WWE Smackdown 4/25/2025

WWE Smackdown 4/25/2025

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/04/wwe-smackdown-4182025.html

We are in Fort Worth, TX.

We see various wrestlers arrive.

We get a long Wrestlemania package.

John Cena comes out. He calls in the ring announcer. He has him read from a piece of paper. The announcer says his announcement was deemed disrespectful. He then has to call Cena the greatest of all-time and says he's the last real champion.

Randy Orton comes out before Cena can say anything. Orton says in a few months, it'll be 25 years since they first shoot hands. Orton said Cena never changed up until recently. He says there's a void in Cena that needs fulfillment.

Orton said children looked up to Cena and he made them better. He says surely that must mean something to him. He says Cena can't say all the sick Make-A-Wish kids he meant didn't leave with a piece of his heart. He said he figured out how to fill the void. He says Cena needs to have kids. He said then he would get in a better place. 

Cena says "How dare you?". He says Orton "parent-shamed" him and says good for Orton that he has kids and he loves them. Cena says he doesn't have kids because he spent the last 25 years raising the fans' kids. He says he's done an impeccable job. He says he's been a better parent to the fans' kids than they could be. Cena says that's why he doesn't have kids - he's been policing kids for a quarter of a centure. He tells a kid not to bring a knife to a gun fight.

Orton says the fans are why Cena is here. Orton says the fans are the biggest reason Cena is standing in the ring with him today. Orton says he's a piece of furniture here and is here to stay. He says Cena is a guest. Cena said he used to think he won together with the fans, but says they didn't win anything, he did.

Cena says the fans don't mean anything to him and says Orton is a hypocrite like them. Cena says the fans are manipulating the truth to make them feel good that they did nothing good with their lives. Cena insults the fans. Cena says he was criticized for trying to do something different.

Orton says he was stupid and says his words aren't penetrating Cena's skull. Orton says wrestling gave him everything. Cena tells him to shut his mouth. Cena says he has won his 17th and Orton has only won 14. He says Orton is forever frozen at 14. Cena says he wants to make sure 3 generations of Orton's family is erased when he leaves here. Orton challenges him to put his title on the line and fight him right now.

Cena says no. Cena says he's doing it to save Orton's @ss. He says there should be a match between them, but it shouldn't happen here. He says it should be at Backlash. He tells him to rest and be at his best so he has no excuses. Cena throws the title at him and says this is as close to the title as he will get. Cena then stomps on him. Cena misses a shot with the title and Orton RKO's him. Orton then poses with the title on the buckles.

Thoughts: Like Cody/Cena, they are skipping the obvious story. These are two long time rivals maybe fighting for the last time. Instead of focusing on that, they are focusing on the Cena vs the fans stuff and it's just not as good.

We get a package of Fraxiom, who they say are arriving on Smackdown.

Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom) vs Los Garza (Angel and Berto)

Berto backs up Ax on the ropes. Ax flying headscissors him then dropkicks him. Berto is held in an octopus for a running boot from NF. Ax kicks Agnel in the gut then dropkicks him out. NF topes Angel then Ax hits a tope. NF then tope con hilos both. Ax then moonsaults off the top onto both opponents outside. Angel holds the ropes open and Ax falls outs.

We go to PiP break and return. NF tags in and hits a springboard shot on Berto. NF flying forearms Berto then slingblades him. NF asai moonsaults into a reverse ddt on him. NF running ssp's him for 2. Berto corkscrew kicks him. NF dropkicks him. NF asai moonsaults and is caught with an Angel superkick.

NF is double gorilla press slammed off the top. Berto top rope moonsaults NF for 2. Ax and Angel trade shots. Angel pumping knees him and takes an enzugiri. Ax hits a top rope spanish fly on Angel. NF top rope phoenix splashes Angel and wins.

Thoughts: It was a shorter one and thankfully Fraxiom won. I would have had them just win a squash here though as it hurt Los Garza's some. They didn't have time to make it great so it wasn't too much of note.

Tiffany Stratton comes out. She said she went toe to toe with Charlotte Flair and she prevailed in the end. She says there's only one Charlotte Flair but also only one Tiffany Stratton.

Jade Cargill comes out. She says she came out to give credit and said the match with Flair was impressive, but it just put a bigger target on her back. She says she has nothing but time as her business with Naomi is done. She says it's time to show everyone why she came to be champ. She says beating Charlotte doesn't make her the best especially since she hasn't fought her. Tiff says to get a ref and let's do it right here, right now.

Tiffany Stratton vs Jade Cargill

They lock up. Jade waistlock takedowns her. Tiff side headlocks her. Jade shoulders her over. Tiff rolls her up for 2. Tiff side headlocks her. Jade armdrags her. Jade is armdragged then Jade hits a backbreaker. Jade is tripped into the ropes then Tiff hip attacks her there.

Jade spinebusters her. Tiff rolls her up for 2 and hits a spinebuster for 2. Tiff handspring back elbows her. Tiff boots her in the corner then does another handspring backflip back elbow for 2.

We go to break and return. They trade shots. Tiff hits boots and knees. Tiff finlay rolls her. Jade blocks Tiff cartwheel alabama slam and hits a sitout powerbomb. Jade catches Tiff's handspring back elbow. Tiff basement dropkicks her for 2. Jade 2nd rope superplexes her. Naomi then comes down and tries to beat up Jade but totally misses multiple times. Jade wins via DQ.

Thoughts: It wasn't anything that great. Tiff slipped some on a moonsault attempt and she did a lot of handspring back elbows here. Jade still isn't the cleanest worker ever. I wasn't surprised Naomi interfered as I didn't buy that their feud was done.

Naomi throws Jade into the post after shoulder first several times. Tiff comes in and stares down Naomi, who leaves. Nia Jax then hits Tiff from behind after not being around for a while. Nia bangs Tiff's head off the mat. Nia then banzai drops her. Nia then holds the title up.

Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa come out. Fatu gets a chant. Solo says everyone saw that Fatu is the future, which he already knew. He says nobody wanted Fatu here except him. Solo says he's the reason Fatu is the champ and brought him here. Fatu said he took him from the streets and made him champ. He says this is what happens when you love your family. Fatu then takes the mic away.

Fatu said he told him the US Title would come to the family and he said he told him he would do it with or without him and he did. Fatu says he knows this title makes him America's Most Wanted and a menace to society. He says Solo better get in where he fits in. 

LA Knight comes out. He said he told Fatu he would eat a BFT and he did. He says Fatu capitalized and beat him. LA says everyone told him he had a hell of a match but he's not worried about it. He's worried about winning and taking the title. He says he wants his rematch right now.

Drew McIntyre comes out. Drew says it's not always easy being him, but says it is for him. He says he's been screwed over time and time again. He said he had to get through the last roadblock and beat Damian Priest at Mania in one of the most violent matches in Mania history. He says it was a pleasure to embarrass him in front of his own family. He says then Orton jumped the line for a title shot.

Drew says he wants to fight the baddest dog and champ in the yard. He says he wants to fight Fatu. LA says to wake him up when this mush mouth is done. Drew says he always has jokes and says the only joke was LA's last US Title run. LA said he'd say his last US Title run was a joke but he can't remember it. LA tells Drew to show him how much he deserves the US Title.

Nick Aldis comes out. He says LA and Drew can fight in a #1 Contender for the US Title match tonight.

Zelina Vega is interviewed. She says she's speechless because she wanted the women's US Title for so long. She says she wants to bring latino heat to the match tonight. 

WWE Women's United States Title - Chelsea Green (c) vs Zelina Vega

CG misses a charge and takes shots. Vega gets a 2 count on her. Vega trips her from the apron then CG dropkicks Vega off the apron. Vega's head is banged off the side of the ring by Alba Fyre then Piper Niven sentons Vega. We go to break and return.

They are on the 2nd rope. CG 2nd rope germans her. Vega hits lariats then running knees her in the corner. Vega hits a 2nd rope diving meteora for 2. Vega gets distracted by Alba then she backcrackers CG. Piper trips Vega from the outside. The ref sees it and Piper/Alba are ejected.

CG hits Vega from behind. Vega then hits a code red and wins.

Thoughts: Well when the get as many shots as it feels like Vega has been getting, eventually they will win. The match wasn't that great but Green was doing more with the title than Vega will and I'm not a big fan of the title change. Vega's code red that she used to win was more of a sunset flip.

We see Carmelo Hayes and The Miz with the Andre trophy. Miz tells him he will go down as the greatest Andre battle royal winner of allt ime. He said he has a vision for him and gives him a gift. It's a gold necklace with Andre's face on it. Melo says it's bigger than him and represents the chip on his shoulder. He says he refuses to be denied and is 7 feet tall with this on him. he says he's the 10th wonder of the world and is "him". Miz says he inspired him and is going to the ring to make his own moment.

We go to break and return. The Miz is in the ring. Miz said he wasn't mentioned on Mania and didn't have a match. He said he main evented Wrestlemania and beat Cena there, which is something Cody couldn't do. He says Rey went looking for someone to fill his boots and found someone who was there for 2 weeks. He says what does he have to do? Wear a lucha mask and call himself Rey?

He says KO goes down and Orton needed an opponent. They didn't want someone who had beaten Orton, they wanted someone who is a meme. He says he's sick and tired of people showing up who he is a bigger star than and can't lace his boots. He says he's an A-Lister and says not to forget he's The Miz and he's awesome.

The lights go out and Aleister Black/Malakai Black appears. Miz asks "who the hell..." then gets spin kicked in the face. Miz is then out.

Thoughts: I liked The Miz's promo here and thought it made a lot of sense. At least they gave Black something to do on his return, but I'm not a big fan of his and not excited to see him back.

Bianca Belair is interviewed. She has some broken fingers and has a cast on. She says things didn't go her way but she's proud of what they did at Mania. She says Rhea found a way to slip her way into the match she didn't earn. She says she's focused on healing up and says she has unfinished business when she returns.

Nia Jax talks to Naomi in the back. She says she doesn't care about her revenge with Jade but says to stay out of the way with her and Tiff and the title. Naomi says "as long as you proceed with caution".

#1 Contender to the US Title - Drew McIntyre vs LA Knight

Drew waistlock takedowns him and poses. LA then does it, messes with his hair and poses. LA side headlocks him. Drew shoulders him over and messes with LA's hair. LA leapfrogs into a jumping back elbow then he backdrops him. LA hits him in the back of the head. Drew double throat thrusts him. 

They trade shots. LA's neck is pulled down over the top. Drew knocks him off the apron into the rails. Drew brainbusters him for 2. LA tries to go up and over and is hit in the gut. Drew stops on him in the corner.

Drew clubs and knees LA. LA suplexes him. LA russian legsweeps him then hits a jumping neckbreaker for 2. Drew headbutts him and LA rolls him up out of a ddt. LA boots him out of the corner. LA double jump elbow drops him for 2.

Drew's throat is pulled down over the top and LA dropkicks him through the ropes. LA bangs Drew's head off the commentary table. Solo Sikoa comes out and samoan spikes LA from behind outside. Drew sees whaht happened and is bothered. Drew goes for the claymore kick but Damian Priest pulls Drew out. DP then pounds on him.

Thoughts: What we got of this was okay with the two working well together but sadly, there was no finish.

DP throws Drew over the rail. DP chokeslams Drew through a table. LA and DP argue then Fatu topes both. Fatu beats up DP and LA in the ring. He double jump moonsaults LA then corner hip attacks DP.  Fatu then poses over both.

R-Truth talks to John Cena in the back. He says he's glad he won the title and says he's been his hero since the beginning. He tells Cena to call him if he needs him. Cena just looks annoyed and walks off. Jimmy Uso goes up to Truth and asks when Cena became whack. Truth says there's 2 sides to every story and he's a real world champ. He says he will be like him when he becomes champ. Jimmy says he's already grown up.

WWE Tag Titles - TLC Match - The Street Profits (Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins) (c) vs DIY (Tomasso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano) vs The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin)

Ciampa has his beard shaved off here. He had some accident and got his chin busted open which forced him to gut it.

DIY stomp on The Profits in the corner. DIY have a ladder kicked into their faces. The Guns hit corner punches on The Profits. The Guns attack people in the corners. Ciampa is held for a basement dropkick. Sabin goes to tope JG but topes into a chair. Ciampa chairs Ford then AD pounces Ciampa over the commentary table. JG's head is banged off the post.

AD climbs a ladder. Alex pulls his leg through a ladder rung and dragon screws it. JG is double teamed by The Guns then Ciampa is as well. Ciampa is thrown into the side of the ladder. Ford has the ladder tipped over into his head. AD hits corkscrew splashes in the corner. AD is crotched up top. The Guns then stand on his crotch in tree of woe. 

AD has a chair in his face and Alex baseball slides it. Alex holds a chair in Ford's face and Sabin top rope dropkicks it. Ford tope con hilos over the post onto his opponents. Ciampa and Ford fight on a ladder. JG sets up a ladder near them. JG jumps off the ladder and flatliners Ford down. Ciampa goes for the titles but AD stops him.

AD hits a big ending on JG off the ladder. Ciampa and Sabin are pushed off the ladder into the ropes but they kind of seem to save themselves. Ciampa chairs The Guns. Alex has a chair around his neck and JG chairs the chair. Sabin takes a brainbuster on an open chair.

AD gets chaired by DIY. Ford punches JG then twisting double underhook drops JG onto two chair tops. Ciampa is superkicked on the apron. Ciampa is in the electric chair outside then Ford jumps over the top into a blockbuster on him and other opponents. Ford grabs a fan's fake leg and hits JG with it. 

A ladder is bridged and Ford's head is banged off of it. Ford's head is banged off the bottom of a table. Sabin top rope splashes AD through a table. Ciampa is on a table and Ford tope con hilos him through it.

Ford superkicks Ciampa on the apron. Ciampa facekicks him. Ciampa air raid crashes Ford off the apron through a bridged ladder. Sabin and JG stand on a table. Alex slingshots in and they do skull and bones on JG on the ladder. Ciample climbs the ladder and ends up hanging off the title belt holder. The Guns then use him as a pinata with chairs. The Guns put a table under him. AD spears Ciampa as he hangs and sends him through a table.

JG throws a chair at Alex's head while he's on the ladder. JG and Sabin fight on the ladder. Sabin knocks him off and Ford springboards onto the ladder. Ford knocks Sabin off. JG puts Ford between the ladder rungs and superkicks him. JG and Sabin fight on the ladder. Ford climbs the ladder from the side so 3 people are n the ladder. Ford bangs their heads off the ladder. Ford then unhooks the tag titles and wins.

Thoughts: It was great. We hadn't seen one in a while so it really stuck out. It was a PPV worthy match and it's a shame we didn't get to see this on Mania where it would have been even better. It got more than enough time to play out with no breaks which was cool. They went all out here with multiple table and ladder bumps and creative spots. They timed it well. This was an easy match of the year candidate for me and maybe the best match I've seen so far this year. This is a must see.

The Profits celebrate in the crowd after.

Overall thoughts: The main was a classic and that's really all that matters here. It was a must see match that should have been on Mania. They went all out and it was everything you could want and more. Nothing else was that great here, but who cares when you get a classic as the main? Other than that, I was disappointed that Cena/Orton is going back to the Cena vs the fans formula instead of them hyping up what may be the last meeting between two of WWE's biggest stars. I didn't like Vega beating Green but they have too many women's titles and not enough girls so it was inevitable. Tiff/Jade wasn't that good. I liked Miz's promo. Fraxiom made their main roster debut and did okay and Aleister Black returned. I'd give this an 8 out of 10, though it probably should be higher because it was a big Smackdown with a lot of things happening. You have to go see the main here but really, the rest of the show was so-so.