WWE Smackdown 8/1/2025

WWE Smackdown 8/1/2025

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/07/wwe-smackdown-7252025.html

Next week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/08/wwe-smackdown-882025.html

We are in Newark, New Jersey, where we will be the next two nights for Summerslam.

Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett are on commentary. We see various wrestlers arrive and some not so subtle advertising for Jimmy John's. 

John Cena comes out to talk. Cena has the announcer do a big intro for him as usual. Cody Rhodes comes out before Cena gets a word in.

Cena said he told Cody he was exhausted and that a match at Summerslam would be too difficult. He says Cody didn't listen, forged his signature and forced him into a match. He says thank you for that as it was the boot in the @ss he needed.

He said he bought into someone's idea to make great TV then the dust settles and the people on his team left. He says they left him alone to be something he's not. He says he wants to leave here with the title and take it home with him. He says it's not because he wants to ruin wrestling, he loves wrestling. He says he wants to take it home with him so the fans don't forget about him.

He says Cody did what a good friend should do and forced him into a fight. He says if he doesn't show up for war, he shouldn't show up for all. Cena says mark the calendar for 8/1/25 as the day John Cena came back to the WWE. The crowd cheers for Cena. Cena says he doesn't know who leaves with the title on Sunday but says each and every one of the fans wins. He says he's over his BS and we finally get to see Cody vs Cena at Cena's best. Cena says if Cody wants some, come get some. He says the only platinum rapper showing up to whoop Cody's @ss is him.

Cody says welcome back John Cena. He gives him a beer. They shake hands, toast and drink. Cody then walks out without any trouble. Cena holds up the title on the buckles.

Thoughts: I have no idea what this was or why they did it here. There was a rumor in the past week or two that Travis Scott's tenure with WWE was done and I would have to think that played a part in this. The only other possibility if we are taking this at face value is that they realized heel Cena wasn't working and that this feud isn't working and gave up on it. I don't know. We'll see if this ends up being a swerve. If it's not a swerve, the time to have Cena turn face is at Summerslam after the match, when a big turn means the most.

We see clips from earlier today of Logan Paul going up to Jelly Roll, who is training in a ring. Logan says it's a buffalo in the wild and asks what he's doing in the ring. He says this is God's work. Jelly tell him we'll do a service here if he wants to see God's work.

Jelly challenges him to fight now. Logan gets in, Jelly grabs him and they battle. Drew McIntyre then shows up (He had some kind of issue earlier in the week where he got stuck at immigration at the airport and couldn't enter the US). Logan gets the advantage. Logan and Drew grab him then Drew hits a claymore kick. Drew says people pay dues for years for a Summerslam moment and he thinks he's just going to walk in.

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

G = Giulia

Kiana James is with Giulia here. G rolls out of a wristlock and then rolls Vega. G rolls her again then throws her backwards. G claw STO's her for 2. G hits a big forearm then suplexes her. G headbutts her then Vega armdrags her off the casadora. Vega dropkicks her off the apron. Vega meteora's her off the apron.

We go to PiP break and return. G drops her chest first then does a crossface from the seated casadora position. G then hooks her legs with it and Vega gets a pin attempt on her. G curbstomps her for 2. Vega cradles her for 2. Vega rolls into a kick on her. Vega hits lariats. Vega back elbows her then backdrops her. Vega corner meteora's her.

G claymore kicks her. Vega 2nd rope germans her for 2. G headbutts her on the buckles then G top rope double underhook suplexes her. G knees her in the face. G hits a glorious driver for 2.

Vega rolls her up for 2. Vega backcrackers her. Vega top rope moonsaults her but G gets her knees up. G northern lights bombs her and wins.

Thoughts: I wasn't a fan of it. They did too much here with a 2nd rope german meaning nothing and there was no doubt that Giulia was winning here. I have no idea what Vega does now as she just lost to Giulia clean and has feuded with Green's crew forever and probably isn't getting Naomi.

The MFT's are interviewed. Solo says he's not worried about the cage tonight, just his title and The MFT's. He says Jimmy Uso will get a big boot across his big mouth from his 7 foot monster, Talla Tonga. Solo says tonight is about sending a message. He then mimic's Jacob Fatu's "get in where you fit in" line.

Legado del Fantasma come out for the open challenge tonight. Santos says it's time to show respect to the AAA World Tag champs, Los Garza. Santos says all we demand is respect and says we are here for a reason. He says if you wanna be lucha royalty, all you gotta do is face Los Garza. Mr. Iguana and Psycho Clown of AAA are the challengers.

AAA World Tag Titles Open Challenge - Los Garza (Berto and Angel) (c) vs Mr. Iguana and Psycho Clown

We get an "Iguana" chant. Angel takes a flying headscissors from Clown. Clown spin kicks him then 2nd rope twisting crossbodies him. Clown punches Angel then tilt-a-whirl backbreakers him. Clown superkicks him then lariats Berto. Clown rips his mask up and unveils another mask underneath. Clown pop-up forearms Angel for 2.

Clown starts an "Iguana" chant. Clown goes to springboard and Berto trips him. Berto hits mounted punches. Berto stomps on Clown in the corner. Clown is seated on the apron and a takes a running knee + headkick. Angel throws his pants in Iguana's face. Angel snapmares Clown then pulls his arms back. We get another big "Iguana" chant. Angel dropkicks Clown for 2. Berto gets in and so does IGuana.

Iguana satellite headscissors Berto then 2nd rope twisting headbutts him. Iguana puts his toy on his hand then he grabs Angel's hand with it. Iguana walks up the buckles, slips on the ropes then 2nd rope flying headscissors him. Iguana then satellites into a crucifix bomb.

Iguana's tope con hilo is caught outside then he is thrown into Clown, who tries a tope. Angel is thrown out. Berto springboard enzugiri's Clown but isn't the legal man in and the ref stops him. Iguana takes 2nd rope double gorilla press slam for 2.

Clown is tagged in. He tries a top rope double crossbody. Angel takes it but Berto dropkicks him at the same time. Clown takes a double pendulum drop backwards and is pinned.

Thoughts: Sadly, it was a disaster and the timing couldn't be worse for Clown and Iguana, who were basically having the biggest match of their lives. Iguana got tagged in after the crowd cheered for him and he slipped up on the ropes and lost some of the crowd. The heels tried a pin with the wrong man and instead of ignoring it, the ref interrupted and further blew up any flow this had. Clown got back in and a 3 person spot was botched then Clown got pinned. I would not have had Iguana losing in his main roster debut and the botches didn't help.

Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul are interviewed in the back. Logan says he has nothing to say about Jelly Roll's ambush. Drew says he has nothing to say now but will say whatever he has to say later to the world tonight.

We get a package on the TLC match at Summerslam.

Damien Priest vs Aleister Black

DP rolls him off of him. Black wristlocks him. DP armdrags him then is kicked in the leg. DP blocks a leg kick then hits chest kicks and his own leg kick. Black then slides out. DP hits him off the apron. Black high kicks him while he's on the apron then he tope con hilos him.

We go to PiP break and return. Black facekicks him then hits a pumping knee right to the chin for 2. DP hits forearms and drops him. DP pop-up drops him.

DP's mouth is busted open from the knee to the chin. DP rope walk crossbodies Black. DP lariats him for 2. Black hits a leg kick and is superkicked. DP runs at him outside and Black hits a pumping knee. 

Black misses a 2nd rope moonsault outside then is pounced over the commentary table. Black then throws a chair in DP's face and is DQ'd.

Thoughts: There were some stiff shots thrown here and DP got his mouth busted open from one of them. The finish was lame and didn't really work with the match, bringing this whole thing down some.

Black hits mounted shots on DP after then chairs his back. 

Black then chairs him in the shoulder with the edge of it. DP's head is then banged off the steps. Black then spin kicks DP in the face.

Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill talk. Jade says she didn't need her help. Tiff says she doesn't want excuses when she beats her. Jade says there's nothing in her way and she will finish what she started.

Jimmy Uso vs Talla Tonga

This is Talla's WWE TV debut. Uso sizes him up, is face shoved then Uso hits shots. Uso hits mounted corner punches. Uso comes off the 2nd rope and is chopped down in mid-air. Talla hits a hard lariat then he stomps on him. Talla legdrops him. Talla foot chokes him. Solo talks trash to Uso. Talla slams Uso.

Talla is pulled over the top rope. Uso spinning enzugiri's him off the apron. Uso then topes him into the rail. We go to PiP break and return.

Talla stays in control and boots him around. Uso hits shots then Talla chops him down. Talla foot chokes him. Talla hits a big forearm. Uso boots him out of the corner. Talla misses a corner charge. Uso superkicks him then uppercuts him. Talla running boots him. Uso enzugiri's him from the apron. Uso springboards and is caught. Uso superkicks him twice then lariats him over the top.

Talla lands on his feet. Solo Sikoa gets superkicked on the apron. Uso hits another superkick on Talla and spears him. Uso comes off the top and is caught by the throat. Talla chokeslams him and pins him.

Thoughts: I didn't think it was that good. It went longer than it needed to and Talla didn't look that impressive. That's not surprising since Talla wasn't that great in NJPW and I didn't see him changing things around that fast in WWE.

Solo calls for his MFT's to come out and they beat up Uso. Solo then calls for the cage above the arena to come down. 

Solo goes for the samoan spike then Jacob Fatu comes out wearing some goofy mask over his head. The cage then lowers. Solo and Talla leave the cage through the door. Fatu fights off Loa and JC. He sends both into the cage then samoan drops Loa. Fatu hits corner hip attacks on both. Fatu double jump moonsaults JC and Loa.

They run down the Summerslam card. Some of the matches have moving graphics but some don't for some reason.

Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss are interviewed. Flair said she didn't have a team with Bliss on her 2025 bingo card. She says she has to respect her even if she's annoying. Bliss says Flair hasn't been half-bad and has her back when they needed it. Cathy says it feels like friendship to her. Flair says definitely not and Bliss says she doesn't like using the "f word".

Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul come out. Logan tells Green Shirt Guy to shut up, saying he's the worst one of them all. (NOTE - Green Shirt Guy is a fan who wears the same green smiley face shirt to every show. He's very visible at most events along with Trinidad Flag Shirt Guy, who always wears a Trinidad flag shirt to shows. He always sits in the front row, he definitely knows someone in the back to get these seats and he may have gotten punched by CM Punk years ago, which lead to him getting these seats. I'm not a fan of what he does as he tries to get himself over, he purposely tries to be on camera and he basically takes seats away from kids who will probably never get to sit front row once.)

Logan says Jelly Roll thought Summerslam was a hot dog eating contest. He says he's sick of outsiders coming in and trying to be on the show. He says it's impossible unless you are Logan Paul. He says Jelly is an outsider and not a wrestler. He says Jelly is a country star and not a superstar. He says he doesn't belong here.

Drew says whatever happens to "Smelly Hole" is on Orton. Drew takes some nasty digs at Jelly. We then see Jelly Roll arrive in a car in the back. We then see Randy Orton come with him. Orton and Jelly come out. Aldis tries to stop them but gives up on it.

They all fight in the ring. Security immediately comes ou to stop it and initally fails. The heels retreat with the help of security. Orton RKO's security guards. Jelly chokeslams a guard and the faces pose together to close the show.

Overall thoughts: I didn't think it was that good of a show. Most of the stars weren't wrestling since they are wrestling this weekend. Cena randomly turned face 2 days before the big show instead of at the big show for reasons that I don't get. Giulia/Vega wasn't good as expected. The AAA Tag Title match was a random disaster with a stupid finish. Priest/Black had a bad finish. Uso/Talla went longer than it needed to and wasn't that good. The show then ended with a pretty lame segment. I'd give this a 4 out of 10. On a personal level, I'd rate the show even lower as the show had tons of people I don't like including Giulia, Priest, Black, Talla and Green Shirt Guy. Suffice to say, I would not recommend this one.