WWE SmackDown Results, live recap, grades: WWE stars walk out; CM Punk and Kevin Owens go face-to-face! Jacob Fatu SNAPS; Big name moves to SmackDown; Champions LOSE major match

Jimmy Uso gets revenge on former WWE champion on SmackDown

Solo Sikoa is gone, confirmed by Jacob Fatu; he tries to end Damian Priest's career immediately

Tama Tonga has a staredown with two top champions on SmackDown; sends an interesting message

Wade Barrett admits that nobody in WWE scares him as much as 32-year-old SmackDown star

WWE team walks out on SmackDown; huge betrayal

That'll do it for Sportskeeda's live coverage of WWE SmackDown on USA Network! Thanks for joining us and be sure to return as we cover the 2025 Royal Rumble tomorrow!

Post-match, Jacob Fatu shows up and hits a pop-up Samoan Drop! He hits a moonsault! Fatu stands tall to close the show.

Tama goes for a sliding clothesline, but Priest catches him by the throat! Tama avoids a Chokeslam, but eats a clothesline. Damian then nails the South of Heaven Chokeslam for the win!

Damian Priest and LA Knight defeats Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga by pinfall

Tama rolls Priest up after Fatu gets back up for a brief distraction. Tama then hits a hanging DDT, but Knight breaks up the count. From there, LA Knight hits a crossbody over the barricade and both he and Fatu crash into the timekeeper's area! This is great.

Priest hits an Undertaker-style Old School but with a Crossbody for a near fall. Tama Tonga then counters a Powerbomb attempt into a chokehold.

Priest finally tags in and he levels Tama Tonga repeatedly, even throwing him onto the table. Priest then drops Fatu face first on the announce table and then slams him into the ring post!

Commentary says Jacob Fatu is knocked out cold.

Back from break and Tama Tonga nails Knight with a kitchen sink knee. Fatu tags in and knocks Priest off the apron. He angrily tries to get at Jacob, but the referee stops it for now. Fatu then runs for a charging hip attack to Knight, but LA moves and Jacob lands HARD. OUCH. His back could be messed up.

Fatu keeps shrugging off Knight's offense and Tama causes a distraction. Jacob proceeds to level Knight as we go to presumably the final break of the night.

Tama and Fatu work over Priest. They hit repeated stomps and attacks. Fatu eventually locks in a long nerve hold. Priest fights out and boxes Fatu's ears, but Jacob no sells it. LA Knight gets a cold tag when Fatu is sent to the floor, but the crowd is behind him. Fatu misses a corner attack and smashes into the post!

LA Knight dodges a Fatu attack and nails a neckbreaker. He hits repeated stomps, but Jacob stops him. Knight still hits a neckbreaker again, but Fatu kicks out at one. Priest tags in, but Jacob dominates, hitting a running hip attack.

Commentary mentions Solo is AWOL.

Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga make their way out for the main event followed by Damian Priest and LA Knight.

Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu vs. LA Knight and Damian Priest

This one starts off hot with the four men brawling immediately. Eventually, Knight takes over, but Jacob Fatu gets the tag and begins to dominate with kicks.

Candice confirms she's in the Royal Rumble. Tiffany responds to being called jealous, but Nia Jax shows up and attacks! Nia accidentally levels Candice, but then destroys Tiffany with a pop up headbutt, leg drop, and Bonsai Drop! The crowd is not happy.

Tiffany Stratton makes her way out and fans are cheering her. Michael asks how her life is different as champion. Tiffany says she's always been championship material, people just know it now. Pat asks about the Royal Rumble. He brings up Bianca Belair, Bayley, Candice LeRae, and Nia Jax as names who could win the Royal Rumble. I guess that confirms Candice is in it.

Tiffany says it is Tiffy Time and it doesn't matter. Then Candice LeRae's music hits! She comes out with a microphone. Candice calls Tiffany pathetic and says Tiffany doesn't deserve to say Nia's name. LeRae says Tiffany betrayed Nia and her. Candice says Tiffany is jealous because Nia prefers Candice. The crowd is beginning to what her.

A vignette airs hyping up John Cena in the Royal Rumble. Pat McAfee asks if he can win his third Royal Rumble and tie Stone Cold Steve Austin's record. From there, they introduce Tiffany Stratton.

Tiffany Stratton is backstage, and Zelina Vega confronts her! She teases coming for Tiffany's title and is entering the Royal Rumble. Tiffany is out next!

Santos Escobar sees Damian Priest backstage. He suggests Damian work with Legado. Priest yells at him, and Santos says Dom was right and calls him a hothead.

Santos walks away, and Damian Priest looks off-camera and asks what he's doing here. R-Truth is here! It sounds like he's been moved to SmackDown, but it isn't clear because he's confused himself.

LA Knight and Priest then talk. Priest makes it clear they might work together tonight, but tomorrow they're enemies. R-Truth then welcomes them both to "RAW' and says they should form a team.

The crowd is chanting, "This is awesome." They trade pins back and forth, and then Andrade nails the spinning back elbow for the knockout! He pins Miz for the win!

Andrade defeats The Miz by pinfall

Andrade hits a big boot and another chop. The last one destroyed The Miz. Miz then hits a tilt-a-whirl DDT out of nowhere for a near fall! The Miz hits a running clothesline in the corner. He climbs the ropes, but Andrade stops him. Andrade then NAILS The Miz with a solo Spanish Fly for a near fall! Wow!

Back from break and The Miz hits several It Kicks. Andrade counters and nails a huge chop that pops the crowd. Miz goes for a punch, but Andrade hits a Dragon Screw and a flying forearm. He hits running knees in the corner for a near fall.

They lock up and Miz boots Andrade repeatedly. Miz hits a rana from the ropes, which impresses the crowd. Andrade side steps a kick through the ropes and hits a rana then a springboard moonsault to the floor!

After the break, Andrade makes his way out.

The Miz vs. Andrade

This should be an interesting clash of styles. Miz, who was transferred to SmackDown, gets one over quickly, but Andrade's athleticism and skill is too much. He hits a rana on Miz and the crowd cheers him on.

A vignette airs highlighting Jacob Fatu destroying Braun Strowman. From there, The Miz makes his way out. He takes on Andrade NEXT.

Naomi hits the Rear View, but Raquel causes a distraction. Bianca runs over and fights her. Liv gets a quick cheap pin, but Naomi counters and pins Liv!!

Naomi defeats Liv Morgan by pinfall

Raquel Rodriguez attacks post-match. Bianca tries to help, but a backstabber and big boot levels her. They then stacked the champions up and Raquel powerbombs Liv ontop of them both! Ouch!

Liv pulls Naomi's hair to take advantage and nails a running knee. She then hits a Codebreaker from the second rope for a near fall! The crowd loved that, but Naomi is in trouble. Her ribs might be injured.

Back from break and Liv Morgan is in full control. Ringside, Bianca gets the crowd to cheer Naomi on. She fights back and hits elbows and forearms. Liv jumps on her back with a sleeper, but Naomi breaks it. She hits a corner kick and then a back elbow to Morgan. Naomi kicks Liv in the cut and then nails an axe kick. She then slaps Liv's booty randomly.

Liv Morgan gets outpaced and outmatched early on. She leaves the ring to recover. When Liv comes back in, Naomi twerks in her face then hits an atomic drop and a knee to the face. From there, Naomi hits a split legged leg drop for a near fall.

Naomi hits a stalling suplex for another two count, but Liv hangs on. Raquel Rodriguez then causes a distraction and Morgan hits a backstabber!

After the break, RAW's Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez make their way out.

Liv Morgan vs. Naomi

This should be a good one, both are very underrated. Wade Barrett mentions Liv Morgan has been the runner up in the Royal Rumble two years in a row.

Next, Bianca Belair and Naomi make their way out. Naomi will be taking on Liv Morgan after the break.

Pat McAfee and Michael Cole interview Tyrese Haliburton. They briefly talk about NBA and the Royal Rumble Kickoff earlier. Boring.

From there, we get a video package for Kevin Owens and Cody Rhodes.

After the break, Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu are walking backstage. Tama stops and eyes the tag team titles and has a stare down with DIY. DIY then run into Pretty Deadly and they start arguing. Gargano tries to play peacekeeper. Pretty Deadly tell DIY tomorrow they're on their own. Wow!

Sabin is thrown into the barricade repeatedly and this match is seemingly two on four now. Sabin manages to fight back and nearly tags Shelley, but Johnny pulls Alex off the apron.

Tommaso charges for a boot, but Sabin moves and he nails Pretty Deadly! Sabin then rolls up Ciampa for the win!

Motor City Machine Guns and Los Garza defeats Pretty Deadly and DIY by pinfall

None of these teams get along.

Gargano gets the tag and hits a big dive. Then Angel hits a moonsault onto Pretty Deadly to the floor. In the ring, Berto hits a sitout powerbomb on Johnny, but he kicks out at two. The crowd chants "this is awesome."

Berto refuses the tag, so Sabin tags himself in. Berto is mad and pushes Sabin. Angel and Berto start walking out and Ciampa hits a running knee to Sabin, knocking him to the floor.

Back from break and Pretty Deadly are in full control. They attack Sabin, but he ducks a double clothesline and levels them both! The crowd is ready for a tag.

He surprisingly tags in Angel, who levels Kit Wilson. He hits a botched rana and then a flapjack to Elton Prince. Angel rips off his clothes before nailing a crossbody for a near fall!

Oddly, WWE interrupted the match with a brief commercial then went back to it.

Berto and Elton Prince start things off. Berto hits a big diving elbow drop for a near fall. Ciampa tags in, but Berto levels him and hits a moonsault. Motor City Machine Guns tag in and hit double teams. Angel then dropkicks Pretty Deadly to the floor. Los Garza and Sabin then hit dives to the floor. This is fun.

After the break, we get a look at Triple H being surprised by Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker. He'll be in the Hall of Fame class of 2025. Then Legado del Fantasma come out sans Santos and Motor City Machine Guns enter.

DIY & Pretty Deadly vs. Motor City Machine Guns and Los Garza

This should be chaotic. It'll be great for sure.

Next, Pretty Deadly makes its way out. DIY, then come out, too. Ciampa does not like Pretty Deadly.

Backstage, Legado Del Fantasma is talking. Motor City Machine Guns show up. They say they don't like them, and they're not super fond of Legado, but they have to work together tonight. Legado blows them off, and Elektra tells Angel and Berto to look after each other.

Santos tells Motor City Machine Guns they have their title shot, but they need to fight for what they deserve. Angel and Berto warn MCMG that if they beat DIY, they're coming after them.

Knight grabs a mic and says they got a beat down and can get it again. Knight then challenged them to a tag team match TONIGHT! Wow! That will be great.

Damian gets the upper hand, but Tama attacks him. The two then double team Damian. Tama grabs a chair, but LA Knight's music hits! He rushes down and boots the chair away and sends Tama flying. Jacob Fatu punches the chair out of his hand, but Knight and Priest send Fatu to the floor.

Fatu says he and Tama run SmackDown now. Priest asks if that's supposed to intimidate him? He then speaks Spanish at Fatu. Priest asks why they're talking and superkicks Tama.

Jacob and Damian then have a stare down as the crowd chants "holy sh**". The two then start brawling and the crowd erupts!

Fatu says he knows who Priest is and what he's accomplished. Jacob says he and Priest are alike. They both are out of the mud, the gutter, the street. Fatu says the difference between them is he was knocked down in the box. Jacob says Damian can get his hair braided, but don't get it twisted. He is off the leash now and all gas and no breaks.

Barrett says he's terrified of Fatu.

Damian Priest is then interrupted by Jacob Fatu! He comes out with Tama Tonga and notably no Solo Sikoa. Is he still missing?

Fatu rushes to the ring and stares down Priest!

Damian grabs a microphone and talks about starting on RAW four years ago. He says he wanted to make a name for himself. He says he went from betrayer or betrayed, a follower to a leader, and a nobody to a world champion. Priest says that's the past and he is on SmackDown. Damian said now the goal is championships. He says it'll start in the Royal Rumble.

Next, we see Stephanie McMahon in the crowd! She waves and is with presumably her child. Next, Damian Priest shows up after Stephanie's SmackDown return.