WWE SmackDown Results & Winners (September 12, 2025): Cody Rhodes returns to take out Drew McIntyre; Brock Lesnar F5s R-Truth & more
(Courtesy : WWE.com)
Michin aids B-Fab; Nia Jax attacks; Solo Sikoa warns the US Champ & more!
The September 12 episode of Friday Night SmackDown aired live from the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia, USA. The show kept the momentum going for the upcoming Wrestlepalooza 2025, further building up the hype.
Multiple big names, including Brock Lesnar, WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton, Randy Orton, and Jade Cargill, were advertised for the show. The show also featured a grudge match, a title match, and an appearance from Brock Lesnar.
Get to know what happened this Friday, as we have the complete summary, highlights, results, and winners’ list for the 09/12 episode of WWE SmackDown.
WWE SmackDown Summary and Highlights
Ron Cena interrupts Brock Lesnar
Before Lesnar could say anything, R-Truth appeared. Truth stated that he was going to be the first WWE superstar to welcome back Brock. With that being said, Truth revealed he was scared of Brock but not anymore. Lesnar fired back, stating he didn’t know who Truth was and that he better have a good reason to interrupt him.
Truth stated that he was there because Lesnar disrespected John Cena. Lesnar again asked who he was. Truth replied that he was “R-Truth” and was tired of the disrespect. Lesnar stated that he was looking for Cena and asked if Truth knew where he was. Truth stated that he didn’t know.
Lesnar asked then why he was there. “RON CENA” fired back, stating that he was there to defend his brother. Lesnar once again asked if Truth knew where Cena was and why Truth was there. Truth continued to laud Cena and stated that ‘SUPER CENA’ was coming for him. Brock once again asked if he was Cena’s brother, and Truth continued to state that he was Cena’s younger brother.
Lesnar had had enough as he hit Truth with a vicious F5, and the crowd erupted in boos, which soon turned into laughter as they noticed that Lesnar’s pants had ripped apart in half from behind. Brock laughed it off, showcased some moves, and laughingly stated to cameraman Stu that he had ripped his pants.
Grade: C-
Top Moments, Insights & Highlights:
- The segment was a filler through and through and added nothing to any storyline. Lesnar cutting a promo would have made more sense.
- Truth during the promo stated Cena was a different beast than normal, that he was running on hustle, loyalty, respect, and “two drops of that kid’s tears,” referencing the young fan from Belgium.
- In a backstage segment, Sami Zayn revealed that Rey Fenix is his opponent for tonight’s US title open challenge.
Sami Zayn (c) vs Rey Fenix -United States title match
Sami Zayn, in his second United States title open challenge, battled Rey Fenix. The challenger took control early but failed to pin Zayn, who rallied back, but he too failed to pin the challenger. The fans were hungry for a three-count as both men continued to batter each other. Zayn managed to hit the Helluva kick to pin Fenix and retain the title.
Winner: Sami Zayn
Grade: B+
Top Moments, Insights & Highlights:
- The first match of the show not only stole the show but also became the top match of the evening. Fenix also got much-needed TV time in the absence of his tag partner, Andrade.
- A Wyatt Sicks VHS promo aired, featuring Erick Rowan speaking about how people often don’t appreciate what they have until it’s gone. He reflected on the bond between the Street Profits, calling it rotten from within, and stated that sometimes you have to choose between cutting off the infected part or letting the whole body die.
Giulia vs B-Fab
After a backstage segment where Giulia and Kiana James gloated to B-Fab about beating up Michin last week, a match was set up between Giulia and B-Fab. However, things went sideways as James tried to trash-talk B-Fab during her walkout and was attacked. Giulia went off on B-Fab, slamming her against the barricade before tossing her back into the ring as James joined in with a vicious kick.
Giulia delivered the Arrivederci and went for further punishment, but Michin darted in to aid B-Fab. James tried to intercept but was taken down with a vicious kendo stick shot. Michin stepped into the ring to go after Giulia, who managed to escape. The match ended before it could ever begin.
Grade: C
Top Moments, Insights & Highlights:
- Giulia is not just stuck in bad storylines, but also is being utilized poorly by the creative team.
- Aleister Black’s promo aired, where he claimed he had poisoned Damian Priest, declaring himself both the sickness and the cure. He said Priest could keep resisting and live by his code, remaining the sickness, or he could let go, and together, they would show the world how hateful and destructive they truly were.
Tiffany Stratton (c) vs Jade Cargill – WWE Women’s title match
The bell rang for the second time on the show as Tiffany Stratton defended the title against Jade Cargill in a rematch from SummerSlam. Rectifying her actions from the loss, Cargill dominated early, but Stratton capitalized on a mistake by Cargill on the apron.
Stratton went for the moonsault ringside but missed as Cargill rammed her through the barricade. Unfortunately, the referee’s count reached 10, and the match was called a draw. Nia Jax appeared after the match, attacking both Cargill and delivering the Anhilator to Stratton.
Result: Double count-out draw
Grade: B
Top Moments, Insights & Highlights:
- With the count-out draw, Tiffany Stratton remains undefeated in 2025.
- It’s surprising that the creative team thinks the only way the division will move forward is by reverting to Nia Jax.
- In a backstage segment, Chelsea Green and The Secret Hervice spoke to Nick Aldis about a future Women’s Tag Team Championship match. Aldis told them they would face the winners of the Women’s Tag Title match on NXT next Tuesday.
- The Miz then approached Aldis to discuss championship opportunities. Aldis mentioned he had already spoken to Carmelo Hayes and said, “It’s all his.” Miz appeared to believe Aldis was referring to the Tag Titles, but Aldis didn’t clarify that he was actually talking about the United States Championship.
Back-to-back segments
WWE presented a retrospective on the storied rivalry between John Cena and Brock Lesnar, tracing their history from the OVW days all the way to the present. Part 2 was announced to air next week.
Sami Zayn was interviewed backstage, where he gave major praise to Rey Fenix and said fans could expect more open challenges moving forward. Carmelo Hayes walked in and acknowledged that while they haven’t always seen eye to eye, if Sami was handing out opportunities, he had to call his shot. Sami told him, “Alright, just don’t miss.”
The Miz then showed up, saying Nick Aldis told him Carmelo had discussed a title shot, and asked if it was for the tag titles. Hayes clarified it was for the U.S. Title. Miz voiced frustration, saying he was trying to steer Hayes toward the tag division, but Carmelo suggested a different route. What if he won the U.S. Title and then they captured the tag titles?
Miz pointed out how difficult that would be, but Hayes reminded him that Miz had done it before. “Melo don’t, Miz,” he said, asking Miz to trust him just once. Miz hesitated, then offered a reluctant fist bump.
Drew McIntyre vs Randy Orton
In the main event of the show, Drew McIntyre and Randy Orton locked horns to settle their feud. Orton tweaked his knee, which helped McIntyre to take control after early pushback. After a long, drawn-out battle, both men managed to hit each other’s finishers but failed to pin. Orton went for the punt kick but missed as McIntyre pushed him towards the official and capitalized, hitting the Claymore to pin Orton.
After the match, Drew went to punish Orton further, but Cody Rhodes made his return to aid Orton. Rhodes flatlined McIntyre with the Cody Cutter and picked up the mic to announce the clash between the two for September 20.
“Drew McIntyre, The Champ is back! We can do this dance, I’ll see you my friend at WRESTLEEEEEPALOOOOZAAAAA!”
Winner: Drew McIntyre
Grade: B
Top Moments, Insights & Highlights:
- Orton seemed to legitimately tweak his knee during the match.
- Once again, the question lingers: where does Randy Orton go from here?
- Cody Rhodes’ absence has likely killed the hype for the title clash, but WWE might bounce back next week.
WWE SmackDown Results
- Sami Zayn (c) defeated Rey Fenix -United States title match
- Tiffany Stratton (c) vs Jade Cargill – WWE Women’s title match ended in a double count-out draw
- Nia Jax attacked Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill
- Drew McIntyre pinned Randy Orton
- Cody Rhodes returned
Who won in the main event of WWE SmackDown tonight?
Drew McIntyre emerged victorious in the main event clash against Randy Orton.
Did WWE announce any matches for Wrestlepalooza 2025 on tonight’s show?
Yes, Cody Rhodes made his return to settle the score with Drew McIntyre and announced a title clash between the two for Wrestlepalooza.
When and where will Wrestlepalooza 2025 take place?
The 2025 edition of Wrestlepalooza is set for September 20 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana. The PLE will usher in the ESPN era in the US, as the event will air live and exclusively on ESPN in the United States and on Netflix internationally (excluding some markets).
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Abhijit Singh is a budding sports journalist with over three years of experience in the field, and a photographer capturing stories through his lens since 2018. With a background in philosophy and political science, he brings a thoughtful, analytical edge to his reporting where every word is guided by curiosity and intent. Whether he's capturing the emotion of a moment or unpacking the deeper narratives within the game, Abhijit’s work is rooted in insight and passion. When he’s not covering sports, he’s often exploring new ideas through reading, traveling or just procrastinating.
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