The Rock Returns to SmackDown: Major Matches Set for Elimination Chamber

NEW ORLEANS, La. — WWE is gearing up for an exciting evening as Friday Night SmackDown returns to the Smoothie King Center tonight at 8 p.m. ET, featuring a highly anticipated match between Tiffany Stratton and Candice LeRae. Stratton, the WWE Women’s Champion, faces LeRae after last week’s chaotic scene where Nia Jax and LeRae launched a two-on-one attack against her.

During the aftermath of the incident, WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus proposed a partnership with Stratton to combat Jax and LeRae’s combined efforts. As fans eagerly await confirmation of this tag team match for the upcoming Elimination Chamber event, Stratton will first take on LeRae in a one-on-one showdown tonight.

Additionally, WWE’s Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque, known as Triple H, confirmed that Dwayne ‘The Rock‘ Johnson will return to the ring, stating, ‘When The Final Boss shows up at this time of year, the audience knows anything is possible.’ This event marks The Rock’s first appearance since his emotional addresses in January on Raw and NXT, where he praised Cody Rhodes for his championship reign.

The stakes are high as fans speculate whether The Rock’s appearance in New Orleans may set the stage for a significant WrestleMania announcement, particularly regarding the potential hosting of WrestleMania 42 in the city in 2026.

This evening’s card also features a six-man tag match where Cody Rhodes, Braun Strowman, and Damian Priest will face off against Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu, amid tension following Sikoa’s past interference during Fatu’s matches.

In other match highlights, the WWE Tag Team Championships will be contested as champions #DIY defend their titles against challengers Pretty Deadly. After a non-title victory over the champions, Kit Wilson and Elton Prince look to capitalize on their momentum.

Furthermore, Drew McIntyre will take on Jimmy Uso, following an altercation that left McIntyre with a swift superkick from Uso. Both competitors seek a pivotal win in the lead-up to WrestleMania 41.

As for tonight’s show, three key matches have been officially announced, but some fans have noted the absence of women’s matches beyond Stratton’s main event. Despite a previous announcement of a match between Liv Morgan and Naomi, that has since been retracted, highlighting ongoing concerns about representation within WWE programming.

Fans can catch all the action live on USA Network, while pre-event excitement builds as the arena is already reporting over 9,000 tickets distributed, indicating a lively atmosphere as SmackDown promises thrilling content ahead of the Elimination Chamber.