wrestling / TV Reports
Hall’s WWE Smackdown Review 3.21.25
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Smackdown
Date: March 21, 2025
Location: Unipol Arena, Bologna, Italy
Commentators: Joe Tessitore, Wade Barrett
The European excursion continues as we roll into Italy. We’re less than a month away from Wrestlemania and that means we should start to see some more of the show coming together again this week. CM Punk, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns are all here this week so there is a chance things will get nuts. Let’s get to it.
Here is Randy Orton to get things going but before he can get a word out, Kevin Owns interrupts him. Owens apologizes for everything he did to Orton, saying only Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn deserved what happened to them. Orton can understand the idea of letting anger make you do things you’ll regret so if Orton can forgive him, Owens can forgive him.
Last week, Owens saved Carmelo Hayes to prevent Orton from becoming his old self. They should be looking to the future, so why not winning the Tag Team Titles at Wrestlemania? Orton says he should go beat Owens up right now and after thinking about it…yeah Owens deserves a kick in the head. It used to be “Fight Owens Fight” but now it’s “b**** Owens b****.”
Orton hears voices in his head, they counsel him, they understand, and they’re telling him to kick Owens’ head off at Wrestlemania. The match doesn’t seem to be officially set but this was as quick and to the point as you could get, with Owens realizing he may have bitten off more than he can chew.
Damian Priest/Jimmy Uso vs. Drew McIntyre/Shinsuke Nakamura
Priest and McIntyre start brawling in the aisle before the bell with the other two joining in. They get inside with Uso hammering away at McIntyre, who suplexes him out of the corner to cut that off. The fans chant something that I can’t make out but it seems against McIntyre. Uso fights back but gets pulled to the floor for a kick from Nakamura.
Back in and Nakamura hits a running knee, followed by another in the corner. McIntyre adds a suplex as the fans are chanting for Uso. The armbar has Uso in more trouble but he Samoan drops his way to freedom. A jumping enziguri puts Nakamura down and the needed tag brings in Priest to clean house. The Old School crossbody hits Nakamura and a clothesline gets two. Uso cuts off McIntyre and South Of Heaven finishes Nakamura at 7:43.
Rating: C+. Uso and Nakamura are kind of floating around at the moment but Priest vs. McIntyre is all but penciled in for Wrestlemania at this point. That’s the kind of match which could go a long way for Priest, though it feels like a bit of a letdown for McIntyre at the moment. The match itself was seemingly just a way to get them on the show and there are worse ideas.
Post match McIntyre jumps Priest, promising that the beatings will be on sight every time. Priest’s head is rammed into the mat and McIntyre adds a Claymore.
LA Knight says he has Braun Strowman’s back against Jacob Fatu. Strowman says that the match is now for a US Title shot and he sees the title as his ticket to Wrestlemania. Works for Knight.
We look at Tiffany Stratton and Charlotte’s wild brawl last week.
We get a split screen interview between Charlotte and Stratton, with Charlotte cutting off Stratton, saying the Queen goes first. Stratton is always trying to be like Charlotte because that’s what everyone has to do. Stratton thinks that because she’s a blonde and can do a backflip, she can be the next Charlotte. Back in the day, Charlotte was one of her biggest supporters, but Charlotte mocks the idea of ever being in Stratton’s corner. Stratton promises to win at Wrestlemania, which Charlotte finds funny. Stratton better win at Wrestlemania, or she’s the latest victim of Charlotte’s never ending dominance.
Jacob Fatu vs. Braun Strowman
For a future US Title shot. Strowman powers him into the corner to start and then knocks him to the floor. Back in and Strowman kicks him in the head but the charge around the ring only to miss a charge over the announcer’s table. Strowman’s head is sent into various things but a whip sends Fatu’s knees into the steps.
They get back inside, where Fatu hits a running clothesline and then tells Strowman to get up. Then why did you knock him down? Strowman fights out of a neck crank so Fatu Samoan drops him into a backsplash for two. Strowman is back up with a running clothesline in the corner and a spinebuster but Solo Sikoa runs in for the (rather unwise) DQ at 9:21.
Rating: B-. It was another hoss match between these two, but there is only so much to be gained from Strowman winning like this. After Fatu smashed him at Saturday Night’s Main Event, Strowman is either going to have to pin Fatu at some point (which isn’t a good idea) or he’s always going to be behind him in the feud. They are at least mixing it up with the title aspect, though seeing Fatu win the title seems like a rather strong outcome as well.
Post match Fatu is mad but helps with the beatdown anyway. LA Knight runs in for the save.
Post break, in the back, Fatu yells at Sikoa and Tama Tonga, with Sikoa saying it looked like Fatu needed help. Fatu tells him to watch it.
Piper Niven vs. Zelina Vega
Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre are here with Niven. Vega tries to run the ropes to start but has to slip off of Niven’s shoulders. Some choking works a bit better for Vega and she hammers away in the corner, only to get distracted to send us to a break. Back with Niven knocking her down to cut off a comeback and sending Vega hard into the corner.
A gorilla press is countered into a choke though, with Vega switching into something like an octopus hold. The Code Red is blocked so Vega grabs a tornado DDT for two instead. The 619 connects, only for Fyre to offer a distraction. Niven hits a crossbody for the win at 12:15.
Rating: C. This feels like the start of something for Vega, as she is going up against a lot of odds on her way to a title match. It might take some time to get her to that match and she might need some help on the way, but it does seem like they have set things up. Hopefully it winds up working, as Vega certainly needs the boost.
We get a long recap of John Cena’s big explanation and response from Cody Rhodes on Raw. It still feels so weird hearing those things coming from Cena’s mouth.
Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens is set for Wrestlemania.
Jade Cargill is ready to show Liv Morgan what she gets for trying her. After that, it’s time for revenge on Naomi.
We get the A/4 logo again.
Liv Morgan vs. Jade Cargill
Raquel Rodriguez is here with Morgan. Cargill kicks her down to start but goes after Rodriguez, only to cut off a sneaking Morgan for a ram into the barricade. Morgan tries to leave but is quickly dragged back as Cargill isn’t up for the whole retreating thing. Back in and a powerbomb gives Cargill two but another Rodriguez distraction lets Morgan get in a cheap shot to take over.
We take a break and come back with Cargill fighting out of a chinlock to drive Morgan into the corner. Morgan is fine enough to hit Three Amigos but Oblivion is countered into a German suplex. Cargill plants her with a spinebuster and something like an F5 does it again. Cue Naomi for a belt shot though (the Rodriguez distraction helped) and Oblivion finishes Cargill (her first pinfall loss in WWE) at 10:11.
Rating: B-. That’s an interesting way to go as you wouldn’t expect Cargill to lose a fall, especially in what wasn’t a heavily hyped up match. That being said, it does make Naomi look like that much bigger of a deal as she has cost Cargill something else. I’m not entirely interested in seeing them fight, but at least they’re doing something a bit different with Naomi.
Post match Naomi stays on Cargill, including a hanging Pedigree and a knock onto the announcers’ table.
We look back at Drew McIntyre attacking Damian Priest after their tag match earlier.
McIntyre says he has explained his issues with Priest and mocks Priest’s voice. He’ll see Priest in London next week…and then runs into Seth Rollins, who stares at him.
We look at the Street Profits winning the Tag Team Titles last week.
Here are the Profits, who say this is long overdue. They had been doubting themselves for a bit but these titles made everything worth it. They’re proud that they can count on their brothers but here is Legado del Fantasma to interrupt. Santos Escobar says they’re coming for the titles but here is Pretty Deadly to interrupt. They’re the #1 contenders and Legado needs to step aside, but Escobar says that is NOT happening. The Profits know Pretty Deadly have their shot but Legado wants to fight tonight so let’s do it.
We get the orange luchador vignette again, which is pretty clearly Rey Fenix.
Street Profits vs. Los Garza
Non-title. We’re joined in progress with Angel in trouble and Ford hitting a running knee to the face. Berto comes in to knock Ford down and a double basement superkick drops him again. Angel ties Ford in the Tree of Woe so stomping can ensue but a quick head fake and a dive brings Dawkins back in to pick up the pace. A low bridge drops Dawkins to the floor though and we take a break.
Back with Dawkins fighting out of a double arm crank but getting dropkicked down just as fast. Berto plants Dawkins again and the Gory Bomb/flipping cutter gets two, with Ford having to make the save. Dawkins finally gets in a shot of his own and it’s back to Ford to take over. Ford has to flip out of a super double gorilla press attempt and a superplex gets two on Garza. Dawkins hits his own flip dive and Ford’s frog splash is good for the pin at 14:32.
Rating: C+. This got more time than I was expecting and it wound up being a good enough, back and forth match. Los Garza aren’t likely to move up the ranks very far, but they’re good enough to make someone else look better in the ring. The division on Smackdown has gotten that much better, though I’m really hoping we don’t get some big ladder match at Wrestlemania.
HHH Hall Of Fame video.
Pretty Deadly runs into DIY, who offer to help them win the titles next week in exchange for a title shot. Pretty Deadly: “NO BOY!” The Motor City Machine Guns pop up to gloat.
Here’s what’s coming next week.
Here is Roman Reigns, with Paul Heyman, for a chat. CM Punk took him out at the Royal Rumble so Reigns took him out on Raw. Seth Rollins tried to kill him so Reigns tried to kill him. He’ll be out here if anyone has anything to say to him so here is Rollins in person. After a lot of the fans singing Rollins’ theme song, Rollins says Reigns should have let him finish Punk off because Punk is that dangerous.
The reality is Rollins and Reigns cannot coexist in the same place at the same time. They should write another chapter in their story but here is Punk to interrupt. Punk says neither of them have beaten him without the other’s help. Reigns was tossed out of the Royal Rumble where it was every man for himself. That was after Punk saved Reigns’ family at WarGames, and he’s still owed a favor of course.
Punk dives on Reigns and the fight starts fast, with Rollins getting involved as well. Referees break it up and Punk points to the Wrestlemania sign (Heyman: “NO!”), leaving Rollins to fight with Reigns. Rollins breaks away and points at the sign before going after Punk. Reigns drops both of them with the steps and points as well, with the brawl having to be broken up again to end the show. I’m not big on triple threats, but they’ve done a good job of making me want to see these three fight. There is a reason for them to want to get at each other and that makes for a much better story.
Results
Damian Priest/Jimmy Uso b. Drew McIntyre/Shinsuke Nakamura – South Of Heaven to Nakamura
Braun Strowman b. Jacob Fatu via DQ when Solo Sikoa interfered
Piper Niven b. Zelina Vega – Crossbody
Liv Morgan b. Jade Cargill – Oblivion
Street Profits b. Los Garza – Frog splash to Berto
