WWE SmackDown returns for the final time in 2025 tonight.
A new taped episode from the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan airs at 8/7c on USA Network and Netflix featuring the latest WWE U.S. Championship Open Challenge from Ilja Dragunov, The Miz vs. Joe Hendry, and Drew McIntyre’s SmackDown return.
Featured below are complete WWE SmackDown results from Friday, December 26, 2025. The report was written by PWMania.com reporter Matt Boone (@MattBoone0709) as the show aired from 8-10pm EST. on the USA Network.
WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS – DECEMBER 26, 2025
“WWE Then. Now. Forever. Together.” narrated by Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque gets us started, per usual. We then shoot into an extended video package looking at the tumultuous history between Undisputed WWE Champion “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes and his nemesis “The Scottish Psychopath” Drew McIntyre.
Cody Rhodes Talks To Nick Aldis
From there, we see Rhodes being confronted by Nick Aldis, who reminded him if McIntyre issued the apology to referee Dan Engler and paid the fine, Rhodes cannot touch him or he’d be stripped of his Undisputed WWE Title.
After Rhodes left, The Miz angrily demanded that Joe Hendry’s music not be played. However, just as Aldis said his name, the ever-infectious music of Hendry hits as we head down to ringside to get this week’s show officially off-and-running.
Joe Hendry Holiday Concert
It’s time for some holiday music. Joe Hendry is in the ring with Alpha Academy and others dressed in Santa Claus-style Christmas holiday gear. Hendry begins his holiday concert. Hendry goes on to sing a song about how Miz supposedly has “tiny balls.”
The song is sung to the tune of the holiday classic ‘Jingle Bells.’ As he continues belting out the custom holiday tune, he is cut off by the owner of the miniature sized nuts himself. The Miz comes out and Hendry suggests The Miz join in on the song and continues singing.
The Miz interrupts him again and tells everyone to shut up and gets in the ring. The Miz says now that John Cena has retired, he is now the locker room leader. Nick Aldis comes out and says their match is a Miracle on 34th Holiday Street Fight. On that note, we head to a commercial break.
Miracle On 34th Holiday Street Fight
Joe Hendry vs. The Miz
When we return from the break, our first match of the evening is underway and it is, in fact, the aforementioned Miracle on 34th Holiday Street Fight. These two waste no time getting after it in this one, which is essentially an anything-goes hardcore-style match with Christmas decorations as weapons and props.
Miz with right hands but Hendry with a shoulder tackle. Hendry with a vertical suplex and Miz rolls to the outside of the ring. Hendry to the outside and he unwraps a gift at ringside. Hendry pulls out a guitar and Miz unwraps a gift and he gets a ukulele. Miz opens up another box and it’s two small ornaments.
He hits Hendry with them and goes for the Skull Crushing Finale but Hendry pushes him away. Hendry with a hip toss and Miz falls through a Christmas tree. Hendry pulls out a table from under the ring and he slides it into the ring. Hendry places the table towards one of the corner.
In comes Miz who rolls Hendry up but Hendry kicks out. Miz goes for the Skull Crushing Finale but Hendry pushes him away. Hendry goes for the Standing Ovation but Miz lands on his feet. Miz runs towards Hendry but Hendry lowers the top rope and Miz to the outside.
Miz gets back in the ring and Hendry rolls to the outside and he stands with Otis and Tazawa. Otis throws a gift into the ring and Miz hits elbow drops on it. Commercial break. Back from commercial, Hendry with a clothesline. Otis and Tazawa throw the Christmas tree in the ring and Hendry hits Miz with it.
Hendry with a fall away slam. Hendry grabs the tree and throws it onto Miz. Hendry throws Miz to the outside of the ring. Tazawa has a cookie sheet in front of Miz but Miz kicks Tozawa down. The Eastern bunny and Otis walk towards Miz but Miz grabs a big candy cane. He hits the Easter bunny with it and goes to hit Otis with it.
Otis grabs it and breaks it. Miz turns around and Hendry hits Miz with a candy cane. Hendry throws Miz into the ring and he talks to Otis. Hendry, Otis, Tazawa and the Easter bunny get in the ring. Tazawa brings in Christmas cookies. Hendry with a fall away slam.
Otis with the worm and he grabs some cookies, eats some and lands the elbow on Miz. Tazawa climbs the top rope and he lands a senton. The Easter bunny takes off the head and it’s R-Truth.
He hits Miz with the You Can’t See Me and the Five Knuckle Shuffle. Hendry hits Miz with the guitar and he lands the Standing Ovation through the table. Hendry goes for the cover and gets the pin.
Winner: Joe Hendry
Backstage With Fraxiom & Ilja Dragunov
We cut to Carmelo Hayes with Fraxiom. In comes Ilja Dragunov. He tells Hayes that what they did last week was beautiful. But something has been eating him alive. The way their US title match went down, he can’t lift that weight.
Hayes tells him it eats him alive knowing what could have been or what should have been. Ilja tells him to consider the open challenge closed and tonight, it’s Hayes against him for the United States Championship. They shake hands and Hayes tells him he won’t miss.
Drew McIntyre Arrives
We see Drew McIntyre walk into the arena and he is stopped by Cathy Kelley. He tells her that he will tell her about his title match but not right now. We head to a break.
Aleister Black Update
Aleister Black promo airs where he talks about Damian Priest and says all of a sudden, Priest decided to give all of himself away. In comes Zelina. She says the Judgment Day, Rhea Ripley and R-Truth. She says Priest gave his time to everyone else and all they did was take from him.
Zelina says they reminded him of who he is and for six months, they stripped him down, made him unpredictable, hateful and violent. Zelina says but Priest doesn’t get it. Black says Priest answers to them and this ends when he says it ends.
Backstage With Jade Cargill
We cut to Byron Saxton who is with Jade Cargill. She says Michin came to her with a kendo stick and that told her everything she needs to know. She says she doesn’t need weapons, she is the weapon. She tells Michin to bring her kendo stick because she will need it.
Backstage With B-Fab & Michin
The camera cuts to B-Fab and Michin. B-Fab tells her she knows she is stepping up for her but she doesn’t want her to get hurt. Michin says that Jade thinking that they are scared could be used to her advantage.
She says they are not scared, they don’t respect her. Michin says Jade needs to be humbled and with our without the weapon, next week, they will humble her.
Lash Legend vs. Charlotte Flair
Inside the arena, we get entrances for our next match. The bell rings and we are under way. Flair with an arm bar but Legend gets Flair in an arm bar. Flair gets out of it but Legend with a knee. Legend with a body slam. She grabs Flair but Flair with a chop to the chest.
Legend with a clothesline and she throws Flair in the corner. Flair to the ropes but Legend with an uppercut. She goes for the cover but Flair kicks out. Legend with a big boot but Flair with a kick to the side of the head. Flair runs towards Legend but Legend with a powerbomb.
We head to a break. Back from commercial, Legend with a body slam. She goes for the cover but Flair kicks out. She grabs Flair but Flair with a right hand. Flair grabs Legend but Legend throws Flair towards the corner. Flair goes over the top rope and onto the ring apron.
Legend runs towards Flair but Flair with a kick to the side of the head. Flair climbs the top rope and she lands a cross body. Flair with chops to the chest. She grabs Legend but Legend throws Flair to the ropes. Legend goes for a clothesline, Flair ducks but Legend with a big boot.
Legend goes for the cover but Flair kicks out. Legend lifts Flair up, Flair with a sunset flip cover but Legend kicks out. Legend with a clothesline. She goes for the Lash Extension but Flair reverses it into a DDT. Flair climbs the top rope and she lands the moon sault.
She goes for the cover but Legend kicks out. Flair goes for the Figure Four but Nia gets on the ring apron. That distracts Flair and Legend kicks her into the turnbuckle. Alexa jumps onto Nia’s back. Legend runs towards Flair but Flair rolls her up into the sunset flip cover for the victory.
Winner: Charlotte Flair
Backstage With Nick Aldis, Trick Williams & Cody Rhodes
Backstage, we see Nick Aldis and he is with Trick Williams. He tells Aldis that Raw is offering him the bag and he asks Aldis if SmackDown will offer him something. In comes Cody Rhodes and he asks Trick for a minute. Trick walks away and Cody asks Aldis if Drew has paid the fine and apologized. Aldis tells him not yet.
He tells Cody to control his emotions and one finger from him, Cody loses the title. In comes Trick Williams. He tells Cody that he is the hottest free agent in the game and if Nick makes the right decision, Cody better hold on to the title tight. Cody looks at him and walks away.
Solo Sikoa & MFTs Update
We see a video package of Solo Sikoa and the MFTs air. Solo tells Uncle Howdy that Uncle Howdy does not have a family. He says that he has created a family, something that Uncle Howdy knows nothing about it.
He tells him to hang on to the Tag Team titles as long as he can because the fireflies are flying away. Solo Sikoa tells Uncle Howdy that he has the whole world in his hands.
WWE United States Championship (Open Challenge)
Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Carmelo Hayes
It’s time for title action. After the ring entrances for the champion and challenger, the bell sounds to get things officially off-and-running with this one. Ilja with chops and Hayes with chops. Ilja with knees to the face and he lands a kick to the side of the head.
Dragunov with a German suplex and he hangs onto Hayes. Ilja with another German suplex. He lifts Hayes up and throws him onto the mat. Ilja with a chop to the chest followed by a boot to the face and Hayes falls to the outside of the ring.
On that note, the show shifts gears and heads into a mid-match commercial break as the action in this high stakes title tilt continues. When the show returns, we see Dragunov go for a big boot but Hayes with a boot to the face. Hayes with a clothesline followed by a chop to the chest.
Hayes with a clothesline followed by a springboard clothesline. Hayes runs towards Ilja but Ilja with a running knee. He goes for the cover but Hayes kicks out. Ilja climbs the top rope and goes for a senton but Hayes moves out of the way. Hayes with a face buster. He goes for the cover but Ilja kicks out.
Hayes with chops to the chest. He goes for another chop but Ilja with chops followed by a boot to the face. Ilja goes for the H-Bomb but Hayes with a kick to the side of the head. Hayes with a springboard DDT. He goes for the cover but Ilja kicks out. Hayes climbs the top rope and jumps but Ilja grabs him.
Ilja to the ropes and he lands the Constantine Special. Ilja climbs the top rope and he lands the senton. He goes for the cover but Hayes kicks out. We head to a break. The show returns and the intensity in this one begins to start picking up.
Hayes goes for the First 48 but Ilja grabs him. Hayes with right hands but Ilja places Hayes on the top rope. Ilja on the second rope but Hayes with right hands and a headbutt. Ilja falls to the mat and gets up. Hayes jumps but Ilja with a kick to the side of the head.
Ilja grabs Hayes and Hayes falls onto the ring apron. Ilja grabs Hayes and he places him on the second rope. Ilja with a suplex and he goes for the H-Bomb but Hayes gets his knees up. Ilja with a kick to the face. He lifts Hayes up and slams him. He goes for the cover but Hayes kicks out.
Ilja places Hayes on the top rope and Ilja goes for a superplex but Hayes reverses it into a cutter. Hayes goes for the cover but Ilja kicks out. Ilja gets on the ring apron, Hayes goes for a DDT but Ilja grabs him and gets him on his shoulders. Hayes with elbows to the face and Hayes on the ring apron.
Ilja with chops and he gets Hayes on his shoulders, slamming him onto the ring apron. Hayes rolls back into the ring. Ilja climbs the top rope and jumps but Hayes with the First 48. Hayes climbs the top rope and he lands Nothing But Net. He goes for the cover and gets the pin. Dragunov puts the title around Hayes’ waist.
Winner and NEW WWE United States Champion: Carmelo Hayes
Backstage With Women’s Division Tag-Teams
We cut to Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. She tells Flair that after last week, it was nice to see Lash lose. Flair says as long as they do that every week and bring the Tag Team titles back home. In come Rhea Ripley and IYO. Rhea.
They tell them that they have a Tag Team Championship match. In come Nia Jax and Lash Legend. They all start to argue. In come Nick Aldis and the Kabuki Warriors. Aldis says next week, it will be an eight women tag team match. They all start to argue. We head to a break.
Backstage With New U.S. Champion Carmelo Hayes
Back from the break, Cathy Kelley is with Carmelo Hayes. He tells her that he was delayed but not denied. He thanks Ilja Dragunov for elevating the Championship, for elevating him and reminding him who he is. He says the jerseys are going back in the rafters. In comes Johnny Gargano who lays Hayes out and vows to take his title.
Chelsea Green & Alba Fyre vs. Giulia & Kiana James
Inside the arena, we get ready for women’s tag-team action in our next match of the evening. Following the respective ring entrances, the bell rings and we are under way. Chelsea and James start the match. They push each other and Green with a slap. Green rolls her up but James kicks out.
James with an arm bar and Giulia is tagged in. Green runs and Fyre is tagged in. Giulia goes for a right hand onto Chelsea but Chelsea jumps off the ring apron. James is tagged in. Fyre goes for a tornado DDT but James places her in the corner. James spears her in the corner.
Green distracts James and James goes for a super kick onto Fyre but Fyre with a right hand. Fyre with a tornado DDT. She goes for the cover but James kicks out. Chelsea is tagged in and they double team James. She goes for the cover btu James kicks out. Green throws James over the top rope and Giulia is tagged in.
Giulia grabs Green and she throws her across the ring. Giulia hits Fyre with a right hand. Giulia with a knee to the face followed by a snap suplex. Giulia climbs the top rope and she lands a drop kick. In comes Fyre but Giulia throws her to the outside of the ring. Giulia with the Northern Lights Bomb for the win.
Winners: Giulia & Kiana James
Backstage With Nick Aldis, Kit Wilson & Cody Rhodes
Nick Aldis is with a referee and Kit Wilson. A TV is behind them. He asks Aldis for an opportunity and Aldis says there will be an opportunity for him next week. He leaves and in comes Cody Rhodes. He asks them if Drew has apologized and we hear Drew’s music. Cody sees him and Aldis tells him to control his emotions, he will handle it.
Drew McIntyre & Cody Rhodes Close The Final SmackDown Of 2025
It’s main event (segment) time!
We see “The Scottish Psychopath” Drew McIntyre make his way down to the ring. As he does, we head into a quick commercial break. When the show returns, we see McIntyre, Nick Aldis and a referee are in the ring. Aldis says the situation with Cody has gotten out of hand but he will not put all of the blame on Drew.
He says when things really went off the rails is when Drew attacked the referee. He says he is a man of his word and Drew has to be a man of his word. Drew says he is a man of his word. He gives Aldis his check and says not to spend it all at once.
Drew looks at the referee and he tells him that he is genuinely sorry that he Claymore’d him in the face. It has kept him up for weeks, no matter what he did, he should not have done that. The referee nods his head and Aldis thanks him for that. Drew says that wasn’t easy for him but this is.
He says that it is obviously the referee’s dream to be a wrestler but he was not good enough. And he had to be a referee. Drew says he apologizes to his lovely wife Melissa, that she had to watch him Claymore him in the face and make her wish she had a husband like Drew who could stand up for himself.
Drew says he feels sorry and he apologizes to his children, that they have such a coward, corporate stooge for a father. He asks the referee if he wants to get revenge on him right now. Cody’s music hits and out he comes to the ring. Drew tells Cody to hit him, he knows he wants to.
Drew asks the fans if they want to see Cody punch him in the fans and they cheer. Drew tells him to shed those tears like a teenage girl who is trying to get her daddy’s credit card. Drew says he knows why Cody is so upset. It’s because he attacked him in his tour bus, where his family sleeps.
He says his family wasn’t there when he attacked him but he wishes they were. His wishes his children could see him and that his wife Brandi could see what a real man looks like. Aldis holds Cody back and Drew tells him to do it. Drew tells him they are not doing their match in America. They are going to do it in Germany.
He says Cody is trying to get in his head to make it hell and he is obviously in Cody’s head making it hell. Drew says it will be him against Cody Rhodes for the WWE Championship, Three Stages of Hell. Cody agree. Drew says there is one more thing.
When he tortures Cody in Berlin, when he sends him straight to hell, to say hi to his dad for him. Aldis grabs Cody but Cody pushes Aldis away. Drew hits Cody with the Claymore and he looks at the WWE Championship. Drew grabs the title as the show goes off the air. Thanks for joining us!
