WWE SmackDown: Exciting Matches Set for Riyadh Episode

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — WWE SmackDown will air tonight at its usual 8 p.m. ET timeslot on USA Network, but it won’t be live for U.S. viewers. This episode will be pre-recorded at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, where WWE is hosting its Night of Champions event tomorrow.

This marks the first time WWE has filmed a SmackDown episode in Saudi Arabia. Fans in the U.S. will have access to spoilers due to the time difference, as the show will be broadcast at 1 p.m. ET in Riyadh.

Advertised for tonight’s show is the Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena, who will address CM Punk ahead of their renewed rivalry at Night of Champions. Additionally, three championship matches are set to take place: Tiffany Stratton will defend her Women’s Championship against Nia Jax in a Last Woman Standing match, Zelina Vega will compete against Giulia for the Women’s United States Championship, and the Wyatt Sicks will challenge the Street Profits for the Tag Team titles.

Cena recently teased fans at a media event for WWE SummerSlam, stating that the upcoming SmackDown is “cooking up something awesome.” He encouraged viewers to tune in, saying, “If you guys are digging what we’re doing on television, I hope you watch Night of Champions because it’s gonna be f’n great.”

For international viewers, the SmackDown broadcast will start at various times, including 12:30 p.m. in Canada, 5:30 p.m. in the UK, and 2:30 a.m. in Australia (Saturday).

Fans can expect live coverage and results as the show unfolds tonight, leading up to the highly anticipated Night of Champions event scheduled for Saturday.