By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Smackdown (Episode 1,373)
December 12, 2025, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza
Simulcast live on USA Network (Netflix internationally)
[Hour One] Smackdown opened with a recap of last week’s Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre feud developments…
The broadcast team of Michael Cole and Corey Graves checked in from ringside. They mentioned John Cena’s final match taking place on Saturday Night’s Main Event…
A video aired with Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis saying he’s tried to bring Drew McIntyre back after suspending him, but McIntyre stopped taking his calls…
Backstage, Cody Rhodes crossed paths with Aldis, who told him that McIntyre’s attorney claims Smackdown has an unsafe work environment. Aldis handed Cody the paperwork from the attorney, which Cody crumpled up before walking away…
WWE Champion Cody Rhodes made his entrance dressed in a suit. Cody told the fans that Drew McIntyre feels it’s an unsafe work environment. Cody said McIntyre is only half in, which is why he’s not the WWE Champion and why Cody doesn’t sweat him. Cody said he’d fire McIntyre if he were his boss. Cody said he can’t fire McIntyre, but he can whip his ass.
NXT Champion Oba Femi’s entrance music played, and he then headed to the ring and immediately went face-to-face with Cody while the broadcast team hyped their match for Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Oba told Cody that he’s worried about the wrong person. Oba said Cody was worried about McIntyre, but he wasn’t there. Oba said the NXT Champion was in the building, and then he introduced himself to Cody while listing some of his nicknames.
Oba said everyone is acting like the future is far away, but he disagrees. Oba said he was knocking on Cody’s front door and telling him that the future is now, and he is the future. “Your time is up, and my time is now,” Oba said.
Cody noted that it was a John Cena quote and said he’s happy that Oba looks up to him, too. Cody boasted that he’s the man who beat Cena for the WWE Championship. Cody tried to leave, but Oba stopped him. Both men raised their belts in the air, and then Cody exited the ring…
Powell’s POV: A basic segment that told the story of Cody being distracted by his feud with McIntyre rather than giving the Oba match his full attention. I’m really looking forward to that match.
Cole narrated backstage/arrival shots of Aleister Black and Zelina, Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, and Lash Legend and Nia Jax. Cole hyped Bliss vs. Legend for later in the show…
U.S. Champion Ilja Dragunov was walking backstage when Nathan Frazer and Axiom stopped him. Frazer said they would smash DIY’s teeth down their throats if they tried anything. Axiom softened what Frazer said by telling Dragunov they would have his back. Dragunov indicated that he needed to handle it on his own. Axiom wished him good luck…
Tommaso Ciampa made his entrance for the U.S. Title match and was introduced by ring announcer Mark Nash before the first commercial break… [C] Ilja Dragunov made his entrance…
1. Ilja Dragunov vs. Tommaso Ciampa for the U.S. Championship. Dragunov had both knees wrapped and a brace over his right knee. Both wrestlers ended up at ringside, and Ciampa suplexed Dragunov’s legs into the ring steps. [C]
Dragunov regained offensive control while continuing to sell his right knee. He hit Ciampa with a missile dropkick and then clutched his knee. Both men were down heading into another break. [C]
Ciampa performed an Air Raid Crash from the middle rope for a near fall. Dragunov came up bleeding heavily from his nose. A “this is awesome” chant broke out.
Johnny Gargano ran out and distracted the referee. Candice LeRae showed up on the other side of the ring and clotheslined Dragunov over the top rope. Ciampa hit Dragunov with a knee strike and covered him for a good near fall. Dragunov backdropped Ciampa, who tried to roll him up, but Dragunov sat down and hooked Ciampa’s legs and got the three count.
Ilja Dragunov defeated Tommaso Ciampa in 17:00 to retain the U.S. Championship.
After the match, Ciampa and Gargano attacked Dragunov. Carmelo Hayes ran out and cleared the DIY duo from the ring. Hayes helped Dragunov to his feet, and they exchanged words…
Powell’s POV: A hell of a match. I’m not sure if Ciampa’s arm caught Dragunov on the way down during the Air Raid Crash or if something else caused the bloody nose, but there was a lot of blood.
Footage aired from Tom Rinaldi’s interview with John Cena, who said he will be a WWE ambassador for the next five years…
Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviewed Je’Von Evans until The Miz interrupted. Miz said Kelley should be interviewing him about his match on Saturday, but he doesn’t have one. Evans challenged Miz to a match. Miz accepted while telling Evans that he won’t make it to Saturday Night’s Main Event if he gets hurt…
A brief Uncle Howdy video aired… [C]
“The Wyatt Sicks” Uncle Howdy, Erick Rowan, Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, and Nikki Cross made their entrance. Howdy sat in a rocking chair in the middle of the ring while the others stood around him. Howdy said Solo Sikoa may not have the power to look inside himself, but they do.
Howdy said Solo’s real family turned on him because he used and abused those who came to love. Howdy said Solo is disillusioned and is out of his mind for saying the MFTs run Smackdown.
Howdy told Solo to rip the scales from his eyes. He said the MFTs have nothing, while the Wyatt Sicks “have these.” Lumis and Gacy laid the WWE Tag Team Title belts on the mat. Howdy knelt in front of the belts and said the MFTs want the titles; they should come and get them.
Solo Sikoa’s entrance music played, but he didn’t come out. Solo appeared on the big screen, seated at a table with Talla Tonga, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and JC Mateo standing behind him. Solo said they are going to do things his way. Solo said they were coming for the titles next week. Solo said Howdy should give them the titles if he wants to protect his family. Solo said the only thing Howdy can do otherwise is run…
Powell’s POV: The fans popped for the Wyatt Sicks’ entrance, but they were unresponsive for Howdy’s weak promo.
Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair spoke backstage. Flair told Bliss that Lash Legend is bigger than her, but she’s overconfident and walked in like she owns the place. Flair asked Bliss if she could believe people used to say that about her. “You?” Bliss said while feigning surprise. Flair said Bliss has more experience and she would win, and then they would focus on regaining the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles.
Rhea Ripley showed up and said she and Iyo Sky are next. Bliss said she and Flair are not stepping stones for anyone. Ripley wished Bliss luck in her match, and Bliss snidely returned the favor… [C]
[Hour Two] A clip aired of NFL legend Tom Brady wishing John Cena good luck in his retirement. Brady said he hopes Cena fares better in his last match than he did in his.
Former NFL quarterback Eli Manning was featured in another clip. He said Cena’s accomplishments are almost impressive enough to make him forget that Cena is a diehard New England Patriots fan. Eli said no one is perfect, including the 2007 Patriots.
Snoop Dogg, Peyton Manning, Jelly Roll, Jimmy Fallon were also featured in videos wishing Cena well…
Powell’s POV: Eli was great. For non-NFL fans, the Patriots were undefeated and heavy favorites going into the Super Bowl, but Eli led the New York Giants to a huge upset win in a great Super Bowl game.
Sol Ruca and her Saturday Night’s Main Event opponent, Bayley, were shown in separate locations in the crowd… Entrances for the next match took place…
2. Lash Legend (w/Nia Jax) vs. Alexa Bliss (w/Charlotte Flair). Bliss used a sloppy head scissors to send Legned to the floor. Bliss went for a cannonball dive from the apron, but Legend caught her and dumped her onto the barricade in front of the timekeepers’ area.
Later, Bliss clotheslined Legend over the top rope. Jax tripped Bliss while the referee’s back was turned. Flair put Jax down with a kick. Flair turned around and ate a pump kick thrown by Legend, who returned to the ring and stuffed Bliss’s DDT attempt. Legend hit the Lash Extension and got the three count…
Lash Legend defeated Alexa Bliss in roughly 4:00.
Powell’s POV: The broadcast team put over Legend in a big way. She’s good on the mic and has a lot of charisma. She’s improved in the ring, but she still has a ways to go.
Backstage, Cathy Kelley asked Aleister Black and Zelina for a comment about their mixed tag match. Zelina said it didn’t have to come to this. He said Damian Priest is only doing this because he doesn’t like the man that he is, and he’s wrong if he thinks this will make him whole. Black said that if Priest is so keen to drag his friends to hell with him, then so be it…
Cole announced that Smackdown will be a three-hour show again, starting on January 2…
Powell’s POV: Well, 2026 is off to a shitty start, and it’s not even here yet.
The Miz made his entrance… [C] Je’Von Evans made his entrance while the broadcast team hyped that he would team with Leon Slater to face World Tag Team Champions AJ Styles and Dragon Lee on Saturday Night’s Main Event…
3. Je’Von Evans vs. The Miz. Evans used a springboard huracanrana to send Miz to the floor. Evans slid under the bottom rope and was caught by a knee to the gut. Evans came right back with a springboard moonsault before rolling Miz back in the ring. Miz caught Evans with a kick and then ran him into the ring post casing. Miz wrenched Evans’ left arm, which sent him back to the floor. [C]
Miz went for an Attitude Adjustment, but Evans landed on his feet and sent Miz to ringside. Evans performed a dive onto Miz and then rolled him back inside the ring. Moments later, Evans hit an OG Cutter and got the win, which Cole labeled as the biggest of his career…
Je’Von Evans beat The Miz in 8:10.
Powell’s POV: I don’t think fans who are unfamiliar with Evans will be impressed with a win over Miz, but the match was a solid showcase for Evans and his flashy offense.
Backstage, Rhea Ripley was stretching when she was interrupted by Nia Jax and Lash Legend, who boasted about what they did to Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. Legend said things have changed. Ripley asked if that was a threat. She told Jax that when she and Iyo Sky want the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles, they will take them.
Damian Priest showed up as Jax and Legend made their exit. Priest asked Ripley if she was good, and she said she was. Priest told her to take it easy while she was backstage and then made his exit.
WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill approached Ripley, looked her up and down, and then walked away… [C]
Powell’s POV: A little WrestleMania foreshadowing? Either way, the live crowd was into that quick showdown.
Cole ran through the WWE podcast schedule…
Michin delivered a promo while she walked backstage. Michin said she knew Jade Cargill would give her everything she has, and she would do the same. Cargill entered the picture and attacked Michin. Jade launched Michin into the wall in the Gorilla position area. “Exactly,” Jade said before calling for her music.
WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill made her entrance. She said what happened to Michin is what happens when women don’t know their place in the back. Jade said she’s that bitch, but she was cut off by entrance music.
Michin walked out holding a kendo stick. Jade met Michin at ringside, where Michin worked her over with the kendo stick. Michin tried to pull a table out from underneath the ring, but Jade dropped her with a big boot and rolled her inside the ring.
Jade looked to the cheering crowd while teasing that she would use the table, then slid it back under the ring for good heat. Jade entered the ring, no-sold Michin’s punches, and then chokeslammed her. Jade left the ring and called for real competition…
A video package aired on the John Cena vs. Gunther match for Saturday Night’s Main Event… The broadcast team ran through the SNME lineup… An Oba Femi video package aired…
Aleister Black and Zelina made their entrance for the main event… [C]
Cole hyped the Peacock schedule with the countdown special and post-show for SNME…
Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley made their entrances…
4. “The Terror Twins” Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley vs. Aleister Black and Zelina. Cole said it was the sixth time that Priest and Ripley had teamed together, and they were undefeated as a team. Black and Zelina attacked Priest and Ripley while they were on the ropes playing to the crowd, and the referee rewarded them for it by calling for the opening bell.
Priest clotheslined Black over the top rope to the floor and then pointed at Ripley. Zelina jumped on Priest’s back, but he no-sold it and tagged out. Zelina slapped Ripley. Priest looked at Zelina, pointed at her, and laughed. Ripley chased Zelina out of the ring and then back inside.
Zelina went for a DDT, but Ripley blocked it and ended up putting Zelina down with a clothesline before a picture-in-picture break. [C] Zelina took offensive control during the break. Ripley eventually tagged in Priest, which brought Black into the match.
Priest picked up a two count and then played to the crowd. Zelina climbed on his back again. Priest ditched her, but Black took advantage of the distraction and went on the offensive. Priest ended up in his corner, and then Ripley tagged herself in.
Ripley got Zelina in Electric Chair position and dropped her face-first on the mat. Ripley had Zelina pinned, but Black broke it up. Ripley stood up and glared at Black, who went to the apron. Ripley headbutted Black. Zelina rolled up Ripley for a two count. Ripley and Priest executed stereo Razor’s Edges, and then Ripley hit Zelina with a Riptide before pinning her…
“The Terror Twins” Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley beat Aleister Black and Zelina in 9:45.
Priest and Ripley celebrated their win, and Cole plugged SNME featuring the final match of John Cena’s career for Saturday on Peacock…
Powell’s POV: A decisive main event win for Priest and Ripley. I’m not surprised by Ripley pinning Zelina, but I am a little surprised that Black wasn’t protected. Of course, Black can always get his heat back next week when Ripley presumably won’t be present.
Overall, this was a middle-of-the-road show. They plugged John Cena’s final match consistently throughout the night, but they didn’t focus as much on Cena as I thought they would, given that the show was billed as “Smackdown celebrating John Cena one night before his final match.” 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 AEW Collision and WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event coverage on Saturday.
That US title contest wasn’t a match, Jason. It was a FIGHT! That’s the sort of thing that makes my no commercial Netflix account worth the extra.
Bo Dallas as Bo Dallas was mid. Bo Dallas as Uncle Howdy is downright bush league.