By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Smackdown (Episode 1,325)
San Diego, California at Pechanga Arena
Aired live January 17, 2025 on USA Network
[Hour One] Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett were shown walking through a concourse area and then onto the main floor of the venue. They hyped the WWE Women’s Championship match. An arrival shot aired of Tiffany Stratton, followed by Bayley walking backstage. Jimmy Uso’s arrival shot was shown, and then Carmelo Hayes was shown walking backstage. Tessitore and Barrett were at their desk and said no one was more deserving to open the show than the hometown Hall of Famer himself.
Rey Mysterio made his entrance in street clothes while he was introduced by ring announcer Lilian Garcia. Tessitore noted that we’re two weeks away from the Royal Rumble and 92 days away from WrestleMania. Rey smiled and the crowd roared before breaking into a 619 chant. Rey welcomed the fans to Smackdown.
Rey said it felt great to be home in front of his people, his city, and his family (he said his daughter was in the crowd). Rey declared for the Royal Rumble match. Rey recalled winning the 2006 Rumble match after entering at number two, and then going on to become a world champion at WrestleMania.
Rey said the competition is heavy this year before listing some of the other entrants. Rey said it will be tough. He said when he won in 2006, he did it for a friend that everyone knows well. An “Eddie” chant broke out.
Kevin Owens’ entrance theme interrupted and he walked out holding the winged eagle title belt. Owens stood on the stage and told Rey that he was sorry about interrupting him. Owens said he had to come out when he heard Rey say he will win the Rumble.
Owens said there’s no one in the industry that he respects as much as Mysterio. Owens spoke about his own WrestleMania moments. Owens entered the ring and said he believes Rey can win the Rumble. Owens told Rey to promise that he will select him as the champion to face so that he can have his dream WrestleMania match against Rey.
Mysterio said that with all due respect, Cody Rhodes is the champion, not Owens. Rey said that if he wins the Rumble and Owens beats Cody, he would be more than happy to face him for the title at WrestleMania. Owens barked at Mysterio that he is the champion.
Rey said that Owens was acting so delusional that he reminded him of his son Dominik. Owens tried to hit Rey with the title belt, but Rey avoided it and threw punches at him. Rey kicked Owens’ knee and got him in position for a 619, but Owens scurried out of the ring before Rey could perform the move. By the way, Owens wore a t-shirt that read, “The Canadian Dream – Son Of A Security Systems Technician”…
Backstage, Naomi told Bianca Belair that there were no leads on who attacked Jade Cargill. Belair apologized for something that happened during their match last week. Naomi dismissed it and they were chummy while talking about their upcoming match…
Nia Jax and Candice LeRae made their entrance for the opening match heading into a commercial break… [C]
Powell’s POV: Angry and delusional KO is the best KO. The Rey homecoming was nice. H turned 50 last month, so there’s no telling how many more of these he has as an active wrestler.
Backstage, Nick Aldis told Rey Mysterio that he has his match with Kevin Owens later in the show. Cody Rhodes entered the picture and said he was trying to get medically cleared or he would have been there to help. Rey told him not to worry about it. Rey told Cody he would take care of Owens, yet would also leave something for him, and then made his exit.
Cody told Aldis that the doctor gave him a clean bill of health. Aldis said he needed Cody to sign something so that what happened at Saturday Night’s Main Event couldn’t happen again. Cody said he would sign it once Owens did…
Powell’s POV: It’s hard to imagine KO losing this close to his title match, so I don’t think this will end up being a happy homecoming Mysterio’s character. Meanwhile, it’s interesting that Belair is asking Naomi for updates on Jade Cargill’s attacker. One would think that she’d be the one doing everything she could to find out who attacked her partner. In other words, it seems like the writers are at least positioning her as a suspect.
Bianca Belair and Naomi made their entrances…
1. WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Bianca Belair and Naomi vs. Nia Jax and Candice LeRae in a non-title match. A graphic listed next weekend’s Saturday’s Night’s Main Event as airing live at the same time nationwide. Belair pressed LeRae over her head and tossed her onto Jax at ringside before a picture-in-picture break. [C]
Belair performed a top rope crossbody block on Jax and covered her for a two count. Naomi tagged in and hit a split-legged moonsault on Jax, but LeRae broke up the pin. The heel duo came back a short time later. Jax hit a senton on Belair and then LeRae covered her for a two count.
Late in the match, Belair covered LeRae and then moved when Jax went for a leg drop, causing LeRae to take the leg drop. Belair clotheslined Jax off the apron. Naomi tagged herself in and hit LeRae with a Bubba Bomb before pinning her…
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Bianca Belair and Naomi defeated Nia Jax and Candice LeRae in 11:00 in a non-title match.
After the match, Tessitore announced that Belair and Naomi will defend the titles against Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson on the January 28 edition of NXT that will be held in Atlanta. Tessitore hyped upcoming Smackdown matches… [C]
Powell’s POV: It’s mildly surprising to see the champions win clean in a non-title match. For those who don’t watch NXT, Legend and Jackson beat Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn in a No. 1 contenders match to earn the title shot.
Footage aired from earlier in the day of Byron Saxton interviewing Bayley as they walked through the empty arena. Bayley said it was a huge night for her to have a title shot at a sold out show in her home state. She spoke about winning the title at WrestleMania and losing it to Nia Jax. Bayley said her match with Tiffany Stratton was personal…
Michin and B-Fab were shown talking about the Women’s U.S. Championship when Piper Niven entered the room and did her secret service routine, which led to Chelsea Green’s arrival. Green wanted Michin and B-Fab to congratulate her for being the only woman to defend the Women’s U.S. Title. B-Fab said Green wouldn’t be champion if it wasn’t for her “mall cop.” Niven told B-Fab that if she took another step toward the champion, it would be her last. B-Fab said she would talk to Nick Aldis about having a match with Niven…
Jimmy Uso spoke about his match with Carmelo Hayes while looking into the camera as he walked backstage. The camera followed Uso as he made his entrance… [C] Tessitore hyped Saturday Night’s Main Event and priority passes…
Carmelo Hayes made his entrance and delivered a promo as he walked to the ring. Hayes capped it off by saying Melo doesn’t miss…
2. Jimmy Uso vs. Carmelo Hayes. Uso pulled Hayes over the top rope. The referee called for the bell to reward Uso for the pre-match attack? Anyway, Hayes avoided a superkick and ducked to ringside. Hayes hopped back on the apron and clotheslined Uso over the top rope.
A short time later, Jimmy sent Hayes to the apron and dropped him with a right hand shot. Uso suplexed Hayes on the apron, causing Hayes to fall to the floor. Jimmy hit him with a suicide dive, which Hayes sold by tumbling over the broadcast table. [C]
Hayes put Jimmy down with a springboard reverse DDT for a near fall. Both men connected with simultaneous clotheslines. They both fell to the mat and each man had an arm draped over the other man, so the referee made the count and they both kicked out at two.
[Hour Two] Jimmy hit a popup Samoan Drop for a near fall. Jimmy went up top for an Uso Splash, but Hayes hit him with The First 48 (Codebreaker) on the way down and got a near fall. Hayes went up top and rolled through when Jimmy moves. Jimmy superkicked Hayes and then covered him for a two count. Barrett said Hayes is “damn special” and just proved it.
Hayes superkciekd Jimmy and then ran the ropes, but Uso speared him. Jimmy went up top for his finisher. Jacob Fatu showed up and climbed onto the apron and locked eyes with Jimmy. Tama Tonga appeared behind Jimmy and shoved him off the top rope, causing the referee to call off the match.
Jimmy Uso fought Carmelo Hayes to an apparent no-contest in 11:50.
Afterward, Fatu hit Jimmy with a hip attack and then Tonga put him down with a DDT. Hayes got back to his feet as Fatu and Tonga were putting the boots to Jimmy. Hayes tried to buddy up to Fatu, who drilled him with a clothesline. Fatu hit Jimmy with another hip attack.
Solo Sikoa made his entrance. [C]
Powell’s POV: It actually feels like a sign of progress for Hayes that the match ended in a non-contest. For a moment there, I thought Hayes might attempt to save Jimmy. Unfortunately, Hayes played the role of stupid heel by trying to befriend Fatu. Even so, Hayes and Uso had a good television match.
Jacob Fatu handed a microphone to Solo Sikoa while Tama Tonga stood behind them coming out of the break. The crowd booed loudly when Solo teased speaking. Solo dropped the microphone and exited through the timekeepers area. Fatu and Tonga remained in the ring. Fatu was shown watching Solo as he left. Fatu and Tonga looked at one another while the fans sang the goodbye song.
Fatu picked up the microphone. “So this is what it comes to, huh?” Fatu asked. Fatu said he’s tired of the disrespect and hate. Fatu said that even on a bad day, “y’all can’t touch me.” Fatu told the fans he won’t let them act like he never got his. They gave him the “What?” treatment and he spoke right over the idiotic chant. Fatu said the crazy thing is that he’s just getting started.
LA Knight’s entrance music played. Fatu and Tonga looked to the stage. Knight entered the ring behind them and attacked them while Barrett questioned whether Knight was out of his mind. The heels regrouped and started working over Knight.
Braun Strowman made his entrance. Tonga dove over the top rope and was caught by Stromwan, who tossed him into the barricade. Strowman entered the ring. Fatu didn’t back down, but Tonga grabbed Fatu’s legs and pulled him to ringside. Strowman and Knight stood tall in the ring while the heels headed to the back…
“Los Garza” Angel and Berto were talking when Santos Escobar and Elektra Lopez showed up. Escobar said Los Garza exposed Pretty Deadly for the liars they are last week. Elektra told them to remember that one win doesn’t make them champions. Escobar said Los Garza said they will take the moment away from the Motor City Machine Guns. Escobar said nobody is rolling out the red carpet for them, so if they want it they would need to take it…
The “Motor City Machine Guns” Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin made their entrance… [C] An ad for Raw recapped Penta’s debut and Lyra Valkyria becoming the first Women’s Intercontinental Champion, and then hyped Drew McIntyre vs. Seth Rollins for Monday’s show…
Tessitore said there were 10,846 in attendance. He mentioned the Motor City Machine Guns’ success in TNA, then mentioned the deal between WWE and TNA that was announced earlier in the week. Los Garza made their entrance…
3. “The Motor City Machine Guns” Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin vs. “Los Garza” Angel and Berto (w/Elektra Lopez). Santos Escobar did not accompany his crew to the ring. The arena was in a smoky haze from pyro as the match got started. Berto held up Sabin on the apron. Garza hit a running knee on Sabin while Berto threw a simultaneous kick to Sabin’s back from the floor. [C]
The Guns applied simultaneous Figure Four leg locks. Legal man Berto reached the ropes to break it up. A short time later, Sabin performed a suicide dive through the legs of Shelley onto both opponents at ringside. Sabin threw Berto back inside the ring.
“Pretty Deadly” Elton Prince and Kit Wilson showed up while the Guns were setting up for their finisher. Prince distracted the referee while Wilson knocked Shelley off the top rope. Berto rolled up Sabin, but he gave it up when the referee didn’t turn around to make the count. Sabin punched Wilson off the apron and then the Guns hit double boots on Garza. The Guns hit Skull & Bones on Garza and then Shelley pinned him…
“The Motor City Machine Guns” Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin defeated “Los Garza” Angel and Berto in 12:00.
Powell’s POV: The early haze caused by the pyro made this look like a throwback to a time when hard living grandmother’s sat in the front row choking down filterless cigarettes. I’m surprised there was actually a winner. I mistakenly suspected that they didn’t go with an actual four-team tournament because they intended to set up a Triple Threat for the WWE Tag Team Titles.
Backstage, Nick Aldis approached Kevin Owens with the contract addendum. Owens pointed out that Cody hadn’t signed it. Aldis said Cody wouldn’t sign the contract until Owens did. Owens said he wasn’t signing it then and barked at Aldis about preparing for his match…
Piper Niven made her entrance with Chelsea Green… A Saturday NIght’s Main Event ad aired… [C] B-Fab made her entrance…
4. Piper Niven (w/Chelsea Green) vs. B-Fab. Niven put B-Fab down, but B-Fab avoided a senton. B-Fab put Niven down with a DDT for a two count. B-Fab kicked Niven off the apron and then went to ringside and tossed her back inside the ring. B-Fab hopped on the apron and became annoyed by Green chirping at her, so she dove onto Green. B-Fab returned to the ring and was immediately hit with a senton. Niven followed up with her finisher and scored the pin.
Piper Niven beat B-Fab in 2:20.
After the match, Niven and Green worked over B-Fab. Michin ran out with a kendo stick. Green fled to ringside. Michin hit Niven with the kendo stick. Niven blocked another kendo stick shot and took it from Michin, who put Niven down with a kick…
Powell’s POV: B-Fab still looks like a work in progress as far as her ring work goes. I assume this will lead to a tag team match. The Green vs. Michin match may never end.
Rey Mysterio was shown walking through the backstage area…
Tessitore paid tribute to Bob Uecker, who died on Thursday at age 90. Clips and still shots of Uecker’s involvement in WWE were shown along with a memorial graphic… [C]
Footage aired of the Dude Perfect crew unveiling their new headquarters and Cody Rhodes showed up. Tessitore said the group’s headquarters are not far away from Monday’s Raw host city of Dallas…
A video package recapped Tiffany Stratton cashing in the Money in the Bank contract while clips aired of YouTubers freaking out…
WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton was interviewed by Byron Saxton, who said she made history. She corrected him and said she made “Tiffstory.” Ugh. Stratton said Bayley has had a career of big moments, but so has she. Stratton said she’s been on Smackdown less than a year and she’s already the champion. Stratton said Bayley’s dream will die because it’s Tiffy Time…
Tessitore spoke while of Tale of the Tape was shown for the Stratton vs. Bayley match. Tessitore played up the idea that Bayley has had Stratton’s number…
Rey Mysterio made his entrance to a strong reaction from his hometown crowd. He stopped and hugged his daughter Aalyah, who was in the front row. WWE Hall of Famer Victoria was shown in the crowd.
Powell’s POV: Trouble in paradise? Aalyah’s boyfriend Buddy Murphy was not seated next to her. Hey, whatever happened to that guy?
[Hour Three] Kevin Owens made his entrance…
5. Kevin Owens vs. Rey Mysterio. Owens wore a Rey t-shirt and Rey wore a San Diego t-shirt. A “Rey Mysterio” chant broke out while Owens was roughing up Rey at ringside. Rey kicked Owens and then jumped off the apron and hit a huracanrana. Rey removed the t-shirt and then performed his sliding splash from the ring onto Owens on the floor. [C]
Rey went for a 619, but Owens cut him off with a superkick. Rey stuffed a powerbomb and countered into a DDT. Both men ended up on the ropes. Owens headbutted Rey off the ropes. Owens did the Eddie Guerrero shimmy and then frog splashed Mysterio, which led to a two count. An “Eddie” chant broke out.
A short time later, Rey hit a sunset bomb from the middle rope and then followed up with a Destroyer for a near fall. Owens avoided a springboard move and then hit a Stunner that led to a near fall. Owens went up top again and went for a Swanton, but Rey put his knees up. Rey hit the 619. Rey went up top, but Owens got up and bumped the referee into the ropes to knock down Rey. Owens hit a Popup Powerbomb and got the three count.
Kevin Owens beat Rey Mysterio in 15:30.
After the match, Owens pulled Rey to his feet and shook his hand. Owens bowed and then kicked Rey. Owens set up Mysterio for a package piledriver, but he released it when entrance music played.
WWE Champion Cody Rhodes ran out and roughed up Owens until he was pulled off by security and producers. Owens was pulled to ringside. Cody got away and dove onto Owens at the broadcast table before being held back again. Owens grabbed the winged eagle belt and exited via the timekeepers area. Owens stood on a platform and held up the title belt while Cody was in the ring… [C]
Powell’s POV: A fun match. According to Cagematch.net, the broadcast team was correct when they billed this as a first-time ever match between the two. They’ve been in tag team matches, Royal Rumbles, a Triple Threat, and a four-way ladder match, but this is the first time they’ve had a singles match together. That’s crazy considering how long both men have been in WWE at the same time.
Backstage, Nick Aldis told Cody Rhodes that he’d tried to be patient, but enough is enough. Aldis insisted that both men will appear at Saturday Night’s Main Event to surrender their title belts for the ladder match and to sign the amended contract. Aldis announced that the contract signing will moderated by Shawn Michaels in his hometown of San Antonio…
The broadcast team announced Braun Strowman vs. Jacob Fatu for Saturday Night’s Main Event…
The following matches were announced for next week’s Smackdown in Austin, Texas: LA Knight vs. Tama Tonga, and “The Motor City Machine Guns” Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin vs. “Pretty Deadly” Elton Prince and Kit Wilson…
Backstage, WWE Tag Team Champions Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano caught up with “Pretty Deadly” Elton Prince and Kit Wilson. Ciampa accused them of handing the win to the Motor City Machine Guns earlier. Ciampa said they are a couple of long-haired English boys who are just happy to be there. Ciampa said he hates people like that and told them to become men if they want a title shot.
After Ciampa stormed off, Gargano told Prince and Wilson that Ciampa was giving them tough love. Gargano said that if Pretty Deadly makes life easier for him and Ciampa, they can make life better for Pretty Deadly. Gargano indicated that he was referring to a title shot and then walked away.
Apollo Crews showed and said he tried to tell Prince and Wilson not to let DIY string them along. Crews said it hasn’t gotten them anywhere. Prince and Wilson walked away. Gargano blindsided Crews, roughed him up, and then told him to keep their names out of his mouth…
Bayley made her entrance for the main event. Former NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez was shown in the crowd. Bayley stood on the ropes and looked down at Perez… [C]
A Charlotte Flair video aired. There was older footage of her on a yacht along with some in-ring clips… Joe Tessitore said Flair is returning and then plugged one of her Instagram videos… Tiffany Stratton made her entrance…
6. Tiffany Stratton vs. Bayley for the WWE Women’s Championship. Lilian Garcia delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Stratton performed an early Matrix style move. Bayley grabbed her and set up for a Bayley to Belly, but Stratton avoided it. Bayley clotheslined Stratton over the top rope. [C]
Bayley went for a suicide dive, but Stratton caught her with a shot from the floor. Stratton pulled the ring skirting over Bayley and then hit her with a hip attack. Stratton returned to the ring and then jumped over the top rope, but Bayley caught her and hit a Bayley to Belly on the floor going into a PIP break. [C]
Bayley superplexed Statton coming out of the break and got a two count. Bayley went up top and was cut off by Stratton, who wrenched Bayley’s arm over the top rope. Stratton went up top and hit a Swanton Bomb. Stratton powerbombed Bayley for a near fall. Stratton applied an armbar. Bayley rolled her over into a pin for a two count to break the hold.
Bayley tossed Stratton to ringside. Stratton grabbed Bayley’s legs and pulled her to the floor. Bayley stuffed a move attempt and then picked her up and dumped her on the broadcast table before suplexing her on the floor.
Roxanne Perez stood up in the front row and bickered with Bayley for a moment. Bayley got Stratton back inside the ring and hit her with a top rope elbow drop for a near fall. Stratton came back with a spinebuster for a two count.
Bayley hit a Bayley to Belly for a near fall. Stratton came right back and went for her finisher, but Bayley cut her off. Bayley executed a sunset flip that sent Stratton into the corner. Bayley put Stratton on her shoulders and then spun around and slammed her to the mat, which led to another two count.
Stratton avoided Bayley’s Rose Plant finisher and then kicked her and hooked her into a pin for a two count. Bayley went for the Rose Plant again, but Stratton countered into an Alabama Slam. Stratton hit the Prettiest Moonsault Ever and scored the pin.
Tiffany Stratton defeated Bayley in 20:05 to retain the WWE Women’s Championship.
Powell’s POV: It was a busy week for Bayley, who wrestled on Raw, made a surprise appearance on NXT, and then worked this match on Smackdown. The crowd was quiet for the main event and it was tough to tell whether that’s due to the show being a three-hour marathon or if they just didn’t have a strong rooting interest. Stratton was a babyface during her run with Nia Jax and the fans were happy to see her cash-in the Money in the Bank contract successfully, so it’s a bit awkward that they apparently wanted fans to root against her in this match.
Overall, a solid show that was capped off by a well worked main event. I will have more to say about Smackdown during my weekly same night audio review for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of Smackdown by grading the show below.
Stop back for my live reviews of AEW Collision on Saturday and TNA Genesis on Sunday.
Kevin wearing a Rey Mysterio t shirt made my night
Bayley is a good worker. I was surprised it finished clean; i was expecting Roxanne to get involved/DQ finish. Tiffy is really athletic. She still feels a little stiff on the mic, time will tell. My feed was really jittery tonight so i missed some stuff; thanks as always for the recap, Jason.
I’m jsut waiting for the incels to start complaining about women doing the main event tonight 😉
My pleasure. Thank you for reading our reviews. It’s always appreciated.
Leknifrag a little note – there is no such thing as an incel because there is no such thing as involuntary celibacy. It’s voluntary – 100 percent. Just saying.
“Aalyah’s boyfriend Buddy Murphy was not seated next to her. Hey, whatever happened to that guy?”
I LOLed! You silly twisted boy you, Jason! *raspberry*
Charlotte’s not even back yet and I’m tired of her stale character. I can’t wait for the “stand in the ring, did you miss your queen, I return to claim what’s rightfully mine” promo. Zzzz.