Corbridgeâ€s alt-perspective report on Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre appearances after chaotic brawl, Tiffany Stratton vs. Kiana James

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WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
OCTOBER 24, 2025
TEMPE, ARIZONA AT MULLETT ARENA
AIRED LIVE ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY ERIC CORBRIDGE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

Ring Announcer: Mark Nash

Attendance: Wrestletix reports that 4,409 were distributed headed into the show. The arena has a capacity of 5,000 when configured for NCAA hockey.

[HOUR ONE]

– Michael Cole welcomed the viewers to Tempe, Arizona and ran down the happenings from last weekâ€s Smackdown including the backstage attack on Jacob Fatu and the impromptu WWE Championship defense by Cody Rhodes against Drew McIntyre.

– The Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes talked with Jimmy Uso backstage. Jimmy thanked Cody for stepping up to defend his cousin Jacob last week. Jimmy was here tonight to talk to Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis about Jey eliminating him from the #1 Contender Battle Royal on RAW last Monday. Jimmy asked Cody if he would be upset if Jey did that to him. They shook hands and Cody went to the ring. As Cody headed to the ring, Michael Cole thanked Corey Graves for defending him against Brock Lesnar several weeks ago. Cole mentioned that Cody will defend his championship against McIntyre at Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event next weekend.

Cody soaked in the adoration of the fans before asking them what they wanted to talk about this evening. They booed at the mention of Drew McIntyre. Cody said that it was uncharacteristic of him hitting McIntyre with the title belt last week and wondered if he needed to apologize for it. The fans chanted “no.â€Â  McIntyre walked out (with no music) and told Cody to stop, then berated the fans for booing him and cheering Cody. McIntyre stood on the announce table and said the fans were brainwashed by Corporate Codyâ€s propaganda, pointing out multiple times in recent memory where Cody skirted the rules against him. McIntyre said heâ€s been screwed so many times that now it is about him finishing “his story†at Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event. Lastly, McIntyre adamantly stated that he had nothing to do with the attack on Fatu.

Cody cut him off and said letâ€s just fight right now, then took off his jacket and tie. Suddenly Jimmy Uso showed up and jumped off the barricade onto McIntyre. Security separated them momentarily but Jimmy rebounded and dove through the ropes onto McIntyre. McIntyre was stunned as the officials again separated them. Cole mentioned that Jimmy was getting revenge for the attack on Fatu. Solo Sikoaâ€s music played.

(Corbridgeâ€s Analysis: More of the same from Cody and Drew. It was interesting that Cody acknowledged that hitting Drew with the belt was uncharacteristic for him. I believe that was an attempt to tell the fans to pump the brakes on thinking he might be headed to a heel turn. Frankly, thatâ€s a good thing in my opinion. Very “over†babyfaces are difficult to develop. Relish it as long as it lasts. It also seems clearer that Drew really had nothing to do with the Fatu attack. My money is on the Gobbledy Gooker right now.)

– Solo Sikoa and his MFTs came out and made their way to the ring because they were involved in the opening match. The MFTâ€s all had their faces painted white and black (except for Solo) as theyâ€ve been doing since they returned. [c]

– McIntyre argued with Nick Aldis in the back about what just happened with Jimmy, but again Jimmy attacked him. McIntyre was screaming as officials again broke things up.

(1)  REY FENIX & SHINSUKE NAKAMURA vs. J.C. MATEO & TAMA TONGA (w/Solo Sikoa, Tonga Loa, Talla Tonga)

This match occurred due to last weekâ€s MFT beatdown of Nakamura and subsequently Fenix after he tried to help him. Solo was sitting in a chair at ringside with Tonga Loa and Talla Tonga standing next to him. Fenix and Nakamura made their entrance as Corey Graves stated that both men are considered legends in their native countries. Tama started off by pummeling Nakamura into the mat and letting out his guttural noises. Both men traded blows but Tama knocked him down again with a flying back elbow.  Fenix and Mateo tagged in.

Fenix used his speed and athleticism to gain an advantage before making a quick tag. Nakamura and Fenix showed good chemistry with some double team efforts as Mateo rolled to the floor to regain his composure. Nakamura and Fenix did Nakamuraâ€s trademark “come on†gesture as the show went to a split-screen. [c]

Tama was dominating Fenix and keeping him from making the tag. Mateo tagged in and gave him a pump-handle throw, then covered for a two-count. Fenix escaped the clutches of Mateo and hit him with a step-up enziguri, then made the lukewarm tag. The crowd wasnâ€t very hot for the match as Nakamura hit some kick to Mateoâ€s chest and the back of his head. Nakamura delivered a running knee to Mateo in the corner then covered for a nearfall. Mateo countered a Nakamura kick and dropped him with a belly-to-back suplex and then tagged in Tama. Nakamura pushed Tama into a Fenix kick from the apron. Fenix tagged and hit a pretty moonsault and covered for another two-count. Tama missed a big boot and Fenix kicked him in the back of the head, then ran the ropes with the Goodbye Amigo. Fenix went up top and hit a cross-body press for the one…two…Mateo broke up the pin attempt.

All four men were in the ring and Nakamura sent Mateo to the floor. He also knocked Loa off the apron before Tama threw Nakamura from the ring too. Fenix tossed Tama to the floor and leaped off with a corkscrew plancha and rolled Tama back into the ring. Solo got up on the apron and distracted the referee which gave Talla Tonga time to chokeslam Fenix on the apron. Tama hit a running elbow to the face of a prone Fenix that he apparently calls the Cutthroat and covered for the three-count. Cole referred to the win as a “team-building exercise.â€

WINNERS: J.C. Mateo and Tama Tonga in 11:00.

(Corbridgeâ€s Analysis: It was a fresh matchup that gave the MFT group a tag team win since they are likely to start a tag team title feud with the Wyatt Sicks. Apparently Nakamura is officially a babyface without any explanation, considering he was a dastardly heel prior to his hiatus. We are supposed to have short memories as wrestling fans of course.)

– In the back, Adlis told Jimmy Uso that this needed to stop. Jimmy said he was tired of dealing with Jeyâ€s, B.S. and Drewâ€s B.S. Aldis said heâ€d give Jimmy a match but Jimmy corrected him and said he wanted a fight. So Aldis made a no disqualification match between Jimmy and McIntyre for tonight.

– Giulia was talking on the phone to someone until Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre showed up. Green said she wanted to merge brands with Giulia. Fyre called Green a trailblazer. Kiana James showed up and said that Green, calling her a Discount Diva, was not on Giuliaâ€s schedule. Giulia walked off.

– WWE Womenâ€s Champion Tiffany Stratton went to the ring for the next match. [c]

(2)  TIFFANY STRATTON vs. KIANA JAMES (w/Giulia)  

Kiana James came to the ring carrying a designer bag with her name on it. Cole speculated that it would be interesting to see how Stratton reacted after her first loss of 2025 at Crown Jewel. The women showed off their ability to do gymnastics in the early going. Stratton hit a couple hip tosses and settled into an arm drag. James escaped and dropped Stratton in the corner with kicks. James missed a kick and Stratton rolled her up for a one-count. Stratton was up and hit a dropkick followed by an ass splash into the ropes. Stratton didnâ€t connect with the baseball slide to the floor, but James also missed a moonsault to the floor. Giulia distracted Stratton so James could throw her into the barricade. [c]

Back from the break, James was taking it to the Womenâ€s Champion as Giulia looked on with concern. The women exchanged “yayâ€, “boo†blows. Stratton hit her handspring elbow and an Alabama slam and tried to fire up the crowd. Stratton hit a rolling senton but James avoided the Prettiest Moonsault Even. James superkicked Stratton and hit a falcon arrow and covered for a two-count. Graves speculated that James may have won the match if sheâ€d executed her cover better. James attempted a superplex but Stratton dropped her face first to the mat. Stratton hit a swanton and quickly went back to the top and hit her moonsault. Stratton covered for the pin and the win.

WINNER: Tiffany Stratton by pinfall in 10:00.

Post-match, Giulia attacked Stratton from behind and hit her with the Arrivederci kick. Jade Cargill came out to make the save Jade kicked her a couple times and Giulia fled. Jade helped Stratton to her feet, raised her hand, and gave her belt to her. Then she clotheslined her!

Jade continued to pummel Stratton from pillar to post and then to the floor. She launched Stratton into the ring steps, then into the ringpost and over the announce table. Jade kept stomping on Stratton until officials finally showed up to try and break things up. Jade got in the ring to a chorus of boos as she picked up and looked at the WWE Championship.

(Corbridgeâ€s Analysis: There is an official heel turn for Jade Cargill, which is a more natural role for her. Security and officials were very busy tonight. They were also as ineffective as always .)

– Replays were shown of Ilja Dragunovâ€s U.S. title win last week. Dragunov talked to former champion Sami Zayn in the back. Sami congratulated him on his win. Dragunov told Zayn how much he respects him. Sami said the U.S. title Open Challenge was important and that he was passing it on to Dragunov. Sami endorsed Dragunov as being the guy to do it. [c]

(Corbridgeâ€s Analysis: Great development. Iâ€d been hoping the Open Challenges would continue but was afraid to get my hopes up. Because wrestling. Amirite?)

[HOUR TWO]

– Cathy Kelley caught up to Jade walking in the back and asked if she was worried about the consequences of her actions. Jade said she was going to take the Womenâ€s Championship.

– The new United States Champion Ilja Dragunov made his way to the ring with his belt around his waist. He grabbed a microphone but was showered with “you deserve it†chants before he could speak. He thanked the fans and said his year of recovery was full of highs and lows. He said at certain points he didnâ€t see the light at the end of the tunnel, but he knew that he would never give up because of the obsession he carried in his heart. And that is why he was the new United States Champion. He said he would defend the belt with all his obsession because it was his duty to continue the legacy of the open challenge. He finished with his new catchphrase of “pain will entertain you.â€

His opponent was revealed to be Aleister Black who had a new entrance. He traded using a coffin during his entrance to using wife Zelina Vega. Cole reminded the fans that Black said this has all been part of Blackâ€s plan.

(Corbridgeâ€s Analysis: To be clear, he did not rise from Zelina. She just creepily escorted him.)

(3)  ILJA DRAGUNOV (c) vs. ALEISTER BLACK – United States Championship Open Challenge  

Cole mentioned that this was a tough first title defense for Dragunov and that theyâ€d never faced each other before. They exchanged stiff strikes in the opening moments before Black met Dragunov with a boot as he attempted a Constantine special. Vega took Dragunov to the floor with a hurricanrana from the apron. As Dragunov climbed back up, Black followed up with a kick to the face from the apron that knocked Dragunov back down. [c]

The match had been all Black on the offensive to this point. Dragunov fought back with an enziguri and both men collapsed in the ring. They each got back to their feet and Dragunov hit Black with a big boot and multiple German suplexes without releasing. Dragunov showed off his power with another suplex/throw where he trapped Blackâ€s arms and held him up for several seconds for throwing him. Vega distracted him and Black hit a Meteora and his own German suplex for a two-count.  Black attempted a suplex but Dragunov reversed into a small package for another two-count. Black hit another strike and covered for a nearfall. Black applied a waistlock but Dragunov standing switched, then hit the Constantine Special clothesline. [c]

Dragunov leveled Black with a dropkick that was caught at a cool camera angle. He then hit a senton splash and covered for a nearfall that made Vega nervous. Black caught a charging Dragunov with a knee to the chin and brainbuster and quick cover for a very good nearfall. Black lined him up but Dragunov ducked a Black Mass kick. Dragunov hit the Torpedo Moscow headbutt but couldnâ€t capitalize because it hurt his head. Back on his feet, Dragunov was about to go for the H-bomb but Vega tripped him up. Cole wondered whether the referee saw it. He did because he told her to go to the locker room. Damian Priestâ€s music played and he walked to ringside wearing a cut-off shirt and dark glasses. Priest stopped down the ramp and took off his glasses to show off his eye that was damaged from the fireball Black threw into it. It distracted Black long enough for Dragunov to hit another Torpedo Moscow and cover for the one…two…three.

WINNER: Ilja Dragunov by pinfall in 16:00. Dragunov retains the United States Championship.

After the match, Priest beat on Black and was about to hit him with a chair before Vega jumped on Priestâ€s back and gouged his eye. That gave Black and Vega time to run away into the crowd.

(Corbridgeâ€s Analysis: Very good match, but in my opinion it wasnâ€t at the level of most of Sami Zaynâ€s recent title defenses. Definitely not complaining though. The announce table clearly has something call “violence magnetism.†They could fight ANYWHERE else but they always gravitate to it!)

– Cathy Kelley interviewed Carmelo Hayes in the back. Hayes said he wouldnâ€t run down the Miz because he was forever grateful for what he did for Hayes. But he said the mistake he made was putting his hands on Hayes. Hayes said that they were even now, so he could get back on track to being “him.†Kit Wilson walked up and told Hayes to wake up because he was poisoning the next generation with his hyper-masculine, hierarchical, and a crime on emotional intelligence. Hayes said heâ€d see Wilson next week.  [c]

– Dragunov was aching and holding his neck as he walked around the backstage area, when Fraxiom greeted him. Nathan Frazer asked him when he was going to get a title shot, then Axiom did the same. Dragunov said that anyone could have a shot because that was the beauty of the open challenge. DIY showed up. Tomasso Ciampa called them Pinky and the Brain. Axiom pointed out that Johnny Gargano supposedly wanted to wrestle him this week but was too scared. Finally, Tamaa Tong showed up (sans face paint) and made weird gestures that confused Fraxiom and me.

– Cathy Kelley talked to the WWE Womenâ€s Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair about how Bayley said they should show up on RAW to take on her and Lyra Valkyria. They said that they could show them what champions look like. Nia Jax walked up to belittle the champions and ended up challenging Bliss to a match next week.

– Drew McIntyre made his entrance for the main event. [c]

(4)  JIMMY USO vs. DREW MCINTYRE – No Disqualification Match

Jimmy Uso made his entrance as they once again showed replays of the attack last week on Jacob Fatu. McIntyre met Jimmy halfway up the ramp and they traded blows until they were back in the ring. Jimmy clotheslined McIntyre to the floor but ate a forearm to the face when he tried to dive through the ropes. On the floor, Jimmy slammed McIntyreâ€s head into the steps. They both leaped the barricade (followed by the referee) and fought in the crowd area. Jimmy reversed a suplex, planting McIntyre on the floor. Jimmy threw him back over the barricade to the ringside area. Jimmy grabbed a table from under the ring and wasted a lot of time showing it off as they went to a picture-in-picture break. [c]

When they returned to full-screen, McIntyre had Jimmy rattled but was favoring his own ribs. Jimmy was knocked outside the ring from an enziguri. Jimmy used a fans hand to steady him as he ran the barricade, but McIntyre caught him with a belly-to-belly suplex. Back in the ring, McIntyre (legally)b used the ropes for leverage in a pinfall attempt but still only got a two-count. He retreated to the floor to bring a chair back in the ring and hit Jimmy in the ribs and across the back with it. McIntyre slammed Jimmyâ€s face into the chair, then sat Jimmy on it. McIntyre attempted a Claymore but Jimmy moved and Jimmy used a drop toe hold on McIntyre into the chair.

Jimmy hit an Uso in the wind and covered, but only for a two-count. Jimmy set up the table and put McIntyre through it with a Samoan drop. Jimmy went for an Uso Splash but McIntyre threw a chair into his face. McIntyre hit the Claymore kick and covered for the three count.

WINNER: Drew McIntyre by pinfall in 12:00.

After the match, McIntyre was pushing the chair into Jimmyâ€s throat. Cody Rhodes came out to make the save. Cody launched McIntyre over the barricade and then went back to the ring to check on Jimmy. Cody ended up being distracted long enough for McIntyre to get back in the ring and knock Cody down with a Claymore kick as they went off the air.

 

 

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