WWE Smackdown 9/5/2025

WWE Smackdown 9/5/2025

Last week's show is here:  https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/08/wwe-smackdown-8292025.html

Next week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/09/wwe-smackdown-9122025.html 

We are in Chicago, IL. Michael Cole and Corey Graves are on commentary. Everyone expects AJ Lee to return tonight and we will see if it happens.

We see various wrestlers arrive including CM Punk. 

John Cena comes out. He says he's happy for the crowd to cheer him. He says he was told to have him when the farewell tour started. He says he has nothing planned as he wanted to have fun. He says he just wants to take it all in. 

He says the crowd brings back people and he says they know what he's talking about. We then get a chant for AJ Lee. He says it's his last time in Chicago and on SD. He talks about his career here and says Chicago is special. He says they argue about which city is the best crowd but says there is no argument. He thanks everyone.

Sami Zayn then comes out. He gets booed and thanks him for all he's done for the wrestlers. Sami said he made his debut here for the US Title in Chicago when Cena was champ. He says he wants to pay it forward like John did. He says he wants to do the Sami Zayn US Open Challenge. Cena says it's a great idea. Sami offers to give him a US Title shot like he did with him. Sami says they should do it right. Sami tells him to come get some if he wants some. Cena agrees and tells a ref to come out.

Thoughts: Now this was a good segment and this is how you get a show started. 

WWE United States Title - Sami Zayn (c) vs John Cena

This started during the break. Sami armdrags Cena into an armlock. Cena leapfrogs and armdrags him into an armlock. Sami tries to blind springboard over him but doesn't make it fully then he lariats him. Sami suplexes him for 2.

Cena suplexes him. Sami sends him hard into the buckles. We go to PiP break and return. Sami walks up the buckles and is caught with an AA for 2. Cena hits a powerbomb for 2. Cena goes into the post shoulder first then hits an olympic slam for 2.

They trade shots and double clothesline each other. We go to another PiP break and return. Cena does Sami's ankle lock during the break. Cena is explodered into the buckles and Sami helluva kicks him for 2. Cena hits his own version of the go to sleep for 2. Cena then hits a spear on Sami for 2. They fight on the buckles and Cena 2nd rope AA's him. 

Brock Lesnar's music then hits with both men down. Brock comes out. Brock pulls the ref out and F-5's Sami. Brock then F-5's Cena. Brock hits another.

Thoughts: I really hope WWE uploads the full match because this really got ripped apart by various breaks, especially one where Cena was making a comeback. Cena had fun doing all of his past rivals moves here including the gts, the ankle lock, the spear and the olympic slam. What we got was fun and Brock coming out continues their feud and saves Cena from winning or losing. 

Brock is in the back and says he'll see Cena at Wrestlepalooza, b!tch.

Carmelo Hayes, The Miz and Nick Aldis talk. Miz says they want a tag title shot. Nick says he has to go and is in a hurry.

We see Becky Lynch arrive in a truck.

Aleister Black does a taped video. He says the well is still poisoned in WWE. He says Priest is standing across from years of hate. He says he needs to purify the well. He says he will succeed and says Priest is where is he because he followed the rules. He says he follows the rules until he doesn't. 

Damian Priest vs Aleister Black

Black hits him from behind as he enters and they fight in the aisle and at ringside. Black is sent into the rails and DP's head is rammed into the post. Black pumping knees him over the rail. 

We go to break and return. Refs are checking on DP who looks out of it. Black stomps him and pushes him out of the ring. Black is thrown hard out and buzzsaw kicks DP. The bell then officially rings. DP misses a punch and falls over.

Black chest kicks him. DP hits a big forearm. Black standing octopuses him and then sunset flips him for 2. Black top rope diving meteora's him for 2. We go to break and return.  Black is crotched up top then gets down. Black spinning back elbows him then step up knees him for 2. DP hits forearms and lariats him. DP hits forearms then flying elbows him in the corner. Black facekicks him and DP hits a flying forearm. 

DP rope walks and crossbodies Black. Black is lifting flatlinered on the apron. DP razor's edges him on the commentary table. Black spinning high kicks him and wins.

Thoughts: This also got really cut up by breaks. What we got didn't look that great and it was a heavy striking based match. 

We get a video with Orton and Drew talking about each other. Drew says Orton is afraid to pull the trigger when it counts but Drew isn't afraid. Orton says Drew has no idea what's coming. Drew says Orton won't be part of the future of WWE.  

Tiffany Stratton is interviewed. She says Jade Cargill loves to run her mouth. She says the talk ends once the bell rings. She says she won't have to worry about her foot being on the ropes as her foot will be stuck up her eye of the storm.

Jade is in the back and Nia Jax goes up to her. Nia says she doesn't deserve to be #1 contender. Jade says Nia can get a shot when she gets her title back. She says she can get out of the way or catch her hands.

Nick Aldis and Becky Lynch talk in the back. Nick says he didn't know she'd be here. He says he can't have any more issues tonight. 

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

G = Giulia

They pound on each other to start and Kiana James is on the apron. Mich stomps on her in the corner then bangs her head off the apron. Mich running dropkicks her. 

G is sent out then G hits a bridging neckbreaker on the floor. We go to break and return. They trade forearms and headbutt each other. They german each other. They hit each other at the same time and drop each other with high kicks at the same time. Mich corner cannonballs G for 2.

G hits a glorious driver for 2. G hits kicks and takes a sitout powerbomb for 2. Kiana gets on the apron then Mich short hurricanrana spikes her. G running knees Mich and wins.

Thoughts: They tried but they didn't get much time, there was a lot of interference and it was a cold match. Giulia does not come off like a star at all and it's just not working.

Kiana pounds on Mich after. 

Charlotte Flair has her ankle taped up in the back. Alexa Bliss comes in and Flair says she needs to get cleared. Bliss is pretending to be a doctor. Bliss says they will get revenge on The Secret Hervice when the time is right and now is not it. 

We see Seth Rollins in the crowd. We go to break and return. Seth says the legend of CM Punk dies here and now. He then brings out Becky Lynch.

Becky rips the crowd and says she's the greatest female wrestler of all time. She says she wouldn't expect them to know what greatness looks like and rips the local teams. She says CM Punk sucks too. 

CM Punk comes out. He says BL's coward of a husband is hiding in a box right now. BL asks if he's embarrassed and he says no, unlike her coward of a husband. The crowd chants for AJ Lee and BL says to shut up. Punk says to let them chant for her. He says if it bothers her, she shouldn't have stuck her nose in his business.

Punk says he has friends and shooters here. He says he could snap his fingers and have one of his sisters jump the rail. He says he could call Bayley to come out and kick her @ss.

Punk says he can call in a favor for Rhea Ripley. BL slaps him many times and asks what he will do about it.  She asks who will come save him and asks what he's gonna do. Seth laughs about it in the crowd. She says he has nobody and tells him to run away in his hometown. She says he's an embarrassment to the city of Chicago. 

Punk says this is the situation he wanted to avoid. He says he would never put his hands on a lady. He says thankfully, he has someone who will. AJ Lee, his wife, then comes out after being off TV for a decade.  

AJ skips to the ring. BL motions for AJ to back off. AJ sits on the ropes and waves. AJ then spears her and hits mounted shots. BL goes to leave and AJ grabs her. AJ throws her down backwards and thesz presses her. AJ hits mounted shots and hits a big slap. Seth is in the front row and BL flails around outside. Punk and AJ then hug.

Thoughts: I wasn't a huge AJ stan but she did good in her role when she was active. Her offense looked awful here but the crowd liked it and I'm sure the inevitable match will be fine. We all knew she was coming back here as Punk held an AJ sign at the PLE and the IWC pushed it all week, making it hard to avoid any spoilers.

Overall thoughts: Where has this Smackdown been all year? The show has been awful lately and this was the complete opposite. We had big stars in action and huge news with AJ returning. WWE tried here and put on a good and memorable show though the commercials destroyed the first hour. This gets an easy 7 out of 10 from me due to the Cena match and AJ's big return, though Priest/Black and Giulia/Michin didn't impress.