Greetings WWE Universe! Pro Football & Sports Network welcomes you to our WWE SmackDown (May 23, 2025) live blog. This is your one-stop shop for real-time updates from the latest edition of the blue brand.
Tonight’s show will emanate from EnMarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia and is the go-home show before Saturday Night’s Main Event.
SmackDown will be broadcast on the USA Network in the States and on Netflix globally.
We get a city scenic of Savannah, Georgia, and see fans outside the EnMarket Arena.
The Street Profits are seen arriving at the arena, followed by their opponents for tonight, Farxiom. Solo Sikoa is also here alongside Jacob Fatu and JC Mateo.
The camera cuts to Drew McIntyre walking into the arena and he is attacked by Damain Priest!! It’s already kicking off!!
They continue to brawl as officials arrive on the show and separate the two. We finally head to the show, and it is Tiffy Time!
Tiffany Stratton Kicks Things Off
The Women’s champion comes to a pretty nice pop and she takes the mic to address the fans. Stratton talks about how far she has come from last year after being in the Money in the Bank match last year. She addresses beating Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania and then Nia Jax last week. But before she could talk about taking on the winner of the Money in the Bank briefcase, Alexa Bliss cuts her off.
Bliss introduces herself to the champion as a former Women’s Champion and Money in the Bank winner. Bliss talks about Charlotte Flair before turning her attention to Stratton. She mentions that they both have cashed in on Nia Jax to win their titles but there is a difference. Bliss tells Stratton that she likes Jax but doesn’t know Stratton.
Bliss warns the champion about winning the Money in the Bank and Charlotte Flair comes out!
Flair says she is out here to congratulate Stratton on beating her at WrestleMania. Flair is getting booed heavily but continues with the promo. She mentions achieving everything in the company…except for winning the Money in the Bank briefcase.
Flair says she plans to win the briefcase and take back the title and her spotlight. Tiffany calls her a hypocrite and brings her previous remarks about winning Money in the Bank being the “easy way out”.
Tiffany calls both Bliss and Flair “vintage” and says whether they like it or not it will always be Tiffy Time! As she exits the ring and heads up the ramp, Giulia comes out for the opening match of the night as he go to our first commercial break.
Charlotte Flair vs. Zelina Vega vs. Giulia (Women’s Money in the Bank Triple Threat Qualifying Match)
Back from the break, Zelina Vega makes her entrance, and we are underway!
Flair and Giulia have a staredown, and Vega is thrown out of the ring by ‘The Queen.’ Flair goes after Giulia, but the US Champion makes her way back to the ring and tries to pin Giulia. Vega is kicked out of the ring again by Giulia.
Flair and Giulia square off yet again, but get interrupted by Vega. Giulia comes in with a few shots on Zelina, but Flair sends her into the midsection of the US Champion. Vega exits the ring as Giulia lays into Flair with some strikes before the Queen hits back.
Vega is back in the ring and attempts a double suplex turned into a DDT and has nearfalls on both stars. Giulia takes a boot to the face, sending her outside and Flair leaves the ring to go after her.
This allows Vega to take both of them out with a dive outside the ring!
Flair and Giulia team up to take down Vega with a double suplex before turning their attention to each other. Flair gets a two count thanks to a roll-up attempt. Vega is back in the ring and gets a nearfall of her own. Giulia is back in action with a back suplex, but Flair breaks it up.
Giulia takes Flair down with a dropkick as the action continues.
Giulia hits a dropkick, sending both women down, and has a succession of two counts. Giulia Irish Whips Flair to the corner, but Charlotte fights back by going to the top for a cross body onto Giulia and Vega only to find herself in a headscissors and into a submission hold by Vega!
Giulia breaks the hold, but Flair is back at it and takes down both her opponents, before going up top for a moonsault and connecting, but only gets a two count.
Giulia locks in a Rings of Saturn on Flair, who comes back for a nearfall to get free of the hold. Vega gets back into the mix and hits a kick and goes for a 619 on Flair. But Giulia headbutts her and goes after Flair, only to be speared by ‘The Queen’ for a nearfall.
Flair locks in the Figure 8, Giulia counters for a near fall. Flair attempts the hold again only to take a Meteora by Vega!
Vega hits a Code Red on Giulia, but Flair breaks up the pin attempt. Vega runs into a boot to the face by Flair. Charlotte goes for Figure 8 again this time on Vega, but Giulia hits a double stomp. Giulia lands a Northern Lights Bomb for the pin and picks up the win!
Winner: Giulia.
We see a video package of DIY talking about the tag team division with MCMG being their center of attention. Tomaaso Ciampa faces Chris Sabin tonight!
Backstage:
We see Chelsea Green taunting Zelina Vega for losing the Money in the Bank qualifier. Vega doesn’t take time to strike back as a brawl breaks out as Michin and B-Fab confront the Secret Hervice. Security breaks up the brawl and a tag team match is set for tonight with Secret Hervice facing B-Fab and Michin.
We had back to the ringside as Ciampa makes his way down to the ring for his match.
Chris Sabin vs. Tommaso Ciampa
A lot of back and forth action to start off things before Ciampa takes the upper hand. He stomps away at Sabin in the corner and then hits a Snapmare for a two count.
Sabin tries to fight back but is sent to the ropes by Ciampa, who then connects with a DDT before sending him outside. DIY applaud themselves as we head to a commercial break.
We get back to the action, and Ciampa is still dictating the pace of the match. He hits a neckbreaker on Sabi,n but he fights back with a boot in the corner. Sabin hits a German suplex, followed by a two count.
On the canvas, the two wrestlers exchange strikes before Sabin is dropped at the edge of the canvas. Both men are back in the ring as Sabin gets a dragon screw before heading to the corner for a diving cutter for only a two count.
Gargano gets on the apron, but Sabin takes him out. He turns his attention to Ciampa, who seems to have hurt himself as the ref checks on him. Out of nowhere, we see Candace LeRae show up on the ringside and attack Sabin!
Ciampa hits a running knee on Sabin for the three-count.
Winner: Tommaso Ciampa
Backstage, we see Fraxiom talk about their title match tonight.
We see Shinsuke Nakamura ahead of his Money in the Bank qualifier match. Up next, we will take a look back at John Cena’s path since turning heel and winning the WWE championship at WrestleMania 41.
Commercial break
We are given a rundown of Cena’s first promo after turning heel, and then how after winning the WWE title, he promised to “ruin wrestling”! Cena will face R-Truth in a non-title match tomorrow at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Back at the ringside, Damian Priest comes out only to be interrupted by Drew McIntyre as they get into a brawl!
Security and officials are out there to separate them, as Priest is in the ring and takes the mic. He says he’s gonna put McIntyre in the hospital tomorrow and goes after the Scottish Warrior again. Security tries to keep them apart as the crowd chants “let them fight” chants, before we cut away.
Backstage, Solo Sikoa is talking to JC Mateo before the US Champion Jacob Fatu shows up. Fatu tells Mateo that he doesn’t know him and he doesn’t like him. Mateo is seething before Sikoa interrupts them and asks them to channel their anger toward the tag match. He tries to say Fatu’s catchphrase, but Fatu cuts him off before walking away.
Ringside, Chelsea Green is seen accompanying the Secret Hervice for their match.
Commercial break.
Backstage, Charlotte Flair is walking as she overhears Alexa Bliss talking. She asks what Bliss is saying, but she responds that she wasn’t talking to Flair but to Lily!
We head back to the ring for our next match.
Secret Hervice vs. Michin & B-Fab
Niven and B-Fab start off things before Alba Fyre gets into the thick of it. Piper hits a Senton and Alba gets a nearfall. Fyre stomps B-Fab in her corner and tags in Niven to continue the beatdown.
B-Fab fights back, but a side slam by Piper puts her down for a two count. B-Fab is trying to make the tag but is kept away. B-Fab hits a DDT on Niven and finally tags in Michin as Fyre also comes in.
Michin takes down Fyre with clotheslines and a dropkick and sends Piper out of the ring. Chelsea tries to intervene from the apron before Zelina Vega shows up to take her out. B-Fab takes out Niven off the apron. Michin tags in B-Fab and she connects with a neckbreaker on Fyre and secures the pinfall win.
Winner: Michin & B-Fab
Backstage, the Street Profits talk about defending their tag team titles before Sikoa, Fatu and cut them off as they make their way to the ring for their match.
Commercial break.
We see a video package of Santos Escobar talking to Los Garza about standin together at Worlds Collide. Legado Del Fantasma take on El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr., Psycho Clown, and Pagano at the event.
Jimmy Uso and Rey Fenix head to the ring as the match gets underway.
WWE United States Champion Jacob Fatu & JC Mateo vs. Rey Fenix & Jimmy Uso
Jacob Fatu and Jimmy Uso kick off things before JC Mateo tags himself in. He gets in a few strikes before Fatu tags himself in back and has a staredown with JC.
This allows Jimmy and Fenix to take advantage as they send Fatu and JC outside the ring, and Fenix follows with a stunning corkscrew springboard off the top rope.
Solo tries to help both stars as we head for a commercial.
We return to action to see JC in control. He tags in Fatu and the US Champion takes out Jimmy with a running hip attack and a running splash. Solo is seen talking to Jimmy from the ringside as Fatu continues to dominate.
Mateo is tagged in and sets up Jimmy on the turnbuckle before Jimmy fights back and hits a corkscrew to take out JC and makes the hot tag to Fenix.
Fatu tags in, but Fenix takes him down with quick offense. A hurricanrana and poison rana follows as Fenix gets a two count.
Fatu comes back with a Samoan Drop to Fenix. Fatu looks for a hip attack, but Fenix gets out of the way and JC tags in. He goes for a German Suplex but Fenix lands on his feet.
Jimmy gets the tag and connects with a splash and goes for pin only to be broken up by Fatu with a senton!
Fenix sends Fatu outside with a missile dropkick and he goes for a dive outside the ring. Fatu catches him mid air and slams onto the announce table!
Jimmy takes out JC with a spear in the ring and goes to the top rope, but Sikoa interrupts him. This allows JC to get out of the way and catch Jimmy the Tour of the Islands for the win.
Winners: Jacob Fatu & JC Mateo.
Backstage, we see LA Knight talking about Money in the Bank and fighting against the odds. He takes shots at Aleister Black and Shinsuke Nakamura before calling himself a living, breathing, talking Money in the Bank.
R-Truth is making his way to the ring as we hear from him ahead of his match against John Cena on Saturday. We go to a commercial.
We return to see R-Truth walking down the ramp to a nice pop.
He takes the mic to talk about how he’s not facing his childhood hero tomorrow night, because he doesn’t recognize the man he idolized. Truth says he doesn’t understand the problem with Cena and how he could have helped him, before saying the problem is power.
Truth compares Cena to “that goblin fella” from Lord of the Rings and that he power has corrupted him, calling his title his precious.
He says John Cena is the greatest of all time, and he doesn’t know if he can bring Cena back, but he will not allow Cena to take his joy away from him.
Truth says he doesn’t wanna put his hands on Cena, but if he has to he will beat the hustle, loyalty, and respect back into ass!. He closes out by saying that tomorrow night we’ll say it one more time…if John Cena wins, we riot! as we cut away.
Aleister Black is making his way to the ring for the Money in the Bank qualifying match.
Shinsuke Nakamura is followed by LA Knight heading to the ring to a huge pop.
Aleister Black vs. LA Knight vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (Men’s Money in the Bank Triple Threat Qualifier)
Aleister Black and Nakamura target LA Knight before turning their attention to each other. Knight fights back, and now he and Black team up to send Nakamura out of the ring.
Back into the ring, Knight stomps Black. Nakamura sneaks back in and trips Knight, and sends him outside. Black and Nakamura exchange a few hard-hitting kicks before Black gains the upper hand and delivers a knee strike.
Aleister goes to the top turnbuckle, but LA Knight finds his way back to the ring and connects with a superplex! Knight goes for the pin, but Nakamura takes him out with a diving Kinshasa as we go to a break.
Back to the action, and Aleister Black strikes Nakamura with an elbow and a sliding kick. Black follows with a Quebrada, but Knight breaks the pinfall attempt.
Knight tries to go for a BFT, and Black attempts a Black Mass, but both get countered, leading to a burning hammer from Knight for a nearfall. Nakamura takes Knight out and throws him into the steps.
Aleister and Nakamura exchange strikes again as Knight makes his way back to the ring and sends Nakamura out. Black connects with a knee to Knight, sending him outside, and he follows with an ORIHARA MOONSAULT! onto his opponents.
Knight tries to get Black back inside the ring but ends up eating a plancha. Aleister brings Knight back in the ring but Knight connects with a DDT. He goes to the turnbuckle and hits an elbow drop, only for Shinsuke to break up the pin with a Kinshasa and a cover of his own, but Knight gets his hand on the rope to stop the count!
Nakamura goes for a Kinshasa to Black but is blocked. He runs for another Kinshasa but ends up taking a Black Mass. Knight jumps in to send Black out of the ring and steal the win.
Winner: LA Knight
We cut to backstage to see The Miz and Carmelo Hayes talking about Aleister Black failing to qualify. They bring up Hayes’s participation in next week’s qualifier. The Miz says he chose to have Hayes in the qualifying match over himself, and he is sure Hayes will leave LA with the briefcase as long as he follows his game plan.
We get a rundown of the Saturday Night’s Man Event match card, and we have a new addition as Zelina Vega defends her US title against Chelsea Green.
Backstage, we see Solo Sikoa talking to JC and Jacob Fatu before SmackDown GM Nick Aldis informs them that Fatu is in the final qualifying match for Money in the Bank.
Fatu is seen smiling before he tells Sikoa that he loves him and walks off.
Commercial break.
It is revealed that Bianca Belair will return next week on SmackDown and John Cena will also be on the show to address the fallout from Saturday Night’s Main Event.
It’s now time for our main event.
Street Profits (c) vs. Fraxiom (WWE Tag Team Championship Match)
Angelo Dawkins and Axiom start the action. Dawkins works Axiom’s arm before Axiom gets back and tags in Frazer. He puts down Dawkins, but he gets back up quickly to send him to the mat with a shoulder tackle.
Montez Ford is tagged in, and they double team for a nearfall. Dawkins comes back in and continues to inflict more damage.
Frazer fights back and manages to tag Axiom, and all of a sudden, all four men are in the ring. A little back-and-forth action as the Street Profits are sent outside the ring as Fraxiom deliver a pair of dives outside the ring.
Dawkins is rolled back in the ring and is receiving some strikes from Axiom in the corner. He fights back, and Montez Ford tags in for a senton. Dawkins comes back in as the champions regain the upper hand.
Axiom tries hard to battle through for a tag, but Dawkins keeps him down with a chinlock. He exchanges tags with Ford as they get a nearfall after a shoulder tackle.
Axiom finally gets out of the woods and delivers a cross-body to Dawkins and tags Frazer. Ford also tags in as Frazer unleashes a flurry of offense. Frazer hits a running shooting star for a two count. Frazer continues to land offense before Dawkins gets the tag and shifts momentum.
Ford is beating down Axiom before he catches the champion with a rear naked choke! Dawkins interferes only to be cut off by Frazer. Eventually, Dawkins manages to suplex Frazer onto Axiom to break the submission!
Frazer has Ford on the turnbuckle and hits a superplex as Axiom tags himself in and they connect with a Golden Ratio for a two count!
Frazer hits the ropes but Dawkins cuts him off and Ford rolls up Axiom for a two count. Axiom sets Dawkins up for a Spanish Fly and Frazer makes a blind tag and hits a Phoenix Splash for the cover 1…..2….but Ford breaks the pin.
DIY runs down to the ring but MCMG come out and a brawl ensues. Back in the ring, Dawkins hits a spinebuster on Frazer and Ford goes up to the top rope but the lights go out!!
The lights turn back on and the Wyatt Sicks are here!! The crowd pops like crazy as the Wyatt Sicks go after everyone. Nikki Cross takes out Candice LeRae. Joe Gacy takes Dawkins out. Uncle Howdy chokes Nathan Frazer in the corner before hitting a Sister Abigail on Johnny Gargano!! The Wyatts pose in the ring as the lights flicker and the show goes off the air.
That’s all from tonight’s show. The PFSN live blog will return for the coverage of Saturday Night’s Main Event tomorrow. Till then, it’s a goodbye.