‘WWE Smackdown’ Review (Oct 3rd 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: United States Championship – Sami Zayn def. Aleister Black
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After Carmelo Hayes was attacked by The Miz, Aleister Black answered Sami Zayn’s United States Title Open Challenge instead. Black hit a swift knee strike straight to Zayn’s face as Zayn was leaping from the top rope, but Zayn somehow kicked out. Zayn went for the Helluva Kick, but Black moved out of the way before landing a Meteora for another two-count. Just as Black was readying for a Black Mass, Damian Priest hit the scene and distracted Black, allowing Zayn to nail the Helluva Kick to remain the United States Champion.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Sol Ruca & Zaria def. Chelsea Green & Alba Fyre
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After rejecting Chelsea Green’s offer to join The Secret Hervice, NXT Superstars Sol Ruca and Zaria squared off with Green and Alba Fyre. After some intense back-and-forth, Ruca hit the Sol Snatcher on Fyre to get the win for her team.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: Je’Von Evans & Rey Fenix def. Los Garza
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After last week’s impressive display against United States Champion Sami Zayn, Je’Von Evans returned to SmackDown to team with Rey Fenix as they took on Angel and Berto of Los Garza. Evans leapt over the top rope to hit Los Garza at ringside before jumping over a cameraman to attack Angel in a phenomenal moment. Fenix nailed the Mexican Destroyer on Berto to win the match.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #4: Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed def. Cody Rhodes & Randy Orton
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes teamed with Randy Orton as they attempted to defeat Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. Orton took down Breakker and Reed, but Reed hit a Jagged Edge on The Viper. Orton stopped Reed from connecting with the Tsunami and landed a huge superplex, but Breakker broke up the pinfall. Breakker destroyed Rhodes with a huge Spear through the barricade, leaving The American Nightmare incapacitated. As Orton readied for the RKO, World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins interfered to execute the Stomp on The Legend Killer. Moments later, Reed hit the Tsunami on Orton to seal one of the biggest victories ever for Reed and Breakker. After the match, Rollins attempted to Stomp Rhodes, but The American Nightmare hit the Cross Rhodes instead
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
Well… this week’s SmackDown wasn’t quite the trainwreck of last week, but it’s still far from great. The pacing was better, and a couple of matches actually clicked with the crowd, which is progress; however, the show still felt uneven. Some storylines are crawling instead of building, and a few segments dragged on far longer than needed. Credit where it’s due, a few performers did their best to elevate weak material. So yeah, an improvement, but just a small one. SmackDown’s still searching for its spark.
