INDIANAPOLIS -- The go-home show before Royal Rumble started similarly to last week—with an interview featuring the competitors in the WWE Championship Ladder Match. This time, the spotlight was on the challenger, Kevin Owens.
Joe Tessitore introduced "The Prizefighter," who then made his entrance. While Tessitore didn’t agree with Owens' actions last week, he felt it was only fair to give Owens the same treatment and offer him an interview. Owens' disdain for Tessitore and Cody Rhodes was evident as he refused the apology and walked out on the interview.
But just as Owens was leaving, the arena erupted to the sound of "Cult of Personality"—CM Punk made a surprise entrance. Punk laid claim to the world title, telling Owens that if he defeats Rhodes at Royal Rumble, the two of them will face off in the main event at WrestleMania. While Owens hates Punk, he likes the idea of beating him on the grandest stage of them all.
The two exchanged verbal jabs, culminating in Punk challenging Owens to a fight. However, Owens refused and walked out.
Carmelo Hayes vs. "Big" Jimmy Uso:
A fast-paced back-and-forth matchup between two rivals. Neither competitor had a clear advantage until Hayes' ego got the better of him. Instead of focusing on Uso, he decided to talk trash with Indiana Pacers' star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was sitting at ringside. Uso capitalized on the distraction, hitting a dive and throwing Hayes back into the ring. Uso then secured the win by reversing an O’Connor roll into a schoolboy pin.
Women's United States Championship Match: "Michin" Mia Yim vs. Chelsea Green
Both women aimed to end the match early, going for quick pin attempts. Yim and Green threw their biggest moves at each other, both desperate to walk away with the title. Yim hit Eat Defeat, but as she went for the pin, Green rolled out of the ring.
Yim chased Green around ringside until Green found a kendo stick and struck Yim with it, causing a disqualification. While Yim won the match, Green retained the title. Post-match, Green attempted to continue the assault with the kendo stick, but Yim grabbed it from her and gave Green a taste of her own medicine.
Damian Priest Interrupted by Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga:
SmackDown’s newest superstar, Damian Priest, spoke about wanting a fresh start on the blue brand, setting his sights on championship gold—starting tomorrow by winning the Royal Rumble.
But before he could continue, The New Bloodline made their presence known.
Jacob Fatu, unshackled and dangerous, declared that they run SmackDown now. Priest, unimpressed, questioned why they were even talking—then superkicked Tama Tonga.
A brawl erupted between Priest and Fatu, but the "Samoan Werewolf" proved too overwhelming. Just when things looked grim, LA Knight stormed out to make the save. Together, Knight and Priest forced The Bloodline to retreat and challenged them to a tag match later that night.
Los Garza & Motor City Machine Guns vs. #DIY & Pretty Deadly
This odd-couple eight-man tag match forced unlikely allies to work together against common foes. The heels, #DIY and Pretty Deadly, used underhanded tactics to keep the advantage.
The match ended in controversy when Tommaso Ciampa accidentally struck Elton Prince, leading to a roll-up pin and a win for Los Garza and MCMG.
Naomi vs. Liv Morgan
A short but intense match pitting recent rivals against each other. Morgan looked to build momentum after she and Raquel Rodriguez defeated Naomi & Bianca Belair on Raw.
However, tonight’s result was different—Naomi secured the win with a victory roll.
Andrade El Idolo vs. The Miz
Miz, looking to shake off a string of bad luck, aimed to turn things around. But Andrade had other plans.
Both men exchanged high-impact moves, including a top-rope Spanish Fly from Andrade. As Andrade attempted a moonsault, Miz rolled out of the way, but Andrade landed on his feet and immediately followed up with a spinning back elbow to pick up the victory.
Tiffany Stratton in the ring with Pat McAfee & Michael Cole
Stratton confidently declared that she doesn’t fear anyone and that it’s always Tiffy Time.
But before she could continue, Candice LeRae interrupted, accusing Stratton of jealousy and warning her that Tiffy Timeis coming to an end.
Just as Stratton sized up LeRae, she was blindsided by a sneak attack from Nia Jax.
LA Knight & Damian Priest vs. Jacob Fatu & Tama Tonga
Knight and Priest started strong, controlling Tama Tonga with crisp teamwork. However, they struggled to keep Jacob Fatu down, as he absorbed their biggest hits and responded with even more devastating attacks.
Despite Fatu’s dominance, LA Knight neutralized him, allowing Priest to hit the South of Heaven chokeslam for the win.
Post-match, Fatu wasn’t done—he laid out Priest and delivered a moonsault on him. The night ended with Jacob Fatu standing tall, sending a clear message ahead of the Royal Rumble.