How to watch WWE Smackdown via live stream, what to watch for May 19 episode

WWE Friday Night Smackdown returns to your screens tonight with a new episode coming live from Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, SC.

We’re just eight days away from the Night of Champions pay-per-view in Saudi Arabia and the card for that show is starting to come together. We’ll get more build towards that event tonight as the tag title match comes into bigger focus.

How to watch Friday Night Smackdown

Date: Friday, May 19
Time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Colonial Life Arena, Columbia, SC
Network: Fox
Live stream: Fox Live or Fox Now App

What to watch for on Friday Night Smackdown

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns returned from a month-long hiatus last week and finally aired out the Usos for losing the undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship at Wrestlemania. He berated his cousins for their failures and forced them to apologize, even slapping Jimmy in the process. The “Tribal Chief” declared that the tag titles will return to the Bloodline and revealed that he and Solo Sikoa will challenge Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens for the belts at Night of Champions. Tonight, Sami and KO will come face-to-face with Reigns and Sikoa ahead of their title match in Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, the Usos will try to get a much-needed morale boost when facing Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar of the LWO in tag team action.

AJ Styles emerged victorious on the Smackdown side of the World Heavyweight Championship tournament last week and will go on to face Seth Rollins for the title at Night of Champions. Styles began the night by Edge and Mysterio in a triple threat match and punched his ticket to Saudi Arabia by defeating Bobby Lashley later in the evening. Tonight, the “Phenomenal One” will be a guest on the Smackdown debut episode of the “Grayson Waller Effect”, hosted by new draftee from NXT Grayson Waller.

Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair was in her hometown of Knoxville, TN, for last week’s episode of Smackdown and was set to host a celebration for her being the longest-reigning women’s champion of the modern era. That celebration was interrupted by her Wrestlemania opponent Asuka, who sprayed blue mist into the champ’s face and laughed while Belair struggled to get it out of her eyes. A Wrestlemania rematch between the two at Night of Champions will most likely be made official tonight. (Side note: yes, Belair is still technically the Raw champion and they will have to address this at some point.)

Like Grayson Waller, we’re starting to see some of the draftees from NXT make their Smackdown debuts. Last Friday, Cameron Grimes defeated Baron Corbin in his first match on the show. Tonight, former NXT Tag Team Champions Pretty Deadly will step in the ring for the first time on the show when facing Butch and Ridge Holland of the Brawling Brutes.

Also on the show, the Street Profits will team up to take on LA Knight and Rick Boogs in tag team action.