Join 411’s Live WWE Smackdown Coverage

Keep Refreshing For The Latest Results

Well everyone, this is it, the long winter of our discontent is upon us. The first WWE Smackdown of 2025 and the first 3 hour Smackdown. I am not enthused by this shift personally, 3 hours is a bit much for wrestling TV product and Smackdown hasn’t exactly been bursting at the seams with incredible weekly content over the last 4-6 months so I’m a little leery. That said this is reality now. Tonight we’ve got Naomi vs. Nia Jax for the women’s title. . . again. Unless they’re actually pulling the trigger on Tiffany Stratton’s briefcase I just really struggle to care about another iteration of Jax and Naomi. A non-title bout between US champion Shinsuke Nakamura and Andrade is set, and LA Knight has to loom in some capacity since Nakamura attacked him recently. WWE champion Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens are still feuding, they set a ladder match for the Rumble so more violence between them is likely to happen here. Tribal Combat is set for Monday on the RAW on Netflix debut, so if Roman Reigns is going to show up in person to hype it this is his last shot to do so and it’s easy to imagine another Solo Sikoa promo now that we’re filling 3 hours. Chelsea Green and Michin seem to still be working together now that Green is the women’s US champion and most of the rest of the women’s roster is tied up in the orbit of Jax and/or the mystery around who took out Jade Cargill. The tag team scene is in flux still, DIY seem to have formed a loose alliance with Pretty Deadly after Pretty Deadly lied about who attacked them. Of course Apollo Crews showed up later on to tell the Street Profits that DIY was the group that cost them a title shot, and the Motor City Machine Guns are looking for retribution and their titles back. So that’s kind of the state of things as we enter the 3 hour era, so let’s get to the action.

Commentary welcomes us to 3 hours from Phoenix, Arizona. Then we get a recap of Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens from last week. You know, in case you missed it or didn’t look it up on Youtube.

To the arena now and here comes WWE champion Cody Rhodes. Cody, suited and booted, enjoys the adulation of the crowd then instead of asking what we want to talk about just assumes we all want to talk about timing. Timing is a funny thing, WWE is on the cusp of changing everything about pro wrestling itself between 3 hours of Smackdown and the plans for RAW on Netflix, but his excitement is tempered right now. You see he’s not cleared to wrestle because of Kevin Owens. He puts over the upcoming ladder match in about a month at the Royal Rumble, but for some reason here’s Drew McIntyre to interrupt. Drew saunters to the ring, stares down Cody for a bit then ultimately hugs him. Cody is quite confused by that. Drew gets a mic and says he’s not here to hurt Cody, he’s here to help him. He says Cody isn’t on Drew’s list, he’s here to look Cody in the eye and tell him he’s about to screw up his life’s work. This is the greatest generation of talent in the history of the company, and Cody is the quarterback of all of this. But he’s about to screw this up, and there’s a guy running around with a replica title like an idiot in the crowd, and Cody’s neck is hanging by a thread. He’s here to tell Cody that he knows he needs a friend and Drew can do that. Cody knows Drew is here because of the transfer window. Drew says he always tells the truth. Cody is going to return that favor, and he puts over Drew for carrying WWE through a dark time, they both left and had to come back and finish the story, and Drew has become a beast lately, but ultimately Cody doesn’t quite believe Drew. He can feel the tension and knows it’s going to devolve so if Drew wants a shot at this title he can come get it. Drew says the truth is that the people will forget them as soon as they’re gone, and he reiterates he’s here to help Cody. One more thing though, you need to watch your back. Of course that means Owens attacks from behind and drops Cody. Owens stomps away on Cody as Drew walks away, Cody starts fighting back and they brawl for a bit until officials show up to separate them. Eventually they do get pulled apart and Cody’s music hits.

In the back we see the new Bloodline arrive, they’ll be in trios action later. Bianca Belair and Naomi also arrive, as does Nia Jax all by her lonesome.

Lastly we see Andrade walking and warming up, he’ll take on Shinsuke Nakamura after this break.

Post break here comes Nakamura. I’m going to reiterate that I kind of love them basically turning him into a Mortal Kombat character.

Match #1: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Andrade

Quick strikes from Nakamura as commentary remind us that Andrade and Nakamura had a rivalry in New Japan years ago. Andrade fights back and kicks Nakamura out of the ring then hits a second rope moonsault to the floor and we go picture in picture.

They head back into the ring and Andrade lands a crossbody for a 2 count. Nakamura is able to fight back with a head kick which sends Andrade to the floor. Some apron work from Nakamura including a running knee strike to the chest before they head back into the ring. Nakamura hangs Andrade on the ropes then hits an ax kick. I’m not sure how I feel about the darker blue ring canvas they’re using now that I’m getting a longer look at it. A kick from Nakamura then a modified chicken wing to slow things down. Andrade fights back as we come back to action. Running elbow from Andrade then a Dragon Screw leg whip and flying forearm. Andrade kips up then tries the corner double knee strike but Nakamura intercepts with a knee to the body then hits a spinning kick. They trade elbows then Andrade lands a chop. Nakamura then is able to hit the sliding German suplex, I love that spot, then he climbs the ropes for a second rope knee strike which connects for a 2 count. Nakamura loosens and then exposes a top turnbuckle but Andrade kicks him into it then hits the corner Meteora for a near fall. Andrade looks at the exposed buckle, then climbs it for the double moonsault spot which connects but again only a near fall. Now Andrade tries The Message but Nakamura counters with the misdirection elbow then Andrade lands his own spinning back elbow for another near fall. Andrade sets Nakamura on the top rope and climbs up with him, he’s after a superplex but Nakamura blocks that and instead basically DDTs Andrade onto the top of the ring post, very nice spot. Nakamura slings Andrade to the mat then ends him with a Kinshasa to the back of the head to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Shinsuke Nakamura won in 8:50

Rating: 3 stars
Thoughts: Fun sprint from these two, they’ve had good matches before but this was a pretty solid TV match for them. Andrade is good but I wish he had direction as a character. Nakamura getting to show off some more vicious tricks is a nice wrinkle for him though and he looks pretty motivated since returning to action with this new character.

Post match LA Knight’s music hits and here he is for a fight, he avoids a belt shot and lands a clothesline then unloads mounted punches. Knight wants the Blunt Force Trauma but Nakamura avoids it and escapes out of the ring. Knight gets a mic and rallies the crowd then tells Nakamura that things are going crazy after his title was stolen, what’s going around is him stomping Nakamura to dust every time they meet.

In the back Pretty Deadly find Apollo Crews and they object to him being a stooge last week. Crews says everyone knows they were lying, and Legado del Fantasma wander up, they don’t like being implicated like that. Pretty Deadly try to back peddle last week and Santos Escobar warns that they’re going to get what’s coming to them. Angel and Berto then attack but here are a few officials to break things up. Nick Aldis is here as well and wants a moment with Pretty Deadly as we head to break.

We pick up with Nick asking Pretty Deadly about lying to him last week but here’s DIY to try and stick up for them. Nick just warns they’re all on thin ice then leaves. Tommaso Ciampa knows Pretty Deadly want a shot at the belts but they can’t get them yet, and wont if they lose their titles to the Motor City Machine Guns tonight. Pretty Deadly seem to understand the implications there.

To the ring and here’s Michin, that woman doesn’t get much pop but the crowd does get behind her as matches go on. We also get a recap of Chelsea Green beating Michin to win the first women’s US title match.

Match #2: Michin vs. Piper Niven w/ Chelsea Green

Quick attack from Piper and she lays in corner work. Michin lands a kick then a couple of hurricanrana’s, they head out of the ring and Michin hits another one of them on the floor. Piper avoids a kick then sort of hits a Black Hole Slam, she almost completely missed grabbing the jumping Michin there. Anyway that sends us to break.

We come back to Michin hitting a wheelbarrow bulldog for a 2 count. Piper blocks Eat Defeat and rams Michin into a corner then hits a corner avalanche. Michin then avoids a corner cannonball senton and hits one of her own, then lands a few kicks to drop Piper for a 2 count. Green keeps getting involved and distracting Michin, that leads to Piper hitting a Michinoku Driver for a near fall. Now Piper tries the Vader Bomb but Michin gets feet up to kick her then hits Eat Defeat to get the win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Michin won in 6:58

Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: Fine enough match, Michin and Green are 1 and 1 in big matches so setting up a third tracks.

We see Paul Heyman arrive, he deliberately doesn’t go through the metal detector as we head to break.

As we come back commentary runs down some up coming events, then we get a hype video for Naomi ahead of her title match tonight.

Back in the ring we’ve got Paul Heyman who introduces himself and tonight he’s here to set the record straight ahead of Monday. On Monday we’ll find out who the real Tribal Chief is, and he and Roman prepared Solo to be the next in line, he and Roman tried to make Solo ready for the moment in the future for when Roman was ready to step down as Head of the Table. Then Solo could reign. But at WrestleMania Roman couldn’t turn down the chance to get back at Seth Rollins and Cody got the win. And that’s where Solo saw an opportunity, and stole the ula fala from Roman’s bag, that twisted son of a bitch didn’t earn that, he stole it. He got rid of Jimmy and the wise man, because no sane man would acknowledge Solo, so he brought in a band of animals who don’t belong in professional wrestling. Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and Jacob Fatu who’s not even welcome outside the US prison system. Those men would acknowledge Solo. But on Monday, no rules except that there must be a winner and loser in Tribal Combat. The winner, and he promises the Only Tribal Chief Roman Reigns but he didn’t call it a spoiler. Before Heyman can leave here comes Solo Sikoa, but he’s all alone right now. Solo stares down Heyman and Heyman says he’s about 10 seconds away from soiling himself because the last time they did this they put him through a table in front of his children, and he knows the same will happen tonight. Solo puts his hand out for the mic and Heyman does give it to him. Solo then asks Phoenix to acknowledge him, this is about the only line delivery Solo can do at this point. He then says Heyman should acknowledge the truth, he owes CM Punk a favor and then offers to owe Heyman a favor because they need someone to hold the ula fala during Tribal Combat. Solo is getting the what treatment again. Solo knows Heyman wont disrespect his family or the ula fala, if Roman beats Solo on Monday then Heyman can put the ula fala around Roman’s neck and Solo will acknowledge him as Tribal Chief. But when Solo wins, and he will, Heyman will put the ula fala back on Solo and everyone will know he owns it and the wise man and Heyman will be his wise man forever. That will make Roman acknowledge Solo. Once again, Solo’s monologue delivery is lacking, but he gives the mic back to Heyman who just sets it down and heads out. At this point I’m pretty sure The Rock is going to be the deciding factor, because he and Roman wind up with a power struggle but Rocky can easily overshadow Solo on every level.

The Motor City Machin Guns talk in the back, betrayal sucks in general but especially when it’s from someone who knows you as well as DIY do. They had the same road. Well DIY reminded them that there are always wolves in sheep clothing. They won the tag team titles in 3 matches, and they’re getting them back in just 1.

DIY then head to the ring for our title match, which will be up after this break.

Post break here come the Guns.

Match #3 – WWE Tag Team Title Match: (c) DIY (Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano) vs. Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin)

Sabin and Ciampa start, Ciampa with some quick kicks then arm work but Sabin counters into a few arm drags to slow things down. Jawbreaker from Ciampa but Sabin then tags out and he and Shelley with some double clotheslines. Shelley with some arm work to Ciampa then tags in Sabin and they hit another double clothesline. Johnny tags in and Sabin clotheslines Ciampa out of the ring then tosses Johnny as well, which sets up a suicide dive from Sabin to take both of them out and send us picture in picture.

Sabin chases Johnny around the ring but Ciampa tags in and catches Sabin with a hanging DDT through the ropes to take over. Strikes from Ciampa then Johnny tags in. Corner work from Johnny then Ciampa tags back in and stomps away on Sabin. Sabin is able to take out Johnny on the apron then nearly tags out but Johnny yanks Shelley off the apron and Ciampa then hits Sabin with a reverse DDT. Chin lock from Ciampa as we come back. Sabin is able to dropkick Johnny in the leg but Ciampa then hits a ripcord elbow but Sabin cuts him off with a kick to the face and both men are down. Both men tag out and Shelley unloads on Johnny with punches. Neckbreaker from Shelley for a 2 count. Shelley sends Johnny out of the ring then tags in Sabin and we get stereo baseball slides then stereo planchas but now Shelley is favoring his left knee. Back in the ring Shelley tags in, Johnny is able to fight both of them off for a second but runs into a combination of kicks from both men and Ciampa has to break up the pin. Sabin and Ciampa start trading punches, then chops and everyone starts landing kicks and everyone is down. Ciampa is able to tag in and chops away at Shelley but Shelley then returns the favor and tags in Sabin to hit their classic tandem offensive flurry on Sabin. Corner kicks to Ciampa then Shelley tags in, they want Skull and Bones but here’s Pretty Deadly to ruin things. Running knee to Shelley then Johnny tags in and they hit the superkick and Fairy Tale Ending but only a near fall.

Los Garza run down to chase off Pretty Deadly and they start fighting through the crowd. Shelley gets Johnny in the Border City Stretch and Sabin catches Ciampa with an STF but the brawl from Los Garza and Pretty Deadly goes into the ring and they fall over both teams and we get a No Contest.

OFFICIAL RESULT: No Contest in 10:53

Rating: 3 stars
Thoughts: What a shame about that ending, these four men were cooking in there. Give them another 5 or so minutes on a PPV in the near future please because we all know they’ll deliver the goods.

In the back Nia Jax warms up with Candice LeRae. Jax wants to know where Tiffany is anyway and Jax wants Candice to make sure Belair stays out of their match tonight. That sends us to break.

Sami Zayn walks in the back and finds Carmelo Hayes. Hayes says he had Sami beat last week, Sami disagrees and Hayes says Sami and Braun can get his work. The Usos are here though behind Hayes and surprise him. Hayes just walks away as they laugh at him. Sami heads off to get ready for their match. Jimmy and Jey walk and run into Kevin Owens, Jey warns him to watch where he’s going and Owens tells him to watch his back.

Next, a recap of our opening segment.

In the back Cody walks, Nick Aldis comes up behind him and asks if Cody is sure about all this. He wants to make sure Cody is thinking clearly, he’s got to think about everyone’s future. Cody says Nick is a good boss, but he’s the champ and while Nick has the right to put him on the shelf until the Rumble or make him sign autographs or anything else, but he has the right to call his shot. If Drew wants to be on Smackdown he’s welcome as he’s got Cody’s attention. He then warns that from now on if he sees Owens, or anyone who eve looks like him, he’s dropping them on the spot.

Naomi heads to the ring accompanied by Bianca Belair. Nia Jax will get her entrance after this break.

Post break here comes Nia Jax with Candice LeRae in tow.

Match #4 – WWE Women’s Title Match: (c) Nia Jax w/ Candice LeRae vs. Naomi w/ Bianca Belair

Naomi with a quick dropkick then some corner offense but Jax pushes her off. Leg kicks from Naomi then Jax lands a headbutt. Jax throws Naomi around but runs into a kick, they seem a little out of sorts right now. Jax then runs into a drop toe hold into a corner and Naomi with kicks to the body, but Jax catches one and slams her down. Naomi to the apron, she hits a head kick but Jax then headbutts her to the floor. That sends us to break.

We come back to Jax missing a big sit then Naomi lands a knee but runs into a Catatonic for a 2 count. Some time killing from Jax then a scoop slam and elbow drop for a 2 count. Chin lock from Jax to again draw things out. Eventually Jax posts Naomi then heads to the apron and sort of hip attacks Naomi into the ring post all for a 2 count, not even all that close to a pin really. Naomi avoids a powerbomb and counters with a Victory Roll for 2 only to then get clotheslined down. Jax tries the Annihilator but Naomi kicks her down then stomps her and hits a second rope split leg drop for her own 2 count. Headbutt from Jax but then she posts herself and Naomi follows up by snapping her over the ropes to send her to the floor. Suicide dive from Naomi then they head back into the ring. Some strikes from Naomi then a springboard kick and a Samoan Drop for a 2 count. Naomi tries the split legged moonsault, but Jax catches her on the ropes then puts her in a tree of woe then hits a hit attack. Jax to the second rope and hits a leg drop but only a near fall.
Now Jax tries the Annihilator again but Naomi yanks her down then climbs to the second rope and hits a tornado DDT for a 2 count. Jax goes to the apron, Naomi then lands knees through the ropes and hits the Heatseeker but Jax cares not for MJF’s finisher and kicks out at 2 as we head to break.

We come back to Jax back in control but she walks into a boot then Naomi hits a blockbuster for a near fall. Apparently during the break there was an avalanche Samoan Drop from Jax that got her back in control. Naomi heads to the second rope again, jumps over Jax then counters a Samoan Drop with a Crucifix Driver for a near fall then transitions into a modified choke. Candice and Belair get into it on the outside as Candice tries to get into the ring. Belair beats down Candice but Jax somehow got free and throws Belair into the ring steps. Jax then tries the Annihilator but Naomi kicks her in the head and climbs up with her on the ropes but Jax picks her up but Naomi is able to flip through a slam and both women are down. Tiffany Stratton runs down with a ref and her briefcase, she fakes the cash in then brains Naomi with the briefcase as Candice distracts the ref, Jax with the Annihilator to win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Nia Jax retained the title in 19:33

Rating: 3 stars
Thoughts: Naomi worked her tail off here and Jax seems to have good chemistry with her, but I’ve just seen this match too many times to get too into it. It’s nice to see Jax trust someone like Naomi though because there’s more than a few spots she only does with Naomi, and for good reason. The ending was a little odd and knocked this down from 3.5, but the post match stuff helped save it in terms of the overall flow of the episode. 19 minutes also feels a little long for these two, picking up the pace earlier and ending around the 15 or 16 minute mark feels more ideal for them.

Post match Tiffany clocks Jax with the briefcase then posts Candice, Belair then kills Jax with the Kiss Of Death. Tiffany then disposes of Belair, cashes in her briefcase, hits the Prettiest Moonsault Ever and wins the belt. Tiffany celebrates with the belt and the crowd cheers her on as pyro goes off and we head to break.

Post break we get a recap of what just happened. This is the first time in 6 years we’ve had a MITB cash in on Smackdown. Next commentary puts over RAW on Netflix then we get a hype package for Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa.

We see Solo and company walk in the back, Jacob Fatu does the talking though which is wise. Fatu loves Solo, and in a few seconds he’ll show the world what happens when you don’t acknowledge Solo. They head to the ring for our presumptive main event. The good guys will head to the ring after this break.

In the back Byron talks with LA Knight, Knight says Nakamura has hell to pay for what he did. He talked with Nick Aldis and says Nakamura blindsided him every chance so he’s just returning the favor until he gets a title shot. Well he got one for next week on Smackdown, then Knight can move onto the Rumble and aim at the main event of WrestleMania. Anyone getting in his way can get smacked back to factory settings, and that is just a fact of life. . . yeah. I’m fine with those two running it back.

Back to the ring and here come the good guys. They all come through the crowd to Jey’s music. They take their sweet time drawing that whole thing out much longer than necessary. I mean seriously, they got all the way through Jey’s song at least once, we’re visibly just stalling for time. We get a bit of a brawl, allegedly the match hasn’t started but I did hear a bell, anyway the good guys stand tall as we get a break.

Match #5 – Trios Match: Jacob Fatu, Solo Sikoa, and Tama Tonga vs. Sami Zayn and The Usos (Jimmy and Jey)

Match joined in progress apparently as we come back. Tama tags in and stares down Jey, they tie up then Tama with some strikes and a headbutt. Stomps from Tama to crickets as a reaction, then Jey launches him into the corner and tags in Sami. Sami drops an elbow then second rope ax handle. Jimmy tags in now and lands a boot but Solo snaps him over the top rope to cut him off. Solo tags in and lands some punches then headbutts. Nerve hold from Solo and the crowd remains silent. Sami’s antics on the apron get the crowd to care a little bit, then Jimmy lands a jawbreaker and tags in Sami. Sami with punches to Solo then they run into each other a few times but Solo wont fall then Solo lands a right hand but Sami bounces off the ropes and drops him with a clothesline. 10 punch from Sami, then an elbow for Tama for good measure but Solo plants Sami with a Spinning Solo to send us picture in picture.

Fatu tags in and hits some falling headbutts to Sami. Tama tags in and hits a hilo then begs for a reaction from the crowd and I can’t determine the efficacy of that choice. They head to the floor and Tama hits an elbow drop. Sami fights back and bounces Tama off the announce table then crawls for a tag but can’t get there before Solo tags in and stomps on him. Solo with another nerve hold, at least this time it’s during a commercial break so it’s more forgivable. That’s the state of things as we come back. Samoan Drop from Solo gets a 2 count. Sami tries to chop away at Solo but Solo just punches him down then tags Tama back in. Tama with mounted punches to no reaction, Sami fights back and that gets a bit of a reaction from the crowd. Fatu tags in but man this crowd is quiet. Fatu with a hip attack then a right hand. Solo tags back in and lands a headbutt but man the crowd just does not seem to care. Sami fights back with a kick then a Blue Thunder Bomb and both he and Solo are down. That did kind of wake the crowd up. Tama and Jey both tag in, and Jey gets to run wild for a bit with punches then Jimmy blind tags and they both kick Tama. Jey tags back in and Tama takes corner offense from the duo. Fatu gets sent out of the ring, Tama with a roll up but Jey then hits the back suplex into a neckbreaker for a 2 count. Fatu slams Jimmy into the ring steps then Sami jumps onto Fatu. Solo rams Sami into the ring post then Jey crushes Solo with a right hand but Tama hits a jumping DDT for a near fall.

Fatu wants a tag and gets it, he yells at Jey but Jey lands a superkick. Sami gets a tag, then Jimmy and Fatu takes a hip attack from Jey, then one from Jimmy and one from Sami as well. Sami and Jey with suicide dives onto Solo and Tama while Jimmy goes up for the Splash and hits it for Fatu kicks at 2 because one does not just put down the Samoan Werewolf that easily. Fatu with a superkick of his own then he goes up top and hits his own Splash then a double jump moonsault but Sami breaks up the pin. Sami gets tossed by Fatu then Fatu wants the Implant DDT but Jimmy rams him into the corner and Jey tags in. Jimmy and Jey with superkicks to Fatu but Fatu kicks out at 2. Drew McIntyre then walks down to ringside, and Jey hits him with a suicide dive. Jey up top again but Fatu avoids his flying nothing and crushes him with a pop up Samoan Drop for a 2 count. Solo tags in now that Fatu has done the hard work, but Fatu still loves Solo but misses a hip attack. Jey superkicks Solo out of the ring then hits a Spear on Fatu, then tries the Splash but Solo’s legal and Solo comes over to hit the Samoan Spike and win.

OFFICIAL RESULT: Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga won in about 22:10

Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: Decent match overall but a bit too slow and 22 minutes was a little too much for this. This is another group of workers we’ve seen a bit too much recently and diminishing returns are a thing.

Post match commentary again run down RAW on Netflix to close the episode.