WWE SmackDown Results and Highlights – Catch Full results, highlights, best & worst moments, recap, ratings, videos and grades; all you need to know– 25th December 2020:
Tonight’s Christmas edition of SmackDown features three title matches.
Universal Champion Roman Reigns defends against Kevin Owens in a steel cage match on tonight’s show. Reigns retained against Owens in a tables, ladders, and chairs match this past Sunday’s TLC pay-per-view, with Jey Uso interfering throughout the match to help Reigns win.
Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn defends against Big E in a lumberjack match. Zayn defeated Big E by countout in their previous match. Big E then pinned Zayn in an eight-man tag match on the TLC pre-show.
New Women’s Tag Team Champions Asuka & Charlotte Flair will make their first title defense. They’re facing SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair and Bayley & Carmella in a triple threat elimination match. Charlotte made her return to WWE TV at TLC and teamed with Asuka to win the Women’s Tag Team titles from Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax.
Plus, Daniel Bryan goes one-on-one with Jey Uso on SmackDown tonight.
Steel Cage Match: Universal Champion Roman Reigns (w/Paul Heyman) defeated Kevin Owens to retain the title
Reigns and Owens had a good cage match. They worked hard and told a good story. It was also nice to start SmackDown with a match and not a long promo.
Michael Cole and Corey Graves went over the rules and noted the only way to win is by pinfall, submission, or escaping the cage.
Owens and Reigns started trading shots at the ring of the bell. Reigns took over and tossed Owens into the side of the cage. He followed up with a Samoan Drop for a near fall. Owens avoided the superman punch and caught Reigns with a DDT.
Owens fought back and sent Reigns head-first into the cage. He followed up with a hard clothesline and a senton. Owens rocked Reigns with right hands and a cannonball in the corner.
Reigns avoided a pop-up powerbomb and scored a near fall. They fought on the top turnbuckle, but Owens shoved Reigns to the mat. He then hit a frog splash for a near fall as they cut to a commercial.
Back from the break, Reigns hit a huge powerbomb for a two count. He followed up with stiff clotheslines in the corner. Owens recovered and hit a pop-up powerbomb for a close near fall.
Reigns regained control as they fought on the top turnbuckle. He attempted a superplex, but Owens countered with a fishermen buster from the middle rope for a very close near fall.
Reigns avoided the stunner and hit a superman punch for another close near fall. Reigns became frustrated and tossed Owens into the side of the cage. He then locked on the guillotine submission in the ropes. Owens fought back and choked Reigns on the top rope to break the hold.
Suddenly, Owens hit the stunner for a very close near fall as they cut to another commercial break.
Back from the break, Owens attempted to escape, but Reigns cut him off. Michael Cole claimed that Owens is trying to escape because he threw everything at Reigns and nothing worked.
They fought on the top rope, trading shots. Owens hit a superkick while standing on the top rope and followed up with a Swanton Bomb. Reigns got his knees up to counter and hit the spear for another close near fall.
Reigns was in shock he didn’t win with the spear and began to doubt himself. Reigns tried walking out the door, but Owens grabbed his leg. Owens then slammed the door on Reigns and regained control.
Owens tried to escape, but Jey Uso ran out and cut Owens off. Owens knocked Uso down, but Reigns dragged him back in. Owens went for the pop-up powerbomb, but Reigns hit the superman punch.
Reigns hit the spear, but Owens fought back with the stunner. Owens attempted to walk out the door, but Uso handcuffed Owens to the cage. Owens tried to escape but couldn’t. Reigns realized he had complete control and casually walked out the cage door to retain the title.
Cole and Graves noted that Uso helped Reigns retain the title twice in one week.
Charlotte Flair and Asuka segment
This was a typical segment where everyone comes out and speaks for a minute before being interrupted. There wasn’t much to it, and it felt very random.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Charlotte Flair and Asuka made their way to the ring. They just started talking when Bayley interrupted and made her way to the ring. She said they’re very impressive, but she’s even more impressive. Bayley noted she’s the longest-reigning SmackDown Woman’s Champion in history.
SmackDown Woman’s Champion Sasha Banks’ music hit, and she made her way to the ring. Banks asked Bayley if she wants to talk about the current champion and raised the belt in the air.
Bianca Belair interrupted and ran down her stats. Of course, Carmella’s music hit, and she made her way to the ring. She said everyone wants to look at her. Banks shoved Carmella and got in her face.
Triple Threat Elimination Match: WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Charlotte Flair & Asuka defeated Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair and Bayley & Carmella (w/Reginald) to retain the titles
This was a fine match that picked up towards the end when it came down to the final two teams.
Bayley and Carmella briefly gained control of the match. Carmella and Asuka faced off, but Carmella stopped to make sure she looked good. Banks tagged herself in and tackled Carmella to the mat.
Flair and Belair went back and forth. They mocked each other, and both went for dropkicks. Bayley tagged herself in, and everyone started brawling around ringside. Banks hit a Meteora off the apron, but Carmella threw her into the barricade.
Carmella distracted Asuka and Bayley hit the Bayley-to-belly for a near fall as they cut to a commercial break.
Back from the break, Bayley was firmly in control, but Asuka fought back and hit a missile dropkick for a near fall. The heels isolated Asuka and cut her off from her corner. Carmella knocked Flair off the apron. Bayley then slowed the pace down with a chin lock.
Asuka broke free but had no one to tag, so she had to tag Belair. Belair ran wild and scored a close near fall, but Carmella made the save. Belair regained control, and Banks hit the Meteora on Bayley to eliminate Bayley and Carmella from the match.
Banks was briefly in control, but Flair took over. Flair locked on the figure-eight, but Banks refused to tap. Belair then used her hair to help pull Banks to make the tag. Belair then hit a headspring moonsault for a near fall.
Flair then applied the figure four leg lock on Belair, but Banks hit the Meteora for the save. Banks got knocked off the apron and fell into Reginald at ringside. Bayley and Carmella both interfered after being eliminated.
Belair was firmly in control, but Flair hit the Natural Selection on Belair for the win.
Backstage, The Street Profits talked about Charlotte Flair’s return and ran down the line-up. They overheard Sami Zayn trying to figure out who authorized the lumberjack match. Zayn yelled at the Street Profits and told them to leave.
Zayn changed his mind when the Street Profits said they have a gift for him. They pulled out a t-shirt the said, “I was Intercontinental Champion.” Zayn fake laughed but then walked off in a rage.
Daniel Bryan defeated Jey Uso
Bryan and Uso had a good match and told a good story. Uso dominated the first part of the match, but Bryan fought back to win.
Daniel Bryan made his way down to the ring. Suddenly, Jey Uso jumped Bryan from behind and gave him a vicious beat down.
Back from the break, Bryan ignored the referees and agreed to continue the match. Uso was firmly in control as he beat Bryan around ringside. He followed up with hard chops in the corner.
Bryan made a brief comeback, but Uso hit the Samoan Drop for a near fall. Uso attempted a splash, but Bryan moved out of the way. Bryan briefly gained control but missed a running dropkick in the corner.
Bryan fought back and backdropped Uso to the floor, who injured his ankle on the fall. Bryan attempted a suicide dive, but Uso moved, and Bryan crashed into the announce table.
They fought on the top turnbuckle, but Bryan took over and hit a back suplex as they cut to commercial.
Back from commercial, Bryan fought back and hit the Yes kicks in the middle of the ring. Bryan went from the running knee, but Uso countered with two superkicks. Uso followed up with the splash but hurt his injured leg on the landing.
Uso went for the splash again, but Bryan got his knees up. Bryan applied the Lebell Lock and transitioned into the half crab on Uso’s bad leg. Uso fought back and rocked Bryan with a headbutt.
The finish came when Bryan avoided a superkick and hit the running knee for the win.
In the back, Kayla Braxton interviewed Daniel Bryan. She asked him what’s next since his feud with Jey Uso is behind him. Bryan noted he’s never won the Royal Rumble in his entire career. He announced that he’s entering the 2021 Royal Rumble match.
Sami Zayn approached and was furious. He blamed Bryan for having to defend the title and knows he had something to do with it. Bryan mocked Zayn and noted Santa didn’t get him a PS5.
Lumberjack Match: Big E defeated Sami Zayn to win the Intercontinental Championship
They recapped the Sami Awards and Big E winning Superstar of the year. The lumberjacks then made their way to ringside for the match.
Zayn and Big E had a good match, and both worked hard.
Big E had the early advantage, but Zayn took over when he crashed into the corner. Big E fell to the floor, and the heel lumberjacks beat down Big E. The face lumberjacks all just watched from the other side.
The heel lumberjacks jumped Big E again and threw him back in the ring. Zayn scored a close near fall, but Big E fought back. Big E missed the splash on the apron, and King Corbin and the Knights of the Lone Wolf attacked him.
The face lumberjacks did nothing to help Big E as the heels beat him down. Zayn then hit a huge dive onto Big E.
Back from the break, Zayn threw his shirt at Big E and charged at him. Big E caught Zayn and hit an overhead belly-to-belly suplex. Zayn fought back and attempted the helluva kick, but Big E hit the Uranage.
Big E set up for the Big Ending, but Zayn ran out of the ring. The face lumberjacks threw Zayn back in, but Zayn poked Big E in the eyes and rolled him up for a near fall.
Zayn climbed to the top rope, but Big E cut him off. They fought on the rope, but Zayn hit a sunset powerbomb for a close near fall. Big E avoided the helluva kick and hit the spear off the apron.
The lumberjacks threw Big E back in the ring. All the lumberjacks started fighting, so Zayn tried to sneak off. Apollo Crews noticed and sprinted up the ramp and tackled Zayn.
The Street Profits led the face lumberjacks to grab Zayn and carry him back to the ring. Big E ran wild and hit a splash on Zayn. Big E then hit the Big Ending to win the Intercotinteal title on Christmas Day.
Big E celebrated and shook Corey Graves’s hand at ringside. He also celebrated with the faces in the ring as a dejected Zayn watched from ringside. The faces lifted Big E on their shoulders as confetti fell from the ceiling. They pushed this has a huge win and defining moment in Big E’s career.