WWE continues down the road to SummerSlam 2025 tonight in “The Lone Star State.”
WWE SmackDown returns this evening at 8/7c on the USA Network, live from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
On tap for tonight’s show is a Jacob Fatu appearance, the SummerSlam contract signing for John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes, Stephanie Vaquer vs. Alba Fyre, Charlotte Flair vs. Raquel Rodriguez, as well as Fraxiom vs. MCMG vs. DIY vs. Rey Fenix & Andrade to determine the No. 1 Contenders to the WWE Tag-Team Championships.
Featured below are complete WWE SmackDown results from Friday, July 18, 2025. The report was written by PWMania.com reporter Matt Boone (@MattBoone0709) as the show aired from 8-10pm EST. on USA Network.
WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS – JULY 18, 2025
‘WWE Then. Now. Forever. Together.’ kicks things off as always. From there, we get right into it.
Car Accident Kicks Off The Show
We shoot directly into the parking lot area of the Frost Bank Center, where we see members of Solo Sikoa’s family have been involved in what appears to be a significant car wreck. Some of the guys have blood on them. Cathy Kelley talks to WWE Raw General Manager Adam Pearce.
Pearce says he just got here like Cathy, and doesn’t fully know what’s going on other than the obvious. He says Nick Aldis took the night off. Cody Rhodes walks up and asks about a change to the contract for his SummerSlam rematch against John Cena.
Charlotte Flair vs. Raquel Rodriguez
Backstage, we see Alexa Bliss holding Lilly as Charlotte Flair walks up, informing her that they have a title match at WWE SummerSlam 2025 against Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez. She says she needs Bliss out there like her cheerleader tonight.
Inside the arena, Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett welcome us to the show as Charlotte Flair’s theme hits. “The Queen” comes out accompanied by Bliss, who is sporting pom-poms. After she settles in the ring, her opponent, Texas’ own Raquel Rodriguez, comes out with Roxanne Perez.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with our opening contest. Rodriguez gets the upper hand early with some strikes, before Flair sends her to the outside before posing. On that note, the show shifts gears and heads into a mid-match commercial break.
When the show returns, we see Charlotte has managed to fight back from the corner before laying in some chops on the champ as the crowd woos in response. She takes Raquel to the mat for a pop from the fans, before sending Rodriguez to the corner.
She sets up for a cross body onto Rodriguez…who rolls through to land a slam on the Queen for a two count. She brings Charlotte back up to her feet, only for Flair to fight back with a boot. She goes for a figure four leglock, but Roxanne hops on the apron to distract her.
The ref is preoccupied with this, allowing Bliss to attack Rodriguez on the top rope before Flair rolls her up after a thrust kick for the win. After the match, Charlotte and Bliss’ relationship seems to be getting stronger as they celebrate. The champs glare at them.
Winner: Charlotte Flair
Update On Car Wreck: Cops Talk To Jacob Fatu
We shoot backstage after the match, where some cops approach Adam Pearce. They have some questions for a Mr. Jacob Fatu. Pearce takes them to Fatu.
They tell Fatu that they have some questions for him about the crash that took place earlier today. Fatu refuses to talk. Pearce tries helping cool things down as we head into another commercial break.
Tiffany Stratton, Jade Cargill Talk WWE SummerSlam
The show returns and after hyping up SummerSlam we go to a video package highlighting the upcoming WWE Women’s Championship match for the show, with words from champion Tiffany Stratton and the 2025 Queen of the Ring, Jade Cargill.
They discuss the similarities and differences they’ve experienced since arriving in WWE around the same time, and why they’re going to walk out of “The Biggest Party of the Summer” with the title.
Damian Priest vs. Carmelo Hayes
Footage is then shown of the match between R-Truth and Aleister Black from last week’s show, as well as Damian Priest trying to cool Black down after the loss, only to get kicked in the dome for his effort.
In follow-up ‘earlier today’ footage from backstage, we see Priest looking for Black, which leads to him running into Carmelo Hayes. Hayes says he warned Priest about Black, but Priest insists he’s going to make Black beg for forgiveness.
Priest also talks about shutting people up, and offers a match to Melo tonight when Melo makes a crack he didn’t like. Hayes says he’s been looking for an opportunity like this, before Priest says he hopes he keeps that energy when they’re in the ring.
Inside the arena, Hayes’ theme hits and he makes his way to the ring as the show shifts gears and heads into a quick pre-match commercial break. When we return, Hayes maintains control as both men are back in the ring. He runs down Priest, who fires back up to lay into Melo.
This doesn’t last for long, however, as Hayes catches him with a cutter off the ropes. He heads to the corner, invoking San Antonio’s own Shawn Michaels by “tuning up the band,” but a Sweet Chin Music is no good as he gets caught with a boot by Priest.
Hayes starts to fight back, setting up for La Mistica, but Priest counters out! Melo heads to the corner to go after Priest, countering a South of Heaven into a Codebreaker. Splash off the top turnbuckle gets him a two count. We get a “this is awesome” chant as Priest leaves the ring for a breather.
Hayes goes for a dive but gets caught, before Priest slams him onto the announce table. He brings Melo back to the ring before going “Old School” with a rope walk…only for Aleister Black to appear, knocking Damian off the rope as the ref calls for the bell.
Hayes eventually opts to leave the ring rather than deal with Black, who hits a Black Mass on Priest before sitting down beside him, saying “I heard you’re looking for me.”
Winner: Damian Priest
Latest From The Wyatt Sicks
We see a look at the teams involved in a four-way no. 1 contender tag-team title eliminator later tonight. The winners will challenge The Wyatt Sicks for the gold. On that note, we cut to a scratchy video update from The Wyatt Sicks.
The Wyatt Sicks deliver a message about stripping their foes of their wicked desires. They offer to be a guide to those who follow. On that note, the show shifts gears and heads into another commercial break.
Solo Sikoa Gets A Title Match And An Arrest
As the show returns, we hear the familiar sounds of Solo Sikoa’s theme. Out he comes with his MFTs, Tala Tonga, JC Mateo and Tonga Loa. They come to the ring and Sikoa gets on the mic. Solo talks about tonight proving what kind of man Jacob Fatu really is, saying he only cares about himself.
The crowd are getting more riled up as Sikoa talks about bringing Jacob to WWE and helping him feed his family…and how Fatu deserves none of it. Jacob betrayed the only real family he has, and Solo should’ve known. Once a criminal, always a criminal. Solo is soon cut off as we get a look on the screen.
We see Jimmy Uso awaiting the arrival of a police car as Jacob Fatu steps out. The cop says they’ve determined based on the footage that he is not the person of interest, and he is free to go. With that, Jacob makes his way through Gorilla position, heading straight down the ramp.
Jimmy Uso catches the group by surprise. Fatu enters the ring to clean house, as we see Talla Tonga trying to dismantle Jimmy…only to take a dive through the ropes by Fatu! Talla rises back to his feet before Jimmy and Jacob land some kicks leading to a cross body by Jimmy.
Back in the ring goes Fatu, as Jimmy stops Solo to bring him back in the ring for a thrust kick by the Samoan Werewolf. Jacob sets a chair up around the neck of Sikoa in the corner, but is cut off by JC Mateo before he can go through with the attack.
Talla brings Sikoa out of the ring as Mateo and Tama take a splash and moonsault by the Fatu-Uso connection. Jacob grabs the chair to slam it against the back of Mateo and Tama, as we hear Adam Pearce come out to address Solo’s actions tonight. He lets the United States Champion know that he will defend the title against Fatu at SummerSlam.
It won’t be just any match, though. It will be inside a steel cage. He then calls for the police, saying “he’s all yours”, before we see them arrest Solo Sikoa. The eventful segment comes to an end on that note.
Stephanie Vaquer vs. Alba Fyre
We see footage of Jelly Roll, Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Back from break, we get a look back at what went down moments ago before commentary hypes the steel cage match made official for the United States Championship.
The show heads to another break as Stephanie Vaquer makes her way to the ring. When we return, Alba Fyre has entered the ring as we get this match underway. Vaquer takes the fight to Fyre early on, setting up for a nearfall. She quickly sets up a bridge for another nearfall.
She then hits some headbutts when both women are back up. Alba cuts her off at the ropes with a thrust kick before bringing Vaquer back in the ring. She goes up top for a senton, but lands on Stephanie’s knees which gives Vaquer the opening to deliver the Devil’s Kiss.
The crowd pops and Wade Barrett on commentary pops even louder. Vaquer then connects with the SVB for the win. Afterwards, the celebration is cut short when Piper Niven tries to rush her in the ring, but Vaquer sends her out of the ring to regroup with Fyre on the ramp.
Winner: Stephanie Vaquer
WWE Tag-Team Title No. 1 Contender Match
Andrade & Rey Fenix vs. FrAxiom vs. DIY vs. Motor City Machine Guns
We shoot backstage, where we see The Street Profits addressing their loss to the Wyatt Sicks last week. They’re keeping a close eye on the situation as we get ready to see new number one contenders named tonight.
DIY pop up to mock the Profits for losing and forcing them to “save the SmackDown tag division.” They make their exit as we go to ringside for our next match, where DIY make their way to the ring as we head to a break.
When the show returns, Fraxiom and Motor City Machine Guns are already in the ring and Andrade and Rey Fenix make their entrance to get this match underway.
Frazer and Sabin start things off as they trade offense, but it doesn’t take long for chaos to ensue before Andrade and Fenix clear the ring. Fraxiom get a measure of revenge before MCMG send them out of the ring for a baseball slide on DIY on the outside.
Sabin hits a dive through the ropes to take them to the floor. From there, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break as this high stakes four-way tag-team tilt continues. When we return, we see several more minutes of back-and-forth action.
Things culminate with the ring getting cleared out as Andrade looks for a hammerlock DDT, but Candice LeRae distracts him for a roll up by Ciampa for two. Fenix comes running in to take Gargano back out of the ring, allowing Andrade to take Ciampa down with the DDT. 1-2-3. Andrade and Rey Fenix are next in line for the tag titles held by The Wyatt Sicks.
Winners and NEW No. 1 Contenders to WWE Tag-Team Championships: Rey Fenix & Andrade
Next Week On SmackDown
After the previous match wraps up, we head to ringside where Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett are shown on camera. They begin hyping next week’s episode of WWE SmackDown.
The show will feature Rey Fenix & Andrade vs. The Wyatt Sicks for the WWE Tag-Team titles, as well as appearances from Jelly Roll and Logan Paul alongside their SummerSlam tag partners Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre.
WWE SummerSlam Contract Signing: John Cena vs. Cody Rhodes
It’s main event segment time!
We shoot backstage, where we see Cody Rhodes has the contract in-hand and is walking the halls getting ready to come to the ring for the scheduled WWE SummerSlam contract signing for his WrestleMania 41 rematch against John Cena for the Undisputed WWE title.
On that note, we shift gears and head into a quick pre-segment commercial break. When we return, we see Adam Pearce is standing by, welcoming us to the contract signing for the Undisputed WWE Championship match at SummerSlam before introducing first the challenger, Cody Rhodes.
Cody makes his entrance to a big pop from the crowd, contract in hand as he heads to the ring. He takes a quick moment to sign the contract himself before taking the microphone to ask San Antonio what they wanna talk about. He appreciates the warm reception.
He brings up the fact his father and brother are both Texans before noting that he got the opportunity to become WWE Undisputed Champion. He brings up the idea of not flinching, stating that he didn’t flinch when he returned to WWE or on a number of occasions since.
He says he did, however, flinch at WrestleMania against John Cena. The mention of the champ gets a mixed reaction from the crowd. Rhodes understands the unenviable task of trying to take the title way from one of the most beloved wrestlers in the history of our game, but it is the task given to Cody for SummerSlam.
It takes two for this dance to work, so he asks Adam Pearce to help move this along. Pearce obliges by introducing the Undisputed WWE Champion, John Cena. Big pop followed by “John Cena sucks” chants reveals the duality of the wrestling fan, as Cena makes his way down the ramp.
John enters the ring, calling for the music to be cut before asking Cody to take a seat. Cena also sits down, but before he signs he says he has bad news for everyone, he is not going to be at SummerSlam. The crowd starts booing as Cena addresses having to film for a big project with Netflix.
He says due to exhaustion involved it is best that he not physically compete at SummerSlam. He tries to explain his situation further offering to do the match in Paris or something, but if he puts his name down he has to be at SummerSlam. Right now, physically and emotionally, Cena can only give the fans so much.
He thanks the fans for their understanding. He promises Cody he’ll get his rematch, but it won’t be at SummerSlam. Cena takes his leave from the ring, but Rhodes cuts him off to send him into the ring post…only for John to fight back, sending Rhodes into the ring steps instead.
He sends Cody into the ring before grabbing the title from the ramp. Cena gets back in the ring, but misses hitting Cody with the title…and that allows Rhodes to hold the belt in his hands instead. He makes good on what Cena could not, taking the champ down with a shot to the head before putting him onto the table.
He takes the contract before going up top, driving Cena through the table before grabbing his hand to forcibly sign the contract for the match. He then gets down and yells, quite loudly by the way, in an unconscious John Cena’s face that it won’t be just any match at SummerSlam, it’ll be a Street Fight! That’s how the show ends. Thanks for joining us!
