On January 31st, 2025 WWE aired the 1,328th episode of Smackdown live in Indianapolis, Indiana inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse & 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 Michael Cole introduces Pat McAfee and he makes his way out to express his excitement about being able to bring the Royal Rumble to Indianapolis. Cole then throws it to Joe Tessitore in the ring.
-Tessitore gives the floor to Kevin Owens & Owens says he’s had to sit in the back listen to CM Punk, Seth Rollins and others talk about how they want to challenge Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Title when he’ll be the one who will emerge victorious over him in their Ladder Match tomorrow night.
-Punk’s music hits and he makes his way down. Punk says he’s in the ring to apologize for interrupting Owens but he heard Owens invoke his name. He says when he wins the 2025 Men’s Royal Rumble tomorrow night and if he does end up dethroning Rhodes, a main event match between them at WrestleMania 41 is very possible. Owens says he knows what main eventing WrestleMania means to Punk, but the idea of him never main eventing WrestleMania is great to him and he gets a warm fuzzy feeling. He tells Punk that he hopes that he doesn’t win until the Rumble.
-Owens looks to leave but Punk stops him and says while Owens has accomplished a lot in his career, he lost 5 title matches at WWE Royal Rumble and lost to Logan Paul. He says for him & Owens to meet in the main event of WrestleMania, he has to throw 29 people over the top rope and Owens has to survive an angry Rhodes. Punk challenges Owens to get in the ring with him but Owens ultimately backs down.
-The Miz was shown venting to Nick Aldis about Andrade. Miz said he would punch him in the face if he was present. Miz figured out that Andrade was standing behind him. Andrade challenged Miz to a match during Smackdown. Miz told him anytime, anywhere. Aldis booked the match for later in the show.
-Jimmy Uso was shown walking and talking as he made his way through the backstage area as United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura was shown watching him.
-Carmelo Hayes said he wouldn’t miss because his name isn’t Tyrese Haliburton.
Jimmy Uso vs. Carmelo Hayes
Jimmy Uso gets Carmelo Hayes up on his shoulders as they teeter on the ropes but Hayes rolls up Jimmy with his hand on the ropes.
The referee catches him and Jimmy reverses the fall for the win.
Winner: Jimmy Uso
-A Royal Rumble By The Numbers video aired.
-Backstage Byron Saxton interviewed Women’s United States Champion Chelsea Green as she was accompanied by Piper Niven. Green had tape on the bridge of her nose. She spoke about winning her upcoming matcha and also claimed she would win the Women’s Royal Rumble match.
Women’s United States Title Match
Chelsea Green (c) vs. Michin
Michin lands Eat Defeat on Chelsea Green but Piper Niven pulls her out of the ring before she can pin her.
B Fab levels Niven & Green grabs Michin’s kendo stick. She hits her with it causing the disqualification.
Winner By DQ: Michin (Green retains)
-After the match Michin grabs the kendo stick away from Green & hits Green with it.
-Backstage Women’s Tag Team Champions Bianca Belair and Naomi were interviewed by Byron Saxton & he asked them what would happen if the Royal Rumble came down to the 2 of them. They were friendly about it and said one of them would point at the WrestleMania sign.
-Saxton said Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez seem to have their eyes on the Women’s Tag Team Titles. Belair said she and Naomi wouldn’t go down without a fight. Naomi said Morgan & Rodriguez better be ready to rumble.
-A Charlotte Flair video aired. Flair sat on a plane and spoke about how she stayed on top for 10 years and wouldn’t let the year she missed due to injury define her. She said she is fortunate, blessed, history making, ground breaking, never scared, always prepared, self-made, always paid and is the woman in WWE.
-Damian Priest says 4 years ago, he debuted on Raw to make his name live forever and create an impact. He says he’s now on Smackdown and says his goals have now shifted from when he first started to getting championships and that starts by winning the 2025 Royal Rumble Match.
-Jacob Fatu’s music hits and he makes his way out along with Tama Tonga. Fatu says he knows who Priest is and what he’s done then says while they’re alike in many ways, he was locked down in the box. He says he’s off the leash now and a go getter then says Priest can either lay down right now or let him & Tama beat him down.
-Priest asks if Fatu said was supposed to intimidate him then superkicks Tama to send a message to Fatu. Fatu and Priest then continue brawling with one another but Tama joins in and the pair overpower Priest. Tama grabs a chair but LA Knight’s music hits and he runs down to the ring to even the odds. He lands a boot on Tama using the chair then clocks Fatu with it in the spine. He then challenges Fatu & Tama to a tag match against him & Priest.
-Backstage Motor City Machine Guns approached Legado Del Fantasma. Chris Sabin said he knows LDF don’t care for them and they’re not too fond of them either but they had a big 8 Man Tag Team match.
-Escobar spoke to his team in Spanish. Escobar said the Guns have their shot at gold at the Rumble whereas he has to win the Rumble match to get his shot. Escobar said they are still fighting for what they deserve. Shelley said they would have the backs of Los Garza. Berto said they know how to handle their business. Angel said that if MCMG win the WWE Tag Team Titles at the Rumble then he & Berto would be coming after them.
-After the break highlights aired of Shawn Michaels, Undertaker & Stephanie McMahon surprising Paul Levesque at WWE Headquarters with the news that he will be inducted into the Hall Of Fame.
8 Man Tag Team Match
WWE Tag Team Champions DIY (Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano) & Pretty Deadly vs. Motor City Machine Guns & Los Garzas (Humberto & Angel)
Johnny Gargano pulls Alex Shelley off the apron before he can and Tommaso Ciampa looks to land a boot on Chris Sabin in the corner.
Sabin ducks out of the way and Ciampa accidentally hits Elton Prince.
He looks to tag in Kit Wilson but Wilson checks on Prince.
Sabin takes advantage and rolls up Ciampa for the win.
Winners: Motor City Machine Guns & Los Garzas
-Jacob Fatu & Tama Tonga were shown walking through the backstage area. Tonga stops when he spotted the WWE Tag Team Titles on a production crate. Tonga stared at the WWE Tag Team Titles until DIY grabs them then he made his weird noises while staring at them.
-DIY walks away then found Pretty Deadly. DIY yells at Pretty Deadly for abandoning them during the 8 Man Tag Team match. Pretty Deadly told DIY that they would be on their own when they face the Motor City Machine Guns in the 2 Out Of 3 Falls at Royal Rumble.
-A video package aired on the Cody Rhodes & Kevin Owens feud
Women’s Tag Team Champion Naomi vs. Liv Morgan
Naomi hits Rear View to Liv Morgan and drags her into the corner then looks to fly.
Raquel Rodriguez hops up on the apron but Bianca BelAir pulls her off.
Naomi looks to land a Split Legged Moonsault but Morgan sees her coming and rolls up Morgan.
Naomi reverses into a fall of her own for the win.
Winner: Women’s Tag Team Champion Naomi
-After the match Rodriguez attacks Naomi & BelAir from behind. Morgan joins in and they double team on BelAir to take her down. Rodriguez stacks Naomi on top of BelAir then powerbombs Morgan on top of both of them.
Andrade vs. The Miz
The Miz sends Andrade crashing into the mat with a tornado DDT but Andrade connects with a Spanish Fly off the top rope and looks to land a moonsault off the top rope.
Miz avoids it but Andrade catches him with a back elbow for the win.
Winner: Andrade
-Damian Priest was walking backstage when he was approached by Santos Escobar & he told him that Smackdown is a tough place to survive. Escobar said if Priest gets in trouble, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have Legado Del Fantasma on his side.
-Priest said he didn’t know why Escobar was bothering to talk to him. Escobar said Dominik Mysterio was right when he told him that Priest’s ego always gets in the way of things. Priest said Escobar should be very careful with his next words. Escobar said he’d be seeing Priest and then made his exit.
-Priest spots R Truth and asked him what he was doing there. Truth thought Priest was back on Raw. Priest told him it was Friday. Truth insisted it was Raw and said he just spoke with Adam Pearce. He has hair now and a British accent Truth said. Priest told Truth not to change.
-LA Knight approached Priest while Shinsuke Nakamura was pacing behind them in the distance. Knight said he was just making sure Priest was good. Priest said they would handle business in the tag match but the Royal Rumble was another story. Priest said once the bell rings in the Rumble, he doesn’t know Knight.
-Knight mockingly thanked Priest for telling him how the Rumble works. He said if they cross paths, they’ll do what they have to do but tonight they will kick Jacob Fatu & Tama Tonga’s heads in. Truth put his arms around both men and welcomed them to Raw. Knight was about to say something. Let it go, trust me Priest said. Truth told Priest & Knight that they should all form a team.
-Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton was approached by Zelina Vega & she noted that she was back on Smackdown and had her eyes set on the Women’s Title. She said the beginning of her journey would start at the Royal Rumble. Stratton wished her good luck with that and said she’d be sitting pretty while Vega fought with 29 other women just for a glimpse at her title before Stratton walked away.
-After the break Michael Cole & Pat McAfee stood in the ring. McAfee questioned if John Cena would be able to win his 3rd Royal Rumble and tie the record set by Stone Cold Steve Austin. Cole introduced Tiffany Stratton & she made her entrance and joined them inside the ring.
-Cole questioned how Stratton’s life has changed. Stratton said she has always been championship material and the only difference between now and a year ago is that everybody else knows it. McAfee said it was fantastic that it was Tiffy Time then said he’s always wanted to say that.
-McAfee said 30 women will enter the Royal Rumble to earn an opportunity to take the title from Stratton. McAfee ran through some of the entrants and closed by saying it could be Nia Jax. Stratton said it could be anybody and it’s fine if Jax won because she has underestimated her before.
-Women’s Speed Champion Candice LeRae made her entrance and stood on the stage & she called Stratton pathetic and continued to talk as she walked toward the ring. Cole & McAfee exited the ring. LeRae said Stratton is jealous that Jax chose her.
-LeRae entered the ring and told Stratton enjoy whatever Tiffy Time she has left. LeRae said she has entered the Women’s Royal Rumble match and she will make Stratton regret stabbing them in the back. Stratton backed LeRae into a corner of the ring while telling her that all she’ll ever be is Jax’s sidekick.
-Nia Jax entered the ring and went for a corner splash. Stratton avoided Jax & she crushed LeRae. Jax put Stratton down and hit her with the Annihilator. Jax played to the crowd and then looked down at Stratton. Jax hugs LeRae.
Tag Team Match
The Bloodline (Tama Tonga & Jacob Fatu) vs. Damian Priest & LA Knight
LA Knight lands a back suplex on Jacob Fatu then tags in Damian Priest.
Tama Tonga tags in on his side and Priest lands a crossbody on him off the top rope.
Tama responds with a DDT and pins him but Knight breaks the fall.
Priest then hits South Of Heaven on Tama for the win.
Winners: Damian Priest & LA Knight
-After the match Fatu hits a Samoan Drop and a moonsault to Priest then standing tall to close out Smackdown.
Want to discuss wrestling further? Join our Discord community by clicking here!
If you enjoy Bodyslam’s content, you can help donate to the site here. You can also visit our PWTees store and buy Bodyslam official merchandise here.
You can listen to all of Bodyslam’s podcasts by following us on Spotify and subscribing to our YouTube Channel, Twitch, Apple, Google, or any of your favorite podcast platforms.
Follow us on Twitter: @BodyslamNet
