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WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT
DECEMBER 12, 2025
WILKES-BARRE, PENNSYLVANIA AT MOHEGAN ARENA AT CASEY PLAZA
AIRED LIVE ON USA NETWORK
REPORT BY ERIC CORBRIDGE, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Michael Cole, Corey Graves
Ring Announcer: Mark Nash
Attendance: Wrestletix reports that 5,108 were distributed headed into the show, with a configuration for 6,117 spectators.
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[HOUR ONE]
– Then, now, together, forever…Endeavor. On the eve of John Cena’s final match, Smackdown this week emanated from the Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. They recapped Drew McIntyre getting attacked by WWE Champion Cody Rhodes in his truck last week and Cody’s subsequent demand that McIntyre be reinstated.
– Michael Cole and Corey Graves welcomed everyone to the show with “breaking news” from Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis. Aldis said it has been difficult to get Drew McIntyre to be reinstated because McIntyre hadn’t been taking his calls. Aldis officially invited McIntyre to show up at Smackdown tonight to discuss it. Cody was shown arriving at the arena live and Aldis told him that McIntyre hadn’t shown up tonight. McIntyre instead had his lawyers send a letter saying he wouldn’t show because it was an unsafe environment. Aldis promised to go to McIntyre’s house this week to work it out. Cody crumbled up the letter and went to the ring.
The plugged Cody’s match against NXT Champion Oba Femi on tomorrow night’s Saturday Night’s Main Event. Cody was wearing a purple three-piece suit and predictably asked the crowd what they wanted to talk about. Cody wanted to talk about McIntyre and his claim that this (the arena, WWE, planet earth?) was an unsafe working environment. Cody stated that he wasn’t sweating McIntyre and that if he were his boss he’d fire him. However, since he can’t he was going to whip his ass. Oba Femi’s music played and the NXT Champion headed to the ring fresh off reclaiming the title from Ricky Saints last week. Femi got right up in Cody’s face and Cody handed him a microphone.
Femi said he appreciated Cody’s passion but that he was worried about the wrong man. He formally introduced himself as the royal, the destroyer, the bringer of war, the mountain he could not climb, and his opponent tomorrow night. Femi disagreed that he was the future because he said the future is now and he is the now (did you get all that?). Femi quoted John Cena with “your time is up; my time is now.” Cody mentioned that he was the man who defeated John Cena for the WWE Championship. Cody started to leave but Femi grabbed his arm. They both raised their championships above their heads. Cody left.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Simple way to introduce the “main roster” audience to the NXT Champion. The bigger news was that Nick Aldis is going to Drew McIntyre’s house this week. Expect a pre-tape segment next week. It probably won’t go well for Aldis.)
– Zelina Vega and Aleister Black were shown arriving to the arena, as well as their opponents for the evening “The Terror Twins” Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley. Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Lash Legend, and Nia Jax also arrived. United States Champion Ilja Dragunov was walking in the back prior to his match and was intercepted by Fraxiom. They offered to have his back during his match against Tommaso Ciampa tonight, but Dragunov said he needed to do it alone.
– Tommaso Ciampa went to the ring for his long-awaited title shot. He was alone. [c]
– The U.S. Champion Ilja Dragunov made his way for his latest title defense. This was not an open challenge because Dragunov demanded the match after Ciampa interfered in Dragunov’s match last week against Carmelo Hayes.
(1) ILJA DRAGUNOV [c] vs. TOMMASO CIAMPA – United States Championship match
Cole pointed out that this was the 23rd time in 2025 that the U.S. title was on the line, which was the most in a decade. Both grapplers started off aggressively, trading angry forearms, chops, and slaps, until Dragunov kicked Ciampa in the face and knocking him down. They went right back to the chopping. Ciampa dropkicked Dragunov’s surgically repaired knee and gave him a running knee to the head. Dragunov retaliated with a big boot that knocked Ciampa to the floor. Dragunov ran around the ring and tried to attack but Ciampa sidestepped and Dragunov launched himself into the steel steps. Ciampa suplexed him on the floor and patted himself on the back. [c]
Dragunov went for the Constantine Special but his knee gave out, however he hit a desperation jumping enziguri. Cole said that it has been a relentless assault on Dragunov’s bad knee. Dragunov hit a German suplex out of nowhere and held on to hit another. He still didn’t release and wanted a third but Ciampa fought him off. Dragunov switched and hit some elbow strikes. They traded more slaps. Dragunov planted Ciampa with a slam and went to the tope rope. Ciampa kicked his knee again, knocking him off. Ciampa dropped him with an Air Raid on the apron then covered for the first two-count of the match. Dragunov was up and hit a missile dropkick off the top rope. Both grapplers were down in the ring as they went to a split-screen. [c]
It was back to the Smackdown chop festival for a while. Then Ciampa hit an Air Raid off the top rope and covered for a nearfall. Dragunov was bleeding, seemingly from a busted nose. They traded more strikes, slaps, and chops. Ciampa caught Dragunov’s kick and leg whipped him. Dragunov retaliated with a Torpedo Moscow. Dragunov’s face was bloody. Johnny Gargano appeared on the apron, distracting the referee so Candice LeRae could drop Dragunov neck first on the top rope, leading to a good nearfall. Ciampa attempted a sunset flip but Dragunov sat down to counter, earning the pin and the win.
WINNER: Ilja Dragunov by pinfall in 18:00. Dragunov retains the United States Championship.
After the match, Gargano and Ciampa attacked Dragunov. Carmelo Hayes made the save.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: It was a very good match that felt like it had higher stakes since there was a personal issue between Ciampa and Dragunov. The only thing I’ll knock is the fake looking trading of slaps. It always looks so dumb.)
– In another pre-tape from John Cena, he talked about being signed for 5 more years and wanting to be an ambassador for WWE. He said he wants to be a mentor and get more eyes on the product.
– Cathy Kelley interview Je’von Evans in what looked like the arena garage. He was excited about his upcoming tag team match at Saturday Night’s Main Event. The Miz walked up because he was still mad that he doesn’t have a match tomorrow night. Evans pointed out that Miz failed twice to win the Last Time is Now tournament. Evans challenged Miz to a match tonight. Miz said he would go to Aldis to get the match and said if Evans got injured tonight he wouldn’t make it to tomorrow.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: This is all my fault. If you go back a few weeks ago when I co-hosted the Smackdown post-show with Wade, I was the first one to mention what seems inevitable… the Miz is going to go down to the ring after Cena’s match against Gunther and demand to wrestle him. Beating up Miz will be the way for Cena to leave on a high note after a presumed loss to Gunther. The only question is whether it will be an impromptu second match tomorrow night or just a beatdown. I’m not proud of the prediction.)
– A creepy Wyatt Sicks snippet played. They were apparently “here.” [c]
– The Wyatt Sicks entered from the stage like normies, well as much as a group dressed like them can be normies. They recapped the brawl between the Wyatts and the MFT last week. It was the entire group led by Uncle Howdy. Howdy sat in his rocking chair in the ring and addressed Solo Sikoa. He questioned who Solo thought he was to cast judgment on them and said the reality was that his real family all turned their backs on him because Solo uses and abuses the people he claims to love. Howdy seemed to be crying as he spoke. Howdy said they had the tag team belts so the MFT could come try and take them. Solo’s music played but they were shown on the screen. Solo said they don’t play by their rules and that they would come for the titles next week. Solo stole a line out of the Wyatt quotebook and said they could “run.”
(Corbridge’s Analysis: I’m almost certainly in the minority but I like that the Wyatts’ message hasn’t changed. They don’t like wrestlers that don’t value their family and friends — since Bo lost Bray. The problem is that they aren’t consistently on the show fighting for that message and they haven’t been fully established as babyfaces or heels.)
– Charlotte Flair talked to Alexa Bliss while braiding Bliss’s hair. Charlotte assured Bliss that she would defeat Lash Legend tonight. Then, after that they’d regain the tag team titles. Rhea Ripley walked up and said that she and Io would regain the titles. They all respectfully disagreed with each other. [c]
– They showed a video with celebrities and athletes congratulating John Cena on a great career including Tom Brady, Eli and Peyton Manning, Snoop Dogg, Jelly Roll, and Jimmy Fallon.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: The highlight was Eli Manning saying that the only thing wrong with Cena was that he is a New England Patriots fan and that no one is unbeaten, including the 2007 Patriots. Well played by Eli, whose New York Giants ended the Patriots bid for an undefeated season in the Super Bowl that year.)
[HOUR TWO]
– NXT’s Sol Ruca and Bayley were shown sitting in the crowd because they have a match tomorrow night at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
– Alexa Bliss came out to a big ovation with her partner Charlotte Flair. Charlotte was apparently in her best “farmer’s daughter chic” attire. Lash Legend was out next accompanied by her new partner Nia Jax.
(2) ALEXA BLISS (w/Charlotte Flair) vs. LASH LEGEND (w/Nia Jax)
Bliss jumped on Legend’s back but was promptly thrown off. Bliss sent Legend to the outside with headscissors and followed up with a somersault off the apron. However, Legend caught her and dropped her over the barricade. Legend chucked Bliss back into the ring and bent Bliss’s arm awkwardly since Bliss is famously double-jointed. Legend with a clothesline and a cover that barely registered a two-count. Legend splashed Bliss and she kickout out again. Bliss countered a Legend attempt to umm…walk with her on her shoulders…with a DDT. Lash caught Bliss with a big “Lash Minute” forearm.
Jax tripped Bliss on the apron behind the referee’s back. Charlotte went over and superkicked Jax in response but when she turned around Legend leveled Charlotte with a brogue kick. Back in the ring, Legend hit the Lash Extension for the quick victory.
WINNER: Lash Legend via pinfall in 4:00.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Easy win for the promising Legend.)
– Cathy Kelley chased down Zelina Vega and Aleister Black (in the same place that she interviewed Evans earlier) to get a word about their match tonight. Vega said it was Priest’s fault that it came to this because he isn’t proud of the man he is. Black said that Priest is so keen to drag his friends to hell with him, then so be it.
– A hype video for Je’von Evans and Leon Slater aired.
– The Miz entered for the next match. [c]
– “The O.G.” Je’von Evans made his energetic entrance.
(3) THE MIZ vs. JE’VON EVANS
Cole highlighted that Evans is an excitable 21 year-old, which means he should think ahead more. Graves disagreed, saying that Evans was living for the moment. Evans with a monkey flip that surprised Miz, then followed up with a dropkick and springboard hurricanrana that sent Miz to the floor. Evans attempted a baseball slide but Miz moved and clotheslined him. Miz tried to throw Evans back in the ring but he leapt onto the apron and moonsaulted back onto Miz. Evans rolled Miz back into the ring but when he tried to follow he caught a big boot and Miz then threw him into the ringpost. On the apron, Miz hyperextended Evans’s arm on the bottom rope. [c]
Miz had Evans locked in a crossface as he continued to damage the left arm. Evans worked his way to his feet and threw some chops and jabs. Miz kicked him back down but Evans exploded off the ropes with a leaping forearm. Evans knocked Miz down with a red dot kick to the head and covered for a nearfall. Evans attempted a very, very high moonsault but missed. Miz went for, and executed, the “Five Knuckle Shuffle” fist drop and got Evans up into the AA position. Evans escaped which caused Miz to tumble to the floor. Then Evans dove over the top rope crashing onto the Miz below. Cole pointed out that Miz had zero singles wins in 2025. Ouch. Miz went for a Skull Crushing Finale but Evans rolled through into a pin attempt. He only got a two-count. Miz reversed and rolled up Evans while grabbing the tights to get a one…two…he kicked out. Evans leapt to the second turnbuckle, then to the top and hit an OG cutter, then covered for the one…two…three.
WINNER: Je’Von Evans via pinfall in 8:00.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Get ready to see more of the Miz tomorrow night. If I’m wrong I’ll eat my hat. Uncle Scrooge reference. IYKYK.)
Lash Legend and Nia Jax confronted Rhea Ripley in the backstage area. Ripley wasn’t scared. The heels left in a huff. Damian Priest came up and said he liked her energy. Priest left. WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill walked up and looked Ripley over before walking away.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: A tease of a future big match between Cargill and Ripley.)
– Michin walked in the back talking to the camera about how much of a bully Jade Cargill is. Cargill attacked her, throwing her into a wall. Cargill told them to cue her music. It worked. Cargill marched to the ring clamoring that it was her show. Cargill said that when women in the locker room don’t know their place that is what happens. She started to say it was because she was that b*tch but Michin’s music interrupted. Michin walked down to the ring with a kendo stick while holding her ribs. She hit Cargill a few times with it and then went to get a table from under the ring. She pulled it out but got brogue kicked by Cargill. Cargill pushed the table back under the ring to the fans’ chagrin. Back in the ring Cargill dropped Michin with a big chokeslam.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Another brief but dominant showing Cargill.)
– Aleister Black and Zelina Vega made their spooky and smoky entrance for the first mixed-tag match in over two years on Smackdown, according to Cole. [c]
– Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley made staggered entrances so that each could have their “music moments.” They walked down the ramp together.
(4) DAMIAN PRIEST & RHEA RIPLEY vs. ALEISTER BLACK & ZELINA VEGA
Black and Vega attacked the babyfaces while they were posing on the turnbuckles. The referee apparently didn’t mind and called for the bell to ring to start the match. I assume he will be fined by the WWE Competition Committee that I just invented. Priest managed to get the upper hand quickly anyway by clotheslining Black to the floor. Vega jumped on Priest’s back to try and prevent him from tagging in Ripley but it didn’t work. Ripley overpowered the diminutive Vega, leveling her with a clothesline and firing up the crowd as they went to a picture-in-picture break.
Vega hit a Meteora and covered for a two-count. The crowd chanted for “Mami.” Ripley went for a suplex but Vega escaped and took out her knee. Vega with a DDT after a sloppy…something and covered for another two-count. Ripley caught Vega trying to re-do the sloppy…something…slammed her down. Riley tagged in Priest who came in and flap jacked Black. Priest hit a flying elbow in the corner and a falcon arrow for a nearfall. Vega jumped onto Priest’s back again and Black used the distraction to hit a German suplex for a two-count. Cole pointed out that the Black Mass kick can come out of nowhere. Black used Vega as a battering ram. Black with a big knee to Priest’s jaw that sent him to the floor. Vega and Black hit impressive stereo moonsaults to the floor on their respective gendered opponents.
Vega rolled Ripley back into the ring and went for a cross body but was caught and Ripley attempted a Riptide. There was a nasty looking botch that looked like Vega was going for a Code Red but slipped and went face first into the mat. Vega immediately hit the Code Red (confirming my initial theory about the botch) but Ripley kicked out at two. Cole claimed no one had ever kicked out of it before. Ripley appeared to be moving in slow motion (possibly hurt) but got a two-count on Vega. Black got face to face with her, smiled, and got back on the apron. Ripley head-butted Black. Vega tried to roll up Ripley but it didn’t work. Black got back in the ring but Priest intercepted him this time. Priest and Ripley hit stereo Razor’s Edges in the ring. Ripley finally hit the Riptide and covered for the three-count.
WINNERS: Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest by pinfall in 10:00.
Priest and Ripley celebrated with Ripley doing the jumping high-five that Diesel and Shawn Michaels used to do when they were partners.
(Corbridge’s Analysis: Standard match a feel-good win for the babyfaces. Hopefully Ripley is okay after the Code Red botch.)
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