By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Smackdown (Episode 1,355)
August 8, 2025, in Montreal, Quebec, at Bell Centre
Simulcast live on USA Network and internationally on Netflix
[Hour One] Smackdown opened with a SummerSlam recap video package…
John Cena’s black and white video wall turned to color as he made his entrance while being introduced by ring announcer Mark Nash. Cena was cheered loudly. Once in the ring, said WWE feared going to Montreal for years because company officials feared the fans would hijack the show. Cena said he never feared it, because the audience is the show. The fans chanted Cena’s name.
Cena spoke about the energy in the building. “So imagine being somebody back there trying to plan a show around you guys,” Cena said. He said to imagine being someone inside the ring because the fans can be scary when they start singing. This led to fans singing “Olé, Olé, Olé.”
Cena said he embraces and enjoys every second of the fans doing their thing. “Because, uh, trust me, it doesn’t last forever,” he said. The fans chanted, “Thank you, Cena,” in response. Cena said he’d been coming to Montreal for over two decades and had shared many valuable moments in the ring. “Man, thank you,” he said.
Cena said he had eleven WWE dates left after this show. He said he’s starting to understand that. He said he gets more and more afraid with each day that goes by. Cena thanked the fans for that. He said the fans put up with him, so he wanted to leave with honesty and vulnerability.
Cena said he was afraid that no matter how much he could give the fans during this limited time that he’s just going to end up letting them down. Cena said he’s also afraid that WWE will move on and the fans will forget about him. Cena said he’s even afraid of Brock Lesnar.
Cena said he didn’t know in what universe he would actually choose Lesnar as an opponent. Cena said the fans have known him for a long time, and there’s no universe in which he would actually back down from Lesnar. Cena said he’s afraid that Lesnar now has a big John Cena problem.
Cena said he’s not going down without a fight. Cena told Lesnar to come get some. Cena said that anyone who chooses to face him should know that he’s going down guns a blazing. He looked to the stage and said if you want some, and the fans filled in the “come get some.”
Logan Paul made his entrance. Paul spoke as he walked to the ring and said that this version of Cena was making him sick. The fans were censored as they chanted “F— you, Logan.” Paul entered the ring. Cena told him that he may just have made the biggest mistake of his life.
Paul said he’s been real since day one. Paul recalled Cena saying that Paul does WWE better than any professional wrestler. Cena recalled saying it, then added that Paul is the biggest dumbass he’s ever seen in his life. Paul called Cena a liar. Paul said the bosses tell Cena what to say.
Paul said he would love a match with Cena, who told him to be careful what he wishes for. Paul said it would be Cena vs. Paul in “a beautiful French-speaking country, right in the middle of France.” The fans booed. Paul spoke about facing Cena at Clash in Paris.
Drew McIntyre entered the ring and hit Cena from behind. Paul and McIntyre put the boots to Cena. WWE Champion Cody Rhodes’ entrance music played. Cody ran to the ring and helped Cena clear the ring. Cena said he accepted the match with Paul for Clash in Paris. Cena said it seemed like Paul and McIntyre wanted a fight, and it seems like he might have a partner. Cena proposed Paul and McIntyre vs. Cody and Cena for later in the show. Cena pointed at Cody and yelled, “The champ is here”…
The broadcast team of Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett spoke about the segment. A graphic noted that Montreal held nine Smackdown shows and four premium live events in Montreal. Tessitore said they were playing to a sold-out crowd and listed the attendance as 14,747…
Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviewed “The Motor City Machine Guns” Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin. Shelley had his ribs taped and noted that Sabin’s shoulder was taped under his jacket. Sabin said they didn’t get the job done at SummerSlam. He said their road back to the top would start now. Shelley and Sabin made their entrance heading into the first commercial break… [C]
Powell’s POV: The Montreal crowd was red hot for Cena, who was decked out in Montreal Canadiens colors. The announcement of the tag team match was a pleasant surprise, but I’m surprised they didn’t advertise that Cena would be wrestling. While it’s disappointing that Cena didn’t spend some time trying to explain his character shift, this crowd didn’t seem to mind.
The broadcast team recapped the opening segment… Solo Sikoa, Talla Tonga, JC Mateo, and Tonga Loa made their entrance…
1. “The Motor City Machine Guns” Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin vs. Talla Tonga and JC Mateo (w/Solo Sikoa, Tonga Loa). The Guns too offensive control to start, but they were distracted by Loa climbing onto the apron. Talla pulled Shelley to the floor and ran him into the barricade. [C]
Mateo worked over Sabin before suplexing him and going for the pin, which Shelley broke up. Talla made a blind tag before Shelley and Sabin hit Mateo with a double superkick. Shelley and Sabin then set up for their finisher, but Talla hit Shelley with a big boot that knocked him off the ropes to the floor. Talla chokeslammed and pinned Sabin.
Talla Tonga and JC Mateo defeated “The Motor City Machine Guns” Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin in 7:40.
U.S. Champion Solo Sikoa stood in the ring with his crew and told the fans to take a look because “this is what greatness looks like.” Solo said Talla and Mateo are soon to be tag team champions. Solo said that he was in his gear and feeling good, but there was no one there to fight him. Solo said he and the MFT’s were going to leave and go celebrate.
“Not so fast, Mr. Sikoa,” Smackdown general manager Nick Adlis said from the stage. Aldis said that since Solo seemed ready for a fight, he also had a special guest who was ready for a fight. Aldis said it was someone that Solo knew well, and someone who Montreal knows very well.
Sami Zayn made his entrance… [C] Tessitore hyped the boxing match that TKO is promoting…
2. U.S. Champion Solo Sikoa (w/Talla Tonga, JC Mateo, Tonga Loa) vs. Sami Zayn in a non-title match. The fans sang the Ole song again. Solo covered his ears to sell how loud it was. The fans sang Sami’s name in European style. Zayn got the better of the early offense. Zayn caught Solo with an elbow. While the referee checked on Solo, Talla climbed on the apron and clotheslined Solo. [C]
Solo had Zayn on the ropes, but Zayn fought back and hit a sunset bomb for a near fall. Solo came back with a Spinning Solo for a near fall of his own. Solo went for the Samoan Spike, but Zayn kicked his arm away. Zayn caught Solo with another kick and followed it with an exploder suplex. Zayn set up for his finisher, but he had to knock Loa off the apron.
Zayn performed another exploder suplex and set up for his finisher again, but this time Mateo climbed on the apron. Zayn knocked Mateo down. Talla climbed on the apron and distracted Zayn while the referee tended to Mateo. Zayn turned into a superkick from Solo. Solo went for the Samoan Spike, but Zayn ducked it and rolled up Solo for the three count.
Sami Zayn defeated U.S. Champion Solo Sikoa in 10:30 in a non-title match.
Powell’s POV: Going back to the previous match, Shelley and Sabin were protected due to the injuries they were nursing, but I continue to groan at the regular tag teams putting over new or makeshift tag teams. The live crowd popped big for Zayn, and created a great atmosphere for his non-title win. Was it just a one-off, or will it lead to a U.S. Title match at Clash in Paris or another show?
Barrett hyped the tag team main event…
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss spoke in a backstage hallway. Flair said she knew it was Bliss’s birthday on Saturday, then corrected herself and said she didn’t know; she saw it on a company calendar. Flair said she wanted to do something for Bliss’s birthday. Bliss wondered what it was. Flair asked Bliss if she thought she was going to give it to her in a hallway… [C]
[Hour Two] The WWE premium live event deal with ESPN was touted…
A Wyatt Sicks video aired. Uncle Howdy, Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, Erick Rowan, and Nikki Cross all took turns talking while footage aired from Lumis and Gacy retaining the WWE Tag Team Titles in a TLC match at SummerSlam. Rowan said the Wyatt’s story has only just begun…
Backstage, B-Fab asked “The Street Profits” Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins what Rowan meant. “DIY” Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa entered the room with Candice LeRae. Ciampa blamed B-Fab and the Profits for a massive bruise that LeRae had on one of her thighs. The teams bickered until
Nick Aldis showed up and said he thought the TLC match would have calmed the tag teams down. Aldis said he will get control of the division, and it starts next week on Smackdown with The Street Profits vs. DIY…
Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss made their entrances. The ring was decked out with balloons, a cake, and a gift box. Flair said Bliss’s birthday fell at the same time as their championship celebration. Flair said she could have made it all about herself, but she decided to share the spotlight.
Bliss saw that the cake had “Congratulations Charlotte Flair” in big letters with “& Alexa” in small letters, long with a “P.S. Happy Birthday.” Flair opened the gift box and gave Bliss a new Lilly doll with a “We’re Not Friends” t-shirt. Flair said that Lilly also needed a tag team partner. Flair introduced a Charlie doll with blonde hair. A “Charlie” chant broke out.
Flair gave Bliss permission to hug her. Bliss said she didn’t know if it was really necessary. “You may hug the queen, Lexi,” Flair said. A reluctant Bliss approached her for a hug, but they were interrupted by entrance music.
Chelsea Green walked onto the stage with Piper Niven and Alba Fyre. Green said she’s a proud Canadian, but the fans supporting Flair and Bliss made her want to turn in her passport. After Green heeled on the Montreal Canadiens hockey team, Flair told Bliss she would also give her the gift of kicking Green’s ass.
Nick Aldis walked out with a referee, which stopped Green from leaving. Aldis wished Bliss a happy birthday and said his gift was a brand-new referee. Aldis said the new referee’s first assignment would be working the match between Green and Flair. Green threw a fit… [C]
Powell’s POV: The live crowd didn’t care about the birthday cake gag, but they popped for the Charlie doll. It’s not for me, but people like what they like.
Backstage, Carmelo Hayes knocked on Nick Aldis’s office door. The Miz answered the door. Hayes wasn’t happy to see him. Hayes said Miz said he was going to help him, but then he disappeared. Hayes said he was going to talk to Aldis about a U.S. Title match. Miz stopped him and said he had already went to Aldis and got them a tag team match for next week’s show. Miz asked Hayes if they were good. Hayes shook Miz’s hand and walked away.
Nick Aldis showed up and asked what that was all about. Miz said Aldis was just the man he wanted to talk to…
Powell’s POV: So Miz lied to Hayes when he said he’d already spoken to Aldis about the tag team match. One can only hope that this won’t lead to Miz and Hayes beating Fraxiom or another established tag team.
3. Charlotte Flair (w/Alexa Bliss) vs. Chelsea Green (w/Alba Fyre, Piper Niven). Flair rolled up Green, who kicked out and sent Flair face-first into the middle turnbuckle pad. Green kicked Flair’s face into the same turnbuckle, then went to the ropes and saluted. [C]
Green superplexed Flair and covered her for a two count. Green had Niven and Fyre slide the birthday cake in the ring. Bliss took out Niven and Fyre with a cannonball dive from the apron. Green tried to perform an Unprettier onto the cake, but Flair reversed it, sending Green face-first onto the cake. Flair put Green in the Figure Eight until she tapped out. Barrett questioned why it wasn’t a DQ, saying that it would have been a DQ if it had been a chair rather than a cake…
Charlotte Flair beat Chelsea Green in 8:40.
WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton spoke with Cathy Kelley in a backstage area. Stratton spoke about how she would continue to do what she’s done for the last 216 days by keeping and defending her title.
Jade Cargill showed up and said Stratton should be thankful that her foot ended up on the rope, or Jade would be the champion. Jade said the story would be different next time. Stratton said the story would be different, but the outcome would be the same. Stratton made her exit.
Kiana James showed up with U.S. Women’s Champion Giulia. James shooed Kelley away, saying they were off the record (despite being on television?). James handed Jade her card and told her to give her a call if she was serious about taking the title. Jade said she would do it on her terms and her way. James told her to hold onto the card. “Just in case,” Giulia said before walking away with James.
Michin showed up with a kendo stick and asked Jade if she was going to do something with the card. Jade told her no and handed her the card. Michin said she might give James a call to get a title shot…
Powell’s POV: Do any babyface characters other than Michin and Zelina Vega care about the Women’s U.S. Championship?
An ad for Monday’s Raw focused on The Vision faction, Naomi vs. Iyo Sky for the Women’s World Championship, and CM Punk opening the show… [C] Tessitore hyped the People magazine with John Cena on the cover while it was displayed on the screen…
An Aleister Black video package aired. He said he is an eye-for-a-life kind of guy, which is why he took out Damian Priest. Black said that when someone pushes Priest, he pushes back. Black said that when someone pushes him, he pushes them off the cliff….
John Cena was walking backstage when R-Truth showed up. They acted like they were mirror images. Truth said that if Cena was back, then he’s back. They hugged. Cena said he was worried about Truth because he acted really weird for five months. Cena said Truth changed his hair, was really mean to people, and made the kid in Brussels cry. Cena said Truth claimed he wanted to ruin wrestling, then asked him if he thought that would really work. Cena told Truth it was good to have him back, then walked away, leaving Truth confused…
Logan Paul and Drew McIntyre made separate entrances for the main event… [C] Tessitore recapped the match results from earlier in the show… John Cena and Cody Rhodes made separate entrances for the main event…
4. WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and John Cena vs. Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul. Paul clotheslined Cody at ringside heading into an early picture-in-picture break. [C] Cena took a hot tag and hit his signature spots on Paul, including an Attitude Adjustment. Cena had the pin, but McIntyre broke it up. McIntyre set up for a Claymore Kick, but Cody cut him off with a superkick. Cody sent McIntyre to ringside. Paul low-blowed Cena and the referee called for the bell.
WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and John Cena beat Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul by DQ in roughly 8:30.
After the match, Cena sold the low-blow as Paul fought him to the back. Cody roughed up McIntyre at ringside and then cleared the broadcast table. McIntyre hit Cody with the WWE Championship belt. McIntyre stared at the title belt while the referee tried to talk him down. McIntyre gave up the belt and looked at Cody, who was on the ground in front of the broadcast table. McIntyre gave Cody a Claymore Kick that sent Cody crashing through the front of the broadcast table. McIntyre jawed at Cody while the executive producer credits were shown to close out the episode…
Powell’s POV: The main event was brief and was all about setting up future programs. The DQ finish was understandable in this case, but it continues the trend of weak finishes on Raw and Smackdown. Overall, it was a solid show, and Cena was over huge with the fans despite his mess of a heel run. I will be back shortly with my weekly same-night audio review of Smackdown for Dot Net Members (including our Patreon patrons). Let me know what you thought of the show by grading it below.
Join me for my live review of AEW Collision on Saturday night.
This was a show I just couldn’t get into for some reason. That’s why I come here and read the Powell’s POV. 🙂
Charlotte and Alexa:
The new Hollywood blondes!