WWE’s blue brand is live tonight from “The Lone Star State,” as the road to WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event in a couple of weeks continues with the December 5, 2025 episode of WWE SmackDown from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.
On tap for tonight’s two-hour WWE on USA Network primetime program is Gunther vs. LA Knight in the finals of “The Last Time Is Now” tournament to determine John Cena’s WWE retirement match opponent, Cody Rhodes will address what is next for the Undisputed WWE Championship, Ilja Dragunov will continue his WWE U.S. Championship Open Challenge series, Solo Sikoa will address The Wyatt Sicks, plus WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill vs. Alba Fyre, and Alexa Bliss vs. Kairi Sane.
Featured below are complete WWE SmackDown results from Friday, December 5, 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 5, 2025
“WWE Then. Now. Forever. Together.” gets things started as always. We then shoot inside the Moody Center, where we see various WWE Superstar arrival shots.
Nick Aldis Kicks Drew McIntyre Out Of The Building
We see Drew McIntyre exiting a white truck, when WWE SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis stops him with security. They argue and Drew says he won at WarGames, he’s not suspended. Aldis tells him he is still suspended and to leave.
Drew says he will leave but not for Aldis, for the security because he doesn’t want to hurt them. He gets in the car but in comes Cody Rhodes from the passenger side and he hits Drew, raking him in the eyes. WWE security breaks it up and they hold Cody off as Drew drives away.
Cody Rhodes Kicks Things Off
Rhodes continues walking with a purpose, as Michael Cole and Corey Graves on commentary remind us of the attack he suffered at the hands of Drew McIntyre on his ‘American Nightmare’ tour bus. The camera follows a worked-up Rhodes as he walks through the halls.
He continues straight through Gorilla Position, as his familiar theme hits and the crowd explodes. He doesn’t stop and pose. He doesn’t acknowledge fans on his way to the ring. He makes a beeline for the squared circle, where he settles inside and grabs a microphone.
Rhodes talks about McIntyre being a cockroach and pulls a line from The Godfather about him breaking an unwritten rule when he attacked him on his tour bus, “where his wife sleeps and his kids play with their toys.” He tells Nick Aldis to reinstate him immediately so he can deal with him.
The Terror Twins To Battle Aleister Black & Zelina Vega Next Week
A pre-taped vignette is shown featuring new comments, direct-to-camera, from Damian Priest. He talks, as clips are shown, of the attack he suffered at the hands of Aleister Black and Zelina Vega, including the fireball being thrown in his face. Rhea Ripley appears with Priest and The Terror Twins will face Black and Vega next week.
WWE United States Championship (Open Challenge)
Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Carmelo Hayes
From there, we shift gears and head backstage. We see #DIY and Candice LeRae talking among themselves while they are still in possession of Axiom’s mask. Tommaso Ciampa makes it clear he’s not a jackass, and that it’s time for the U.S. title shot that he deserves.
Carmelo Hayes walks up and tells Ciampa he’s gonna have to wait, because he’s “got next.” With that said, we return inside the Moody Center to the sounds of Ilja Dragunov’s entrance tune. Out comes “The Mad Dragon” for his latest WWE United States Championship Open Challenge.
As he settles inside the squared circle for our opening match of the evening, the show heads into a quick pre-match commercial break. The show returns to Carmelo Hayes’ theme hitting. The former NXT Champion emerges and makes his way to the ring.
The bell sounds and this one gets officially off-and-running. Like most Dragunov U.S. title open challenge matches, this one is physical, and from the word ‘go.’ After some good, fast-paced, hard-hitting back-and-forth opening action, we see Dragunov send Hayes out to the floor, where Hayes looks to have hurt his leg.
As he recovers on the floor at ringside, the show shifts gears and heads into a mid-match commercial break. When the show returns, we see Hayes taking it to Dragunov back inside the ring, but Dragunov begins to fight back. “The Mad Dragon” hits rolling German suplexes.
We see some more back-and-forth action. Things spill out to the floor. Hayes hits a DDT on the apron that knocks Dragunov silly. Hayes slams Dragunov onto the barricade. He rolls him in the ring and goes to head to the top for Nothing But Net, but his leg gives out. Dragunov hits an H-Bomb to retain.
Winner and STILL WWE United States Champion: Ilja Dragunov
Backstage With Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss
Backstage, Cathy Kelley is standing by with Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. Charlotte brags about how bad Bliss needed her help and how she’s committed to their team and friendship. She’s happy that WarGames is handled, but now they’re focused on regaining the women’s tag-team titles and beating Kairi Sane tonight.
Backstage With LA Knight
An extended video package airs to show ‘The Last Time Is Now’ tournament leading to tonight’s finals between Gunther and LA Knight, with the winner moving on to face John Cena in his WWE retirement match at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event. Afterwards, LA Knight is interviewed briefly backstage.
Kairi Sane vs. Alexa Bliss
Inside the arena, The Kabuki Warriors theme hits and out comes the WWE Women’s Tag-Team Champions. Kairi Sane will be in one-on-one action next. As she makes her way to the ring accompanied by Asuka, the show shifts gears and heads into a quick pre-match commercial break.
When the show returns, we see Alexa Bliss come out accompanied by Charlotte Flair. The bell rings and we are under way. Sane gets Bliss in the corner and hits her with right hands. Sane to the ropes and she goes for a sunset flip cover but Bliss reverses it and Sane kicks out.
Sane with a slap to the face. Sane taps Blis on the head and Bliss slaps her. Bliss trips Sane up and lands a senton. Sane rolls to the outside of the ring. Bliss gets on the ring apron and the referee is distracted by Sane as Asuka trips Bliss up. Sane throws Bliss into the barricade.
On that note, we shift gears and head into a mid-match commercial break. When the show returns, we see Sane is on the top rope but Bliss with right hands. Bliss climbs the second rope but Sane with right hands and Bliss is in a tree of woe. Sane with a double stomp.
She goes for the cover but Bliss kicks out. Sane goes for a sliding elbow but Bliss moves out of the way and Sane hits the bottom turnbuckle. Sane with right hands and a drop kick. Sane to the ropes and she lands the Natural Selection.
Sane goes for Sister Abigail but Asuka gets on the ring apron and that distracts Bliss. Sane goes for the cover but Bliss kicks out. Flair trips Asuka up and hits her with a big boot. Sane with a right hand onto Bliss. She climbs the top rope and goes for the InSane elbow but Bliss gets on her feet and catches her.
She hits her with Sister Abigail. Bliss goes for the cover and gets the pin. Out come Nia Jax and Lash Legend and they hit Flair and Bliss from behind. Legend with a right hand onto Alexa and Nia with a Samoan drop onto Flair. Sane is down in the corner but in comes Asuka from behind.
She hits Nia with a back hand and Asuka with a back hand and kicks onto Legend. Asuka runs towards Nia but Nia slams her down. Sane jumps onto Nia’s back but Nia throws her onto the mat. She gets up and Lash with a big boot onto Sane. Nia climbs the second rope but Asuka grabs Sane to the outside of the ring. Nia and Lash Legend hold up the Women’s Tag Team Championships.
Big WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Announcement
We cut to the back and Nick Aldis is with Cody Rhodes. Aldis asks Cody if he is ready to do this and he says he is. They walk into Nick’s office and Oba Femi is there with Ricky Saints. They ask Nick why they are in his office. Nick says all will be revealed, just not by him.
Cody shakes their hands. Cody says next week at Saturday Night’s Main Event, who ever wins tomorrow at NXT Deadline, will wrestle him at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Cody tells them good luck and walks away. With that said, the show moves on.
Backstage With Nia Jax & Lash Legend
Back from commercial, Nia Jax and Lash Legend are backstage. Cathy asks them if their attack was necessary. Nia says they deserved it. Lash says that they are coming after the Women’s Tag Team Championships and there is nothing any of the teams can do about it.
Jade Cargill vs. Alba Fyre
Jade Cargill makes her way out to the ring for non-title action. The show heads into a pre-match commercial break. When the show returns, Alba Fyre makes her way out accompanied by Chelsea Green. The bell rings and we are under way.
Green is on the ring apron with her two Championships and she is talking to Jade. Alba with a drop kick and right hands. Alba lands a hurricanrana. She goes for a tornado DDT but Jade pushes her away. Alba lands on her feet and she hits Jade with a right hand.
Jade leans onto the second rope and Green with a right hand with the referee distracted. Out come Giulia and Kiana James. Giulia with right hands onto Chelsea. That distracts Alba. She turns around and Jade with a spine buster followed by a big kick. Jade hits Fyre with her Jaded finisher for the victory.
Winner: Jade Cargill
Backstage With FrAxiom, Ilja Dragunov & Nick Aldis
We cut to the back and Fraxiom are with Nick Aldis. They tell Aldis that they cannot stand DIY and they ask for a match against them. Axiom says he stole his mask but in comes Ilja Dragunov. He says if that jackass is begging for attention, he has it.
He tells Aldis that he wants the match. Aldis makes the match for next week and Ilja says after he has him, Fraxiom can have what is left of him. Dragunov turns around and he is face to face with the MFTs. Solo tells them to walk away.
Backstage With Jade Cargill, B-Fab & Michin
We see WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill is walking backstage and she walks passed B-Fab. She tells B-Fab that she saw what she did to Alba and asks her if it reminds her of something.
In comes Michin with a kendo stick. Jade calls Michin a lap dog but Michin says she is B-Fab’s friend. Jade says she will talk to Nick Aldis and that Michin will step up and get stepped on.
The MFTs And The Wyatt Sicks Drama Continues
Solo Sikoa’s music hits and out comes Solo and the MFTs. Solo says he told everyone that they were going to handle the Sami Zayn problem and that is what they did. He says he and his family can finally move forward which brings him to the Wyatt Sicks and Uncle Howdy.
He says they have been watching the Wyatt’s too. He says his name is Solo Sikoa, this is his ring, this is his show and this is his family tree. He says Uncle Howdy’s family has something that belongs to his family, the Tag Team titles.
He says you hurt him and his family is going to hurt Uncle Howdy. He tells Uncle Howdy everything that was Bray’s and Solo points to the sky. He says that is now Uncle Howdy’s, that will become his. He says he will take everything away from him.
Everything that he loves, all the memories and he will show everyone that he does not deserve the name Wyatt. Solo says he will take it away because he can. All he has to do is Bo-Lieve. Solo throws the microphone and his music hits as the MFTs leave the ring.
The lights go out in the arena and when they come back, Solo is alone in the ring and the Wyatt’s are on the ring apron. He turns around and he is face to face with Uncle Howdy. The MFTs get on the ring apron. Wyatt with a right hand and Solo with a right hand.
Both teams get in the ring and begin to fight. Talla Tonga and Rowan are in the ring face to face. Both men with right hands and Talla with a big boot onto Rowan but Rowan with a big boot onto Talla and Talla falls to the outside of the ring. Solo holds the MFTs back.
Backstage With The Miz, Bayley, Sol Ruca & Nick Aldis
We cut backstage and Miz is with Nick Aldis. Miz says he beat John Cena at WrestleMania and he should be Cena’s final opponent. Aldis says he’s not even on the show. He says not just anyone can be booked on Saturday Night’s Main Event.
In comes Bayley who thanks Aldis for being booked on Saturday Night’s Main Event. Miz says unbelievable and walks away. Aldis says her match is against someone from NXT and the door knocks. In comes Sol Ruca and Aldis walks away. Bayley says things are different on Raw and SmackDown. Sol Ruca says she knows.
Gunther Sends A Message To John Cena
We cut to Cathy Kelley with Gunther. He tells her that it does not matter where you live, what language you speak. The name Ring General Gunther, translates to victory. He says he will beat LA Knight and he will beat John Cena in his final match. And he is aware there is a whole locker room of passionate and hungry superstars.
But he offers his condolences to them because this tournament is a foregone conclusion. He tells Cena they know that they cannot see Cena but he is certain that Cena can see him. He wants Cena to watch and pay attention, not to the fact that he will beat LA Knight but to how he will beat LA Knight.
“The Last Time Is Now” Tournament Finals
LA Knight vs. Gunther
It’s main event time!
But first, the commentators run down the updated lineup for next week’s WWE SmackDown after a response vignette to The Terror Twins airs featuring Aleister Black and Zelina Vega, the latter of whom was holding a snake. After it wraps up, we see another excerpt from Tom Rinaldi’s interview with John Cena.
Now we return inside the Moody Center, where we hear the familiar sounds of LA Knight’s theme music. “The Mega Star” makes his way to the ring as the brackets for “The Last Time Is Now” tournament are shown on the screen as Michael Cole talks us through how both finalists got to this spot tonight.
Knight settles in the ring and his music dies down. The new, old full-length version of Gunther’s theme hits next and out comes “The Ring General” to the ring as well. His tune fades down and the ring announcer handles the final formal pre-match ring introductions.
The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this one. LA Knight is unbelievably tan. Gunther is unbelievably not. Knight bum-rushes Gunther with repeated punches, with the crowd yelling “Yeah!” as each shot connects. On the floor, Knight runs over Gunther as the show heads to a mid-match break.
When the show returns, we see Gunther is now in a dominant offensive lead, having his way with “The Mega Star” as Corey Graves puts over “The Ring General” as someone as a lifelong pro wrestling fan, he absolutely loves to watch in the ring.
Knight hits an AA but can’t finish things off. A Burning Hammer should also finish things, but doesn’t. With that in mind, the action continues as the show heads into a second mid-match commercial break as the action in this high stakes main event continues. The show returns and Gunther gets the win via tap out to end the show.
Winner and ADVANCING to face John Cena at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event: Gunther
