WWE has officially announced a significant change to the advertised card for tonight’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown, broadcasting live from the Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise, Florida. Originally scheduled to compete in a non-title match, IYO SKY has been removed from her encounter with Women’s United States Champion Giulia. WWE confirmed that former Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley will now step in to face Giulia in a first-time singles match.
WWE has provided no official explanation for why IYO SKY was replaced in the match. The change occurs eight days prior to the Elimination Chamber PLE in Chicago.
Tonight’s Advertised Card and Segments
Tonight’s broadcast, which airs on Syfy in the United States due to ongoing Olympic coverage, will feature the final qualifying matches for the 2026 Elimination Chamber.
- Rhea Ripley vs. Giulia: Ripley replaces her tag team partner IYO SKY in a singles match against the Women’s United States Champion.
- Men’s Elimination Chamber Qualifier: A Triple Threat match featuring Trick Williams vs. Carmelo Hayes vs. Damian Priest.
- Women’s Elimination Chamber Qualifier: A Triple Threat match featuring Charlotte Flair vs. Nia Jax vs. Kiana James.
- Oba Femi vs. Kit Wilson: Former NXT Champion Oba Femi makes his formal main roster singles debut.
- Ilja Dragunov vs. Tama Tonga: A singles encounter as Dragunov continues his climb on the SmackDown brand.
The broadcast is set to begin at 8:00 PM ET / 7:00 PM CT on Syfy.
