WWE Smackdown 11/21/2025

WWE Smackdown 11/21/2025

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/11/wwe-smackdown-11142025.html

Next week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/11/wwe-smackdown-11282025.html 

We are in Denver, CO. Michael Cole and Corey Graves are on commentary.

We see various wrestlers arrive.

The Vision and Logan Paul are in the ring. Paul says he has a vision for Wargames. He says Bron will take a bite out of everyone's @ss in the cage. He says Reed will tsunami them all. He puts over Logan Paul. The Uso's come out and interrupt Logan before he can say anything.

Jey says nobody wants to hear what Logan has to say. He says he runs his mouth like they didn't drop them on Raw. Paul says they made a bad mistake and p!ssed off Logan Paul. Paul says he made Bloodline so The Uso's didn't have to live off of Roman. He says he taught them the numbers game always wins. He says they are outnumbered. Jimmy asks if he thinks they showed up alone then Cody Rhodes' music hits.

We see Drew McIntyre coming out of Cody's bus and Cody is laying on the steps and bloodied.

We go to break and return. Multiple people are checking on Cody. Drew drives by and says, "See you at Wargames, jack".

WWE United States Title Open Challenge - Ilja Dragunov (c) vs JD McDonaugh

They lock up. Drag is backed up in the corner and JD hits him in the gut. Ilja facekicks him. They trade forearms and Drag enzugiri's him. JD sends him throat first into the 2nd rope. We go to PiP break and return. 

They slap each other. JD hits Kawada kicks. Drag spinning chops him and tiger feint spinning lariats him. They trade chops. Drag germans him. Drag does a suplex on him. Drag's nose is busted open.

Drag misses a top rope move. JD standing spanish flies him for 2. They trade forearms. JD suplexes him over the top and goes with him to the floor. We go to break and return. 

Drag top rope superplexes him. Drag then brainbusters him for 2. JD misses a top rope moonsault. Drag jumping facekicks him then hits a backdrop into a chokeslam. Drag flies at him and is hit with a flying knee. JD top rope moonsaults him for 2. 

JD headbutts him and Drag flying headbutts him. Drag powerbombs him and hits the h-bomb to win.

Thoughts: This had 2 breaks during it and that messed with the match some. It was a stiff one with Drag getting his nose busted open and both taking some hard bumps. The effort was there but the selling could have been a little better.

Bliss and Charlotte talk in the back. Flair says she's going to do something for her. They then walk into a room and Iyo and Rhea are waiting for them. Bliss says Flair and Rhea need to have a chat and to have fun. 

Nick Aldis is interviewed. He says he has no updates on Cody's condition. He talks to The Vision and Logan Paul in the back. Nick says he doesn't know what Paul has planned but it's not good. Nick says his hands are tied tonight because Reed is supposed to be here. He says Drew is still persona non-grata. Paul says Drew is outside the arena. Paul says the only help Reed needs is opponents stupid enough like Melo to step into the ring with him.

Ilja Dragunov walks into Tama Tonga in the back. Tama says it's coming. Ciampa says not to worrk about Tama. He says if he wasn't dealing with Fraxiom, he'd have the Us Title now. Drag says he's a jack@ss. Gargano tells Ciampa not to worry and to lock in for tonight.

The Last Time is Now Tournament 1st Round Match - Carmelo Hayes vs Bronson Reed

Melo hits forearms and hits him in the corner. Reed back elbows him. Reed headbutts him. Reed running knees him in the corner. He then pounds on him. Melo ddt's him for 2. Melo blind springboard ddt's him. Melo dropkicks him off the apron then Bron and Logan show up.

We go to break and return. Reed headbutts Melo and chinlocks him. Reed backdrops him for 2. Melo superkicks him. Logan trips Melo. Reed throws Melo down then misses a senton. Melo crucifixes him for 2. Melo step up enzugiri's him and pumping knees him. Melo hits a springboard twisting lariat on him. 

Melo hits a blind springboard legdrop on him then slingshot ddt's him on the apron. Melo top rope splashes Reed for 2. Reed blocks a jumping codebreaker, slams Melo and sentons him. Reed misses a top rope splash. Melo jumping codebreakers him and Reed goes out. Melo tope con hilos the vision outside. Melo top rope diving ddt's Reed into the mat for 2. Reed hits a hard running lariat. 

Bron goes after Melo outside and The Uso's fight with Bron and Logan. Melo is knocked off the apron into the commentary table. Cody Rhodes comes out, sends Reed into the post then hits a cross rhodes on Reed on the floor. Melo wins by countout.

Thoughts: It was nice to see Melo win, even if it was by dubious ways. This is the biggest win of his career. The match was fine and Melo was basically the face here.

Cody gets on the mic. He says he was done with Drew but doesn't want to be done with him. He asks where Bron is and says a Steiner is never better than a Rhodes. He has a line for Logan said he was the last two person to beat Brock, and he beat him twice. Cody says Heyman can build them and he will beat them. He says Wargames his birthright and he will see him in San Diego.

Kiana James and Giulia are looking for Chelsea Green. Giulia yells at Alba over it and Green hides in a room. Green says she doesn't feel good tonight and says they shouldn't do the celebration tonight. Jade Cargill comes in and says she can show Green what a real champ looks like. Green says she has to go.

Sami Zayn talks to Fenix, The Guns and Nakamura in the back. Sami says they are united against The MFT's. He says it's an international coalition. Alex says if you mess with Sami, you mess with all of them. Sabin says they are brothers that have each other's backs. Sami says they lit a fire under Nakamura. Nakamura talks in Japanese. Fenix then talks in Spanish. Sami says The MFT's will go down in the Survivor Series Elimination Match next week.

Fraxiom (Axiom and Nathan Frazer) vs DIY (Tomasso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano)

NF hits shots on Ciampa. Ciampa takes shots from both then is ddt's. Ax is launched into a dropkick on JG. NF and Ax then hit topes outside. Ax top rope splashes TC then NF does the same. NF and JG hit shots on each other. JG superkicks Ax. NF is sent into the steps.

We go to PiP break and return. NF springboard double axe handles JG. NF flips over him and flying crossbodies him. NF running ssp's him for 2. NF misses a pheonix splash and is hit with a shatter machine for 2. NF rolls up Ciampa for 2. Ciampa is on his knees and dropkick NF. NF enzugiri's him. Ax comes off the top and is hit with a pumping knee from Ciampa. Ax takes a superkick + angel's wings combo for 2. Ax superkicks Ciampa then enzugiri's JG.

Ax top rope spanish flies JG. NF tope con hilos Ciampa. Candice LeRae pulls off Ax's mask and JG pins Ax.

Thoughts: It was an okay way for the heels to win here as it makes sense that Ax would get pinned this way. This was a high flying and athletic match as expected and was fine. 

We get a taped video with Rhea and Charlotte talking. Rhea says whatever went down was to prove who is the best. She says she won't say they won't go back to it at some point but she is willing to put it to the side. She says she has always respected her. She says if you asked her who is someone she'd want to go war with, she'd say it's Charlotte. Charlotte says, "yes, you can". They shake hands and Rhea says then you can trust her too.

The Last Time is Now Tournament 1st Round - Finn Balor vs Penta

Penta hits Finn before it starts when Finn goes after Penta. Finn hits mounted shots. Finn jumping stomps him. Penta flying headscissors him then step up enzugiri's him. Penta handstand pendulum double boots him in the corner. Penta facebusters him then tope con hilos him outside.

We go to break and return. Penta top rope crossbodies him. Penta hits lariats and superkicks him from behind into the 2nd buckle for 2. Finn elbow slices Penta for 2. Finn boots him in the face. Penta hits chops and tilt-a-whirl backbreakers him. Penta hits a weird muscle buster variation for 2.

Penta cranks back on Finn's arm. Finn rolls him up for 2. Finn slingblades him then shotgun dropkicks him. Finn misses a top rope double stomp. Penta la magistral's him for 2. Penta hits a made in japan for 2. Penta hits a canadian destroyer and wins.

Thoughts: It was a shorter one with a lot of action. Either guy could have on here. I liked it and they ended it before Penta could overdo it. 

They talk about Sheamus being out of The Last Time is Now Tournament due to injury. 

The MFT's do a video. Solo congratulates Penta and says tonight was his night. He says the good time is up on Monday and his time is now. He says he will make an example out of Sami next week. He asks if Sami thinks he has a chance against them. He says The Gun's don't have enough ammo to take them out. Solo says when it's him and Sami, he will put him away for good.

Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss and Iyo Sky come out. Rhea says their opponents didn't realize they were as united as they are. Rhea puts over her partners. She says that's only 4 people but you need 5 for Wargames. She says their 5th member is AJ Lee.

Nia Jax, Lash Legend and The Kabuki Warriors then attack the faces. AJ heads down and Becky Lynch nails her from the side. The heels get the edge. Rhea gets some offense in and is splashed by Nia from behind. Nia then banzai drops her. The heels then pose and Becky Lynch is announced as their partner for Wargames.

Overall thoughts: It was an alright show here with some decent wrestling and some Wargames reveals. There was nothing must see but it went by fast and it was unoffensive. If you were looking to see the stars in action though, this was not it at all. I'd give it a 6 out of 10 overall.