WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - May 16th, 2025

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Alexa Bliss vs. Michin vs. Chelsea Green — Money in the Bank Triple Threat Qualifying Match

After returning to help Women's United States Champion Zelina Vega emerge victorious over Chelsea Green and Piper Niven, Alexa Bliss will take on Green and Michin in a Women’s Money in the Bank Triple Threat Qualifying Match. Who will qualify for the Money in the Bank Ladder Match?


:smackdown:

– We are live! Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore greet audiences at home before throwing it to a video recapping some of the events of Backlash.

– Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and JC Mateothen make their way to the ring.

Sikoa invites fans to help him welcome the man who helped keeped the United States Championship in his family: JC Mateo (formerly Jeff Cobb). He promises to win his Money In The Bank Qualifier match later tonight, and if anyone tries to step to him, then they will have to get through Mateo and Fatu.

Fatu grabs the microphone and says he told fans that he would bring the United States Championship to the family. He reiterates Sikoa's sentiment of anyone getting in his way, but says he'll deal with them himself. He says he needs to hear something from Fatu, and that's the fact that he loves him. Fatu tells Sikoa he loves him, but Sikoa becomes upset when he doesn't say it how he used to.

LA Knight's music hits, and he pulls Mateo out of the ring from behind before quickly retreating through the crowd.

– Alexa Bliss then makes her way to the ring. Michin and Chelsea Green follow.

Triple Threat Women's Money In The Bank Qualifier Match: Alexa Bliss vs. Chelsea Green vs. Michin

The bell rings and Michin levels Green with a boot that sends her crashing out of the ring as Bliss laughs on. Bliss and Michin then lock up, but Michin lands a shotgun dropkick on Green that sends her crashing back out of the ring. Bliss and Michin take turns rolling each other up and kicking up, but land a pair of double dropkicks on Green that sends her off the apron and onto the floor.

Green connects with a tope suicida to level Bliss and Green on the outside, and Green dumps Bliss back in the ring. Green sends Bliss crashing into the corner with a boot, then sends Bliss crashing into the barricade on the outside and dumps her back inside the ring. She fires off right hands on Bliss and sends Michin crashing off the apron with a boot, then sends Michin crashing into the mat face first.

Michin sneaks up behind Green and delivers a pair of German suplexes to her, then follows it up with a sit-out powerbomb and goes for a pin. Bliss breaks the fall, but Michin rocks her with Eat Defeat and lands a second one on Green. She hits a cannonball on both Green and Bliss in the corner, then pins each woman. Bliss and Green both kick out.

Michin delivers another Eat Defeat to Green and goes for a pin, but Bliss breaks the fall once again and delivers a Tornado DDT to Michin. Bliss delivers Twisted Bliss to Michin and goes for a pin, but Green pulls Bliss off Michin and delivers the Unprettier to Michin. Bliss pulls Michin out of the ring and connects with Sister Abigail on Green for the win.

Winner: Alexa Bliss

– Nathan Frazer and Axiom then make their way to the ring. #DIY follows.

#DIY vs. Nathan Frazer and Axiom

Axiom and Tommaso Ciampa begin the action. The bell rings and Axiom wears down Ciampa. Frazer tags in and delivers the Dive Train with Frazer to Johnny Gargano and Ciampa on the outside. Frazer then dumps Ciampa back in the ring and tags in Axiom.

Axiom runs the ropes, but Gargano trips him and tags in. He levels Axiom on the outside, then dumps him back in the ring and connects with a slam on him. Ciampa tags in and delivers a stomp to Axiom, then tags Gargano back in. Gargano wears down Axiom with a submission, then tags Ciampa back in. Ciampa delivers a backbreaker to Axiom, then wears him down with another submission.

Frazer tags in and connects with a Sling Blade on Gargano. Ciampa tags back in and delivers a powerbomb-backstabber combination to Frazer. Frazer and Gargano teeter on the ropes, but Axiom makes the blind tag in. Frazer delivers a superplex to Gargano, and Axiom delivers a Brainbuster-superkick combination to Gargano with Frazer. He goes for a pin, but Ciampa breaks the fall. Gargano and Axiom trade strikes with one another, but Axiom rolls Frazer up for the win.

Winners: Nathan Frazer and Axiom

– After the match, The Motor City Machine Guns' music hits and they run down to the ring. They level Ciampa and Garagno on the outside, then check on Frazer and Axiom in the ring.

– We then head over to a sit down interview between R-Truth and Wade Barrett, where Truth comes to the defense of John Cena and says while he doesn't want to fight him he still will at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event after getting the okay from "SmackDown" General Manager Nick Aldis.

– Aleister Black then makes his way to the ring. Carmelo Hayes and The Miz follow.

Carmelo Hayes (w/ The Miz) vs. Aleister Black

The bell rings and the two lock up. Black levels Hayes with a shoulder tackle, then sets up for Black Mass. Hayes avoids the move, but Black stares him down.

Hayes flies over the top rope to level Black, then dumps him back in the ring and whips him into the corner. He delivers a splash to Black, then wears him down with a submission. Black lands a knee on Hayes' midsection and follows it up with a kick to his chest, then dumps him out of the ring. Miz fires off stomps on Black on the outside as Hayes distracts the referee.

Hayes rocks Black with an enzuigiri, but Black lands a series of kicks on Hayes and delivers a moonsault to him off the ropes on the outside. Hayes sends Black crashing into the mat face first, but Black rolls up Hayes. Hayes kicks out, but Black levels him with a kick. Miz hops up on the apron, but Hayes becomes frustrated and gets in Miz's face. Black sends Hayes crashing into Miz and lands an elbow on him, but Hayes responds with The First 48. Black levels Hayes with a jumping knee, but Miz clocks Black from behind to cause the disqualification.

Winner: Aleister Black (via disqualification)

– After the match, Miz sets up for the Skull Crushing Finale on Black. Black sees Miz coming and sets up for Black Mass, but Hayes delivers a chop block to Black. He rains down right hands on Black, then follows it up with Nothing But Net.

– We then head backstage and see Alexa Bliss run into Charlotte Flair waiting outside of Nick Aldis' office. Aldis and Giulia emerge, with Aldis informing them that Giulia is the newest member of the "SmackDown" roster.

– Drew McIntyre then makes his way to the ring.

McIntyre says he heard Damian Priest's challenge to a Steel Cage match at Saturday Night's Main Event in a video from earlier tonight, then says while Priest has only been in the Drew McIntyre vortex for a short time, he's been in it for a year. He says he's been trying to get rid of Priest for months, but he keeps getting involved in his business. He says Priest sees everything he's ever wanted in McIntyre, and says he would've been a Grand Slam Champion at Backlash if it wasn't for him. He tells Priest he'll see him in a Steel Cage match at Saturday Night's Main Event.

– Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and JC Mateo make their way to the ring. Rey Fenix and Jimmy Uso both follow.

Triple Threat Men's Money In The Bank Qualifier Match: Rey Fenix vs. Jimmy Uso vs. Solo Sikoa (w/ Jacob Fatu and JC Mateo)

The bell rings and Jimmy goes back and forth with Fenix. Jimmy fires off chops on Fenix, but Fenix responds with a dropkick off the top rope to Jimmy. Sikoa pulls Jimmy out of the ring and sends his face repeatedly bouncing off the announce desk, but Fenix rocks Sikoa with a superkick and lands a crossbody off the top to level Sikoa and Jimmy on the outside.

Sikoa sends Jimmy crashing off the apron and berates him, then sends him crashing on top of the announce desk with Spinning Solo. Jimmy delivers an open palm strike on Sikoa, but Fenix levels Jimmy with a back elbow. Jimmy levels Fenix with a superkick, but Sikoa lands a belly-to-belly throw on Fenix and sets up for the Samoan Spike. Fenix avoids it and pins Sikoa, but Jimmy breaks the fall.

Jimmy and Fenix fire off strikes on one another, but Jimmy rocks Fenix with an enzuigiri. Fenix rocks Jimmy with a dropkick, then hits the Adios Amigos. Jimmy counters and delivers a spear to Fenix. He goes for a pin, but Fenix kicks out. Mateo hops up on the apron, but Fenix levels him with a forearm. This opens the door for Sikoa to deliver the Samoan Spike to Fenix for the win.

Winner: Solo Sikoa

– After the match, LA Knight blindsides Mateo, Sikoa, and Fatu. Knight grabs a chair, but Nick Aldis makes his way to the ring to make a match between Knight and Mateo official.

JC Mateo (w/ Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu) vs. LA Knight

The bell rings and Knight fires off elbows on Mateo. Knight looks to roll up Mateo, but Mateo blocks it. The two men continue going back and forth, but Mateo lands a Hammer and Anvil style elbow on Knight's head and fires off a right hand on Knight's spine. Knight ascends up the middle rope, but Sikoa hops up on the apron. This opens the door for Mateo to hit a belly-to-belly suplex on Knight over the top rope and out of the ring.

Knight fires off right hands on Mateo, but Mateo levels Knight with a clothesline and goes for a pin. Knight kicks out before setting up for BFT on Mateo. Mateo connects with a spinning slam on Knight, then delivers a Standing Moonsault to Knight and follows it up with a superkick. Knight sends Mateo crashing into the middle rope, then lands a running knee on the side of his head and connects with a springboard crossbody to level Sikoa and Fatu on the outside. Mateo catches Knight with the Tour Of Islands as soon as he re-enters the ring for the win.

Winner: JC Mateo

– Nia Jax then makes her way to the ring. Tiffany Stratton follows.

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WWE Women's Championship Match: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Nia Jax

The bell rings and the two go back and forth. Jax sends Stratton crashing into the ring post shoulder first and connects with a Hip Attack, but Stratton delivers a Hip Attack to Jax's head. Jax responds with a Samoan Drop to Stratton off the middle rope and goes for a pin, but Stratton kicks out.

Stratton hits a crossbody on Jax off the top rope and goes for a pin, but Jax kicks out. Jax then delivers a Samoan Drop and a senton to Stratton before going for a pin of her own. Stratton kicks out, then delivers a spinebuster to Jax. Jax delivers a leg drop to Stratton, but Stratton sends Jax crashing into the mat off the ropes.

Naomi's music hits, and she makes her way out with a chair in hand. Jade Cargill's music then hits, and she levels Naomi with a superkick before chasing her away from ringside. Stratton delivers Prettiest Moonsault Ever on Jax and pins her, but Jax kicks out and clears the announce desk. She lands a Samoan Drop on Stratton on top of the announce desk.

Jax dumps Stratton back in the ring and connects with the An-Nia-Lator, then goes for a pin. Stratton grabs the bottom rope to break the hold, then grabs the chair that Cargill send crashing out of Naomi's hand. She looks to hit Stratton with it, but Stratton uses it to dropkick Jax while the referee is distracted disposing of the WWE Women's Championship belt Jax had moved. Jax then delivers Prettiest Moonsault Ever to Jax for the win.

Winner and STILL WWE Women's Champion: Tiffany Stratton