The go-home edition of WWE SmackDown for the Money in the Bank & WWE x AAA Worlds Collide Premium Live Event was presented from the Dignity Health Arena in Bakersfield, California. The show concluded with some final statements and built up to the action-packed weekend ahead for the WWE superstars, which could be a game-changer for a select few.
Moreover, the show’s ending once again saw John Cena and Logan Paul confront Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso. However, this time, it was Cena and Paul who gained the upper hand on them and ended WWE SmackDown with momentum shifting to their side ahead of Money in the Bank.
Quick Results
- Jimmy Uso defeated J.C. Matteo in a singles match.
- Zelina Vega defeated Piper Niven in a Bakersfield brawl.
- LA Knight picked up the win over Aleister Black via disqualification.
- Stephanie Vaquer, Rhea Ripley & Alexa Bliss defeated Roxanne Perez, Naomi & Giulia in a six-woman tag team match.
- Penta & Andrade El Idolo defeated The Creed Brothers in a tag team match.
Best Match
The best match of WWE SmackDown this week goes to the high-octane action produced by the women’s division in the six-woman tag team match pitting the Money in the Bank participants. One side was Stephanie Vaquer, Rhea Ripley & Alexa Bliss taking on the team of Roxanne Perez, Naomi & Giulia.
It was a highly captivating and fast-paced bout that saw loud cheers for Ripley, Vaquer, and Bliss. Moreover, it produced a stellar showdown and ended with a twist. As Roxanne Perez was inching to tag Naomi, she walked off. This led to The Prodigy feeling the wrath of Vaquer and then Ripley, who pinned her for her team’s victory.
Worst Match
Out of all the matches that took place, the opening contest between Jimmy Uso and J.C. Matteo did not live up to expectations. It had the lowest reaction and a roll-up pin finish by Big Jim, which itself was lackluster. The only highlight was the brewing tensions between Matteo and Jacob Fatu, which cost him the match.
Noteworthy moments
One of the biggest highlights of the night was the main event segment. As Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, and John Cena came to the ring, Logan Paul snuck from behind to launch an attack on Uso. Cena then went after Cody Rhodes. The duo continued to beat down their MITB opponents and closed out the show by saying that the fans’ dream will be ruined not before both men hoisted the World titles above their heads.
Another noteworthy moment was the announcement of the start of the King and Queen of the Ring tournament next week by RAW and SmackDown GMs, Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce. It will feature superstars from both brands, with the finals taking place at the Night of Champions PLE in Saudi Arabia. The winners will receive World Championship matches at WWE SummerSlam 2025.
One more highlight was the classic showdown between LA Knight and Aleister Black. It was one of the top bouts of the night, with both men delivering a stellar match that led to a ‘This is Awesome’ chant erupting. However, the ending saw Seth Rollins and his faction come out to end it in chaos to make a statement ahead of the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder match.
Another highlight was Bo Dallas appearing on the screen with one more eerie message. It was highly cryptic but was clearly directed towards the entire tag team division of WWE SmackDown, which somewhat shook them to their core, as seen in a backstage segment right after.
Another highlight was an explosive tag team match where Penta and Andrade El Idolo took on The Creed Brothers. The highly spectacular showdown saw Chad Gable trying to run interference, only to be neutralized by his Worlds Collide opponent, the AAA Mega Champion El Hijo del Vikingo. Penta delivered the Mexican Destroyer on Julius Creed for the win. However, the team’s celebrations were cut short following a post-match beatdown by Seth Rollins and his unit.
Holy Sh!@ Moments
A shocking moment saw John Cena acknowledging the ‘We Want Truth’ directed towards him by fans who wanted to see the released R-Truth back in WWE. He settled it down with a perfect jab and said, “You can’t handle the Truth.’
Another major Holy Sh!@ Moments came in the Bakersfield brawl between Zelina Vega and Piper Niven. The first was Vega delivering a jaw-dropping Code Red on a much bigger Niven from the top rope.
Another one was Vega dropping Niven onto a table from the top rope following some kendosticks strikes by Giulia, who came down to the ring.
Lowlights
In the final moments of the hard-hitting Bakersfield brawl, Giulia came out to aid Zelina Vega against Chelsea Green’s Secret Service. She helped Vega to secure the win, but attacked her right after. The Beautiful Madness then held the Women’s United States Championship in hand and signaled her intentions.
Another lowlight was the opening segment with Seth Rollins and stablemates coming out. The Visionary proclaimed that he would win the Money in the Bank tomorrow. They were confronted by Solo Sikoa and his Bloodline, resulting in a heated exchange of words.
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