Browsing: Alexa

WWE SmackDown took place on December 5 at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. The show was packed with big matches, surprises, and build-up for Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event: John Cenaâ€s final match.

On todayâ€s episode of SmackDown, we saw Drew McIntyre show up while suspended, and Cody Rhodes attacked him. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss set their sights on the Womenâ€s Tag Titles. Cody learned heâ€ll face the winner of Ricky Saints vs Oba Femi at Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event. Solo Sikoa called out the Wyatt Sicks, leading to a big brawl. Nick Aldis also announced Bayley vs Sol Ruca for Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event and Gunther facing Jey Uso in the Last Time Is Now Tournament Finals.

WWE SmackDown Highlights

WWE SmackDown Opening Segment

WWE SmackDown began with Drew McIntyre reaching the arena, but Nick Aldis blocked him. Drew says his suspension is done, but Nick says it isnâ€t. Security orders Drew to leave. Cody Rhodes suddenly attacks Drew with his car before security pulls them apart.

Cody goes to the ring and tells Nick Aldis to reinstate Drew. He says Drew crossed a line by coming to his house. Cody calls him a cockroach and says their fight must happen in a WWE ring. He asks Aldis to end the suspension.

Ilja Dragunov vs Carmelo Hayes – US Title

Ilja Dragunov and Carmelo Hayes exchanged early strikes until Ilja gained control with boots, chops, and knee attacks, especially after Hayes hurt his knee falling to the floor. Ilja kept targeting the injury with suplexes, strikes, and pressure holds, but Hayes rallied with a springboard clothesline, La Mistica, and a slingshot DDT.

As Hayes went to the top rope, Tommaso Ciampa interfered behind the refereeâ€s back and crotched him, allowing Ilja to immediately hit Torpedo Moscow, followed by the H-Bomb to retain the United States Championship. After the match, Ilja saw the replay showing Ciampaâ€s interference and was visibly upset.

Alexa Bliss vs Kairi Sane

Alexa Bliss and Kairi Sane wrestle evenly at the start until Sane mocks Alexa and takes control with help from Asuka, who trips Alexa on the apron. As Alexa goes for Sister Abigail, Asuka distracts her, but Saneâ€s rollup fails. Charlotte kicks Asuka on the floor, and Alexa counters Saneâ€s Insane Elbow in mid-air, hitting Sister Abigail for the win. After the match, Lash Legend and Nia Jax attack Alexa and Charlotte, taking them down until Asuka steps in. Nia overpowers everyone, but Asuka manages to pull Sane to safety before Nia can hit the AnNIAlator.

Jade Cargill vs Alba Fyre – Womenâ€s Championship

Alba Fyre jumps ahead after Chelsea Green distracts Jade, hitting a dropkick, headscissors, and hard kicks. Jade blocks a tornado DDT, but Alba keeps control with strikes and a choke on the ropes, helped by Green slapping Jade from outside. Kiana James and Giulia arrive, and Giulia drops Chelsea with a punch. The distraction pulls Albaâ€s focus, and Jade capitalizes with a spinebuster, a bicycle kick, and Jade to retain the Womenâ€s Championship.

Solo Sikoa Confronts the Wyatts

Solo Sikoa enters with his group and says he kept his promise by removing Sami Zayn. He calls out Uncle Howdy, claiming the Wyatts have something that belongs to his bloodline. Solo declares the ring and the show are his, warns that sneak attacks wonâ€t work on him, and vows to take everything tied to the Wyatt legacy. He ends by saying he will strip Howdy of the Wyatt name and tells him to “Bo-lieve.â€

The lights suddenly go out after his group leaves. When they return, the Wyatts surround the ring, and Uncle Howdy stands face-to-face with Solo. A huge fight breaks out between both factions. Erick Rowan clears the ring until he meets Talla Tonga, and the two trade heavy strikes before Rowan kicks Talla out of the ring, standing tall.

GUNTHER vs LA Knight – Tournament Final

Gunther started the match with disrespect, but LA Knight fires back and controls the early fight with strikes and slams around the announce table. Gunther then changed the pace of the match and started to deliver heavy chops, a backdrop driver on the apron, and repeated attacks to Knightâ€s neck and back. After all this, Knight tried to find some momentum and delivered a flying clothesline, a neckbreaker, a Death Valley Driver, and a Burning Hammer, pushing Gunther to the edge.

They trade big shots, including clotheslines that drop both men, before Knight lands a DDT and the Catchphrase Elbow for a near fall. Knight finally hits the BFT, but Gunther saves himself with a foot on the rope. Gunther traps Knight in a sleeper with elbows, then cranks his neck with a brutal cravat hold. Knight canâ€t escape and taps out, giving Gunther the tournament win as the show fades out.

FAQs

Q. Who is the current United States Champion?

A. Ilja Dragunov retained the United States Championship by defeating Carmelo Hayes

Q. Who won the Last Time Is Now Tournament Final?

A. Gunther defeated LA Knight in the tournament final to claim victory.

Q. When is Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event?

A. Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event will take place on December 13, 2025.

Q. Who will face John Cena in his final match?

A. Gunther will face John Cena in his final match at Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event.

Get the Latest WWE News at IceCric.News and Follow for Live Updates – Facebook &  Instagram.

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Fresh off their team winning the womenâ€s WarGames match at Survivor Series, Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky opened the show this week. As the two of them still have unsettled issues with the Womenâ€s Tag Team Champions Asuka & Kairi Sane, Rhea & Iyo demanded a shot at their titles. They were soon interrupted by the former champions and their WarGames teammates Charlotte & Alexa Bliss. As they never received their rematch after losing the titles three weeks ago, Charlotte & Alexa claimed they were the ones more deserving of a title shot. The arguing between both teams led to a match at the end of the show to decide who will get the next shot at the Womenâ€s Tag Team Titles.

As both teams put on a great match, the outcome would leave things unsettled as it became an afterthought to everything that happened after. In addition to that, we had both semi final matches in the My Last Time is Now Tournament, Liv Morgan staking her claim as the leader of Judgment Day, and a fiery promo from Bron Breakker directed at C.M. Punk.

L.A. Knight vs. Jey Uso

Latest developments:

On the November 1 Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event, it was announced that there would be a My Last Time is Now Tournament taking place to decide who John Cenaâ€s last opponent will be. In a first round match on the November 14 Smackdown, Jey Uso defeated The Miz to advance in the tournament. On the same night, LA Knight advanced to the next round as he defeated a returning Zach Ryder. Last Friday on Smackdown, Jey defeated Rusev to punch his ticket to the semi finals. Later that same night, LA Knight defeated The Miz (who was a late substitute for Sheamus) to advance to the semi finals.

This week, Knight and Jey went one on one in the semi finals of the tournament in a match where both men took turns hitting each other on the top rope until they fell off of it. After making it back in the ring to avoid being counted out, Jey hit a Spear for a close near fall. Knight soon recovered and hit Jey with a Megaplex, but it still wasnâ€t enough. Jey hit another Spear and followed it with an Uso Splash but as he went for the pin, Knight pulled his arms back into a pinning position to get the win and advance to the finals. After the match, an upset Jey pushed over the display of Prime bottles sitting at ringside and walked away in anger.

Analysis:

Solid match between these two that produced the right outcome. Considering the bad blood these two had a few months ago that was never really resolved, at least we got a match between them here with a clean finish. As weâ€ve seen Jey vs. Gunther countless times this year, Knight vs. Gunther is a fresh match. While the outcome to it may be predictable, itâ€s still the better route to go as the crowd reaction alone will make it stand out. While Knight may not win marquee matches as often as many would like him to, heâ€s still someone that belongs in that main event mix.

Another reason why this was the right outcome is because of the story now being told with Jey. Jey crashing out the way he did after the match made perfect sense for his character considering all the huge losses heâ€s had lately. As it was being teased initially during his feud with Knight a few months ago, it now feels like the time for Jey to turn heel. As popular as he is, a heel turn feels like it would be the best thing for his character. From the way he acted after the match combined with all the great stories they could tell with him going into next year, choosing not to pull the trigger on a heel turn for him would be a huge mistake.

Grade: B+

Liv Morgan Promo

Latest developments:

On the June 16 Raw, Liv Morgan injured her shoulder during a match with Kairi Sane and it was later revealed that she would be out of action until early 2026. At Survivor Series, Dominik Mysterio challenged John Cena for the Intercontinental Championship that he lost to Cena three weeks earlier. As the match progressed, a returning Liv came out to get involved in the match. Liv initially slapped Dominik and jumped into Cenaâ€s arms to hug him as the expression on her face slowly changed. She then kicked Cena below the belt and that led to Dominik hitting him with a Frog Splash to regain his title.

Dominik along with Judgment Dayâ€s Finn Balor, JD McDonagh, Raquel Rodriguez, & Roxanne Perez were in the ring as he introduced Liv. Liv shouted out the words “Iâ€m back†and said that no one saw her coming, especially John Cena. She went on to say she missed everyone but that sheâ€s been hearing things since sheâ€s been gone. Some of those things she said sheâ€d been hearing is that the group is falling apart, but that it all ends now because sheâ€s back. Liv said theyâ€re coming for everything thatâ€s theirs and they officially run Raw as she then slapped Dominik before jumping in his arms.

Analysis:

From this segment combined with what happened later in the show, itâ€s clear that Liv is the leader of Judgment Day. Itâ€s funny that Liv first debuted on the main roster eight years ago as a part of a group and now sheâ€s the leader of her own. This all felt like a reset for the group as the tension Liv had with Finn as well as Perez before she got hurt looks like itâ€s been pushed to the side. Livâ€s return has breathed new life into Judgment Day and a clear sign that theyâ€re going to continue to be the dominant faction on the show. While everything seems cool between everyone in the group right now, their tension will likely brew up again as we get into WrestleMania season.

With the momentum Liv has right now combined with the brief confrontation she had with Stephanie Vaquer later in the show, itâ€s clear that sheâ€s going to be back in the title picture soon. While she is already a heavy favorite to win the womenâ€s Royal Rumble, thereâ€s also a chance she could become the champion again before that. As thereâ€s already been a major title match made for the January 5 Raw, a title match between these two is another one they could potentially add to that show. Itâ€s clear from how she was presented on the show this week thatâ€s sheâ€s going to be a focal point of the show going forward, more so than Vaquer. Regardless of whenever it happens, this new version of Liv is tailor made for another title reign.

Grade: B

Bron Breakker vs. C.M. Punk

Latest developments:

On the October 13 Raw, Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed turned on World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. As Rollins had to forfeit the title due to injury immediately after, C.M. won the vacated championship by defeating Jey Uso on the November 1 Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event. At Survivor Series, Punk teamed with WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Jimmy, & Jey Uso to face Breakker, Reed, Brock Lesnar, Logan Paul, & Drew McIntyre in WarGames. As Punk and Breakker started the match, both men brutalized each other throughout it, including a Doomsday Device Punk & Cody hit on Breakker that caused him to land on his neck. After interference from a mystery man under a black hoodie that attacked Punk, Breakker hit Punk with a Spear to win the match for his team.

Breakker was in the ring this week along with Reed, Paul, & Paul Heyman where Heyman revealed that Breakker will get a shot at Punkâ€s title on the January 5 Raw. Breakker went on to say that Punk is no different than any other veteran living off past glory, and no different than Rollins sitting at the top while holding everyone else down when he should be more concerned about his wife being a bigger star than him. He brought up how Punk tried to break his neck during WarGames and said heâ€s coming for Punkâ€s career and every single good memory the people remember him for. Breakker then brought up Punk coming up to him backstage at WrestleMania last year and Punkâ€s saying, “letâ€s see if you can cut a promo with the big dawgs†and he said to now consider the promo cut. Breakker ended the promo by saying on January 5 when they announce him as the new champion, Punk will look into his eyes and realize that heâ€s not even close to the badass Bron Breakker, the real best in the world as he aggressively dropped the mic.

Analysis:

This was by far the best promo that Breakker has ever cut in his career. He was intense, believable, and sold himself as someone whoâ€s ready to be the champion. While itâ€s unfair to compare this promo to other great ones like Punkâ€s pipe-bomb from 2011, it still delivered and accomplished what it needed to. Breakker had a lot of steam after he turned on Rollins, and he seemed to have cooled off over the last month. From defeating Punk to win WarGames to the promo he had here, itâ€s clear that everything is back on track for him.

With the match between him and Punk set to take place on the first Raw of the new year, it feels like the right time to do a title change. If Breakker is the man that they wanna strap the rocket on, having him win the title on that show would set the tone for 2026. If it ends up not happening there, then it should definitely happen at the Royal Rumble. As tempting as it would be to wait until WrestleMania to have him win the title, this doesnâ€t have the same story that Cody had two years ago to stretch out that long. If thereâ€s one thing anyone walked away from this promo feeling, itâ€s that Punkâ€s days as champion are numbered.

Grade: B+

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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Gunther vs. Solo Sikoa

Latest developments:

On the November 17 Raw from Madison Square Garden, Gunther made his return as he defeated Jeâ€Von Evans in a thrilling match to advance in the My Last Time is Now Tournament. On the same night, Solo Sikoa defeated a returning Dolph Ziggler to also advance in the tournament. Last week, Gunther defeated Carmelo Hayes in another competitive match to advance to the semifinals. Later that night, Solo faced Penta in another tournament match where Penta suffered a shoulder injury several minutes into the match. Penta was unable to continue the match due to the injury, so Solo was awarded the match by forfeit and advanced to the semifinals to face Gunther.

As the match took place, Solo blocked a Powerbomb attempt and despite Gunther stopping his Samoan Drop attempt by pulling on his thumb, Solo succeeded with the second attempt for a near fall. Solo went for the Samoan Spike, but Gunther hit him with a hard chop to the chest followed by several more as he backed him into the corner. Solo rebounded with a Spinning Solo Slam and followed that with a Splash from the top rope, but Gunther kicked out. Solo went for another Spike, but Gunther trapped him in the Sleeper until Solo grabbed the rope to escape, and Gunther hit him with a German Suplex as Solo ripped off the top turnbuckle. While the referee was distracted, Talla Tonga hit Gunther with a big boot outside the ring and held him up for Solo to do the Spike before the referee stopped them and Gunther escaped. Gunther later hit Solo with a low blow followed by a Powerbomb to advance to the finals.

Analysis:

For the third straight week, Gunther showed why heâ€s been the MVP of this tournament. Without him, this tournament would be looked down upon a lot more than it has been. As weird of a dynamic as it looked like on paper with Gunther and Solo both being heels, they still put on a great match here. Even though heâ€s worked with people like Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns, this was the best match Solo has ever had on the main roster. While Gunther deserves a lot of the credit for why this match was so good, Solo more than held up his end of it.

With Gunther set to face LA Knight in the finals, that match should be no less good than the ones weâ€ve seen with him so far. Itâ€s a fresh match we havenâ€t seen before with very high stakes, and one thatâ€ll have the crowd invested from start to finish. While this tournament has been underwhelming for the most part, it looks like itâ€s going to have a satisfying conclusion. As great as it would be to see Knight win this tournament considering that he usually doesnâ€t win big matches, a match with him and Cena doesnâ€t have the same appeal as one between Cena and Gunther does. That combined with how great his matches have been throughout the tournament and the fact heâ€s never faced Cena before; Gunther is just too perfect of a final opponent for Cena to let that spot go to someone else.

Grade: A

Rhea Ripley & Iyo Sky vs. Charlotte & Alexa Bliss:

Latest developments:

At Survivor Series, Rhea Ripley, Iyo Sky, AJ Lee, Charlotte, & Alexa Bliss defeated Asuka, Kairi Sane, Becky Lynch, Nia Jax, & Lash Legend in WarGames. Rhea & Iyo came out to open the show this week and challenged Asuka & Kairi for the Womenâ€s Tag Team Championship. The two of them were soon interrupted by Charlotte & Alexa, who claimed they deserved a title shot first since they held the titles last and never got a rematch. Rhea said she respected them, but that they needed to respectfully get to the back of the line since they couldnâ€t beat Asuka & Kairi. Alexa then challenged them to a match for later in the night to decide who would get the next shot at the titles, and Iyo accepted on behalf of her & Rhea.

In the main event of the show, Rhea hit a Riptide onto Alexa as Iyo tagged in and hit the Over the Moonsault, but Charlotte tackled Rhea onto Iyo to interrupt the count. As all four women were down, Asuka & Kairi came into the ring and attacked everyone to end the match on a double disqualification. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria then ran to the ring to fight them off and as Lyra was about to jump off the announce table onto Asuka, Liv Morgan tripped her on top of it. Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez then appeared to attack all the women in the ring and as they held the titles up, Perez handed one of them to Liv. Liv then immediately handed the title back to Perez and she raised up the hands of Raquel & Perez as they held up the titles to end the show.

Analysis:

Before the finish, this was one incredible Tag Team match. With a match as good as this one, having it end with no clear winner was disappointing. While the angle they did after the match didnâ€t fully make up for that, it was still a strong angle that made for a good ending to the show. If it wasnâ€t obvious in the segment earlier in the show, it became very obvious here that Liv is the real leader of Judgment Day. Liv, Raquel, & Perez standing tall together at the end of the show is something weâ€re going to be seeing a lot of on the show in the next few months.

This ending also showed how stacked the womenâ€s tag division is right now compared to the menâ€s. From Asuka/Kairi, Rhea/Iyo, Charlotte/Alexa, Bayley/Lyra, and Raquel/Perez, that division feels more competitive and unpredictable than it ever has since those belts were first introduced. While thereâ€s a case for all these teams to have a run with the titles, the way the show ended makes it seem like Raquel & Perez are going to get them while Liv eventually gets back the Womenâ€s World Title. As great as the post match angle was here and all that it gave us to look forward to, it couldâ€ve still been done while giving us a clear winner to the match. If the match we got here before the finish is any indication, weâ€re going to have an endless amount of great Tag matches involving these women going into 2026.

Grade: B+

A.J. Styles & Dragon Lee vs. New Day

Latest developments:

After being granted a World Tag Team Championship match by Adam Pearce last week, the New Day challenged the champions AJ Styles & Dragon Lee this week. Despite Styles getting the hot tag, New Day would get the better of him as Kofi hit him with a Scissors Kick while Xavier held him up for a near fall. Styles later rebounded and trapped Kofi in the Calf Crusher before Xavier interrupted the hold. As Lee moved out of the way when Kofi attempted the Trouble in Paradise, Lee hit him with a clothesline that knocked him inside out and he then tagged in Styles. Lee then hit Kofi with a double stomp as he hung from the top rope and Kofi fell right into the arms of Styles, who hit him with the Styles Clash to get the win and retain the titles.

Analysis:

The highlight of this match was the finish when Lee stomped onto Kofiâ€s back from the top rope and then Kofi fell into the arms of Styles for the Styles Clash. While a solid match overall, itâ€s hard to get too excited about the Tag Team Division for the men on either show these days. Styles & Lee are a fun team to watch, but itâ€s clear that theyâ€re not a team destined to have the titles long term. With this week being the year anniversary of that great segment when Kofi & Xavier turned on Big E, seeing where they are now is both confusing and sad. The more time goes by, the decision to split both Tag Titles last year looks worse and worse.

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Alexa Bliss has responded to online chatter about her appearance, highlighting her busy schedule as both a WWE Superstar and a mom. On X, Bliss noted how having just one day at home a week and being a full-time mom “constantly fighting exhaustion” takes a toll on her.

Iâ€ve seen the tweets – and all I can say is Having only 1 full day at
Home a week with our non stop schedule & being a full time mom & constantly fighting exhaustion – will definitely take a toll on my appearance ??

— Lexi (Kaufman) Cabrera (@AlexaBliss_WWE) November 21, 2025

Bliss’ post is in response to a fan on X taking aim at her appearance during a reent appearance on Monday Night Raw. The fan’s post asking “Why does she kinda look older than she used to?” was met with outrage and ridicule, with several fans explaining that Bliss is older than she was in the past.

Bliss returned to WWE programming in early 2025 as part of the Women’s Royal Rumble match won by Charlotte Flair. Since then, Bliss has held the Women’s Tag Team Titles with Flair, but the pair recently lost the gold to the Kabuki Warriors.

Bliss made her debut on WWE programming in 2013 at the age of 21 and has gone on to have an incredible career since. Now in her mid 30s, Bliss is ready to do as much as she can in the ring, no matter what some may think of her looks.

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In the era of trolls and public mockery of WWE stars, a few clap back at the unwanted comments that come their way.

Alexa Bliss is the most recent to be on that list. She appeared on RAW and called out Charlotte Flair to question her intentions in the aftermath of her walkout the previous week on SmackDown. The plans for Survivor Series: WarGames seemed on shaky ground when Flair refused to work with Rhea Ripley, given their history.

Alexa Bliss later confirmed that her tag team partner had cut all forms of communication despite her reaching out to her on numerous occasions after the incident. However, on RAW, Rhea Ripley, IYO Sky, and Alexa Bliss were under attack by The Kabuki Warriors, Nia Jax, and Lash Legend. This forced The Queen to run out with a kendo stick and make it clear that her friendship with Alexa Bliss was not about to undergo any threat.

Alexa Bliss Clapped Back At The Haters

Following the show, fans took to Twitter/X to state how Alexa Bliss had ‘aged’ and was letting herself go. The multi-time WWE Women’s Champion responded, pointing out that she had taken note of the harsh tweets. She further brought attention to her touring schedule and being a mother, and how that would impact her looks.

“Iâ€ve seen the tweets – and all I can say is Having only 1 full day at Home a week with our non stop schedule & being a full time mom & constantly fighting exhaustion – will definitely take a toll on my appearance”

Iâ€ve seen the tweets – and all I can say is Having only 1 full day at
Home a week with our non stop schedule & being a full time mom & constantly fighting exhaustion – will definitely take a toll on my appearance 🖤😂

— Lexi (Kaufman) Cabrera (@AlexaBliss_WWE) November 21, 2025

Alexa Bliss returned to WWE at the Royal Rumble this year after nearly two years away. She partnered with Charlotte Flair in an unconventional tag team pairing and won the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles at SummerSlam.

The duo lost the championships to Asuka and Kairi Sane on the November 10 edition of RAW. And this set things in a spiral for the Women’s WarGames match.

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WWE RAW RESULTS
NOVEMBER 10, 2025
BOSTON, MASS. AT TD GARDEN ARENA
STREAMED LIVE ON NETFLIX
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR

Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett

Ring Announcer: Lilian Garcia

Attendance: WrestleTix reports today that 15,766 tickets were distributed so far; arena set up for 16,252. The arena has a capacity of 21,000 spectators when configured for concerts.

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PWTorch editor Wade Keller is joined by PWTorch contributor Christopher Adams to review WWE Raw LIVE. Join us and let us know your thoughts on Raw during the show.

Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Raw. Weâ€ll read your emails live during the post-show.

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[HOUR ONE]

-They opened with an aerial view of Downtown Boston as Joe Tessitore introduced the show. He said they are about to begin the Last Time Is Now Tournament. They showed Shinsuke Nakamura walking backstage, then Damien Priest, the Kabuki Warriors, and Stephanie Vaquer & Nikki Bella. Tesitore said they’d address the Logan Paul-C.M. Punk incident last week. Then they showed a sign on a road that said “Entering West Newbury” with a scene of the town Cena was raised in. A loud “Cena!” chant broke out.

They cut to the crowd in the arena as Tessitore touted the sellout. Triple H stood mid-ring and his music faded. Levesque said they all live in a magical time and a time when everyone has an opinion, especially when it comes to this business, and few agree on much. He said that includes opinions on who the greatest of all time is. He said you can measure it a lot of ways. He listed these criteria:

In-ring performance

• Charisma
• The ability to tear someone upon the microphone
• The ability to do p.r.
• The ability to be a box office attraction

“The categories are endless, but the truth is they are all subjective,” he said. He said he can see it from a lot of sides – as a fan, a talent, a performer, a businessman, as a promoter. I can see all sides of what it takes to be considered great in this.” He said tonight might be one of those nights where everyone in the arena can agree on one thing. He said he can look it “as maybe the most objective person there is” (huh?), he comes up with one name. He said this (mystery) person gave it his all and wanted to see it elevated to the biggest form of entertainment on the planet possible. He said this person “when I look at it objectively” is the single greatest asset this business has ever seen. He said he is “without a about, the greatest of all time.” He then said it was his honor to bring him out for all of them. He introduced (I can’t wait – who is this person?!)… John Cena.

(Keller’s Analysis: Shouldn’t. they include something like “winning matches” and “winning titles” as the primary criteria of who is the greatest ever? In the course of an actual pro wrestling TV show, it’s truly okay to pretend pro wrestling matches are real and that winning is what everyone is primarily aiming for. Levesque isn’t alone in fearing backlash if he actually talks about the storyline criteria of being someone who won matches and won titles. When he laments everyone having an opinion, it gives an impression that he takes offense to criticism of his decisions and actions rather than just being secure in his decisions and not letting criticism of them get to him.)

Cena came out and said what happens in WWE is a team effort and the fans are part of it. He said his goal is to leave the business better than he found it and do his best to pay back all the opportunities to showcase himself in front of WWE audiences. He thanked fans for putting up with him over the years. He said now WWE Superstars will have to earn the spot as his final opponent. He said he is putting up a fight so they can’t brag about beating him. He said Dec. 13 will be a night to close a chapter, but it’ll be a night of opportunity. He said it will be a night where “main WWE roster Superstars” hold exhibitions for the brightest of what NXT has to offer the business.” He said SNME is about closing a chapter, but paving the road ahead.

He said he selfishly wanted go to Boston one last time. His voice cracked a bit. He talked about looking up at the banners and feeling the greatness in the arena and seeing fans filled with joy. Dominik Mysterio interrupted. He walked up to Levesque in the ring and spoke in Spanish. He said he heard them talking about the future. Fans chanted, “Shut the f— up!” He talked himself up and asked “Hunter” what he was going to do about what happened last week. He said he is the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time, and his celebration was interrupted “by some dead beat.” He said, “I interrupt old man celebrations.” He said whatever was going on there wasn’t as important as him.

Cena cut in and said he wanted to start again. He welcomed Dom to Boston. Dom said it’s not about him or Boston. He told Cena to go sit in the corner and “speak when you’re spoken to or I’ll put you down.” Cena smiled and nodded. Fans chanted, “You f—ed up!” Cena said, “Fine speech.” He said in his anger, he forgot who he was talking to and where he is. He said any other night in any other city, he’d give him a chance, but tonight he doesn’t have a chance. “Tonight I am invincible!” he said. He told Dom to choose his words carefully. He said if he picks a fight with him tonight, he will lose. “Wrong time, wrong place, wrong guy,” Cena said. He said he’d do him a favor out of the respect he has for his father. “Right now, I’m going to let you turn around and walk your ass back through that curtain,” Cena said.

Dom smiled and laughed. He said he’ll need more than magic to touch him. He said he hasn’t reached his peak yet, but he’s better than he’s ever been in his prime. He said in any era, he would have whooped his ass. Fans chanted, “You f—ed up!”

Levesque said he agrees with the fans. He said Dom said anytime, any place, any era. He said it seems like a pretty good era, a good place, and one hell of a time. He said if it’s okay with Cena, Dom will defend his IC Title tonight. Dom got but-eyed. Fans cheered. “Get me a referee!” Levesque said. “And let’s get to work.” Cena called for the ref. Tessitore excitedly said, “This is happening!”

(Keller’s Analysis: I’ve been pushing for this match to happen, but worried it wouldn’t get wedged into Cena’s match schedule with the plans they had. This is tremendous that they’re making sure it happens. It’s good for Dom to have this moment, and Dom is a great heel foe for Cena in his hometown. This also removes concern Cena might have about fans siding with Dom over him since this is in Boston.) [c]

(1) DOMINIK MYSTERIO vs. JOHN CENA – Intercontinental Title match

The bell rang about 25 minutes into the hour. Tessitore noted Dom jump-started the match during the formal ring introductions. Dom had Cena down in the corner as they returned from the break with the match in progress. Wade Barrett said he was flabbergasted this match was happening. Tessitore said this is Cena’s last chance to become a Grand Slam Champion. Dom rolled to ringside when Cena made a comeback. He walked down the aisle. Cena chased him down and threw him. to ringside. Dom reverse-whipped Cena into the ringside steps. Dom stood on the steps and flexed his arms. Fans booed and then chanted, “Let’s go Cena!”

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Advertised Matches & Appearances

• Stephanie Vaquer vs. Raquel Rodriguez – WWE Womenâ€s World Championship match
• Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. The Kabuki Warriors – WWE Womenâ€s Tag Team Championship match
• Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sheamus – Last Time is Now Tournament First Round match
• Rusev vs. Damian Priest – Last Time is Now Tournament First Round match
• John Cena to kick off show
• C.M. Punk to appear

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
OCTOBER 31, 2025
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH AT DELTA CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, PWTORCH EDITOR

Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

Attendance: WrestleTix reports as of tonight 7,045 tickets were distributed before showtime. They were set up for 7,816. The arena has a capacity of 20,000 spectators when configured for concerts. Last time at the arena no Nov. 22, 2024, it drew 8,394.

JOIN US LIVE ON YOUTUBE TONIGHT FOR THE VIDEO-FORMAT OF OUR LIVE POST-SHOWS…

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Email our post-show at wadekellerpodcast@gmail.com with your comments and questions about Smackdown. Weâ€ll read your emails live during the post-show.

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OPEN TO EVERYONE – LINK TO WATCH LIVE RIGHT AFTER WWE SMACKDOWN TONIGHT: CLICK HERE

[HOUR ONE]

-Michael Cole introduced the show as they showed the location of tomorrow night’s Saturday Night’s Main Event and tonight’s Smackdown. Then they showed Drew McIntyre, Cody Rhodes, Nia Jax, Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair, and Jade Cargill walking backstage.

-A clip aired of Jade attacking Tiffany Stratton last week.

-They went to Corey Graves and Cole at ringside who plugged the U.S. Title Open Challenge. Tiffany Stratton walked past them and stormed into the ring. She said she has a bone to pick for Jade and said she wants her to come out “right here, right now.” G.M. Nick Aldis walked out and told her to “please think this through.” He said she has been cleared with the qualification she cannot engage in any physical contact before tomorrow night, and he can’t put tomorrow’s match at risk. Tiffany asked if he thinks she cares what the doctors say. She called for Jade again. Jade walked out. Aldis told Jade no physical contact and called for security.

Jade said it’s not that serious and she “wasn’t going to do nothing.” She said it doesn’t serve her to engage tonight. She said what she wants it the title tomorrow after Saturday Night’s Main Event. “Taffy time is up,’; she said. Tiffany charged at Jade, but security held her back. Tiffany held her leg and limped back to the ring. She hed her belt as Jade smiled at her and backed away to the stage.

-They went back to Graves and Cole at ringside. Cole said Tiffany will be a fighting champion tomorrow night.

-A video package aired on Dragunov’s workouts to return from his injury. “Suffering is the true test of life,” he said. “The pain will entertain you.”

-Graves hyped the U.S. Title match with a mystery challenger.

-Dragunov made his entrance. [c]

-R-Truth was handing out candy dressed as Santa Claus to Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin. Sabin and Shelley said it’s not Christmas. Truth said they were wrong and left. Solo Sikoa walked out and said they shouldn’t accept candy from a stranger. Then they discussed their shared interest in becoming tag champions. Sabin challenged Solo to a tag match later. Solo said he’d go talk to Aldis and later they’d show them how much has changed in a year.

(1) ILJA DRAGUNOV vs. NATHAN FRASER (w/Axiom) – U.S. Title Open Challenge

Dragunov smile when heard the entrance theme of Fraxiom. Tomasso Ciampa marched past them. He entered the ring and protested Dragunov giving Fraser a title shot and he called him a nerd. They shoved each other. Dragunov said everyone can face him, but he said Fraser stepped up first. Cole said Ciampa “begrudgingly left the ring.” The bell rang 16 minutes into the hour.

Fraser landed a running high knee at the bell. Dragunov fired back and chopped away at Fraser. Fraser leaped through the ropes and tackled Dragunov at ringside. Dragunov ducked a leaping Fraser and then chopped Fraser to the mat. Dragunov kicked Fraser off the ring apron at 4:00. Dragunov went after him at ringside with a released German suplex onto the floor. They cut to a break. [c]

Back in the ring, Fraser rallied and landed a (pretty harmless looking in terms of impact, which Graves acknowledged) running Shooting Star Press. Dragunov slammed Fraser hard with a one-arm slam for a two count at 10:00.

Fraser springboarded toward Dragunov who hit Fraser out of mid-air with a right fist. Fraser avoided a top rope senton and then landed his own top rope frogsplash for a near fall. Fraser’s chest was red from chops. [c]

Back from the second break, Dragunov had Fraser in an abdominal stretch. Fraser landed a running flip splash at ringside and then dropkicked Dragunov into the ringside steps. He urgently threw Dragunov itno the ring and then landed a Phoenix Splash for a dramatic near fall. Graves said that could be a heartbreaker for Fraser since he just landed his best shot.

Dargunov knocked Fraser off balance on the top rope with chops and then set up a back suplex. Fraser landed on the back of his head and neck in a nasty fall that seemed to concern Graves. The ref cleared him to continue. They stood and exchanged strikes. Dragunov then landed a his H-Bomb fistdrop for the win.

Fraser lifted Dragunov’s arm afterward. Cole said you can become a star even without winning the title.

WINNER: Dragunov in 20:00 to retain the U.S. Title.

(Keller’s Analysis: Keep serving those up every Friday night. Dragunov is going to be a legend by the time they run through another six or eight of these.)

-Gargano attacked Fraser as he was leaving the ring. [c]

-Cole commented on the previous match as they replayed the finish. Cole called it a classic. Then they showed Ciampa’s attack which Cole called “despicable.” They showed that Johnny Gargano joined in the right.

-They cut live backstage where everyone was still brawling. When the scene cleared, Dragunov looked at Tama Tonga who made his sinister laugh noises and admired the U.S. Title belt.

(2) KIT WILSON vs. CARMELO HAYES

Wilson made his entrance first. Then Hayes. The announcers said Wilson is tired of young minds bein poised by toxic masculinity. The bell rang 44 minutes into the hour. Wilson took it to Hayes at the start. He wrapped Hayes arms around his head and stomped on his shoulder blades. He followed with twisting neckbreaker DDT. Graves said he’s never seen a DDT delivered like that. When Hayes made a comeback, Wilson rolled to ringside. Hayes landed a running flip splash onto Wilson at ringside. Miz showed up and threw Hayes into the ringpost and threw Hayes back into the ring. Wilson then landed a top rope elbowdrop for a believable nearfall. Wilson charged, but Hayes gave him the First 48 for the win.

WINNER: Hayes in 4:00.

-Afterward, Miz attacked Hayes and told him it’s not over until he says it’s over.

-Cathy Kelley interviewed Alex and Charlotte about the Kabuki Warriors attacking them on Raw. Bliss said they know where to find us if they want to chase what they have. Charlotte said she usually doesn’t let people in, but she let Bliss in, and she thinks she’s better off for it. Bliss said, “You’re unbelievable.” Charlotte said Nia Jax lives in fear and isn’t healed, which is why she has no friends. “Classic Gemini behavior,” she said. Bliss said she will show Jax why she outgrew her. Charlotte repeated, “Classic Gemina behavior.” Bliss wasn’t sure how to react to Charlotte’s astrology.

-Nia Jax made her entrance. [c]

-Sami Zayn told Aldis backstage that he knows he’s not cleared, but he wants to stand out there and have the backs of the Motor City Machine Guns later. Aldis said he is not cleared and he cannot authorize that. He asked him to please sit this one out. Sami said he would. Cody walked up and hugged Sami. He told Sami he is proud of his U.S. Title Open Challenge series. Sami told Cody he is pulling for him tomorrow and then walked off. Aldis asked Cody if he had anything to do with what happened to Jacob Fatu. Cody said he knows it’s hsi job to ask, but he didn’t. Aldis offered Cody a chance to look at the contract. Cody said he trusted him and told him to show it to Drew McIntyre.

(3) NIA JAX vs. ALEXA BLISS (w/Charlotte Flair)

Jax made her entrance first. Then Bliss and Charlotte. Cole asked Graves about the Bliss-Charlotte friendship. He said he finds it inauthentic and detrimental to both of their careers. He said they look like two people who watched movies about friends and are faking it. The bell rang 59 minute into the hour. The ref called for the  bell while Bliss’s back was turned. Graves said Charlotte was demanding Bliss’s attention at ringside and it cost her there. Graves said Bliss was better off when she only cared about herself and same for Charlotte. He said they can try to prove to him their friendship is authentic, but it won’t be easy.

[HOUR TWO]

Jax headbutted Bliss and went for an elbowdrop, but Bliss moved out of the way. A minute later Jax charged at Bliss on the ring apron, but Bliss moved. Bliss leaped off the ring apron, but Jax caught her and dropped her over the ringside barricade. They cut to a double-box break at 2:00. [c/db]

Back from the break, Bliss avoided a charging Jax. Jax shoved Bliss off the ring apron. Charlotte caught her and threw her back up to the ring apron. Graves said it was bending the rules. Bliss landed a crossbody press to Jax who was sitting and scored a two count. She followed with a DDT attempt. Jax avoided it, but then Bliss side-stepped Jax who went shoulder first into the ringpost. Bliss climbed to the top rope, but Jax picked her up and landed a Samoan Drop for a two count.

Jax set up an Annihilator. Charlotte stood on the ring apron, which distracted Jax. Bliss then kicked Jax and knocked her off balance. She then stack covered Jax for a three count. Jax was fuming mad afterward. Cole said the friendship paid off.

WINNER: Bliss in 9:00.

-Solo and his MFTs asked Rey Fenix what he wanted. Fenix said he doesn’t want to fight him. Solo told him to go trick or treat. Fenix stood on a crate and told Talla Tonga he wants to fight him because he put his hands on him. Solo said that’s fine, he’d see him next week. Fenix slapped Talla. Solo told Talla he’d deal with him next week.

-Cole and Graves hyped the contract signing for Cody and Drew later. Cole threw to the poker game skit with Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, C.M. Punk, and Brock Lesnar plugging WrestleMania in Las Vegas. Triple H narrated and said, “It’s anyone’s game.” [c]

-A vignette aired with Damien Priest telling Aleister Black it’s now personal and he’s coming for him. He said he won’t know when or where, but he knows why now. He said he’ll feel his venom when punishment comes for him.

-They went to Cole and Graves at ringside. They plugged the SNME line-up.

-In the back hallway, Aldis told Tiffany she’s not cleared. Tiffany said she is going to be fine. Kiana James and Giulia told her it looks like Tiffy Time is coming to an end. James said she should have accepted their offer to be their back-up. Tiffany said she’ll find the time to beat their ass like she did last wee. Giulia said Tiffany won’t be talking like that or at all after tomorrow. Chelsea Green walked up to Aldis with Alba Fyre. Green said she wants a match against Giulia for the U.S. Title. Giulia agreed to it. Aldis said it’s fine with him. Green was so happy she might become the first and fourth U.S. Champion. Nikki Cross then startled them as she was standing behind them.

-Solo Sikoa and the MFTs made their entrance. [c]

-Cole narrated a clip from earlier of two local mascots having a wrestling match in the ring earlier. One of them did a People’s Wing for the win.

(4) J.C. MATEO & TAMA TONGA (w/Solo Sikoa) vs. MOTOR CITY MACHINE GUNS (Chris Sabin & Alex Shelley)

Advertised Matches & Appearances

• Alexa Bliss vs. Nia Jax
• Carmelo Hayes vs. Kit Wilson
• Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre contract signing for Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event
• Jade Cargill to address her attack on Tiffany Stratton

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

Despite Bayley recently showing signs of a split personality, her and Lyra Valkyria have developed into a good tag team. With the momentum theyâ€ve had lately, it was only a matter of time before they received a shot at the Womenâ€s Tag Team Championship. They would get their shot this week as they faced the champions Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss in this weekâ€s main event. Similar to Bayley & Lyra, Charlotte & Alexaâ€s team also got off to a rough start before they found success. With the task of closing this weekâ€s show, both teams gave us a match that showed how prestigious those titles can be when theyâ€re given the spotlight.

As Asuka & Kairi Sane made their case for also deserving a title shot, they would send a message to both teams before the night was over. In addition to that, we had a face to face between C.M. Punk and Jey Uso ahead of their World Heavyweight Title match this weekend, Penta going one on one with Rusev to decide who gets another shot at the Intercontinental Title, and Bron Breakker going one on one with L.A. Knight.

C.M. Punk vs. Jey Uso

Latest developments:

Two weeks ago, C.M. Punk defeated L.A. Knight and Jey Uso in a Triple Threat match to become the number one contender for Seth Rollins†World Heavyweight Championship. As Punk was attacked by Rollins, Bron Breakker, & Bronson Reed after the match, Breakker & Reed shockingly turned on Rollins immediately after. Last week, Adam Pearce announced that Rollins would be stripped of his title due to the injuries he suffered from the attack by Breakker & Reed. Pearce then announced that a Battle Royal would take place later in the night to decide who would face Punk for the vacant title at Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event. After simultaneously eliminating Knight and his own brother Jimmy, Jey eliminated Dominik Mysterio last to win the Battle Royal and earn the right to face Punk.

This week, Jey opened the show to talk about how he was going to win the title this Saturday before he was interrupted by Punk. Punk admittedly that Jey has what it takes to be champion but asked how far he was willing to go to make it happen. Punk said he knew how far he was willing to go as he claimed he needed to be champion again like he needs air in his lungs. Jey responded by saying he knows how to swim in the deep waters and how as soon as he does something right for himself, Punk paints him out to be the bad guy. Jey then told Punk “Screw you†and that on Saturday night, heâ€s going to show him who the best in the world is.

Analysis:

Although it couldâ€ve been longer, this segment was exactly what it needed to be. The highlights of it were when Punk had his theme song played over again like Jey always does as well as the line where Jey told Punk “Screw you.†While it accomplished what it needed to in selling the match, there wasnâ€t much about this that anyone will remember beyond this week. As popular as Jey is, it still feels like Knight wouldâ€ve made for a more interesting opponent for Punk. Considering the tension Punk and Knight have had in recent weeks; it felt like that spot was tailor made for Knight if Bron Breakker wasnâ€t going to get it.

With all of that aside, Punk vs. Jey one on one is a match we havenâ€t seen before. Although how the match turns out remains to be seen, thereâ€s no doubt that itâ€ll feel like a big match by the time it happens. If thereâ€s an actual winner on Saturday, this will mark the first time in history that a new World Champion has ever been crowned on a Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event. However, with the strong possibility of Breakker, Bronson Reed, and even Jimmy getting involved, it doesnâ€t feel like a certainty that weâ€re going to get a new champion. With Survivor Series only a month away, this vacant title situation could very easily continue until then.

Grade: B

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Raw: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “wade Keller†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

Penta vs. Rusev

Latest developments:

Two weeks ago, Dominik Mysterio defended his Intercontinental Championship against Penta. Rusev came down to the ring during the match but before he could interfere, Penta leaped over the top rope onto him. Dominik then hit Penta with the timekeeperâ€s hammer as the referee was distracted, and he followed that with a 619 and Frog Splash to retain his title. Dominik defended his title last week against Rusev in a match where he tried to leave the ring with his title, but Penta stopped him before he could. Rusev then knocked down Penta and as the referee later took away the timekeeperâ€s hammer that Rusev pulled out of Dominikâ€s boot, Dominik hit Rusev with a low blow and that led to him once again retaining his title.

This week, Penta and Rusev faced each other in a match to decide who would get the next shot at Dominikâ€s title. At one point, Penta escaped an Accolade attempt and hit Rusev with a Penta Driver for a close near fall. As both men were trading shots while down on the mat, El Grande Americano along with Los Americanos attacked them both to end the match on a double disqualification. Despite the attack, Rusev and Penta recovered and fought them all off as they stared each other down afterwards. Later backstage as Adam Peace saw Dominik talking to the Americanos, Pearce informed him that heâ€s now going to have to defend his title against both Rusev and Penta in a Triple Threat match at Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event.

Analysis:

Considering that these two have been chasing Dominik for the better part of a month, the outcome to this match was very predictable. As Dominik is still a slimy heel despite being cheered like a babyface, him having Los Americanos interfere on his behalf made perfect sense. As having them interfere caused the match to be thrown out, it was obvious that he was going to end up having to face both Penta and Rusev in a Triple Threat. With the interactions these three have been having recently, it was inevitable that this was going to be the destination. If given sufficient time to work with, this Triple Threat could potentially be the match we walk away from Saturday talking about the most.

Unfortunately, Saturday does feel like the place where this feud is going to end. If itâ€s true that Dominik is going to face John Cena at Survivor Series, thereâ€s no sense in him losing the title in this match. Even if that match ends up not happening, it still wouldnâ€t be the right move to take the title off Dominik with the momentum he has right now. As he will likely move on to other challengers after this, that will free up Penta and Rusev to feud with each other some more. Theyâ€ve shown in their recent matches how good their chemistry is together and they can continue to build on that, even without the IC Title involved.

Grade: B

Bron Breakker vs. L.A. Knight

Latest developments:

Two weeks ago, Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed turned on World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. As the injuries Rollins suffered forced Adam Pearce to strip him of his title, Pearce also removed Breakker & Reed from the Battle Royal that was scheduled for later in the night that would decide who would challenge for the vacant championship. As he was one of the final four in the Battle Royal before being eliminated, L.A. Knight cut a promo this week where he said he would challenge whomever the new champion is. In response to this, Paul Heyman convinced Breakker to face Knight later in the night so that Breakker could be in the conversation for an eventual title shot.

As the match progressed, Knight hit Breakker with a Springboard Superplex for a near fall. Despite being distracted from Reed jumping on the apron, Knight ducked a Spear attempt as Breakker ran shoulder first into the ring post. Breakker then attempted to Bench Press Knight into a Powerslam, but Knight reversed it into an inverted DDT for another near fall. Knight went to the second rope for a Jump Up Elbow Drop before Breakker kipped up and as Knight came down on the mat, Breakker hit him with a devastating Spear to get the win.

Analysis:

As the two people who many wouldâ€ve preferred to be in the title match this Saturday over Jey Uso, they put on a match here that showed why people feel that way. Although weâ€ve seen countless variations of Knight against Breakker & Reed over the last month or so, this was by far better than any of them. Despite not being the one whoâ€s destined to become champion any time soon, Knight has shown with outings like the one here that heâ€s not out of place in the main event picture. Unfortunately for Knight fans, he does end up losing these major matches more often than not. Although heâ€s in a good spot, it does feel like heâ€s not being positioned to get past a certain point (at least for now).

In addition to that, there was no way that Breakker was losing this match with all the heat that he has right now. As Breakker is destined to be the champion in the not-too-distant future, this match was just another way of keeping him strong. Considering that Pearce pulled Breakker & Reed from the Battle Royal last week, the two of them getting involved in the title match this Saturday is an absolute certainty. Their involvement could potentially even lead to no new champion being crowned and having to wait until Survivor Series for it to happen. If that does happen and there ends up being a tournament to decide the new champion, then that will be the likely scenario where Breakker wins the title.

Grade: B+

Sheamus vs. J.D. McDonagh

Latest developments:

Last week, J.D. McDonagh & Finn Balor lost the World Tag Team Titles to A.J. Styles & Dragon Lee. Later in the night during the Number One Contenderâ€s Battle Royal, they were both eliminated by Sheamus. Immediately after, they snuck back into the Battle Royal and eliminated Sheamus. This week, J.D. & Finn went into Adam Pearceâ€s office to demand a rematch for the Tag Titles. After what they did in the Battle Royal last week, Pearce told them that heâ€d only consider giving them their rematch if J.D. faced Sheamus later in the night.

As the match took place and Sheamus hit J.D. with the High Cross, Finn put JDâ€s foot on the ropes to interrupt the pin attempt. Sheamus clocked Finn with a knee to the face outside the ring and was about to hit him with a High Cross through the announce table before J.D. interrupted with a Suicide Dive attempt. However, Sheamus caught J.D. before he could do any damage and then threw him over the announce table. As Sheamus threw J.D. back in the ring and climbed to the top rope, Finn hit him in the back with a shillelagh as the referee was distracted. This allowed JD to hit a a Spanish Fly from the top rope onto Sheamus to get the win.

Analysis:

On a night where the wrestling carried the show, this was arguably the best match of the night. Although weâ€ve seen great performances from J.D. before, he really shined here in a way that he hasnâ€t in other matches. As great as he is as a tag team wrestler, he really showed here that heâ€s no less great in singles matches. This match also served as another example of how great Sheamus is, even though heâ€s getting closer to the end of his career. No matter what type of match or type of opponent heâ€s put in the ring with, he finds a way to make whatever heâ€s involved in great.

As great as Sheamus still is, J.D. winning this match was the right move. Considering that he along with Finn are getting their rematch for the Tag Titles next week, it only made sense for him to get the win here to give them some momentum going into that. While thereâ€s no need to rush it considering how great of team he makes with Finn, J.D. can definitely be a singles star at some point. From the match last week to this one here, this was the second straight week where the best match on the show involved the Judgment Day. Regardless of how the match next week turns out, itâ€ll be one that will likely continue this trend.

Grade: A

Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria

Latest developments:

Last week, Bayley told Lyra Valkyria that she had a surprise for her for this week as her birthday was coming up. The following Friday, Bayley challenged Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss on behalf of her & Lyra to a match for the Womenâ€s Tag Team Championship for Raw this week, which was later accepted. This week, Asuka & Kairi Sane confronted Lyra backstage over the fact that they shouldâ€ve gotten a shot at the titles first. After they walked away, Bayley walked in as Lyra blamed her for issuing the challenge for the titles without talking to her first. After Lyra continued to vent for a little bit, she eventually snapped out of it and said that the two of them could win the titles.

In an extremely competitive match that main evented the show, Charlotte went for the Figure Eight on Bayley before Lyra interrupted with a top rope Leg Drop onto the back of Charlotteâ€s neck as she had tagged in behind Charlotteâ€s back. Lyra ran across the ropes as Alexa caught her mid way to hit the Sister Abigail DDT, but Bayley interrupted the count. Lyra caught Alexa as she went for a Cross Body and hit her with the Nightwing before Charlotte kicked Lyra in the head to save the titles. Charlotte later had Bayley trapped in the Figure Eight as Lyra held up Bayleyâ€s hand to keep her from tapping, but Alexa then hit the Twisted Bliss on Lyraâ€s back. Charlotte & Alexa then hit Bayley & Lyra with dueling Natural Selectionâ€s as Charlotte pinned Bayley to retain the titles. Asuka & Kairi attacked the champions after the match as Asuka held up Charlotte as Kairi hit her with the Insane Elbow and the two of them then attacked Lyra before Bayley ran them off.

Analysis:

Although this match happened a little sooner than expected, it turned out to be another strong main event showing from the women. From the opening bell, the counters, to that great finish with the dueling Natural Selectionâ€s, there was nothing that this match was lacking. Ironically enough, this was the second week in a row where we got a great match that was centered around a pair of Tag Titles. This was a clear example of how WWE shouldnâ€t just be taking the Tag Team Division more seriously with the men, but also with the women. This was the best match Charlotteâ€s had since she came back from her injury, the best match her & Alexa have had since they became a team, arguably the best Womenâ€s Tag Title match this year next to the Bianca & Naomi vs. Liv & Raquel match from late February.

In addition to a great match, what we also got from this is the potential direction for what feuds could follow in the coming weeks. With Asuka & Kairi attacking everyone after the match, it seems certain that theyâ€re going to get the next shot at Charlotte & Alexa. When you take into consideration the heat they have right now, thereâ€s a strong chance that they could even end up winning the titles. What happened here post math also gave a hint on what the potential womenâ€s teams for WarGames could be. While more of that still needs to play out in the next few weeks, what we saw here gave us plenty of reasons to be excited for this yearâ€s WarGames match involving the women and their division as a whole.

Grade: A

Nikki Bella vs. Roxanne Perez

Latest developments:

After Nikki Bella came to the rescue of Womenâ€s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer as she was being attacked by Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez, Nikki went one on one with Perez this week. Raquel jumped on the apron to cause a distraction before Nikki knocked her down as Perez then attempted to roll Nikki up for the win with her feet on the ropes before she kicked out. Nikki went for the Rack Attack 2.0 before Perezâ€s escaped and Nikki then hit her face into the turnbuckle as she tried to run into Perez. Perez then took advantage of this and hit the Pop Rocks onto Nikki for the win. Raquel & Perez attacked Nikki after the match until Vaquer came out to her rescue. Raquel faced off with Vaquer briefly as Nikki stood by Vaquerâ€s side and Raquel backed away.

Analysis:

While there wasnâ€t much about this match that stood out, what did stand out from it was Perez getting a credible win over a veteran like Nikki. As bright of a future as she has, this was the second straight week where she had a match that felt underwhelming. Predictably so, this is all leading to a tag match pitting Vaquer & Nikki against Raquel & Perez next week. After it was teased that Perez is going to be an eventual challenger for Vaquerâ€s title, what we saw here is making it look like Raquel is going to be another one. As much as it looks like theyâ€re getting along now, it wonâ€t take long before Nikki eventually turns on Vaquer to establish herself as another potential challenger.

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Bully Ray believes Alexa Bliss has played a huge part in changing how fans feel about Charlotte Flair.

Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Bully Ray said Alexa Bliss helped improve Charlotteâ€s image among fans. He said, “Charlotte has got the rub from Alexa when it comes to how the fans perceive Charlotte.â€

“Whether we feel a certain way about Charlotte and her being synonymous with gold or not. The fanbase was tired of Charlotte being in the title scene. So tired that the whole program with Tiffany did not work. Now they get Charlotte out of a picture and put her with a beloved Alexa Bliss, and all of a sudden. How does an audience go from ‘we hate you†to ‘wow we really like youâ€. That basically happened over night.â€

Bully Ray said WWE fans†love for Alexa Bliss carried over to Charlotte because of Alexaâ€s popularity and her emotional connection to the late Bray Wyatt. “Itâ€s because since we love Alexa so much, and because Alexa was involved with Bray, and Bray is no longer with us. Since we accept Alexa, and we love Alexa, if Alexa is friends with you, then we like you too.â€

“Something is also going on with Charlotte that hasnâ€t happened with her in a long, long time; sheâ€s having fun. I would keep Charlotte Flair out of the World Championship picture for so long that the people want to see her come back.†[H/T: Wrestletalk]

While, he also suggested WWE should keep Charlotte out of the womenâ€s title scene for a while so her growing fan support can continue to build. Since teaming with Alexa Bliss, Charlotte has been getting some of the loudest cheers of her career.

The two have held the WWE Womenâ€s Tag Team Titles for nearly 90 days and defended them five times. With most recent title defense came against Bayley and Lyra Valkyria on this weekâ€s WWE RAW.

Read More: Alexa Bliss And Lyra Valkyria Have Awkward Wardrobe Malfunction On WWE RAW

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The womenâ€s division in WWE has seen a huge evolution in recent memory. This weekâ€s RAW was capped off with quite a match for the gold.

WWE RAW on October 27 went down at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The WWE Womenâ€s Tag Team Titles were on the line, and that was quite a match for Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss.

This weekâ€s WWE RAW featured a Womenâ€s Tag Team Title match: Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley and Lyra Valkyria.

This match went down as the main event of the night. Fans were more than ready to see these two teams throw down. Also, the main event match spot made many fans pay close attention to this one, because it was anyoneâ€s guess what could go down.

This match also had a big fight feel, thanks to the amazing ring introductions from Alicia Taylor. The match got started slowly, as both teams felt each other out. The Kabuki Warriors were also mentioned during commentary, because they were not happy about how Bayley and Lyra were able to jump the line for this title shot.

This match included a lot of notable spots, including Charlotte Flair hitting a moonsault on both challengers for a near fall. Bayley started to rally, as she delivered moves all over the ring, and she hit a Bayley To Belly on Flair for another near fall.

Fans also brought out their flashlights, so the fireflies were out in force as Alexa Bliss stood on the apron. That only proves Bray Wyattâ€s influence will never fade.

Eventually, Alexa Bliss nailed a Sister Abigail on Lyra, but Bayley broke up the pinfall. Then Lyra hit a Nightwing, but Flair broke up that pinfall attempt at two.

Bayley and Flair took hot tags after that, and this resulted in a slugfest between the two members of the 4 Horsewomen of NXT. Flair locked in a Figure 8 after that, and Lyra stopped her from tapping out. Then Alexa nailed a Twisted Bliss on Lyra. Then Bliss and Flair hit double Natural Selections for the clean win to retain their titles.

After that, Asuka and Kairi Sane jumped the champions and beat them down. Bayley got in to protect Lyra, and then she stood up to the Kabuki Warriors before the heels slid out of the ring and left. We will have to see whatâ€s next for everyone involved, but the WWE Womenâ€s Tag Team Titles still belong to Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair.

Whatâ€s your take on how WWE has booked their Womenâ€s Tag Team Titles? Let us know what you think in the comments section!

October 27, 2025 10:36 pm

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WWE

Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss defended the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship against Lyra Valkyria and Bayley in the main event of “WWE Raw.”

Flair and Valkyria got the match started, with the challengers getting the better end of the early goings before Bliss tagged in for the first time. She had a brief rally at the beginning of her stretch, but found herself isolated and needing to get the hot tag back to Flair. She continued to battle both Bayley and Valkyria at the same time, though eventually the numbers caught up with her and Bayley caught Flair with the Bayley-to-Belly, but only for a near-fall.Â

Bliss tagged back in without Bayley or Valkyria noticing, taking advantage to hit the latter with the Sister Abigail DDT and make the cover. Bayley broke that fall at the last second, allowing Valkyria to then connect with Nightwing to Bliss for her own cover; Flair broke this one up at the last second, with her and Bayley tagging back into things. Flair hit the Big Boot and cinched in the Figure Eight Leglock, only for Valkyria to once again save things by catching Bayley’s hand before she tapped.Â

Bliss hit Twisted Bliss to break everything up, allowing her and Flair to connect with simultaneous Natural Selections to their respective opponents, and Flair making the winning cover.Â

After the match, the Kabuki Warriors attacked the champions as they were going to celebrate. They sought to attack Valkyria afterward, but Bayley came between them and the Warriors retreated up the ramp to close the segment and thus the show. With the result, Flair and Bliss completed their fifth defense since capturing the titles from Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez at SummerSlam. Â

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