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WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
NOVEMBER 21, 2025
DENVER, COLORADO AT BALL ARENA
AIRED ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY ERIC CORBRIDGE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves
Ring Announcer: Mark Nash
Attendance: Wrestletix reports that 11,660 were distributed headed into the show. The arena has a capacity of 21,000 when configured for concerts.
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[HOUR ONE]
– The show began with a recap of the drama surrounding the women’s WarGames match, including Charlotte Flair’s willingness to trust Rhea Ripley, the addition of A.J. Lee and Becky Lynch to each respective team, and the heels’ vicious attack on the babyfaces from Smackdown last week. They also showed highlights from RAW where the teams brawled.
Asuka, Charlotte Flair, The MFTs, L.A. Knight were all shown arriving at the area. Cathy Kelley let Knight know that he would be facing a mystery opponent. Knight questioned how that was fair and said he should have been able to receive a bye to the next round, He wondered who was trying to hold him down and said that the tournament was starting to piss him off.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: It was interesting that Knight wanted a bye into the next round. That is a heel mindset. Could be nothing, but I don’t think an impending Knight heel turn is out of the question either.)
– Jey Uso made his yeetyTM entrance through the crowd for the opening contest. Rusev came out to his menacing music with a mild reaction.
(1) JEY USO vs. RUSEV – Last Time is Now Tournament Quarterfinals match
Rusev pounded away on Jey during the early going, hitting a big suplex and covering for a quick nearfall. Rusev charged into an elbow in the corner. Jey was caught jumping off the second rope and slammed to the mat. [c]
Jey took down Rusev with his dancing strikes but couldn’t capitalize because he couldn’t get Rusev off his feet. Jey threw him to the outside and hit a suicide dive through the ropes. Jey rolled a stunned Rusev back and hit him with a Samoan drop. Jey covered for a two-count. Jey hit a big spear and covered but Rusev kicked out at ONE. Jey looked on in disbelief while contemplating his next move. Jey went for an Uso splash but ate a matchka kick for his trouble, earning Rusev another two-count. Rusev fired himself up and received a few boos in the process. Rusev locked in the Accolade while Jey tried to get to the ropes. Jey was fading at first but managed to get to the ropes and force Rusev to relinquish the hold.
Corey Graves said that Rusev needed to keep his foot on the gas. Rusev went for an AA, including mocking the “You Can’t See Me” gesture. Jey escaped, hit a spear and an Uso Splash. Jey covered and pinned Rusev.
WINNER: Jey Uso via pinfall in 10:00. Jey Uso advances to Semifinals of Last Time is Now Tournament
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Not a great showing for Rusev who got pinned clean after only 10 minutes.)
– In the back next to the ball hopper, The Miz was telling Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis to put him back in the tournament. Aldis said it needed to be random so he pulled out a ball. Before he could read the name, Miz tried to argue his case again. R-Truth came in and wanted to know why Aldis had something against his balls. They both made more balls jokes. Aldis reminded Truth that his balls are already in the hopper so Truth left. Aldis read the name and it turned out to be the Miz anyway.
– Damian Priest was interviewed by Cathy Kelley. She asked him about Aleister Black and Zelina Vega saying they got him to break his “code.” Priest said it was weird that they think that and that it won’t happen. Vega walked up and asked Priest if he noticed that he is always the one on the receiving end of punishment. Priest asked if her big, bad husband sent her. Vega said he has his mind on bigger things than Priest. Vega left. Rhea Ripley walked over and gave Priest a hug. He complimented her mask. Ripley said she wanted to run an idea past Priest later. [c]
(Corbridge’s Analysis: The last tease about Ripley wanting to run an idea by Priest later is intriguing.)
– Chelsea Green came out for her United States Championship celebration. She was accompanied as always by Alba Fyre. They showed a fan saluting. Green was wearing a blue gown with a white sash that said “Miss North America” on it. Graves made a funny comment about how “Green probably has no time for guys that play with toys” (a reference to her husband Matt Cardona aka Zack Ryder). The United States, Canada, and Mexico flag were displayed in the ring. Green said it was an honor to serve her second term as the greatest women’s champion, not only in WWE or United States history, but in the continent of the North Americas. She asked everyone to raise their voices and flags as they kicked off the celebration with a very expensive pyrotechnics display. She counted down from five, but when she got to one Jade Cargill stormed to the ring and brogue kicked Fyre. Green tried to run away but Cargill caught her and hit her with her Jaded finisher. That was the end of the “celebration.”
After Cargill left the fireworks went off. Green was pissed off about that.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: The fireworks going off anyway was a funny touch.)
– Alexa Bliss told Charlotte Flair that she’s “got this” in reference to her upcoming match against Asuka. Ripley and Iyo Sky came up and said they had her back too. A.J. Lee walked up and said she’d make sure they won tomorrow at WarGames.
– Team Sami Zayn were shown strategizing in the back.
– Another pre-taped “The Last Time is Now” video aired. Cena talked about how he was relegated to the Velocity show at one point during his Thuganomics era. Cena said he could have gotten down about that but he chose to make the most of it. [c]
– Cargill told Cathy Kelley that she attacked Green because she was making a statement all the women in the locker room. B-Fab walked by and Cargill asked her if she had something to say. B-Fab said nothing prompting Cargill to say, “I didn’t think so” and keep walking. Michin walked up to B-Fab and questioned why no one is checking Cargill’s attitude.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Step right up Michin. Good luck with that.)
(2) L.A. KNIGHT vs. THE MIZ – Last Time is Now Tournament Quarterfinals match
Knight started off with some punches and a clothesline. Miz bailed to the floor. Knight dropkicked him through the bottom rope and rolled him back into the ring. When Knight rolled back in himself, Miz stomped him and took control. Michael Cole pointed out that Miz will never stop talking about how he defeated John Cena in the main event of Wrestlemania 27. Knight hit a spinning neckbreaker. On the floor, Miz threw Knight shoulder-first into the barricade and then leveled him with a big boot. [c]
Knight fought out of a headlock and they traded attempts to lock in a sleeper. Knight hit a back suplex to buy himself some time. Knight hit a series of trademark punches, a Russian leg sweep, and a neckbreaker. Knight covered but only got a two-count. Knight with a big superplex and another nearfall. Miz hit a DDT and covered for a two-count. Knight countered a Skull Crushing Finale attempt and hit a reverse DDT. Knight sort of back-rolled to stand up which didn’t look as cool as he probably thought it would. Miz hit a Skull Crushing Finale and covered for the one…two…kick out by Knight! Miz was flummoxed. Miz tried to lock in a Figure Four but when Knight tried to prevent it, Miz locked in an STF instead. Knight made it to the ropes.
Knight with a drop-toe hold but Miz raked the eyes and tried to use the ropes for leverage during a pin attempt, but the referee caught him. Miz went for the Skull Crushing Finale again but Knight countered and hit the BFT for the one…two…three.
WINNER: L.A. Knight by pinfall in 12:00. L.A. Knight advances to Semifinals of Last Time is Now Tournament
(Corbridge’s Analysis: I believe Knight will find a way to defeat Jey and go on to lose to Gunther in the Finals of the tournament. And since I’m in prediction mode, I’ll say that loss leads Knight into reassessing his career trajectory, leading to a heel turn in the coming months.)
– Becky Lynch talked to the heel WarGames women’s team in what appeared to be a kitchen. Lynch said they needed to listen to her because she’s got a 100% success rate in WarGames. Asuka screamed about how last time she faced Charlotte Flair she injured her and Flair was out of action for a year. [c]
[HOUR TWO]
– Cathy Kelley talked to United States Champion Ilja Dragunov in the back. Dragunov, wearing a suit, said that the challenge will always be open to anyone worthy of it. He began addressing Tama Tonga until Tommaso Ciampa interrupted and said he was going to take the title from him. Dragunov said he’d think about it and called him a jackass.
(3) CHARLOTTE FLAIR vs. ASUKA – Women’s WarGames Advantage match
Michael Cole ran down the career accomplishments of both grapplettes. The action started off hot with several counters but neither woman was able to gain control until Asuka kicked Flair in the back of the head on the apron. [c]
Flair leaped off the tope rope with a cross-body but Asuka rolled through and covered for a two-count. Flair hit a very big boot and earned a two-count herself. Graves pointed out that she got all of that (it looked great). Flair took Asuka to the chop house and hit a cartwheel into a clothesline. Flair was in total control with a fallaway slam and a kip up. Flair positioned Asuka for a moonsault and connected with it for another two-count. Graves speculated that doubt was starting to creep in for Flair. Asuka fought her way out of a waist lock but Flair adjusted and hit a German suplex. Asuka answered with one of her own and then they trade hard strikes including a sliding kneed that led to another Asuka two-count. Asuka tried to lock in the armbar but Flair resisted. Flair powered her way out and dropped Asuka with a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall.
Asuka bailed to the floor to recover. Flair went out after her and launched her over the announce table. The referee counted. Asuka came up from the table and spit the mist but Flair ducked and it went into the timekeeper’s eyes (oopsie!). They went back into the ring and Asuka locked in the Asuka lock but Flair escaped. Flair hit the Natural Selection and covered for the three count.
WINNER: Charlotte Flair by pinfall in 11:00.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: The match started off a bit disjointed, but the last 7 minutes or so were strong. Anyone who’s watched WWE since they started having two WarGames matches on the show knew that since the Men’s heel team had the advantage, the women’s babyface team would have it. Still a good match though.)
– Solo and the MFT’s were shown walking in the back because the Traditional Survivor Series match was up next. Graves mentioned that it would be commercial-free. [c]
– The MFT’s entered first for the main event. Everyone except for Solo Sikoa was wearing their “Cobra Kai meets panda-bear” face paint. The Motor City Machine Guns were out next, followed in order by Rey Fenix, Shinsuke Nakamura, and final team captain Sami Zayn.
(4) SAMI ZAYN, REY FENIX, ALEX SHELLEY, CHRIS SABIN, SHINSUKE NAKAMURA vs. SOLO SIKOA, TALLA TONGA, TAMA TONGA, TONGA LOA, J.C. MATEO – 5-on-5 Traditional Survivor Series match
Chris Sabin and Solo Sikoa started things off. Graves mentioned that his favorite Survivor Series team was the one led by the Ultimate Warrior and composed of The Texas Tornado, and the Legion of Doom. Solo said he wanted Zayn, but when Sabin contemplated it Solo leveled him with a clothesline. Solo laid in some right hands and taunted the babyfaces on the apron. The heels took shots at Sabin in their corner behind the referee’s back. Tonga Loa tagged in.
Loa continued the assault on Sabin with chops. Sabin tagged in his partner and he and Alex Shelley hit a double team move on Loa. Loa lifted Shelley into the heel corner and tagged in J.C. Mateo. Shelley fought back with punches and chops and tagged in Zayn. Zayn hit some chops of his own but Mateo snatched him out of the corner and slammed him to the mat. Mateo with a standing moonsault and cover for a two-count. Tama Tonga tagged in and yelled at the referee so his partners could illegally beat down Zayn in their corner. Tama taunted the babyface team with some patented barking noises. Solo tagged back in and locked in a headlock on Zayn. Zayn escaped and hit a clothesline before making a relatively cold tag to Shinsuke Nakamura before Loa tagged back in.
Nakamura hit a running knee that knocked Loa to the floor but Mateo had tagged in and attacked Nakamura from behind. Nakamura hit his patented sliding German suplex and covered Mateo but Solo broke it up. Zayn came in and threw Solo to the floor, then everyone started running into the ring and getting thrown to the floor. The Guns teamed up to toss Talla Tonga out. Shelley, now the legal man, hit a baseball slide on Solo. Sabin, Zayn, and Rey Fenix all hit dives to the outside. Mateo was first back in the ring and the Guns teamed up against him. Sabin was the legal man and caught Mateo in a pinning predicament that succeeded.
J.C. Mateo was eliminated via pinfall at 7:00 by Chris Sabin.
The Guns double-teamed Tama but he was able to survive a nearfall. Nakamura tagged in again and hit a back kick and kneedrop off the top rope onto the back of Tama’s neck. He lined up for a Kinshasha but Solo jumped onto the apron and went for the Samoan Spike. Nakamura elbowed him off and ran at Tama but Tama moved and hit his Cutthroat finisher and covered Nakamura for a quick pinfall.
Shinsuke Nakamura was eliminated via pinfall at 8:00 by Tama Tonga.
Rey Fenix came in for the first time but got planted by Tama who then tagged out to Loa. Cole talked about Loa and Tama’s tag team success in Japan. They double-teamed Fenix and Loa hit a big twirling chokeslam, then covered for a two-count. Loa argued with the referee because he thought it was a three-count. Fenix somersaulted onto the Loa’s shoulders and rolled him up for the three-count.
Tonga Loa was eliminated via pinfall at 10:00 by Rey Fenix.
Talla Tonga legally entered the ring for the first time and imposed his will on Fenix. Solo directed him from the apron. He slammed Fenix and tagged in Solo. Solo missed the Spike and Sabin tagged in. Sabin hit a crossbody but was caught in his tracks when he went to punch Talla off the apron. Shelley made a blind tag during an Irish whip and they hit some vintage double-teams and called for the Skull and Bones. Tama chucked Shelley off the top rope sending him crashing to the floor. Sabin tried to attack Tama but was dropped on his throat across the top rope. Talla tagged himself in and chokeslammed Shelley on the apron. He rolled Shelley in, covered him and got the three-count.
Alex Shelley was eliminated via pinfall at 12:00 by Talla Tonga.
Sabin went for a cross-body but Talla caught him. Sabin tried to fight his way out but got leveled with a clothesline. Talla pinned him straight away.
Chris Sabin was eliminated via pinfall at 13:00 by Talla Tonga. (Team MFT had a 3-2 advantage at this point).
Zayn looked concerned on the apron. Talla big-booted Zayn to the floor. Renix attacked Talla with kicks but to no avail. Talla tagged out to Tama. Fenix walked the tightrope but struggled a bit because the ropes appeared to be very loose. He managed to still hit a hurricanrana on Tama and then hit a cross-body on the floor onto Solo and Talla. Back in the ring he immediately got destroyed by the Cutthroat finisher and was pinned by Tama.
Rey Fenix was eliminated via pinfall at 15:00 by Tama Tonga.
Zayn was the only man remaining on his team against Solo, Talla, and Tama. The crowd rallied for Zayn by chanting his name. Zayn squared off against Talla but was summarily dominated. Talla hit Zayn with a running splash in the corner. Solo tagged in and Talla whipped him into a running hip in the corner. Tama tagged in and hit two Stinger Splashes. Suddenly Zayn exploded out of the corner and hit the Helluva kick and pinned Tama.
Tama Tonga was eliminated via pinfall at 17:00 by Sami Zayn.
Before Zayn could even get to his feet, Talla came in and stomped on him. Zayn temporarily escaped to the safe-haven of the floor. But Talla followed him out and threw him into the ring post. Talla attempted a big boot into the barricade but Zayn moved and Talla went over it just as the referee had reached a seven count. Zayn returned to the ring but Talla didn’t make it back in time.
Talla Tonga was eliminated via count-out at 18:00 by Sami Zayn.
Solo immediately entered the ring and hit two Spinning Solo slams and covered for a two-count. Solo hit a splash off the tope rope and covered, but again Zayn kicked out at two. Solo lifted Sami up onto the top rope and wanted to hit a Samoan Drop but Zayn reversed into a sunset flip for a one…two…kick out by Solo! Zayn fired up as Cole pointed out that this was the excitement that made Survivor Series so fun every year. (which begs the question – then why don’t we have these matches AT Survivor Series now?). They traded blows until Solo nailed Zayn with a headbutt. Solo went for another running hip attack but Zayn caught him with an exploder suplex. Zayn called for the Helluva kick but ran into a superkick. Zayn ducked a Spike attempt and rolled up Solo for one…two…another kick out by Zayn! When they both got back to their feet Solo finally connected with the Spike and covered for the three-count and the win for Team MFT.
Sami Zayn was eliminated via pinfall at 21:00 by Solo Sikoa.
WINNER (and Sole Survivor): Solo Sikoa
After the match, Zayn clutched at his throat while the announcers plugged Solo’s match against Gunther in the Semifinals of the Last Time Is Now tournament. Graves pointed out that Solo has a lot of momentum now.
– The lights went out after the credits had already aired. Cole questioned whether they were on the air. The lights came back on and the Wyatt Sicks were on the apron. Uncle Howdy was behind Solo and dropped him with a Sister Abigail as they went off the air.
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