New York: SmackDown kicked off with a recap of last week’s shock tag title loss involving Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair, followed by an in-ring segment featuring Rhea Ripley, Iyo Sky, Bliss and Flair.
Flair, visibly frustrated, declared she trusted Bliss but refused to team with Ripley heading into WarGames. The Queen walked out, leaving her teammates confused and fans questioning who will replace her.
Ripley appeared once again in a protective mask — and somehow remained the only superstar who makes the look work convincingly.
John Cena Farewell Tour Tournament
Jey Uso Defeats The Miz in First-Round Clash
The first tournament match saw Jey Uso square off with The Miz after The A-Lister cut off Uso’s entrance celebration. The match developed steadily before hitting its rhythm, with Miz nearly stealing the win after a DDT and Skull-Crushing Finale.
Uso rallied late, hit the final combination, and secured his place in the next round. A solid outing, though lacking the urgency a high-stakes tournament bout usually brings.
Fun Note: Commentary joked that while Miz and Cena have wrestled “over 100 times,” the win-loss record remains mysteriously unavailable.
Cody Rhodes Accepts Bronson Reed Challenge
Backstage, WWE Champion Cody Rhodes agreed to defend his title against Bronson Reed later in the night after a tense exchange.
United States Championship
Ilja Dragunov Retains in a Show-Stealer vs Axiom
Another open challenge from Ilja Dragunov led to Axiom stepping up — much to the annoyance of DIY.
What followed was a fast, crisp contest showcasing Axiom’s elite aerial work and Dragunov’s unmatched intensity. The chemistry clicked instantly, producing the match of the night as Dragunov eventually retained after a frantic closing stretch.
Dragunov once again proved he’s SmackDown’s most consistent in-ring performer.
Sami Zayn Gets Cleared — and Calls Out Solo Sikoa
Sami Zayn took to the ring to send a message to Solo Sikoa, only for Solo and the MFTs to confront him. When Sikoa vowed to attack only when Zayn was medically cleared, Zayn defiantly announced he had been cleared — daring Solo to strike.
The ring soon filled with reinforcements as the Motor City Machine Guns, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Rey Fenix helped Zayn fend off the heels, teasing a major multi-man showdown in the coming weeks.
LA Knight Advances After Surprise Opponent Revealed as Matt Cardona
LA Knight’s tournament match came with a mystery opponent — revealed to be Matt Cardona (referred to on commentary as Zack Ryder) in a surprising return after appearing as himself in NXT.
Both men worked a similar style, producing a balanced, back-and-forth encounter filled with reversals and momentum swings. Cardona threatened multiple upsets but ultimately fell to Knight’s BFT, sending the Megastar to the next round.
A competitive and well-received match, with added buzz thanks to Cardona’s return.
Jade Cargill Dominates B-Fab in First Match as WWE Women’s Champion
Fresh off capturing the WWE Women’s Championship from Tiffany Stratton, Jade Cargill faced B-Fab in her first defence.
Cargill overwhelmed her opponent from the opening bell, hitting a chokeslam, multiple powerbombs and her finisher in what was essentially a quick squash. While Cargill looked dominant, several sequences lacked polish in an otherwise lopsided presentation.
WWE Championship Main Event Ends in Chaos
The night closed with Cody Rhodes defending the WWE Championship against Bronson Reed, a match Rhodes himself requested. The American Nightmare struggled early against Reed’s size and power, but before the bout could find its second gear, chaos erupted.
Logan Paul interfered, attacking Rhodes to cause a DQ. The Usos hit the ring to make the save, only for a suspended Drew McIntyre to emerge and attack them.
The brawl ended with no clear direction for the title picture — a trend becoming far too common in major WWE matches of late.
Final Take
SmackDown delivered strong in-ring action thanks to Dragunov vs Axiom and Knight vs Cardona, while storyline progression surrounding the Cena tournament and faction warfare helped keep momentum rolling. However, another non-finish in a world title match continues to frustrate viewers hoping for cleaner storytelling.
