WWE SmackDown Results, Winners, Live Grades and Highlights Before Clash in Paris 2025

On the final broadcast before Clash in Paris Sunday afternoon, WWE presented the latest episode of SmackDown from LDLC Arena in Lyon, France, headlined by two high-stakes title bouts.

Solo Sikoa defended the United States Championship against former Bloodline brethren Sami Zayn while Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss put their Women's Tag Team Championship on the line against The Secret Hervice's Piper Niven and Alba Fyre.

Who emerged victoriously and what went down on the go-home episode of the Friday night show? Find out in this recap.

Match Card

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Announced in advance of Friday's show were:

• John Cena and Logan Paul face-to-face
• Women's Tag Team Championship Match: Flair and Bliss vs. Niven and Fyre
• United States Championship Match: Zayn vs. Sikoa
• Tag Team No. 1 Contender's Match: The Street Profits vs. Melo Don't Miz
• Michin vs. Kiana James

John Cena and Logan Paul Face to Face

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Under 48 hours before they square off in one of the marquee matches at Clash in Paris, John Cena and Logan Paul shared the squared circle to kick off Friday's broadcast.

Paul hit the ring first and referred to himself as the "Great Disruptor" before insisting that he is the changing face of wrestling.

This brought Cena out, who reminded Paul and the WWE Universe that he was the first disruptor. He then taught his opponent on Sunday a lesson in respect by apologizing to the kid he famously cut down in one of his first heel promos months ago, and wrapped things up with a vow of victory.

Grade

A

Top Moments and Takeaways

• Paul talking trash in France during his promo was a nice touch and earned him considerable heat, as did his insistence that he is wrestling.
• No one panders to his audience quite like Cena. We are going to miss that after December, whether we know it now or not.
• Cena referenced Thuganomics, his Word Life brass knuckles, and called himself the original disruptor, all callbacks to many fans' first introduction to the future Hall of Famer two decades ago.
• "Now, at age 30, when you make the front pages, it's for the wrong reasons," Cena told Paul.
• This was a fantastic promo from Cena, the type that only he can deliver. He spoke with conviction, dealt some harsh truth to Paul, and sold one of the biggest matches on Sunday's card. The heel handled himself, too, but this was a textbook example of why Cena has and always will be able to connect with audiences in a way others in his position have struggled.

Alexa Bliss vs. Chelsea Green

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Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre attacked women's tag team champions Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair before a scheduled match, injuring the latter's knee. That led to an impromptu singles match between Green and Bliss.

A vengeful Bliss jumped Green at the opening bell but the former women's United States champion fended her off and took control of the bout through the commercial break.

Bliss fought back and was rolling until Fyre jumped on the apron and provided a momentary distraction. The champion knocked her to the floor but Green got the knees up to prevent Twisted Bliss. Both competitors traded attempted finishers before Bliss stacked Green up in a schoolgirl rollup for the win.

After the match, Green and Fyre attacked Bliss. When Flair attempted to make the save, The Queen also met a similar fate as the heels stood tall to close out the segment.

Result

Bliss defeated Green

Grade

C+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• This was a mess from a narrative standpoint as they blamed the sneak attack and Flair's injured knee for the advertised tag title match being cancelled, only to then reveal that Piper Niven was not cleared to compete in France anyway.
• Bliss and Green had surprisingly solid chemistry, and this was a fun match as a result. The post-match beatdown earned Green and Fyre back some heat and momentum, which they need if they are to be legitimate contenders for the titles moving forward.

Michin vs. Kiana James

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Backstage, Damian Priest answered a pre-recorded warning from Aleister Black by promising to beat him up and do it with a smile.

In the arena, Michin, in pursuit of a shot at Giulia's Women's United States Championship, squared off with her associate, Kiana James.

James attempted to use her purse as a weapon and Michin dodged it, rolled her up, and scored the win in just six seconds.

The shocking speed of the match was not without consequence as the prospective No. 1 contender found herself on the receiving end of a beatdown at the hands of her rivals, ending with The Beautiful Madness driving her face-first into the steel steps.

Result

Michin defeated James

Grade

D

Top Moments and Takeaways

• It is incredibly difficult to convince fans to care about a program of any kind when the match and the proceeding beatdown are shorter than the entrances.
• It is typically not a great sign for one's future when they are beaten in humiliatingly short order, as James was here. Giovanni Vinci anyone?
• That Triple H, who was once so instrumental in the women's revolution and acquiring international talent to help build it, has not figured out how to best utilize Giulia to this point.

Drew McIntyre and Randy Orton Face to Face

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In the second face-to-face, in-ring promo segment of the night, Randy Orton joined Drew McIntyre in the ring, one week after dropping The Scottish Warrior with an RKO last week in Dublin.

McIntyre warned The Viper about Cody Rhodes, telling the former world champion that the reigning undisputed WWE champion is not his friend, but, an opportunist looking to exploit him to his own advantage.

As one might assume, things turned physical in short order and ended with the future Hall of Famer Orton dropping anyone and everyone around him with RKOs and standing tall.

Grade

B+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• Threading Rhodes into this feud and using his rivalry with McIntyre to introduce Orton as a potential foe for The American Nightmare is, arguably, the best bit of storytelling Triple H and his creative team have delivered in months.
• Michael Cole and Wade Barrett exclaiming "Hurricane!" when Orton dropped him with an RKO was fun.

The Street Profits vs. Melo Don't Miz

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Despite words of warning from Bo Dallas, sans Uncle Howdy costuming, The Street Profits and the team of Carmelo Hayes and The Miz squared off with an opportunity to challenge The Wyatt Sicks for the WWE Tag Team Championships at a later date.

Miz ran interference early on, thwarting the babyfaces' onslaught out of the gate and allowing Hayes to turn the tide in the heels' favor.

The heels dominated throughout the commercial break but a desperation slam by Angelo Dawkins allowed him to make a much-needed tag to Montez Ford, who exploded into the match with his trademark frenetic energy.

Miz halted his momentum momentarily, delivering a DDT for a near-fall. Hayes added a splash for another near-fall, looking to keep his team's championship hopes alive. The Wyatt Sicks made their presence felt, distracting Miz and allowing the Street Profits to deliver The Revelation for the win.

Result

The Street Profits defeated Miz and Hayes

Grade

C+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• The Street Profits have consistently delivered some of their best work yet in 2025, and they have unfinished business with The Wyatt Sicks, but it would have been interesting to see what Miz and Melo could have done with Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis.
• This was a fairly straightforward match, nothing groundbreaking or earth-shattering, with an outcome that felt fairly predictable. Here is to hoping someone in WWE's creative team can find something more interesting to do with Hayes, who has been criminally underutilized in relation to his enormous talents.

United States Championship Match: Sami Zayn vs. Solo Sikoa

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The rivalry between Sami Zayn and Solo Sikoa reached a new level of intensity Friday night in the main event of SmackDown, with the United States Championship up for grabs.

Sikoa found himself in control early, wearing Zayn down through the commercial break. As the challenger mounted a comeback, Sikoa's MFT (Talla Tonga, Tanga Loa, and JC Mateo) made their presence felt. Jimmy Uso attempted to even the odds but found himself beaten down until Jacob Fatu made the save.

Heading down the stretch, Sikoa appeared to be in control despite a red-hot crowd being solidly behind his opponent. He delivered a top-rope splash but could only keep his opponent down for two as Zayn's trademark resiliency reared its head.

The challenger ducked a spike, delivered an exploder suplex into the corner, and set up for the Helluva Kick. Sikoa cut him off but Zayn delivered two straight finishers to secure the win and title, all to a thunderous ovation from the fans in Lyon.

Result

Zayn defeated Sikoa to win the title

Grade

B+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• While there was an abundance wrong with the Karrion Kross feud, at least it paid itself off with Zayn shaking off the devil's influence, rediscovering his focus and confidence, and winning the title.
• With that said, this was a pretty unsatisfactory conclusion to the Fatu-Sikoa rivalry, which appeared destined to conclude with the Samoan Werewolf regaining his title with a win over his cousin.
• Still, despite the questionable timing of the title change, this was a strong match fueled by a hot crowd and an emotional win for one of the most beloved, and best, wrestlers of this generation.

Overall Grade

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The August 29 episode of SmackDown kicked off with a red-hot promo segment featuring Cena and Paul and ended with a great moment in Zayn's first United States Championship win.

In between was a mishmash of matches and segments that ranged from "mostly OK" to "good," with only the James-Michin mess counting as a misstep, and that was hardly on the talent themselves.

It was a solid, if forgettable show, with the aforementioned Cena-Paul confrontation serving as the biggest highlight from the broadcast.

Grade: B