Browsing: Smackdown

Things are heating up fast on the blue brand, and WWE might be gearing up to raise the stakes even higher for next weekâ€s SmackDown.

During the October 10 episode of SmackDown at RAC Arena in Perth, Drew McIntyre ambushed Jacob Fatu backstage, triggering a major response. SmackDown General Manager Adam Pearce wasnâ€t having it and quickly made the match official for the October 17 episode in San Jose, California.

But now it sounds like this showdown could mean even more than just bragging rights. According to Dave Meltzer in the October 10 edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, thereâ€s more to this match than meets the eye.

“Drew McIntyre vs. Jacob Fatu is listed as a match where the winner would get a shot at Cody Rhodes for the world title.â€

While WWE hasnâ€t officially added that stipulation to the match yet, itâ€s very possible an announcement could come before next week. With Survivor Series on the horizon and Cody Rhodes set to defend his title, WWE could use this match to determine his next challenger.

McIntyre has been on a warpath lately, while Fatu has proven himself as an unstoppable force since arriving on SmackDown. Adding a world title opportunity to the mix would make this already explosive match a potential game-changer.

SmackDown has no off-season, and this could be the next chapter in shaping WWEâ€s main event picture as we head toward Crown Jewel and Survivor Series.

Are you hoping WWE makes it official and adds the title shot stipulation to McIntyre vs. Fatu? Drop your predictions and thoughts in the comments section below.

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A popular NXT star has reacted to the newfound alliance between Zelina Vega and Aleister Black on WWE SmackDown.

The October 10 broadcast of SmackDown featured a chaotic Last Man Standing main event between Aleister Black and Damian Priest. The Archer of Infamy had the match under control until Zelina Vegaâ€s sudden appearance changed the tides.

Black capitalized on a distracted Priest, blinding him with a fireball to the eyes before sending him crashing through a table with a Black Mass. The show ended with a distraught Zelina standing beside a victorious Aleister Black.

It appears the alliance caught some superstars off guard just as it did fans, as NXT star Lola Vice took to social media to share her reaction. Vice, who is dating Priest in real life, posted a GIF of George Clooney sneaking a peek — possibly implying her potential involvement in the storyline.

On paper, Lola Vice joining Priest against Black and Vega seems like a solid setup for the NXT starâ€s WWE SmackDown debut. The real-life Valerie Loureda has been part of WWEâ€s developmental system for quite some time, most recently representing Team NXT against TNA at Showdown.

Catch up on everything that went down on WWE SmackDown here.

Read More: WWE Star Returns After a Year-Long Absence

What do you make of Lola Viceâ€s reaction? Do you think she could benefit from the ongoing feud between and Aleister Black? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below!

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A popular star returned from a prolonged absence on the latest episode of WWE SmackDown.

During the blue brandâ€s international broadcast from Perth, Australia, Sami Zayn held his United States Championship open challenge. The contest was answered by none other than Zaynâ€s old rival, Shinsuke Nakamura, who made his return after an extended hiatus to fight for the title.

Nakamura also brought back his classic theme, “The Rising Sun,†to a huge pop from the crowd.

Despite both superstars electrifying the audience with their performance, the match never reached a decisive conclusion as Tama Tonga returned from injury to attack Nakamura before delivering the same treatment to Zayn inside the ring. Tonga later joined the rest of the MFTs in their confrontation with the Wyatt Sicks following their WWE Tag Team Championship defense against The Street Profits.

Shinsuke Nakamura made his WWE debut in 2016, answering Sami Zaynâ€s challenge at NXT TakeOver: Dallas. Tonight marked the King of Strong Styleâ€s first televised appearance since June 13, 2025. As for Zayn, the former Honorary Uce has successfully defended his title against the likes of Rey Fenix and Jeâ€Von Evans on the blue brand.

WWE SmackDown will air on the USA Network later tonight, while the show is available internationally on Netflix. Catch up on everything that went down on the show here.

Read More: WWE Star Returns After a Year-Long Absence

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WWE is listening to its superstars about their presentation.

The company presented the latest episode of SmackDown live from Perth, Australia, for International audiences. One of the interesting things on the show was the return of some old theme songs.

The first instance of this was Shinsuke Nakamura reverting to his original theme music. He made his surprise return on the show while answering Sami Zayn’s US title open challenge.

Later in the night, Street Profits also walked to the ring using their old theme as they challenged the Wyatt Sicks for the WWE Tag Team Championships.

WrestleVotes provided an update on this decision from higher ups, noting that many superstars have been asking for a change to their theme song in recent times:

“As seen & heard on tonightâ€s SmackDown, a few superstars reverted back to their original entrance themes. Source indicate several superstars have been requesting music changes for some time now, including outspoken names such as Sheamus & Drew McIntyre. Time will tell if all those requests are eventually granted.”

As seen & heard on tonightâ€s SmackDown, a few superstars reverted back to their original entrance themes. Source indicate several superstars have been requesting music changes for some time now, including outspoken names such as Sheamus & Drew McIntyre. Time will tell if all…

— WrestleVotes (@WrestleVotes) October 10, 2025

It’s unknown if WWE has more theme song switches in the works but fans have been vocal about their dislike for Def Rebel produced music in recent times.

Both Nakamura and the Street Profits were unsuccessful in their title quests. The Profits lost the bout while Nakamura’s match ended in DQ after another returning name attacked him during the show. You can check out more about it here.

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At Friday’s SmackDown in Australia, two absent WWE stars made their returns after having been off TV for months.

Shinsuke Nakamura and Tama Tonga both returned on the pre-Crown Jewel edition of SmackDown in Perth, Australia. Nakamura answered Sami Zayn’s United States Championship open challenge at the show. He was going for a Kinshasa at the end of the bout when Tonga interfered and caused a disqualification.

NAKMURA SETS UP FOR THE KINSHASA

BUT HE’S ATTACKED BY TAMA TONGA 🤯🤯🤯#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/Nw79Te3mjo

— The Movement – Pro Wrestling (@TheMovementXx) October 10, 2025

A post-match angle then saw Tonga, Talla Tonga, Tanga Loa, and JC Mateo beat down both Nakamura and Zayn. With his Family Tree now at full strength, Solo Sikoa then appeared with the other four as they stood tall over Nakamura and Zayn. Sikoa had been United States Champion before dropping the title to Zayn at the end of August.

Since becoming champion, Zayn has made weekly open challenges the theme of his United States title reign. Nakamura answering the challenge today pitted him against one of his most memorable WWE opponents, with Zayn having been the first person Nakamura ever faced when he arrived in NXT in 2016.

Nakamura had a babyface presentation today with his old “Rising Sun” theme music coming back.

NAKAMURA ANSWERS THE US OPEN CHALLENGE

AND HE’S GOT HIS OLD THEME SONG BACK â¤ï¸#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/4GGUnqFgKp

— The Movement – Pro Wrestling (@TheMovementXx) October 10, 2025

Before their returns, Nakamura and Tonga had been away since June and April respectively. Nakamura’s absence was due to not being used, while an undisclosed injury had been rumored for Tonga.

Sikoa and his Family Tree also appeared later on today’s SmackDown for a confrontation with The Wyatt Sicks. The episode took place from Perth, Australia and aired live on Netflix outside of the United States. It will be broadcast on USA Network tonight in its regular 8 p.m. Eastern time slot.

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WWE SmackDown is about to get a major shake-up, as a returning top star is stepping into the U.S. Title picture.

According to PWInsider, Shinsuke Nakamura will return to WWE television tonight, October 10, to answer Sami Zaynâ€s United States Championship Open Challenge. Zayn has been building momentum as a fighting champion, but Nakamuraâ€s return adds real danger to that reign just a day before Crown Jewel.

“Shinsuke Nakamura will return to WWE TV today on SmackDown as the challenger to Sami Zaynâ€s WWE United States Championship.â€

Tonightâ€s SmackDown, airing live from RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, is the go-home show before Crown Jewel, and the full card is already stacked. Hereâ€s everything lined up:

• Sami Zayn (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – United States Championship Open Challenge
• Tiffany Stratton & Stephanie Vaquer vs. Giulia & Kiana James
• Damian Priest vs. Aleister Black – Last Man Standing Match
• Wyatt Sicks (Joe Gacy & Dexter Lumis) (c) vs. The Street Profits – WWE Tag Team Championship

With Nakamuraâ€s surprise return now confirmed, all eyes are on whether Zayn can hold onto his title—or if this will mark a major shift ahead of the premium live event.

Is Nakamura the right challenger to take the title off Sami Zayn? Or will Zayn survive and head into Crown Jewel with even more momentum? Sound off in the comments and tell us who youâ€re backing tonight.

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Sami Zayn will be carrying the United States Title into the go-home SmackDown for Crown Jewel in Australia. Heâ€s reintroduced the open-challenge format and has defended the belt several times in recent weeks. With Crown Jewel just a day away, several outside threats could show up on SmackDown and try to steal the title before the big night. Below are four names who, based on their recent activity on the roster, make sense as surprise challengers or spoilers on the go-home show.

4. Jacob Fatu Comes Back for His Title

Jacob Fatu has made several high-profile appearances recently and was involved on SmackDown in late September, including an angle where he targeted Drew McIntyre. The Scottish Warrior hit him with a Glasgow Kiss headbutt, and Fatu attacked him with his own boot and landed a superkick.

Fatu won the US title back at WrestleMania 41, defeating the Megastar LA Knight on Night 1. Fatu’s title reign lasted 69 days before losing to his family member and MFT leader Solo Sikoa. Now that the title has changed hands, he might try his luck and challenge Zayn for the title. Fatu’s ‘All gas, no brakes’ mentality makes him a credible threat to Zayn in a one-off, chaotic SmackDown surprise. If he shows up, he can use a single hard strike or interference to turn a short match into an upset.

3. Shinsuke Nakamura Finally Makes a Mark

Shinsuke Nakamura brings both experience and credentials, and has won the United States Championship three times as of early 2025. His most recent U.S. Title win came at Survivor Series: WarGames 2024, where he defeated Megastar LA Knight. He is an experienced veteran, known for his time in the Japanese pro wrestling scene, where he proved himself by becoming a world champion multiple times.

Lately, he has been seen lurking around backstage on SmackDown segments, suggesting he is eyeing the champion and waiting for his moment. With his proven track record and calm but dangerous in-ring style, Nakamura could plausibly step up on the final SmackDown, surprise Zayn, perhaps win the open challenge, or ambush him and reclaim another title run this year.

2. Sami Zayn Takes Joe Hendry’s Name

Joe Hendry is a proven singles star with a real-life reputation for crowd work and charisma. In 2025, he has been active across promotions, and reports indicate WWE’s interest in expanding his role or bringing him more fully into WWE programming. He entered the 2025 Royal Rumble, and answered Randy Orton’s open challenge call at WrestleMania 41. Hendryâ€s in-ring style mixes strong strikes, loud crowd interaction, and a knack for making underdog stories feel urgent.

On the go-home SmackDown, he could answer an open challenge as an unexpected challenger who wins over the crowd and then outwits Zayn. From a storytelling view, Hendry winning would give SmackDown a feel-good, crowd-driven twist going into Crown Jewel and offer a fresh matchup for Zayn on the big show. He already had the TNA world title for more than 125 days, proving he can handle the pressure of being a top champion while entertaining the audience.

1. The Ruler Oba Femi Comes to Rule SmackDown

Oba Femi is an NXT superstar who has moved quickly through the brandâ€s title scene and remains a hot young talent. He recently lost the NXT Championship to Ricky Saints, and there has been speculation that his title loss may have been timed to clear him for a main roster move.

Femiâ€s power-based offense, athleticism, and fresh-faced intensity make him a believable new threat to Zaynâ€s more technical, cerebral style. On the final SmackDown, Femi could be presented as the big, hungry newcomer who seizes the moment. Using him to take the U.S. Title would be a classic move to elevate a rising star ahead of Crown Jewel, and several outlets note WWE has considered moving him to the main roster soon. That backstage momentum plus his in-ring resume in NXT make Oba Femi a realistic candidate to walk out of SmackDown with the belt.

It would be interesting to see who actually answers Zayn’s open challenge this week, and whether he defends his title or the WWE Universe witnesses a massive upset heading towards Crown Jewel.

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WWE officials are finalizing plans to wrap another big year in the TKO era. While the company has undergone unprecedented growth and expansion in recent years, with high-stakes happenings going down more often than not, Triple H and members of his team do realize they have a creative problem, and now they are doing something about it.

WWE’s Chief Content Officer is often praised for providing a better working environment for talent and staff, and a better pro wrestling product for the fans. However, Triple H is also catching more heat from fans and industry insiders these days, with fans and wrestlers calling for someone new to take over the company’s creative process.

Despite a successful 2025 so far, WWE officials continue to field significant fan backlash and criticism over much of the creative, including John Cena’s farewell tour. Triple H and others in the company have been called out for other decisions outside of the storylines, including the access that fans received through WWE Unreal on Netflix. A new report from Bodyslam confirms that officials have taken notice.

WWE Officials Hold Meetings Centered Around Creative

WWE officials have held meetings over the past few days to discuss the creative process, and how to improve the product, according to Bodyslam.net. Fans will be happy to hear that company officials are currently implementing creative changes to WWE’s Creative Writing Team as a part of efforts to improve the overall product.

“Road Dogg” Brian James will move forward in his role as head writer of SmackDown. However, there will be additions made to the writing team in hopes of making the show more enjoyable.

World Wrestling Entertainment has had record profits and other high metrics of success in the TKO era, but officials realize that they need to do better when it comes to creative. Part of the plan is to book more enticing storylines going into 2026.

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The October 3rd edition of SmackDown had a lot of things going for it, but a smooth experience wasnâ€t one of them. This is because the show experienced a lot of technical difficulties and fans have called out Netflix for the same.

During the segment with Chelsea Green and Sol Ruca & Zaria, the broadcast suffered multiple glitches, which included missing audio, the screen being completely green and more such technical difficulties. It even happened during a segment with Damian Priest.

One fan took to Twitter and said SmackDown didnâ€t seem like it wanted anyone to watch it today, saying there was no sound, no picture, and no crowd, calling the situation “complicated.â€

“The SmackDown doesnâ€t seem like it wants to be watched today Thereâ€s no sound, no picture, no crowd… itâ€s complicated.â€

Another fan took to Twitter and said, “On Monday, there were problems with the pyrotechnics, and now there are problems with the picture and the sound. 🄠#SDCL #SmackDown.â€

A different fan mentioned having issues while watching SmackDown, saying the audio kept cutting out and the screen was freezing, as he said, “Anyone else having issues with SmackDown? The audio keeps cutting and the screen keeps freezing. Doesnâ€t seem to be happening too much though. #SmackDown.â€

One fan was especially angry, as he wanted to cancel Netflix, saying, “SmackDown Cancel Netflix #SmackDown.†Another fan pointed out how SmackDown kept on glitching and told Netflix to sort it out, saying, “Is anyone elseâ€s #Smackdown keep glitching ?!? Sort it out Netflix!!!!!â€

Even though SmackDown had big stories and top stars, most fans online talked about the technical issues instead of the matches. This isnâ€t even the first time technical difficulties took place during a SmackDown broadcast, so we hope it doesnâ€t happen again.

What do you think about the technical problems during SmackDown? Do you believe Netflix can fix these issues before the next live show? Share your thoughts and feedback in the comments below.

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The answer to Seth Rollins’s championship reign may lie closer than he realizes.

Within his own Vision faction stands a second-generation powerhouse who has been systematically dismantling WWE legends and positioning himself as the company’s next big star. His recent performances suggest he’s ready for the next level, and that could spell trouble for the World Heavyweight Champion.

Bron Breakker’s rise through WWE has been nothing short of impressive. At just 27 years old, he brings the perfect combination of strength and speed that has allowed him to defeat established stars. His taking out veterans like Randy Orton and Roman Reigns showcases his ability to hang with top-tier talent.

Against Cody Rhodes on October 3 SmackDown, Breakker delivered a devastating spear that sent The American Nightmare crashing through the barricade, proving he can handle championship-level competition.

What makes Breakker particularly dangerous is his track record of success. As a former two-time NXT Champion and former Intercontinental Champion, he has proven he can carry titles and main event responsibilities. The fact that Paul Heyman has called him ‘the next big thing’ speaks volumes about his potential.

MORE: 3 Reasons Why Seth Rollins Needs To Distance Himself From The Vision and Becky Lynch After RAW

Tension Within Seth Rollins’ Vision Points to Inevitable Split

The cracks in The Vision became evident after SmackDown’s main event. When Seth Rollins interfered to help Breakker and Reed defeat Rhodes and Orton, the aftermath revealed growing tensions within the group. Rollins’ reaction after the match was telling – he became angry at his own allies and insisted that Rhodes was ‘his’ to deal with.

Heyman’s attempts to calm Rollins down showed concern about the World Heavyweight Champion’s judgment. When Rollins ignored Heyman’s advice and went back to attack Rhodes, only to be caught with a Cross Rhodes, it highlighted how his obsession with Rhodes is affecting his decision-making.

This internal conflict creates the perfect opportunity for Bron Breakker to step up. As a physically dominant member of The Vision, he has the credentials to challenge Rollins’ leadership. His youth and hunger contrast sharply with Rollins’ increasingly erratic behavior. The group dynamics suggest that Breakker could easily position himself as the leader, especially with Heyman potentially backing the younger star’s ambitions.

The upcoming Crown Jewel match between Rollins and Rhodes adds another layer to this situation. With Rhodes likely to have Rollins’ full attention, Breakker could use this distraction to his advantage. Whether Rollins wins or loses at Crown Jewel, the aftermath will likely see him vulnerable to a challenge from within his own ranks.

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