WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - September 12th, 2025

[Kemo]

Brock Lesnar heads to SmackDown

Brock Lesnar made an epic return last week on SmackDown, taking out John Cena once again. With their match set for Wrestlepalooza, what will The Beast have to say live on SmackDown?

– Randy Orton, Drew McIntyre, Tiffany Stratton, and Jade Cargill (she's talking to her Labubu) are all shown arriving at SmackDown.

– Clips from last week's SmackDown play and we see Brock Lesnar decimate Sami Zayn and John Cena.

– Vic Joseph and Booker T greet audiences at home before throwing it to a video of Brock Lesnar's attack on Sami Zayn and John Cena last week.

– Lesnar then makes his way to the ring.

Before Lesnar can even say anything, Ron Killings' music hits and he makes his way to the ring. Lesnar tells Killings to shut up, but Killings says he's going to be the first character on WWE television to welcome Lesnar back. He says he used to be scared of Lesnar, but not anymore.

Lesnar tells Killings he has no idea who he is and advises him for having a good reason for being in the ring, but Killings tells Lesnar that he's been disrespecting his hero John Cena and he's here for one reason. Lesnar says he's looking for Cena and asks Killings if he knows where he is, but Killings says he doesn't. Lesnar asks once again why Killings is in the ring again, and Killings reiterates that he wants to defend Cena's honor. Killings tells Lesnar that Cena is built differently now and says he made a kid cry, then says Cena is coming for him and is filled with more hustle, loyalty, respect, and two drops of that kid's tears. Lesnar then hits an F5 on Killings.

– Sami Zayn talks to Rey Fenix backstage and Zayn tells Fenix he looks forward to facing Fenix as his first challenger in his United States Championship Open Challenge.

– A video package for Solo Sikoa plays. He talks about all the sacrifices he's made for what? For all to be taken from him? He promises to bring about some change.

United States Championship Open Challenge: Sami Zayn (c) vs. Rey Fenix

The bell rings and the two lock up. Zayn delivers a trio of arm drags to Fenix, but Fenix lands an arm drag of his own on Zayn off the top rope. Fenix lands a shoulder on Zayn's midsection, but during the commercial break, Zayn delivers a bodyslam on Fenix. Fenix pins Zayn, but Zayn kicks out and Fenix traps him in a submission hold. He fires off a knee on his midsection and rocks him with a forearm, but Zayn turns Fenix inside out with a clothesline.

Zayn lands a vertical suplex on Fenix, then follows it up with a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker during the commercial break. Fenix lands a Tornillo on Zayn on the outside over the top rope, then ascends to the top rope and flies off the top rope to level Zayn with a splash back inside the ring.

Zayn looks to land a Blue Thunder Bomb on Fenix, but Fenix counters into a hurricanrana. He flies off the top rope and looks to land a moonsault, but Zayn rolls out of the way and sets up for the Helluva Kick. Fenix moves out of the way.

During another commercial break, Zayn flies off the top rope but Fenix intercepts him with a superkick. Fenix fires off kicks on Zayn's chest and goes for a pin, but Zayn kicks out. Back from the break, Zayn fires off forearms on Fenix's chest as the pair teeter on the top rope. He gets Fenix up on his shoulders, but Fenix escapes and lands a double stomp on Zayn's spine.

Fenix flies off the top rope with a moonsault to level Zayn, but Zayn catches him with a Blue Thunder Bomb. Fenix looks to fly off the top rope, but Zayn responds with an Exploder to Fenix and follows it up with a Helluva Kick for the win.

Winner and STILL United States Champion: Sami Zayn

– Earlier today, we see B-Fab is talking on the phone. Giulia and Kiana James come by and remind B-Fab that they've been beating up her friend Michin. B-Fab and Giulia get in each other's faces and Giulia challenges her to a match.

– A Wyatt Sicks promo plays. They talk about Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins and how they're not seeing eye to eye and how The Street Profits' brotherhood has been affected - but they're not the ones to blame for that.

Giulia (w/Kiana James) vs. B-Fab

Before Giulia and B-Fab's scheduled match, James gets in B-Fab's face. B-Fab delivers a jawbreaker to James, but Giulia runs her over with a boot to her face that sends her crashing off the apron and onto the floor. She sends her crashing into opposite barricades and dumps her back in the ring. James fires off stomps on B-Fab and holds her in place for Giulia to level her with a knee strike. Michin's music hits and she runs down to the ring. She levels James with a kendo stick and looks to hit Giulia with it, but Giulia rolls out of the ring before she can. Michin then holds up Giulia's Women's United States Championship belt.

No Contest

– Drew McIntyre lifts some weights backstage and then we cut to Jade Cargill and Tiffany Stratton walking backstage to their match.

– A promo for Aleister Black plays. Black talks about the mind games and poison he's unleashed in Damian Priest's life.

– Jade Cargill makes her way to the ring. Tiffany Stratton follows.

WWE Women's Championship Match: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Jade Cargill

The bell rings and Cargill looks to land a pump kick on Stratton right out of the gate. Stratton avoids it, but Cargill sets up for a delayed vertical suplex on Stratton. Stratton avoids it and rolls up Cargill, but Cargill kicks out. Stratton then flies over the top rope to level Cargill with a crossbody on the outside.

Cargill fires off forearms on Stratton's chest using the top rope, then sends her crashing into the barricade face first and dumps her back in the ring during the commercial break. She delivers a kick to her spine, then wears down Stratton with a submission hold. Stratton catches Cargill with a Hip Attack, but Cargill sends Stratton crashing into the mat with a spinning slam.

Back from the break, Stratton sends Cargill crashing into the mat and connects with a handspring back elbow on her. She follows it up with a shotgun dropkick and ascends to the top rope, then delivers a Swanton Bomb to Cargill and goes for a pin. Cargill kicks out.

Cargill delivers a Blue Thunder Bomb to Stratton, but Stratton rolls up Cargill. Cargill kicks out, but Stratton lands an Alabama Slam and sets up for Prettiest Moonsault Ever on Cargill. Cargill rolls out of the way, then exchanges forearm strikes with Stratton until Cargill sets up for a pump kick on Stratton. Stratton moves out of the way and sends Cargill onto the apron, but Cargill pulls Stratton out of the ring to join her. Stratton lands a shotgun dropkick on Cargill on the apron, then ascends to the top rope and sets up for a moonsault on Cargill. Cargill moves out of the way and spears Stratton through the barricade near the timekeeper's area. The referee then declares the match as a draw.

Double Countout

– After the match, Nia Jax runs out and beats up Cargill and then goes after Stratton and beats her up.

– Backstage, Nick Aldis is stopped by Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre. Green asks for their tag title shot and says it sounds like Aldis is protecting Charlotte Flair. Green freaks out and Aldis tells her whoever wins at Homecoming, Green and Fyre can challenge. The Miz comes by and asks for a tag title shot and Aldis says he's already talked to Carmelo Hayes. The Miz gets excited but it looks as though Hayes got himself a title match and The Miz thinks it's a tag title shot for both of them.

– Randy Orton stretches backstage as he gets ready for his match against Drew McIntyre.

– Cathy Kelley talks to Sami Zayn backstage. Zayn gives Rey Fenix props for their match. Carmelo Hayes walks in and asks for a shot at the United States Championship. Zayn agrees and leaves, The Miz comes by and asks Hayes about the title opportunity he asked Nick Aldis about. Hayes tells The Miz he has a United States Championship shot. Hayes convinces The Miz to let him win the US Title and then they'll go for the Tag Titles.

– Drew McIntyre makes his way to the ring. Randy Orton follows.

Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton

The bell rings and McIntyre sends Orton crashing into adjacent corners. Orton fires off uppercuts on McIntyre in the corner and rains down right hands on him, then clotheslines him out of the ring over the top rope.

During the commercial break, Orton fires off right hands on McIntyre. McIntyre sends Orton crashing out of the ring, then follows him out there and sends his face bouncing off the barricade. Orton delivers a suplex to McIntyre back from the break, then lands a stomp on his arm. McIntyre responds with a chop block to Orton's knee, then continues to target it.

The action spills out of the ring, and McIntyre rakes Orton's eye. He sends him crashing on top of the announce desk spine first, then slides back in the ring as the referee begins a ten count. Orton manages to beat it, but McIntyre lands several stomps on his knee. Orton fires off right hands on McIntyre, but McIntyre sends him crashing into the ropes and continues wearing down his knee.

Orton rakes McIntyre's eye, then sends his face bouncing off all four corners and dumps him onto the apron. McIntyre sends Orton's head bouncing off the top rope, but Orton catches McIntyre with a scoop powerslam and sends McIntyre bouncing off the announce desk twice spine first. He dumps McIntyre back in the ring, but McIntyre catches Orton with a Claymore Kick as he gets back inside the ring. He dumps him back in the ring, but Orton catches McIntyre with an RKO.

Orton connects with a hanging DDT on McIntyre, then sets up for the Punt. McIntyre escapes and looks to send Orton crashing into the referee, but Orton stops his momentum. Orton then turns around into a Claymore Kick from McIntyre for the win.

Winner: Drew McIntyre

– After the match, McIntyre looks to land a kick on Orton that sends him crashing into the announce desk face first. Cody Rhodes's music hits and he runs down to the ring to make the save, then tells McIntyre that the champ is back and says he'll see him at Wrestlepalooza as the show goes off the air.

[Kemo]