On January 24th, 2025 WWE aired the 1,327th episode of Smackdown live in Austin Texas inside Moody Center & can watch it on USA Network (United States) & Netflix (Everywhere Else).
Note: This review will be shorter then normal as it be the last few mins of the match.
-Kicking off this week’s Smackdown with Joe Tessitore asks Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes about the contract signing and Rhodes voices his respect for Shawn Michaels given that he’s being entrusted with his Undisputed WWE Title at Saturday Night’s Main Event. He says with WrestleMania 41 right around the corner, he intends on walking into the Premium Live Event with his title. Prompted by another question by Tessitore, Rhodes then says that Owens is a genius between the ropes and a great athlete but when he’s faced with the choice of an easy way out or the hard way, he will always choose the easy way out. He says Owens can’t take the easy way out on February 1st be disqualified by a referee in a Ladder Match. Tessitore asks Rhodes what message he would send to Owens if he could and Rhodes says he may be trying to be a good guy but when a button is pressed, Owens should be reminded that he has defeated the likes of Gunther & Roman Reigns. He says before he became the current version of himself, he was a student of Randy Orton and wishes Owens good luck.
-Pretty Deadly met up with WWE Tag Team Champions DIY backstage. Elton Prince asked DIY what the plan was. Johnny Gargano said they are on their own because he was booked in a match against Apollo Crews. Kit Wilson noted that he wasn’t feeling that they had a deal together and that they were facing the Motor City Machine Guns. Tommaso Ciampa told them to handle their business. Gargano said he believes in Pretty Deadly.
-Gargano told them yes boy and left. Pretty Deadly then walked into Legado Del Fantasma. Santos Escobar took off his sunglasses and smirked. Pretty Deadly walked past them
Tag Team Match
Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) vs. Pretty Deadly (Kit Wilson & Elton Prince)
Pretty Deadly hits a facebuster/Bulldog on Alex Shelley.
Chris Sabin lands a dropkick on Elton Prince off the middle rope and Motor City Machine Guns double team on Kit Wilson.
Motor City Machine Guns then connect with Skull & Bones to Wilson for the win.
Winners: Motor City Machine Guns
-We head backstage where Smackdown GM Nick Aldis met up with The Miz. Miz said that Joe Tessitore does a great interview but it’s no MizTV. Miz wondered if he was here to pop a rating? Aldis said that Miz is permanently on Smackdown via the Transfer Window. Miz ranted that he specifically had The Wyatt Sicks transferred to Smackdown so he can avoid them. Aldis told Miz that Miz better find some friends
-After the break Kevin Owens gets in Joe Tessitore’s face at the announce desk about interviewing Cody Rhodes rather than him. Jimmy Uso’s music hits and he makes his way out. He looks to attack Owens but Owens slides out of the ring. Jimmy then challenges Owens to a match later tonight.
-Carmelo Hayes confronted Nick Aldis and asked Aldis why he gave away his match against Jimmy to KO. Aldis said he’ll book Melo vs. Jim for next week. Aldis also told Melo to stick around a little bit more to meet his new Transfer Window acquisition
Tag Team Match
Women’s United States Champion Chelsea Green & Piper Niven vs. Michin & B Fab
B Fab lands a roundhouse kick on Chelsea Green in the corner then follows it up with a DDT and goes for a pin.
Piper Niven kicks out but Green and Michin tag in.
Green sets up for The Unpretty Her but Michin escapes and connects with Eat Defeat for the win.
Winners: Michin & B Fab
-Carmelo Hayes was pacing in Nick Aldis’s office to wait for the new acquisition to Smackdown. Damien Priest entered and Aldis welcomed him as the new member to the Smackdown Roster. Hayes said naw. Aldis proposed a match between Priest & Hayes for later in the show.
-After the break a Charlotte Flair vignette aired showing her living lavishly. She said the GOAT doesn’t have to call themselves the GOAT. She said she built a legacy nobody can touch and she knows exactly who she is. She then said I’m back. Flair said she enters the Royal Rumble with a smile on her face and tear in her eye, she’ll tell everyone who owns the nights. Flair ended her promo with a woo.
-Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton brags about defeating the winner of last year’s Royal Rumble Bayley last week but before she can continue, Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley’s music hits and she makes her way out. Ripley tells Stratton that she’s a Women’s Champion like Stratton then says champion to champion, she respects what she did to Jax.
-Nia Jax’s music hits and she makes her way out along with Women’s Speed Champion Candice LeRae. She says that she wants Ripley & Stratton to know that it’s a historic moment since she’s announcing that she’ll be entering the 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble.
-Women’s Tag Team Champions Bianca BelAir & Naomi then make their way out and Naomi says the ring is filling up real quick. She & BelAir then declare themselves as both entering the 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble.
-Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez then make their way out and Morgan mocks Stratton, Ripley, Naomi & BelAir. She says that the headlining news is herself declaring for the 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble but Ripley headbutts her. A brawl then breaks out between all 8 women.
6 Woman Tag Team Match
Women’s Tag Team Champions Bianca BelAir & Naomi vs. Women’s Speed Champion Candice LeRae, Liv Morgan & Nia Jax
Rhea Ripley sets up for Riptide on Nia Jax but Liv Morgan jumps on her back.
Ripley then hits Riptide to Morgan on top of Jax but Bianca BelAir lands a KOD on Candice LeRae.
Morgan then rolls up BelAir for the win.
Winners: Women’s Speed Champion Candice LeRae, Liv Morgan & Nia Jax
-Piper Niven was patching up Women’s United States Champion Chelsea Green backstage. Mia Yim & B Fab showed up to talk trash. Michin talked about Nick Aldis awarding her a shot at the Women’s United States Title next week. Michin wised Green good luck and walked off with B Fab. Niven & Green discussed that they need better security detail next week.
-After the break we see Apollo Crews talking crap about DIY to Pretty Deadly leading to Johnny Gargano jumping Crews from behind.
WWE Tag Team Champion Johnny Gargano vs. Apollo Crews
Apollo Crews & Johnny Gargano exchange strikes and Tommaso Ciampa lands a boot on Crews on the outside.
Motor City Machine Guns appear on the entrance ramp capturing the attention of DIY.
This opens the door for Crews to roll up Gargano for the win.
Winner: Apollo Crews
-Tama Tonga & Jacob Fatu were walking backstage. Fatu cut a promo to hype up his match with Strowman. He said that even though it feels like Godzilla vs. King Kong, it’s not because Fatu is both Zilla and Kong all in one. Fatu then hyped up Tama Tonga vs. LA Knight.
-LA Knight said the megastar is in the building. He said Fatu & Tonga have hell to pay, yeah! Knight said he may have got his ass kicked but it was worth taking as long as he can get a piece of Tonga & Fatu. Knight said Tommy Tonga picked the short straw. He said if Fatu gets involved Fatu will get hit so hard he can’t stop the shakes. Knight mocked Fatu’s mannerism.
LA Knight vs. Tama Tonga
Tama Tonga takes him down with a DDT.
Knight responds with an elbow drop off the top and sets up for BFT but Fatu hops up on the apron.
Knight hits him with a knee and Tama looks to take advantage by rolling up Knight.
Knight kicks out and lands BFT on Tama for the win.
Winner: LA Knight
-After the match Fatu attacks Knight and sends him crashing over the announce desk. He gets him on top of it then fires off headbutts on him. Braun Strowman’s music hits and he storms down to the ring then stares down Fatu. He clotheslines him out of the ring but Tama holds back Fatu before they can continue brawling.
-The Miz was chatting with A Town Down Under backstage about potential movie deals and working together and becoming rich. Nick Aldis cut in and told A Town Down Under that they were being shipped to Raw. A Town Down Under were hyped up with Miz looking sad. Theory pat Miz on the shoulder and said at least he & Waller are still gonna be rich even on Raw. Miz had a sad glare.
-We get a subtitled Shinsuke Nakamura promo aired. He talked about anyone who comes for the United States Title will have fruitless efforts. He said even if you have the determination to seek glory, you will leave with nothing. He said your body will be crushed and shattered while he remains strong. Nakamura said he also have more things in his sights. He said he’s going to be in the Royal Rumble. Nakamura talked about winning the Royal Rumble before. He said 2025 will be his year and that all starts with winning the Royal Rumble.
Damian Priest vs. Carmelo Hayes
Damian Priest sends Carmelo Hayes crashing into the timekeeper’s area but Hayes lands a modified Stunner on Priest back in the ring and follows it up with The First 48.
He ascends to the top rope and looks to fly but Priest moves out of the way.
Hayes rolls up Priest but Priest kicks out and turns Hayes inside out with a clothesline using the ropes.
He follows it up with South Of Heaven for the win.
Winner: Damian Priest
-WWE Tag Team Champions DIY & Motor City Machine Guns were arguing backstage with Nick Aldis in between them. Chris Sabin noted that DIY have been ducking out on them. Alex Shelley said Nick Aldis booked DIY vs. Motor City Machine Guns at the Royal Rumble in a 2 Out Of 3 Falls Match.
-Damien Priest walked into Cody Rhodes backstage. Rhodes welcomed Priest to Smackdown. They shook hands and Rhodes left. Priest said see ya soon, champ.
-Miz was sucking up to Andrade backstage saying he can help Andrade to become the superstar he truly is. Andrade said he likes that idea. Andrade walked off saying he’ll find someone to fill that role. After Andrade left, Jimmy Uso walks up to Miz and clowned Miz a bit. Jimmy Uso then walks up to Carmelo Hayes backstage. Jimmy told Hayes that next week it’ll only take three moves for him to beat Hayes next week, no yeet.
-Carmelo Hayes followed Jimmy and jumped him from behind. Referees and WWE Producers ran out and drags Hayes to the back
Kevin Owens vs. Jimmy Uso
Jimmy Uso then hits a another superkick to Kevin Owens and follows it up with a spear before he ascends to the top rope.
Owens pushes him off and sends him crashing into the ring post shoulder first then catches him with a Pop Up Powerbomb for the win.
Winner: Kevin Owens
-After the match Owens gets Jimmy up on the announce desk but before he can send him crashing through it Cody Rhodes’ music hits and he runs down to the ring. He beats down Owens and sends him crashing into the ring steps then dumps him back inside the ring and checks on Jimmy.
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