WWE Friday Night SmackDown comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (June 20, 2025) with a live show emanating from the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan, featuring all the latest build to the upcoming Night of Champions event scheduled for later this month in Saudi Arabia.
Advertised for tonight: WWE Champion John Cena is back for the rematch against R-Truth after repeated attacks from the artist now also officially known as Ron Killings.
Plus, semifinal matches in the King & Queen of the Ring Tournaments. On the men’s side, Randy Orton takes on Sami Zayn for the right to go to Riyadh while the women’s side will see Alexa Bliss take on Asuka. All that and more!
Come right back here at 8 pm ET when the SmackDown live blog kicks off once the show starts on USA Network. It will be below this line here. (Note: Links to illegal streams are prohibited. Pics and GIFs are allowed.)
WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR JUNE 20
It seems as though I’ve lived my life on the bad side of the moon, to stir your dregs in sickness still without the rustic spoon. Common people live with me where the light has never shone, and the hermits flock like a hummingbirds to speak in a foreign tongue, but me? I’m just here to liveblog this here pro wrestling show for you, folks.
The usual montage of talent arriving at the arena follows.
We follow LA Knight through to his entrance and getting on the mic.
He rewinds his mind back to Money in the Bank where Seth and his boys just happened to come down and screw him (Maybe it’s got to do with the pheromones that Joe is always talking about you letting out LA? Just sayin’ bud. Anyway.) so he screwed Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed both out of King of the Ring and it’s got him thinking.
There’s only one way this ends, and that’s with him and Seth Rollins here and tonight.
Enter Paul Heyman.
He introduces himself and berates the crowd for booing mention of Seth Rollins. He says Knight is right, lots has gone down between him and Seth, and he’s here tonight— “CM Punk!” chants drown him out on his way to the point and LA gets him back on track, and Paul continues saying he’s actually the biggest LA Knight fan in all of WWE and he’s been waiting a long time to say YEAH.
Because of that, Seth has allowed him to come here and say to LA that it’s time for him to get the hell out of Grand Rapids, Michigan, because if he doesn’t, something really bad is going to happen to him before the end of the night. He bids Knight a nice evening and steps back.
LA asks if he really just threatened him and says he’s heard him say he’s a big fan before but that’s because he’s a liar, a swindler, a grifter, a schemer who leeches on to any talent with a bit of hype and sucks ‘em dry before moving onto the next. He asked for Seth Rollins but he got Paul Heyman talking pretty damn tough so it’s got him thinking.
There was a point in time where if Paul spoke to him like that a man like him would have punched his teeth down his throat, but he’s not doing that yet. Instead, since Heyman’s talking so tough, that must mean the only thing they can do here in Grand Rapids is LA Knight vs. Paul Heyman, right here, right now. (Van Halen is kicking ass in America?)
So LA is gonna turn his back right now and take his stuff off and let Heyman have the first shot, and he better make it a good one or he’ll mollywhop him all the out of Grand Rapids.
Paul leaves the ring and reminds him of the part where he said something bad would happen if LA didn’t leave, and says that wasn’t a prediction, it was a spoiler.
Enter Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed.
They stride to the ring calmly and put boots to Knight, kicking him out of the ring and throwing him over the timekeeper’s barricade! LA recovers and grabs a chair and fends the heels off and we go to break!
Back from commercial, we get a recap of what we just saw, because SmackDown is three hours long. (Three hours long.)
Paul Heyman is backstage with Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed, insisting they’ve got things under control and this all works in their favor.
Byron Saxton rolls up and Bron tries to attack him like a dog and Heyman holds him back. Saxton apologizes and says he’s just bringing word that Nick Aldis booked a match between Bronson Reed and LA Knight, and Heyman thanks him before telling Reed that patience isn’t a virtue, it’s a strategy.
Alexa Bliss vs. Asuka (Queen of the Ring Semifinals)
Bliss side headlock, shot off, Asuka lights her up with palm strikes but Alexa takes her down for a dropkick! Empress blocks a kick, German suplex denied, off the ropes and she bowls Bliss over with a shoulder block! Hip attack sends Alexa to the floor and we go to break!
Back from commercial, Bliss getting a head of steam with shoulder blocks, a running blockbuster, slap, an elbow, a knee strike, Alexa off the ropes, front flip senton, cover for two! Back and forth, ducking and dodging, buzzsaw roundhouse gets Asuka a nearfall! Bliss hits the DDT… SO CLOSE!
Flying armbar applied, Alexa rolls around trying to escape, Empress shifts to an omoplata Fujiwara armbar… BLISS GETS THE ROPES! Neckbreaker for another nearfall, off the ropes, Alexa clobbers her with a punch, into the Tree of Woe, dropkick connects! Twisted Bliss… THE KNEES ARE UP! Asuka comes off the ropes…
Asuka wins by pinfall with Empress Impact.
Backstage, B-FAB, Mia Yim, and Jade Cargill are shown watching.
Mia and B-FAB go off to talk to Nick Aldis about the tag titles and tell Jade she’s got this.
Byron Saxton rolls up to interview Cargill.
She says Roxanne Perez has potential but she’s still trying to prove herself, and this isn’t a proving ground, it’s a throne room and she’s ready for the crown.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, Alexa Bliss runs into Chelsea Green and the Secret Hervice.
They bicker about Queen of the Ring and Charlotte Flair rolls up and says she’s gonna get a match against Green and tap her out tonight. Chelsea yells something about calling a bank holiday and storms off, leaving Alexa to tell Charlotte she doesn’t need her help and Flair to tell her she wasn’t trying to help her.
Kit Wilson is in the ring for a match.
Aleister Black makes his entrance and— RON KILLINGS IS HERE AND BEATING POOR KITTY DOWN! HE CHOKES HIM OUT IN THE STF AND GETS A MIC TO DEMAND JOHN CENA GET HERE NOW ‘CAUSE HE’S DRIVING! He locks the STF back in and road agents stream past a confused Al Black to pull the Truth off of Wilson!
Jamie Noble seems to talk sense into Ron and they leave together.
We get a recap of the GUNTHER/Goldberg segment from Raw and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Ron Killings is backstage with Jamie Noble.
Killings says he wants John Cena right now and Noble tells him to be patient.
Aleister Black rolls up to ask why Ron is getting involved in his matches and he says it’s nothing personal, it’s nothing to do with him. Damian Priest appears and tells Black Killings is going through a lot and he’ll talk to him. Al leaves and Damian says he gets being frustrated but you can’t just go around beating everybody up.
He used to do that and Truth would show up for him and make him smile and defuse that energy, and tonight he wants Ron to handle his business with Cena nad then they’ll go downtown and celebrating, and Killings agrees that that sounds good.
“American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes makes his entrance and gets on the mic.
Before he can speak, “Main Event” Jey Uso makes his entrance as well.
We get a lot of yeet business before finally Rhodes tosses Uso a microphone and they get to it. Jey says Cody doesn’t have to say anything because they’ve been in the trenches together and they’ve both been to the mountaintop, but on Monday there’s only room for one of them. It’s not personal, it’s strictly business, but on Monday after they go to war, please believe it’s gonna be four letters, one word, yeet.
They shake hands—
Enter Sami Zayn.
He says this is great and he gets to share the ring with two great friends and two of the best this business had to offer and he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t aware that of the three of them in the ring, only one of them has never won a world title. But he’s proud of both Jey and Cody for their successes all the same.
Enter Randy Orton.
He tells Cody that there’s no line he won’t cross, up to and including going through Cody, to get his fifteenth world title. He tells Uso that he respects the hell out of him and their families go way back, but if he’s standing across the ring from him it’s gonna be three letters and one move.
He speaks not just for himself but for Cody and Jey and everyone in the crowd when he says that one day soon Sami Zayn will be world champion… but SummerSlam’s not that day, because tonight he’s gonna be on the receiving end of an RKO.
And so we go to break.
Randy Orton vs. Sami Zayn (King of the Ring Semifinals)
Feeling out, mat grappling, trading wristlocks, Orton with a side headlock, wrenching it in but Zayn reverses to a kneeling armbar. Arm wringer, big chop, chops in the corner, Sami off the ropes, Randy ducks so an Arabian press taunt is the rule of the day. Orton returns to the ring, gets Zayn in the corner, hauls off with an eyepoke and follows it with uppercuts!
Throwing Randy to the floor, Orton trips him up and back suplexes him into the announce desk! Another back suplex into the desk and we go to break!
Back from commercial, Zayn up and over, clobbers Orton with a lariat! Off the ropes, Randy hits the snap scoop powerslam and Sami rolls to the apron! Hanging DDT follows, out to the floor again, Zayn lands on his feet and back suplexes the Viper into the announce desk! Throwing him back inside, Sami collects himself, ducks a charg and Orton takes the post hard!
Waiting in the corner, calling for it… HELLUVA KICK COUNTERED INTO THE SNAP SCOOP POWERSLAM BUT ZAYN KICKS OUT! Blue Thunder Driver gets Sami back into it… SO CLOSE! Sami blocks the RKO, charges out of the corner… THIS TIME THE RKO CONNECTS AND IT IS OVER!
Randy Orton wins by pinfall with the RKO.
Nia Jax is shown walking backstage to send us to break.
Back from commercial, Nia Jax is in the ring and gets on the mic.
She says it’s crazy that Tiffany Stratton approached her to be under her wing because she knew exactly what she could do for her, and now she’s thriving, but what kind of thanks did she get? Tiffany betrayed her and has her title!
Enter Tiffany Stratton.
she says Nia is like a toxic ex she just can’t get away from. She makes excuse after excuse but when is she gonna admit that Stratton is just better than her? Jax says if she’s so much better why can’t she get a rematch without a steel chair to her face? Tiffany says it’s her lucky day ‘cause she’s made it official, next week it’s just the two of them.
She’s gonna have fun adding scars to that fivehead, because it’s a Last Woman Standing match! Stratton attacks but Nia blocks a dropkick and drops the leg on her, holding the title high after.
Naomi comes rushing down with the briefcase and referee Ryan Tran but Nia Jax pulls her out of the ring to stop her! She does it again and Tiffany recovers and blasts Naomi into Jax with a dropkick and the champion stands tall!
We get a video package for CM Punk vs. John Cena.
Chelsea Green and the Secret Hervice make their entrance to send us to break.
Charlotte Flair vs. Chelsea Green
Feeling out, big kick from the apron from Flair, she has to fend off Alba Fyre but keeps the advantage, heading up top and landing a diving crossbody for two! Chelsea takes advantage of some interference for a slam and we go to break!
Back from commercial, Flair hammering elbows, switching it up with chops, fallaway slam, kip-up, fired up and saluting! Duck a lariat, handspring lariat of her own… NOPE! Rough Ryder gets Chelsea a nearfall and she takes her protective mask off in frustration! Killswitch blocked, off the ropes, Charlotte lands a spear… STILL NO!
Spinning toehold countered with an inside cradle, Flair goes back to it after the kickout, to the figure four leglock, bridging back…
Charlotte Flair wins by submission with the Figure Eight.
Post-match the Secret Hervice jump Flair but Alexa Bliss makes the save and hits the Sister Abigail DDT on Green! Bliss offers a handshake but Charlotte cold shoulders her and simply walks on by.
JC Mateo is taping his wrists up when Solo Sikoa asks what he’s doing.
JC says he’s gonna take care of Jacob Fatu, but Solo insists he’s gonna go and talk and smooth things over with words. He does, however, tell Mateo to be ready, and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Solo Sikoa makes his entrance, alone, and he gets on the mic.
He says he’s waiting for Jacob Fatu with open arms, he feels terrible about what happened, and asks him to come out and clear the air.
Enter “Samoan Werewolf” Jacob Fatu.
Sikoa reiterates that he didn’t come out here to fight and tells Fatu he loves him and he’s always loved him, and as Tribal Chief he learned how to love and take care of your family and that’s what he’s trying to do. Families fight, they argue, they forgive, and then they move forward, so he wants to move forward, together as one.
He says nobody saw Jacob’s potential or wanted him here except for him, which is why he brought him here and put food on his family’s table, and he did that out of love. And he doesn’t have anybody else, just Fatu. Not just that, he’s all Solo needs. He wants him to come back to the family even if he doesn’t say the four words, he’ll say them for him to everybody, and he does, he tells Fatu he loves him.
Jacob says the way he sees things, Sikoa has been using him to gain power and to fight his battles and so that he could stay Tribal Chief. He brought him in so he could bring Solo fame and gold, is that what this is about? Fame, gold, Tribal Chief, power? He demands Sikoa look at him when he’s talking to him.
He says ever since he won the United States Championship, Solo has been looking at him different, and he figured it out. Maybe the problem isn’t him, maybe the problem is the title. Jacob lays the title on the mat between them and says if that’s what he thinks it is, then he wants Solo to fight him for it!
And if he thinks about do it, he knows what Jacob Fatu is about, all gas and no breaks, yadimean? He blocks a Samoan Spike and bowls Solo over with a headbutt! JC Mateo arrives to save his pal and the Samoan Werewolf falls prey to That Damn Numbers Game!
“BIG” JIM USO MAKES THE SAVE! Superkicks aplenty but Mateo takes him down with a lariat! Fatu recovers and takes JC and Solo out with superkicks! Headbutts in the corner to Sikoa, another superkick for Mateo, Ode to Rikishi on Solo! Jacob turns to address Jim Uso, they stare each other down for a beat before Fatu goes to the corner for the moonsault but Sikoa runs away!
As the heels lick their wounds, Jacob approaches Uso just enough to grab his title belt and we go to break.
“Big” Bronson Reed vs. LA Knight
Knight with a sneak attack before the bell, Reed holds Breakker back and the match begins! LA putting boots to him in the corner, rolling away from an Earthquake Splash, Bronson shoves him through the ropes but he recovers, slingshot caught into a fireman’s carry, Knight floats over and posts him but the big man shrugs off the neckbreaker!
LA uses the ropes for leverage to take Reed down, calls for the elbow but Bronson runs away to the floor! Baseball slide sets up a springboard crossbody to the floor and we go to break!
Back from commercial, jockeying for position in the turnbuckles, Knight lands a diving elbow… NOPE! Reed calls for it, powerbomb countered into a DDT! LA slow to cover, Bron Breakker up on the apron running interference and Knight wallops him! Low bridge sends Bronson to the floor, but Bron hits the ring and lands a spear…
LA Knight wins by disqualification.
Post-match, Breakker hits a second spear! Bronson off the top… 747 SPLASH! A second! Reed goes up top a third time, Bron clears the ring of referees and a third splash has hit the Megastar!
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get a recap of what we just saw, because SmackDown is three hours long. (Three hours long.)
Jacob Fatu cuts a promo where he yells that he spoke to Nick Aldis and he got his match against Solo Sikoa at Night of Champions with the United States Championship on the line. Solo better get in where he fits in or it’s about to be all gas, no breaks, yadimean?
Ron Killings makes his entrance to send us to break.
John Cena vs. Ron “the Truth” Killings
Killings rushes in, double leg, grounded punches, Cena bails and Ron is right after him with more punches! Smashing John’s face into the announce desk, another big slap, back inside and Truth lands a huge whip to the corner as we go to break!
Back from commercial, “You can’t see me!” sets up the Five Knuckle Shuffle sets up the fireman’s carry, Ron slips out, Lou Thesz Press into mounted punches! Stinger Splash, Cena falls out to the floor and grabs his title belt and decides to take a walk! Referee Aja Perera warns him off, Killings rushes after him and wallops him with right hands on the ramp!
John blasts him in the face with the title belt and Perera calls it…
Ron Killings wins by disqualification.
Post-match, CM Punk makes the save and Cena cuts him off in the ring and puts boots to him! CM recovers and punches away, grabbing the title and holding it high but John kicks him low and reclaims his title belt! Cena lays in wait and clocks Punk with the belt right in the dome! The champion goes under the ring and gets a Slim Jim branded table out and slides it inside!
John sets the table up in the middle of the ring as Punk pulls himself to his feet, and again clobbers CM with the title belt! Fireman’s carry… ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT THROUGH THE TABLE! Cena goes to the timekeeper’s area for a microphone and returns to the ring, laughing. He sets himself up on the turnbuckles and speaks.
He quotes the Pipe Bomb, telling Punk as he’s laying there in his most uncomfortable he hopes he can listen and digest, because before he leaves in six months with the WWE Championship he’s gotta get a whole lot of stuff off his chest. First things first, he doesn’t hate him, he doesn’t even dislike him. He likes Punk more than anyone he’s ever shared a locker with does.
But he hates this idea of him that he’s the Best in the World, he’s not. John says he’s the Greatest of All Time, and Punk is better than him at one thing, he’s the best bullshitter in the world. Oh no kiddos, John Cena just dropped a curse word, the show is off the rails! He waves and breaks the fourth wall.
He’s jealous that CM Punk has convinced people of this myth and they chant for him and sing for him, but they don’t believe a goddamn word he says, because he changes his values as much as Cena changes his t-shirts. He says CM is just a loudmouth opportunist who steps on the necks of people who are just working hard.
He shouts out Claudio Castagnoli, Nic Nemeth, and Matt Cardona and says nobody’s gonna cut his mic and save Punk. Who gave him the stage back then? Ever since he’s repeated the same five words of promo doom, promo potato salad. He’s no longer the Voice of the Voiceless, he’s a millionaire despite himself. He’s not a punk, he’s a capitalist, and he’s not anti-TKO, he’s Mr. TKO.
He says Punk’s tweets are strong and his actions are weak, and in Saudi Arabia he’s gonna face some loud, loud music when Cena proves that he’s always been the greatest of all time. The crowd cheers this and John says they know, and that CM Punk WAS the Best in the World… for seven minutes, fourteen years ago.
And if after Night of Champions he’s still delusional enough to think he’s the best in the world, well, it’s a small world after all. He thanks Grand Rapids and says the mood is starting to change and now Aja Perera hits the ring to check on Punk. He says he’s not doing any more damage, Punk has to rest up for their match.
Best in the World against the Greatest of All Time for the most coveted prize in sports entertainment, the WWE Undisputed Championship. They’ll sing and they’ll chant, but they’ll see the truth, the champ is here. He tells USA to keep the extra two and a half minutes because he doesn’t need a bomb to [censored] this motherfudging building.
He thanks Punk for letting him rip off his promo to expose him and drops the mic.
Cena stands tall in the turnbuckles while Perera tends to Punk.
That’s the show, folks.
