Smackdown Review – 09.05.25

Let’s get up to speed on where we are with WWE currently: Clash In Paris | Raw | NXT | Evolve | Impact

Smackdown is ON THE USA NETWORK from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL. The announce team for tonight’s show is Michael Cole and Corey Graves on match calls and analysis, Mark Nash on ring introductions, and Cathy Kelley on backstage interviews. Expectations are kind of high for this one and they’ve loaded things up so let’s see how this goes.

Then, Now, Forever…Together.

Entrances include Damien Priest and Aleister Black ahead of their meeting tonight. Next up is Michin followed by a shot of Kiana James and WWE Women’s US Champion Giulia prior to their big title match. CM Punk ambles out of an SUV and will also be joining the proceedings at some point.

Cole mentions he and Graves will be the Smackdown announce team moving forward during football season, and Graves promises a big episode tonight. Cole throws to a highlights package from Clash in Paris.

Here’s John Cena to a GIGANTIC pop. (Cena’s shirt is Cubs-centric color-wise and I would imagine sold a BUNCH.) Cena mentions to the camera person that this is his last time on Smackdown and I’ll miss recapping his stuff. Cena looks a bit emotional and I would understand why. When the crowd starts chanting “Thank you Cena!” he mentions how much it means coming from them. Cena mentions that people told him when the retirement tour started to enjoy it, be present and have fun. Cena says he focused on in-ring stuff to get his mojo back. Cena says he has nothing planned for tonight, he just wants to have fun and is just going to take things in. Cena puts over Chicago’s crowd and say they have the power to actually bring people back (He’s not wrong, they chanted for Punk for ten straight years after he left.) Cena officially says what we’ve all heard this week – this is his last time in Chicago and last appearance on Smackdown. Cena recalls his first moments in the building which included slapping Kurt Angle, wrestling HHH at Wrestlemania, US Open Challenge matches, and CM Punk taking the world title and putting it in his “refrigerator”. Cena thanks the crowd and gets ready to leave.

Here’s WWE Men’s US Champion Sami Zayn to make his way down to the ring. Zayn gets some boos and says he’s not here to interrupt, and Cena puts over the crowd booing. Zayn says he wants to thank Cena for everyone in the back, and to thank Cena for everything he’s done for Zayn. Zayn mentions that he debuted against Cena in the US Open Challenge and he wants to pay it forward by carrying on the US Open Challenge concept with Cena’s blessing. Cena says it’s a great idea and goes to leave. Zayn says not to leave so quickly because he wants to give Cena a shot at the title right now. Zayn hits Cena’s “if you want some, come get some” line to a big pop. Zayn extends his hand and Cena says “what the hell, you’re on” before shaking on it. We go to commercials. (Given who’s been mentioned as being in the building tonight, I’m tempering my expectations.)

WWE Men’s US Championship: Sami Zayn (C) vs John Cena

Cena grabs a headlock but Zayn slips out. Zayn gets an armdrag and grabs an elbow. Cena breaks out and gets his own armdrag. Zayn gets to his feet and Cena grabs a headlock. Zayn escapes but they botch a springboard leapfrog move. Zayn waffles Cena with a clothesline and covers for two. Zayn hits a suplex and covers for two. Zayn tries another suplex but Cena is able to reverse it and both guys are down. Cena’s corner charge misses and a recovered Zayn then runs Cena into the opposite corner. (Zayn isn’t playing overt heel here but the crowd is just kind of not into this at all.) Cena fires up and whips Zayn hard into a corner and both are down again. We go to picture-in-picture commercials.

During PIP they hit each other with simultaneous clotheslines. Cena tries for an Attitude Adjustment but Zayn slips off and wallops Cena with a DDT. Zayn’s cover gets two. Zayn snaps off some right hands and then ascends. Zayn comes off the second rope with a double sledge to the top of Cena’s head. Zayn covers for two. Cena shakes it off and hits his flying shoulder tackles and side slam. Cena fires up the crowd and then tells Zayn he can’t see Cena before hitting the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Zayn slips off of Cena’s subsequent AA attempt. Zayn catches Cena with a Blue Thunder Bomb and covers for two.

Back to full screen with Cena trying for another AA and again Zayn slips off. Zayn tries to hit a tornado DDT but Cena catches him and hits the AA. Cena covers for the longest of twos. Zayn recovers and tries for the Exploder but Cena fights his way out with elbows. Cena hits a pop-up powerbomb and gets two. (Graves appropriately shouts out Kevin Owens and how he also debuted in an Open Challenge match and now I’m wondering if this is how some NXT folks might move up soon – looking at you Tony D!) Zayn staggers to a corner but he slips Cena’s charge as Cena goes shoulder-first into the ring post. Zayn misses a Helluva Kick and walks into Cena’s version of the Angle Slam. Cena covers for two. They reset in the center of the ring and start slugging it out. They wipe each other out again with simultaneous clotheslines and we go to more picture-in-picture commercials.

During PIP Cena puts Zayn in an ankle lock before transitioning to the STF. Zayn tries for the ropes so Cena drags him back to the center of the ring and puts the STF on again. Zayn manages to turn over and kick Cena away. Cena walks into Zayn hitting his own Attitude Adjustment and Zayn covers for two. Cena staggers to a corner but when Zayn charges Cena fires out and yanks Zayn up for another AA. Cena covers for two.

Back to full screen as we’re now 40 minutes into this entire opening segment. Zayn hits an Exploder as they were showing highlights of Cena’s last AA and subsequent cover. Zayn hits the Helluva Kick and his cover gets a LONG two. Zayn poses a prone Cena and ascends. Cena pops up and Zayn leapfrogs over him, but when Cena turns he catches Zayn and hits GO TO SLEEP (!) for two. (Listen, if Cena is going to tribute a bunch of guys before leaving, I’m good with it, and I bet Punk LOVED seeing him do the move correctly.) Cena fires up in the corner in a very Edge-like fashion before hitting Zayn with a spear. Cena’s cover gets two. (Cole seemingly missed this reference because he shouts out Roman Reigns here. The crowd has fully realized what’s going on now and is chanting “RKO!”) Cena tries for the RKO but Zayn ducks it so Cena calmly waffles him with a clothesline.

Cena mounts Zayn on a top turnbuckle and wants an avalanche AA. Zayn fires off some elbows but Cena shrugs them off and hits a huge avalanche AA from the second rope. Both guys are down and Brock Lesnar‘s music hits. Lesnar stomps out and pulls the referee out of the ring. Lesnar hits Zayn with an F5 before turning to Cena. Lesnar hits Cena with two F5’s and leaves after glancing back at a downed Cena. We go to commercials.

Forty eight minutes to get to that?! Listen, I knew it was coming and I’m still disappointed but I’m sure others will have varying opinions on it. The match was getting really good and they worked hard enough to get Zayn some respect from a crowd that didn’t seem to want to see Cena fight another babyface. The non-finish obviously affects the rating here. 3.25*

No winner – (Brock Lesnar interference)

Lesnar walks through Gorilla and says he’ll see Cena at Wrestlepalooza, bitch. Cole informs us that it’s official.

Smackdown GM Nick Aldis is striding along when he’s interrupted by Carmelo Hayes. Hayes wants to get a match with Sami Zayn but The Miz joins the scene to say they want a tag title shot, actually. Aldis says he’ll consider it and Miz and Hayes bicker as Aldis leaves. An SUV pulls up and out pops WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch. Cole puts over Lynch being in the same building as CM Punk after their altercation Monday night before throwing to a pre-taped promo from Aleister Black about tonight’s match with Damien Priest.

Damien Priest vs Aleister Black

Black attacks Priest during his entrance and runs Priest into the ring apron. Priest fires off a right in retaliation and then drives Black hard into the barrier. Black recovers to drive Priest head-first into a ring post. Black lifts a knee and sends Priest into the crowd. Priest is being checked on and the referee sends Black into the ring. We go to commercials.

A dazed Priest pushes the gathered referees away and limps towards the ring when we come back. Black won’t let him in and kicks Priest away from the ring. When Black tries to go out after Priest snatches him down. Black fires off a roundhouse kick that staggers Priest. Priest crawls into the ring and indicates he’s okay to go to the referee and the bell finally sounds.

Priest misses with a right hand as Black kicks him down. Black hammers Priest to a sitting position in a corner. Black starts whaling away on Priest’s shoulder. Priest fires up with a big right hand but Black goes right to a crucifix/octopus looking thing that puts a lot of torque on Priest’s right elbow. Black slips off and rolls up Priest for two. Priest yanks up Black and plants him in a corner to try to gain some recovery time. Priest charges to the corner but meets a Black knee lift. Black hits a Meteora and covers Priest for two. We go to commercials.

Priest knocks Black off a top turnbuckle when the show returns. Priest tries for the Razor’s Edge (There’s a lot of tributes going on tonight thus far. Maybe someone will pull out the HUMAN TORTURE RACK!) but Black slips off. Priest wants a chokeslam but Black responds with a big back elbow. Black hits a big running knee and covers Priest for two. Black bullies a dazed Priest to a corner but Priest fires up with a couple of big right forearms. They run the ropes and Priest drops Black with a lariat. Priest fires up again with rights and kicks. Priest hits a running splash, Black shakes it off with a big boot, and Priest shakes that off with a big boot of his own.

Priest does the rope walk and hits a cross-body on Black who rolls to the floor. Priest drops Black face first on the apron with a Flatliner. Priest clears the announcer table and hits the Razor’s Edge on Black as the table does not break. Priest runs Black back into the ring and then drops the straps. Black uses the referee to block Priest’s next move and as Priest is moving the ref out of the way Black drops Priest with Black Mass. Black covers for three.

Interesting booking here to give Black a pretty clean and decisive win over a former world champion. The announcers put over the Black Mass as being a full-on match ending move after this was over and I guess Black will now be moving up the card a bit. Hopefully these two can meet again at some point because they do have solid chemistry with each other and Priest is a consummate pro at this junction of his career. 3*

Winner – Aleister Black (Black Mass)

Drew McIntyre and Randy Orton cut promos sponsored by Twisted Tea. Orton promises that McIntyre has no idea what’s coming for him. McIntyre says the winds of change are blowing and the WWE needs a real man like him. They meet next Friday night on Smackdown, and Brock Lesnar will also be on the show. Jade Cargill will challenge Tiffany Stratton for the WWE Women’s Championship as well.

Cathy Kelley is backstage with WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton who says that Jade Cargill runs her mouth a lot for someone with no title to back it up. Stratton promises to end all the talk next week.

Jade Cargill was watching a monitor to hear all that, and Nia Jax walks in to give Cargill some noise. Cargill cuts her off and says Jax can get a shot once she beats Stratton but if she doesn’t leave Jax can “catch these hands tonight”. Jax leaves in a huff.

Giulia and Kiana James make their entrance as we go to commercials.

Nick Aldis wants a word with Becky Lynch who greets him with a handshake and hug. Aldis says he cannot have any more issues tonight and Lynch says she’d never do that and offers to give Aldis some space. Coby White of the Chicago Bulls is in the crowd and he gets a good hand.

WWE Women’s US Championship: Giulia (C) vs Michin

James jumps on the apron to yell a bunch as Michin and Giulia slug it out. The ref admonishes her as Michin is stomping away at Giulia in a corner. Giulia bails so Michin charges out after her and runs Giulia head-first into the apron. Michin bickers with James before hitting a confused Giulia with a dropkick. Michin hooks herself in the ropes and then slips a Giulia charge. Giulia ends up on the floor where she meets Michin’s baseball slide with a neckbreaker to the floor. We go to commercials.

They’re slugging it out mid-ring when the show returns and Michin gets the advantage. Giulia responds with headbutts but Michin shakes it off and hits a headbutt of her own. Giulia slips a charge and wipes out Michin with a German suplex. Michin fires up and hits Giulia with a German. They wipe each other out with simultaneous side kicks to the head. After rising they start slugging it out again and Michin once again gains the advantage. Michin hits a cannonball before covering Giulia for two.

Michin wants Eat Defeat but Giulia slips it and snatches up Michin for a Northern Lights Bomb. Giulia covers for two. Giulia hits big knees on Michin’s jaw but Michin shakes them off. Michin snatches Giulia up for a sit-out powerbomb and the subsequent cover gets two. An upset James once again jumps on the apron to yell at Michin so Michin hits her with a springboard leg scissors that drives James head-first to the mat (This was a SCARY spot and the crowd gave a big OOOH at it.) Giulia uses the distraction to hit the Arrivederci knee before covering Michin for three.

I’m assuming the overall length of the entirety of the opening segment turned this into the sprint it became. The crowd wasn’t really into it, either, but I’m not sure Giulia has done enough yet to draw the heat they’re hoping for with this act with James as her “representation”. Kind of a nothing-burger of a match, quite frankly. 2.5*

Winner AND STILL WWE Women’s US Champion – Giulia

Post-match sees a grumpy but okay James waffle Michin with her handbag before going to work with stomps and punches. The ref hauls James off and she celebrates with Giulia, which I’m assuming means THIS FEUD MUST CONTINUE.

Highlights are shown of last week’s dust-up between Chelsea Green, the Secret Hervice and the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair.

Charlotte Flair is in medical bemoaning her lack of luck in Chicago when in walks Alexa Bliss with Doctor Lilly. Flair says Bliss was supposed to get a real doctor so Bliss says Lilly is trained. There’s a funny bit where Bliss listens to Flair’s chest with a stethoscope while Flair swears there’s an actual heart in there. Bliss says the power of friendship will heal Flair’s pain and she leaves Flair with Lilly.

WWE Men’s World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins music hits and he’s in an entranceway in the crowd as we go to commercials.

Rollins has a microphone and tells Chicago that the legend of CM Punk dies tonight right here and right now. Rollins introduces Becky Lynch who makes her entrance. The clued in crowd starts chanting a certain person’s name and that person happens to be married to CM Punk but I think we’ll get to her shortly. Lynch chastises the crowd for chanting someone else’s name while the greatest female wrestler of all time according to Sports Illustrated is in the ring. Lynch insults the crowd and runs down every Chicago sports team she can think of before turning her wrath to Punk.

“Cult of Personality” hits and here’s CM Punk as he ambles out to an enormous pop. There’s a funny visual of Rollins waving at Punk as he poses for the crowd. Punk soaks in some chants before insulting Rollins by calling him a coward who’s hiding in a luxury box. Lynch says she’s surprised Punk came out at all after she embarrassed him on Monday night. Punk again says it’s not about Lynch, it’s about Rollins, but Lynch responds by asking how Punk’s face and pride are feeling.

The crowd starts chanting someone’s name again and Lynch tells them to shut up. Punk tells Lynch that she’s going to have to let them chant the name and that he could have one of his sisters in the front row jump over the barrier to beat Lynch’s ass. Punk name drops Bayley and Rhea Ripley as people he can call for favors so Lynch starts slapping him again. Rollins is loving it and Punk drops to the floor. Lynch calls Punk an embarrassment to the city of Chicago. Punk says everyone knows he’d never put his hands on a lady but he’s got someone who will.

AJ Lee gets a MONSTER pop as she comes skipping out from the back. (AJ is utterly shredded, too. She looks great.) Lee smiles at Punk as she skips around the ring before turning her focus to Lynch. Lynch eventually charges and Lee gets top mount and whales away at Lynch. Lynch tries to escape but Lee pulls her back in and dumps Lynch to the mat. Lee hits a Thesz press and again starts dropping bombs as Cole is going apeshit on the call. Lee puts some stink on a slap to Lynch’s face. Lynch ends up at Punk’s feet as Rollins has rushed to ringside. Punk invites Rollins to jump the barrier. Punk jumps in the ring and Rollins takes the opportunity to tend to his wife. Lee jumps into Punk’s arms to celebrate as Rollins barks at Punk from the aisle. Lee blows a kiss at them as the credits roll.

So for a three-match show, this will draw a fair amount of eyes on socials from the non-match stuff. The youtube video of Lee’s return already has a half-million views and the show has been over for about four hours now. I’m sure they feel like it was a very successful night even if the Cena-Zayn match ended with Lesnar wrecking both of them. The Black-Priest match was fine, and Michin-Giulia could have been better if they had some more time to craft a full match. All the chatter will be about Cena/Lesnar and the ending sequence with Rollins/Lynch and Punk/AJ Lee, and that’s probably what they will hang their hats on over the week. I’ll leave it up to you all to tell me your thoughts on the overall quality of this but for a “putting pieces into place” type of event I guess they got the job done.

Thanks for reading and commenting, and let’s all celebrate AJ Lee’s return. She looked great, almost like she never left. Cool stuff. Have a good Saturday.