Hall’s WWE Smackdown Review 1.24.25

WWE Friday Night Smackdown
Date: January 24, 2025
Location: Moody Center, Austin, Texas
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett

We’re coming up on both Saturday Night’s Main Event and the Royal Rumble and that means it is time to hammer home the final pieces of the card. That will make for an interesting situation, along with various other issues around here. One of the biggest is the future of Solo Sikoa, who was at a loss for words last week. Let’s get to it.

Joe Tessitore welcomes us to the show and brings in Cody Rhodes for a chat. Tessitore brings up Rhodes having to hand over his title tomorrow night to get ready for the ladder match at the Royal Rumble. Rhodes is ready for the whole thing and knows Shawn Michaels is ready to be a perfect moderator. He’s fine with handing the title over to Michaels but it’s time to get ready for Wrestlemania season.

Tessitore brings up Rhodes’ issues with Owens, who Rhodes praises for his skill. The violence makes the ladder match all the more appropriate because it’s all about climbing the ladder and reaching this championship. As for what Rhodes would like to say to Owens before the match, maybe it’s true that Rhodes smiles a lot, but it doesn’t mean that he can’t take it to another level. He is the son of a plumber and the student of Randy Orton so he is ready to punch Owens in the face and knock him onto the island of self-righteousness. Good luck at the Rumble. Simple, to-the-point promo from Rhodes here.

Pretty Deadly comes up to DIY but they don’t have time for Pretty Deadly’s match. DIY tells them to handle the Motor City Machine Guns tonight and do whatever it takes. With DIY gone, Pretty Deadly runs into Legado del Fantasma for a fairly tense staredown.

Motor City Machine Guns vs. Pretty Deadly

Sabin armdrags Prince to start and it’s off to Shelley for stereo kicks to the head. Wilson comes in and gets caught with a double flapjack but Prince’s distraction lets Sabin get knocked outside. A posting has Sabin down as we take a break. Back with Sabin fighting back and managing to dive over for the needed tag to Shelley. Everything breaks down and Sabin hits a nice dive. Back in and a gutbuster puts Shelley down and an assisted middle rope bulldog gets two on Sabin. Spilled Mile is broken up though and Skull & Bones finishes Wilson at 9:54.

Rating: B-. Pretty Deadly is mainly known for their goofiness but they can hang in there with a good team. In this case, they were in there with a great team and that made for a nice enough match. The Guns are on their way to a showdown for the titles and giving them some momentum like this is a good idea.

The Miz is officially on Smackdown but didn’t seem to know about it. He isn’t happy because he’s on the same show as the Wyatts, so Nick Aldis advises making some new friends.

Video on Braun Strowman vs. Jacob Fatu.

Kevin Owens invades commentary and wants to know where his interview is. Joe Tessitore is so annoying that he makes Owens miss Michael Cole! Owens gets on the announcers’ table and gets into an argument with Matthew McConaughey before being interrupted by Jimmy Uso. Owens isn’t pleased but Uso says Owens talks too much and hits him in the face. Owens bails in a hurry, with Uso issuing a challenge for tonight.

Carmelo Hayes is mad at Nick Aldis because he was supposed to face Jimmy Uso. Aldis moves the match to next week but lets Hayes have a match with the newest Smackdown acquisition. That’s fine with Hayes, but he wants to meet the opponent before they go to the ring.

Chelsea Green/Piper Niven vs. B-Fab/Michin

Michin strikes away at Niven to start before pulling Green in. The Unprettier is broken up but Michin misses a charge into the corner. Michin fights back rather quickly and brings in B-Fab to clean house. Niven runs B-Fab over but a blind tag brings in Michin for Eat Defeat to pin Green at 3:25.

Rating: C. This was purely there for the sake of Michin getting to pin Green, likely setting up another title match between them. I like that better than having the two of them just put into another match after Green has beaten her twice, but this next one needs to be the last match. Green is rather good at what she does, though she needs a fresh opponent.

Carmelo Hayes meets his opponent tonight: Damian Priest. Hayes is aghast and the match is on for tonight.

Charlotte is back in the Royal Rumble. Well, that was pretty obvious.

Here is Tiffany Stratton for a chat. She isn’t worried about the winner of the Royal Rumble because she’ll beat anyone…and here is Rhea Ripley to interrupt. Ripley is ready to face anyone because she’s going to beat Nia Jax. Cue Jax and Candice LeRae, with Jax officially entering the Royal Rumble.

Yes, she’s going to win the title from Ripley tomorrow, but she’s winning the Rumble too. Cue Naomi and Bianca Belair to interrupt and they’re both in the Rumble. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez interrupt as well and Morgan is in as well. She kind of suggests that Rodriguez will be in but Ripley headbutts Morgan before we get an official announcement.

Bianca Belair/Naomi/Rhea Ripley vs. Nia Jax/Liv Morgan/Candice LeRae

Ripley and Jax start things off…and we’ll make that LeRae before anything happens. Everything breaks down and Naomi is tossed into a moonsault onto Jax for a nice spot. A standing moonsault/legdrop combination gets two on Morgan and Belair hammers away in the corner. Jax comes in off a blind tag though and runs Belair over but it’s way too early for the Annihilator.

We take a break and come back with Naomi in trouble as LeRae drags her back into the corner. Naomi tries to get away but Morgan is smart enough to break up the tag attempt, as you occasionally see. The diving tag brings in Ripley anyway and it’s time to pick the pace way up. Everything breaks down and Jax blocks the Riptide attempt. LeRae Codebreakers Ripley to the floor but gets caught with the KOD, only for Morgan to roll Belair up for the pin at 12:14.

Rating: C+. Perfectly fine match here with the villains stealing the win after a fairly wild finish. You don’t get that kind of thing often enough around here and it made for a fun match. Morgan stealing the pin is par for the course for her, even if it means nothing in the context of getting ready for the Royal Rumble.

Chelsea Green is upset at the loss and it’s made worse when Michin comes in, announcing that she has one more title shot next week. Niven says they need a bigger security detail. That sounds ominous.

Johnny Gargano vs. Apollo Crews

Tommaso Ciampa is here with Gargano. Crews muscles him up for a suplex to start and snaps off a dropkick to send Gargano outside. A moonsault to the floor drops Gargano, who is back up with a superkick to rock Crews for the first time. Crews is right back up with the gorilla press drop into the standing moonsault for two, only for Gargano to get in a pretty close to low blow. A missed charge sends Crews outside so Ciampa can get in a running knee but cue the Motor City Machine Guns. That’s enough of a distraction for Crews to grab a rollup pin at 4:14.

Rating: C. That was a nice little surprise result and I’ll take Crews actually getting a win for a change. Gargano and Ciampa were starting to do their cheating again but they lost because their numbers advantage went away. Good enough match here, though it was more about setting up the Tag Team Title match.

Jacob Fatu is ready for Braun Strowman because he’s King Kong and Godzilla, plus all gas and no brakes. Then Tama Tonga makes a weird sound.

Tama Tonga vs. LA Knight

Jacob Fatu is here with Tonga. Before the match, Knight promises various levels of beatings to both of them. Knight slugs away to start and grabs a powerslam before taking the fight outside. A clothesline puts Tonga over the barricade but he walks said barricade for a clothesline. Back in and a slingshot shoulder gives Knight two and they’re already on the floor again. Knight gets sent into the steps and we take a break.

Back with Tonga grabbing a dragon screw legwhip but Knight neckbreakers his way to a breather. That’s cut off as well so Knight has to fight out of a nerve hold, setting up a jumping neckbreaker. Tonga hits the jumping neckbreaker for two but Knight knocks him off the top. The jumping top rope elbow connects and the BFT finishes Tonga at 12:06.

Rating: B-. Knight needed a win like this one as he’s been kind of floundering since losing the US Title. Getting a clean win over someone who is in a big-time stable is a good sign and I could go for Knight moving closer to the main event scene. I’m not sure if that is what he’s going to do, but Knight as the second or third biggest good guy on Smackdown has potential.

Post match Fatu jumps Knight and drives him onto the announcers’ table. Cue Braun Strowman and Tonga has to hold Fatu back. That doesn’t work so well so Tonga tries a distraction, only to have Fatu miss a charge. Strowman clears the ring and stands tall.

Miz tries to get on A-Town Down Under’s good side…but finds out that they have been sent to Raw.

Shinsuke Nakamura warns anyone against coming after the US Title and then enters the Royal Rumble.

Damian Priest vs. Carmelo Hayes

Hayes tries to strike away to start but gets caught with an Old School crossbody for two. They head outside with Hayes kicking away at the leg and we take an early break. Back with Hayes knocking him outside again and a high crossbody gets two. Hayes grabs an armbar before chopping away, which just wakes Priest up.

The Broken Arrow sets up the lifting Downward Spiral for two and Hayes is ready to walk. That’s broken up but Hayes is back with the First 48 for two. Barrett: “That First 48 usually beats most opponents.” No Wade, it doesn’t. Priest has had it with this and hits a rebound clothesline into South Of Heaven for the win at 10:48.

Rating: C+. This was a nice back-and-forth match as Hayes is becoming the guy whose job is to make everyone else look good. He’s solid enough in that role, but I could go for him doing more. That being said, this was all about Priest, who comes in and gets an impressive enough win through straight power and dominance, which worked well.

The Motor City Machine Guns are getting a 2/3 falls match against DIY for the Tag Team Titles at the Royal Rumble and DIY isn’t happy.

Cody Rhodes welcomes Damian Priest to Smackdown and Priest says he’ll see Rhodes soon.

Saturday Night’s Main Event rundown.

Miz says Andrade needs someone to guide him. Andrade likes that idea and goes off to find someone.

Jimmy Uso is ready to beat Carmelo Hayes next week.

Jimmy Uso vs. Kevin Owens

Hold on though as Hayes jumps Uso during the entrance but Uso is fine enough. Owens wears a Naomi shirt because he knows how to do some awesome yet simple things. The bell rings and Owens drops to the floor to yell at Tessitore, so Uso has to bring him back inside. That means Owens grabs a headlock into a backsplash to take over early before driving some shoulders in the corner. Uso fights out of said corner but it’s too early for the Umaga Attack.

Some rams into the apron have Owens in trouble but he’s right back with a knockdown off the apron. A frog splash off the apron hits Uso and we take a break. Back with Owens working on the arm but taking too long going up top, allowing Uso to…well get his arm snapped across the top. The Swanton hits raised knees though and now the running Umaga Attack connects.

The Samoan drop gets two and a superkick gets the same as they’re slowing down. Uso drops him again and goes up, only to miss the Superfly Splash. Another superkick gives Uso another two though and the spear connects. Uso goes up again but gets his arm snapped across the top, setting up the pop-up powerbomb to give Owens the pin at 13:45.

Rating: B-. Nice main event here with Owens beating enough of a name opponent, though I’m not overly interested in seeing Uso vs. Hayes next week when they both lost here. That’s not the most logical move and it’s not like Hayes’ attack meant much. Owens needed the win on the way to the Rumble title match, though it was a bit of a weird way to get there.

Post match the package piledriver is loaded up but Cody Rhodes runs in for the save. Owens is beaten down as the fight continues to end the show.

 

Results
Motor City Machine Guns b. Pretty Deadly – Skull & Bones to Wilson
B-Fab/Michin b. Chelsea Green/Piper Niven – Eat Defeat to Green
Liv Morgan/Nia Jax/Candice LeRae b. Rhea Ripley/Naomi/Bianca Belair – Rollup to Belair
Apollo Crews b. Johnny Gargano – Rollup
LA Knight b. Tama Tonga – BFT
Damian Priest b. Carmelo Hayes – South Of Heaven
Kevin Owens b. Jimmy Uso – Pop up powerbomb

 

 

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7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

The shows are getting better about stretching the three hours but the show still feel long. Maybe it’s being so used to two hours of Smackdown for so long but these shows still don’t feel quite right. Other than that, they had a show that was designed to set up the next two big shows, which makes things a bit tricky. With the Rumble in about a week, very little feels important because everything changes there. For now though, nice enough show which set some things up, but I’m looking forward to these shows dropping back to two hours.