After watching the go-home edition of Monday Night RAW, the expectations for the final episode of SmackDown were through the roof. Tonight’s show was made more special as it featured the biggest WWE Superstars that the Blue Brand has to offer. But more importantly, it was predicted that it will feature some massive segments that will get us hyped for Wrestlepalooza.
The September 19, 2025, episode of the show was live exclusively from the Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio, and it instantly got us hooked with Brock Lesnar kicking off the event. With that being said, here’s what happened in the show!
Brock Lesnar Blasts Corey Graves with a Thunderous F5
Before tonight’s SmackDown began, Michael Cole mentioned how he was going to interview Brock Lesnar, and he was heading backstage to ask him questions ahead of his match at Wrestlepalooza. As he made his way backstage, ‘The Beast Incarnate’s’ theme played, and he came out carrying Cole on his shoulder and sent him inside the ring.
The veteran commentator was pleading for his life as he saw Lesnar towering over him. The crowd was chanting John Cena’s name. Corey Graves entered the ring and pleaded with Lesnar to spare Cole. ‘The Beast’ was unhappy and stared at Graves, picking him up and giving him an F5. He then went to the cameraman and sent Cena a message: “John, I’m coming for you! It’s D-day tomorrow, John. I’m coming for blood!”
He exited the ring and circled around it as the crowd was cheering his name. However, Lesnar was not done yet because he first picked up a steel step but then dropped it as he saw that Graves was getting up. He entered the ring and delivered another massive F5 to Corey Graves, making the WWE Universe stand on their feet and chant, “One more time.”
He was walking around the ring, shouting, “Come on, Cena,” and headed backstage. The officials could be seen attending to Graves as he was destroyed by Brock Lesnar, who looked in the best shape of his life, as he is all set for his match against Cena at Wrestlepalooza. Lesnar was headed backstage and ran into Paul Heyman with The Vision and told him, “We should talk,” patting him on his chest and leaving the scene.
Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss Retain Tag Team Championship Against Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre
This match was the result of the attack that Charlotte Flair suffered at the hands of Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre, leaving her on the sidelines for some time. The match was kicked off by ‘The Queen’ and Green, where the former quickly worked into having the momentum in their favor. The former Women’s US Champion tried to take a hit on Flair and missed but used this opportunity to take a cheap shot at Alexa Bliss.
Bliss tags herself in, but she could not keep up the momentum as she was taken aback by the chemistry of her opponents’ quick tags. After creating an opening, she managed to tag her partner but was dazed by their chemistry, leading to a near pinfall. However, Green and Fyre both received a Natural Bliss from the champs, allowing them to retain their tag team gold.
B-Fab Tries to Settle the Differences Among The Street Profits
In a brief backstage segment, we saw B-Fab reminding Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford that they are brothers and how there will be moments when they will not see each other “eye-to-eye” and how it’s totally normal and they will get past their differences to get a shot at the tag team titles against The Wyatt Sicks.
However, she was interrupted by Michin as she asked her to accompany her to talk to Nick Aldis for their tag team match against Giulia and Kianna James on next week’s episode of the Blue Brand. Both men briefly solved their differences, and Ford left the scene when Uncle Howdy filled Dawkins with doubt against his brother.
Though Ford returned to ensure that they were on the same page, they were taken out by Eric Rowan, leaving them on the ground and concluding the segment.
AJ Lee Reveals Why She Returned to WWE After 10 Years and It Wasn’t For CM Punk
The Vision Uses Fraxiom to Deliver a Warning to The Usos
Fraxiom was in the ring when they were suddenly taken out by The Vision, making way for The Oracle, who cut a promo on how Fraxiom reminded him of The Usos. He continued that he is going to give a spoiler for Wrestlepalooza, as both Jimmy and Jey Uso will be victimized and lying flat on their backs after their match.
However, Fraxiom brought the fight to the two Brons, making Aldis come out and putting Breakker and Reed in a tag team match against Fraxiom.
The Vision’s Victory Gets Cut Short by The Usos
The outcome of the match was known before it even began, with Bron Breakker and Axiom commencing the match. The luchador was turned inside out after receiving a running clothesline, but the punishment did not end as Breakker sent him into their corner.
Axiom managed to tag Nathan Speed, who looked like a man on fire. But he was stopped in his path as Reed delivered him his finisher to steal the win. Heyman was announcing The Vision’s easy victory and reminded everyone that there will be a similar scene at Wrestlepalooza as well. But they were interrupted by The Usos live at the venue of the PLE, and they warned them that they are someone that The Vision has not faced before.
Nia Jax Declares Herself the Alpha Female of WWE
Before Nia Jax began her promo, we saw how she ripped apart Jade Cargill and Tiffany Stratton. She looked immensely proud of herself, and she despised every moment of being in Ohio, but more than that, she was “sick” of the women’s division, who called themselves the “alpha female.”
Jax set the record clear that she was the “alpha female” of WWE, and it was definitely not Tiffany Stratton, and mocked her “It’s Tiffy time” line in a shrill voice. She even took shots at Jade Cargill, calling her “incredible” and “great” until she is inside the squared circle. Her promo was cut short by Stratton, who called Jax obsessed with her, and she tried to make her way to the ring for a brawl but was stopped by the officials.
Suddenly, ‘The Storm’s’ theme played, and she nearly entered the ring but was pulled by more officials. Nick Aldis came out and understood how the three women were hungry to rip each other apart and announced they will be in a Triple Threat match next week for the WWE Women’s Championship.
The Rock Ends His Bitter Feud With Logan Paul With an Emotional Video Message
Sami Zayn Successfully Defends His US Championship in a Near Battle Against Carmelo
The match started off strongly, with both men going back and forth, trading blows. Melo was hungry to win the coveted US Championship, where he kept the blows coming towards Sami Zayn, delivering a springboard leg drop that left him dazed. But The Champ created an opening and delivered a Tornado DDT from the second rope for a near pinfall.
Zayn kept the momentum in his favor and delivered a Blue Thunder Bomb for another near fall. Melo countered and went for the splash, but Zayn got his knees up and was stopped on his path with a superkick and a DDT on the apron. However, it was all for nothing because the champ countered with a boot to the face and received a Blue Thunder Bomb, which was enough to keep Carmelo down for a three count.
Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre Come Face-to-Face Ahead of Wrestlepalooza
The last segment of SmackDown was the contract signing between Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre. Nick Aldis was present at the ringside and announced that the match for the Undisputed WWE Championship would be the main event of tomorrow night’s premium live event. Both men made their way to the ring, and then Rhodes reminded McIntyre of how 15 years ago, they won the Tag Team Championship together.
‘The American Nightmare’ told ‘The Scottish Psychopath’ how he was being a keyboard warrior and told him to tweet something that would make them go “viral.” However, the challenger left Rhodes flabbergasted as he tweeted, “Thank you Cody!!!” on X and continued his rant on how Rhodes looked at the “bigger picture.”
Rhodes clapped back, stating how McIntyre was being too full of himself and has become a content creator whose legacy will be remembered with his defeat at the PLE. Both of them signed the contract, but ‘The Scottish Warrior’ had some other plans and delivered a headbutt to Cody Rhodes.
They engaged in a brawl, with officials trying to separate them, which ended with the champion getting knocked out after receiving a boot to the head, leaving everyone concerned.
The final episode of SmackDown ahead of Wrestlepalooza was electrifying and has set the right tone for tomorrow night. Are you going to watch the PLE? Let us know in the comments below!
Wrestlepalooza can be streamed live on September 20, 2025, at 7 ET/4 PT, exclusively on ESPN (USA) and Netflix globally.
