WWE Smackdown 2/14/2025

WWE Smackdown 2/14/2025

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/02/wwe-smackdown-272025.html

We are in Washington, DC.

We see various wrestlers arrive. Wade Barrett and Vic Joseph are on commentary.

Cody Rhodes comes out to talk. He says Jey Uso chose Gunther so all eyes are on the Elimination Chamber to see who he faces. 

Cody says Solo Sikoa will not win at The Chamber and says he has not qualified for it nor does he have a way to. Cody says the samoan spike he took last week from Solo wasn't for him. Drew McIntyre comes out.

Drew complains about how Cody mentioned him and lists some of his past accolades. Drew said he hugged Cody because he was worried he was going to a dark place and said Cody tried to fight him over it. Drew said Cody made this personal.

Drew says maybe he has to remind Cody who he is. Cody said not many people beat him since he came to WWE but Drew is one of them and he hasn't forgotten.

Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga come out. Fatu says Drew got his spot in The Chamber. Fatu says he will dogwalk Priest and Braun tonight. He says he will then earn his way into The Chamber and go to Mania. He says he's then bringing the table home to his family where it shouldn't have left.

Drew says the people want to see Fatu and Drew fight right now. Drew says he has a spot in The Chamber though and says it won't happen. He leaves and says he thinks Fatu wants to talk to Cody.

Fatu stares at Cody. Cody says they can fight when Fatu wins at Elimination Chamber. We then see Solo Sikoa arrive in a car. Cody goes up to go see Solo. Fatu says he will go talk to him first. Cody says Fatu can get the first word but he will get the last.

Thoughts: This one didn't really accomplish much.

Tama Tonga is in the back. He asks where Solo is. A tech guy tells him then Fatu nails that guy and drops him.

Wade interviews Trish Stratus in the front row. He talks about her appearing at Royal Rumble and asks if she will be at The Elimination Chamber. She says its in her hometown but she has to decide if she is watching from the seats or a suite.

Chelsea Green vs Naomi

Bianca is with Naomi and Piper is with Green. Naomi backrolls Green then rolls her up for 2. Naomi crucifixes her for 2. Naomi slides out of a shot, up kicks her and axe kicks her. She then legdrops her for 2. Naomi meteora's her for 2. Green goes out, Naomi slides out after her and takes a pump kick.

We go to PiP break and return. Green is knocked off the buckles then Naomi top rope crossbodies her. Naomi hits flying lariats. Naomi superkicks her. Naomi tiger feint bulldogs her. Naomi legdrops her over the back of the neck.

Naomi high kicks her on the apron. Naomi piledrivers her over the 2nd rope. Naomi misses a split-legged moonsault then Green flying leg lariats her for 2. They trade pin attempts. Green 2nd rope backcrackers her while she's on the 2nd buckle for 2.

Naomi kicks her from the ropes then facebusters her. Naomi hits a split-legged moonsault and gets the win.

Thoughts: It wasn't that good. They had some sloppy moments here and there wasn't a lot of story to this. I suppose Naomi winning here means she gets a Women's US title shot. Naomi will now be in The Chamber with Bianca.

Sami Zayn does a video from his house. He says he hasn't been feeling great. He says his neck has nerve damage. He says he's been trying to come to terms with what happened with him and Owens. He says it's an inevitability that they turn on each other. Sami says this one is different.  Sami says KO hit a package piledriver on him to end his career. Sami doesn't get it. Sami says they look at things differently and he doesn't know when he will be cleared. He says when he is, him and Owens are gonna fight again. He says it won't be fun and he will see him soon.

We see clips of HHH telling Michelle McCool that she is going to be inducted into the HoF.

Thoughts: I liked McCool but she's not exactly the strongest HoF candidate ever. She didn't have a long or super memorable run.

We see clips from WWE LFG which airs Sunday. I'll be covering it, though not live.

The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) vs Los Garza (Berto and Angel)

Angel gets shots in on Sabin. Alex kicks Angel in the arm. Alex armbreakers him then takes a knee to the face. Berto is back body dropped to the floor when he tags in. Angel takes an atomic and a baseball slide in a sequence. Angel superkicks Sabin and Alex. Sabin takes a double kick on the ropes.

We go to break and return. Alex superkicks Angel. Sabin comes in and lceans house. Sabin la magistral's Berto for 2. Sabin step up enzugiri's him. Berto takes a top rope dropkick + flatliner cmbo for 2. Angel does a powerbomb + powerslam combo while Berto springboard kicks Sabin while he's held in the air by Angel.

Angel 2nd rope moonsaults Alex. Berto top rope moonsaults into Sabin's feet. Sabin superkicks him. Sabin topes both opponents outside. Berto takes a neckbreaker + top rope splash and is pinned.

Thoughts: It was on the shorter end of things but was action packed and was a decent high flying match. There was nothing wrong with this. 

We get a video on Damian Priest. He says he doesn't need to tell us who he is. He said he made it to the top and isn't taking a backseat to anyone. He says he doesn't know you when the bell rings. He says it's him and only him and that's all he ever needed.

Fatu throws stuff around in the back and is looking for Solo Sikoa. He finds him. He asks what's going on. Solo said he needed time off. He said ever since he lost the necklace, he hasn't been himself. He said he let them and the family down. He says he's okay now and is ready to go. He says he's ready to take over like they did before. Solo says they can only do it together as one. Solo says it starts with Fatu qualifying for The Chamber tonight. Solo says he loves him.

Shinsuke Nakamura comes out with facepaint and samurai gear on. He says he has waited four weeks for a worthy challenge. He says some other things I can't understand then LA Knight comes out.

LA says SN has been hiding in the shadows and waiting for a worthy contender. He calls it a bunch of BS. He says he planted him in the mat the last time they fought. La gets in the ring then The Miz interrupts.

The Miz comes out. He says LA is doing the same old shtick.He says the fans aren't smart and are basic. He says none of them are worthy. LA says Miz is going to say he's worthy and is going to brag about things he does. LA says Miz has been doing the same old shtick for 10 years, which is the last time he was relevant. LA says everyone is waiting for him to go away and tells him to do a farewell tour like Cena.

Miz pretends to cry. LA says Miz goes too far sometimes. He says Miz and Drew are at the top of crybaby b!tches. Miz says he touts his resume as guys like LA don't measure to him. The Miz says he wants to call his shot for the US Title. He says he wants to get a title on his way to Mania and says LA will be looking from the outside like he has all his career.

LA says Miz sucks and is a dork. He says he's not championship material. Miz tries to attack him, gets caught then Miz slides out.

Nick Aldis comes out. He says Miz and LA are looking for a fight and SN needs a US Title challenge. Nick says LA and Miz should fight now.

LA Knight vs The Miz

This is joined in progress. Miz misses a corner move and gets stomped on. LA running knees Miz. LA goes over Miz in the corner then powerslams him. LA takes a stun gun.

Miz leg lariats LA on the ropes. Miz running boots him. Miz hits elbows on LA. LA back body drops Miz over the top and dropkicks him through the ropes. LA bangs Miz's head off the commentary table. LA has words for Nakamura then gets sent into the commentary table and the steps.

LA neckbreakers Miz then powerslams him. LA elbow drops him for 2. LA is pulled down on the buckles then Miz flatliners him for 2. Miz short ddt's LA for 2. LA hits a BFT on Miz. LA top rope blow drops Miz and picks up the win.

Thoughts: I didn't like this one much. These two are pretty similar in the ring and both are limited wrestlers. The set-up to this wasn't that good either.

Nakamura gets in the ring. He holds his title up at him. They go face to face but nothing else happens.

Nia Jax, Alexa Bliss and Candice LeRae talk in the back. Alexa says she hopes she does better against Tiff then LeRae does. Alexa says her and Lily were saying they could face each other in The Chamber. We then see a Wyatt's video clip during this.

The Miz is in the back. Andrade says he watched his match. He says he can teach him something if he wants, just let him know. Miz just shakes his head. Carmelo Hayes comes up to Miz. He says Andrade doesn't respect talent like them. Miz says they should show him what happened if they don't respect him. Miz says they should team up and says, "Melo don't miss". Melo then walks off.

We see clips from earlier. Melo is getting his hair cut. R-Truth comes up to him. Melo says he had to show Tozawa that he's him. Truth thinks Melo means his name is Tozawa. They argue about this. He says Melo is the reason toothpaste got instructions. Melo gets mad and says let's see how funny that is in the ring.

R-Truth vs Carmelo Hayes

Melo hits Truth from behind. Truth hiptosses Melo. Melo hits a springboard lariat. Truth hits flying shoulders the blue thunders Melo. Melo superkicks him then Truth hits a suplex lift into a stunner. Melo hits a jumping codebreaker for 2. Truth rolls up Melo for 2.

Melo hits a hard lariat to the back of the neck. Melo hits a top rope legdrop on the back of Truth's neck and wins.

Thoughts: It was a short squash for the most part. Melo won as expected and it wasn't much.

The Street Profits do a promo. Dawkins says they ruffled feathers but were just telling the truth. Dawkins says Pretty Deadly, Los Garza, DIY and Motor City are getting put in the dirt if they get in their way. Ford says he loves it. Ford says they gon' know the frustration that's been in them for years. Ford says they make it seem like everything is okay when it's not. Ford says they want smoke.

Byron Saxton interviews Pretty Deadly. Elton says they feel like two tasty snacks. Kit says they are done being underestimated. DIY walk in. Gargano says they are disappointed as he thought they had something special. Elton said they stood up for themselves. Ciampa says they were good them but says whatever happens next week is on them. Ciampa says their dreams of becoming NXT tag champs are dead. He says they will give their careers a proper moment of silence next week.

Kevin Owens does a video from his car. He says Sami says he's not doing good but he says he's not doing good. He said he had his heart broken by three guys over the last year. KO says Sami doesn't know what real pain is. He says he'll show him. He says he can't think of a better place than in Canada. He says to go to Elimination Chamber to come find him and then he will know pain.

WWE Women's Title - Tiffany Stratton (c) vs Nia Jax

Nia hits corner spears. Nia corner splashes her. Tiff cartwheels out of a throw. Tiff tries to trip her then Nia pop-up headbutts her. Tiff handspring back elbows her then takes a pop-up samoan drop.

Nia talks trash. Tiff hits forearms then Nia slams her. Nia legdrops her for 2. We see Charlotte Flair watching in the back. Nia hip attacks her against the post. Nia then elbow drops her for 2.

We go to break and return. Tiff hits forearms. They botch a roll-up spot for 2. Tiff botches a spinebuster for 2. Tiff double stomps her for 2. Tiff handsprings and backflips but is caught and slammed chest first. Nia legdrops her on the back of the neck for 2.

Nia is tripped on the buckles and hangs from the top. Tiff top rope double stomps her down for 2. Tiff is crotched up top. Nia headbutts her. Nia 2nd rope samoan drops her for 2. Nia 2nd rope legdrops her for 2.

We go to break and return. Nia goes into the post. Tiff top rope moonsaults her outside. Tiff hits a top rope swanton for 2. Tiff tries to pick her up but Nia falls down on her. Nia goes up to the 2nd rope and ends up doing a butt drop to nothing.

Tiff then throws her on another spinebuster. Tiff goes for a prettiest moonsault ever then LeRae hits her on the buckles for the DQ.

Thoughts: They had the right idea but had too many sloppy spots here for me to put this over. It's a shame too because I thought they had the logic down right and both girls were trying. The finish was dumb with LeRae getting her buddy DQ'd in a title match on purpose.

Nia corner splashes Tiff then banzai drops her. LeRae grabs a chair. Trish Stratus knocks LeRae away and fights the heels. Nia corner splashes Trish. Officials then come out to stop this. 

Nia then legdrops Tiff on the back of the neck.

Charlotte Flair comes out while Tiff is still down. Flair sits down in a chair. She tells Tiffy to wake up. Flair says, "The Queen chooses you" and says she will see her at Wrestlemania.

Nick Aldis talks to Naomi and Bianca Belair. He says he had a video about what happened with Jade. He shows them it. It seems like Liv Morgan and Raquel are walking outside in the area where Jade got attacked. Bianca says they already know it was then. Nick says they don't know yet. Bianca says they go to raw and handle Liv and Raquel themselves.

We see more clips of WWE LFG.

Byron interviews Tiffany Stratton in the back. She says Flair will know it's Tiffy Time. She says it's hard to focus on that though after what Nia and LeRae did to her. Trish says her and Tiffy should team up against Nia and LeRae at Elimination Chamber. Tiff agrees.

Jimmy Uso and Drew McIntyre talk in the back. Drew says Flair, Tiff and Jey got their paths to Mania. Drew says Jimmy isn't on the Mania card. Drew says Jimmy is angry and he can see it in his eyes. Drew says Jimmy's career is going in the toilet but he married up. Jimmy then superkicks him. 

Braun says he knows he has his hands full be he's a former champ and it's been 5 years since he held gold. He says he will run through his opponents tonight then run through Elimination Chamber. He says he's coming for Cody and hopes he's watching.

Elimination Chamber Qualifier - Damian Priest vs Jacob Fatu vs Bruan Strowman

BS facekicks Fatu then corner lariats DP. BS clubs on Fatu's back. Fatu uppercuts him. BS takes a double shoulder out. Fatu and DP trade. Fatu uppercuts him then DP flying back elbows him. Fatu flying back elbows DP.

Fatu slams DP for 2. Fatu and DP trade then BS crossbodies both together. BS lariats both over the top. We go to PiP break and return. Fatu is pulled out and sent into the rails by BS. BS runs at him and is sent into the steps. Fatu hits him with the steps.

DP and Fatu trade. DP spinningheel kicks him. DP flying back elbows him. DP tries to walk the top rope but is pulled into a samoan drop. Fatu then topes BS. Fatu top rope swantons DP for 2.

Fatu superkicks DP. We get a tower of doom spot with DP getting superplexed and Fatu getting powerbombed. BS running lariats Fatu then back body drops him. DP flatliners Fatu on the commentary table. BS then pounces DP over the commentary table. 

DP chokeslams Fatu on the table. Fatu superkicks and hip attacks BS multiple times. Fatu puts a chair around BS's neck. BS takes it off then chairs Fatu. BS puts the chair around Fatu's neck. Solo Sikoa comes out and samoan spikes BS. Fatu top rope moonsaults BS. Cody Rhodes runs out after Solo. They fight and Fatu is sent into the post. Tama Tonga hits Cody from behind. Solo spikes Tama when Cody moves. Fatu looks mad at Solo. DP clears off Solo and Fatu. Cody hits a cross rhodes on Solo on the floor. Fatu corner spears the post. DP hits a south of heaven chokeslam on BS and wins.

Thoughts: It was a good match as expected. They didn't quite go all out but they did enough here. It was fun with lots of heavyweight spots then all the carnage at the end. I was surprised Priest won. I figured Fatu would get the shot for sure as Priest doesn't really fit in anywhere now and Fatu would have provided another heel in a face heavy chamber match. Priest isn't winning The Chamber though so it doesn't really matter.

Overall thoughts: It was a good show but it was a bit long at 3 hours. They did a little bit better of a job filling the time than they had been though and seem to be getting more comfortable with it. I didn't think anything was must see here and thought some of the matches weren't that great, but having a good main helped. Tiff and Nia tried but they had an off night. I'd give this one a 6 out of 10 but I didn't think there was anything you really need to see here, so I wouldn't recommend this.