WWE Friday Night SmackDown: UK start time, matches announced and when is the next Premium Live Event?

The road to WrestleMania 42 officially began with a bang earlier this week.

We now know that the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble winner, Roman Reigns, will be challenging World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk in a main event fuelled by a decade of personal animosity.

But as the blue brand heads to the Spectrum Centre in Charlotte tonight, the question remains: will the Women’s Royal Rumble winner follow suit?

Liv Morgan, fresh off her historic victory in Riyadh, is scheduled to appear on tonight’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown, and after putting the Raw locker room on notice, Morgan is expected to scout the competition on the blue brand as she weighs her championship options.

With the WrestleMania stakes higher than ever, all eyes will be on Liv to see if she makes her choice official tonight.

Here’s your preview to the February 6 episode of Friday Night SmackDown, including what time it begins in the United Kingdom.

What time is WWE Friday Night SmackDown starting in the UK tonight?

The latest episode of the WWE’s blue brand will be starting on Netflix at 1am GMT, with on-demand repeats available shortly after the show’s initial broadcast.

What else has been announced for WWE Friday Night SmackDown this evening?

While only one match is officially on the card, the Spectrum Centre is advertised to host a star-studded line-up.

Fans can expect potential appearances from Cody Rhodes, who is still navigating his own path to Las Vegas, and the returning Tiffany Stratton, who made a massive impact at the Rumble.

WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill is slated for the show, alongside rumours that the newest blue-brand acquisition, Royce Keys (formerly Powerhouse Hobbs), could make his official Friday night debut.

Shinsuke Nakamura v Tama Tonga

The new WWE Tag Team Champions MFT, Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga, have been terrorising the SmackDown roster on their way to bringing back gold to the family. Unfortunately for the performers in the locker room, their reign of terror is only beginning.

Fresh off winning the titles, Tama Tonga was already ruffling feathers, specifically ones held by the ‘King of Strong Style’ Shinsuke Nakamura. Tama, in very fitting fashion, would try to intimidate Nakamura, a week after Shinsuke turned back the clock against the now-retired AJ Styles.

Nakamura was absolutely unfazed, saying he’ll see Tama Tonga this Friday night, as they’re in for quite the collision course.

Before their time in WWE, these two have engaged in countless wars as Shinsuke Nakamura was part of the amazing CHAOS faction in New Japan Pro Wrestling. On the other side, Tama Tonga rolled with the baddest of the bad in The Bullet Club, serving as one of its core members.

This Friday night, these two write another chapter in their book of wars as they go at it one-on-one.

When is the WWE's next Premium Live Event?

The fallout from the Royal Rumble continues as the roster heads toward the final stop before Las Vegas. The next major event on the calendar is WWE Elimination Chamber 2026, which will take place on February 28 and will once again screen exclusively in the UK on Netflix.

The event is set to be held at the United Centre in Chicago, Illinois, a city famous for its high-octane wrestling crowds.

With the Elimination Chamber matches often determining the final championship contenders for WrestleMania, the landscape of the blue brand could shift dramatically in the ‘Windy City’ later this month.

What do you think the WrestleMania 42 card will look like - and do you have any fantasy predictions ahead of the Showcase of the Immortals in Las Vegas? Drop a comment wherever you’ve read this article, or email the writer of this preview with your booking theories.