‘WWE Smackdown’ Review (Dec 19th 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: Nia Jax & Lash Legend def. The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane)
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After order broke down during a non-title match pitting Asuka and Kairi Sane against Nia Jax and Lash Legend, The Irresistible Force caught Sane as she was leaping off the top rope and delivered a chokeslam/Annihilator for the win.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: Giulia def. Alba Fyre
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Giulia defeated Alba Fyre of The Secret Hervice with the Scoop Blockbuster in her continued quest to reclaim the Women’s United States Championship from Chelsea Green.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #3: Ilja Dragunov & Carmelo Hayes def. #DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa)
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After United States Champion Ilja Dragunov and Carmelo Hayes thwarted a Meet in the Middle attempt from Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, The Mad Dragon hit Ciampa with the H-Bomb, and Hayes executed Nothing but Net for the huge win.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: Dexter Lumis & Joe Gacy vs. JC Mateo & Tonga Loa (No Contest)
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
When Talla Tonga disrupted the action, the WWE Tag Team Championship Match pitting Dexter Lumis and Joe Gacy against JC Mateo and Tonga Loa descended into bedlam between The Wyatt Sicks and The MFTs as SmackDown concluded.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
Being a pre-taped, holiday-adjacent episode, this week’s WWE SmackDown very much felt like a show WWE expected viewers to half-watch while doing something else. Little here felt essential. Once again, the US Title picture did the heavy lifting in terms of in-ring quality, quietly propping the show up when everything else drifted. Cody Rhodes remains a reliable bright spot; his promo had energy, confidence, and just enough bite to remind you how over he still is with this crowd. Elsewhere, Giulia getting a reset was overdue, and this at least pointed in the right direction, though there’s still work to be done. Ultimately, this was skippable TV. Another episode you can probably catch highlights of on social media/YouTube.
