WWE Smackdown 5/23/2025

WWE Smackdown 5/23/2025

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/05/wwe-smackdown-5162025.html

Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore are on commentary. 

We see various wrestlers arrive. Damien Priest attacks Drew McIntyre as Drew arrives and they fight. They go into the rollaway door and boxes and security breaks them up.

Tiffany Stratton comes out to talk. She says she remains champ. She said she beat Flair and Nia. Alexa Bliss comes out. She says they never formally met. She says she has had her eye on Tiff. She said she felt bad for Flair but you can't. She says she needs the MITB briefcase. She says it's not personal, it's business. She says she likes Nia and doesn't know Tiff.

She says Tiff better pray she doesn't win the briefcase as if she thinks her rise to the top was quick, just wait for the downfall. Charlotte Flair comes out. Flair says she's humble and congratulates Tiff for winning at Mania. She says she did everything she needed to in this business except with MITB. She says so be it if that's the path she has to take. She says she plans on taking back the title and spotlight. She says when she wants something, she doesn't wait, she just takes it.

Tiff said Flair said cashing in for the title was the easy way out and asks why she wants to do this. Tiff says Bliss and Flair are too vintage for her. She says it will always be Tiffy Time as long as she is champ. 

Tiff goes to leave and Giulia enters.

Women's MITB Qualifier - Giulia vs Charlotte Flair vs Zelina Vega

G = Giulia

G and CF stare down. Vega gets in the way and CF throws her out. Vega then rolls up G for 2. Vega flying headscissors CF then G boots Vega. Vega is lifted and headscissors G. CF fallway slams Vega. CF throws G into a spear on Vega. G trips CF then curbstomps her.

G then twists CF's neck with her feet. G hits forearms on CF. CF chops back. They double clothesline each other down. Vega hits a double ddt off a double suplex attempt. Vega corner meteora's CF. CF facekicks G off the apron.

Vega 2nd rope moonsaults on both opponents outside. We go to PiP break and return. CF piefaces G and asks if she knows who she is. G slaps her then knees her in the gut. CF enzugiri's G on the apron. Vega is caught off the 2nd rope then takes takes an electric chair drop while G top rope dropkicks CF.

The girls all hit shots and G gets a 2 count on CF. CF hits a top rope double crossbody on both opponents. Vega la mistica drops CF into a dragon sleeper. CF lariats Vega. 

CF hits a top rope moonsault on both opponents for 2. G does a rings of saturn on CF. Vega 619's CF. G headbutts both opponents. CF rolling spears G for 2. G cradles CF for 2. CF figure fours G and Vega breaks it with a meteora. Vega code red's G for 2.

CF misses a corner spear. CF facekicks Vega. CF figure fours Vega and G breaks its up with a top rope double stomp. G hits a northern lights bomb on Vega and wins.

Thoughts: The crowd didn't know who Giulia was and didn't care that much. It was a bit long for the first match of the night and I didn't really like Flair losing here. It was your usual 3-way with some awkward moments and it was hard to get any flow going in it.

DIY do a promo. Ciampa says when they take a step forward, they feel The Machine Guns take a breath on their neck. Ciampa says they are your favorite tag team's favorite tag teams. He says Fraxiom is here and adding to the delusion. Ciampa says something needs to change and it begins tonight when he faces Sabin 1v1. He says when this all done, we are looking at the 3x tag champs DIY. 

Zelina Vega is in pain in the back. Chelsea Green comes up to her with her crew. She says it's amazing how can be champ and still be a loser. Vega hits her then Piper and Alba attack. B-Fab and I think Michin helps out. Aldis and others then stop it. Aldis then sets up a match for tonight.

Tomasso Ciampa vs Chris Sabin

TC backs up Sabin in the corner then Sabin armdrags him. Sabin side headlocks him then shoulders him over. Sabin hits an armdrag. Sabin armdrags him. TC back elbows him. TC stomps Sabin in the corner.

TC chops Sabin then stomps his face. Sabin flying headscissors TC then armdrags him. TC throws a jacket at Sabin then ddt's him over the 2nd rope. Sabin is then sent into the rails. We go to break and return. 

Sabin lariats TC then legsweeps him. Sabin germans him. Sabin hits a step up kick for 2. They chop each other on the apron. TC air raid crashes him on the apron. Sabin dragon screws him. Sabin springboard tornado ddt's him for 2. Gargano distracts Sabin on the apron. Alex Shelley backs him off. TC is sent out and Sabin triangle planchas him and Gargano.

TC comes off the buckles and he holds his leg on the mat. Candice LaRae then comes out and pulls Chris' throat over the top rope. TC pumping knees Sabin and wins.

Thoughts: I didn't like it. The air raid crash on the apron should have ended this one. This also had a dirty finish. They weren't doing anything with LaRae lately, so they put her with Gargano. I guess the partnership with Nia is done.

Fraxiom is interviewed in the back. NF says it's the biggest night of their lives. Ax says to think about when they dreamt of this. Ax says they could become tag champs but says The Street Profits are nothing but a step to their path to greatness. NF says if they beat The Profits again, they can become tag champs. 

Damian Priest and Drew McIntyre fight in the entrance way and aisle. DP's head is banged off the apron and security tries to break them up. DP says he will send him to the hospital tomorrow but will get his pound of flesh now. They then fight more.

Bloodline talk in the back. Solo says JC and Fatu will be on the same page tonight in the tag match. Fatu wants to talk in private and Solo says he can say it in front of JC. Fatu says he doesn't know, trust or like JC. He says he doesn't like what Solo has going on and didn't need help from his at Backlash. He says JC isn't his blood or family. Solo says we need to take that aggression out in the match tonight. Solo tries to do Fatu's lines and Fatu says that's not it. Fatu says he will see them tonight.

Michin and B-Fab vs The Secret Hervice (Piper Niven and Alba Fyre)

Fab and Piper pound on each other. Alba holds down Fab for a senton. Alba foots Fab in the corner. Piper cobra cltuches Fab. Piper black hole slams her for 2. Fab knees Piper and both tag out.

Mich hits lariats on Alba then hits a hard dropkick. Mich flying headscissors Alba. Mich high kicks Piper then shiranui's her off of Alba. Chelsea Green gets on the apron and Zelina Vega attacks her. Fab lariats Piper off the apron. Alba takes a soul foot then Fab twisting facebusters Piper to win.

Thoughts: It was a short one and wasn't too much of note. I don't know if I've ever seen Fab do that finisher before or really any finisher as she rarely ever wins.

The Street Profits are interviewed. Dawkins says it's a big night for them and Fraxiom. He says they got one of them but this is no friendly exhibition. He says we will see if the moment is too big for Fraxiom. Ford says they will walk out champs.

The Bloodline then walk in but nothing is said.

We see Legado del Fantasma at a restaurant. Santos says they are familia and there's good moments and sometimes fighting. He says he knows what they are capable of when they are together. Berto says it's a stupid pep talk and Santos says it's business. Santos says on June 7th at World's Collide, they will come together as the best this house has to offer. Santos says this is an opportunity to stand in front of "our people". Santos asks Berto to see the vision. Berto leaves. Santos says to let him go and says soon he will understand.

Jimmy Uso talks to Rey Fenix. He says they fought each other last week but fight together tonight. Rey says let's show the people who they are. They then do high fives.

The Bloodline (Jacob Fatu and JC Mateo) vs Rey Fenix and Jimmy Uso

Uso hits chops on JC then is shouldered over. JC stomps him. Uso spinning enzugiri's Fatu. Uso helps Rey up into a kick and a headscissors on Fatu. JC takes superkicks from both opponents then a double superkick. Uso helps Rey up top and Rey tornillos outside off the top.

We go to break and return. JC punches and lariats Uso over. He then standing moonsaults him. Fatu hits a corner hip attack. Fatu sentons Uso's back. Fatu corner hip attacks Uso. Uso corkscrew moonsaults JC off the top. Rey comes in and hits forearms on Fatu. Rey spin kicks Fatu then enzugiri's him. Rey rope walk kicks JC then diving headscissors Fatu.

Rey swing kicks Fatu in the head then poisonrana's him for 2. Fatu pop-up samoan drops Rey. Fatu misses a corner hip attack. Rey flips out of a german. Uso top rope crossbodies JC but Fatu breaks it up with a senton. Rey springboard dropkicks Fatu out. He tries to rope him but is ramed into the apron then thrown over the commentary desk. Uso hits superkicks. Solo distracts Uso.

JC spinning powerslams Uso and wins.

Thoughts: I liked it but Rey's selling was very poor here as usual. JC also didn't get as much offense in as he should have though he did win. The faces flew around and the heels tossed them around which made for a good mix here. 

LA Knight is interviewed in the back. He says Solo is in MITB and can watch him take the briefcase. He says the odds are against him in MITB but he still stands here. He says he will walk into MITB. He says he has to beat 2 people tonight and is walking and talking MITB.

R-Truth comes out to talk. He says everyone keeps asking how he will handle fighting his childhood hero. He says he doesn't recognize the man that attacked him. He said he doesn't know how he could have prevented this. He says it's power. He says Cena used to call him his fiend and brother, but the more power and fame he got, the more disconnected he got.

He said Cena stopped calling him and texting him. He said everything he did was wrong. He said then he talked to others and they felt the same way. Truth says it's not the championship, it's Cena's ego. He says he doesn't like who Cena has become and says he's not happy.

He says Cena is the greatest of all time. He says he doesn't know if he can bring him back but he will try. He says Cena won't take his joy from him. He says he doesn't want to put his hands on him but will beat the hustle, loyalty and respect into him. He says he misses his hero and says on Saturday, if Cena wins, we riot.

Thoughts: It was a different promo from Truth than usual with him not acting like an idiot here. It was fine and explained things well but it probably should have happened sooner.

Nia Jax says she only cares about the title but when someone ruins her chances at the title, she will ruin their chances. Jade says she refuses to let anyone take anything from her. Naomi says she's taking her revenge. Nia says she will annihilate everyone in her path until she gets what she want. The three girls then say they will take the contract.

Men's MITB Qualifier - Aleister Black vs Shinsuke Nakamura vs LA Knight

SN hits both then is hit by both. SN takes a euro to the back + legsweep combo. LA and AB hammerlock each other. LA dropkicks him in the knee then AB chest kicks him. LA hits a neckbreaker then stomps him in the corner. LA is tripped and sent out.

SN and AB trade kicks. AB hits knees and forearms. AB is on the 2nd rope and LA jumps up top and superplexes him. SN 2nd rope jumping knees LA. We go to break and return. AB hits kicks on SN then sliding knees him. SN asai moonsaults him for 2.

LA hits a chest drop burning hammer on AB for 2. SN sends La into the steps. SN slaps AB and they trade forearms. They trade spinning back elbows. SN koppo kicks AB. LA sends SN out. AB jumping knees LA out. AB 2nd rope moonsaults SN outside. AB then tope con hilos LA after being thrown in.

LA ddt's him then elbow drops him. SN running knees LA. SN sends AB into the post shoulder first and reverse slams him. SN runs into a spinning high kick from AB then LA steals the pin.

Thoughts: The Black vs Nakamura sections were good here with the two trading nice kicks and strikes. They did protect AB some here by not having him take the pin, but a win would have helped him a lot more. This was alright.

Melo Don't Miz talk in the back. Melo likes seeing Black lose. Miz tries to get him to listen to him. Miz puts over the importance of MITB. Miz says he's going to help Melo win MITB and the title and tries to get him on board with the plan. Miz says they are Melo Don't Miz and they are awes-him.

The Bloodline talk in the back. Nick Aldis goes up to him. He says Fatu is in next week's Men's MITB Qualifier. JC isn't pleased and Solo says both of us will be in it and we both can win. Fatu says he loves Solo. 

Bianca Belair talks about the last few months of her career. She says it's been rough with her losing friends and getting injured.

WWE Tag Titles - The Street Profits (c) (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) vs Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom)

AD pushes Ax back. AD armlocks him. NF side headlock takeovers him. AD shoulders NF over. AD and NF slow things down and NF enzugiri's him. Ford takes kicks from Fraxiom then NF topes Ford outside. Ax then topes AD outside. NF hits a tope con hilo outside. Ax then hits a top rope moonsault outside.

We go to PiP break and return. AD chinlocks Ax. AD corkscrew splashes Ax in the corner. Ax 2nd rope diving ddt's AD. NF comes in and hits shots on Ford. He runs the ropes and running kicks him. NF then hits a slingblade. NF running ssp's him for 2. NF slips on a springboard then hits a springboard dropkick for 2. Wade tries to cover it as a fakeout and it's pretty lame. NF is popped up into a backdrop for 2.

We go to PiP break and return. Ford and Ax trade shots. Ax dropkicks him then does grounded chickenwing. NF then does a guillotine at the same time and NF is flipped onto Ax.

NF superplexes Ford then holds on for a suplex + superkick combo. Ford rolls up Ax for then enzugiri's him. Ax takes an electric chair blockbuster for 2. Ax hits a top rope spanish fly on AD then NF phoenix splashes AD for 2. 

DIY and LaRae come out. The Motor City Machine Guns then come out and fight them. Ford flip dives over the post onto all of them. AD pop-up spinebusters NF. Ford goes up top and the lights go out. The Wyatt Sicks then appear for some reason in the ring. Dexter throws Ford off the top. Rowan crossbodies DIY outside. Cross attacks LaRae then Gacy handspring lariats Ford. Dexter is powerbombed onto Ford. Howdy then attacks NF. Howdy hits sister abigail on Gargano.

Thoughts: I didn't like the match or the run-in. They couldn't get on the same page early at all and just had the usual juniors style match. The finish was random with The Wyatt's attacking everyone for no reason and getting face pops for it.

Overall thoughts: I didn't like this show. Three-ways have a lot of limitations and the show was filled with them. Giulia didn't have a good SD debut. Sabin and Ciampa overdid it. Bloodline vs Fenix/Uso was the MOTN. Black/Nakamura/LA was decent and better than expected and the main wasn't good as it had a bad finish and the two teams weren't on the same page. And if you were looking for stars, this wasn't the night for you. I'd give it a 5 out of 10 as it was an average show all around and I wouldn't recommend it.