Browsing: Smackdown

The finals of the Last Time Is Now Tournament took place on the December 5, 2025 episode of WWE SmackDown at the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. LA Knight and Gunther met in the closing match of a bracket, and everyone was watching that match go down.

John Cenaâ€s final opponent for Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event on December 13, 2025 has been decided. Now, it looks like all WWE needs to do is hype the match over the next week. Only time will tell how it all turns out, but the IC Title isnâ€t in the picture after Cena dropped the title back to Dominik Mysterio at Survivor Series: WarGames.

This match went down as the main event of the show, and it had a lot of hype behind it. Fans were rallying online for LA Knight to get the win, but GUNTHER was also a very stiff competitor. GUNTHER was entering this match with an impressive statistic, as he had never lost a non-title singles match in his WWE career.

Mark Nash really gave this match a big fight feel thanks to his ring introductions. After they traded some stiff shots, the match went to a commercial break. When we got back to the match, LA Knight was able to hit an AA and a burning hammer, a move that is usually banned, for a long two count before they cut to another commercial break.

GUNTHER took some more offense from LA Knight, including a suplex off a reversal. Fans were all behind Knight, but then GUNTHER nailed a T-Rex dropkick, but LA Knight countered a powerbomb into a DDT. Then, Knight climbed the top rope and hit an elbow drop for a near fall.

Near the end, GUNTHER hit two splashes on LA Knight for a near fall. GUNTHER powerbombed Knight after that, but the Mega Star kicked out of that as well. LA Knight hit a BFT out of nowhere, but GUNTHER got his foot on the bottom rope. Finally, GUNTHER got his sleeper hold in, and he wore Knight down with elbow strikes until he got Knight down with the hold still on. Knight tried to fight out of it, and he got GUNTHER on his shoulders, but then the Ring General pummeled him down with more elbows and then he got a crossface on. Finally, LA Knight tapped out, giving the win to GUNTHER.

In the semifinal round, LA Knight defeated Jey Uso, and Gunther beat Solo Sikoa. Those results set up the final match between Knight and Gunther. This was quite a match to close out SmackDown, and it will set up an amazing final match for John Cena in Washington, DC.

Whatâ€s your take on John Cenaâ€s final opponent? Who do you think will win at Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event? Let us know what you think in the comments section!

December 5, 2025 10:04 pm

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Cody Rhodes isnâ€t done making headlines on WWE SmackDown. After dealing with Drew McIntyreâ€s unauthorized arrival at the arena and a backstage brawl, Cody showed up later in the show with a message that could change the game for two rising stars.

Backstage, Ricky Saints and Oba Femi were summoned to Nick Aldis†office, unsure of what was going on. Cody entered, much calmer than earlier in the night, and laid out a massive challenge. He told them that whoever wins their upcoming match at Saturdayâ€s Deadline will face him at Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event.

With WWE building toward John Cenaâ€s final match and everything heating up between Cody and Drew, the winner of this match wonâ€t just be stepping into the ring with Rhodes—theyâ€ll be stepping into a huge opportunity to elevate their name on one of the most important weekends in recent WWE memory.

Codyâ€s challenge adds even more intrigue to next weekâ€s card. For Ricky Saints, this is a shot to prove himself against one of WWEâ€s top stars. For Oba Femi, itâ€s a chance to make a serious statement on a national stage. Either way, Rhodes just threw gasoline on what could be a breakout storyline for one of these young names.

Do you think Saints or Femi is ready to go toe-to-toe with Cody Rhodes? Who should get the spotlight next Saturday? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know where you stand.

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Multiple top stars from “WWE NXT” are backstage at “WWE SmackDown” on Friday night as the show is set to go live from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas. According to PWInsider Elite, those stars include Oba Femi, Trick Williams, and Sol Ruca.

The outlet didn’t confirm just why the former NXT Champions and the former Women’s North American Champion are at the show ahead of “NXT’s” Deadline premium live event on Saturday, which will emanate from the Boeing Center in San Antonio, Texas. However, John Cena announced that Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13, which will feature his final match, will also be a showcase of “NXT” talent against main roster stars. There was no initial report that Femi, Williams, and Ruca were brought in to set up angles or matches for the show in Washington, DC, however.

Cena previously announced the competitors for both the men’s and women’s Iron Survivor matches at Deadline, which include Ruca on the women’s side. Williams was defeated by Myles Borne and lost the opportunity to enter the match. Femi will compete against NXT Champion Ricky Saints for the chance to become a two-time holder of the developmental brand’s gold.Â

“The Never Seen 17” has been adamant that “NXT” talent should be featured along the way to his final match. “NXT” star Je’Von Evans also had the opportunity to compete to become Cena’s final opponent, but lost in the “Last Time is Now” tournament in the first round to GUNTHER.

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As Friday Night SmackDown goes live from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, a surprising development is unfolding behind the scenes—multiple top NXT stars are backstage.

According to PWInsider Elite, NXT stars Oba Femi, Trick Williams, and Sol Ruca have all been spotted backstage ahead of the December 5 show. While their exact role tonight hasnâ€t been confirmed, the timing is hard to ignore.

Cena recently announced that Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event on December 13—his retirement match—would also feature NXT talent vs. main roster stars, hinting that his final chapter might double as a platform for the next generation. Tonightâ€s SmackDown may lay the groundwork for that.

Lineup for WWE SmackDown on December 5, 2025:

• Last Time Is Now Tournament Final: GUNTHER vs. LA Knight
• United States Title Open Challenge: Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. ???
• Non-Title Match: Jade Cargill vs. Alba Fyre
• Alexa Bliss vs. Kairi Sane
• Cody Rhodes appears
• Solo Sikoa addresses the Wyatt Sicks attack

Are you hoping to see NXT stars face off against Cena and other main roster legends on December 13? Drop your dream match ideas or predictions in the comments below—weâ€d love to hear who you think should step up next.

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WWE SmackDown saw a decrease in viewership on November 28.

According to Wrestlenomics, SmackDown averaged 1.142 million viewers on Friday. The show drew a 0.28 rating in the 18 to 49 demographic. The viewership is down from last weekâ€s episode, when an average of 1.210 million viewers tuned in. The demo is also slightly down from last weekâ€s show (0.29 rating in the same demographic).

What happened on WWE SmackDown this week?

This weekâ€s show kicked off with Jey Uso defeating Rusev to advance to the next round of the Last Time Is Now Tournament.

The Miz weaseled his way back into the Last Time Is Now Tournament, but it was all for nothing as he lost to LA Knight, who advanced to the next round.

Elsewhere on the show, Charlotte Flair defeated Asuka to score the advantage for her team in the Womenâ€s WarGames match at Survivor Series.

In the main event of the evening, The MFTs defeated Sami Zayn, Motor City Machine Guns, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Rey Fenix in a traditional Survivor Series match.

Hereâ€s a recap review of the main event of SmackDown, courtesy of our live coverage page…

WWE SmackDown Review:

Chris Sabin got things started by punching JC Mateoâ€s ticket to the back, giving his team the early edge. Tama Tonga stepped in and dumped Shinsuke Nakamura to even things up. Rey Fenix fired back with an elimination on Tanga Loa, but the celebration was short-lived. Talla Tonga bulldozed through the momentum shift, taking out both Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin in one swift swing of control.

Tama Tonga added to the chaos by eliminating Rey Fenix, leaving Sami Zayn as the lone hope on his side. Zayn fought back, catching Tama Tonga and sending him packing to keep his team alive. Talla Tonga wasnâ€t far behind, getting taken out next and bringing us to the final stretch. Solo Sikoa drops Zayn to stand tall as the sole survivor.

Winners- The MFTs

After the match, the lights dimmed, and The Wyatt Sicks surrounded the ring, closing in on Sikoa. Uncle Howdy stepped forward and dropped Solo with a Sister Abigail.

Grade: C+

READ MORE: What WWE Is Interested In With A Chris Jericho Return — Report

What did you think of SmackDown this week? What was your favorite match or segment from the show? Let us know your overall thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.

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Jacob Fatu has not been seen on WWE TV since he was laid out in a backstage attack in October. Current reports, however, suggest that his sabbatical may soon be coming to an end.

According to PWInsider, backstage chatter at Survivor Series suggests that Fatu could return imminently. Though no specific date was given, sources indicated that Fatu may be back on the road within the next few weeks.

Fatu took time off to get dental surgery, interrupting his feud with Solo Sikoa and the MFTs. The WWE made his legitimate issues part of their story, as he was found backstage under heavy equipment bleeding badly from the mouth with what appeared to be several teeth scattered on the ground.

Fatu debuted with WWE in June of 2024, attacking Randy Orton, Kevin Owens, and Cody Rhodes, aligning himself with his cousin Sikoa in the faction known as the Bloodline. Following Sikoaâ€s loss to Roman Reigns in January of this year, Fatu went on to win the US title from LA Knight in April. He then turned on Sikoa at Money in the Bank, and subsequently lost the US title to Sikoa following interference from the group now known as the MFTs.

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With the Thanksgiving leftovers tucked in the fridge, and the first vestiges of Christmas decorations going up, the Black Friday edition of “WWE SmackDown” has come and gone. There was plenty to do on the final show before tomorrow’s big Survivor Series event in San Diego, CA, including setting up the semifinals for the Last Time Is Now Tournament, as well as determining the advantage for Saturday’s Women’s War Games Match. It also played host to the traditional Survivor Series 5-on-5 Match, which saw Solo Sikoa and his MFTs defeat Sami Zayn, Shinsuke Nakamura, Rey Fenix, and MCMG. But enough about what happened, that has been handily covered over on the results page.

It’s time to break down the good and the bad from the pre-taped edition of “SmackDown.” There was plenty to love, like the blistering match between Charlotte Flair and Asuka, as well as the show-closing moments that featured a surprise attack from The Wyatt Sicks. There was also plenty to hate, such as the way that “SmackDown” has become a pre-show for PLEs like Survivor Series, despite PLEs having fewer matches than ever, or the confusing interactions between the WWE Women’s Champion and the WWE Women’s US Champion.

Enough of my pontificating, it’s time for the Wrestling Inc. Staff to dig into the good, the bad, and the downright ugly of the November 28, 2025, edition of “WWE SmackDown.”

Loved: Charlotte Flair gets redemption over Asuka

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Having read the spoilers ahead of tonight’s show, I was fully convinced I was going to have a “lol, of course Charlotte Flair wins again” moment, but I surprisingly, to myself at least, ended up not feeling that way at all. It was one line Flair had backstage during the babyface WarGames team segment that changed my way of thinking about this match pretty quickly. I still don’t like the babyfaces getting the advantage in this kind of match, and it may not bode well for them tomorrow, but I loved this for Flair’s character.

With all the other girls hyping her up going into her WarGames advantage match against Asuka, “The Queen” mentioned that she hadn’t faced “The Empress of Tomorrow” since she tore her ACL (and MCL, and meniscus, if I remember correctly) back in December 2023. I definitely thought they had gone one-on-one since Flair’s return at the beginning of the year, so I was surprised by that.

Shocking to no one, they put on an excellent match, which probably felt even more special, as there haven’t been many women’s matches on the last few episodes of main roster programming. While it wasn’t as long as it probably should have been, likely due in part to the traditional Survivor Series match later on in the night, I thought these women did an excellent job. Flair looked to have it won at one point off a moonsault, but Asuka kicked out, and it was the Natural Selection to end the match.

Following the bout, Flair looked very emotional and was giving heart hand symbols to the crowd. Ever since the real-life Ashley Fliehr’s emotional Players Tribune article, as well as Charlotte Flair’s team-up with Alexa Bliss, complete with a tag team championship reign, I feel as though Flair’s gone through a very effective character rehab. It’s certainly turned me around on her character. However, knowing WWE as well as I do over the last almost 30 years, that could very well mean we’re going to see a Flair heel turn at WarGames, but for now, this was a lovely highlight of the night.

Written by Daisy Ruth

Hated: Why Jade Cargill to interrupt Chelsea Green?

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While I understand why it was WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill to interrupt Chelsea Green’s Women’s United States Championship celebration on tonight’s edition of “SmackDown,” I still don’t love it. Cargill did it because she’s been running into the now two-time women’s mid-card champion, who has been calling herself the “best women’s champion in history,” backstage and having words with her over the last few weeks. While I love both of them, I don’t think this storyline is doing either of them any favors. It feels like WWE made them both champions without providing any clear direction for who they would face.

I’m confused as to why Giulia didn’t crash Green’s party, though I don’t believe we’ve seen much of her since she lost the title to Green, who won by nefarious means, back on November 7. While I’ve been whining forever now that I want Giulia to move on to bigger and better things, it seems a little silly that she doesn’t appear to be upset over losing her gold in storyline whatsoever. Maybe that’s WWE creative wanting us to forget she even had the belt, as it was quite the lackluster run.

While both Green and Cargill need their first opponents for their current reigns, it shouldn’t be each other. I do think that Green is destined to become the top women’s champion at some point, but she shouldn’t be feuding with Cargill at all, with her own title to worry about. And, it really feels like WWE put the gold on Cargill without any direction for her at all. I’m honestly really curious to see who Green’s first opponent is going to be, as it certainly doesn’t appear to be Giulia.

Thankfully, in a quick backstage interview with Cathy Kelly, Cargill said that she was just making an example of Green to put the rest of the women’s locker room on notice, so hopefully we’re moving on from it, since Michin and B-Fab were shown immediately after. Michin said someone needed to fix Cargill’s attitude, and it was going to have to be her. While I have my thoughts on that potential match/feud, that’s a rant for another day. For now, I’m just sad that Green’s celebration was interrupted by anyone, really, as she’s always one of the most entertaining aspects of “SmackDown.”

Written by Daisy Ruth

Loved: A Second Chance For The Awesome One

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It’s not often that you see a star be given a second chance in a tournament in WWE, but it’s actually a refreshing change of pace to see the company turn an unfortunate situation with Sheamus’ injury into something beneficial for The Miz.

Now I’ll be the first to admit: The Miz was never going to win The Last Time Is Now Tournament in the first place. However, Miz’s backstage with Nick Aldis, in which Aldis just so happened to draw Miz’s name, was a much-needed bit of fun on this show. He also had a good showing with LA Knight in their quarterfinals match, and the finish with Miz being caught with his feet on the ropes only for Knight to surprise him with a BFT brought things full circle by having Miz essentially cost himself the second chance that he was given once again. It was creative and unique to what WWE tends to do, and an interesting element on an episode of “SmackDown” that felt pretty random and thrown together with little relevance to Survivor Series: WarGames.

Written by Olivia Quinlan

Hated: The traditional 5-on-5 match was a waste

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The traditional 5-on-5 Survivor Series match couldn’t make it to tomorrow night’s PLE with two WarGames matches on the card, so it got the main event slot on the go-home SmackDown. After seeing the match (which aired commercial-free, btw), it didn’t even need to be on TV, which is insane when you look at the amount of talent in Team Sami (I just wrote about my love for this team in this very column). Talla Tonga eliminated both members of Motor City Machine Guns consecutively. WWE seems to be really high on him, as not only did he eliminate one of the greatest tag teams in the modern era, but he’s beaten Rey Fenix and Jey Uso. They protected him by having Talla eliminated via countout.

As soon as the match was announced, it was obvious the final two would be Solo Sikoa and Zayn since it was their feud that brought about the match. That’s exactly how it played out, and the match played out in a very WWE way. Zayn landed a Sunset Flip and an Exploder. Sikoa blocked a Helluva Kick and connected with a Superkick. Zayn blocked the Samoan Spike and rolled up Sikoa and nearly got the win. Alas, Sikoa would just barely kick out and hit a weak Samoan Spike for the win.

Following the match, Sikoa was surrounded by the Wyatt Six and took a Sister Abigail from Uncle Howdy. The match should’ve been the MFTs vs. The Wyatts since they’ve been stalking the MFTs for weeks. They’ve also been targeting the tag team division as well. This match didn’t do anything for anyone involved, except Talla. Sikoa might have bragging rights, but he got laid out almost immediately. Everyone in the Survivor Series match looked dumb by the end.

Written by Samantha Schipman

Loved: Wyatt Sicks catch Solo… solo… to close the show

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The main event of this week’s “WWE SmackDown” was hardly riveting or particularly developing as Solo Sikoa and his MFT, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, JC Mateo, and Talla Tonga took on the team of Sami Zayn, Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Rey Fenix in a traditional Survivor Series elimination match – one night before the actual Survivor Series event.

Talla tore through much of the opposition before Zayn ran the MFT gauntlet to eventually whittle things down to just him and Sikoa; Zayn continued to survive everything Sikoa threw at him, until he didn’t, and Sikoa won the match after the ever-dangerous thumb to the throat. But then there was a glimmer of something better, something a little compelling, even if something very, very small: the lights went out, Uncle Howdy appeared behind Sikoa, the rest of the Wyatt Sicks stood on the apron, and delivered Sister Abigail to the bootleg “Tribal Chief” to close the show.

Running the seemingly eternal feud between Sikoa and Zayn disguised as a five-on-five match is one thing, but at the very least, it was a means to an end – said end being the continuation of the faction war. It worked because Sikoa had been procedurally isolated in the match beforehand, even if that match in itself was a little flat, to leave him alone in the ring and vulnerable to the Wyatts. Maybe it would have been better to just proceed with the Wyatts-MFT feud with a match between the factions, but the ending at least accomplished what it set out to do, and that’s to be appreciated.

Written by Max Everett

Hated: This All Could’ve Been On The PLE

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WWE teased me with a perfectly good match between Tommaso Ciampa and WWE United States Champion Ilja Dragunov. It sounds like it could be a killer title match. Any other week, I’d simply be excited for the fact that somewhere down the line, two former WWE NXT Champions are gonna tangle for the title of John Cena, Lex Luger, and Blackjack Mulligan, but this isn’t any other week. This is Survivor Series weekend, and there are currently four– Did I say four? Yes, count them, four. One more time for emphasis: Four matches on the Survivor Series card.

Are you really going to tell me that WWE can’t fit one more match onto the show that will be taking place in a baseball stadium? I’m not asking for an AEW-style marathon, but surely one more match could fit on that show.

No, no, it apparently can’t. If they could fit more matches onto the card, then surely the Traditional Survivor Series 5-on-5 match would be on the freaking Survivor Series PLE. It’s unconscionable to have such a thin PLE, War Games Matches or not. Let Ciampa and Dragunov off the chains for 15 minutes. Set The Wyatts loose on the MFTS for a 20-minute elimination match. I can only watch so many ads for WWE podcasts and cheap cellular data plans.

WWE is conditioning fans to expect the bare minimum, and it’s making me feel like Goldilocks. Surely, there’s a wrestling promotion out there that can split the difference between AEW’s 7-hour epics and WWE’s barebones supershows.Â

Written by Ross Berman.

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Charlotte Flair defeated Asuka during “WWE SmackDown” to earn the advantage for her team in the Women’s WarGames match at Survivor Series.Â

Flair is set to team with Rhea Ripley, Iyo Sky, Alexa Bliss, and AJ Lee in the eponymous match at the event, while Asuka teams with her Women’s Tag Team Championship partner Kairi Sane, Nia Jax, Lash Legend, and Becky Lynch. Flair took a little convincing before she teamed with her rival in Ripley, having told Bliss at first that she wouldn’t be able to compete alongside her.Â

Bliss and Flair had also lost their Women’s Tag titles to Asuka and Sane earlier in the month, adding to the story of the long-time rivals during Friday’s match.

Going into the bout, Flair and Asuka had met in 14 singles matches since WrestleMania 34, with the record tied at 6-6-2. Flair pulled ahead in their saga on Friday having endured Asuka’s best efforts, specifically an attempt to mist her opponent; Flair avoided it, ensuring that a timekeeper got the mist to the face instead, taking the action back into the ring to hit Natural Selection and get the winning pinfall.Â

Flair’s win over Asuka was also her first singles win since defeating current Women’s United States Champion, Chelsea Green, in August.

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Semi-finals for The Last Time Is Now tournament officially set on WWE SmackDown.

Ahead of John Cena‘s retirement match on Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13 at the Capital One Arena in Washington, DC, it was announced that a Last Time Is Now tournament would be held to determine his final opponent. The contest kicked off during Monday Night RAW’s November 10 episode, with this week’s WWE SmackDown confirming the last couple of stages before SNME.

On this week’s November 28 episode of WWE SmackDown, Jey Uso advanced against Rusev. Meanwhile, LA Knight defeated The Miz, who was changed last minute after Sheamus was announced to sustain a shoulder injury.

With the advancement, the semi-finals for The Last Time Is Now tournament are already set. On Monday Night RAW’s December 1 episode, the matches are Jey Uso vs. LA Knight and Solo Sikoa vs. Gunther.

The confirmed Semi-Finals matches for John Cena’s “Last Time Is Now†tournament…

– Jey Uso vs. LA Knight

– GUNTHER vs. Solo Sikoa#SmackDownpic.twitter.com/bCfzzODlvN

— EliteRockerz ð• (@EliteClubS0B) November 29, 2025

LA Knight Sends A Message To John Cena On WWE SmackDown

At the beginning of this week’s WWE SmackDown, LA Knight was informed that he would face a mystery opponent tonight after Sheamus’ injury. The Megastar didn’t hold back on his frustrations, noting that somebody wants to keep bringing him down and that he should have advanced in the contest automatically.

Later on, Knight recalled his history with John Cena and noted that he appreciated their previous brief tag team run and expressed a lot of respect to the latter, but noted that The Last Time Is Now tournament was getting the best of him.

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The November 28 episode of WWE SmackDown went down at the Bell Arena in Denver, Colorado. You never know what will happen on Friday nights, and Jade Cargill proved that.

The episode may have been pretaped thanks to Thanksgiving, but it was still a big night. Since winning the Womenâ€s US Title once again, Chelsea Green has been on quite a ride, as she is also 1/2 of the AAA Mixed Tag Team Champions. This week saw her celebrate in a big way.

Chelsea Green was set to have a Womenâ€s US Title celebration last week, but it was rescheduled. This week saw that go down, and fans were in for a treat.

This celebration went down about half an hour into the broadcast, and fans were ready to pledge allegiance to Chelsea Green. Then Green called for a pyro show, but Jade Cargill came out instead. The WWE Womenâ€s Champion laid out Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre. Then she left and the pyro went off without the cue. This left Green looking very upset over how things went down.

She was there to enter her second turn as the first and fourth WWE Womenâ€s US Champion. Only time will tell where her new feud with Jade Cargill goes from here.

Whatâ€s your take on Chelsea Green as a champion in WWE? Does it suit her perfectly? Let us know what you think in the comments section!

November 28, 2025 8:42 pm

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