Corbridge’s alt-perspective report on Sami Zayn vs. Carmelo Hayes for U.S. Title; Brock Lesnar, Cody Rhodes appearances

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

WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
SEPTEMBER 19, 2025
TOLEDO, OHIO AT HUNTINGTON CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY ERIC CORBRIDGE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR

Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves

Ring Announcer: Mark Nash

Attendance: Wrestletix reports that 6,719 were distributed headed into the show. The arena was set up for 6,908. The arena has a capacity of approximately 9,341 when configured for concerts.

[HOUR ONE]

– Drew McIntyre and Cody Rhodes were shown arriving to the arena in preparation for a contract signing tonight. Chelsea Green her Secret Hervice, the #1 contenders for the Tag Team Championship, as well as the champions Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair were also shown. Lastly, the challenger for tonight’s United States Championship match Carmelo Hayes arrived, as did the champion Sami Zayn.  Michael Cole and Corey Graves welcomed everyone to the show and spotlighted tomorrow night’s Wrestlepalooza PLE debut on ESPN Unlimited. Graves mentioned that the opening match of the PLE will be John Cena versus Brock Lesnar. Cole interrupted, saying that he was supposed to interview Lesnar later tonight but he’s hearing in his headset that Lesnar wants to do it now. Cole started to head to the back, but Lesnar’s music played.

Brock Lesnar out in front of the crowd wearing his standard black cut-off t-shirt, jeans, and cowboy hat. Lesnar picked up Cole and carried him all the way around the ring and then into it. He dropped Cole hard and Cole sold like it hurt while cowering. Lesnar lifted Cole up, leading Graves to run into the ring and try to convince Lesnar to stop. Lesnar gave Graves an F-5! Lesnar grabbed the camera and yelled into it “John, I’m coming for you. Tomorrow is D-Day for you!” Lesnar went over and destroyed the Prime display, then returned to the ring and gave Graves another F-5. Lesnar grabbed his cowboy hat and left. [c]

(Corbridge’s Analysis: Hot start. That was effective in showing that Lesnar is unhinged and doesn’t want to wait to get his hands on Cena. So instead, he attacked helpless announcers and helpless inanimate objects. Sorry…that was mean. Cole is a human being.

It was notable that Graves took a bump, which to my knowledge is the first one he’s taken on television since he retired years ago.)

– Graves we being tended to as they showed replays of what just happened. Lesnar bumped into a smiling Paul Heyman in the back. Lesnar told Heyman that they should talk and walked off. Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker were with Heyman. Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis walked up to Heyman and crew and told Heyman that they better not stir up any trouble tonight because he has to make sure the contract signing for the main event of Wrestlepalooza between Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre happens. Heyman told Aldis that they were here to broker peace between Breakker, Reed and the Usos. Aldis told Heyman that Heyman already knew that the Usos are in Indianapolis. Heyman played dumb and said they’d stay to enjoy the show.

– Cole slowly made his way back behind the announce table. The crowd chanted his name and cheered for him. Cole lamented that Graves is getting medical attention because he helped Cole. He said he’s never felt more helpless than he did tonight and that “if that’s what awaits John Cena tomorrow, then I’m afraid I don’t even know if Cena has the answers. “

(Corbridge’s Analysis: That was worth the 45 seconds it took because Cole further cemented how unhinged Lesnar has become.)

– WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss made their way to the ring for the opening match of the evening. They were defending their titles against Alba Fyre and Chelsea Green.

(1)  CHARLOTTE FLAIR & ALEXA BLISS (c) vs. CHELSEA GREEN & ALBA FYRE – WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match 

Cole was still flustered as Green and Fyre made their entrance. He mentioned the Summerslam match between Cena and Lesnar, where Cena was destroyed in a lopsided match that introduced the world to “suplex city.”  Green and Flair started things off as Flair leveled Green with a big boot and tagged in Bliss. Bliss and Flair double-teamed an interfering Fyre. Green made the official tag and Fyre whipped Bliss face first into the ringpost from the apron as they went to a quick split-screen break. [c]

When they came back from the break Cole had been joined for commentary by The Miz. Bliss hit a DDT on Green. Miz was dialed up to an 11 as always. Bliss wanted to make a tag, but Fyre pulled Flair off the apron to prevent it. Bliss somersaulted past Fyre to make the tag. Flair came in and was on fire as she delivered chop after chop and a cartwheel into a clothesline on Fyre. Flair kipped up and mocked the Secret Hervice salute. Flair gave Green a big boot, knocking her to the floor. Fyre rolled her up for a nearfall. Flair went up to the top rope, but Green stopped her from the apron. Fyre tagged Green in. Fyre hit a swanton bomb and Green covered, but Bliss broke it up. Bliss and Flair hit stereo Natural Selection face busters and Flair covered Green for the win.

WINNERS: Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair via pinfall in 8:00. Bliss & Flair retained the Tag Team Championships.

(Corbridge’s Analysis: There wasn’t much to the match, since only about 5 minutes was shown during the actual broadcast. Clearly Green & Fyre weren’t deemed a real threat to the titles since they lost to a non-finisher. )

– B-Fab stood between the Street Profits in the back and told them they are brothers and need to get back to what was best for them as a team. Michin interrupted and said they needed to go talk to Aldis about a tag match opportunity for her and B-Fab against Kiana James and Giulia. They left. Montez Ford told Angelo Dawkins that they will always be good, so he was going to go talk to Aldis about how they can get back their championships. They did a clever handshake and Ford left. Bo Dallas crept up behind Dawkins and told him that his brother doesn’t want to hear what he has to say, but that Dallas would listen. Ford returned and threw Dallas up against the wall. Dallas said he was here to guide lost souls and started laughing. Erik Rowan snuck up and attacked Dawkins and Ford, leaving them laying. [c]

(Corbridge’s Analysis: I know I may be in the minority, but I like what they are doing with the Wyatts. They have a focus in that they are playing mind games with their opponents by preying on their darker instincts. Let’s say what it really is… they gave the Wyatts the Karrion Kross gimmick)

– R-Truth had a booth set up selling Wrestlepalooza merchandise. It had an ESPN banner hanging on it. Los Garza came up to him to ask what he was doing. Truth said it was like a Genius Bar (TM- Best Buy) and he was showing people how to use the ESPN app to watch Wrestlepalooza. They actually attempted to explain how to download the app and watch the show tomorrow tonight.

(Corbridge’s Analysis: Thanks Truth and Los Garza… but it isn’t near as easy as they said, especially if you aren’t thrilled about paying $29.99.)

– Fraxiom entered for the next match.

Before the next match could happen, Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker attacked Fraxiom and threw them out of the ring. Paul Heyman entered the ring and introduced himself as per usual. He said that Fraxiom reminded him as the Usos, victimized and flat on their backs. Heyman spoke to Jimmy and Jey in Samoan, apparently saying that tomorrow night… Heyman got cut off because Fraxiom came back in the ring and attacked Bron Squared. Nathan Frazer and Axiom hit trademark dives on them, leading Nick Aldis to come out and make an impromptu match. [c]

(2)  FRAXIOM (Dexter Lumis & Joe Gacy) vs. BRON BREAKKER & BRONSON REED (w/Paul Heyman) – WWE Tag Team Championship match

The match was in progress when they returned from the commercial. Breakker was in control of Axiom with a big back drop. Heyman was talking on the phone at ringside. Breakker showed off his speed running the ropes and leveling Axiom with a clothesline. Miz disagreed with Cole that the Brons would have an edge tomorrow night because of the Usos special brotherly bond. Breakker with a textbook suplex, then knocked Frazer off the apron to the floor. Breakker pulled down his straps, tried to build up some speed, and got nailed with an Axiom dropkick. Both men tagged out as Frazer entered and tried to use his quickness to get an advantage on Reed. Frazer got Reed to his knees and hit a frog splash for a two-count. Frazer missed a corkscrew moonsault. Reed hit Frazer with the Jagged Edge and tried to follow with a Tsunami, but Axiom got in the way. Breakker speared Axiom, freeing up Reed to come down hard on Frazer with the Tsunami and a cover for the relatively easy win.

WINNER: Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed by pinfall in about 6:00.

After the match, Heyman grabbed a microphone to interrupt ring announcer Mark Nash, saying “I don’t John Cena’s b*tch announcing them as the winners. Heyman continued from earlier, saying that his spoiler for Wrestlepalooza would be… they were interrupted on the video screen by the Usos, who were standing in the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, home of tomorrow night’s PLE. The Usos said that they were all over Sportscenter and ESPN because tomorrow night they will lock it down like the 49ers defense. They finished with their “welcome to the Uso Penitentiary.”

– Nia Jax was shown walking in the back because she was up next. [c]

– Several highlights of WWE Superstars on ESPN this week were shown. Miz thanked Drake for “Nokia,” the official theme of Wrestlepalooza.

Nia Jax marched down to the ring as Cole mentioned that she’d forced her way into the title picture. She wasn’t in her ring gear. Replays were shown of Jax’s post-match attack on Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill last Friday night on Smackdown. Jax said she was sick of being in a disgusting town like Toledo. She was also sick of the women’s division and that she was the alpha female. Jax repeatedly mocked the “Tiffy Time” catchphrase, saying that she had to put her in a Tiffy Timeout. Jax said that if she could trade appearances with anyone it would be Jade because she looks incredible. However, Jax claimed that if Jade could trade in-ring ability it would be with Jax because Jade needs it. The crowd booed. Jax said she would annihilate them whenever she wanted. That triggered an interruption from the WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton.

Stratton came out on stage and told Jax that no one wants her near the title. Stratton said that Jade wasn’t superhero and could save anything. Stratton said she was the champion and there was nothing Jax could say or do about it. Stratton approached the ring but a few officials easily stopped her. Jade Cargill’s music played. She marched right past Stratton, kicking some officials on the way. The officials recovered enough to stop Jade from going after Jax in the ring. Nick Aldis came out and made a triple threat championship match between the three women for next week’s Smackdown.

(Corbridge’s Analysis: That was an expected development, but I’m a bit surprised it wasn’t scheduled for Wrestlepalooza. In my opinion, WWE is treading on dicey territory by asking people to spend $30 on a show with 5 advertised matches. I suppose there may be a lot of Saudis being told to buy it?)

[HOUR TWO]

R-Truth was still in the back, this time teaching the Motor City Machine Guns and Rey Fenix how to watch Wrestlepalooza from their phone.

(Corbridge’s Analysis: It’s smart that they are FINALLY explicitly explaining how to watch this PLE. But it also shows that it was VERY poorly explained in the weeks leading up to the show.)

– Carmelo Hayes entered for his United States Championship match. Miz gave him a standing ovation and tried to hype up Cole. [c]

(3)  SAMI ZAYN [c] vs. CARMELO HAYES – Open Challenge for the United States Championship  

Zayn received a decent ovation, but the crowd wasn’t exactly on fire for anything so far tonight. Cole ran down how Zayn started the Open Challenge to pay homage to John Cena’s previous Open Challenge.  The felt each other out to start the match. Hayes knocked Zayn down with a dropkick and posed for the crowd. Miz told Cole that Hayes told him not to get involved tonight. Hayes beat down Zayn by the ropes. Zayn leapfrogged Hayes and delivered a right hand on Hayes’ way back. Zayn started hitting the turnbuckle punches in the corner, but Hayes dumped him to the apron. Hayes with a springboard backwards legdrop onto Zayn’s head, which was laying across the bottom rope. [c]

Hayes was in total control with a big legdrop across Zayn’s throat. Hayes covered for a two-count, while Miz said the referee counted too slow. Hayes was very aggressive with chops and punches as he had Zayn against the ropes again. Zayn rallied with a huge clothesline and a double axehandle form the top rope. Miz talked about Zayn’s grit and heart. Zayn hit about 30 punches in the corner. Zayn with a tornado DDT off the ropes, but Hayes kicked out at two. Miz was flustered. Zayn hit a Michinoku driver for a nearfall. There were a few standing switches until Hayes hit a big knee to the face. Hayes with a bit frog splash attempt but Zayn got his knees up. Zayn went for a Helluva kick but got caught with a Hayes superkick instead. They went to a picture-in-picture break. [c]

Zayn wanted to hit an exploder suplex but Hayes held onto the top rope. Hayes leaped over the rope and hit a DDT on the apron. Zayn’s arm got awkwardly stuck in the rope during it. Hayes hit a big frog splash and covered for a one…two…Zayn kicked out! Miz said that Hayes needed to capitalize on the injured arm. Hayes hit a first 48 codebreaker for another very believable nearfall. Zayn went for a suplex, but Hayes reversed it into a suplex cutter. Hayes with a springboard DDT. Hayes went to the top rope as Miz got excited. Hayes missed a Nothing But Net legdrop and Zayn caught him with a Blue Thunder Bomb for the one…two…three.

WINNER: Sami Zayn by pinfall in 15:00. Zayn retained the United States Championship.

After the match, Cole told Miz he had to be impressed with Hayes’ effort. Miz didn’t take any solace in that.

(Corbridge’s Analysis: Great match with an interesting ending. This is two matches tonight where someone won cleanly with a signature move rather than a finisher. IF (and it’s a very big IF) this is a strategy, then it will pay off long-term. If they establish that signature moves can also win matches it will create many, many more believable nearfalls during matches. It’s honestly a strategy that I’ve wanted pro wrestling to employ for YEARS.)

– Kit Wilson was talking to Aldis in the back. Elton Prince was nowhere to be found. Prince looked different because his hair was tied back, he was wearing a collared shirt with the top few button unbuttoned, a tie, and light brown leather jacket. Prince was saying something about the locker room having “toxic masculinity,” but Damian Priest barged in demanding a match with Aleister Black. Prince pointed out that this was the kind of hyper-masculine, overly aggressive behavior he was talking about. Priest through Prince through a wall. Aldis asked Priest what was wrong with him. After Priest left, Aldis picked up his phone and said he was going to need medical.  [c]

(Corbridge’s Analysis: The “throw through the wall” didn’t look impressive because the wall was extremely thin. Aldis’s phone call saying he was going to need medical was funny though. They may have wanted to get Wilson on television since it’s been several months since we’ve seen him. I believe Elton Prince is still out recovering from an injury, possibly a concussion he suffered in May during their tag match against Fraxiom.)

– Part 2 of the John Cena/Brock Lesnar Retrospective aired. It was title “Alpha.” They talked about John Cena’s courage, while showing his first WWE Championship win at Wrestlemania 21 over JBL. There were a lot of clips shown of him being a role model and interacting with fans, especially children. It chronicled his rise to fame in Hollywood. Brock Lesnar’s ventures into the MMA world were shown, highlighting his unique athleticism and UFC Championship win in his third overall bout. They showed Lesnar’s return to WWE in 2012 and Cena’s win over Lesnar at Extreme Rules that year. It was Cena’s first win over Lesnar. They were referred to as the standard bearers of WWE over the next few years. Lesnar pinning Undertaker at Wrestlemania 30 to break the streak was shown. Lesnar’s Summerslam lopsided beatdown of Cena was profiled and referred to as the most dominant title win in WWE history. They hyped up the Wrestlepalooza match.

(Corbridge’s Analysis:  That was well done just like Part 1 from last week. I personally enjoyed Part 2 more because of the way they highlighted Cena’s first win over Lesnar in 2012 and Lesnar’s 2014 beatdown as being the most dominant title win. That was a new way of framing history that I appreciated, compared to last week when it was all footage that many fans had seen numerous times before. )

– The announcers ran down the five matches for Wrestlepalooza. Then they showed replays of Drew McIntyre’s win over Randy Orton last week and Cody Rhodes’s return to save Orton from get Claymore kicked through the front of the announce table. As they went to a break there were people in the ring setting up for the upcoming contract signing. [c]

– A pre-tape aired with Solo Sikoa sitting in a room saying that someone was the only loyal soldier he had left. Tonga Loa walked into the picture. Solo hyped him up as being the son of Haku. Solo said he let Loa down, but that as long as Loa was part of his family tree, then his loyalty would be rewarded. Loa said, “I Love You Solo.”

– Nick Aldis introduced the challenger for the Undisputed WWE Championship at tomorrow night’s PLE, Drew McIntyre. A cocky McIntyre came out wearing black jeans and a black vest. Before McIntyre could say anything, the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes came out to a good reaction and fan karaoke. He was wearing a suit.  Cody entered the ring and put the title on the table. McIntyre was sitting down. Cody asked McIntyre what happened 15 years ago today, which was apparently when they won the tag team titles together. Cody said that no one was talking about that because sometimes the fans don’t care about the lore. Sometimes they just want to see two men fight. Cody praised McIntyre’s accomplishments but said that lately he’s been a keyboard warrior. Cody told McIntyre to make a social media post right now to dig into Cody because it would be the last chance he has to do it.

McIntyre showed him that he posted “Thank You Cody” because all he wanted was a legitimate shot at the championship where no one would screw him over. He said that Cody was a fighting champion. McIntyre said that Cody kicked his head through the announce table, yet all Cody is doing is talking him to death. McIntyre said that eventually the fans are going to turn on Cody, and at that point Cody will realize that McIntyre was right. Cody said what if McIntyre is wrong and he loses to Cody. Cody and McIntyre both signed the contract, then McIntyre hit the Glasgow kiss headbutt. McIntyre flipped the table then went outside and wanted to kick Cody’s head through the announce table again. But McIntyre thought twice and told Cody that he wasn’t going to do it because he was going to win the title tomorrow night instead. McIntyre was going to leave but Cody recovered and dove through the second rope onto McIntyre. They brawled while officials kept trying to keep them off each other. Finally, McIntyre hit a running big boot on Cody and stomped on him as they went off the air.

 

 

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