By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Smackdown (Episode 1,371)
Taped November 21, 2025, in Denver, Colorado, at Ball Arena
Simulcast November 28, 2025, on USA Network (Netflix internationally)
[Hour One] Smackdown opened with a video package that recapped last week’s angle involving the women’s WarGames participants, and the follow-up on Monday’s Raw… Joe Tessitore, who was on commentary with Corey Graves, checked in while backstage shots aired of Asuka, Charlotte Flair, and Team MFT…
LA Knight was walking backstage when Cathy Kelley approached him for an interview. Knight was upset when Kelley informed him that he was facing another mystery opponent. Knight said he knew Kelley was just the messenger and mentioned that her mother was at the show…
Jey Uso made his entrance through the crowd. Ring announcer Mark Nash introduced Uso as he arrived at ringside and slapped hands with the broadcast team. Once in the ring, Jey ran it back. Graves said it looks fun on TV, but being part of Jey’s entrance in person is special. Rusev entered via the stage. He looked into the camera and said that he was coming for John Cena…
1. Rusev vs. Jey Uso in a The Last Time Is Now tournament quarterfinal match. Cole said the winner of this match would meet the winner of LA Knight vs. the mystery opponent in a semifinal match on Raw. Rusev was in offensive control heading into an early break. [C]
Jey had a run of offense and covered Rusev for just a one count. Jey went up top and went for an Uso Splash, but Rusev shot up and hit him with a Machka Kick. Rusev covered Jey for a near fall. Rusev showed frustration before putting Jey in The Accolade. Jey eventually reached the ropes to break the hold.
Rusev looked into the camera and barked, “This is for you, John.” Rusev put Jey over his shoulders and then made the “you can’t see me” hand gesture. Jey slipped away and then speared Rusev. Jey followed up with an Uso Splash and got the three count.
Jey Uso defeated Rusev in 9:30 to advance to the semifinals of The Last Time Is Now tournament.
Cole reminded viewers that the semifinal matches will be held on Monday’s Raw, while the updated brackets were shown. Cole said the finals of the tournament will take place on next week’s Smackdown…
Powell’s POV: Rusev continues to spin his wheels. With Jey in the WarGames match, they could set him up with an out for losing his semifinal match on Raw.
Backstage, The Miz tried to tell Nick Aldis that he should face LA Knight, and noted that he was dressed. Aldis drew a name out of the hopper. Miz stopped him and spoke about his history with John Cena. R-Truth showed up holding his own, um, balls. Aldis said he had great respect for Truth’s balls, but he had his own balls. Aldis read the name and said he couldn’t believe it. He showed that it had the Miz’s name on it. Miz was pumped up. Truth said Aldis couldn’t handle his balls…
Cathy Kelley interviewed Damian Priest in the backstage area. Priest said Aleister Black thinks he can change him. He said that won’t happen. Priest said he comes to work and looks forward to kicking Black’s ass. Zelina Vega showed up and told Priest that if he insists on more punishment, she and Black are happy to oblige. After she left, Priest told Kelley that Black and Vega speak every week, as if everyone understands, but he doesn’t get it.
Priest spotted someone off-camera and smiled. Rhea Ripley entered the picture, and they shared a hug. Ripley indicated that she was ready for WarGames. She said she had to go get Charlotte Flair fired up for the advantage match, but they agreed to meet up later…
Graves excitedly hyped Chelsea Green’s celebration for winning the Women’s U.S. Championship… [C]
Women’s U.S. Champion Chelsea Green made her entrance wearing a dress with a sash while Alba Fyre accompanied her. There were American, Canadian, and Mexican flags set up inside the ring. Green boasted about becoming a two-time Women’s U.S. Champion. She said it’s an honor to serve as the greatest champion in WWE history, in the United States, and in the continent” of the North Americas.” Green started a countdown for her pyro display.
WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill’s entrance occurred before Green’s pyro could shoot off. Jade headed to the ring and put Fyre down with a kick. Jade stopped Green from leaving the ring and hit her with Jaded…
Powell’s POV: This is confusing. Green is hilarious and the fans like her, but she’s still presented as a heel. I thought Jade was a heel after attacking Tiffany Stratton before she beat her for the title, but it seems like she’s being presented as a babyface.
Backstage, Charlotte Flair was warming up for her match while Alexa Bliss offered encouragement. Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky showed up. Flair said she tore her ACL the last time she faced Asuka. AJ Lee showed up and said no matter what happened on Smackdown, they would win the WarGames match. “I’ll make sure of it,” Lee said before leaving…
Sami Zayn, Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, Rey Fenix, and Shinsuke Nakamura were shown warming up for the Survivor Series elimination match. They were billed as Team Sami…
A portion of Tom Rinaldi’s interview with John Cena aired. Cole said the interview will be released on YouTube immediately after the December 8 edition of Raw…
Graves hyped hyped the other tournament semifinal match as coming up after the break… [C]
Jade Cargill was walking backstage when Cathy Kelley stopped her and asked why she attacked Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre. Cargill said she has a problem with anyone who runs their mouth, and what she did was a message for the locker room.
B-Fab entered the picture. Jade asked if she had something to say. B-Fab looked down. “Yeah, I thought so,” Jade said before walking away. Michin showed up and asked B-Fab why no one is checking Jade on her attitude. Michin said she might have to do it…
Powell’s POV: Okay, so babyface Michin indicating that she will face Jade suggests that Jade is being presented as a bully who picks on everyone.
Entrances for the tournament match took place…
3. LA Knight vs. The Miz in a The Last Time Is Now tournament quarterfinal match. Graves said that facing Miz without a chance to prepare might be an impossible task for Knight. Um, sure. Miz was in offensive control heading into an early break. [C]
Late in the match, Knight did his double jump from the ropes, but Miz caught him and hit the Skull Crushing Finale for a near fall. Moments later, Miz gouged Knight’s eyes while the referee was shielded. Miz rolled up Knight and tried to use the ropes for leverage, but the referee caught him. Miz protested and then set up for his finisher again, but Knight countered into the BFT and got the three count.
LA Knight defeated The Miz in 11:10 to advance to the semifinals of The Last Time Is Now tournament.
Cole hyped LA Knight vs. Solo Sikoa in a semifinal match for Monday’s Raw…
Powell’s POV: Just in case anyone thought Miz was actually going to win when he hit the Skull Crushing Finale, Cole made it obvious that it wasn’t going to happen by acting like the match was over. Anyway, WWE didn’t make a big fuss over who would be the mystery replacement for the injured Sheamus, yet somehow The Miz still felt like a letdown.
Backstage, Becky Lynch spoke with her WarGames teammates Asuka, Kairi Sane, Nia Jax, and Lash Legend. Lynch said she was the only person in the room who had had 100 percent success in WarGames matches. Lynch said Sane was on a winning team, but she didn’t get the pin for her team as Lynch did. Nia Jax said it wasn’t about Lynch, it was about Asuka, who would win the WarGames advantage for their team.
[Hour Two] Asuka laughed about how Charlotte Flair was out for a full year after facing her last time. The heels all cheered as Asuka started to exit the room. Asuka yelled for Sane, who sheepishly followed… [C]
Cole ran through the Survivor Series schedule with the two-hour countdown show ahead of the actual event, which starts at 6CT/7ET. There will also be a post-show… A video package spotlighted the build to the elimination match…
Cathy Kelley interviewed U.S. Champion Ilja Dragunov. Kelley brought up Tama Tonga. Dragunov started to respond, but Tommaso Ciampa showed up. Ciampa showed off the mask he took from Axiom and said he would take the title belt next. Dragunov said he would think about it and then called Ciampa a jackass…
4. Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair in a WarGames advantage match. Both entrances were televised. Cole said it was the 15th singles match between Asuka and Flair. He also blamed Asuka for the injury that sidelined Flair for a year. Both wrestlers fought on the apron. Flair kicked Asuka, who responded with a kick of her own that put Flair down. [C]
Flair hit a top rope moonsault for a near fall. Flair showed frustration over not getting the pin. Flair performed a German suplex. Asuka responded with one of her own. Asuka kicked Flair, who threw a punch. Asuka hit Flair with a knee strike and covered her for a near fall. Flair hooked Asuka into a pin for a two count.
A short time later, both wrestlers ended up on the floor. Flair tossed Asuka over the broadcast table. Asuka tried to spit mist at Flair, who ducked, causing the mist to hit the timekeeper. Flair slammed Asuka’s head on the broadcast table and then rolled her inside the ring. Flair set up for her finisher, but Asuka countered with the Asuka Lock. Flair rolled onto Asuka and got a two count. Flair ducked an Asuka kick and then hit her with the Natural Selection and scored the pin…
Charlotte Flair defeated Asuka in 11:25 to earn the WarGames advantage for her team.
Powell’s POV: They didn’t get the build or enough time to make this feel special, but Flair and Asuka put together a strong television match. It’s always awkward when the babyface team has the WarGames advantage, but we’ll see if they have in mind creatively to address that issue.
Team MFT was shown walking backstage while Graves hyped the elimination match and said a 30-minute commercial-free stretch was up next… [C]
The broadcast team ran through the Survivor Series lineup… A video package showcased the men’s WarGames entrants…
Cole reminded viewers that the last 30 minutes of the show would be commercial-free for the elimination match, and then the entrances for the match took place…
5. “Team Solo” Solo Sikoa, Talla Tonga, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and JC Mateo vs. “Team Sami” Sami Zayn, Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, Rey Fenix, and Shinsuke Nakamura in a Survivor Series elimination match. After some fast-paced action that got everyone involved, Shelley and Sabin teamed up on Mateo. Sabin pinned Mateo to eliminate him at 6:50, giving Team Sami a 5-4 advantage.
Nakamura had Tama down and set up for a Kinshasa. Solo climbed on the apron, but Nakamura saw him coming and took him out. Nakamura ran at Tama, who had recovered and was able to take down Nakamura. Tama hit Nakamura with the Cutthroat (Hidden Blade) and pinned him at 8:30 to even things up at 4-4.
Loa had Fenix on his shoulders and set up for a move, but Fenix countered into a rollup and got the three count. Fenix eliminated Loa at 10:00, giving Team Sami a 4-3 advantage.
Shelley and Sabin hit some of their signature offense on Solo. They set up for Skull and Bones, but Talla distracted the referee while Tama knocked Shelley off the ropes to the floor. Tama chokeslammed Shelley on the apron. Tama brought Shelley into the ring and pinned him to even things up at 3-3.
Talla got Sabin on his shoulders. Sabin countered with a rollup attempt that Talla stuffed. Talla clotheslined and pinned Sabin at 13:30, giving Team Solo a 3-2 advantage.
Fenix had a nice run of offense and performed a big dive from the ring onto Solo and Talla on the floor. When Fneix returned to the ring, Tama hit him with the Cutthroat and pinned him at 14:30, giving Team Solo a 3-1 advantage.
Zayn was the last survivor for his team. Team Solo took turns working over Zayn, but he caught a charging Tama with a Helluva Kick and pinned him at 16:30, leaving Team Solo with a 2-1 advantage.
Talla checked in and dumped Zayn to the floor, where he ran Zayn into the ring post. Talla charged at Zayn for a running big boot, but Zayn moved out of the way, causing Talla to crash into the timekeeper’s area. The referee counted out Talla at 17:40, evening things up at 1-1.
Solo and Zayn were the last two entrants. Solo hit two Spinning Solos (uranage slams) for a near fall. Solo hit a top rope splash, but Zayn kicked out of the pin attempt that followed. Solo set up for a move on the ropes, but Zayn countered into a sunset bomb for a near fall.
Solo came back briefly, but Sami caught him charging and hit him with an exploder suplex in the corner. Zayn went for a Helluva Kick, but Solo caught him with a superkick. Sami ducked the Solo Spike and rolled him up for a near fall. Solo hit Sami with the Solo Spike on the second try and then pinned him.
Solo Sikoa (sole survivor), Talla Tonga, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and JC Mateo beat Sami Zayn, Alex Shelley, Chris Sabin, Rey Fenix, and Shinsuke Nakamura in 20:55 in a Survivor Series elimination match.
After the match, the lights went out while Solo was celebrating. Cole asked if they were still on the air. When the lights turned on, most of the Wyatt Sicks were standing on the apron. Uncle Howdy approached Solo from behind and put him down with Sister Abigail to end the show…
Powell’s POV: It was nice to get a traditional Survivor Series elimination match. Hopefully this will become an annual tradition on the Black Friday show if they’re not going to have elimination matches on the actual Survivor Series card. Solo got his biggest win in some time, only to be embarrassed by the Wyatt Sicks moments later. The build to whatever is going to happen with the Wyatts and MFT isn’t doing much for me, but the live crowds are still hot for the Wyatt Sicks making surprise appearances and messing with the MFT.
Overall, this was a solid show that provided some final hype for the women’s WarGames match. I’m a little surprised they didn’t do something with the men’s WarGames entrants since they had everyone in the building, but they gave that match a strong final push on Raw. I will be back shortly with my weekly same-night audio review of Smackdown, which will be available exclusively for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below.
Join me for Survivor Series WarGames coverage on Saturday.
Rhetorical question, why would Sami not break up any of the pinfalls on his teammates?
Because questionable booking/agenting? LOL I don’t know if there’s supposed to be some kayfabe rule we don’t know about, but people not breaking up pinfalls has been a thing in Survivor Series matches for years now, or at least it seems like that to me.
Because otherwise the matches would last days 😀
Can’t we just put Charlotte against Jade in a 50 match series of the over-booked heels misguidedly placed as faces? At least that way they’re not [redacted] up two programs.