Smackdown Review – 11.21.25

Let’s find out where we are as Survivor Series approaches: Raw | NXT Gold Rush | Impact

Smackdown comes to the airwaves on USA and Netflix from the Ball Arena in Denver, CO. The announce team for this evenings broadcast includes Michael Cole and Corey Graves on match calls and analysis, Mark Nash on ring introductions, and Cathy Kelley on backstage interviews and breaking news. Let’s watch some wrestling.

Then, Now, Forever….TOGETHER

Some folks arriving to work include Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, Finn Balor and JD McDonagh, Penta, and The Vision. There’s a short highlights package from last week‘s show that culminated with the emergence of Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns.

Here’s Paul Heyman in the ring with Bron Breakker, Bronson Reed, and Logan Paul. Heyman says he has a “vision” for War Games and apparently Bron Breakker is going to take a bite out of five main event heroes asses. Reed will Tsunami everyone (Stay off the top of the cage, Bronson). Heyman introduces Logan Paul but before he can start his list of grievances, here’s Jey Uso and Big Jim Uso to interrupt. Jey talks some smack about Heyman who mentions that Uso has just really pissed off Logan Paul. Heyman also points out that when he created the Bloodline, he told Jey specifically that the numbers game always wins and describes how outnumbered the Usos are right now. The crowd has been chanting for Roman Reigns and CM Punk, and Jimmy quips that they would never show up alone. Here’s WWE Men’s Undisputed World Champion Cody Rhodes being left in a heap on the steps of his bus by Drew McIntyre. The Usos run to the bus where a staffer is trying to tend to a bloody Rhodes. We go to commercials.

Smackdown GM Nick Aldis has joined the scene around the fallen champion when the show returns, and McIntyre comes cruising by in a SUV while yelling about warning Cody that this would happen.

WWE Men’s US Championship Open Challenge: Ilja Dragunov (C) vs JD McDonagh

McDonagh slugs Dragunov in the belly, and Dragunov smacks McDonagh down with a kick. They slug it out and McDonagh runs Dragunov face first into the second rope. We go to commercials.

McDonagh is in control when the show returns, but Dragunov fires up with some chops. Dragunov hits the Constantin Special but has to take some time to adjust his knee brace instead of covering. They slug it out again and Dragunov snaps off a couple of Germans while shouting how fun it is. Dragunov fires some elbows and then drops McDonagh with a belly to back suplex. McDonagh counters another Constantin Special attempt with a Spanish Fly that gets two. McDonagh goes to ground and pound but Dragunov fires up with some rights of his own. They tumble to the floor over the top rope and we go to another commercial break.

Dragunov hits a superplex but McDonagh grabs two handfuls of Dragunov’s hair on the way down and uses that leverage to push Dragunov up for a sheer drop brainbuster. McDonagh’s cover gets a long two. McDonagh ascends but misses his splash attempt. Dragunov hits a suplex and fires up in the corner. McDonagh counters Torpedo Moscow with a big knee lift and his subsequent moonsault gets two. They fire headbutts at each other and Dragunov hits Torpedo Moscow, a powerbomb, and the H-Bomb follow-up gets three.

The crowd got really into it and they went out there and kicked the crap out of each other, so I’m a happy person. Wrestling should feel like a fight sometimes and this one really did. I’m not the biggest McDonagh fan for various reasons but the guy can go in the ring when given a chance. I’d like to see Dragunov battle someone bigger at some point during these challenges but with War Games consuming most of the high level talent, it will be some time before that happens, I think. Very good opener. 3.5*

Winner AND STILL WWE Men’s US Champion – Ilja Dragunov (Torpedo Moscow, H-Bomb)

Graves and Cole toss to a highlight package of Charlotte Flair bailing on Alexa Bliss for War Games on last week’s Smackdown, and then rescuing Bliss from the Kabukis on Raw. Bliss and Flair are backstage and Flair tells Bliss she only saved her because they’re friends, and she still doesn’t trust anyone else. Bliss pushes Flair into a room where Rhea Ripley and IYO Sky are waiting. Ripley and Flair size each other up as Bliss and Sky leave.

Nick Aldis tells Cathy Kelley there’s no medical update on Cody at this point, and then he storms over to confront the Vision. Aldis tells Heyman that the only reason Bronson Reed is in the building tonight is because of his participation in the Last Time Is Now tournament, and he doesn’t want to see Drew McIntyre in the building again because he’s still suspended. Heyman offers a handshake, which Aldis declines, so Heyman shakes a bewildered Breakker’s hand instead.

Carmelo Hayes makes his entrance as we go to commercials.

Ilja Dragunov runs into Tama Tonga backstage and Tonga mentions he’s coming soon. Here’s Tommaso Ciampa to tell Dragunov he got lucky since Ciampa is busy with FrAxiom tonight. Dragunov calls Ciampa a jackass and leaves. Johnny Gargano tells Ciampa to lock in for the tag match, as Candice LeRae looks on.

The Last Time Is Now Tournament: Bronson Reed vs Carmelo Hayes

Reed is seconded by Paul Heyman to start with, we’ll see if anyone else shows up. Cole does a very nice tribute to Bob Caudle and drops Jim Ross’s name as well. Hayes starts quickly and Reed cuts it off with a big forearm. Reed smashes Hayes with a slap to the chest and a big right hand to the head. Reed puts the boots to Hayes in a corner and then drives a knee into Hayes head. Reed trucks Hayes again and then goes to ground and pound. Hayes fires up with a quick DDT and his cover gets two. Hayes hits a springboard DDT and covers Reed for two. Hayes dropkicks Reed to the floor and here’s the rest of the Vision to join the proceedings. We go to commercials.

Reed is in control when the show returns. Hayes drops Reed with a jawbreaker but Reed immediately responds with a belly to back that gets two. Breakker jumps up on the apron to have a chat with the referee while Logan Paul trips Hayes up on the other side of the ring. Reed drops an elbow and covers Hayes for two. Reed misses a senton and Hayes rolls up Reed for two. Hayes hits an enziguri and a big running knee. Hayes hits a springboard clothesline and a springboard leg drop. Hayes hits a springboard DDT on the apron before ascending. Hayes hits a frog splash and Reed kicks out at two. Reed hits The World Strongest Slam and a senton, but Hayes rolls away before Reed can hit the Tsunami. Hayes hits the First 48 and Reed flops to the floor. Hayes hits a tope con hilo on the entire Vision and rolls Reed back in. Hayes ascends and hits a top rope DDT but Reed kicks out at two.

Hayes goes back up and after he misses whatever he was going for and Reed waffles him with a clothesline. Hayes bails to the floor while Logan Paul distracts the ref. Breakker goes for a spear and here’s the Usos to put a stop to that. They battle with Breakker and Paul near the timekeeper’s area as Heyman is now barking at the ref on the apron. Reed goes out to deal with Hayes and here’s Cody Rhodes to smash Reed with a CrossRhodes on the floor. Hayes rolls back in and Reed does not make it back in by the count of ten. Hayes wins by countout.

I expected a LOT of shenanigans with this one when it was announced and they certainly overbooked the heck out of it. Still though, the crowd ate it up as you would expect, and Hayes gets a big win to move on to face GUNTHER next week. This was just fun pro wrestling nonsense from start to finish and the match itself was decent enough. 3*

Winner – Carmelo Hayes (Countout when Reed could not make it back in)

Post-match sees Rhodes grab a mic to call out Drew McIntyre, and also mentions that a Steiner has never been better than a Rhodes. Rhodes points out that he beat Brock Lesnar not once but twice. Rhodes tells Heyman that he builds people and Rhodes beats them. Rhodes calls War Games his birthright and vows to see Heyman in San Diego. Well then, that was a WHOLE THING right there. Cody’s promo is at the end of this highlight reel if you want to see it.

Here’s Alba Fyre as WWE Women’s Champion Chelsea Green hides in a dressing room. Kiana James walks up with Giulia and demands to know where Green is, and Fyre shoos her away. Giulia yells at Fyre in Japanese and they leave. Green emerges and is nervous about having her celebration tonight, so she mentions rescheduling. Here’s WWE Women’s Undisputed Champion Jade Cargill to question Green calling herself the “greatest woman’s champion” and Green wants no parts of that, so she and Fyre leave the scene.

FrAxiom make their entrance as we go to commercials.

Here’s Sami Zayn in a room with The Motor City Machine Guns, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Rey Fenix. A fired up Zayn says the MFT’s have a big problem on their hands because this crew is united in an international coalition. Sabin and Shelley have Zayn’s back, and Nakamura threatens everyone in Japanese. Fenix speaks in Spanish to make his point, and Zayn says the MFT’s are going down in the 5 x 5 Survivor Series elimination match next week.

FrAxiom (Axiom and Nathan Frazer) vs DIY (Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano)

Candice LeRae is at ringside with DIY as usual. Fraxiom hit a bunch of double team stuff to start and wipe DIY out with a bunch of tope suicidas. Axiom hits a frog splash and Frazer follows with one of his own before covering Ciampa for two. Gargano tags in and fires a couple of rights at Frazer. Axiom tags in and eats a superkick from Gargano as Ciampa runs Frazer into the ring steps. We go to commercials.

Axiom gets a tag to Frazer who flies around before hitting a big cross body on Gargano before wiping Ciampa out with a kick. Frazer hits a running 450 and covers Gargano for two. Frazer ascends but misses his Phoenix splash attempt. DIY hit a quick Shatter Machine on Frazer and Ciampa’s cover gets two. Frazer gets a quick roll up on Ciampa for two, and Ciampa immediately responds with a big knee. Ciampa hits a big knee on Axiom, and he and Gargano hit an upside down superkick on Axiom. Gargano’s cover gets two. (This match is going approximately ONE MILLION MILES PER HOUR). Axiom and Gargano fight it out on a top turnbuckle and Axiom snaps off a Spanish Fly. Frazer hits a nasty looking tope on Ciampa as LeRae ascends to the apron AND REMOVES AXIOM’S MASK. Gargano snatches up Axiom and covers him for three.

There’s a lot to unpack here but I guess I’ll say this. FrAxiom are NEVER going to change their high speed tag work and I’m going to have to deal with it. Frazer doesn’t sell anything ever for longer than maybe a second or two, and realistically neither does Axiom. Gargano and Ciampa still being able to work at that breakneck pace at their ages speaks to their incredible conditioning. I didn’t love this, I have to be honest, but the finish was clever even if it basically came after Gargano didn’t sell a top rope Spanish Fly for very long. 2.5*

Winners – DIY (Gargano rolls up Axiom)

Rhea Ripley tells Charlotte Flair that what went down between them is because both of them want to be the best. Ripley says she’s willing to put it all to the side for War Games. Ripley says she respects Flair and if someone asked her who she wanted to go to war with, she’d say Flair’s name. Flair says Ripley can trust her, Ripley says the same, and they shake on it. (Trusting a Flair always works out for the best, as far as I know.)

Finn Balor makes his way to the ring as we go to commercials.

The Last Time Is Now Tournament: Finn Balor vs Penta

Cole points out that Balor was the person to eliminate Penta from this year’s Royal Rumble in the “continuity matters to us” moment. Balor attacks at the bell and goes to ground and pound. Balor stomps away and then works Penta over in a corner. Penta snaps off a rana and an enziguri before hitting a double stomp on Balor. Penta’s cover gets two. Balor fires up with a right but he misses a charge and Penta hits him with a sling blade. Penta hits a tope con hilo as we go to commercials.

Penta hits Balor with a headbutt when the show returns. Penta waffles Balor with a cross-body and both guys are down. Penta fires up with some clotheslines and then trips Balor into the turnbuckles. Penta covers and gets two. Balor snaps off an elbow to Penta’s chest and covers him for two. Balor bullies Penta with kicks, and Penta grabs Balor and slaps his chest a couple of times. Penta hoists Balor up for a backdrop muscle-buster like suplex and covers Balor for two. Penta snaps Balor’s elbow but Balor gets a sneaky roll up for two. Balor hits a sling blade and a shotgun dropkick before ascending. Balor misses the Coup De Grace and Penta uses La Magistral to get two. Penta hits a pumphandle driver and covers Balor for two. Penta hits the Mexican Destroyer and covers Balor for three.

Well, they don’t call him Pinn Balor for nothing. This was very good with both guys working very hard to try to figure out how to finish each other off. Penta moves on to face Solo Sikoa on Monday night, while Balor goes back to only being able to ever win tag matches. I enjoyed this one a bunch. 3.5*

Winner – Penta (Mexican Destroyer)

Cole and Graves run down the tournament brackets now that the first round is complete and Cole mentions that Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce are meeting to decide who will take the injured Sheamus’s place against LA Knight.

Here’s Solo Sikoa with the MFT’s and Solo threatens Penta for Monday night and Sami Zayn’s team for the 5 x 5 Elimination match. Sikoa says when the smoke clears and it’s just him and Zayn, he won’t hesitate to put him away.

The Women’s War Games team lead by Rhea Ripley make their way out to the ring as we go to commercials.

In order of intros, it goes Charlotte, Alexa, IYO, and then of course Rhea. They all get loud pops and you can tell something is going to go down as Ripley has put on her nose guard. Ripley mentions that the heels did not realize how united they turned out to be and she wants to go to war with people she trusts. Ripley puts over Bliss and Flair’s records and while they aren’t best friends she knows they can trust each other. Ripley introduces AJ Lee as the fifth member but as she emerges the heel team attacks everyone from behind in the ring. Lee comes flying down the aisle where she’s blindsided by Becky Lynch. The heels have the advantage until Ripley fires up, but Lynch grabs Ripley’s leg and Nia Jax smashes Ripley with a splash and the Annihilator. Lynch comes into the ring and shakes Asuka‘s hand. That will be your heel team for the Women’s War Games match.

The credits roll as the heels stand tall and we’re out.

Good show tonight, thumbs up from me. The pacing was good, the angles advanced and nothing actively annoyed me other than the tag match being at breakneck pace with zero selling, but at least the finish was clever. The LTIN tournament matches were both good and I enjoyed all the nonsense surrounding The Vision and Cody. Cody’s promo was very good and I’d like to see that side of him a bit more often. War Games looks to be a decent show and the show-closing angle tonight set up some juicy stuff on the Women’s side.

Thanks for reading and commenting. Enjoy your weekends, and make sure to patronize the other reviewers on the site.