WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event results (1/25): Powell’s live review of Gunther vs. Jey Uso for the World Heavyweight Championship, Rhea Ripley vs. Nia Jax for the Women’s World Championship

By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)

WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event
January 25, 2025 in San Antonio, Texas at Frost Bank Center
Simulcast live on NBC and Peacock

[Hour One] A shot aired of the exterior of the building while Joe Tessitore checked in. The Spanish audio feed was played on NBC for some reason, but the English feed played on Peacock (I made the switch). Separate backstage shots aired of Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens, and Shawn Michaels, and then arrival shots aired of Rhea Ripley and Nia Jax.

Jey Uso was shown walking backstage and then Gunther was shown walking in another part of the building. Ted DiBiase was shown exiting an old limo. DiBiase wore his Million Dollar Man gear and had the Million Dollar Title belt over his shoulder… The SNME opening video aired…

Powell’s POV: I don’t know if WWE or NBC is to blame for the audio issue on NBC, but someone messed up and it’s sure to cost the show some viewers.

Tessitore and Jesse Ventura checked in from a platform that was set up on the main floor. Ventura, who wore a Public Enemy hat, said he sent some Minnesota weather to San Antonio earlier in the week. He said he couldn’t believe “you bananas out there” for shutting down schools and calling in the National Guard.

Entrances for the Women’s World Championship match took place while Michael Cole and Pat McAfee checked in on commentary. Cole listed the attendance as 16,406. Ring announcer Lilian Garcia had an old school MSG style microphone that was lowered from above the ring. As Garcia was delivering the introductions Nia Jax headbutted Rhea Ripley…

1. Rhea Ripley vs. Nia Jax for the Women’s World Championship. Roughly 90 seconds into the match, Jax performed a Samoan Drop from the middle rope and covered Ripley for a two count heading into the first commercial break. [C]

Jax avoided a Prism Lock and then put Ripley down with a uranage slam. Jax went to the ropes for her finisher, but Ripley got up and hit her from behind. Ripley sent Jax to ringside and then hit her with a top rope crossbody block on the floor. Back in the ring, Ripley went for the Riptide, but she collapsed under the weight of Jax, which led to a one count.

Jax went back to the ropes and hit the Annihilator on Ripley. Jax went back to the ropes for another and then played to the crowd, allowing Ripley to sneak under her and hit the Electric Chair slam. Ripley hit the Riptide and then pinned Jax…

Rhea Ripley defeated Nia Jax in 9:25 to retain the Women’s World Championship.

Powell’s POV: A good opener with Ripley fighting from underneath and then going over clean. Normally, I’d say they could have used more time, but I think it’s smart to go with a quicker pace on SNME. I’m not sure when they made the switch, but the English audio was playing on NBC when I switched back after the commercial break.

Cole said there were a lot of legends in attendance. Footage aired of Madusa/Alundra Blayze dumping the women’s title in the trash on WCW Nitro, and then she was shown in the crowd. Mark Henry was also shown next to Blayze. Henry shook hands with Cole and McAfee…

Sheamus made his entrance for the Intercontinental Title match… [C] Jesse Ventura joined the broadcast team. Comedian Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias was shown in the crowd… Bron Breakker made his entrance…

Powell’s POV: Has Fluffy given up comedy to follow WWE around the country? Okay, he just had a standup special premiere on Netflix recently, but he has attended a few WWE shows recently.

2. Bron Breakker vs. Sheamus for the Intercontinental Title. Both men ended up at ringside. Sheamus ran and jumped off the steps and was speared by Breakker a few minutes into the match. [C] Sheamus took offensive control and hit Ten Beats. Sheamus followed up with a Celtic Cross and covered Breakker for a near fall.

Breakker caught Sheamus on the ropes and pulled him off with a Frankensteiner. Breakker charged at Sheamus for a spear, but Sheamus caught him with a Brogue Kick. Sheamus had Breakker pinned, but Breakker put his foot on the bottom rope at the last moment.

Ventura complained that the referee counted to three and then saw the foot on the rope. Sheamus sold his ribs and then played to the crowd. Sheamus set up for a Brogue Kick, but he winced and sold his ribs. Moments later, Breakker speared and pinned Sheamus…

Bron Breakker defeated Sheamus in 11:30 to retain the Intercontinental Title.

Powell’s POV: Ventura rambling during and after the match about the referee making a three count was untrue and distracting. The replay showed the referee spotting the foot and then stopping his count just before he would have hit the mat for a third time. The match was solid. Sheamus’s quest for that elusive Intercontinental Title win continues. It should really pack a punch whenever he finally wins the championship.

Shawn Michaels made his entrance for the contract signing segment… [C] The San Antonio River Walk was shown… Ted DiBiase, Dory Funk Jr., and “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan were shown in the crowd.

Powell’s POV: Hey is that Dory Funk Jr. dude related to the legendary Hoss Funk?

Shawn Michaels stood in the ring where the contract signing table was set up. There were also ladders set up at ringside. Michaels said he was sweating through his suit because he’d been dancing for the last few minutes because he was so happy to be home in San Antonio.

Kevin Owens was introduced by Michaels. Owens made his entrance wearing a “Cody Sucks Eggs” t-shirt and brought the Winged Eagle title belt to the ring with him. The entrance aisle was thinner than typical WWE events (they did this at the last SNME) and security guards have been walking behind the wrestlers.

WWE Champion Cody Rhodes made his entrance wearing a black suit and had the WWE Championship belt with him. Cody slapped hands with fans as he headed to the ring. Once in the ring, Cody had an intense staredown with Owens.

Michaels asked both men to be seated, but they continued to stand while locking eyes with one another. Michaels said he was given the mission of having them both sign the contract and then asked them to do so. Cody signed the contract first.

Owens looked at the contract and then took the mic and said Cody pissed him off on Smackdown when he said that he always takes the easy way out. Owens said he could have done that by taking out Cody’s knee at Bash in Berlin, but he didn’t because he cared about their friendship more than Cody did.

Cody cut off Owens and said he’s done worry him. Cody said he needs to focus on who he will defend the championship against at WrestleMania. Cody asked Owens to sign the contract. Owens teased signing, but then dropped the pen and grabbed the mic.

[Hour Two] Owens said he will shut everyone up at the Royal Rumble when he wins the championship. Owens said once he does, everything that Cody has been getting will go to him. Owens said he’s deserved it for the last ten years and he’ll be taking it from Cody.

“Jesus, Kevin, you just sound jealous,” Michaels said. Owens asked him to repeat what he said and then Michaels complied. Owens said Michaels is just like Cody because when things got tough, he also quit. Owens said he’s bringing more pride to the Winged Eagle title belt than Michaels ever did.

Owens said he’ll give the fans a champion they can be proud of, not someone who loses his smile. Owens signed the contract. Michaels said the only thing left to do was take the title belts and then ascend them above the ring. Michaels had a referee join them in the ring. Owens kissed his title belt and gave it to the referee, who attached it to the lowered hook used for ladder matches. Cody kissed his title belt and then handed it to the referee. Once both belts were attached, the hooked was elevated, but only high enough that they could keep it in the camera shot.

Michaels wished both men good luck. He offered Owens a handshake, but Owens didn’t flinch. Michaels extended his hand to Cody, who shook it. Owens hit Cody with a cheap shot. Michaels scolded Owens and turned around. Owens spun Michaels toward him and then kicked him and set him up for a package piledriver. Cody superkicked Owens before he could execute the move. Michaels put Owens down with Sweet Chin Music. Cody’s music played to end the segment…

Powell’s POV: A good segment, but they still didn’t explain what the addendum was that Nick Aldis spoke about. It’s fine if they are saving that for Raw or Smackdown this week, but it should have been a talking point for the broadcast team.

Jey Uso was shown walking backstage… A video package set up the Jacob Fatu vs. Braun Strowman match. A tale of the tape was shown. Strowman made his entrance… [C]

Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga were shown walking backstage. They both spoke briefly before making their entrance. Fatu headed to the ring alone. Cole said Fatu did three stints in jail before he was 18 years-old and then slept on a mattress when he got out. Cole said Fatu told him that he got into wrestling because he would do what he was doing to people on the street, only it would be legal…

3. Jacob Fatu vs. Braun Strowman. Both men locked up. Strowman tossed Fatu to the mat. When Fatu got up, Strowman put him down with a shoulder block. Fatu caught Strowman with a punch, but then ran into an elbow. Strowman clotheslined Fatu over the top rope. Fatu landed on his feet and then hopped onto the apron and clotheslined Strowman over the top rope. Fatu sent Strowman to ringside and hit him with a suicide dive. [C]

Cole listed the attendance again while adding that the venue was sold out. He said Fatu dominated Strowman during the break. Both wrestlers ended up at ringside where Strowman hit a shoulder block. Strowman jogged slowly around the ring while Cole said he had a full head of steam. Strowman hit Fatu with a shoulder block that sent him into the broadcast table. Strowman jogged around the ring again and this time Fatu performed a Samoan Drop on the apparently indestructible new broadcast table.

Back in the ring, Fatu hit Strowman with six hip attacks in the corner. Cole played up that Strowman didn’t know where he was. The referee checked on Strowman and then blocked Fatu from performing another hip attack. Fatu tossed the referee out of the ring and hit two more hip attacks. The referee called for the bell.

Braun Strowman defeated Jacob Fatu by DQ in 9:00.

After the match, Fatu grabbed a chair and tossed it inside the ring. Security ran out. Fatu threw a chair at the head of the first security guard (ugh). Nick Aldis, producers, and security guards entered the ring. Strowman had blood coming out of his mouth and was still down on the mat.

Fatu shoved past the producers and then hit a double jump moonsault on Strowman. Tama Tonga backed Fatu into a corner to calm him down. Fatu walked past everyone and hit Strowman with another moonsault. Fatu and Tonga left the ring. Medics tended to Strowman. Fatu returned to the ring and walked past Shawn Daivari and then performed another moonsault on Strowman…

Powell’s POV: Forget the DQ loss, Fatu looked like a killer. Cole did nice work on commentary by pleading with the security guards to handcuff Fatu to get him under control.

Gunther was shown warming up backstage while Cole said the World Heavyweight Championship match was up next… [C] “The Brainbusters” Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard were shown in the crowd. Anderson wore a Four Horsemen vest…

Cole and McAfee stood at ringside. Cole noted that the great Gene Okerlund conducted SNME interviews in the area where Tessitore and Ventura were located. He said they call it the Okerlund Position…

Tessitore and Ventura spoke on the platform. Ventura said he’s never seen wrestlers so vicious. He said they tried to keep it professional back in his day. He said things are personal and he’s never seen what he saw in the last match…

Powell’s POV: I enjoyed Ventura’s commentary during the Cody vs. Owens match on the December SNME special, but he’s been rough tonight.

Cole ran through the Royal Rumble lineup… Footage aired of Paul “Triple H” Levesque calling YouTube personality iShowSpeed and inviting him to the Rumble…

Jey Uso made his entrance through the crowd… [C] Cole hyped WrestleMania tickets… Gunther made his entrance for the main event…

4. Gunther vs. Jey Uso for the World Heavyweight Championship. Lilian Garcia delivered in-ring introductions for the title match. Uso was focused on a girl in the crowd getting his glasses when the bell rang and Gunther booted his head to start the match. Jay came back and stood on the ropes while throwing punches. Gunther drilled him with a chop that knocked him off the ropes and down to the floor. [C]

Both men traded blows in the middle of the ring. Jey ducked when Gunther swung at him and then performed a Samoan Drop. Jey got back to his feet and played to the crowd before running into a dropkick. Gunther powerbombed Jey for a near fall. Jey was lying on the apron when Gunther booted his head. [C]

Jey had a run of offense that included a hip attack that led to a two count. Jey went up top for his finisher, but Gunther got back to his feet and cut him off with a couple of chops. Gunther joined Jey on the ropes and set up for a superplex that Jey blocked. Jey slipped under Gunther and then executed a sit-out powerbomb for a near fall. A “this is awesome” chant broke out.

Gunther kicked Jey in the gut and went for a powerbomb, but Jey took him down with a huracanrana. Jey speared Gunther and covered him for a near fall. Jey waited for Gunther to stand up and then superkicked him. Jey speared Gunther again and then hit him with an Uso Splash for another near fall.

Jey went for another spear, but Gunther countered into a powerbomb. Gunther powerbombed Jey again and then covered him for the three count…

Gunther defeated Jey Uso in 16:40 to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.

Powell’s POV: A good main event. I never bought into the idea of Jey winning this match, but the live crowd did and that’s what counts. Overall, a solid show with no major storyline developments. The matches were enjoyable and predictable outcomes. The nostalgia stood out to me more the first time around. I’m happy they didn’t force any upsets or title changes, but hopefully they will take advantage of the NBC platform and do something that feels newsworthy on one of their upcoming SNME specials.

Jake Barnett and I will team up for a same night SNME audio review that will be available for everyone as the latest Pro Wrestling Boom podcast. Let us know what you thought of the show by grading it below.

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