wrestling / TV Reports
Winfree’s WWE Smackdown Review 12.05.25
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...Hey there people, time for another episode of WWE Smackdown. The big thing tonight is the finale of the John Cena tournament with Gunther vs. LA Knight. Gunther did the miraculous and pulled a decent singles match out of Solo Sikoa on RAW and has been the favorite to retire Cena but LA Knight feels like we’re incredibly close to giving the Lex Luger treatment so he’s got to win something real in the near future. It’s also about time to start thinking about the Royal Rumble in 9 or so weeks, presented by that Sweet Sweet Saudi Blood Money this year, so expect people to start making noise about it. WWE champion Cody Rhodes seems to have issues, Drew McIntyre is still after him and it looks like Roman Reigns is going to be gunning for him around WrestleMania to complete their trilogy. Solo Sikoa is now free to lead his Multiple Failing Taxis in a dreaded faction bout against the Wyatt Sicks. Damian Priest seems like he’ll team up with Rhea Ripley to handle Aleister Black and Zelina. Women’s champion Jade Cargill is killing midcarders because there’s not a main event scene for the women on Smackdown these days. Ilja Dragunov will likely defend the US title again, will it finally be against Tommaso Ciampa? Still no word on Randy Orton or Jacob Fatu, the lower midcard babyfaces need something new to do after losing last week as well. So there’s lots to do tonight, let’s get to the action.
First a recap of Survivor Series, which I covered and thought wasn’t very good.
Michael Cole and Corey Graves welcome us to Austin, Texas. We see wrestlers arriving and get some notes about matches tonight.
Drew McIntyre gets out of a car but Nick Aldis is here to remind him he’s suspended. They argue a bit but Aldis isn’t budging then Cody jumps Drew and attacks him inside his car. Security separate them eventually and Drew drives off. Aldis tries to calm down Cody but Cody isn’t having it and storms his way to the ring. Cody doesn’t take his time coming down and gets a mic then calls out Aldis, they were just together in the back come one man. Anyway Cody wants Drew reinstated, he says Drew would survive like the cockroach he is no matter what Cody does to him. This could happen anywhere, a parking lot, a church, but it should happen in a WWE ring. Drew has never beaten Cody and he wants Drew reinstated so he can stomp him out once and for all. All fire from Cody, which was fine but this thing with him and Drew feels a tad overwrought narratively so it was necessary to try and get some heat back into it.
In the back DIY talk, Johnny Gargano wants to get their tag team goals on line but Ciampa wants the US title. Carmelo Hayes wanders by and says he got the US title match tonight already.
Back to the ring and here comes Ilja Dragunov, the man holding Smackdown up these days. He’ll take on Hayes after this break.
Post break we get a Damian Priest video, he talks at Aleister Black and says Black has delayed the inevitable by bringing in his family, so Priest returns the favor with Rhea Ripley. Rhea says she and Priest have been through hell and back, she’ll be by his side next week for a mixed tag match. OK then.
Back to the ring and here comes Carmelo Hayes.
Match #1 – US Title Match: (c) Ilja Dragunov vs. Carmelo Hayes
Immediate hard tie up, Hayes does give a clean break out of the corner. Another tie up, Hayes hits the ropes but it’s Ilja with the shoulder block to drop Hayes. Chop from Ilja, Hayes fires back with some chops of his own. Boot from Ilja then a corner knee but he runs into a superkick trying another one. Ilja moves to the apron, Hayes then jumps into a chop and Ilja follows up with another boot. Ilja climbs the ropes, takes too long though and Hayes yanks him off the ropes then climbs up top, Ilja slaps the piss out of him then hits a leaping boot to send Hayes all the way to the floor. Hayes is selling his knee after that landing and we head to break.
We come back to Hayes trying a kick but Ilja counters into a German suplex, he holds on and tries for a second one which also connects. Abdominal Stretch from Ilja into the hammer and anvil elbows then Hayes avoids a throw and lands some strikes. They trade blows then Hayes avoids a Konstantin Special and hits a springboard clothesline. La Mistica from Hayes gets a 2 count. Ilja blocks a First 48 then hits a pop up release powerbomb. Hayes blocks an H-Bomb and grabs a Small Package for another 2 count. Enziguri from Ilja then an Ore Ga Taue and both men are down. The crowd is behind Hayes, not sure how sweetened that is given some of the audio quality. Ilja goes up top, Hayes then kicks him off the top to the floor. Hayes with a leaping DDT onto the apron that spikes Ilja then he sends him back into the ring. Hayes up top, but Ciampa crotches him behind the refs back. That allows Ilja to hit Torpedo Moscow then an H-Bomb to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Ilja Dragunov retained the title in 10:22
Rating: 3 stars
Thoughts: They were starting to really get going here but the ending took this down a peg or so. Hayes and Ilja have done great work together before so this being well done and getting the crowd invested wasn’t surprising. Just a shame about the finish but I get it, they want to protect Hayes a bit still and they’re putting time into this whole Ciampa thing.
Post match Ilja just saw the replay and loses his mind at the interference sullying his match.
In the back Cathy talks with Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, Charlotte says she joined WarGames because Bliss needed her. Bliss and Charlotte want to regain the tag team titles after Bliss beats Kairi Sane tonight.
After this break we’ll get highlights from the Cena tournament.
We come back to a recap of how the Cena tournament has gone to this point.
In the back Cathy talks with LA Knight, Knight talks to us and cares about beating Cena and he’s got to go through Gunther to do it. He puts over Gunther’s accomplishments but Knight is an unstoppable force and Gunther isn’t ready for him. They’re going to have a fight tonight and Gunther can get dropped on his head like all the rest.
Back to the ring, here comes Kairi Sane along with Asuka and we head to break.
Post break here comes Alexa Bliss along with Charlotte.
Match #2: Kairi Sane w/ Asuka vs. Alexa Bliss w/ Charlotte Flair
They tie up then break without incident. Another tie up and they fight for position then Sane with some corner stomps. Some corner evasion from both women, then they trade roll ups before Sane slaps Bliss. Sane makes fun of Bliss’s height, about the only woman she can do that to, then Bliss slaps her. STO from Bliss then a flipping senton. Sane powders, Bliss follows and we get Charlotte distracting Sane so Asuka can trip Bliss on the apron. Sane then with an Alabama Slam into the barricade to send us to break.
We come back to Sane and Bliss fighting on the top rope, Bliss wants to hit a superplex but Sane headbutts her down into a tree of woe then follows with a double stomp which gets a near fall. Bliss avoids a corner Sliding D and Sane wipes out. Bliss fires up with a striking combination and a running Blockbuster. Asuka distracts to block a Sister Abigail’s DDT then Charlotte boots Asuka while Sane clocks Bliss with a Cutlass. Sane up top, InSane Elbow but Bliss blocks and hits Sister Abigail’s DDT to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Alexa Bliss won in 8:17
Rating: 2.5 stars
Thoughts: What a shock tag champs losing in singles matches. Bliss and Sane work OK together but man Sane deserves better.
Post match Nia Jax and Lash Legend attack Bliss and Charlotte to make everything worse. Asuka shows up to attack Jax then unload on Lash because she’s awesome but Jax cuts her off with a spinebuster. Sane takes a pump kick from Lash, because what’s selling anyway? Lash holds Sane in place and Jax tries an Annihilator but Asuka saves Sane.
In the back Aldis talks with Cody, they head into Aldis’s office and find NXT champion Ricky Saints along with Oba Femi. Cody wants to talk with them, he puts over their Deadline match but also says whoever wins between them gets to wrestle him at SNME. That lets Femi and Saints stare down.
Back to the ring and here’s women’s champion Jade Cargill. After this break Jade will take on Alba Fyre.
Post break we find Jax and Las walking in the back. Cathy comes over to asks them about what just happened. Jax and Lash say a lot of nothing then say no one can stop them taking the tag belts.
Alba Fyre got her jobbers entrance during the break and we get a recap of Jade laying out Green and Fyre last week.
Match #3: Jade Cargill vs. Alba Fyre w/ Chelsea Green
Green yells from the apron and Fyre attacks Jade from the side. Jade takes a hurricanrana then Fyre with some corner work. Superkick from Fyre then Green with a cheap shot. Kiana James shows up to distract Green so Giulia can lay her out and chase her to the back. That distracts Fyre so Jade recovers and kills her with a spinebuster. Jade is pissed and drills Fyre with a pump kick, then Jaded to win.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Jade Cargill won in 1:50
Rating: DUD
Thoughts: Angle not a match, this was about trying to get Giulia and Green back into mutual orbit, Jade’s stuff was unnecessary to that end. Jade really needs something of substance to be doing here, not killing midcarders.
In the back Fraxiom talk with Aldis, they want a match with DIY. Ilja comes over to insult Ciampa and says he’ll give Ciampa his title shot next week. Once Ilja is done with Ciampa, Fraxiom can have whatever’s left. Ilja turns into Tama Tonga and the bozos. Solo Sikoa directs his pointless goons to follow him and they all waddle to the ring while we head to break.
Post break we find Jade in the back and she runs into B-Fab and Michin. Michin and Jade trade barbs then Michin and Jade basically gets made for next week. This isn’t elevating Michin, it’s downgrading Jade and her title.
Back to the ring here’s Solo and his goons for some promo time, so you know this is about to be rough. Solo gets a mic and tries to generate heat by referencing beating Sami Zayn’s group last week. It doesn’t work. He says they’re all ready to move forward, sounds like a mobility issue if you can’t pivot. Anyway he brings up with Wyatt Sicks. He’s been watching the Wyatts just like they’ve been watching him, so he introduces himself like he hasn’t eaten up at least 2 segments a week for the last year. The Wyatts have something that belongs to Solo, the tag team belts. The “what” treatment is loud at this point. Solo tells Uncle Howdy to listen, everything that was Bray’s that’s now Howdy’s will become Solo’s. That didn’t land the way he wanted. He’ll show everyone that Howdy doesn’t deserve the name Wyatt. I mean, it’s either Bo Dallas or Uncle Howdy so he doesn’t really use it. Solo will take it all because he can, all he has to do is Bo-lieve. Stop letting Solo monologue, he sucks at it and it’s not helping him get over. The Wyatt’s show up on the apron, Howdy is behind Solo and the two leaders stare off then start throwing hands. The brawl is on ultimately with Talla Tonga and Erick Rowan staring down because they’re big. Talla still sucks and they trade punches then boots and Talla gets kicked out of the ring so the Wyatts sort of stand tall as the Islanders retreat behind the invisible wall that says they’re safe.
In the back Miz whines to Aldis and Aldis isn’t taking Miz’s crap tonight. Bayley comes over to celebrate being on SNME while Miz isn’t on the show. Miz storms off and Aldis says Bayley will wrestle Sol Ruca at SNME. Ruca and Bayley share some words to close the segment.
Cathy talks with Gunther now, Gunther says his name means victory in any language. He’s going to beat Knight and Cena, he knows there’s a room full of passionate and hungry wrestlers who wanted this but Gunther tore through them. He knows Cena can see him and tonight he can get a preview of what’s in store by watching how he beats Knight. That sends us to break with our main event up next, allegedly.
We come back to an Aleister Black video, he says something’s very broken in Priest. He’s seen Priest stand by people who wont stand by him, Black might be everyone’s enemy but he’s the only one who’ll be honest about everything. They left Priest a perfect monster, but here’s Rhea to tempt him back to the false past he had. Zelina is here to say the Terror Twins will only lead to Priest being lonely and sad again. Black says if Priest wants the inferno then Black will play Virgil to his Dante and guide him through it.
Next week we’ll get that mixed tag match plus Ciampa vs. Ilja for the US title and Bliss taking on Lash Legend. That last one seems like a bad idea.
LA Knight heads to the ring followed by Gunther. I really appreciate that they just let Gunther go back to Dvorak’s New World, not that I didn’t like the other theme but there’s something perfect about that piece for him.
Match #4: Gunther vs. LA Knight
OK, we went 30 minutes between matches. A full fourth of the broadcast, that’s patently unacceptable pacing and layout. Both men stare down then Gunther pie faces Knight. Knight starts throwing hands then stomps away at Gunther in the corner but Gunther chops Knight. Both men avoid finishers then Gunther powders but Knight follows with a diving dropkick through the ropes to send us picture in picture.
Knight bounces Gunther off the announce table a few times then tosses him over it. They head back into the ring and Gunther comes back to life with an uppercut. Arm wringer from Gunther, Knight fights back with some strikes but Gunther boots him then floors him with a lariat. Gunther stalls a bit then tries a suplex but Knight counters into a neckbreaker, he looks to build momentum but Gunther cuts him off with a scoop slam. Some punches from Knight but Gunther grabs a Sleeper hold briefly before Knight sends him out of the ring. Knight with a diving clothesline from the apron to the floor. On the floor Gunther lands a chop then a back suplex onto the apron as we come back to broadcast. They head back into the ring then Gunther lands knees in the corner. Knight catches a knee and trips Gunther down then misses a jumping elbow. Again Knight tries punches but Gunther launches him into a corner and Knight is down. Now Gunther stomps the back of Knight then lands a chop with wrist control. Another chop from Gunther but Knight pops up and looks to fire up, he takes another chop but dodges the next one and hits the ropes for a leaping clothesline. Leaping neckbreaker from Knight then Gunther avoids Blunt Force Trauma. O’Connor Roll from Knight but Gunther transitions into a Sleeper, Knight with the Hart counter for a 2 count. Attitude Adjustment from Knight then his safe Burning Hammer for a 2 count and we go picture in picture again.
Both men slowly pull themselves up and start trading strikes. Boot from Gunther, then another one but Knight hits the ropes so we get a double clothesline spot and both men are down again. They start trading strikes from their knees as we come back to broadcast. Chops start going back and forth, Knight gets the better of things and then stomps away on Gunther in the corner. Corner knee from Knight, he tries a second but runs into a Sleeper so Knight has to counter with a back suplex. Now Knight wants the Megastar Elbow but Gunther avoids it and hits a shotgun dropkick. Knight avoids a Powerbomb with a DDT. Knight again tries the Megastar Elbow and this time it connects for a near fall. Gunther avoids Blunt Force Trauma again, this time with a German suplex to floor Knight. Neck wringer from Gunther, he’s got a target now and levels Knight with a lariat. Gunther up top for a Splash, Knight punches him though but Gunther is chopping his neck in response. Knight tries a superplex, Gunther shoves him down then follows with a Splash. Another Splash from Gunther, to the back this time and that’s a near fall. Gunther with a Powerbomb but again just a near fall off the prawn hold pin. Gunther calls on Knight for a Sleeper but Knight counters int Blunt Force Trauma but Gunther’s foot gets to the rope to save the match. Both men stagger upright but Gunther grabs a Sleeper hold. Hammer and anvil elbows from Gunther then another Sleeper and Knight struggles. Knight tries to fight upright, he gets there but Gunther with more hammer and anvil elbows. Gunther elbows Knight into the mat then yanks on a Cravat variation. Knight tries to fight out but can’t move and has to tap.
OFFICIAL RESULT: Gunther won in 17:49
Rating: 4 stars
Thoughts: Good stuff here, Gunther was the logical winner but they gave Knight a ton of shine and the basic story of Knight’s faster pace and momentum based offense running into Gunther’s methodical and fundamental game was good. Gunther is one of the five or so best guys in the ring in the world right now and I think he and Cena will do something really cool if given the time and freedom to do so.
Gunther tells the camera that at SNME Cena will finally give up, that closes the episode.
