By Jake Barnett, ProWrestling.net Co-Senior Staffer (@jakebarnett)
WWE Smackdown (Episode 1,374)
Taped on December 15, 2025, in Hershey, Pennsylvania, at Giant Center
Simulcast on December 19, 2025, on USA Network (Netflix internationally)
The show began with a video package that recapped John Cena’s retirement match at Saturday Night’s Main Event. The announce team promised a look at the confrontation at Drew McIntyre’s house later on between Cody Rhodes and Drew. Video then showed Cody Rhodes walking into the building, followed by the MFTs for their match later on with The Wyatt Sicks. In the arena, Damien Priest made his entrance while video was shown of the Terror Twins defeating Zelina Vega and Aleister Black last week.
Priest said it was nice to hear the energy from the live crowd. He said he knows it’s not easy, since everyone was forced to watch the retirement of John Cena. Priest called Cena the GOAT without a shadow of a doubt, and led the crowd in a thank you Cena chant. He then recalled defeating Vega and Black last week, and called it business that had been handled. Priest said he wanted to look forward to 2026, but Vega walked out on the stage and called him a hypocrite. She said he thinks having his Mami fight his battles for him makes him a real man.
Vega said that Aleister had broken him. She said Priest had made his decision, and now he has to live with theirs, or rather his. Black ambushed Priest, but Priest fought back and delivered South of Heaven on the ring apron. He then retrieved a table from under the ring, but Black cut him off with a chair. Black landed a roundhouse that sent Priest on top of the table. Black then put Priest through the table with a meteora.
Backstage, Lash Legend and Nia Jax talked trash about Alexa Bliss and Charlotte. They said they were done with them, and wanted the Kabuki Warriors next to become the Women’s Tag Team Champions. They said forget about Rhiyo or the Kabuki Warriors, it was about them now and they wanted their titles.
Back in the arena, The Kabuki Warriors made their entrance for the opening match…[c]
My Take: Priest and Black feels like Peter Griffin and The Chicken at this point. It just won’t end.
As the show returned, Black attacked Priest again in the backstage area. He threw him into some equipment crates and hit him with a plastic snow shovel. He then delivered a Black Mass kick against a steel garage curtain. Back in the arena, Lash Legend and Nia Jax completed entrances for the opening match.
1. Lash Legend and Nia Jax vs. Asuka and Kairi Sane “The Kabuki Warriors”: Kairi and Lash started the match. In the early going, Kairi used her speed to avoid Lash, and managed to land a head scissors after a series of reversals. Lash finally got a hold of her with a lariat, and then tagged out to Nia Jax. She made a quick pin for a two count. Jax missed a follow up elbow drop and Asuka tagged in. She entered and landed a series of kicks, but Jax countered with a spinebuster. Asuka fired back with a lungblower and made a tag to Kairi. They double dropkicked Jax to the floor, and then sent Lash to the floor with a hip attack. Kairi took to the top rope and jumped on both women on the outside…[c]
Jax had control when the show returned. Lash Legend had turned around the match with a pump kick. Kairi attempted to overcome the power advantage but couldn’t. Nia and Lash made quick tags and sent Asuka to the floor. Kairi reversed a double suplex attempt into a double DDT, and then made the crawl to the corner to tag Asuka. She delivered a double dropkick and then landed a series of kicks on both opponents. She applied an Asuka Lock to Nia, but she quickly powered out.
Asuka fired back with a running knee, but Lash Legend broke up the pinfall. Kairi entered to land a backfist on Lash, but she replied with a big forearm shot. Asuka sent Nia into the ring post and then fired up the crowd. She took to the top rope, but was distracted by Legend. Nia then climbed up to the top, but Asuka reversed into a powerbomb with some assistance from Kairi.
Kairi tagged in, and Lash Legend took out Asuka on the floor by sending her into the ring steps. Nia Jax capitalized and took down Kairi with a chokeslam and then ended the match with an Annihilator.
Nia Jax and Lash Legend defeated The Kabuki Warriors at 8:56
After the match, Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair ran out to clash with Legend and Jax. The heels were quickly cleared from the ring and sent scrambling to the back. Elsewhere backstage, Jackie Redmond interviewed Guilia. Kiana James reminded her to speak to her first before talking with her client. Eventually Guilia addressed Chelsea Green and told her she wouldn’t be able to hide for much longer, and after she took out Alba Fyre later her time was running out…[c]
My Take: Fairly standard fare in the opening tag match with the heels working the power game and the Kabuki Warriors playing the underdog role. The crowd was fairly quiet throughout, but came alive for the run in from Charlotte and Alexa.
Nick Aldis was shown heading to Drew McIntyre’s house to meet with him about his suspension. They met around McIntyre’s pool, and Aldis offered him a one on one title match with Cody Rhodes, but he would need to issue an apology to Dan Engler and he would have to pay a fine. McIntyre refused the terms, saying it was what Cody and Aldis wanted, because he would just get screwed again. Aldis demanded to know what he wanted. McIntyre said he wanted his match with Rhodes, and he wanted to pick the stipulation, and to draw up papers that say Cody would be stripped of the title if he touches him before their title match.
Cody then showed up at McIntyre’s house. McIntyre accused Aldis of staging the entire thing. Rhodes attacked McIntyre, and ended up getting hauled away in cuffs. Rhodes said “Merry Christmas, Asshole!” as he was dragged away. Backstage, Aldis said it was out of his hands, and local authorities would handle it. Miz demanded a match with “He who shall not be named”, but refused to say his name. Aldis said he would call Ava and try to make it happen. R-Truth walked up and said he believed in Joe Pesci. In the arena, Guilia made her entrance for the next match…[c]
My Take: A bit of sports entertainment horse hockey from McIntyre and Rhodes there. I’m not sure how many losses Drew can take before people become completely apathetic about him.
Alba Fyre completed her entrance with Chelsea Green in tow.
2. Alba Fyre vs. Guilia: The match began with Guilia fired up and on the attack. She landed multiple strikes and then ground her knee into Fyre in the corner. She then delivered a running knee strike and a snap suplex for a two count. Green created a distraction, which allowed Fyre to get back in the match with a swinging DDT. She then covered for a two count. Guilia tossed Fyre around by her hair and then applied an abdominal stretch. Both women traded reversals and some two count pins. After some more back and forth strikes, Gulia delivered a big knee strikes and a Fisherman’s Buster for the win.
Guilia defeated Alba Fyre at 4:13
After the match, Guilia scared off Chelsea Green. Elsewhere, Cody Rhodes was shown walking toward the ring in the back…[c]
My Take: Not much to that one. Despite being quite good in the ring, crowds remain tepid regarding Guilia and her character. I don’t think the Kiana James pairing has helped, and at this point might be hurting both women.
A Wyatt Sicks video VHS video aired. Howdy addressed Solo and said the image he portrays would lead him to abandonment and misery. He said tonight they start their journey, one that would force Solo and his family to surrender.
In the arena, Cody Rhodes made his entrance. Video was shown of Cody facing Oba Femi at SNME and Drew McIntyre’s attack that ended the match. Cody finished his entrance and grabbed a microphone. He asked the crowd what they wanted to talk about. He recapped his visit to Drew’s home, and recounted Drew saying WWE is an unsafe working environment. Cody reminded Drew that he’s surrounded by MMA fighters, college and pro athletes, and asked what would make that a safe environment for him?
Nick Aldis showed up and said Cody made Drew’s case for him when she showed up at his house, and he was forced to make a bad deal because of it. He then told Cody should have trusted him, but he didn’t, and now once Drew returns he can’t lay a finger on Drew. Cody said “Or what?”, and Aldis said if he did he would have to strip him of the WWE Championship.
Cody said he would acquiesce to his demands, but he thinks Aldis forgot who he was talking to. He rattled off all of his many accomplishments, and told Rhodes he didn’t work for him, he worked for the crowd. Cody then told Aldis that as long as he holds the WWE Championship, he is not above the law, he is the law, and Aldis works for him. He then left Aldis in the ring.
Elsewhere backstage, Carmelo Hayes spoke with Ilja Dragunov. Hayes said he wanted another US Title shot, but Dragunov reminded them that they had a tag match with DIY first. Fraxiom walked up and told them to save some for them. Hayes said they wouldn’t miss, and Axiom said that if they did, they’d be there to pick up the pieces. Dragunov said DIY had asked for this battle, and they were not just jackasses, they were his prey.
In the arena, DIY made their ring entrance with Candice LeRae…[c]
My Take: Rhodes came across more than a little full of himself there. Perhaps we will get that heel run from him after all.
Dragunov and Hayes made their ring entrances for the next match. Video was shown of Ciampa vs. Dragunov from last week.
3. Tomasso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano “DIY” vs. Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov: A brawl between all four men broke out, but eventually it came down to Dragunov and Ciampa as legal men. Dragunov got the better of it and made a quick tag to Hayes. He entered the match and landed a leg drop, followed by a cover for a two count. Dragunov tagged back in, but LeRae created a distraction so Gargano could send Dragunov off the apron and into the announce desk…[c]
Dragunov fought off Gargano and made a hot tag to Hayes. He then delivered a flying lariat and a La Mistica to Gargano for a near fall. He then dove on Ciampa at ringside. Dragunov delivered a flying senton to Gargano in the ring for a near fall. Ciampa tagged in and landed a Project Ciampa on Hayes for a close near fall. Dragunov pulled Gargano to the floor and delivered a lariat. Hayes caught Ciampa with a superkick, but Candice LeRae created another distraction and Ciampa was able to land a running knee strike.
Gargano and Ciampa delivered a superkick into a suplex combo for a near fall. They lined up for Meet in the Middle, but Dragunov landed a Torpedo Moscow to bring it up. He then landed an H-Bomb on Ciampa. Hayes then tagged in and landed Nothing but Net on Ciampa and got the win.
Ilja Dragunov and Carmelo Hayes defeated DIY at 10:21
After the match, Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair said Lash Legend and Nia Jax are in their way, and that they would be the ones next in line for a title shot. Jade Cargill then walked up and stood next to Charlotte. She was asked about Michin, and said she was shocked that she got back up after she knocked her down. Michin appeared and attacked Jade with a kendo stick. WWE officials broke it up, and Jade didn’t look amused…[c]
My Take: Fun tag match between four guys that can all go in the ring. Carmelo Hayes continues to get very positive responses from the crowd when he is on offense, which is encouraging. Hopefully he’s in line for a sustained push in 2026.
Joe Hendry vs the Miz was advertised for an upcoming Smackdown, along with Drew McIntyre’s return to the show. Solo was shown walking backstage and said Howdy talks a lot of nonsense about absolutely nothing. He said the MFTs would humiliate and embarrass them in front of the whole wide world. Solo said the Fireflies are here, and they would watch them take the tag team titles. Solo then said he had the whole wide world in his hands. The MFTs made their ring entrance for the main event….[c]
The Wyatt Sicks made their ring entrances for the main event.
4. Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis “The Wyatt Sicks” vs. Tonga Loa and JC Mateo “MFT”: Lumis and Loa started the match. They fought to a stalemate until Joe Gacy tagged in. Loa landed a flurry of strikes and tagged in JC Mateo. The Wyatts took control with Mateo in the ring, landed a double team Manhattan Drop into a big lariat. Mateo and Loa were sent to the floor. Gacy tried to follow, but Loa blasted him with a forearm. Mateo then caught Lumis diving off the apron and slammed him into the ring post…[c]
Loa remained in control of Lumis as the show returned. He landed a leaping leg drop and followed up with heavy strikes in the heel corner. Mateo delivered a big powerslam and covered for a two count. Loa tagged in and followed up with another running powerslam for a near fall. Lumis managed to kick Loa away, but Mateo entered quickly to prevent a tag. Eventually Lumis made it to the corner and tagged in Gacy. He entered the match and delivered some heavy strikes and a saito suplex on Mateo for a two count.
Mateo replied with a side suplex of his own for a near fall. Gacy fired up and delivered a big knee strike to Mateo and a handspring off the ropes into the lariat on Loa. He then dove on both Mateo and Loa on the floor. Lumis and Gacy landed a suplex and powerbomb combo on Mateo. Gacy ended up on the outside and got leveled by Talla Tonga.
An all out brawl quickly broke out and the match was thrown out.
The Wyatt Sicks and MFTs ended in a no contest at 11:09
After the match, the brawl continued. Talla Tonga climbed to the top rope and ended up taking out just about everybody with a cross body. Erick Rowan ended up sending Talla to the floor with a lariat. He then threw Nikki onto Talla on the floor with a powerbomb. Solo landed a spike on Rowan, and the Howdy delivered a Sister Abigail to Solo. The show ended with the brawl continuing and unresolved.
My Take: We’re going to get a big hardcore brawl between these two teams at some point, and then they should never do it again. The MFTs got decent heat, but instead of changing for any member of the Wyatt’s, the crowd chanted for Roman Reigns. Howdy is the only one that seems to get any kind of crowd response for their individual personality.
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