Greetings WWE Universe! PFSN welcomes you to our WWE SmackDown (May 30, 2025) live blog. This is your one-stop shop for real-time updates from the action-packed show.
Tonight’s show emanates from Knoxville’s Thompson-Boling Arena in Tennessee. The show will air live on the USA Network in America and on Netflix internationally.
We get a recap of Saturday Night’s Main Event and John Cena’s actions at the show. We got a city scenic of Knoxville and we first see Cody Rhodes walking backstage with Pharaoh!
We also see Knoxville-born and raised Bianca Belair walking inside the arena and she kicks off the show!
Bianca Belair Is Back In Tennessee Colors
Belair calls Tennessee her safe place and talks about returning here after losing at WrestleMania and subsequently getting injured. Belair talks about the support of her family and fans, but gets interrupted by Naomi.
A ‘You Suck’ chants breaks out directed at Naomi as she tells Bianca to forgive her, and it is all she wants. She tells the EST that seeking forgiveness led to her dropping by Bianca’s parents’ house. She says since they weren’t home, she went in and went through their photo album.
Naomi broke into Bianca Belair parents house and went though her old photo albums
SHE IS UNGINGED 😂#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/BN5vrgVq4S
— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) May 31, 2025
Bianca tells her that they were best friends but she betrayed her trust by attacking Jade Cargill and then lying about it. Naomi is seen in tears but says it won’t be nice if she and her mom end up in a wheelchair. JADE CARGILL IS OUT HERE!!
Cargill takes out Naomi with a boot and has a faceoff with Bianca before Nia Jax comes out and we are set for our opening match.
Naomi vs Jade Cargill vs Nia Jax (Women’s Money in the Bank qualifying match)
We return from a commercial to see Naomi beating down Cargill. Naomi is stomping away at Cargill in the corner. Naomi hits a dropkick in the corner, and Jax comes back in the ring and connects with a hip attack on Cargill.
Naomi manages to take Jax out of the ring. Naomi attempts a crossbody but gets caught in a fall away slam, followed by a slam into the pin before Jax breaks it up. Jax hits a Samoan drop on Cargill and then leg drop on both stars.
Jax throws Cargill out of the ring and hits a devastating leg drop on Naomi from the top rope!!! A nearfall. Naomi gets back to her feet and has a near-fall of her own.
Commercial break.
We return to see Jax and Naomi double-teaming Cargill as Naomi tries to steal a pin. Jax catches her and delivers a running senton.
Jade Cargill is fighting back and takes on Jax. She manages to connect with a spinebuster on Jax, but Naomi hits her with double knees for a two count.
Naomi heads to the top rope but gets caught with a Jaded, but Jax breaks up the pin. Now Jax heads to the top rope and takes out both stars with a double crossbody. Jax attempts to a successful pin but fails.
Hold on to that title tight, @tiffstrattonwwe 👀#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/VafYNK0UKC
— WWE (@WWE) May 31, 2025
She heads to the top rope with Naomi on her back and delivers a Super Samoan Drop !!! Cargill breaks up the pin with a splash off the top rope. We see more high-risk action with Jade attempting a suplex on Naomi from the top rope, but Jax manages to connect with a superplex powerbomb before stacking both stars for the Annihlator!!! Naomi gets out of the pin and slides Jax for the 1….2….and 3.
Winner: Naomi
Backstage, The New Bloodline run into R-Truth. He asks Solo Sikoa if JC Mateo is his son and says he wants a match with him. Sikoa approves, and Truth heads to Nick Aldis’s office to make it official. Jacob Fatu says he has his own business to take care of.
We see Chelsea Green talking about her broken nose to Aldis, and she demands that Zelina Vega be stripped of her title. Aldis tells her that she needs to be medically clear to have a rematch. A match between Alba Fyre and Vega is suggested.
We cut away to see Tiffany Stratton talking about the challenge of the Money in the Bank winner before Naomi interrupts her. She warns the champion of what could happen if she wins the briefcase. Naomi walks off, and we see Alexa Bliss tell Stratton not to worry about Naomi, but about her winning Money in the Bank.
Hold on to that title tight, @tiffstrattonwwe 👀#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/VafYNK0UKC
— WWE (@WWE) May 31, 2025
Back at the ringside, R-Truth makes his way to the ring for his match.
Commercial break
R-Truth vs JC Mateo
JC Mateo comes out with Solo Sikoa, and we are underway. Truth goes after Mateo but runs into a series of shoulder tackles.
Mateo launches Truth with a hammer throw. Truth gets back up only to be thrown across the ring again. Truth manages to escape a charging Mateo and launches some of John Cena’s offense with shoulder tackles as the commentary team refers to him as a ‘Ron Cena.’
JC Mateo gets the upper hand back with a suplex and a standing moonsault!! Mateo goes for a senton, but Truth gets out of the way and hits a Five Knuckle Shuffle. He attempts an AA, but gets dropped to the mat.
Mateo picks Truth and delivers a Tour of the Islands for the win.
Winner: JC Mateo.
After the match, Mateo starts beating down Truth, but Jimmy Uso rushes to the ring with the chair. Jimmy has Solo in the corner, but gets blindsided by JC. Solo tells him to back off and tells him that he was trying to talk to Jimmy.
Big Jim has R-Truth’s back 😤👊#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/hcYCEsYT1T
— WWE (@WWE) May 31, 2025
Backstage, the WWE tag team champions The Street Profits are seen walking and we will hear from them next.
Commercial Break.
The Street Profits Address The Tag Team Division
In the ring, Montez Ford hypes up the team as the best in what he calls the best tag team division across any promotion. Dawkins talks about tag teams coming after them, with the Wyatt Sicks being the latest.
Ford says they will defend the titles against anyone, and Fraxiom is out. They talk about their title match breaking down last week and how they should pick things up from where they left off.
The champions say they had Fraxiom beat until Wyatt Sicks interrupted. Motor City Machine Guns make their way to the ring and talk about deserving a title match. DIY is now out to make their case.
They head to the ring and Johnny Gargano talks about the Wyatt Sicks, before Tommaso Ciampa cuts him off to mention the “death” of SmackDown’s tag team division. He asks to pause for a moment of silence, and the lights go out!! The Wyatt Sicks are here!!!
THEY’RE HERE!
The Wyatt Sicks just took out the entire #SmackDown Tag Team Division 😱 pic.twitter.com/MJxqkjEokR
— WWE (@WWE) May 31, 2025
They attack everyone, and Nikki Cross takes out Candice LeRae with a crossbody on the outside.
Frazer runs into a Sister Abigail from Uncle Howdy!! Howdy yells “We’re here!!” as we jump to commercial.
Rey Fenix & Je’Von Evans vs Los Garza
The new NXT North American, Ethan Page, is seated ringside as Los Garza make their way to the ring. Rey Fenix is out next, followed by NXT sensation Je’Von Evans who is making his SmackDown debut!!
Fenix and Angel kick off the action in the ring. Back and forth action, before Rey Fenix delivers a hurricanrana before both stars butt heads (literally) and tag their respective partners.
Evans flies off!! and rolls up Berto. Berto hits a springboard crossbody and goes for the cover but Evans kicks out and delivers an enzugiri. Evans gets sent to the ropes and catches Berto with a Bouncyrana to send him outside.
Angel is also sent to the outside as Fenix tags in. They double team Berto for a superkick and get a two count as head to a commercial.
We return to see Los Garza in control as they work on Evans in their corner. Berto sends Evans into s Gory Special by Angel for a nearfall. Evans fights back from a chinlock by Berto and kicks him down before making the tag to Rey Fenix!!!
Fenix with a springboard cross body on Angel, and then he takes out Berto before setting him up for a step-up hurricanrana on Angel.
.@WWEJeVonEvans and @ReyFenixMx are putting on a clinic! 🔥#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/A1WeD60O5y
— WWE (@WWE) May 31, 2025
Berto tries to take Fenix out of the ring, but Fenix nails him with a spider kick. Evans joins in the action with a crossbody to Garza but gets laid out with a thrust kick from Berto!!!
“This is Awesome,” chants from the crowd as all four men are laid out.
Evans and Angel get back to their feet and start striking each other. Berto is tagged in and hits a powerbomb off the ropes on Evans for a two count. Angel and Berto start double-teaming before Fenix comes in and Berto is sent to the floor.
Action spills to the outside, and Evans launches himself at Los Graza. Ethan Page confronts Evans and pushes Fenix into him. Evans hits Page with a superkick. We get back in the ring and Evans is closing in on the win but Page interferes and pushes him off the top rope.
.@OfficialEGO is UNHINGED! 😱#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/I6obf773oM
— WWE (@WWE) May 31, 2025
Los Garza hit the MTY on Evans for the win.
Winners: Los Graza
As the commentary team talks about the match, we get a message from Uncle Howdy. He says that they won’t stop until they get what is owed.
Commercial break.
Back from the break, Zelina Vega is in the ring as Alba Fyre comes out with Chelsea Green and Piper Niven.
Zelina Vega vs Alba Fyre
Chelsea Green is wearing a colorful face mask, shades of ‘Dashing Cody Rhodes here’ as Vega and Fyre go at it in the ring.
Fyre starts off quick, and Vega is in the corner. The US champion fights back and gets a nearfall. Vega hits a hurricanrana to send Fyre outside the ring. Green distracts the referee, and Niven helps Fyre land a superkick on Vega as we go to a break.
Back to action, and Fyre is in control and has Vega in a chinlock. Vega fights back and strikes with a knee to knock down Fyre. Vega sends Fyre into the corner and hits a Meteora for a two count.
.@ZelinaVegaWWE isn’t giving up that easily! 👊#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/HLz5jCBK35
— WWE (@WWE) May 31, 2025
Vega attempts a suplex before hitting a jawbreaker and goes for a moonsault, but Fyre rolls out of the way.
Fyre heads to the top rope and hits a Swanton Bomb! for a two count. Zelina leaves the ring and Chelsea Green tries to attack her with her facemask, but she ducks and Green hits Niven instead.
Zelina gets back in the ring and connects with a Code Red on Fyre for the win.
Winner: Zelina Vega
Backstage, The Miz hypes up Carmelo Hayes for his Money in the Bank qualifying match. The Miz talks about Hayes needing to follow his plan. Melo tells him he will follow it but The Miz needs to let him do his thing.
We see Damian Priest heading to the ring.
In other news, former WWE chairman Vince McMahon has officially launched a new sports, media, and entertainment company.
According to Wrestlenomics, public filings indicate that McMahon registered three limited liability companies in Connecticut in September 2024. The new firm is named “14TH & I.” The name appears to reference the location of the Capitol Wrestling Corporation headquarters, which was spearheaded by McMahon’s father, Vincent J. McMahon.
SmackDown Commercial Break.
We return to see Giulia confronting Zelina Vega. She tells the champion that she sees her, but she sees the title more. Vega scoffs and walks off.
Damian Priest Issues Massive Challenge
Priest comes out to the ring and talks about his match at Saturday Night’s Main Event against Drew McIntyre. He talks about beating Drew and how he “scrambled” his brain at SNME before turning his attention to the next step in his career…fighting for championships.
He brings up the United States champion, Jacob Fatu. Priest says he respects Fatu and is proud of him. But he says he doesn’t respect the crew he follows around. Priest is all in to take on them and has his eyes set on becoming the US champion.
“Damian Priest is and will forever will be El Campeón”@ArcherOfInfamy is after one thing and one thing only, the #USTitle. 😤#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/J9ji3QWMuA
— WWE (@WWE) May 31, 2025
As he leaves the ring and heads up the ramp, Jacob Fatu makes his entrance. The two have a face-off before Fatu heads to the ring for his match.
Commercial Break.
Jacob Fatu vs Andrade vs Jacob Fatu (Men’s Money in the Bank qualifying match)
Andrade comes out next, followed by Carmelo Hayes as we get underway.
Carmelo goes after Fatu, but quickly gets taken down by Andrade and the ‘Samoan Werewolf.’ Fatu and Andrade face off as they exchange blows. Andrade gets the upper hand and connects with a crossbody, but Melo breaks up the pin, sending Andrade outside.
Fatu catches Hayes with an upper hand as he attempts a springboard moonsault. Fatu tries to go for a dive attack, but The Miz catches him. Hayes takes advantage of the distraction to dropkick Fatu to the outside.
Andrade comes back in and takes out Hayes. On the outside, Fatu goes after The Miz and lays him out with a running hip attack into the barricade as we go to a break.
Back in the ring, and Fatu takes down Andrade. The US champion with a series of headbutts, but Andrade delivers a series of chops of his own. Fatu takes down Andrade with an uppercut.
Melo interferes as Andrade escapes a running hip attack from Fatu. Melo eats a headscissors from Andrade for a nearfall. Melo heads to the top rope, but Andrade connects with a Spanish Fly!! But out of nowhere, Fatu hits a splash. He goes to the top rope for a moonsault, but Andrade once again intercepts him and goes for a pin.
These three are doing WHATEVER it takes! 🔥#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/NymYzwDrni
— WWE (@WWE) May 31, 2025
Fatu is back on his feet but ends up taking a Codebreaker from Melo and a poison rana from Andrade!!
Melo takes advantage with a First 48 for a nearfall!!
Melo and Andrade are fighting on the outside as Jacob Fatu charges to take them out only for them to move out of the way as Fatu crashes into the barricade.
The other two stars get back in the ring and Melo heads to the top rope but gets caught with a kick by Andrade. Fatu comes back into the ring once again!! and pushes Andrade into a Spanish Fly.
Fatu covers Melo for a two count and then hits a Senton Bomb but Andrade breaks the pinfall. As the three men fight, Solo Sikoa and JC Mateo walk out to the ring.
Hayes tries to get a pinfall on Andrade but Fatu breaks it up. Fatu sets up both wrestlers for a double Samoan Drop but Melo escapes.
Hayes tries to get another nearfall. First 48 by Melo but a spinning back elbow by Andrade counters.
Fatu is back on his feet and takes down Andrade and hits Melo with a running hip attack. Fatu with an Implant DDT and a double jump moonsault, but Solo is on the apron as the ref is distracted.
WHAT A MATCH! 👏@AndradeElIdolo is heading to #MITB! 🪜#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/OCcnnvy8P3
— WWE (@WWE) May 31, 2025
Solo tells Fatu to do it again and so does JC Mateo. Jimmy Uso shows up to take Mateo and Fatu is hit by a Codebreaker from Melo, who gets rolled up by Andrade for the win!!
Winner: Andrade
Backstage, Cody Rhodes is headed to the ring as he goes face to face with John Cena.
Commercial break
We return to see Jacob Fatu is going berserk backstage after his defeat. He runs into Solo, who tells him that he was trying to help. Fatu tells him that he doesn’t need his help, leaving Solo seething.
The commentary team runs down the Worlds Collide and Money in the Bank match cards. It is also announced that CM Punk will take on AJ Styles and El Grande Americano in a Money in the Bank qualifying match on the go-home RAW.
Cody Rhodes and John Cena Face Off
Cody Rhodes is out first and talks about WrestleMania 41. He says after his defeat, he had a doubtful moment and he reached out to a friend. He asked his “Was I a good champion?” The response he got “with everything you went through in the ring and behind the scenes, yes, you were a good champion.”
Cody reflected on the last year. He said he thought about AJ Styles feigning retirement to drop him, he thought about his friend attacking him at the tour bus while his family was sleeping on the other side. He said he also thought about the ‘Final Boss’ demanding his soul, saying he knows no matter how much he tries to look away, the offer still stands! Rhodes then says he also thought about John Cena.
Dueling chants of “Let’s go Cena” and “Cena sucks” from the crowd. Rhodes says he hesitated at WrestleMania to do what he had to do. Cody says he isn’t sure whether Cena will ruin wrestling, but he wants him to know that he will not hesitate ever again.
Rhodes talks about being worked up and says it is because he is back on SmackDown after a long time, and talks about a surprise. “YEET” chants from the crowd, and Rhodes wastes no time in welcoming the World Heavyweight champion “Main Event” Jey Uso to the ring.
Jey Uso comes through the crowd as we head to a commercial break.
Back from the break, and we see Rhodes and Jey Uso standing in the ring. As Jey’s music stops playing, the crowd asks for a repeat. Jey obliges but gets cut off by John Cena’s music. The Champ is here!!
Cena walks out to the ringside and grabs a mic before heading into the ring. Cena calls Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes pro wrestling’s biggest wannabes. He calls both of them John Cena wannabes and says they want his money and his fame, but they won’t get it.
Cena says there is one other person in WWE who exemplifies hustle, loyalty, and respect, as he introduces his partner for Money in the Bank, Logan Paul.
“Logan Paul is paying your mortgage.”
That was cold, @JohnCena… 😬@LoganPaul #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/FHfx8aHLRa
— WWE (@WWE) May 31, 2025
Cena hypes up Logan Paul and says he doesn’t need to pay his dues because he’s paying the mortgage of the likes of Rhodes and Uso. He says the fans did not come here to see Rhodes and Uso, they came here to see John Cena and Logan Paul.
Logan Paul takes over and runs down the Knoxville crowd, and says they should be thankful that they are witnessing Cena and Logan standing together in the ring.
Paul says he should have been standing with the WWE Champion as a WWE champion but Jey got lucky. He tells Jey that he won thanks to help from Cody Rhodes. He calls Jey and Rhodes as nepo babies.
Logan Paul calls himself and Cena as self-made men, saying nobody thought he would be a WWE star, let alone team up with the ‘Greatest of All Time.’
He calls himself the ‘WWE Superstar’ and says they will take care of business at Money in the Bank. Jey Uso tells them they don’t have to wait till next week. Cena decides to head out but is stopped by Paul as they seem to have a disagreemnt about how to handle this. Cody Rhodes calls them out and all four men trade blows.
IT’S ON!!! #MITB can’t come soon enough! 👊#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/7CGTkkIFdn
— WWE (@WWE) May 31, 2025
Logan takes Jey outside the ring as Cena and Cody brawl in the ring. Cena has Cody up for the AA, but Jey hits him with a superkick and Cody sends him to the outisde with a disaster kick. Jey Uso takes Cena out with a crossbody to the outside of the ring.
Logan Paul attempts a buckshot lariat but Cody gets out of the way and Jey meets him with kick. Rhodes and Jey hit a CODE-D on Paul to send him outside.
Cena and Paul regroup as the two champions stand tall in the ring to end the show.
That’s all from tonight’s show. The PFSN live blog will return for the coverage of Monday Night RAW. Till then, it’s goodbye.