WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - August 22nd, 2025
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John Cena Returns to SmackDown in Dublin
John Cena returns to SmackDown en route to battling Logan Paul at WWE Clash in Paris.
:smackdown:
Your announcers are Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett.
Becky Lynch makes her way to the ring.
Becky mentions this is the first live WWE show from Dublin. She says she remembered coming to this building as a fan. She says she remembered Randy Orton making eye contact with her and she says it made her life. She says she dreamed that they could have TV here. Now that it is happening, she gets to say . . . You don't deserve it. None of you deserve to be on TV. She says she petitioned to get this show canceled. Becky asks if you want to know why.
The crowd turns on Becky and chants for Lyra and Becky reminds everyone of the stipulation from their last match.
Becky says none of you have a face for TV. She says you don't appreciate her. She says she is aghast at the lack of media coverage she received. Becky says she is your hero. Becky says she shouldn't have to tell you she is your hero. Becky says people talk about being let down by your heroes, but Becky says she is let down by each and every one of you. She says she is the greatest female wrestler of all time, she has achieved things people thought were impossible. Heroes go the extra mile. She says she was the first woman to win the main event of Wrestlemania. She says she is a best selling author. She says since Oscar Wilde and James Joyce did not, they are losers. She says she is a grand slam champion. She says she has a very hot American husband.
Becky says she deserves a parade, a statue, or a mural. Becky responds to the chants for CM Punk. Becky says she has to come home, get off of her first class jet, walk through the airport, and she does not see her face. She mentions rugby players and Katie Taylor. Becky asks if she can cut a promo. Becky calls Bono pretentious and he should take his sunglasses off inside.
Tiffany Stratton's music interrupts and she makes her way to the ring.
Becky tells the crowd they disgust her for cheering for Tiffany.
Tiffany asks how Becky can act that way towards the people of Dublin. She tells Becky she is on the wrong show. Tiffany says everyone in Dublin knows what time it is. She tells Rebecca she can leave or if you don't want to leave, Tiffany says she will make her leave.
Nia Jax's music interrupts and she makes her way to the ring.
NIa asks Tiffany why is she worried about Becky? Nia says Dublin sucks. Nia says you got way more bigger problems than that and they are standing in front of you.
Nia punches Tiffany and then kicks her.
Becky joins in the attack and . . .
Jade Cargill's music plays and she runs to the ring and goes after Nia. Jade with forearms and a bicycle kick. Nia goes to the floor. Becky comes up behind Jade and sets for the right moment, but Jade turns around and Becky backs up.
Tiffany gets in the ring and she drop kicks Nia off he apron. Becky goes to the floor.
Since we have four people in the ringside area, Nick Aldis comes out to Impromptcept.
Nick says he was excited to have Becky here but she got involved in things so he talked to Adam Pearce and it will be Jade Cargill and Tiffany Stratton against Becky Lynch and Nia Jax.
Backstage:
Carmelo Hayes walks in the back and Axiom and Nathan Frazer stop him. Axiom says Carmelo was great last week. Frazer says Melo's mate took his thunder and he calls Miz a schemer. Miz shows up and he wants to remind them who he is, but Hayes discusses what Miz has done. He says he has been watching Miz since he was a little kid. They are here and you are not because he is smarter than everyone. That is why they are in that position.
Carmelo Hayes and Miz vs. Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin
Miz and Hayes argue who should start and Miz decides it should be him. That means Hayes tags in and starts with Sabin. Hayes with a take down and Sabin kicks Hayes away. Hayes with a kick and Irish whip. Sabin floats over and gives Hayes an arm drag into an arm bar. Miz tags himself in and Sabin with a drop toe hold but Miz with a side head lock. Alex tags in and they hit a double shoulder tackle. They hit Hayes on the apron and send Miz to the floor. Hayes is sent to the floor. Sabin and Shelley with stereo baseball slides and Sabin with a suicide dive onto both men. Alex with punches to Hayes on the turnbuckles and he hits a double sledge on Miz. Hayes with an elbow and Miz with a punch from the apron when Hayes asks the referee for some dental advice.
Hayes with a clothesline and leg drop for a near fall. Miz tags in and kicks Alex in the head. Miz with another running boot to the head. Hayes tags himself back in and he hits a running boot tot he head. Miz tags himself in. Miz works on the back and hits a splash to the back in the ropes. Hayes tags back in and connects with a forearm. Hayes with a top wrist lock and Alex with an arm drag. Miz with a knee from the apron and Hayes sends Alex into the turnbuckles. Alex makes his way out of the corner and Miz tags in and stops Alex from making the tag. Alex kicks Miz away and Sabin tags in and hits a cross body. Sabin with punches and an Irish whip and elbow. Sabin with a snap mare and tornado DDT for a near fall. Sabin is sent to the apron but Alex tags in. Sabin with a sunset flip and he sends Miz to Alex for a thrust kick. They hit a hanging twisting neck breaker for a near fall.
Alex and Sabin hit the Dream Sequence on Hayes. Sabin tags in and he kicks Mi. Miz sends Sabin into the turnbuckles to crotch Alex. Miz goes for Skull Crushing Finale but Sabin escapes. Hayes tags in and he hits La Mistica for a near fall. Hayes goes up top and Miz tags in. Miz and Hayes have some words and Sabin sends Hayes into Miz. Hayes escapes a belly-to-back suplex and Hayes hits a Codebreaker. Alex sends Hayes to the floor and Miz gets the three count.
Winners: Miz and Carmelo Hayes
Miz and Hayes will be in a number one contender match next week.
Backstage:
Cathy Kelley is with Jimmy Uso. She wishes him a happy birthday and congratulates him on the announcement of Naomi's pregnancy. Jimmy says everyone has been congratulating them and Sami Zayn shows up. Sami says he was so happy for the news. Sami says Jimmy's kid has an uncle in Sami. Solo and his band of merry rascals show up and they ask Cathy to leave. Solo says he knows Jimmy isn't coming back to the group, but the baby will have plenty of uncles. Solo says he will let Jimmy name his baby after his favorite uncle. Jimmy gestures and Sami says that means No Yeet. Sami tells Solo he should worry about holding on to his title. Sami says you aren't dealing with underdog Sami Zayn, you are dealing with Wrestlemania main eventer Sami Zayn.
We go to commercial.
Charlotte Flair vs. Piper Niven
They lock up and Piper with a wrist lock. Flair with a reversal and side head lock. Piper with a shoulder tackle but Flair gets back to her feet. Piper with a punch. Piper pulls Flair to the mat by the hair. Piper with an Irish whip and Flair with the Flair Flip and a boot. Flair goes up top and she hits a cross body for a near fall. Piper with a back elbow but Flair with a kick. Green distracts Flair and Piper pulls Flair off the turnbuckles. Piper with a Boss Man slam for a near fall. Piper sends Flair to the floor and Alba sends Flair into the ring post. Piper removes the jacket and she whips Flair with it. Piper with a slam and she gets a near fall.
Piper with a reverse chin lock. Flair with a jaw breaker and Piper with an Irish whip. Flair floats over and Piper with a cross body and she gets a near fall. Flair with a forearm and Piper fires back. Piper with a head butt and cannonball to Flair for a near fall. Piper misses a Vader Bomb when Flair moves. Flair with chops aplenty to Piper. Flair with a walkover clothesline after avoiding a clothesline. Flair with a thrust kick and a second one. Flair with a running boot. Flair with a thrust kick to Piper. Flair mocks and taunts Green and goes to the turnbuckles for a moonsault and hits it for a near fall. Flair sets for the figure four leg lock but Piper kicks her away. Flair with a spear for a near fall. Flair goes for the figure four but it is by Green and Alba. Flair with a forearm to Green. Flair applies the figure four but Alba distracts the referee.
Green rakes the eyes and Piper with a splash and Piper Driver for the three count.
Winner: Piper Niven
Backstage:
Kiana tells Giulia she has a number of deals in the works. Michin shows up and she says she would like an appointment with the champ. Kiana tells Michin all business inquiries for Giulia go through her. Michin says she does not appreciate the missed calls so she is going to the champ. Kiana says Michin has to go through her first. Michin says she will have no problem beating Kiana to get a title match. Giulia says she is not worried.
We go to commercial.
In Ring:
John Cena makes his way to the ring.
Before Cena can speak, Logan Paul's music plays and he makes his way to the ring.
Logan says it is always good to be back in England. He says all of you Irish people are the same, drunk washed up failures. He says if he spat in your faces, you would not nothing. Logan tells John Cena he is going to keep it real with him which is tough because you are a professional pretender. You are an actor who knows how to wrestle. He says he cannot stand the disrespect to him. He says the Twitter warriors are going to call him an outsider, but he has been doing this for four years. He has been her longer than most of the roster. He wants to know when will people accept him because he is who he is.
Logan says that John is a corporate pawn and he will do whatever the bosses tell him to do. Logan says he will do what he wants. If he wants attention he does not have to get naked at the Oscars. Logan tells John Cena what John told him. Logan says one of them is the impostor. Logan asks if the impostor is the one who fights at every PLE or the guy who has been doing the same five moves for 23 years? Who is the impostor? The person who leaves the ring to be someone else or the person who stays in the ring and he is himself? Logan says he cannot wait to get in the ring with John Cena in Paris. He says this is his house.
John says Logan Paul is an undeniable presence. John says Logan Paul is a tremendous athlete. Logan Paul is a future WWE champion. Logan Paul is a future Wrestlemania main eventer. These are things that he believes to be true and he is upset. You have been calling him everything but you have stuck on one term. Cena mentions the crowd is calling him a wanker, but Cena says he keeps hearing people say that Logan is an outsider. John says he ain't leaving so they are stuck with him. Logan Paul is not an outsider, he is a disappointment. You are a disappointment because we were so excited when you came here. As a family, we opened our arms to you, but when you show up, you use WWE as a branding company so he can buy a new Pokemon card. John knocks over the beverage station.
John says you have the audacity to bully his family and you say you put your life on the line for 23 matches. That is an amazing number. John says he has given his heart and soul to this business for 23 years. That isn't just PPVs or TV shows. It is non-televised shows for people in Dublin who give a damn. He fought Sheamus in 2010 with no cameras. You were making Vine videos with your brother. You have all of this potential and that is the difference between them. Every time John walks in the ring, no matter how many moves he has, all he does is ask one question. What can he give to this business? The reason they give you a hard time is because they see you are slimy. You have one question and it is what can you take from this business.
It does not matter how fast you can run or how high you can jump. It does not matter how many viral videos you make. They can see through your BS. He says Logan is not an outsider, he is a parasite. The truth is a jagged pill. You come into this business and suck everything out of it. You have taken chances from so many other people who deserve it.
John says people want to see those legendary matches and the people think he is wasting his time with Logan. He says they haven't agreed over the years, but they know he is a man of his word. You were the first in line and you got your match. Clash in Paris is the most important match of your life. You know a lot about hustle, but you know nothing about loyalty and respect. This is not your house, this is their world. John says as far as a cohabitation agreement, John says Logan has enough legal problem. He tells Logan to bring his A game to Paris because your opponent is the greatest of all time. If you think he is going to waltz into Paris with your drone as a back flipping YouTuber selling salt water you are in for a surprise. You better bring everything or he will beat the ever loving shite out of you.
Logan knocks Cena's hat off and he pokes Cena a few time. Logan pushes Cena and Logan says he is going to mess Cena up.
Cena avoids a punch and hits an Attitude Adjustment.
Backstage:
Tiffany tells Jade she didn't need her help. Jade says she wants Tiffany to be at 100 percent when they meet. She says after taking care of Becky and Nia, she is coming for her title.
Backstage:
Logan Paul walks in the back and Drew McIntyre stops him. Drew says Logan is scared of John Cena. Subconsciously you are scared of the mystique of John Cena. The seventeen time champion. He says it is not 2010. That is not Super Cena. He is still John Cena, but you are Logan Paul. You are in your prime. You have to make it right. Remember what he did to Cody. Make it right tonight. Do whatever it takes. Drew slowly tells Logan whatever . . . it . . . takes.
Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins (w/ B Fab) vs. JC Mateo and Tonga Loa (w/ Talla Tonga and Solo Sikoa)
Loa and Dawkins start things off and Loa with a side head lock and shoulder tackle. Dawkins with a drop kick. Ford tags in and he hits a drop kick of his own. Ford with a moonsault for a near fall. Loa runs Ford into the corner and Mateo tags in. Loa with shoulders and Mateo with a head butt. Mateo with a punch. Mateo with a forearm. Ford with a kick and leg drop. Mateo sends Ford to the apron and Ford with a kick. Ford kicks Loa and Loa pulls Ford off the apron and he sends Ford into the ring post. Loa sends Ford into the apron. Loa sends Ford into the ringside barrier. Theyr eturn to the ring and Loa punches Ford. Mateo tags in and they connect with a double head butt. Mateo with kicks and Loa drops Ford on the middle rope. Mateo with a forearm to the back.
Mateo chokes Ford in the ropes and the referee warns Mateo so Solo can punch Ford. Loa tags in and he kicks Ford. Ford with punches and he tries to make the tag but Loa stops him. Loa runs Ford into the turnbuckles and Irish whips him sternum first into the turnbuckles and follows with a belly-to-back suplex for a near fall. Loa with a front face lock. Mateo tags in and they Irish whip Ford and hit a series of splashes into the corner. Mateo with a gutwrench suplex. Ford with punches to Mateo and he punches Loa off the apron. Mateo with elbows and a clothesline. Mateo gets a near fall. Mateo with a moonsault and he gets a near fall. Mateo with an Irish whip and he misses an elbow in the corner when Ford moves.
Loa tags in and he stops Ford from making the tag. Ford lands on his feet on a belly-to-back suplex attempt. Loa with a punch and Ford sends Loa to the floor and Ford crawls across the ring to try to make the tag. Mateo tags in but Dawkins does too. Dawkins with clotheslines and a corkscrew flying back elbow. Dawkins iwth a face plant to Loa. Dawkins with a splash to Mateo. Dawkins gets Mateo on his shoulders but Mateo gets to his feet. Ford tags in and they hit a neck breaker and spinebuster combination but Loa breaks up the cover. Loa sends Dawkins to the floor. Ford clothesliens Loa to the floor. Mateo with a rollup but Ford with a jumping knee. Ford goes to the turnbuckles and Solo distracts the referee and Talla drops Ford onto the top ropes. Mateo with Tour of the Islands for a near fall.
Jimmy hits Talla in the back with a chair to stop his interference. Talla kicks the chair and sends Jimmy into the ringside barrier. Talla sends Jimmy over the ringside barrier. Solo gets on the announce table and Sami trips Solo and he hits a Helluva Kick against the table.
Sami goes into the crowd. Ford with a flip dive onto Mateo. Dawkins with Sky High and Ford with a Seven Star Frog Splash for the three count.
Winners: Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins
The Street Profits will face Miz and Carmelo Hayes next week in a number one contender match.
Backstage:
Aleister Black is in the back.
We go to commercial.
R Truth is on the tron and he says he has good news and bad news. He says he cannot be there tonight because he flew to Dublin, Georgia. He says his bad. He made a call to a friend.
Aleister Black vs. Damian Priest
Black kicks Priest as he gets into the ring and Priest runs Black into the corner. Black with kicks and forearms. Priest sends Black over the top rope to the floor. Black with an uppercut but Priest with a forearm.
Officials come to the ring and Black escapes a power bomb attempt. They get back into the ring and Priest with a super kick and Black goes to the floor. Black and Priest are held apart but this is wrestling security so Priest gets free and goes after Black.
We are told by Joe that there is no medical update for Cody Rhodes. We take a look at what put Cody on the sidelines. Drew McIntyre shows up and wants to know what is the bleeding story. Drew asks if we have a medical update and Joe tells Drew they are efforting to get a medical update. Drew gets on the announce table. Drew says he will give you an official update on Cody Rhodes. He says Cody Rhodes is a little bitch. He says he has given Cody a gift of more time. He tells Cody to sleep with the title and take selfies with it because you are going to have to face him. He says he is one of the few who pinned Cody and the next time, he will take the title. Drew says no one in the back has chastised him. They all want your spot. You have no friends in WWE. Randy Orton pops up in the ring behind Drew and hits an RKO.
Backstage:
Nia Jax tells Becky that Tiffy and Jade cannot step to her so they are on the same page. Becky says they are enemies but she says the fans need to know that she is their hero. Nia agrees and says she will see her out there.
We go to commercial.
Next week, Sami Zayn faces Solo Sikoa for the United States Championship. Miz and Carmelo Hyes face The Street Profits in a Number One Contender Match. Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair defend the tag titles against Alba Fyre and Piper Niven.
Becky Lynch and Nia Jax vs. Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill
Becky and Tiffany start things off and Becky punches Jade and Tiffany punches Nia. Tiffany with a snap mare and then Becky goes to the floor. Tiffany goes up top and hits a swanton onto Nia and Becky. Becky sends Nia into the ring and Becky grabs Tiffany's legs as she tries to get back into the ring. Nia with a leg drop to the back of the head and Nia gets a near fall. Nia sends Tiffany into the turnbuckles a few times. Becky tags in and she kicks Tiffany. Becky sends Tiffany into the turnbuckles. Becky with a forearm into the corner. Becky chops Tiffany and Nia with a splash. Nia with a cobra clutch. Nia takes Tiffany back to the mat. Nia sends Tiffany to the mat. Tiffany with punches that have no effect. Tiffany counters a Samoan drop with a crucifix bomb for a near fall.
Jade and Becky tag in and Jade blocks a punch and connects with forearms and a series of back elbows. Jade with a spinebuster. Jade runs into a boot in the corner. Becky comes off the turnbuckles and Jade catches Becky and hits a fallaway slam. Jade with a leaping elbow into the corner and a second one. Jade with a kick and she goes for a torture rack and Three Seconds Around the World for a near fall. Jade misses an elbow in the corner and Nia tags in but Jade kicks Nia to the floor. Jade goes after Becky but Becky is not legal in the match so Nia hits a splash to the back. Becky goes to the floor and then goes to the back. NIa with a back senton and she goes to the turnbuckles for aNIAlator. Jade comes under and hits a power bomb. Tiffany tags in and hits Prettiest Moonsault Ever and she tags in Jade for a frog splash for the three count.
WInners: Jade Cargill and Tiffany Stratton
Backstage:
We go to John Cena walking in the hallway and Nick Aldis stops John and he says he heard from Brock Lesnar. Logan Paul with a punch to Cena and he walks away. Nick checks on Cena.
End of show.
