‘WWE Smackdown’ Review (Jun 13th 2025)
Welcome to this review of this past Friday’s episode of Smackdown, right here on Nerdly. Let’s see what went down on this week’s show!
Match #1: Fatal 4-Way King of the Ring Quarterfinal Match – Randy Orton def. LA Knight, Carmelo Hayes & Aleister Black
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The Viper is moving on in the King of The Ring Tournament after conquering LA Knight, Carmelo Hayes and Aleister Black in a chaotic Fatal 4-Way Match. The action started fast as each Superstar went for signature maneuvers, including a near RKO from Randy Orton. The precision strikes from Black clashed with the flashy moves of Hayes, leading to an incredible stalemate between the two Superstars. Orton set up both Black and Hayes in his signature Apron DDT, but Knight sprung out of nowhere and hit a remarkable Jumping Neckbreaker to Orton, downing all three Superstars. Knight looked poised to win, but Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker hit the scene and took out The Megastar, and Hayes’ subsequent Frog Splash was countered into an RKO that delivered Orton the win.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: Fatal 4-Way Queen of the Ring Quarterfinal Match – Jade Cargill def. Nia Jax, Michin & Piper Niven
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Jade Cargill is one step closer to becoming Queen of the Ring after defeating 2024 Queen of The Ring winner Nia Jax as well as Michin and Piper Niven. Niven and Jax formed an early alliance that seemed tough to stop, but they ended up imploding as they both crashed through the barricade. The Secret Hervice member found her way back into the ring and managed to hit Michin with a huge Piper Bomb. Unfortunately for her, Cargill was lying in wait and hit the Scottish Superstar with a devastating Jaded to punch her ticket to the Semi Finals.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: The Wyatt Sicks def. Motor City Machine Guns
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The dangerous Wyatt Sicks were victorious in tag team action over one of the best teams in all of SmackDown, the Motor City Machine Guns. Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis represented The Wyatt Sicks and impressed with their combination of speed and ferocity. Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley fought as valiantly as they could, but they couldn’t overcome the challenge and fell victim to a massive top rope Leg Drop as instructed by Uncle Howdy.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: Fatal 4-Way Queen of the Ring Quarterfinal Match – Alexa Bliss def. Charlotte Flair, Alba Fyre & Candice LeRae
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Alexa Bliss punched her ticket to the Semi Finals of the Queen of the Ring Tournament by defeating Charlotte Flair, Alba Fyre and Candice LeRae in Fatal 4-Way action. Fyre replaced Chelsea Green in the matchup and immediately aligned with LeRae as the two kept Bliss and Flair off balance nearly the entire matchup. Flair managed to lock in a Figure Eight, but LeRae’s perfect Lionsault broke up the submission only attempt, and only moments later The Queen broke up Bliss’ nearfall after a Twisted Bliss. Another Figure Eight attempt on Fyre allowed Bliss to hit Sister Abigail on LeRae to win the match, only for the Secret Hervice agent to tap out just moments after the pinfall was completed.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #5: Fatal 4-Way King of the Ring Quarterfinal Match – Cody Rhodes def. Damian Priest, Shinsuke Nakamura & Andrade
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The American Nightmare is on his way to the Semi Finals of the King of the Ring Tournament after outlasting Damian Priest, Shinsuke Nakamura and Andrade in a brutal Fatal 4-Way Match. Rhodes set up a precariously placed table on the outside, but it backfired on The American Nightmare as Nakamura sent him crashing through it. With Rhodes down and out, the other three Superstars battled to find a finish, but they were soon met by The American Nightmare. With the WWE Universe on their feet, Rhodes hit three Cross Rhodes, one to each of his opponents, to secure his spot in the Semi Finals.
My Score: 3.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
This week’s Smackdown was, despite a couple of OK matches, overall a letdown. Storylines felt recycled, match outcomes were predictable, and the pacing dragged far too often. Several top stars were either underused, badly used (see MCMG), or completely absent, leaving the show feeling hollow. The crowd energy seemed to fade as the night went on, and there was no major moment to hook viewers heading into the next week. While there were flashes of in-ring quality, they couldn’t compensate for the lack of momentum or creative spark. Smackdown needs a serious reset if it hopes to stay compelling.
