Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for May 9, 2025

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Damian Priest. Priest says he was good about just getting his hands on Drew McIntyre, but now he looks forward to being a two-time United States Champion. LA Knight shows up and says he is in the match, too, and that the backlash will be severe to anyone who gets in his way, but tonight, they have a tag team match. Priest looks forward to the match, but wants to know if Knight has his back. Knight says that if Priest has his back, he will have his.

LA Knight and Damian Priest beat Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu despite Knight and Priest not being on the same page. After the match, Priest and Knight brawl, but Jacob Fatu decimates them both. All of a sudden, Jacob Fatu gets hit with a Claymore Kick from Drew McIntyre, who then holds up the United States Championship.

Backstage, R-Truth is holding a "Let's Go Cena!" sign when Jimmy Uso shows up. R-Truth refuses to take any John Cena slander.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Drew McIntyre, who states that he will put a silver bullet in Jacob Fatu tomorrow night, that LA Knight should be at the back of the line, and that Damian Priest should not be in the United States title match. McIntyre says he will become a Grand Slam Champion when he wins the United States title, and warns Jacob Fatu that when one is "all gas and no brakes," one eventually hits a brick wall.

Backstage, General Manager Nick Aldis and Zelina Vega find Chelsea Green and her Secret Service holding a eulogy for the Women's United States Championship in the dark. When Chelsea says that Zelina has "zero girlfriends," Zelina challenges Chelsea to a tag team match.

We hear from Aleister Black, who says that he buried his past self and that what he found was not death, but the truth, and he came back because he truly believe that he is the consequences that WWE needs. He says that this more than good versus evil and that he is here to confront Miz both mentally and physically and make him figure out which is worse. As for Carmelo Hayes, he leaves it open-ended as to whether or not he has him figured out.

Zelina Vega's tag team partner is revealed to be Alexa Bliss.

Zelina Vega and Alexa Bliss beat Chelsea Green and Piper Niven.

Backstage, Rey Fenix is met by Santos Escobar, and Fenix soon gets jumped by Angel and Berto. As officials break up the brawl, Andrade checks on Rey Fenix.

Charlotte Flair is seen entering the arena from backstage.

We look back on John Cena vs. Randy Orton in Hell in a Cell at Hell in a Cell 2014.

Andrade and Rey Fenix vs. Los Garza (Angel and Berto) is official for later tonight.

Charlotte Flair heads to the ring. She gives credit where credit is due to Tiffany Stratton after taking her to her limit following a return after two years from a career-ending injury, and says she is on her way back to the WWE Women's Championship. When the fans boo her, Charlotte wants to know why the fans are so disrespect and insists that she is the best, then threatens to leave and never come back if this continues, which leads to everyone cheering and waving goodbye. Charlotte throws the microphone down and leaves, but as she heads up the ramp, the lights go out, and Jade Cargill shows up and stares Charlotte down on the way to the ring. Jade then takes a microphone and tells Charlotte she had her chance and to head to the back of the line.

Backstage, General Manager Nick Aldis tells Charlotte Flair to be a leader and stop throwing a temper tantrum when things do not go her way. As Charlotte Flair is about to head to the airport, Alexa Bliss gets in her way and says "Let's chat."

Tiffany Stratton watches the next match from ringside.

Nia Jax beats Jade Cargill to become #1 contender for the WWE Women's Championship after Naomi attacks Tiffany Stratton on the outside, distracting Jade Cargill so that Nia Jax can hit the A-Nia-Lator for the win.

Backstage, Michin and B-Fab congratulate The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) on becoming champions. Montez Ford then says that they are about to put everyone on notice.

We see a video package of Becky Lynch's career, courtesy of Arby's.

The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) head to the ring. Montez Ford claims that they have put on the greatest TLC Match of all time and have come out on top, then Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom) suddenly shows up. Frazer apologizes for the interruption, then calls The Street Profits the hottest team in the game right now. He then makes it clear that they are taking an opportunity, and Axiom makes it clear that they want the WWE Tag Team Championships. Dawkins says that they have won only two matches in three weeks and questions if they think they are ready for a shot at the tag team titles, as does Montez, then General Manager Nick Aldis shows up. Aldis says Fraxiom is not worthy of a title shot yet, but he cannot think of a better opportunity to prove themselves than right now. A referee shows up, and the match is official.

Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom) beat The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) with a new double team finisher known as the Catapulta Infernal.

Backstage, Tiffany Stratton looks for Naomi when Nia Jax shows up and tells Tiffany she should be worried about her. Tiffany says she is fine with that, as she will leave room for Nia at the loser's table next to Charlotte Flair.

Backstage, The Miz tells Carmelo Hayes that are a lot of counter moves to Aleister Black's offense and that Carmelo will run the play exactly as he planned it.

Aleister Black beats Carmelo Hayes with a schoolkid pin after Carmelo inadvertently knocks The Miz off the ring apron. Immediately after the win, Aleister Black hits The Miz with the Black Mass.

Backstage, Solo Sikoa tells Jacob Fatu that the numbers game is not in their favor and that they have a gameplan. Jacob says the only gameplan is to run the play and dogwalk all three of his opponents, as he is all gas and no brakes.

Backstage, Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom) run into The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley), who congratulate them on beating The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) and coming into SmackDown and making some noise. As Chris Sabin looks forward to both teams meeting in the ring, both teams are attacked by #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa). Ciampa says that Fraxiom only took advantage of two injured men, and Gargano says that anybody can do that.

Rey Fenix and Andrade beat Los Garza (Angel and Berto) after Santos Escobar inadvertently costs Berto the win as he distracts the referee. After the match, Santos Escobar chews Berto out, and Berto finally snaps on Escobar and leaves.

John Cena heads to the ring. As Mark Nash re-introduces Cena, someone throws a bottle of Michelob Ultra into the ring. Cena stops Nash, takes the bottle and tosses it away, then has Nash continue. Cena says that tomorrow, everyone's childhood dies, and that people are reduced to throwing empty beer bottles because they know how important Backlash is. He says the fans will do everything they can like Randy Orton, which is why Orton is not here tonight. He says that Orton took his advice and spent time with his family while preparing for the biggest moment of his career. He talks about their first match almost 25 years ago, and since then, they have shared almost 100 appearances and 31 world title matches between them, and that anyone from 12 to 55 years of age is either Camp Cena or Camp Orton. He says that this is at stake tomorrow, as this is their final match and the fans get to choose one last time before everyone's childhood dies. He says that younger fans will grow up fast and life isn't fair, winners write the history books, and Orton is a liar. He says Orton is only a WWE Superstar because of his family and has never been held accountable for his family and has used his connections to avoid hard work, then says that Orton is the greatest of wasting his own potential while he himself is hustle. He says that Orton only cashes a check and is more of a Lay-Z-Boy, then says that Orton cannot be counted on and is not a good example of loyalty due to injuries and bad attitude and is only the greatest of all time at doing the bare minimum while he himself is loyalty. He says that Orton's father's best decision was knocking Orton's mother up while Orton has only ridden off his coattails, then says he is not the legend killer he thinks he is and that he will kill his own legend tomorrow night when he fails like his 2006 drug test. Cena says that he is the best of all time because he is respect, then says he will not stoop to the fans' level and that he will make history again as the last real champion. A masked man gets in the ring and attacks Cena, and after Cena disposes of him, Randy Orton shows up and hits Cena with the RKO before holding up the WWE Championship.

Here are the highlights from tonight's show!

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!