WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - May 23rd, 2025

[Kemo]

The Street Profits to battle Fraxiom in a WWE Tag Team Championship Match

After their non-title victory over The Street Profits, Fraxiom are set to challenge Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford for the WWE Tag Team Championship. Although Dawkins and Ford were still reeling for an incredible Ladder Match, Nathan Frazer and Axiom nevertheless earned a victory over the titleholders to continue their explosive undefeated streak since coming to SmackDown.

– SmackDown opens with clips of The Street Profits, Fraxiom, Jacob Fatu with JC Mateo & Solo Sikoa, and Drew McIntyre arriving at the venue.

– Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore greet audiences at home as we see a massive brawl break out between Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest backstage ahead of their Steel Cage Match tomorrow night at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event.

– Tiffany Stratton then makes her way to the ring.

Stratton welcomes fans to "SmackDown", then says a lot can change in a year. She says she walked into the Money In The Bank match last year with all the pressure in the world on her, but she's standing in the ring as WWE Women's Champion and can say she's beaten Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania. She says she kicked Nia Jax's face off last week, then says in two weeks, someone will have the opportunity to do what she did at WWE Money In The Bank.

Alexa Bliss' music hits, and she makes her way out. She officially introduces herself to Stratton as a former champion and former Money In The Bank briefcase holder, then says she's had her eye on Stratton. She says she needs the Money In The Bank briefcase.

Flair's music hits, and she makes her way down to the ring. She says she's known for her humility, then says she's done everything to do in the wrestling business except win Money In The Bank. She says when she wins the briefcase and cashes it in to take back the WWE Women's Championship, then says she's ready to take back her spotlight and doesn't wait to do so.

Stratton calls Flair hypocritical, then calls both Flair and Bliss vintage. She says Flair and Bliss were the standard, but she's the upgrade and it will always be Tiffy Time as long as she's WWE Women's Champion.

Giulia then makes her way to the ring, staring down Stratton on the entrance ramp. Zelina Vega follows.

Women's Money in the Bank Triple Threat Qualifying Match: Charlotte Flair vs. Giulia vs. Zelina Vega

The bell rings and Flair delivers a knee to Vega's midsection. She dumps her out of the ring, but Vega rolls up Giulia. Flair breaks the fall, but Vega takes her down with a hurricanrana. She lands a second one on Giulia, but Flair catches Vega with a Fallaway Slam. Giulia delivers a spear to Vega that sends her crashing out of the ring, then connects with a neck crank on Flair and rocks her with a series of forearms and chops.

Flair fires off chops on Giulia, but the two women level one another with clotheslines. Vega looks to land a Tornado DDT on Giulia off of Flair, but Flair catches Vega and looks to land a double suplex on her with Giulia. Vega counters into a double DDT, but Flair sends her crashing off the apron with a forearm and delivers a boot to Giulia off the apron to send her outside with Vega.

Vega delivers a moonsault off the ropes to level both Flair and Giulia, then dumps them back in the ring and pins both of them. Giulia kicks out and breaks the fall when Vega pins Flair, but Flair fires off stomps on Vega in the corner. Giulia jams her boot into Vega's neck in the corner, then lands a double suplex on her in the center of the ring with Flair.

Giulia delivers a suplex to Vega and pins her, but Flair breaks the fall. Giulia and Flair shove one another, but Giulia fires off knees on Flair's midsection. Flair sends Giulia crashing onto the floor with a kick to her head off the apron, but Vega looks to take down Flair with a hurricanrana off the middle rope. Flair catches Vega, but Giulia levels both women with a missile dropkick off the middle rope.

Flair delivers a crossbody off the middle rope to level Vega nad Giulia, but Vega sends Flair crashing into the mat face first and cinches in a submission on her. Giulia breaks the hold with a running knee, but Flair levels Giulia with a strike before sending Vega crashing into the mat. Flair steps over Giulia and Vega, then ascends to the top rope. She lands a moonsault on both women and pins them at the same time, but Giulia and Vega both kick out.

Vega dials it up for a 619 on Flair, but Giulia levels Vega and connects with a headbutt on Flair. Flair then delivers a spear to Giulia and goes for a pin, but Giulia kicks out. Flair dumps Vega out of the ring and looks to cinch in the Figure Four Leg Lock on Giulia, but Vega prevents Flair from doing so with a meteora. Vega then delivers a Code Red to Giulia and goes for a pin, but Flair breaks the fall.

Flair looks to land a spear on Vega, but Vega moves out of the way and is sent crashing into the ring post. Flair levels Vega with a big boot and cinches in the Figure Four Leg Lock on her, but Giulia breaks the hold with a double stomp off the top rope. She dumps Flair out of the ring and delivers the Northern Lights Bomb to Vega for the win.

Winner: Giulia

– Tomasso Ciampa is backstage with Johnny Gargano. They talk about being the reason the Tag Team Division is at its best. Gargano says Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley have just ridden his coattails. They talk about how Nathan Frazer and Axiom sucking up to Shelley and Sabin. Ciampa says something needs to change and he'll make that change when he takes on Sabin tonight.

– Zelina Vega walks backstage holding her neck. Chelsea Green and her Green Regime call her a loser and Vega attacks Green. Michin and B-Fab come to help Vega and all six women start fighting. Nick Aldis comes in and separates them and Michin asks for her and B-Fab to fight The Secret Hervice and Aldis agrees.

– Back at ringside, #DIY makes their way out.

Chris Sabin (w/ Alex Shelley) vs. Tommaso Ciampa (w/ Johnny Gargano)

The bell rings and Sabin connects with an arm drag on Ciampa. Ciampa fires off stomps on Sabin, then follows it up with a hanging DDT to him off the ropes and sends him crashing into the barricade shoulder first.

Ciampa fires off a chop on Sabin's chest, then jams his knee into the back of his neck and catapults him into the bottom turnbuckle face first. He wears him down with a submission hold, but Sabin trips Ciampa and sends him crashing into the mat with a German suplex.

Ciampa sends Sabin crashing into the ring apron with an Air Raid Crash and gets him back in the ring, then goes for a pin but Sabin kicks out. Sabin then sends Ciampa crashing into the mat with a Tornado DDT out of the corner and goes for a pin of his own, but Ciampa kicks out.

Sabin dumps Ciampa out of the ring and flies over the top rope to level him and Gargano with a crossbody, then dumps Ciampa back in the ring and ascends to the top rope. Candice LeRae appears out of nowhere and sends Sabin's face bouncing off the top rope. Ciampa takes advantage and delivers a jumping knee to Sabin for the win.

Winner: Tommaso Ciampa

– Backstage, Byron Saxton talks to Fraxiom. Nathan Frazer says it's been a wild ride and it's the biggest night of their lives. Axiom tells Frazer to not lose sight and they've been dreaming of this.

– Damian Priest's music hits and Priest and Drew McIntyre come battling out from the entrance. Joe Tessitore is bothered we didn't even get an intro and that they came out fighting. Officials run out to break them up. Priest gets on the mic and asks where McIntyre is going. Priest breaks through security and starts fighting McIntyre again. They're broken up again.

– Backstage, Solo Sikoa is with JC Mateo, Jacob Fatu comes by and Sikoa tells him they have a big match. Fatu wants to talk to Sikoa in private but Sikoa says to talk in front on Mateo. Fatu says he doesn't trust or like Mateo and isn't liking what Sikoa is doing. He tells Sikoa that Mateo isn't his blood or his family. Mateo glares at Fatu and Sikoa stops them from going at each other. Sikoa tells Fatu he will never leave the family like Jimmy Uso did. Sikoa goes to say Fatu's catchphrase and Fatu stops him and tells him he will see them out there.

– Charlotte Flair walks backstage and Alexa Bliss is talking to her doll and says that's why you need friends. She tells Flair she'll see her at Money in the Bank and then says sorry because Flair didn't qualify.

The Secret Hervice (w/ Chelsea Green) vs. Michin and B-Fab

Piper Niven and B-Fab begin the action. The bell rings and the two lock up. Alba Fyre tag in and fires off stomps on B-Fab in the corner, and Niven pulls on her hair as Fyre distracts the referee. Niven then tags in and continues wearing down B-Fab, but Zelina Vega appears to level Green with a knee on the outside.

Niven chases Vega, but B-Fab levels her with a clothesline off the apron. Michin then lands Eat Defeat on Fyre, and B-Fab follows it up with a Facebuster for the win.

Winners: Michin and B-Fab

– Vega celebrates with Michin and B-Fab as they make their way to the back.

– Byron Saxton talks to The Street Profits. The Profits says this isn't a small match and they'll dismantle Fraxiom. Solo Sikoa comes by with JC Mateo and Jacob Fatu and the interview stops and the trio come out to the ring.

– Santos Escobar is with Angel and Berto somewhere outside of the arena. Escobar says they're capable of so much more. Escobar says on June 7th at Worlds Collide, they'll come together and show the world they're the best. He says this is a unique opportunity and it'll be in front of their people. Angel and Escobar get up to cheers and Berto stays seated. Escobar tells Berto to trust him, Berto gets up and drinks without cheersing and leaves. Escobar tells Angel to let him go and that he will see the big picture.

– Jimmy Uso and Rey Fenix are backstage hyping each other up before they come out for their match.

– Solo Sikoa then leads JC Mateo and Jacob Fatu to the ring. Jimmy Uso and Rey Fenix follow.

Jacob Fatu and JC Mateo (w/ Solo Sikoa) vs. Jimmy Uso and Rey Fenix

Jimmy and Fatu begin the action. The bell rings and Mateo tags himself in much to the frustration of Fatu. Mateo and Fatu stare one another down intensely, allowing Jimmy to take advantage and fire off chops on Mateo. Mateo levels Jimmy and fires off stomps on him, but Fatu tags himself back in.

Fenix tags in and levels Fatu with a hurricanrana, then superkicks Mateo out of the ring with Jimmy. Fatu and Mateo then take turns tagging in and out to wear down Jimmy. Jimmy flies off the middle rope to level Mateo with a flipping kick after he tags back in.

Fatu and Fenix tag in, and Fenix walks the ropes. He levels Mateo on the apron with a kick and sends Fatu crashing into the mat with an Old School, then rocks Fatu with a kick and follows it up with a hurricanrana. He goes for a pin, but Fatu kicks out. Jimmy and Mateo tag in, and Jimmy delivers a crossbody to Mateo off the top. He goes for a pin, but Fatu breaks the fall and stares down Jimmy.

Fenix sends Fatu crashing out of the ring with a dropkick and looks to land a tope suicida on him, but Fatu catches Fenix and sends him crashing over the announce desk. Back in the ring, Jimmy delivers a spear to Mateo and ascends to the top. Solo Sikoa hops up on the apron, opening the door for Mateo to pick Jimmy off the top rope and send him crashing into the mat with the Tour Of The Islands for the win.

Winners: Jacob Fatu and JC Mateo

– After the match, Sikoa raises both Mateo's and Fatu's hands and they continue to glare at each other.

– Byron Saxton is backstage with LA Knight. Knight says Sikoa has a front row seat to see him win Money in the Bank. Knight says the odds are always against him and he's still the Mega Star. He says he's going to go through Aleister Black and Shinsuke Nakamura tonight He then kicks Saxton out of his locker room.

– R-Truth is making his way out to the ring, he salutes at a cartoon Cena mural we go to commercial.

– Back from the break, Truth asks Savannah what's up, then says people keep asking how he feels fighting his childhood hero John Cena tomorrow night at Saturday Night's Main Event. He says he's not lighting his childhood hero because he no longer recognizes Cena, then says he tried to figure out where he went wrong until he realized that the problem was power. He says Cena used to call him his brother, but the texts and phone calls stopped and he felt like Cena was annoyed with him.

Truth says he began talking to others and realizing he wasn't the only one who saw changes in Cena, then cements just how much he thinks power has changed Cena. He says Cena stopped having fun, and he gets mad when someone else has fun. He says he doesn't like who Cena has become and he doesn't think that he's happy, then says to save the professional wrestling business, he first needs to save Cena. He says he doesn't want to lay his hands on Cena, but he will do what he has to do. He says he wants his childhood hero back, and encourages fans to chant "If Cena wins, then we riot" tomorrow night.

– Aleister Black then makes his way down to the ring. Shinsuke Nakamura and LA Knight both follow.

Men's Money in the Bank Triple Threat Qualifying Match: Aleister Black vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. LA Knight

The bell rings and Black and Knight work together to take out Nakamura. They dump him over the top rope and out of the ring, then begin brawling with one another. Knight sends Black crashing into the mat with a neckbreaker and fires off stomps on him in the corner, but Nakamura trips Black and levels him with a kick.

Black levels Nakamura with a jumping knee, but Knight sends Black crashing into the mat with a superplex. Nakamura then levels Knight with a jumping knee, then jams his boot into his chest in the corner and dumps him out of the ring. Knight then sends Nakamura's face repeatedly bouncing off the announce desk, but Black runs over both Nakamura and Knight with a running boot before he dumps Nakamura back inside the ring.

Knight sends Black crashing into the mat with a Death Valley Driver, but Nakamura sends Knight crashing into the ring steps on the outside sends Black crashing into the corner. Knight then dumps Nakamura out of the ring, but Black sends Knight to join Nakamura with a jumping knee and connects with a moonsault off the middle rope. Knight moves out of the way to avoid it, then dumps Black back in the ring. Black then flies over the top rope to level Knight on the outside.

Black dumps Knight back inside the ring, but Knight catches Black with a DDT. Nakamura levels Knight, and Black delivers the Black Mass to him. Knight then dumps Black out of the ring and pins Nakamura himself for the win.

Winner: LA Knight

– Carmelo Hayes is with The Miz backstage. The Miz tells Hayes to listen to him and he would have beaten Black too. The Miz tells Hayes that he gave up his spot and that's why Hayes has an opportunity in The Money in the Bank Qualifier. The Miz tells Hayes why MitB is important.

– Solo Sikoa, JC Mateo and Jacob Fatu walk backstage. Nick Aldis tells them it's the final qualifier match next week and that Fatu is in it. Sikoa looks disappointed and then says he's excited because they'll both be in the match. Fatu tells Sikoa he loves him and leaves.

– Nathan Frazer and Axiom then make their way to the ring. The Street Profits follow.

WWE Tag Team Championship Match: The Street Profits (c) vs. Fraxiom

Axiom and Angelo Dawkins begin the action. The bell rings and the two lock up. Frazer tags in, but Dawkins runs him over with a shoulder tackle and goes for a pin. Frazer kicks out, but Montez Ford tags in and double teams on Frazer with Dawkins.

Dawkins lands a right hand on Frazer's midsection.

The Street Profits continue to wear down Axiom when he tags back in. Dawkins connects with a flapjack on him and goes for a pin, but Axiom kicks out. Dawkins whips Axiom into the corner, but Axiom flies off the middle rope and levels Dawkins with a jumping DDT.

Frazer and Ford tag in, and Frazer levels Ford with a Sling Blade. He lands a dropkick on his knee and a second Sling Blade, then follows it up with a running moonsault and goes for a pin. Ford kicks out, but Frazer connects with an enzuigiri on him and a kick on Dawkins from the apron. He then delivers a dropkick to Ford off the top rope and pins him, but Ford kicks out.

Frazer cinches in a Triangle on Dawkins as Axiom locks in a Sleeper on Ford. Dawkins sends Frazer crashing on top of Ford and Axiom to break both holds, but Frazer delivers a superplex to Ford. Frazer and Axiom then deliver a Brainbuster-superkick combination to Ford before The Street Profits respond with a Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex-Blockbuster combination to Axiom. Dawkins goes for a pin, but Frazer breaks the fall. Frazer makes the blind tag in, and Axiom delivers a Spanish Fly to Dawkins. Frazer follows it up with a 450 Splash and goes for a pin, but Ford breaks the fall with a kick to Axiom's head.

#DIY and Candice LeRae run down to the ring, but The Motor City Machine Guns follow them close behind and begin brawling with them on the outside. Ford flies to take down The Motor City Machine Guns and #DIY on the outside, and Dawkins delivers a spinebuster to Frazer. He tags in Ford, but the lights go out. When they come back on, The Wyatt Sicks are standing in the ring. They begin attacking everyone in sight, causing the disqualification.

Winners by DQ: The Street Profits

– After the match, The Wyatt Sicks attack The Street Profits and Fraxiom. Nikki Cross takes out Candice LeRae. Johnny Gargano gets smoked by Sister Abigail and the Wyatt Sicks pose in the ring with a little birthday cake as it's Bray Wyatt's birthday today and the show goes off the air.

[Kemo]