Best and worst of WWE SmackDown (June 20, 2025)
The latest SmackDown was another mixed bag. R-Truth ruined Aleister Black's scheduled match with Kit Wilson, as he wanted John Cena ahead of their match. The Champ lost by disqualification yet again after hitting Truth with the title.
Charlotte Flair defeated Chelsea Green since she didn't advance in last week's Queen of the Ring Fatal Four-way match. Even in simple matches on SmackDown, she gets fireworks. Nia Jax talked her way into yet another title shot, and Tiffany Stratton revealed that they'll face off in a Last Woman Standing match next week.
Solo Sikoa tried to reconcile with Jacob Fatu, but Fatu saw through the weak attempts. He instead offered his former ally a shot at the United States Championship. Things broke down, but Jimmy Uso saved the Samoan Werewolf. What else worked and what didn't? Here's the best and worst for SmackDown (June 20, 2025).
#2. Best/Worst - Someone had to lose
Once Alexa Bliss - and not Charlotte Flair - advanced on last week's SmackDown, it made the semifinals matchup unpredictable. Had Stephanie Vaquer won on RAW, it meant she would have likely defeated Bliss.
Since Asuka won, it truly felt that either she or Bliss could advance to Night of Champions. After some good counters and submissions, The Empress of Tomorrow beat her one-time tag team partner to claim a spot in the finals.
It's just a shame that it came at the expense of Bliss, who keeps falling short with most of the opportunities. It started with a welcome yet disappointing run in the Royal Rumble and continued with the Elimination Chamber and Money in the Bank matches.
#2. Worst - Friends talking on SmackDown
Cody Rhodes came out to talk, but was the only one who didn't talk during his segment. He was interrupted by Jey Uso, who wasted about five minutes yeeting before saying he was going to win in their match on RAW.
Sami Zayn said the same thing about his match with Randy Orton, and The Viper repeated the sentiment. It was a pointless segment of buddies patting themselves on the back.
The same could have been achieved with a brief five-minute segment without all the entrances. This was maddening since it came after Aleister Black's cancelled match.
Jey could have cut a pre-taped promo or encountered Cody backstage. Another issue is that Roxanne Perez is also in a semi-finals match on RAW, but unlike Jey, wasn't allotted any time on SmackDown.
#1. Best - John Cena's version of a pipe bomb
John Cena didn't take R-Truth seriously, ending their match by hitting him with the belt. CM Punk ran down to prevent further carnage, but Cena eventually put him through a table. The GOAT then cut a pipebomb of his own on Punk.
He namedropped former WWE stars like Nic Nemeth (Dolph Ziggler), Claudio Castagnoli (Cesaro), and Matt Cardona (Zack Ryder). Cena also ran down how Punk isn't as anti-establishment or the voice of the underserved anymore.
Instead, he's nothing more than a corporate puppet for TKO. The fans in attendance loudly cheered for Cena, making it seem like he was turning into more of an anti-hero instead of a full-blown heel.
The promo was good, but it wasn't as monumental as Punk's pipebomb. Still, it was one of the better moments on an otherwise average episode of SmackDown.
1. Worst - Better luck next time, Sami Zayn!
In the middle of the pre-match promo among happy faces, Zayn mentioned how he was the only one in the ring who hadn't won a world title. That streak continued after Randy Orton predictably advanced to the King of the Ring finals.
Throughout the match, Wade Barrett made it seem like The Viper was cheated out of a tournament victory last year. He must have forgotten how he received a shot at Gunther at the Bash in Berlin.
Zayn could have used the win much more, but it might have led to a heel turn. Officials could have gotten to a Rhodes vs. Orton match any number of other ways without a title shot attached.
Triple H rewarded Jey Uso and his fans with a title run, so why can't Sami Zayn be afforded the same as a beloved face?
#1. Best/ Worst - A great opening promo exchange leads to a predictable finish
LA Knight and Paul Heyman opened SmackDown with a great back-and-forth between two of the best mic workers in the business. The Wiseman sucked up to Knight by claiming that he's always been a fan of The Megastar.
When it came to Seth Rollins, however, he played a much different tune. Knight saw through the hollow platitudes and brushed off Heyman's warning to go home.
It led to a match between Bronson Reed and Knight, which Bron Breakker ended by spearing Knight. The imposing duo dismantled the former US Champion with spears and Tsunamis.
The interesting part was that Knight helped Jey Uso advance on RAW, and Cody Rhodes stopped Rollins and his crew from attacking Jey on Monday. Both were on SmackDown, but neither came to Knight's aid.
