Our WWE SmackDown results for tonight include the men’s and women’s 2025 Royal Rumble winners (Jey Uso and Charlotte Flair) addressing the WWE Universe, Elimination Chamber qualifying matches begin when Alexa Bliss takes on Candice LeRae, and Bianca Belair clashing with Piper Niven. Here’s our review and grades for tonight’s show, live from the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennesse.
WWE SmackDown Card:
- 2025 Men’s Royal Rumble winner Jey Uso to appears
- 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble winner Charlotte Flair appears
- Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: Alexa Bliss vs. Candice LeRae
- Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: Women’s Tag Team Champion Bianca Belair vs. Piper Niven
WWE SmackDown Results:
After a highlight package from the Royal Rumble, the 2025 men’ Royal Rumble winner Jey Uso makes his way to the ring.
Yeet!
Jey Uso talks about his big Royal Rumble victory. The crowd showers Jey with a “you deserve it” chant. Jey says he’s here to talk to the WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. Rhodes joins Jey in the ring and says he thinks he knows what Jey wants to talk about. Rhode glances at the WrestleMania sign. Jey notes he has two choices: standing across from Rhodes at WrestleMania, which would mean a lot to him, or standing next to Rhodes as the new World Heavyweight Champion. Rhodes puts over Jey and his big win. Rhodes tells Jey that if he picks him, they should go out and have fun tonight because it will be the last time.
Jey and Rhodes shake hands. Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga interrupt. Fatu notes that last year, Rhodes took that WWE Championship from his family. Fatu notes that his family needs that title back. That brings Fatu to Jey. If there were anyone who could bring the championship back to the family, it sure as hell wouldn’t be Jey. Jey superkicks Tonga. Fatu superkick Jey. Everyone fights. Fatu put everyone down. Fatu sets up a hip attack on Rhodes. Jey breaks it up with a superkick. Rhodes blasts Fatu with a Cody cutter.
Grade: B-
Fatu seemed off tonight. Jey needs to find a way to avoid being blown up when he finally gets to the ring to cut his promo. Even Rhodes seemed off in his delivery, tripping over his words. It’s a weird segment that will most likely lead to a tag team main event; oh, joy… SmackDown is the land of tag team match main events. This is getting old.
Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: Women’s Tag Team Champion Bianca Belair w/Naomi vs. Piper Niven w/Chelsea Green
Belair immediately attempts the KOD, but Niven fights it off. Niven works over Belair. Belair fires up. Belair hits the KOD for the win.
Winner- Bianca Belair
Grade: C+
Belair and Niven have had banger matches in the past; in fact, they have had so many matches this writer has zero desire to see it again any time soon. Look, we know Belair can hit the KOD on Niven. She has done it somewhere around 256 times at this point. It’s still impressive, but if they are forced to work with each other at some point, they need to have a different match than the one they have been having for the past three years.
Gargano and Ciampa
Gargano and Ciampa gloat about beating Motor City Machine Guns twice at Royal Rumble. They are the best tag team in the world. Ciampa and Gargano want to do a moment of silence for MCMG. Pretty Deadly interrupts. Prince accidentally calls the titles the NXT tag team championship. SmackDown GM Nick Aldis says Pretty Deadly can earn a title shot; they just have to beat #DIY tonight in a non-title match that starts right now. Gargano and Ciampa are livid because they are in street clothes and unprepared to wrestle tonight.
Grade: D
The crowd doesn’t care about any of this. Neither does this writer. It’s nothing against the superstars. This half-an angle going one between four of the tag teams on SmackDown has zero substance. The only team involved that has any heat at this point is The Street Profits, and they haven’t wrestled in weeks.
Non-Title Match: WWE Tag Team Champions #DIY vs. Pretty Deadly (If Pretty Deadly Wins, they get a Title Shot)
After a bit of back and forth, Ciampa tries to rulls up Prince with a handful of tights. Prince counters with a roll up and grabs the rope for leverage for the win.
Winners- Pretty Deadly
Grade: C
… beating a champion to set up a title match is one of many tropes WWE needs to leave in 2024. All it does it make your champion look weak.
The Scottish Psychopath…
Drew McIntyre complains about not winning the Royal Rumble. He’s the bad guy for telling the truth. McIntyre says Raw GM Adam Pearce is an idiot. He’s here because SmackDown GM Nick Aldis called him up and offered him the opportunity to unleash the real Drew McIntyre. Jimmy Uso interrupts and tells McIntyre he’s acting like a bitter ex. Jimmy reminds McIntyre that he has to earn his spot.
Read More: Report: Drew McIntyre Unhappy With WWE Royal Rumble Participant ‘Trying To Get Himself Over’
McIntyre calls Jimmy “Jey.” Jimmy tell McIntyre were to get off. LA Knight walks out on the stage. Knight gives a PSA about crying as a man is ok… but there does come a point when it’s too much. There are three things that are for sure: death, taxes, and McIntyre crying like a baby. After declaring himself the winner of tonights contest, Knight says, “oh wait, he forgot to get his stuff in, YEAH!”
Grade: B
This… this was good. McIntyre is always good on the mic, but him taking a less agro position than normal was a nice touch. How long with this nicer McIntyre last? Jimmy is working pretty hard to establish himself, in time, this will work. We aren’t there yet, but this writer is willing to give Jimmy time to find his thing. Knight popped this writer with his quip about getting his stuff in.
Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: LA Knight vs. Jimmy Uso vs. Drew McIntyre
Jimmy and Knight stomp McIntyre in the corner. Knight and Jimmy quickly comes to blows, as they both want to pin McIntyre. The finish say Jimmy land a superkick and Uso Splash on Knight. McIntyre pulls the referee out of the ring. Jimmy superkick McIntyre out of the ring. Jimmy tries another splash. Knight gets his knees up. Knight sets up the BFT. As Knight goes to hit his finish, McIntyre hits a Claymore to the back of Knights head. McIntyre pins Knight
Winner- Drew McIntyre
Grade: B
Good match + Great set up + Inventive finish= a good piece of business.
Carmelo Hayes vs. Akira Tozawa
Hayes dumps on Memphis on his way to the ring. Tozawa knocks Hayes off the apron. Tozawa lands a some offense but Hayes eventually get the win.
Winner- Carmelo Hayes
Grade: C
This was exactly what it needed to be. Quick, and a win for Hayes.
All Hail the Queen
2025 Women’s Royal Rumble winner Charlotte Flair asks the crowd what its going to be tonight. Do they love her or do they hate her? When the people boo, all Flair hears is money. She lives rent free in everyone’s minds. Flair calls everyone else in the Royal Rumble unserious women. Flair says she wants to feel inspired. Flair’s been to Raw and NXT to see if their champions inspire her. WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton interrupts. Stratton congradulates Flair and welcomes her back and admits to being a Flair fan. Stratton dumps on Flair for being so easily forgotten while she was away.
Flair tells Stratton she should only speak when Flair tells her to. Stratton tells Flair to pick her some she can’t beat Flair at WrestleMania. Stratton doesn’t want to be compared to Flair anymore. Flair says when she was on Raw and looked at Rhea Ripley, she saw a kid. When Flair looks at Stratton, she sees a child. If Stratton wants to face Flair, Flair demands Stratton get on her hands and knees and beg. Nia Jax and Candice LeRae interrupt. Jax tells Flair to pump the brakes. Stratton will be defending the championship against Jax next week. Flair says this is getting interesting. Flair will be on SmackDown next week to see who walks away champion.
Grade: B-
Flair has managed to make the fickle crowd reactions work for her. In the end, it doesn’t matter who Flair pick, she’s going over. At this point, we all know this.
Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match: Alexa Bliss vs. Candice LeRae
Bliss starts with a flurry of offense. LeRae takes over after countering Sister Abigail. LeRae works over Bliss. Bliss fires up and hits the DreamDT for the win.
Winner- Alexa Bliss
Grade: B
Solid in ring action in this one. Bliss switching from using Sister Abigail to using the DDT version is a nice touch.
WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso vs. Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga
Fatu and Tonga are in control early, working over Rhodes. Rhodes manages to tag in Jey. Jey clears the ring. Tonga takes over on Jey. Fatu and Tonga beat down Jey. Rhodes gets the hot tag and lands a Cody Cutter. Jey pull Fatu out of the ring and lands a dive. Rhodes drops Tonga with Crossroads for the win.
Winners- Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso
After the match, someone in a hood Samoan Spikes Rhodes… its… Solo Sikoa!
Grade: B-
Fun match, but it seemed rush. As soon as the match started they had to go to commerical, which killed the momentum to start with. Beyond that, the return of Solo Sikoa is a welcome one. What does his return mean for Tonga and Fatu?
WWE SmackDown Review:
WWE clearly spent all of their effort and energy on this week’s episode of Raw. Between the repetitive matches (Belair vs. Niven 16), and a rushed main event the show left so much to be desired. This was a lackluster show coming off of a PLE, but at least Carmelo Hayes managed to notch a victory in the win column for once, so let’s just count that as a victory.
Grade: C
This event is ongoing. This information will be updated as the event progresses.
Read More: Drew McIntyre Joins WWE SmackDown Roster To Compete In Elimination Chamber Qualifier
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