WWE SmackDown Results: Unexpected debut match; steel cage match announced; title match ends in botch (5/16/25)

WWE SmackDown kicked off with Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and the newest member of the Bloodline, Jeff Cobb, or JC Mateo as he is now known, coming out to the ring.

Solo thanked JC for helping them retain the United States Championship and said he planned to win his Money in the Bank qualifier on SmackDown tonight.

Fatu said his "All gas, no brakes" line before they talked about how Jacob used to blindly trust Sikoa back in the day. LA Knight showed up from nowhere and took down the Bloodline with a surprise attack before SmackDown moved on.

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WWE SmackDown Results (March 16, 2025):

• Alexa Bliss def. Chelsea Green & Michin
• Fraxiom def. DIY
• Aleister Black def. Carmelo Hayes via DQ
• Solo Sikoa def. Rey Fenix & Jimmy Uso
• JC Mateo def. LA Knight
• Tiffany Stratton def. Nia Jax to retain the Women's Championship

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WWE SmackDown Results: Alexa Bliss vs. Chelsea Green vs. Michin - Money in the Bank Qualifier Match

Green was sent outside before Michin got a side headlock on Bliss. Green returned and took double dropkicks before taking Bliss and Michin out with a big dive.

Michin got a Pele Kick in the ring before getting a near fall off a cannonball senton. Michin got near falls before Bliss got the DDT and Twisted Bliss, but Green broke it up. Michin hit the Killswitch, but Biss got the Sister Abigail DDT on Green for the win.

Result: Alexa Bliss def. Chelsea Green & Michin

Grade: B

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WWE SmackDown Results: DIY vs. Fraxiom

Ciampa and Axiom kicked off the match, and Frazer was tagged in early on. Ciampa was sent outside, and Gargano took double dropkicks before Ciampa was sent over the barricades.

Fraxiom missed the Phoenix Splash before Axiom broke up the pin after Ciampa got the Fairytale Ending. Axiom tried for a submission hold on Gargano before Ciampa tried to rip his mask off. Axiom came back with a big rana on Gargano and got the win.

Result: Fraxiom def. DIY

After the match, Fraxiom was attacked by DIY, and the Motor City Machine Guns showed up to make the save.

Grade: B+

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The Street Profits were backstage and offered Fraxiom a tag title match next week.

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Wade Barrett interviewed R-Truth, who said that John Cena had always been there for him with 'never give up' and other such catchphrases.

Wade asked about R-Truth assisting Cena with retaining the WWE Championship, and Truth denied it, saying that Cena would never cheat. He then seemed to challenge Cena to a match, saying that he was going to 'beat the champion back to sense' at Saturday Night's Main Event.

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Damian Priest was in a promo and challenged Drew McIntyre to a steel cage match at Saturday Night's Main Event.

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WWE SmackDown Results: Aleister Black vs. Carmelo Hayes

Hayes had control of the match early on with a headlock before dodging an early Black mass. Melo took a boot to the face before the Miz tried for a distraction, leading to a dive from Hayes.

Black got a superkick and the Meteora before getting a near fall off a German Suplex. The Miz interfered again, and Melo got the Final Cut for a near fall of his own before taking a big knee. The Miz attacked Black in the ring, ending it in a DQ.

Result: Aleister Black def. Carmelo Hayes via DQ

After the match, The Miz beat Black down and tried for the Skull Crushing Finale, but Aleister got him with the Black Mass. Carmelo came in with Nothin' But Net and took Black out before SmackDown continued.

Grade: B

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Alexa Bliss was backstage and said she was planning to win the Money in the Bank briefcase. She walked up to Charlotte and said she wanted to help her. Flair said that if Alexa wanted to help, she should stay out of her way.

We learned that Giulia was on SmackDown now before we headed back to the ring.

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Drew McIntyre was out next and recalled all the fights between himself and Damian Priest. He said that Priest was jealous of him and believed that Damian was trying to kill him because of the chokeslam into the concrete. This time, they will meet inside the steel cage and 'only one will walk out.'

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WWE SmackDown Results: Solo Sikoa vs. Rey Fenix vs. Jimmy Uso - Money in the Bank Qualifier Match

Sikoa was sent outside early on, and Jimmy was in control with some big moves. Rey got a superkick off the apron before Solo got the uranage on the announce desk. Jimmy countered a dive from Fenix with a superkick before Solo hit a Samoan Drop on Uso.

Fenix countered the Spike from Solo, and Jimmy got a superkick before countering Adios Amigos. Uso hit Fenix with a spear for the near fall before Jacob and then JC got on the apron to interfere. Jimmy took Fatu out with a superkick from the apron, but Solo came in with a Samoan Spike off the distraction and got the win.

Result: Solo Sikoa def. Rey Fenix & Jimmy Uso

LA Knight came out and attacked the Bloodline at the ringside before Nick Aldis showed up and booked a match between Knight and JC Mateo.

Grade: B+

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WWE SmackDown Results: LA Knight vs. JC Mateo

JC got the early takedown on his debut match against LA Knight and countered a big crossbody. LA got some strikes in but was sent outside the ring before doing a big splash into the ringpost. Knight came back with some big suplexes and an inverted DDT in the ring.

Mateo took the elbow drop for a near fall before JC hit a big moonsault. Knight came back with an elbow and tripped JC up on the ropes before Solo and Fatu interfered, only to be hit with a springboard dive to the floor. Back inside, JC used the distraction to hit his Scoop Slam finisher for the win.

Result: JC Mateo def. LA Knight

Grade: B

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We got a short promo in Japanese where Shinsuke Nakamura called out Aleister Black and LA Knight, whom he will face in the Money in the Bank Qualifier match next week.

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WWE SmackDown Results: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Nia Jax - Women's Championship Match

Nia had the early advantage and drove the champ's head into the ringpost with a hip attack on the apron. Stratton took a big Samoan Drop from the ropes before dodging the second hip attack on the apron.

Stratton got a big Rana to the floor before getting a near fall in the ring. Nia got a pop-up Senton before Stratton got a back elbow and the spinebuster. Jax came back with two powerbombs and a leg drop for a near fall.

Stratton reversed a top rope move before Naomi made her entrance with a steel chair. Jade Cargill followed her out and attacked Naomi, sending her over the barricades as the match continued. The champ dodged a big tackle and got the Moonsault for another near fall!

The champ was sent outside before Nia cleared the announce desk and hit a Samoan Drop on it. Stratton took the Annihilator but kicked out of it. Nia headed out and got Naomi's steel chair, but Stratton got a dropkick through the chair and picked up the win.

Result: Tiffany Stratton def. Nia Jax to retain the Women's Championship

Grade: B+

As Stratton celebrated after the match, we saw that Nia was busted open in the final moments, likely from the chair shot, as SmackDown went off the air.