live Event is in the books, as WWE’s annual trip to Saudi Arabia saw the culmination of two tournaments and another screwjob for CM Punk.

'The Voice of the Voiceless' took on John Cena, echoing their encounter back at WWE Night of Champions 2025. However, it would take various antics – including Seth Rollins and his new faction interfering and a possible Money In The Bank cash-in attempt – for Cena to walk out of Riyadh still your WWE Undisputed Champion.

Those hostilities between Punk and Rollins continued on WWE Monday Night Raw earlier this week. However, there was an added factor: Gunther. While 'The Ring General' came out to run down his Saturday Night Main Event opponent Goldberg, Mr. Money in The Bank (alongside Paul Heyman) came down to make his intentions known.

That prompted CM Punk to also make his way to the ring to trade blows with Rollins. However, his shove of Gunther, the current World Heavyweight Champion, was another talking point from the segment. Is the WWE seeing a potential epic between Punk and Gunther, should he pass his challenge against the former WCW Champion?

Here’s your preview for this evening’s WWE Friday Night Smackdown, the UK start time on Netflix this evening, and a look at the next Premium Live Events coming up on the streaming network shortly.

What’s been announced so far for WWE Smackdown’s July 4 2025 episode?

Solo Sikoa and the newest member of his group to appear on Smackdown

After a brutal match against family member Jacob Fatu for the United States Championship at WWE Night of Champions, Solo Sikoa emerged victorious – but not without the help, once again, of his family, and a brand new member making his debut.

The Samoan Werewolf didn’t have to contend with only JC Mateo and a returning Tonga Loa. The debut of Tala Tonga (former NJPW wrestler Hikuleo) also led to Sikoa earning the victory and the coveted title. All four men are expected to be on Smackdown this evening – so what next for the outlaws of The Bloodline stable?

King and Queen of the Ring, Cody Rhodes and Jade Cargill, to be in attendance

WWE Night of Champions saw the crowning of the 2025 King and Queen of the Ring, with both Cody Rhodes and Jade Cargill achieving victory after the arduous tournaments. This means that the pair have earned a right to challenge for their respective brand's top-tier titles – Cody for the Undisputed WWE Championship (currently held by John Cena) and Jade for the WWE Women's Championship (currently held by Tiffany Stratton).

As per the rules of the tournament, the winners challenge for the World Championship on their specific brand. So, as the pair are set to address audiences on Smackdown this evening, will we know which champion they’ll officially challenge ahead of the two-night WWE SummerSlam event later this year?"

WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton nominates her WWE Evolution challenger

Speaking of Tiffy Time, the WWE Women’s Champion will also be on hand this evening where she is expected to nominate a challenger for the upcoming all-female WWE PLE, Evolution.

Having seen off Nia Jax in an epic battle for the championship once again, will a familiar face be nominated, or will an NXT upstart, past or present, force Stratton’s hand and include them in the title match?"

What time is WWE Friday Night Smackdown starting in the UK tonight?

While WWE Monday Night Raw was on at an earlier time this week, it’s back to normal for late owls in the United Kingdom tonight. The latest episode of WWE Smackdown is scheduled to broadcast on Netflix from 1am BST on July 5 2025.

When is the next WWE Premium Live Event?

There’s actually two - if we omit the upcoming WWE Saturday Night Main Event featuring Gunther defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Goldberg.

WWE NXT will be hosting their 2025 edition of the Great American Bash, which will take place on July 12 2025 and airing on Netflix once again, while all three brands will congregate under one roof for the all-female Premium Live Event, WWE Evolution, which takes place on July 13 2025 and will also be screening exclusively on Netflix.

Let’s be frank - do you think that John Cena will become a face (good guy) before the end of his run with the company, and are the WWE seeding a possible Cody Rhodes turn to the dark side? Make your pre-SummerSlam predictions by leaving a comment down below.