WWE SmackDown Results, Winners, Live Grades Highlights After Wrestlepalooza 2025
Welcome to Bleacher Report's live coverage of WWE SmackDown on September 26.
The WWE schedule is heavy right now. Last weekend was WrestlePalooza, this weekend is NXT No Mercy, and then in two weeks, Crown Jewel takes place.
This week's show dealt with the fallout from WrestlePalooza while beginning the build for Crown Jewel. Here's a look at what WWE advertised for Friday's SmackDown:
- Tiffany Stratton vs. Nia Jax vs. Jade Cargill (Women's Championship)
- Giulia and Kiana James vs. Michin and B-Fab
- Cody Rhodes prepares to face Seth Rollins at Crown Jewel
- Sami Zayn United States Championship open challenge
Let's take a look at everything that happened on this week's show.
Cody Rhodes and Paul Heyman Start the Show
1 of 6After a recap of WrestlePalooza, we went live in the arena where Paul Heyman was waiting in the ring to speak. He mocked Rhodes by asking what the crowd wanted to talk about, which led to a chant for The OTC.
Since it was announced prior to the show that The American Nightmare would be kicking things off, it wasn't surprising to see him come out to interrupt The Oracle. Surprisingly, Rhodes asked about Brock Lesnar before mentioning Seth Rollins.
Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed showed up and joined them in the ring. Rhodes told them he grew up around bookers and warned them to keep an eye on Heyman because his loyalty is for sale.
Rhodes ended up throwing the first punch to get ahead of the fight and held his own for a minute, but the Brons eventually got the better of him. Randy Orton's music hit and he came out to make the save.
The Viper hit Reed with an RKO while Rhodes sent Breakker over the top rope with a clothesline. This was a pretty standard segment that was designed to lead into a tag match at some point. Nothing groundbreaking happened, but it was fine for what it was.
Grade: B-
Notable Moments and Observations
- The outfit they showed Cargill wearing when she arrived might be illegal in some places.
- They sold the injury to Corey Graves at the hands of Brock Lesnar by having Booker T fill in for him on commentary.
- Heyman did a great job deflecting the chants for Roman Reigns.
- It took Rhodes almost three minutes to say anything from the moment his music hit. He took his sweet time getting to the ring and soaked in the crowd's response.
- Its kind of funny how Heyman has more nicknames than most pro wrestlers.
The Street Profits vs. Melo Don't Miz
2 of 6Last time in action: The Profits defeated Melo Don't Miz (SmackDown, August 29), The Profits lost to The Wyatt Sicks (Clash in Paris, August 31)
The same two teams that fought in a No. 1 Contender's match for the tag titles on August 29 went to battle again this week for the same opportunity when Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford faced The Miz and Carmelo Hayes.
The A-Lister and Ford started the match. Melo provided a quick distraction that allowed his partner to get a two-count with a roll-up. They maintained control until the show went to a break.
We returned to see Ford momentarily in control before he was spiked with a DDT by The Miz. Hayes was preparing to hit his finisher when The Miz tagged himself in, but this time, Melo stopped him.
This allowed Dawkins to tag in and take over. The Profits were able to get the win because Hayes hesitated to save his partner. This was a solid match, but it lost some steam at the end. Ford and Hayes could have some incredible singles matches if WWE let them cook.
Result: The Profits defeated Melo Don't Miz
Grade: B-
Notable Moments and Observations
- Dawkins and Ford gave a quick interview backstage and said they are fine despite some recent tension.
- It's so weird how Hayes can show up in NXT and feel like the biggest thing on the brand, but he doesn't have the same aura on SmackDown. It was nice to see him and Miz have matching gear though.
- Ford and Hayes both have incredible dropkicks. They might have two of the best in all of WWE.
Giulia and Kiana James vs. B-Fab and Michin
3 of 6Last time in action: Giulia defeated Michin (SmackDown, Sept. 5), B-Fab lost to Chelsea Green (Main Event, August 4), Michin defeated James (SmackDown, August 29)
The second match saw B-Fab and Michin team up to take on Giulia and her business advisor, James. B-Fab and James started for their teams. The U.S. champion tagged in and took control after James was being double-teamed.
They fought through a break into the next segment. James and Giulia spent some time keeping B-Fab isolated, but she eventually made the hot tag to a fresh Michin.
Michin hit her finisher on James, but Giulia made the tag and hit her with a delayed northern lights bomb for the win. This was one of those matches that never seemed to find its footing. It wasn't necessarily bad, but it was lacking in a lot of places.
Result: Giulia and James defeated B-Fab and Michin
Grade: C-
Notable Moments and Observations
- B-Fab and Michin's gear was the brightest shade of pink imaginable.
- The kick B-Fab hit when Michin had Giulia tied up in the ropes looked hilarious. It was like she was a cartoon winding up for the kick.
- The disparity in skill between Michin and B-Fab is so noticeable. B-Fab has improved, but not at the pace she should be for a main roster talent.
- Despite poor booking and some injuries, James is much better in the ring than people might think. She does a lot of little things really well. She moves with confidence.
- Sol Ruca and Zaria were shown asking for a tag title shot backstage.
Sami Zayn vs. Je'Von Evans
4 of 6Last time in action: Zayn defeated Hayes (SmackDown, Sept. 19), Evans defeated Josh Briggs (NXT, September 9)
Drew McIntyre came out and ranted about losing at WrestlePalooza. Nick Aldis came out and told him to stop making excuses. After he left, Jacob Fatu came to the ring. Drew ended up hitting a headbutt, which led to Fatu kicking him in the face and then ripping the medical boot off his foot and hitting him with it.
Next up was Zayn coming out for his United States Championship open challenge. The call was answered by NXT's Je'Von Evans, who was making his main roster debut in this bout. Josh Briggs was watching from the crowd.
They started slow, but Zayn ended up backing The Young OG to the corner for some stiff chops. The high-flyer hit a huge springboard clothesline to take down the champ.
Zayn is one of WWE's most versatile all-around performers, and Evans is one of the brightest prospects in NXT, so nobody was surprised to see them find their groove right away and put on a fun, competitive match.
Evans came within a millisecond of winning with an OG Cutter, but Zayn kicked out, rallied, and hit the Helluva Kick followed by the Blue Thunder Bomb for the win. The only bad thing about this match was that we had to miss a few minutes due to the commercial break.
Result: Zayn defeated Evans
Grade: B+
Notable Moments and Observations
- Zayn had a quick exchange with Rey Fenix backstage before the match.
- It looks like Solo Sikoa will have a video for each member of his group every week. This week it was JC Mateo.
- The height Evans got on his springboard clothesline was nuts, and it looked like he wasn't even trying that hard. He almost went right over Zayn.
Tiffany Stratton vs. Nia Jax vs. Jade Cargill
5 of 6Last time in action: Stratton and Cargill fought to a double countout (SmackDown, September 12), Jax lost to Stratton (Clash in Paris)
The main event this week was the WWE Women's Championship triple threat with Stratton defending against Jax and Cargill. This was a rematch from Clash in Paris, so both challengers were hoping for a different outcome.
The entrances and introductions took up so much time that the show went to a break about a minute into the match.
All three women got in some good offense during the second segment, but again, it felt like they were cut short by a second commercial break.
Jax ended up being slammed onto the steel steps by Cargill, but she rolled back into the ring after only a few moments. That was when things went horribly wrong.
Tiffy was late to break up a pin by Cargill, so Jax covered for it by kicking out. Then when she laid down for Tiffany like she was originally supposed to, the ref stopped the count at two when there was clearly no kickout.
The ref obviously thought Jax would kick out like she did a moment earlier, so it was obviously a big series of miscommunications. The majority of the match was decent but nothing special. The ending being botched so clearly really hurt it at the end.
Result: Stratton defeated Jax and Cargill
Grade: D+
Notable Moments and Observations
- Jax was shown ripping up a flyer for Chelsea Green's Secret Hervice backstage.
- Aleister Black took out Damian Priest with a Black Mass kick backstage.
- Cargill's entrance is perfect for television. The way she seemed to appear out of nowhere behind the lights was so cool.
- It's always kind of weird when two wrestlers wear the exact same color. Cargill and Stratton looked more like tag partners than opponents.
- The way Tiffy hit a Swanton and them immediately took a superkick was awesome.
The Final Word
6 of 6WWE is in a very busy period right now. We just had the WrestlePalooza event but it already has No Mercy this weekend and Crown Jewel in two weeks.
Friday's show dealt with the fallout from WrestlePalooza quickly so it could focus more on building up Crown Jewel, but it also included the usual four matches we are used to on SmackDown.
The two tag matches both fell a bit short, but the U.S. title bout between Zayn and Evans was worth the price of admission, and the main event helped showcase three of the top women on the blue brand, but the botched ending completely killed it.
This was a relatively lackluster and predictable SmackDown, but it's worth going out of your way to see the U.S. title match.
Grade: C
