WWE SmackDown Results, Winners, Live Grades Highlights After Crown Jewel 2025

On the heels of a Crown Jewel premium live event that saw Seth Rollins best Cody Rhodes in a star-studded main event, SmackDown hit the USA Network airwaves Friday with a broadcast that featured the first appearance of The American Nightmare since that defeat in Perth, Australia.

A battle between two heavyweights pitted Drew McIntyre against Jacob Fatu and the women's tag team titles were on the line as Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss defended against NXT's Sol Ruca and Zaria.

Find out what went down in those matches and more with this recap of the October 17 show.

Match Card

Craig Ambrosio/ WWE Via Getty Images

Announced in advance of Friday's show were:

• Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre
• Women's Tag Team Championship Match: Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss (c) vs. ZaRuca (Sol Ruca and Zaria)
• Cody Rhodes appearance

Cody Rhodes Kicked Off SmackDown

Craig Melvin/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Cody Rhodes lost to Seth Rollins (WWE Crown Jewel, October 10)

SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis informed the WWE Universe that the scheduled match between Jacob Fatu and Drew McIntyre for tonight's show will be a No. 1 contender's bout, with the winner facing undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes.

The American Nightmare made his way to the squared circle to kick off the show, drawing a big ovation while doing so.

He immediately addressed his loss to Seth Rollins at Crown Jewel before setting his sights on this week's show and the aforementioned No. 1 Contender's Match. He said he, like the fans, would sit back and watch the showdown between McIntyre and Fatu as they fought to be his next challenger.

Grade

C

Top Moments and Takeaways

• Rhodes said that Rollins "split himself to the bone" to beat him, perhaps hinting at an arm injury that could keep The Visionary out of action for the foreseeable future?
• This was...uneventful. There was nothing about the entire segment that needed to happen, meaning the sole reason for it was to have the biggest star on the show pop out, say a few words, and be finished. At least for now.
• Backstage, an impatient Solo Sikoa and the MFTs bullied Rey Fenix, likely setting up a match for later in the show.

Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss vs. Sol Ruca and Zaria

Michael Marques/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair defeated The Green Regime (SmackDown, September 19); Sol Ruca and Zaria defeated The Green Regime (SmackDown, October 3)

The WWE Women's Tag Team Championship was on the line Friday when NXT's Sol Ruca and Zaria challenged Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss in the night's opening contest.

Cameras caught Blake Monroe at ringside, watching Ruca, who she will challenge for the NXT North American Championship at Halloween Havoc next Saturday night.

The challengers worked over Bliss throughout the commercial break, highlighting the tag team chemistry that allowed them to propel themselves to this championship opportunity.

A hot tag sparked a furious comeback for the main roster combo as Flair took down and beat up Zaria. That momentum came to an end with a tag to Ruca, who fought off both champions. The double-champion rocked The Queen with a Sol Snatcher, only for Bliss to break up the pin.

The action spilled to the floor, where Monroe distracted Ruca, allowing Flair to capitalize and take out her knee. The Figure Eight followed and the challenger had no choice but to tap out.

Result

Bliss and Flair defeated Ruca and Zaria to retain the titles

Grade

B

Top Moments and Takeaways

• There were clear nerves on the part of the NXT talent but for the most part, they held up their end of the bargain and looked good sharing the ring with two women in Flair and Bliss who have been there, done that as far as high-profile matches and moments.
• This was a solid match that continued to introduce the potential main roster call-ups to the audience while furthering Ruca's rivalry with Monroe, which should be a fun addition to next weekend's PLE card.

United States Championship Open Challenge: Sami Zayn vs. Ilja Dragunov

WWE/Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Sami Zayn fought to a no-contest with Shinsuke Nakamura (SmackDown, October 10); Ilja Dragunov lost to Jey Uso in a Fatal 4-Way Match also involving Bron Breakker and Braun Strowman (Raw, September 9, 2024)

Despite Aldis' insistence on the alternative, Sami Zayn hit the ring for the latest United States Championship Open Challenge. The Miz attempted to answer it but found himself on the receiving end of an attack from Carmelo Hayes, leaving the champion alone in the squared circle.

That is until Ilja Dragunov made a long-awaited return, drawing a strong reaction from the fans in the Bay Area.

After a year away from the squared circle due to a severe right knee injury, Dragunov took the fight to Zayn from the opening bell. After the commercial break, both champion and challenger exchanged blows, holds, counters, and reversals, drawing a "this is awesome" chant from the fans in San Jose.

Back from another timeout, The Mad Dragon delivered a senton that should have put Zayn away but the champion kicked out at two. When the challenger tried for the H-Bomb, Zayn met him with a big boot to the face.

Late in the match, the champion set up for the Helluva Kick but was distracted by Solo Sikoa, allowing Dragunov to mount one last offensive and put Zayn away with the H-Bomb, winning the gold in his first match back.

After the match, the MFTs attacked both competitors, and a save by Rey Fenix fell short. As the heels stood tall, Bo Dallas appeared in a pre-taped video, issuing a warning to the faction before Erick Rowan, Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, and Nikki Cross hopped on the apron and stared them down.

Result

Dragunov defeated Zayn to win the title

Grade

A+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• Aleister Black and Zelina Vega addressed their actions from last week, when the latter blinded Damian Priest with a fireball, allowing the former to score the win. They admitted it was in the plans from the beginning and issued a warning to anyone within earshot to end the pre-taped video.
• Dragunov wasted no time returning and reminding fans why he was one of the best wrestlers on the planet when he unfortunately suffered the knee injury that would cost him a year of his career. This was an extraordinary, TV Match of the Year candidate that had fans on the edge of their seats and splitting their allegiances. Greatness from both men.

Motor City Machine Guns vs. Los Garzas

Andrew Timms/WWE via Getty Images.

Last Time in Action: The Motor City Machine Guns defeated Fraxiom (WWE Main Event, August 29); Los Garza lost to Fraxiom (WWE Main Event, October 10)

A backstage confrontation between The Motor City Machine Guns and Los Garza resulted in tag team action, a rematch of the first match Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley wrestled in WWE.

Angel and Berto isolated Shelley early on, cutting him off from his partner. They controlled the pace of the bout throughout the commercial. When Sabin tagged in, they continued their dominance, wiping the babyfaces out at ringside.

Back in the ring, the former tag team champions seized one opening, delivered Skull and Bones, and picked up a much-needed victory.

Result

The Motor City Machine Guns defeated Los Garza

Grade

C+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• Backstage, Tiffany Stratton said she would not allow her setback against Stephanie Vaquer at Crown Jewel. A confrontation with Kiana James led to a match between them on next week's show.
• The commentary team of Vic Joseph and Corey Graves put over the success of Angel and Berto in AAA hard, which begs the question: would they be accepted by the audience more if WWE actually preceded their match by showing footage of their success in Mexico?
• There was so much emphasis placed on the heels here, both on commentary and via the amount that they were allowed to shine between the ropes, only for them to lose. Not just lose, but lose despite little sustained offense from the babyfaces. Questionable booking and/or match layout there.

Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre

Craig Melvin/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Cody Rhodes lost to Seth Rollins (Crown Jewel, October 10); Drew McIntyre lost to Cody Rhodes (Wrestlepalooza, September 20)

Before he could make his entrance, cameras caught Jacob Fatu lying out backstage as a result of a sneak attack. Blood and possibly teeth were lying on the ground; it was clear he was unable to compete.

In the arena, a furious Rhodes arrived on the scene and exclaimed, "you want your title match, you can have it tonight!"

The longtime rivals brawled around the ringside area, beating each other up throughout the commercial break. When the fight entered the ring and the bell rang, McIntyre took control quickly, launching Rhodes with an overhead suplex and, later, dropping him with the Future Shock DDT.

The action spilled back outside, where Rhodes blasted McIntyre with the WWE Championship, drawing a disqualification but not the conclusion of the fight. Instead, Rhodes climbed the announce table and set up for his finisher, Cross Rhodes, before security and Aldis arrived on the scene.

The champion launched himself off the top rope, wiped out security and McIntyre, and stood tall to close out the show.

Result

McIntyre defeated Rhodes via disqualification

Grade

C+

Top Moments and Takeaways

• This was a fine brawl, with lots of aggression and intensity, but there was something unfulfilling about WWE advertising Fatu all show long knowing full well he would not compete, then booking a cop-out pull-apart to close the show.
• With that said, Rhodes is one of the best fiery babyfaces when he gets to be and he showed it here. No one fires up and shows that pro wrestling intensity like he does and quite frankly, it is something he should get to do more often.
• This looks hellbent on delivering Rhodes vs. McIntyre: The Rematch. If that is the direction things are heading, that is a perfectly acceptable match and addition to any card.

Overall Grade

Craig Melvin/WWE via Getty Images

This was an odd episode in that it appears as though that Fatu's injury threw things for a loop, culminating in the Rhodes-McIntyre brawl to close the show and bring those two Superstars back together.

Even if it did not and that was always the plan, it felt spontaneous instead of rehearsed and that is always a welcome feeling when watching a WWE event.

The return of Dragunov and his subsequent match with Zayn was nothing short of extraordinary and the women's tag title match was fun, too.

Even with that said, this felt like a disjointed show, with some questionable booking decisions, a tag team division that is about to get crowded again, and too many talented individuals not being utilized to their fullest potential.

Grade: C+