Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for December 19, 2025

Damian Priest heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Priest says the last few days have not been easy due to John Cena's retirement, as Cena has inspired so many and has become the greatest of all time, to which he says "Thank you, Cena." He then addresses how he and Rhea Ripley dropped Aleister Black and Zelina Vega, saying that business has been handled. As he looks to 2026, Zelina's laughter is heard. Zelina calls Priest a hypocrite and says that getting Rhea Ripley to fight his battles does not make him a real man, especially when he did not get the pin, and states that Priest cannot stand the fact that Aleister broke him. She says that Priest made his decision and now he will have to live with Aleister's. Priest is attacked from behind by Aleister, which starts a brawl. Priest hits South of Heaven on the ring apron on the outside, then pulls a table out from under the ring. Aleister strikes back with a metal folding chair after Priest sets the table up, then counters a potential South of Heaven into the table by shoving Priest into the ring post and kicking him. Priest goes for another South of Heaven after landing on the table, but Aleister escapes it and puts Priest through the table with a running Meteora off the knee apron.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Nia Jax and Lash Legend. Nia says that Lash beat Alexa Bliss handily, and Lash says Alexa stood no chance against her. She then says they are moving on from Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, and Nia says that when they beat The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane), they will slide into the women's tag title match and become the new champions. Nia says that they will be the champs regardless of who holds them, as does Lash. Nia says that they will be the champs regardless of who holds them, as does Lash.

Backstage, Damian Priest is being helped to medical when he is attacked from behind by Aleister Black again. Aleister soon smacks Priest with a snow shovel before hitting Black Mass.

Nia Jax and Lash Legend beat The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane). After the match, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss run into the ring and brawl with Nia and Lash. Charlotte and Alexa overpower them, and Lash pulls Nia out of the ring to save her from Twisted Bliss.

Backstage, Jackie Redmond is interrupted by Kiana James and Giulia. Kiana reminds Jackie that she has to go through her first to interview Giulia, who says that she will take out Alba Fyre before telling Chelsea Green that time is running out.

We see footage of General Manager Nick Aldis - with police - meeting with Drew McIntyre at the latter's home. Aldis offers McIntyre a WWE Championship match, but asks for a public apology to referee Dan Engler. He also mentions that McIntyre's payday from Survivor Series will cover his fine. McIntyre declines, saying this is what "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes and Nick Aldis wants and that he will be screwed again and that SmackDown has unsafe working conditions. He wants to pick the stipulation for the WWE title match, and wants no physicality before the match from cody or else Cody is stripped of the WWE title. Aldis tells McIntyre he has a deal, then McIntyre finds out that Cody Rhodes is at his home and thinks Aldis has set him up. Aldis deals with it, but when McIntyre arrives, Cody rushes at McIntyre, starting a brawl that police have to stop.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews General Manager Nick Aldis, who says that everything has gotten out of hand between "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre. He says that Cody was out of line, but it is up to local authorities and not him. The Miz suddenly shows up, wanting a match with Joe Hendry, refusing to name him and does not want Aldis to name him either. Aldis says he can make that happen, then Miz turns around and sees R-Truth turn around and say "I believe in Joe Pesci" before clapping.

Giulia beats Alba Fyre.

We hear from The Wyatt Sicks (Uncle Howdy, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis, Nikki Cross). Uncle Howdy says that Solo Sikoa's greed for status power has led him down a dark path. He says the truth lies beneath the surface and that the image Solo portrays will launch his family into a whole new world full of adversity and abandonment, and there will be nowhere for him to run. He states that what will happen will force Solo and his family to surrender.

"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes heads to the ring. He admits to what he did at Drew McIntyre's home, then mentions McIntyre's comments of SmackDown being an unsafe working environment and asks if Staples would be a safe environment for him. Cody says that brawl at McIntyre's home was a tenth of what would happen in the ring, then General Manager Nick Aldis shows up and says that while McIntyre is full of crap, Cody made McIntyre's point for him and got the both of them in a lot of trouble. He says that he had to make a bad deal with McIntyre and reminds Cody is not above the law, and that he cannot help him with that, then tells Cody cannot lay a finger on McIntyre or else he will be stripped of the WWE Championship. Cody guarantees that he will not touch McIntyre, but in the spirit of all these demands, he says that Aldis has forgotten who he is talking to and that as long as he has the WWE title, he is the law. He says that he works for the fans, not for Aldis, and that Aldis works for him before leaving.

Backstage, Ilja Dragunov meets with Carmelo Hayes and thanks him for last week. Tama Tonga is watching from the background as Carmelo says there was nothing to it. As Dragunov says that they will both put #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) down, Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom) show up and wish them luck, then ask them to leave #DIY for them after stealing Axiom's mask. Dragunov says that #DIY asked for this battle and that Ciampa is no longer a jackass; he is now his prey.

Ilja Dragunov and Carmelo Hayes beat #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa).

Backstage, Jackie Redmond interview Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. Alexa says that Nia Jax and Lash Legend are not next in line like Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky are, and Charlotte says they are in the way. Jade Cargill shows up, and Charlotte and Alexa walk past before Jackie tries to interviews Cargill. Cargill says she was shocked to see "Michin" Mia Yim get up after she knocked her down, then says she will give Michin the spotlight before knocking her lights out. Michin shows up from behind and whacks Jade with a shinai, and has to be held back by officials.

We hear from Solo Sikoa, who says that Uncle Howdy talked a bunch of nonsense that means nothing, then says they have a problem when he threatens his family. He says he does not play games when it comes to his family, and that he will embarrass him in front of the whole world. He says the fireflies are here and that they will watch The MFTs (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Talla Tonga, JC Mateo) take the tag team titles, as he has the whole world in his hands.

The MFTs (Tonga Loa and JC Mateo) vs. The Wyatt Sicks (Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis) for the WWE Tag Team Championships ends with everyone in The MFTs (Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Talla Tonga, JC Mateo) and The Wyatt Sicks (Uncle Howdy, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis) brawling on the outside after Talla Tonga hits a big boot on Joe Gacy. The Wyatt Sicks (Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis) retain the WWE Tag Team Championships. Erick Rowan clotheslines Talla Tonga out of the ring after Talla hits just about everyone with a top rope cross body, then Solo Sikoa hits Rowan with a Samoan Spike. Uncle Howdy goes for Sister Abigail on Solo, but Tama Tonga puts a stop to that, and everyone keeps brawling as the show fades to black.

Here are the highlights from tonight's show!

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

NXT Homecoming - NXT recap for September 16, 2025

We see a video package chronicling NXT's early days as a developmental brand turned third brand at Full Sail University.

We see the early-2010s introduction with today's NXT roster.

WWE Chief content Creator Paul "Triple H" Levesque heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Triple H talks about how Full Sail University is something special in NXT's history as well as everyone who was involved in it, then says that the fans are why NXT is stronger than ever. He talks about how the fans turned something that started out as a whisper into an undeniable roar, and says that their passion shattered conventions and allowed NXT to take over. Triple H says that the fans are the ones who said that NXT is the future, and that future is now. He thanks the fans before Shawn Michaels shows up. Shawn Michaels says that they are thrilled to have Triple H here tonight after all he has done for the main roster, then says the NXT Superstars are ready to steer the ship into the future. Triple H says NXT has been knocking it out of the park, then asks what would happen if he were to come back. Shawn says he didn't want this to be uncomfortable, then says it would be a very big problem. All of a sudden, William Regal shows up and says there is only one way to settle this: WarGames. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss show up, and make fun of Shawn and Triple H arguing before Charlotte state that the women have always ran NXT. She and Alexa list a couple of names from NXT's past, then says the women have always been the backbone of NXT.

Backstage, The Culling (Shawn Spears, Niko Vance, Izzi Dame, Tatum Paxley) run into Lyra Valkyria. Tatum hugs Lyra.

Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss retain the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships againts The Culling (Izzi Dame and Tatum Paxley).

Backstage, Sol Ruca argues with Zaria when Lainey Reid shows up and says she should be focused on future opponents when Candice LeRae also shows up. All of a sudden, "The Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler shows up, and Candice and Lainey leave before Shayna tells Sol Ruca and Zaria to fix what is going on and apologize.

Before the next match, Carmelo Hayes finishes Trick Williams' sentence before a #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) jersey is symbolically burned on the TitanTron, and Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano's NXT solo career entrance themes are played. Ciampa also wear his special NXT facepaint for this match.

Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams beat #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) after The Miz shows up from out of the crowd and hits Gargano with the Skull Crushing Finale on the outside behind the referee's back. The Miz celebrates with Carmelo Hayes to Trick's chagrin after the match.

Backstage, Kelly Kincaid interviews Sami Zayn, who talks about his memories in Full Sail University and how there is still potential in NXT today, and that he sees potential in Je'Von Evans. Josh Briggs shows up and says that Je'Von Evans is a bum, and gets jumped by Je'Von in the process. Sami pulls Je'Von away from Josh Briggs as Briggs isstopped by officials, and Sami tells Je'Von that he has heart and that while it will not come easy, the sky is the limit.

El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr. is seen in the front row before the next match.

"All Ego" Ethan Page retains the NXT North American Championship against Tyler Breeze after hitting Breeze with the Twisted Grin as Breeze is on the top rope.

Backstage, Tavion Heights is annoyed that "All Ego" Ethan Page is still champion when Damian Priest shows up. Priest says Tavion is so close to reaching the next level and that he sees the NXT North American Championship in his future. He then says he has gotten with General Manager Ava and that Tavion has a match for the North American Championship against Ethan Page at No Mercy.

It's time for The Grayson Waller Effect. Tonight's guests are Oba Femi and Ricky Saints. Grayson mocks them both as he asks who will win, and Oba says that he does not see Saints as "special" and that he is underwhelmed. He says that Saints has looked past NXT for the main roster where he can "carry Cody Rhodes' bags," then says he will show Saints the door as he cannot carry the NXT Championship. Saints says that Oba is nothing without the championship at his core, and that he knows who he is, and while he tried out for WWE and failed eight years, a delay is not a denial, and that neither thing will happen and he will become champion. Trick Williams shows up and says that Oba is still holding something that belongs to him, then tells Saints to mind his business and that he is only here because he and Oba made NXT hot again. Grayson says he will meet with General Manager Ava and Total Nonstop Action Director of Authority Santino Marella and make a Winner Takes All Match between Trick and Oba for both titles with the winner defending both against Saints at No Mercy. After Grayson says TNA is only relevant because he mentioned, Trick grabs his microphone, tosses it away, then says he will beat Trick to become a double champion, and calls it "The Oba Femi rub."

Backstage, Wren Sinclair brings a list of changes to make to The No Quarter Catch Crew (Charlie Dempsey and Wren Sinclair) to Charlie Dempsey. Dempsey says he will be heading to Japan for a month to become a new man, then Bobby Roode shows up and does the "Glorious" bit. Joe Hendry also shows up when Wren mentions his name, and Roode sings Hendry's praises before telling him to focus on the NXT Championship. Hendry and Roode shake hands.

Lexis King is in the ring. Lexis calls himself "the Homecoming King," and says the black-and-gold era is overrated and does not hold up to today's standard, and says that the stars from that era have moved on. He then says that he is still here and that he has a target on his back after being beaten in the darkness by Myles Borne, who he calls an evil man. He says that they have a Lights Out Match next week, then says he will knock his lights out before the lights go out. Finn Balor shows up to his original entrance music, and as Finn is on the ring apron, Myles Borne attacks Lexis King from behind. Finn then hits Lexis King with the Coup de Grace.

Backstage, Kelly Kincaid interviews DarkState (Dion Lennox, Cutler James, Saquon Shugars, Osiris Griffin). As Saquon Shugars says that having the gold is all that matters, Montez Ford suddenly shows up and reminisces about being NXT Tag Team Champions before telling DarkState to worry about the targets on their back. Cutler James goes off, and the rest of DarkState have to keep him in check.

Stephanie Vaquer, Lyra Valkyria and Rhea Ripley beat Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley, Jazmyn Nyx) in a six-woman tag match after Lola Vice keeps Jacy Jayne from walking out of the match.

Backstage, Oba Femi and Trick Williams have a staredown as William Regal tells General Manager Ava, Robert Stone and Stevie Turner they have their hands full next week. Oba says "May the best man win," and Trick says "He will."

Here are the highlights from tonight's show!

Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for August 15, 2026

Solo Sikoa, JC Mateo, Talla Tonga and Tonga Loa head to the ring. Solo says that they run SmackDown, and if anybody does not like it, too bad. He talks about how Sami Zayn tried to show up on SmackDown, yet they showed up on Raw and stomped him out. Solo also brags about stomping out Jimmy Uso and Jacob Fatu, then Sami Zayn shows up and heads to the ring. Sami tells Solo and his family that he is just here to talk, and while Solo tells Sami that he is free to enter the ring, Sami takes the situation seriously, and Solo allows Mateo, Talla and Loa to leave the ring. Sami says that had he beaten Rusev, he would have been competing for the World Heavyweight Championship, but now that is not happening. He says he was furious as well as liberated after Solo's attack, as he has talked about being world champ that he kept spinning his wheels.Sami thanks Solo, as he now realizes that there are other things in WWE that he has yet to accomplish, including winning the only other title he has never won: the WWE United States Champion. Solo tells Sami that he will not hold the title anytime soon and will never hold it, then tells him to get out of his ring and that he does not want to see him again. Sami tells Solo that as of tonight, he is officially on SmackDown, then says Solo took something from him and that he will take something from Solo in the form of the United States Championship. Sami and Solo brawl, and Mateo, Talla and Loa quickly move into place to turn the brawl into a four-on-one attack. All of a sudden, Jimmy Uso shows up, but he also gets wiped out. Jacob Fatu soon shows up, and he, Jimmy and Sami are soon able to clean house. General Manager Nick Aldis shows up and makes a six-man tag match between the team of Sami, Jacob and Jimmy against Solo and his family.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Chelsea Green and the Secret Hervice (Piper Niven and Alba Fyre). Chelsea says she broke up a birthday celebration and took a cake to the face. Piper Niven says that nobody touches their Canadian hero, and Alba Fyre says that they will soon take care of their opponents tonight.

Alexa Bliss beats Piper Niven with a stack-up schoolkid pin after Piper charges at her only to run into the corner when Alexa dodges. After the match, Alba Fyre attacks Alexa from behind, and when Charlotte makes the save for Alexa, she is outnumbered and overpowered. Chelsea and the Secret Hervice then gang up on and lay out Alexa Bliss.

Backstage, Tiffany Sratton and Jade Cargill are arguing, and General Manager Nick Aldis get between them before Nia Jax shows up and tells Cargill to fall back. Cargill says she falls back for no one, and Tiffany tells Nia she is willing and able to beat her again.

The Miz and Carmelo Hayes (now officially known as Melo Don't Miz) beat Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom) after Miz tags himself in to hit the Skull Crushing Finale as Carmelo goes for Nothing But Net.

It is announced that there is no medical update of "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes after what Drew McIntyre did to him at the end of last week's show.

Backstage, Tiffany Stratton is met by Kiana James, who tries to sell Tiffany on a partnership. Tiffany is not interested, but Kiana tells her she is still champion because she has yet to face Giulia and that reminds her that if she is not with them, she is against them. Tiffany leaves, then Michin shows up and says she has Giulia next, but Kiana could care less.

Drew McIntyre heads to the ring. Drew look backs on what he did to "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes at the end of last week's show, then says he did not attack Cody. He then wants to know what has happened to Cody, then says he does not hate Cody and that he is worried about Cody, as he needs outside validation. He says he knows this because this was him five years ago. He says that when one is gone, they are forgotten, and to get things in while one can. He says he has been screwed out of a world title more than he can count, yet Cody needs the world title because he is a nobody without it. McIntyre then says that Cody attacked him, not the other way around, and says that he defended himself when Cody tried to take him out. He says Cody is good at pissing people off, but he is good at taking people out. McIntyre says he is not the bad guy, but if he is provoked, he will do very violent things and he will be the nightmare.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) and B-Fab. All of a sudden, Solo Sikoa and his family (Solo Sikoa, JC Mateo, Talla Tonga, Tonga Loa) show up, and Solo says that after they are done tonight, The Street Profits will have to run through them for tag team gold. Dawkins says Solo and his family will not stop The Street Profits from doing what they do best, and Montez says they are still up and they still want the smoke. Dawkins says Solo and his family will not stop The Street Profits from doing what they do best, and Montez says they are still up and they still want the smoke. Meanwhile, Jacob Fatu has been watching from the background.

The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) beat #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa).

Backstage, The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) and General Manager Nick Aldis are met by Melo Don't Miz (The Miz and Carmelo Hayes). Sabin questions if Carmelo is being manipulated by Miz, which raises Miz's ire. Aldis makes a match between Melo Don't Miz and The Motor City Machine Guns for next week.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews R-Truth. R-Truth says that everybody got his childhood hero John Cena back, then Aleister Black says he should be excited for Damian Priest before telling him he will see him next week.

Backstage, Sami Zayn thanks Jimmy Uso for having his back. Jacob Fatu, on the other hand, is more reluctant to team with Sami Zayn tonight.

Sami Zayn, Jimmy Uso and Jacob Fatu beat Solo Sikoa, Tonga Loa and JC Mateo (now known collectively as MFT) in a six-man tag match. After the match, Sami and Jacob are on the same page to end the show.

Here are the highlights for tonight's show!

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

Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for June 27, 2025

"The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes heads to the ring to start tonight's show. We are also introduced to the Arabic announce team of Faisal bin Mughaisib and Jude Aldajani. Before Cody can speak, Randy Orton makes his way to the ring. Orton says that Cody and "Main Event" Jey Uso had a match of the year contender on last week's Raw, and as much as he would like to see the King of the Ring crown on Cody's head, he says that he must be King of the Ring. Orton says that he wants to redeem himself after losing last year's tournament to Gunther and that he wants retribution against John Cena after Cena embarrassed him in front of friends and family. He says he cannot let how he feels about Cody get in the way of his goal and that there is nothing he will not do to leave Saudi Arabia with the crown on top of his head. He then says that goal will come true when he reintroduces Cody to the RKO. Cody says that "embarrassment" is not a word he would attach to Orton and Cena, and while he is grateful and thankful for Orton, he needs to be King of the Ring just that little bit more. Cody says that while RKO will still be the three most dangerous letters after all is said and done, Orton will not be King of the Ring, because he will. (During this portion of the broadcast, the show undergoes technical difficulties due to a power loss lasting approximately 30 minutes; this affected the international Netflix feed as the show aired live. Cody and Orton would interact with the fans afterwards to kill time.)

Backstage, Solo Sikoa gives Jimmy Uso one more opportunity to join them, and tells JC Mateo to make Jacob how it feels not to have anyone before he takes care of Jacob on Saturday and proves that they are just getting started.

JC Mateo beats Jimmy Uso following the distraction by Solo Sikoa. After the match, Solo helps Jimmy up, but Jimmy slaps Solo when Solo tries to get him to join the family. JC Mateo attacks Jimmy from behind, but Jacob Fatu shows up before Solo can hit the Samoan Spike. Jacob makes quick work of JC Mateo, and Solo rolls out of the ring. Jacob then hits JC Mateo with a moonsault from the top rope before, then he and Jimmy have a staredown before Jimmy shoves Jacob to the site to hit Solo with a superkick.

Backstage, #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) are seen talking to the rest of the SmackDown tag team division, saying that if The Wyatt Sicks (Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis) win the WWE Tag Team titles, they will hold the titles for a long time. General Manager Nick Aldis, who cannot help but overhear, brings out Andrade, then tells him to find a partner so he can face #DIY in a tag team match tonight.

We hear from Giulia, who says that she and Zelina Vega have been calling each other out since Zelina became champion. She says that her hard work is evident and that Zelina's title is just a stepping stone, and she will prove the title does not belong to her. We then hear from Zelina Vega, who says that the streets were not made for everyone and that sidewalks were made for people like Giulia. Zelina says she has worked hard and sacrificed to become Women's United States Champion, and that she will prove why she is the champion tonight.

Giulia beats Zelina Vega to become the WWE Women's United States Champion!

Backstage, Charlotte Flair runs into Alexa Bliss and refuses to talk about last week, then says she does not need help. Alexa says they should at least be on the same page as "allies of convenience," and tells Charlotte to think about it.

Wade Barrett interviews Jade Cargill and Asuka in the ring. Jade Cargill arrives first, followed by Asuka. Cargill says that people get nervous when they see Asuka, but people like Asuka are why she came to WWE, and she sees Asuka as purpose and not pressure and plans to beat her to become Queen of the Ring. Asuka says Cargill is strong, but power is not everything, as she has skill and experience. Before Cargill can reply back, Naomi shows up and says that Asuka and Cargill may fight over a crown, but she has all the power with the Money in the Bank contract. She entertains the scenarios in which she can cash in, and says that she can take a title away from Cargill like she did everything else and that it gives her pure pleasure to think about how she can ruin the biggest night of Cargill's career. Cargill fights past Asuka to swing at Naomi, but Asuka gets the last word on Cargill and lays her out.

Backstage, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis meets with Raw General Manger Adam Pearce regarding the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships when Aleister Black shows up. Aleister is soon interrupted by Ron Killings, who wants John Cena. After Ron Killings leaves when he does not get Cena, Aleister soon follows Killings.

We see footage of Los Garza (Angel and Berto) winning the AAA World Tag Team Championships from two weeks ago.

Andrade's tag team partner is revealed to be Rey Fenix.

Andrade and Rey Fenix beat #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa).

Ron Killings suddenly heads to the ring and calls out John Cena. All of a sudden, Aleister Black shows up behind him, and when Killings turns around, Aleister hits him with Black Mass and tells him they are even.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford). Montez says it has been four years since they last held tag team gold, and that no other team will be able to take it from them anytime soon. Dawkins says The Wyatt Sicks are the only threat they have and that they must eliminate that threat. B-Fab shows up and tells The Street Profits that she has their backs.

Backstage, Aleister Black is met by Damian Priest. Priest tells Aleister Black that he knows what Ron Killings is capable of, and should consider paying back his debt in a one-on-one match, telling him that things could end up differently. Aleister leaves after he says he is sure they will, then Carmelo Hayes shows up and says Priest should let Killings handle his own business. Priest tells Carmelo to walk away now. Carmelo walks away.

The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) retain the WWE Tag Team Championships against The Wyatt Sicks (Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis) by disqualification when Los Garzas (Angel and Berto), starting a brawl involving the entire SmackDown tag team division, which is at ringside to watch the match more closely. After the match, Erick Rowan gets involved in the brawl, as does Uncle Howdy. The Street Profits take The Wyatt Sicks and the rest of the tag team division out after Axiom is hit with Sister Abigail by Howdy and it takes three people to take down Rowan.

It is announced that SmackDown goes back to two hours next week.

Backstage, Jacob Fatu runs into Jimmy Uso. Both men state they did not each others' help last week, but Jimmy does admit he has respect for Jacob for standing up to Solo Sikoa, which he wishes he did a long time ago. Both men come to a mutual understanding.

Tiffany Stratton retains the WWE Women's Championship against Nia Jax in a Last Woman Standing Match. During the match, Naomi tries to cash in on Tiffany Stratton, but Tiffany lays her out and even uses the Money in the Bank briefcase as a weapon, which helps her put Nia Jax through two tables to win the match and retain the title.

John Cena heads to the ring. Cena tells the Saudi Arabian that he is what a winner looks like and that CM Punk is a loser, then says Night of Champions is a formality and that Punk can do nothing about it. All of a sudden, CM Punk shows up in a parody of Cena's "Doctor of Thuganomics" gimmick called "Basic Punkanomics," saying he is ripping it off after Cena stole his pipebomb. He says that Cena has buried more talent than The Undertaker, can't act in movies like Batista, is more problematic than Hulk Hogan, can't wrestle, and is a washed up bum. Punk says that Cena is a leech for stealing his pipebomb, then says that at Night of Champions, Cena will "lose to Kendrick, 'cause bitch, you're my Drake." Cena is left speechless as the show ends.

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

Here are the highlights from tonight's show!

Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for May 16, 2025

Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga and Jeff Cobb head to the ring to start tonight's show. Solo Sikoa introduces Jeff Cobb as the man who kept the WWE United States Championship in the family. He says that when Roman Reigns lost to Cody Rhodes, he ruined everything for the family and lost everything. Solo then says he will be the one to take it all back, starting by winning his Money in the Bank qualifier match tonight, grabbing the briefcase and taking the WWE Championship back, and if anyone gets in his way, Cobb and Jacob will take care of them. When Solo uses Jacob's catchphrase, Jacob takes the microphone from him and says he would bring the United States title to the family and do it with or without Solo, and if anyone gets in his way, he will deal with them himself. Solo interrupts Jacob, saying he is doing all of this because he loves him and wants to help. He says the United States title is proof of him telling Jacob that he loves him. Solo then wants to know if Jacob still loves him, and Jacob says he does, but Solo wants some emotion in it and tells him to say it loud and proud. Suddenly, LA Knight shows up. Instead of showing up from the stage, he shows up from behind and pulls Jeff Cobb out of the ring before escaping through the crowd.

Backstage, B-Fab wants "Michin" Mia Yim to qualify for Money in the Bank so they can go after the women's tag titles. Chelsea Green and the Secret Hervice (Piper Niven and Alba Fyre) show up, and Chelsea says she will qualify and win to become champion again. Alexa Bliss then shows up and tells Chelsea "See you out there." B-Fab then reminds Chelsea that she will have no seconds at ringside before she and Michin leave.

Alexa Bliss beats Chelsea Green and "Michin" Mia Yim in a Triple Threat Match to qualify for the women's Money in the Bank Match after pulling Michin out of the ring following an Un-Pretty-Her from Chelsea and hitting Chelsea with Sister Abigail to win.

Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom) beat #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) after a slightly disoriented Axiom manages to get a sit-down pin and win on Ciampa. After the match, #DIY continues to attack Fraxiom until The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) show up and chases #DIY off.

Backstage, Rey Fenix is met by Andrade, who wishes him good luck tonight. Fenix compliments Andrade on the teamwork last week, and says that while he lost at WrestleMania, he is ready for the next level. Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu and Jeff Cobb show up looking for LA Knight, then leave.

Backstage, Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom) are congratulated by The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford), who announce that Fraxiom have a shot at the WWE Tag Team Championships next week.

In footage from earlier today, Wade Barrett interviews R-Truth. R-Truth says life is tough, but he still worships and looks up to John Cena. When Barrett reminds R-Truth about Cena putting him through at able at the Backlash post-show press conference, R-Truth refuses to believe that Cena would be a bad guy. He says he does not want to fight Cena, but if he has to beat Cena to his senses, he will do it, and he will do it at Saturday Night's Main Event. He says that regardless of what happens, he will leave with his head held high.

We hear from Damian Priest, who is angry with himself for getting caught up in Drew McIntyre's drama and states that there needs to be a conclusion. He wants to hurt McIntyre badly and make him feel pain, and bash his face in so badly that the hospital will need dental records to identify him. He wants a steel cage against Drew McIntyre at Saturday Night's Main Event.

Backstage, Carmelo Hayes tells Aleister Black made a mistake not taking his head off and says that it will not be over until he wins.

Aleister Black vs. Carmelo Hayes ends in a no-contest after The Miz attacks Aleister before he can hit Carmelo with Black Mass. After the match, Aleister counters the Skull Crushing Finale with a Black Mass, but Carmelo hits a chop block followed by the ground and pound. He then goes up top and hits Aleister with Nothing But Net.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Alexa Bliss, who plans to win Money in the Bank twice and be the first in the women's division to do so. She suddenly notices Charlotte Flair, and they have a brief conversation about how Charlotte was the only one to give her the time of day in NXT (which Charlotte does not remember) when Giulia shows up. General Manager Nick Aldis soon shows up and announces that Giulia is now part of the SmackDown roster, then meets with Charlotte after Giulia leaves. Charlotte tells Alexa to stay out of her way, but Alexa says "Keep telling yourself that."

We see a video package chronicling the feud between Tiffany Stratton and Nia Jax.

Drew McIntyre heads to the ring. McIntyre says he has heard what Damian Priest has to stay, and while he admits they have had a lot of violence against each other, he has been in his own vortex for a year and his vortex is the only reason Priest is relevant. He states that he has kept trying to get rid of Priest and Priest just keeps getting involved, then chalks everything up to "a psychotic level of jealousy" towards how he is better than Priest in every way imaginable. McIntyre then admits that Priest is willing to crush the competition and kill him in order to do after recent events, then states that this must end and that he will see Priest in the steel cage, guaranteeing that only one man will walk out of it while the other leaves on a stretcher. As McIntyre makes his way to the back, he meets Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu and Jeff Cobb, who are heading to the ring for the next match. Before the next match, Jeff Cobb's WWE name is announced to be "JC Mateo."

Before the next match, Jimmy Uso says Money in the Bank is around the corner, and that he must go through Solo Sikoa and Rey Fenix to win the briefcase, cash in and become a champion.

Solo Sikoa beats Rey Fenix and Jimmy Uso in a Triple Threat Match to qualify for the men's Money in the Bank Ladder Match following interference from Jacob Fatu and JC Mateo.

After the match, LA Knight rushes in and attacks JC Mateo and Jacob Fatu, then keeps Solo and company at bay with a metal folding chair at the announce desk. General Manager Nick Aldis shows up with officials to calm things down and makes a match between LA Knight and JC Mateo, officially giving JC Mateo his WWE debut match.

JC Mateo beats LA Knight after Knight takes out Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu on the outside only to get back into the ring and get hit with A Tour of the Islands by JC Mateo.

Backstage, Angel tells Santos Escobar that he cannot get a hold of Berto. Escobar feels Berto is talking to "the wrong people" and is willing to forgive what happened last week, and that he has an opportunity that will help them make a statement. He tells Angel to find Berto and bring him home so they can work things out.

We hear from Shinsuke Nakamura, who says that LA knight is still the same man he was when he faced him for the United States title and has the same hunger that will bring him down. He also addresses Aleister Black, stating he does not fear him as he hides behind smoke and mirrors because deep down inside, he fears the darkness. He says there is a deeper darkness lurking behind the shadows. Nakamura says he is sharpening his katana and is waiting to make his move and make both men sink at his feet when he qualifies for the Money in the Bank Ladder Match and proves that he is unstoppable.

Backstage, Tiffany Stratton runs into Jade Cargill, who says that she will face whoever wins the WWE Women's Championship and become a champion. Tiffany tells Cargill not to get too comfortable, as she is always ready, for as long as she is champion, she will never be good enough to cash in on her despite her talent. As this conversation goes on, Naomi can be seen in the background.

Tiffany Stratton retains the WWE Women's Championship against Nia Jax. During the match, Naomi shows up with a metal folding chair, but she is soon chased through the crowd by Jade Cargill. Near the end of the match, Nia Jax tries to walk off with the WWE Women's Championship, but lays it at the corner of the ring to grab Naomi's metal folding chair as the referee's back is turned. Tiffany drop kicks the chair into Nia's face, then hits a second Prettiest Moonsault Ever - with Nia somehow having kicked out of the first one following Cargill chasing Naomi into the crowd - to win and retain.

Here are the full highlights from tonight's show!

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

Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for April 25, 2025

John Cena heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Once again, ring announcer Mark Nash is corrected by Cena. Before Cena can utter a word, however, Randy Orton heads to the ring. Orton says that in a couple of months, it will be 25 years to the day that he and Cena first shook hands, and in those 25 years, Cena was always about hustle, loyalty and respect and it was a way of life and a mantra. He then says that has gotten him thinking, and that he feels there is a void in Cena. He says that Cena was a source of motivation that children looked up to and feels that this certainly means something to him. He also mentions the Make-a-Wish kids that were left with a piece of his heart and knows that they mean something to Cena, too. Orton then says he has figured out how to fill the void, and tells Cena that he needs to "have some damn kids." Orton feels that being a father would make Cena a better human being, but Cena takes offense to Orton trying to "parent shame" him in an attempt to make him feel better. Cena then says he has no children because he spent the last 25 years raising everyone else's, and by the sound of the fans, he has done an impeccable job. He says that for the last 25 years, he has been a better parent to everyone's children than the children's own parents and has been "policing brats." Orton says the fans are still why the reason Cena is in the ring as well as in Hollywood, and that WWE is how Cena honed his skills to get to Hollywood. Orton says he has made his mistakes, but he can stand in the locker room and hold his head up high, as he is the furniture, then says Cena is "just a guest." Cena says there is a matter of perspective, and says that everything he did, he did on his own. He then mentions the predictability of the fans and how the fans mean nothing to him and are hypocrites who put their energy into anyone else when they get tired of him. He then says that if he puts his energy into anything else, he is suddenly an outcast, and because of this, the relationship between him and the fans is abusive and manipulative. Orton admits that he is suddenly stupid for believing that his word would penetrate Cena's head, then mentions that his family is another royal family, that wrestling has given him everything, and that Cena will only ruin wrestling over his dead body. Cena tells Orton that when he leaves, Orton will be "forever frozen" as a 14-time world champion. He then calls Orton "a babbling moron" before declaring that three generations of Orton's family will be erased when he leaves. Orton tells Cena to prove he is "the last real champ" and put the Undisputed WWE Championship on the line right now, but Cena declines, telling him he is doing it to save Orton's ass and that it should not happen here. He says that it should happen at Backlash in St. Louis, Missouri, where Orton is from. Cena states that he wants Orton at his best so that when he fails, he has no excuses, for he is what the last real champion looks like and it is as close as Orton will get to the title. Cena then throws the title to Orton and sucker punches him before stomping him near the ropes. Cena then goes for a championship belt shot to the head, but Orton dodges and hits the RKO.

We see a video package for Nathan Frazer and Axiom, who are now on SmackDown from NXT.

Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom) beat Los Garza (Angel and Berto).

Tiffany Stratton heads to the ring. Tiffany talks about how she went toe-to-toe with Charlotte Flair and remained WWE Women's Champion in the end despite moments of doubt. She says that she is not the next Charlotte Flair, as there is only one Charlotte Flair and only one Tiffany Stratton. Suddenly, Jade Cargilll shows up. Jade admits that Tiffany's match with Charlotte was impressive, but she tells Tiffany that it put a bigger target on her back. She then says it is time to remind everyone why she came to WWE: become a champion. She also reminds Tiffany that she is not the best if she is yet to beat her. Tiffany tells Jade to put her money where her mouth is, then calls for a referee, who shows up.

Jade Cargill vs. Tiffany Stratton ends after Jade is suddenly attacked by Naomi. After the match, Naomi sends Jade shoulder-first into three ring posts before laughing maniacally. Tiffany gets back in the ring and confronts Naomi, who rolls out of the ring before Nia Jax suddenly attacks Tiffany from behind. Nia soon hits the leg drop followed by the A-Nia-Lator, then holds up the WWE Women's Championship.

Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu head to the ring. Solo says that Jacob has proven himself to be the future of WWE at WrestleMania, and mentions how nobody except him wanted Jacob in WWE, saying Jacob was trouble and too much of a risk. He says that Jacob is here and is champion because of him, then Jacob takes the microphone and says he would win the United States Championship and bring it to the family with or without Solo, and that he did what he said he would do. Jacob then says that the United States Championship makes him "America's Most Wanted" and "a menace to society," then LA Knight shows up. LA Knight says he hit Jacob Fatu with a BFT, yet Jacob managed to survive. As LA Knight demands a championship rematch, Drew McIntyre shows up. McIntyre brags about how he beat Damian Priest at WrestleMania after Priest repeatedly screwed him, then says Randy Orton jumped the line to the Undisputed WWE Championship. He says that John Cen is "a punk" now and that he wants to fight the baddest champion in the yard, which is Jacob Fatu. He also says Knight's last United States title run was a joke when Knight wants him to shut up. Knight says McIntyre's last title run could have been a joke, but he cannot remember it. Knight then dares McIntyre to fight him, then General Manager Nick Aldis shows up and makes McIntyre vs. Knight for later tonight. He declares that the winner will be #1 contender for the United States Championship.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Zelina Vega, who admits that she is speechless because she has always wanted a title match for so long. She says that she will either go big or go home and that she will not stop until she has gold around her waist.

Zelina Vega beats Chelsea Green to become the WWE Women's United States Champion!

Backstage, The Miz tells Carmelo Hayes that he will go down as the greatest Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal winner of all time due to his vision, then gifts him with a pendant of Andre the Giant's head. The Miz then says that he is inspired and that he will win tonight, then tells Carmelo to enjoy the moment because he will make his.

The Miz is in the ring. He says that he has been an integral part of WrestleMania for the last twenty years, but he did not have a WrestleMania match last year despite having main evented against John Cena and beaten him at WrestleMania 27. He complains about people who cannot even lace his boots getting positions over him, including Joe Hendry, then the lights go out. When they come back on, Malakai Black - now known as Aleister Black once again - shows up with his original NXT entrance and theme song. The Miz confronts Aleister only to get kicked right in the head with a Black Mass.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Bianca Belair. Bianca mentions that the fingers on her left hand are broken, and while she did not win, her match was still fantastic. She says that Iyo Sky was able to find a way to win and that Rhea Ripley was able to find a way into the match, but right now, she is focused on healing. Bianca says that when she returns, she will have some business to take care of.

Backstage, Nia Jax meets with Naomi. She says that she does not care about Naomi's revenge towards Jade Cargill and tells her to stay out of her way. Naomi says "As long as you proceed with caution," then leaves.

Drew McIntyre beats LA Knight by disqualification in a match to decide a #1 contender for the WWE United States Championship after Solo Sikoa hits LA Knight with the Samoan Spike and McIntyre being pulled out of the ring and attacked by Damian Priest. After the match, Priest takes McIntyre South of Heaven through the announce table. Knight confronts Priest afterwards, and both men get blasted with a surprise tope suicida by Jacob Fatu, who then throws both men into ring steps. Jacob then gets both men back into the ring and hits them both with the corner hip attack followed by the top rope moonsault.

Backstage, R-Truth talks to John Cena, saying he is glad that Cena won the championship and to give him a call if he needs him. When Jimmy Uso shows up and asks when Cena became "so wack," R-Truth says Cena is a real champion and that when he grows up, he wants to be just like him. After R-Truth leaves, Jimmy Uso says "You already grown up, though!"

The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) retain the WWE Tag Team Championships against The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) and #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) in a TLC Match. The Street Profits celebrate in the crowd after the match.

Here are the highlights for tonight's show!

Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for April 4, 2025

CM Punk heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Punk grabs a video camera and captures the entire crowd and thanks 16,000 members of his hometown family and how his whole life has revolved around the phrase "You're not supposed to be here" before mentioning he is in the main event of WrestleMania. He says he has earned - not deserved - it, and how he has put in the hard work to prove he should be here, then says the hard work begins before thanking AJ Lee, his dog Larry, the fans and the city of Chicago, Illinois. Punk says he has a date at WrestleMania and says he will beat Seth "Freakin'" Rollins' ass and put a beating on Roman Reigns, then Paul Heyman shows up and says that Punk belongs in WWE, the ring, in Chicago and in the main event of WrestleMania. Heyman talks about the last time the two of them were in a WWE ring and how Punk saved both him and Roman Reigns' Bloodline, then says he has another favor to ask of him. Heyman asks Punk what the favor he asked for again, as Roman Reigns is not yet and he is angry. Punk says the favor is not Roman's business and that it will affect him a little bit, and that he wants Roman and Heyman to know at the same time.

Up next: Rey Fenix debuts!

Rey Fenix beats Nathan Frazer in his WWE debut. After the match, Byron Saxton interviews Fenix in the ring. Fenix says he has a lot of history in Chicago, Illinois, and tonight is not the debut of Rey Fenix; instead, it is his return and he has been rewarded with love, and he waited so long to state that he is in WWE.

Backstage, Legado del Fantasma have been watching Rey Fenix. Escobar says that this is what he expects from Angel and Berto. Berto calls Rey Fenix "a flash in the pan" and says that he is better than Fenix, and Escobar says he will have to prove it in the match with Fenix.

We hear from Drew McIntyre, who says that nobody cares Damian Priest unless he is feasting off of his scraps. He says that Priest hides in the shadows like a vulture to attack him, and now he has been praying, and when he prays, bad things happen.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Braun Strowman, who says he has had enough of Jacob Fatu sticking his nose in his business, and that he will go through Jacob in tonight's Last Man Standing Match and go on to WrestleMania. Suddenly, Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga, and Solo says Strowman is finished. LA Knight then shows up and tells Strowman to keep his eyes on the prize and tells Solo to keep his boys in order. Tama says Knight should be worried, but Knight says he will be stomping Tama all over the ring.

LA Knight beats Tama Tonga after Solo Sikoa's interference backfires.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Paul Heyman, who says that no matter what the favor is, his answer is "Yes." As he says this, a black GMC SUV pulls up. Instead of Roman Reigns, Seth "Freakin'" Rollins exits the vehicle, much to Heyman's chagrin. Rollins says that Heyman looks like he had a bad week while he had a great week, and that he was able to come up with a plan. He also says Heyman has dug himself into a hole with the favor for CM Punk, and tells him to know when Roman shows up, as he wants to know what the favor is.

We see more smoke and coins for eyes on a skull.

Charlotte Flair heads to the ring. After the break, Tiffany Stratton also heads to the ring, and Wade Barrett is in the ring with a microphone. Charlotte says that Tiffany Stratton was begging and that she is the gift that keeps giving, then says that she has not done any "charity work" lately and that she wants "the smartest wrestling fans" to know there is no comparison. Tiffany says Charlotte's biggest competitor is the fans and that it is part of a battle she will never win, that she tries to be all tough but cries her heart out on a talk show, and that no matter how many titles Charlotte wins, she will always be second to her father. She also mentions her WrestleMania record of 4-3. Charlotte says Tiffany is not the first person to tell her that, and she keeps booed out of the building as she tries to say more. Tiffany says she is walking into WrestleMania as a champion at 25 while Charlotte was playing volleyball and "drinking in her daddy's basement" at the same age. Tiffany says Charlotte is "the queen of shit" before Charlotte mocks her voice, then says that Charlotte will be "WWE's #1 nepo baby" before she walks out of WrestleMania at champion while Charlotte will end up alone just like her father, saying that she is "0-3" in relationships. Tiffany walks away as Charlotte asks if this is why Ludwig Kaiser is in her DM's.

General Manager Nick Aldis announces that there will be a women's tag team gauntlet match where the winners face Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania.

The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) watch the next match from the front row.

The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) beat #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) to become #1 contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championships after Sabin sends Ciampa into an exposed turnbuckle.

Backstage, The Miz and Carmelo Hayes run into Pretty Deadly (Kit Wilson and Elton Prince) and make fun of Pretty Deadly squandering a tag team title opportunity and losing. Pretty Deadly make fun of Miz's relevance and Carmelo's relegating himself to The Miz.

Naomi beats B-Fab. Before the match, Naomi is attacked by Jade Cargill. After the match, Naomi calls out Jade Cargill, and Cargill shows up from out of nowhere and attacks her. Security stops her from hitting Jaded, and this time, Cargill levels all of security. General Manager Nick Aldis shows up and puts the two of them in a match at WrestleMania.

We hear from Damian Priest, who tells Drew McIntyre that he screwed himself at every turn, yet he is still the villain, and McIntyre cost him his shot at the main event of WrestleMania. He calls McIntyre a hypocrite who complains, blames everyone for his mistakes and plays the victim. He says he is McIntyre's villain now, and tells him to meet him in the middle of the ring so he can become his victim at WrestleMania.

General Manager Nick Aldis is in the ring. He says that this is not a part of his job that he enjoys doing and that there is a reason why professional wrestling should not be imitated at home before introducing Kevin Owens. Owens says he has done this for 25 years and that he can say confidently for the last 25 years, he has given it his all in the ring and that he has gotten to do incredible things he will never forget and take care of his family in ways he has only dreamed of. He says that the toll on his body is the price to pay for this opportunity and that everyone has paid that price at different times, but now it is his turn, as for the last four months, he has had a serious neck injury. Owens says he must now get neck surgery and that the timing could not be worse, as not being in the ring with Randy Orton at WrestleMania "really sucks." He thanks WWE for giving him the opportunity to mention this, as he does not know when he will be in the ring again. He says that he has learned not to take this for granted and that he is not taking this for granted. He apologizes to the fans, then shakes hands with Aldis before leaving. Suddenly, Randy Orton shows up and heads to the ring. Aldis tells Orton that he no longer has a match for WrestleMania, and Orton responds by hitting Aldis with an RKO.

We look back on WrestleMania 1, courtesy of Snickers.

Jacob Fatu beats Braun Strowman in a Last Man Standing Match to face LA Knight for the WWE United States Championship at WrestleMania after backing Strowman through a table in the corner.

Backstage, Paul Heyman waits for Roman Reigns. After the commercial break, Roman Reigns finally arrives, and he walks by Paul Heyman on his way to the ring. Roman finds out through Heyman that CM Punk is here and that Punk is still talking about the favor Heyman owes him, then says Punk would not be back here if it was not for him. He says that Punk would also not be in the main event of WrestleMania because of him, and while the fans love him, he was never in the main event until he was introduced to him. Roman then demands Punk come to the ring so he can find out what that favor is, but he ends up getting Seth "Freakin'" Rollins instead. Rollins says he would not miss this for the world and that he has the feeling that the favor in question will rock Roman's world, saying Roman does not like to live in the real world and that reality bites him in the ass when he steps out of his own world. He says that Roman underestimates Punk because he thinks he is above him, and says he has tried that and it did not work, and that he now has to deal with Punk at WrestleMania. Rollins says he is in a better place than last week and that he knows there are two things one can do: suffer and get left behind, or adapt and control reality. Roman says that Punk is not loyal and does not know what loyal is, then says that he keeps his word, unlike Rollins. He says he called Punk, not Rollins, but Rollins says he is here to hear from Punk, and now there is only one thing missing. Punk shows up and heads to the ring, and says that this is about friendship, loyalty and promises both made and kept. He says that this all spans back for years, and how Heyman told Punk to force "them" to deal with "us." Punk then says that "they" are gone, and that he will force Roman to deal with "us." He states that at WrestleMania, Heyman will be in his corner and not Roman's. Rollins says "I told you!" as Roman says "That's the favor?" and laughs. Roman says that Heyman needs him and that he saved Heyman, and that even if he could, he wouldn't. Roman tells Heyman to let Punk down easy, but Heyman starts crying. Roman tells Heyman he took him in and made him relevant, and tells him to tell Punk no. Roman then gives Heyman one more opportunity and demands Heyman tell Punk no, but Heyman says he cannot do that. Rollins is on his knees laughing before Punk attacks Roman from behind as he forces Heyman in the corner. Punk hits Roman with the GTS, then dares Rollins to face him. Rollins steps out of the ring as the show ends.

Here are the highlights from toinight's show!

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

Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for March 14, 2025

LA Knight heads to the ring to start tonight's show. LA Knight says that right now, everyone is making history with the first-ever SmackDown in Barcelona, Spain, and while he may be the United States Champion, he is still worldwide. He says that he has stood way too long without the United States Championship, but now the championship is back where it belongs. Suddenly, Jimmy Uso shows up. Jimmy Uso shows up not to congratulate Knight, but to tell him that he is desperate, as his road to WrestleMania is running short with the roadblocks and potholes, and that he must challenge for the title. All of a sudden, Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu shows up, and Solo says that if anyone deserves a title shot, it should be Jacob Fatu, as Knight stole the pin from him a few weeks ago. He also tells Jimmy to step aside, as he will only be the failure of the family, but Jimmy calls trusting Solo as well as Solo losing the ula fala "the biggest failure." The three of them surround the ring, and Tama Tonga gets a sneak attack on Jimmy. As the numbers game quickly takes over, Braun Strowman runs to the ring and evens the odds. General Manager Nick Aldis shows up, stating that he can feel the intensity before turning the brawl into a six-man tag match.

LA Knight, Jimmy Uso and Braun Strowman beat Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga in a six-man tag match. After the match, Solo Sikoa attacks Strowman out of nowhere, but LA Knight takes Solo down. Jacob Fatu gets back on his feet, superkicks Jimmy, then mows down Strowman and hits him with the top rope moonsault not once, not twice, but three times. Jacob goes halfway down the entranceway to the back when he runs back to the ring, finds Braun Strowman and smashes him through the barricade.

In footage from earlier today, Cathy Kelley interviews Jade Cargill. Cargill says she is ready to go physically, and that Naomi has been playing the victim and dictating what she deserves when she does not need to use anyone to get to the top. Cargill says she can only recall being hit in the back and being thrown on a car and barely seeing Naomi running away. She says Naomi attacked her not only physically, but also mentally, and after Naomi tagged with Bianca like nothing happened, she had to do what had to be done. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez show up and call Cargill out for being blamed for the attack, and Cargill, who is having none of what they are doing, challenges Liv Morgan to a match next week.

We hear from B-Fab, who hopes that Charlotte Flair has not slept on her and states that she is forming her own legacy, and if she has to start it by beating Charlotte, so be it.

Charlotte Flair beats B-Fab by submission with the Figure Eight. After the match, it takes two referees and Tiffany Stratton running into the ring to attack Charlotte to break the hold. Security and officials run into the ring, and Charlotte and Tiffany brawl until security is able to hold them both back. Just when the situation is under control, Tiffany takes out everyone with a moonsault from the top rope, and the brawl ends.

We hear from Drew McIntyre, who says that he was so focused on the individuals in front of him that he had no idea someone was benefitting whenever he got screwed. He talks about how CM Punk kept screwing him and how Priest kept succeeding at his expense benefitting at WrestleMania 40, Clash at the Castle, Money in the Bank, Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber. McIntyre then says he will put Priest down so he will never take anything from him again.

We look back on AJ Styles beating Jinder Mahal for the WWE Championship on the November 7, 2017 episode of SmackDown, courtesy of Papa John's.

It's time for Miz TV. Tonight's guest is "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes. Before it can start, Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton brawl again on the entranceway, and it ends with a Swanton Bomb off the VideoTron from Tiffany that takes out Charlotte, security and officials. The Miz agrees that this was awesome, then introduces Cody after claiming that he will not beat John Cena in the main event of WrestleMania like he did. When The Miz demands that Cody's music be cut due to not wanting any more of his time to be wasted, Cody beats Miz up and hits him with the Cross Rhodes before taking the microphone. Cody says he does not want to talk to anybody unless it is John Cena, and tells Cena that if he can find the time to show up on Monday, he will be there, too.

In backstage footage from earlier today, General Manager Nick Aldis meets with Shinsuke Nakamura, who wants a United States title rematch. Damian Priest shows up and wants to know where Drew McIntyre is, and finds out that McIntyre is not in the building tonight. Nakamura says something to Priest in Japanese, and Priest tells Nakamura something in Spanish and says he is looking for a fight and that Nakamura will be getting a beating. Aldis makes the match official.

We see a vignette lit up in orange lights. We also see what looks like a masked luchador on the top rope.

Damian Priest beats Shinsuke Nakamura by disqualification after Priest is attacked by Drew McIntyre. After the match, Priest fights back, and he and McIntyre brawl until McIntyre presses his thumbs into Priest's eyes, allowing Nakamura to hit Priest with a Kinshasa to the back of the head. Nakamura eyes McIntyre and leaves, then McIntyre goes for the ground and pound on Priest before attacking him further on the outside of the ring. He then grabs the ring steps and smacks Priest with them before a referee escorts him to the back. McIntyre stops as he enters the entranceway, then turns around, shoves the referee out of the way when he notices Priest is back on his feet, then hits Priest with a Claymore Kick and promises to make his life a living hell before stomping him on the head.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa). Ciampa says SmackDown has the best tag team division in WWE because they are at the top of it, and Gargano says that while The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) are where they are because of them, they are still not good enough, and they will prove they are the best in the world. The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) show up, and Shelley calls them out for destroying their friendship and causing the rest of the tag team division to go after them, and Sabin says they still have unfinished business to take care of after tonight.

Lamine Yamal of FC Barcelona is seen in the crowd.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Chelsea Green, Piper Niven and Alba Fyre. Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Chelsea Green, Piper Niven and Alba Fyre. Zelina Vega shows up and says she will be Women's United States Champion, but Piper tells Zelina that she will have to go through her first. Zelina takes this as a challenge and says she will beat Piper to get to Chelsea.

Randy Orton beats Carmelo Hayes with the RKO immediately after Carmelo hits him with the First 48. After the match, Orton helps Carmelo up, but Carmelo shoves him, and Orton hits him with another RKO. Orton then goes for the punt, but Carmelo is pulled out of the rin by Kevin Owens, and Orton goes after Owens until Owens flees through the crowd.

Backstage, Tama Tonga and Solo Sikoa tell Jacob Fatu that it is time to run the play. Jacob Fatu tells Braun Strowman that he is untouchable and that he will dog walk him next week.

We see smoke followed by the number "4."

Gunther heads to the ring. Gunther says the road to WrestleMania in Europe starts tonight in Barcelona, Spain, and as the greatest European wrestler of all time, he had to be here. He says "Main Event" Jey Uso is wasting him time dancing with the crowd to entertain them, but once the bell rings, it will not mean a thing. He then mentions there is a kid who is the best talent out of Spain right now, and that he will prove that this will not mean a thing. He then introduces Axiom for the next match.

Gunther beats Axiom. After the match, Gunther puts Axiom in the sleeper hold, and it takes three referees to get Gunther to break the hold.

Paul Heyman is in the ring. Heyman says he will hype the audience on two things and keep things short and sweet. He says that today is "Roman Reigns Day" all over the world, as today is the release of the WWE 2K25 video game. He says that everyone at home and here tonight will play the game, but reminds everyone to wait until the show is over to keep ratings high, especially during his own segments. Heyman then states that there are some people who have a problem that today is Roman Reigns Day and that Roman is on the cover of WWE 2K25, and one of those people is CM Punk. He says that it is Roman Reigns Day, not "CM Punk Day," and it is certainly not, and will never be "Seth "Freakin'" Rollins Day." Heyman admits he hates Rollins' theme when the crowd chants, and that if anyone has a problem with that or Roman Reigns Day or Roman being on the WWE 2K25 cover, then they can say it to Roman's face next week in Bologna, Italy, as Roman will be there.

Before the next match, The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) run into Legado del Fantasma. Santos mockingly claps at them before hoping they win tonight, as they will be waiting to take the WWE Tag Team Championships from them. After Legado del Fantasma leave, Montez Ford says they have heard nothing but noise for the past four years and that it is time to prove the doubters wrong. Dawkins says that tonight is not the time for talking, as they will walk out the new WWE Tag Team Champions.

Backstage, Jimmy Uso is met by Gunther. Gunther says they both have things in common, such as having a younger brother, then states that Jimmy is "the more mature brother." Gunther then states that Axiom left it all in the ring just like Jey Uso does, but he still choked him out. He then says that he will do the same to Jey if he does not back out, and tells Jimmy to tell Jey to back out. Jimmy says Gunther has this all backwards, but Jimmy tells him he will be dropping rank and the World Heavyweight Championship to Jey. Gunther says he was mistaken about his maturity and that he tried.

The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) beat #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) to become the WWE Tag Team Champions after Dawkins dodges Meet In The Middle, causing Gargano to inadvertently superkick Ciampa and giving The Street Profits the advantage and the tag team titles.

Here are the highlights from tonight's show!

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

Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for February 21, 2025

Backstage, "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes finds out that he is no longer part of tonight's six-man tag main event match due to The Rock, who wants to see him in the ring tonight.

Before the next match, Jimmy Uso asks if Drew McIntyre will make it to WrestleMania before saying he will not.

Jimmy Uso beats Drew McIntyre after countering the Alabama Slam with a Victory Roll. After the match, McIntyre attacks Jimmy before telling him that he will be going to WrestleMania and that Jimmy is nothing to him. He then goes for a Claymore Kick near the ring post, but he is stopped by officials. McIntyre goes halfway up the ramp before charging back into the ring and hitting Jimmy with a Claymore Kick.

Solo Sikoa is seen making his way into the arena. He meets with Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu and says that what happened to Tama last week was an accident. Jacob says he gets it, and says that if it wasn't an accident, Solo would not be standing right now. Solo says he will be in their corner tonight, but Jacob says he and Tama have been running things in the last few weeks and that the two of them will be making the plays tonight. Solo says this is why he loves Jacob, then says he will speak with General Manager Nick Aldis.

In backstage footage from earlier today, R-Truth meets with Carmelo Hayes. R-Truth says they have a tag team match, thanks to The Miz, who is Carmelo's partner. R-Truth says he has a partner in "a Louisiana legend," then leaves. Meanwhile, The Miz tries to make "Melo Don't Miz" a thing, but Carmelo is not interested.

We hear from Zelina Vega, who says that people have tried to define her on one glance. She says her size has not stopped her from winning championships or making history before, but she has never had it easy. She says that she has a fresh start and something to prove, and that her dreams are bigger than everyone's measuring sticks and that it is not over until she says it is.

R-Truth's tag team partner for the next match is revealed to be "Louisiana Knight." LA Knight shows up, and R-Truth hands him Mardi Gras beads and a po' boy sandwich.

The Miz and Carmelo Hayes beat R-Truth and LA Knight after Shinsuke Nakamura attacks LA Knight on the outside and Miz and Carmelo hit R-Truth with a Skull Crushing First 48.

We see a vignette for Charlotte Flair. She says the greatest does not have to call themselves the greatest, and that she has crafted a legacy that nobody can touch. She also says that she is back.

Before the next match, Tiffany Stratton says that everyone has been so obsessed with her ever since she became champion and that last week, she had Nia Jax beaten until Candice LeRae interfered to help "her little meal ticket." She says that she and Trish Stratus will make sure "The Unstoppable Force" comes to a definitive end, then addresses Charlotte Flair declaring her as her WrestleMania opponent. Tiffany says her dreams came true, but that nobody likes to kick a woman when she is down like Charlotte. She says she is not coming for her legacy, but for her spot as "the top girl in WWE." Nia and Candice show up, and Nia finds it cute that Tiffany thought she was going to beat her last week. Candice says Tiffany would not be standing right now if it were not for Trish, and Nia says she will win the Elimination Chamber match and come back for her title. Nia tells Tiffany that she will not see WrestleMania, and Tiffany tells Nia that the WWE Women's title is not hers anymore and that she will not have Candice to do her dirty work anymore. Nia and Candice agree to take Tiffany down together, but a referee stops that from happening.

Tiffany Stratton beats Candice LeRae. After the match, Nia Jax shoves Tiffany Stratton down before going for the A-Nia-Lator. Suddenly, Trish Stratus shows up and kicks Nia in the face before taking out Candice LeRae. Candice and Nia soon overpower Trish, and hits her and Tiffany with an A-Nia-Lator. Afterwards, Charlotte Flair gets in the ring and points at the WrestleMania sign.

Backstage, Cody Rhodes is met by Damian Priest. Priest wants to know why The Rock is here, but Cody says his guess is as good as his own before congratulating Priest on getting in the Elimination Chamber match. Priest tells Cody that he will be coming for his title when he wins, and Cody says he would not have it any other way. Cody leaves, then Braun Strowman shows up and congratulates Priest, then says he had Jacob Fatu dead to rights. Priest says he beat him to the punch, but that was last week. This week, he wants to know if they are handling business, and Strowman says he would love to get his hands on Solo Sikoa and Jacob.

We see a video package for the women's Elimination Chamber match.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Naomi and Bianca Belair. Naomi says she knows Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez for the attack on Jade Cargill, and Bianca says they are ready for their tag team title match and ready to get revenge before making their way to WrestleMania.

We hear from Alexa Bliss. She says that while this place is the same even thought the names and faces are different, and that she will change the Elimination Chamber into a playground of her own. She says that this women's division is hers and that she is in charge.

Naomi vs. Liv Morgan ends before it can begin with Liv and Raquel Rodriguez rushes into the ring and lay out Naomi and Bianca Belair.

The Rock makes his way to the arena.

Backstage, General Manager Nick Aldis tells Liv Morgan tell Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez to leave. They leave after laughing in his face, then Chelsea Green and Piper Niven show up. Chelsea says she will be taking Naomi's place in the Elimination Chamber, but Aldis says Naomi is not going anywhere and that they are testing his patience, and that Chelsea will be in action next week.

The Rock makes his way to the ring. The Rock announces that WrestleMania is coming back to New Orleans, Louisiana at the Superdome in 2026 for WrestleMania 42, then pyrotechnics go off. We see the WrestleMania 42 logo and the fact that the show will take place on April 11th and 12th, 2026, then The Rock sings "When The Saints Go Marchin' In." The Rock then calls out "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes, and Cody makes his way to the ring. The Rock and Cody hug in the middle of the ring, then The Rock says that he and Cody have become good friends since WrestleMania 40 and had fun at Raw's Netflix premiere. He tells Cody that he is a great WWE Champion, then mentions his role as a member of the board of directors on TKO and that he wants Cody to be "his champion." Cody admits they did not expect their post-WrestleMania friendship, then admits that he is the fans' champion. The Rock says he wants more than that for Cody and that Cody brings maximum joy to people all over the world. The Rock then says he has half a billion people following him and that he wants Cody to be on that level as his champion, and that if Cody can become his champion, he can open doors to opportunities Cody never knew existed. He says that he is a lucky man who has it all, but the one thing he has never had and has wanted more than anything is a brother. He also commends Cody for standing up to him last year, and says that this is why Cody is special and should be his champion. The Rock then lets Cody think about his decision, and then he will meet him at Elimination Chamber when Cody will give him his answer. The Rock then thanks the crowd before telling Cody that he wants more than anything else in the world is "this." Cody thinks The Rock wants the Undisputed WWE Championship, but The Rock says what he really wants is Cody's soul. He then tells Cody he will see him at Elimination Chamber.

Before the next match, Tommaso Ciampa says tonight has been electrifying, then says that he and Johnny Gargano will crush Pretty Deadly's (Kit Wilson and Elton Prince) hopes and dreams of ever being tag team champion, and asks for a moment of silence for Pretty Deadly.

Pretty Deadly (Kit Wilson and Elton Prince) vs. #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) for the WWE Tag Team Championships ends with The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) laying both teams out. #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) retain the WWE Tag Team Championships. The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) rush into the ring to fight The Street Profits, but even they get overpowered.

We look back on Elimination Chamber 2010, which took place on this day fifteen years ago.

We see a video package for the men's Elimination Chamber match.

We see another message from Kevin Owens. Owens mentions Sami Zayn wanting to end his career, then reveals that he is at Sami's house as he sends a message to Sami and asks him what will happen if he ends Sami's career. He says that Sami is selfish for making him want to do this and that he will never forgive him for this, then says he will see him at Elimination Chamber and tells him that he asked for this.

Before the next match, Solo Sikoa says that they will handle business, starting with Damian Priest and Braun Strowman. Jacob Fatu says that tonight, they will settle the score, as he is all gas and no breaks and they have been dropping bodies like bread crumbs.

Damian Priest and Braun Strowman beat Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu.

Here are the highlights from tonight's show!

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