Spoiler: WWE Plans for Title Tournament for SmackDown Revealed

SmackDown just threw a massive curveball at the United States Championship scene.

Originally, Shinsuke Nakamura was set to defend his title against LA Knight, but now WWE is going in a completely different direction. PWInsider Elite reports that “a mini tournament will take place tonight on SmackDown to crown a new number one contender for the U.S. Title.”

Instead of the advertised championship match, WWE is rolling out a three-match tournament, with the winners advancing to a triple threat finale. The tournament lineup features:

• LA Knight vs. Santos Escobar
• Solo Sikoa vs. Andrade
• Carmelo Hayes vs. Braun Strowman

This shift raises a lot of questions. Why the sudden change? Did WWE scrap the title match for a bigger long-term story, or is Nakamura’s reign already in jeopardy? One thing’s for sure—this tournament just added some major unpredictability to SmackDown.

One thing is clear—SmackDown just turned the U.S. Title race into must-see chaos. With top names battling for a shot at gold, tonight’s tournament could shake up the entire landscape. Will LA Knight power through? Could Jacob Fatu make a statement? Or will someone else step up and steal the spotlight? One way or another, the road to the United States Championship just got a whole lot more unpredictable.

UPDATE: WWE has confirmed these matches on social media.

WWE SmackDown February 22, 2025 Full Card

• LA Knight vs. Santos Escobar
• Solo Sikoa vs. Andrade
• Carmelo Hayes vs. Braun Strowman
• Chelsea Green vs. Mystery Opponent
• Trish Stratus to Appear
• Cody Rhodes to Appear
• Triple Threat to Crown New #1 Contender for the United States Championship.

 Be sure to tune in live and follow along with Ringside News for full play-by-play coverage over in our SmackDown results section.

Who do you think will survive this tournament and challenge for the U.S. Title? Drop your predictions below!