Warning: The following copy has SPOILERS for WWE SmackDown (Mar 7th, 2025)
WWE is still reeling from last week’sElimination Chamber, andCody Rhodes will address John Cena’s industry-changing heel turn. What will the WWE Champion have to say, as Randy Orton also returns toSmackDownfor the first time since Kevin Owens put him out of action. Drew McIntyre vs Jimmy Uso is also set in a high-profile rematch, after Uso defeated The Scottish Warrior a few weeks ago.
Elsewhere Chelsea Green defends her Women’s US Championship against Michin in a Street Fight (from the home if ECW, Philadelphia, PA). There will have to be some kind of resolve in the Tag Team division, where DIY’s championships are under threat from Motor City Machine Guns, Street Profits, Pretty Deadly and more. And the Main Event seesShinsuke Nakamura defending his US Championship against LA Knightin a bumper episode ofSmackDown.
Naomi, Bianca And Jade Cook Up A Storm
Naomi’s Emotional Confession Kicks-Off WrestleMania Season With A Bang
For all of the concern about the ability for writers to connect with the audience in the women’s division,Naomi’s betrayal of Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair is one of WWE’s best stories. In a week where focus could (and perhaps should) be on Iyo Sky’s shock victory over Rhea Ripley to set up Belair vs Sky for the WWE Championship atWrestleMania, this incredible segment eclipsed all of that. Emotionally effecting, this tale of jealousy and treachery has struck a chord that should serve as a blueprint for the division moving forward.
Let’s address the elephant in the room first,it’s great to see a women’s angle without a man in sight. This has all been about Naomi’s inability to make things happen on her own terms, Cargill’s credentials being questioned, and the angel of WWE being dragged into the middle of all of it.This was Naomi’s best night in her whole WWE run, her real tears making the audience buzz and pop with a wild “OHHHH!” when she confessed to attacking Cargill. Jade is very Jason Vorhees at present in being “all action, no explanation”, butCargill’s first time holding a mic since being taken out will be must-see TV.
As for the challenger for the WWE Championship atWrestleMania,Bianca Belair is suddenly the focus of the whole division. Iyo Sky awaits, Cargill will surely have her own issues with Belair’s union with her assailant and Bianca will also have to deal with the consequences of costing Rhea bloody Ripley her WWE bloody title. It’s going to be a long few weeks for Bianca Belair back atop the women’s division after a hell of a start to herWrestleManiaseason.
Cody Rhodes Is Legitimately Hurt
The Champion Does What He Can With Despite Everybody’s Absence
There’s no gentle way to say this; one half ofCody Rhodes’s face was mangled by Travis Scott’s slapatElimination Chamber.Rumors had emerged during the weekthat Cody was suffering a black eye and a potential burst ear drum owing to the cheap shot from the legendary rapper, but nothing can prepare audiences for the visual damage done by the strike. At best, it adds to the severity of the assault heard around the world, at worst, it’s ill-advised to say “Don’t try this at home” and then let a rapper assault the WWE champion.
This has got to have been a long week for the WWE Champion. Cody Rhodes has had seven days to find the words to sum up the events of last weekend, and with Cena off shooting Mattel’s Matchbox movie, The Final Boss being nowhere to be seen, and the other guy being a rapper,Cody had nowhere to direct his frustration. He was great when sharing his long history with Philadelphia, and his payoff about the weight of responsibility that comes with being WWE’s “face that runs the place” were great because Cody does not ever miss. This is another show where Cena’s heel turn was discussed, but nothing was added to or progressed though. There’s still over a month from WrestleMania andWWE are going to make us wait for Cena’s answersas to why he broke the world’s hearts.
LA Knight Returns To The Big Time
The Megastar Regains His Title Just In Time For WrestleMania
Cutting straight to the chase,this has been a weird few months for the men’s United States Championship. Knight won the belt after a great feud with Logan Paul, and didn’t really have the opponents or stories for his reign to be everything we wanted it to be. He then dropped the title to Shinsuke Nakamura out of nowhere, who has then lurked around in the shadows with the title while barely defending it, and has now has returned it to LA Knight.
WithWrestleManiaaround the corner,LA Knight is a great pick for US Championat this juncture. He’s one of SmackDown’s most consistent performers who’s hot with every crowd he performs in front of. There’s just over one month to go until the biggest show of the year, and there is no obvious plan for either men’s mid-card championship atWrestleMania. It’s adding more excitement to what is alreadythe most unpredictableWrestleManiaseason in years.
This was an entertaining SmackDown, where the lead talking point will beCody Rhodes' extreme facial injuries at the hands of Travis Scott. Chelsea Green and Michin had a fun Street Fight and the idea of the US Champ employing an all-Scottish Secret Hervice team is a nice twist, especially if Alba Fyre is capable of fulfilling the role. In a massive ending, LA Knight will walk into WrestleMania season with the US Championship back around his waist with victory over Shinsuke Nakamura in the Main Event.
