WWE SmackDown Outcomes: Winners, Dwell Grades and Highlights Earlier than Royal Rumble 2025
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- Chelsea Inexperienced vs. Michin (U.S. title)
- DIY and Fairly Lethal vs. MCMG and Los Garzas
- Naomi vs. Liv Morgan
- Jimmy Uso vs. Carmelo Hayes
SmackDown.WWE
Welcome to Bleacher Report’s dwell protection of WWE SmackDown on January 31.
That is the ultimate present earlier than tomorrow’s Royal Rumble, so it was WWE’s final probability to make any last adjustments and hype the present.
Here’s a have a look at what WWE marketed for Friday’s episode:
Let’s check out every little thing that occurred on this week’s SmackDown.
Opening Phase
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- McAfee dropped the mic he was holding throughout his entrance. He appeared excited.
- Owens has been hitting the gymnasium and you may see the outcomes. He appears to be like just a little slimmer and his muscle groups are extra outlined.
- Punk stated he confirmed up as a result of somebody stated his title. Joe Hendry’s affect is spreading.
SmackDown opened with Michael Cole welcoming Pat McAfee to a podium close to the stage. It appears to be like like WWE could also be splitting host and commentary duties into two separate issues.
Joe Tessitore was within the ring and welcomed Kevin Owens to discuss his upcoming match in opposition to Cody Rhodes. He stated he needed to provide KO an opportunity to talk his thoughts within the spirit of equity.
Owens expressed some anger earlier than taking the winged eagle belt off the hanger and saying he would get the opposite one on Saturday. This introduced out CM Punk to a giant pop.
Punk did not come out to choose a battle however did say he would win the Rumble and are available for whoever wins between KO and Rhodes.
The Prize Fighter ended up saying a number of insulting issues to the Straight-Edge Famous person, so Punk began firing again. He even introduced up KO shedding to Logan Paul to get beneath his pores and skin.
The phase ended with no violence, however the course is obvious. KO and Punk did an incredible job organising their eventual feud with out laying a finger on one another. This wasn’t groundbreaking, but it surely did what it got down to do in an entertaining means.
Grade: B
Notable Moments and Observations
Jimmy Uso vs. Carmelo Hayes
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- Jimmy’s backstage pre-match promo was brief and candy. The way in which WWE has been doing these has undoubtedly added to the product.
- Melo mocked Tyrese Haliburton, who was within the entrance row.
- WWE bringing again the Samoan factor with headbutts having no impact is nice. It was at all times a enjoyable bit throughout matches earlier than it went away.
- The way in which Jimmy hit a superplex was superior. He did not lock his arm round Melo till he was on his means down.
SmackDown. WWE
After attacking Jimmy final week throughout his entrance, Hayes discovered himself in a match with him on Friday’s present. Each males gave fast promos earlier than the battle acquired began.
Melo got here out of the gate sizzling and took Uso down instantly. He stayed on him and did not give him any time to get better, however he made the error of making an attempt to headbutt a Samoan and paid the value.
Hayes regained management and started taunting the gang and his opponent. He even stole the Usos’ working hip assault so as to add insult to harm.
Whereas this was a stable match with a variety of good particular person moments, there was one thing off in regards to the pacing. Each of those guys can work faster than they did right here, so it felt like they have been going sluggish at occasions when they need to have been choosing again up.
The ready between sequences allowed for large strikes to be bought, but it surely reduce down on how thrilling this contest ought to have been, particularly contemplating who was concerned.
Jimmy ended up profitable with a counter and a handful of tights as a substitute of his finisher, so we are going to nearly definitely see these two within the ring once more.
Consequence: Uso defeated Hayes
Grade: B-
Notable Moments and Observations
Chelsea Inexperienced vs. Michin
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- Inexperienced was means too distant when Michin tried to kick her by means of the ropes.
- Michin’s gear appears to have gotten an improve. It is rather more ornate than it was once.
- Inexperienced’s Surprise Lady gear was unbelievable.
- Niven taking her function as Inexperienced’s bodyguard so severely is hilarious. Her outfits get higher each week.
After pinning Inexperienced final week in a six-woman tag match, Michin acquired one other shot on the U.S. title on this week’s present. B-Fab and Piper Niven have been of their respective ally’s nook.
The champion discovered herself having to kick out of two pins in a row earlier than the match had been going for 30 seconds, so she took a breather to regroup.
These two have had a couple of encounters, so that they have had sufficient time to construct up some chemistry. That’s the reason it was shocking to see them have a handful of moments that appeared awkward or mistimed.
Niven saved Inexperienced by pulling her out of the ring after she took Eat Defeat from Michin, after which Inexperienced acquired herself disqualified through the use of a kendo stick.
Consequence: Michin gained by DQ
Grade: C
Notable Moments and Observations
DIY and Fairly Lethal vs. MCMG and Los Garzas
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- The video bundle WWE has been enjoying for Charlotte Aptitude to hype her return may be very effectively made.
- Punching a chair because it’s being swung at you’d be silly for anybody besides Fatu.
- WWE aired footage of Triple H being instructed he was going into the Corridor of Fame.
- WWE upgraded MCMG’s pyro. It is means higher now.
- Los Garzas and MCMG had some enjoyable mixed spots.
SmackDown. WWE
Damian Priest got here out and gave a promo about being on SmackDown, however he was finally interrupted by Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu. Surprisingly, Fatu confirmed Priest some respect earlier than telling him to put down or get taken down.
The Archer of Infamy was not intimidated within the slightest. He knocked down Tonga with one punch earlier than he and Fatu began buying and selling pictures. The numbers sport caught as much as him as he was cornered and overwhelmed down, however LA Knight ran all the way down to make the save.
Subsequent up was the eight-man tag match with Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Package Wilson and Elton Prince taking up Chris Sabin, Alex Shelley, Angel and Berto. MCMG instructed Los Garzas they might have their again within the match, however Los Garzas didn’t appear excited about their assist.
Ciampa tagged out to Prince so he would not should face Shelley, so Shelley introduced in Berto. Whereas this match had nice motion, it was fully hampered by WWE airing a particular advert for a film, after which going to an everyday business a couple of minute after that.
Even with picture-in-picture, the presentation was impacted. Nonetheless, the eight males on this match did an amazing job of constructing it simple to maintain your eyes on that smaller display.
Wilson and Prince have been the 2 greatest opponents, so that they ended up doing a variety of the catching when the high-flyers began happening a roll.
Angel and Berto ended up leaving Sabin and Shelley to fend for themselves, however MCMG pulled out the upset and gained ultimately.
Consequence: Motor Metropolis Machine Weapons and Los Garzas defeated Fairly Lethal and DIY
Grade: B+
Notable Moments and Observations
Naomi vs. Liv Morgan
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- Announcers do not should hold utilizing the phrase “property” each time Naomi does that one transfer within the nook.
- 5 minutes after that final sentence was typed, Naomi spanked Morgan and no person stated a phrase about it, so at the very least the announcers did not go to that effectively too typically.
- The audio was very unusual after the break. It was as if WWE hadn’t layered over the faux audio for about two seconds.
SmackDown.WWE
Haliburton was introduced out for a particular interview with Cole and McAfee earlier than Naomi took on Morgan in a singles match.
Bianca Belair and Raquel Rodriguez have been each at ringside, so it felt prefer it was only a matter of time earlier than certainly one of them acquired concerned.
Naomi had the ability benefit, so she was fast to take management and stored it for the primary a number of minutes. It took a distraction from Raquel to permit Morgan to journey Naomi on the center rope.
This match had a very good period of time and allowed them to work at completely different paces when it made sense to vary it up. They bought huge strikes but in addition had some fast sequences of back-and-forth offense.
Belair attacked Rodriguez when she tried to get entangled once more, and her intervention allowed Naomi to counter a pin and rating the victory. The celebration was short-lived as a result of Raquel and Liv attacking Naomi and Bianca after the match.
They left the ladies’s tag champs down and out to finish the phase. Even with the 50-50 reserving on the finish, this was all fairly entertaining. The fitting particular person gained, however the loser additionally appeared like a risk. Morgan and Rodriguez chasing the tag titles would make good sense.
Consequence: Naomi defeated Morgan
Grade: B
Notable Moments and Observations
The Miz vs. Andrade
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- Andrade makes every little thing he does look so clean, however that makes the occasional stiff strike he hits actually stand out.
- Andrade helped make Miz’s twister DDT look actually good.
- R-Reality had an incredible phase with Priest backstage.
The Miz thought his transfer to SmackDown would get him away from The Wyatt Sicks, however all it has finished is carry him grief because the first day. This week, he ended up in a match with Andrade that he unintentionally impressed.
The Miz scored the primary takedown, however El Idolo gained the higher hand nearly instantly after he acquired again to his ft.
This bout lasted by means of a break and into the subsequent phase, however the tempo did not actually decide up till the top. Andrade scored a predictable victory, but it surely was just a little shocking that the Wyatts did not have some form of presence. We all know they’re on SmackDown however WWE has but to make use of them on the blue model.
Consequence: Andrade defeated The Miz
Grade: B
Notable Moments and Observations
LA Knight and Damian Priest vs. Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu
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- LeRae did a very good job together with her a part of the phase. She took that splash from Jax like a champ.
- Having Fatu and Tonga simply strolling round within the ring for a very long time whereas the present was in picture-in-picture was oddly humorous.
- When you’ve got by no means seen Fatu earlier than WWE, it is best to look him up. He was once much more intimidating than he’s now. WWE has toned him down a bit.
- Knight and Fatu crashing into the timekeeper’s space was a enjoyable spot.
Tiffany Stratton gave an interview with Cole and McAfee that was interrupted by Candice LeRae and Nia Jax. The brand new champ was taken out by the girl she beat for the belt whereas LeRae suffered an unintentional nook splash from Jax within the course of.
Knight and Priest rushed into the ring throughout their entrance to get the battle going instantly. They despatched Fatu out of the ring with a double working boot to the face.
The Archer of Infamy beat up on Tonga for a short time earlier than Knight tagged in and located himself rapidly being double-teamed with stomps within the nook.
The match went forwards and backwards with all 4 males having segments on offense and protection at completely different occasions. They adopted a predictable sample however did it in an entertaining means.
Priest and Fatu have been the celebrities of this bout and can seemingly find yourself in a singles match quickly, however on this event, it was Priest and Knight who gained when The Archer of Infamy hit South of Heaven on Tonga for the pin. Fatu ended the present by attacking Priest and hitting a moonsault.
Consequence: Priest and Knight defeated Tonga and Fatu
Grade: B
Notable Moments and Observations
The Last Phrase
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The ultimate SmackDown earlier than the 2025 Royal Rumble undoubtedly featured a variety of hype for the PLE, however the present additionally had some slight presentation adjustments that will develop into the norm.
Having Cole and McAfee working as a separate unit from Barrett and Tessitore on commentary gave the present a barely completely different really feel, however whether or not that’s good or not is as much as you.
A lot of the matches we noticed ranged from good to above common, however the present had a few low factors that have been principally a results of reserving, not the performances.
The eight-man tag match was the spotlight of the present even when it did endure from WWE’s new pattern of doing a film trailer embedded within the present along with the usual business break.
SmackDown being three hours provides administration a variety of wiggle room, however there are undoubtedly higher methods among the time may very well be used.
Grade: B
