The final WWE SmackDown before the Royal Rumble delivered a night packed with drama, surprises, and jaw-dropping action. From CM Punk calling out Kevin Owens to Nia Jax ambushing Tiffany Stratton, the blue brand set the stage for an explosive Royal Rumble this Sunday.
Let’s break down everything that went down on this action-packed episode.
The show kicked off with Michael Cole introducing Pat McAfee to a podium near the stage, signaling a potential split between hosting and commentary duties. Joe Tessitore then welcomed Kevin Owens to the ring to discuss his upcoming match against Cody Rhodes for the WWE Championship.
KO, visibly fired up, grabbed the winged eagle belt and declared he would claim the other title on Saturday. But before he could finish, CM Punk’s music hit, and the crowd erupted.
Punk didn’t come out to fight but made it clear that he plans to win the Royal Rumble and challenge whoever emerges victorious between Owens and Rhodes. The exchange quickly turned heated, with Owens throwing verbal jabs at Punk, who retaliated by mocking KO’s loss to Logan Paul.
After weeks of animosity, Jimmy Uso and Carmelo Hayes finally faced off in a high-stakes match. Hayes, cheered on by NBA star Tyrese Haliburton at ringside, showcased his athleticism with some jaw-dropping moves.
The two traded superkicks and top-rope splashes in a thrilling back-and-forth contest. Hayes tried to steal the win by using the ropes for leverage, but Jimmy countered and slyly hooked the tights to secure the victory.
Michin, with B-Fab in her corner, took on Chelsea Green for the Women’s United States Championship. Michin came close to dethroning Green after hitting her signature Eat Defeat, but Piper Niven intervened, helping Green escape the ring.
Green eventually grabbed a kendo stick and attacked Michin, forcing a disqualification. While Green retained her title, Michin made it clear that she’s not done chasing the gold.
In a preview of their 2-out-of-3 Falls Match at the Royal Rumble, #DIY and Motor City Machine Guns teamed up with Pretty Deadly and Los Garza, respectively, for an eight-man tag match.
The match was a high-octane spectacle, featuring top-rope moonsaults and incredible teamwork. However, miscommunication between Angel and Humberto led to them abandoning Motor City Machine Guns, leaving Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley to fend for themselves.
Despite being outnumbered, Motor City Machine Guns capitalized on a miscue from Tommaso Ciampa, who accidentally clobbered Elton Prince. Sabin rolled up Ciampa to steal the win, adding more fuel to their upcoming showdown.
Naomi and Liv Morgan squared off in a heated match ahead of their Royal Rumble appearances. Morgan dominated most of the match, but Naomi turned the tide with a Rear View.
Raquel Rodriguez attempted to interfere on Morgan’s behalf, but Bianca Belair stopped her, allowing Naomi to reverse a rollup and secure the win. After the match, Rodriguez and Morgan attacked Belair and Naomi, leaving tensions high heading into the Rumble.
The Miz returned to SmackDown for the first time in months to face Andrade. Despite a valiant effort, including a breathtaking Spanish Fly, Miz fell to Andrade’s devastating Spinning Back Elbow. Andrade’s victory marked a strong statement as he looks to climb the ranks on SmackDown.
Tiffany Stratton’s interview with Michael Cole and Pat McAfee was interrupted by Candice LeRae and Nia Jax. Jax, still bitter about losing her title to Stratton, ambushed the new champ. In the chaos, LeRae accidentally suffered a corner splash from Jax, leaving Stratton and LeRae laid out.
Damian Priest cut a promo about his dominance on SmackDown but was interrupted by Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga. Fatu showed respect to Priest but warned him to “lay down or get taken down.” Priest wasn’t intimidated and knocked out Tonga with a single punch, leading to a chaotic brawl.
Later in the night, Priest teamed up with LA Knight to take on Fatu and Tonga in a hard-hitting tag match. Priest delivered a stunning Old School-style crossbody and hit a South of Heaven on Tonga to secure the win.
However, the celebration was short-lived as Fatu viciously attacked Priest after the match, standing tall ahead of the WWE Royal Rumble.
| Singles Match | Jimmy Uso def. Carmelo Hayes |
| Women’s US Championship | Michin def. Chelsea Green (via DQ) |
| Eight-Man Tag Match | Motor City Machine Guns and Los Garza def. #DIY and Pretty Deadly |
| Singles Match | Andrade def. The Miz |
| Tag Team Match | Damian Priest & LA Knight def. Jacob Fatu & Tama Tonga |
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