Friday Night SmackDown Results — July 4, 2025: Explosive Independence Day Showdown!
WWE SmackDown results — July 4, 2025
PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Commentary by Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Independence Day crackled with intensity inside the PPG Paints Arena as WWE Friday Night SmackDown erupted with the fallout from Night of Champions.
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From shocking returns and unlikely alliances to dominant factions and a Hall of Fame challenge, the July 4th episode was a packed showcase of rivalries igniting and SummerSlam paths being forged.
Here are the full Friday Night SmackDown Results and key moments:
Opening Segment: Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, and Drew McIntyre Set the Tone
The show kicked off with the new King of the Ring, Cody Rhodes, basking in his victory. Holding his crown high, Rhodes dedicated his moment to Cam, a young fan battling leukemia in Club 66, earning a heartfelt ovation.
He spoke of the crown’s legacy (name-dropping past kings like Austin and Triple H) and its future: a SummerSlam main event against Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena.
Rhodes’ celebration was interrupted by his Night of Champions opponent, Randy Orton. In a surprising show of respect, Orton admitted he hesitated when he had Cody lined up for the Punt Kick, allowing Rhodes to seize victory. “You pulled the trigger,” Orton stated, demanding Cody promise to “kick John Cena’s ass” at SummerSlam.
The moment of mutual respect was shattered with the return of Drew McIntyre, making his first SmackDown appearance in weeks. McIntyre viciously mocked the “beta male energy” between Rhodes and Orton. He accused Rhodes of manipulating Orton and targeting his surgically repaired back, declaring “the legend of Randy Orton is dead.”
Turning to Rhodes, McIntyre shockingly wished him victory at SummerSlam, solely so he could be the one to take the title from him, proclaiming, “I won’t hesitate, unlike somebody”.
Before McIntyre could say more, Orton leveled him with a thunderous RKO, leaving a conflicted Cody alone in the ring as Orton departed. Later, SmackDown GM Nick Aldis made McIntyre vs. Orton official for next week’s Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Analysis
This opening was a perfect blend of storytelling and star power. Rhodes continues to shine as a champion who connects with fans on an emotional level, while Orton’s slight performance added depth to his character.
McIntyre’s return as a heel opponent feels like a natural progression, setting up multiple feuds that could carry SmackDown through the summer. The RKO spot was a crowd-pleaser, but it also served to remind everyone of Orton’s unpredictability.
Triple Threat Tag Team Match: Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair Earn Evolution Spot
The first match of the night was a high-stakes Triple Threat Tag Team Match to determine which duo would represent SmackDown in the Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal 4-Way at WWE Evolution.
The teams were Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair, B-Fab and Michin, and The Secret Hervice (Piper Niven and Alba Fyre). Despite their storied rivalry, Bliss and Flair, reluctant allies, showed remarkable chemistry, overcoming their opponents with a combination of Flair’s technical prowess and Bliss’ cunning.
The chaotic match saw all three teams trade momentum. Highlights included Michin’s suicide dive, Niven’s cannonball onto multiple opponents, and Fyre’s massive Swanton Bomb to the floor. In the climax, Flair speared Niven and condescendingly tapped Bliss on the head to tag herself out legally. Flair then hit a moonsault onto the “Secret Hervice”, distracting Chelsea Green. Bliss capitalized, soaring with Twisted Bliss onto Fyre and Niven to secure the pinfall victory.
Winners: Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss (Earn Spot in Women’s Tag Title Match at Evolution)
Post-match, an awkward hug hinted at the fragility of Flair and Bliss’s partnership heading towards Evolution.
Eight-Man Tag Team Match (Friday Night SmackDown Results): The Wyatt Sicks Dominate
GM Nick Aldis gathered the chaotic SmackDown tag division, reprimanding them for interfering in last week’s Wyatt Sicks title match. To restore order, he booked an Eight-Man Tag: The Wyatt Sicks (Uncle Howdy, Erick Rowan, Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy w/ Nikki Cross) vs. representatives from the division: Montez Ford, Chris Sabin, Johnny Gargano, and Berto.
A standout moment came when Lumis stared down Gargano, crawling on all fours in a chilling display before delivering a spine-chilling suplex. Gacy sealed the victory with a running senton on Berto, solidifying The Wyatt Sicks’ dominance in the tag division. Post-match, SmackDown GM Nick Aldis appeared frustrated backstage, chastising the tag division for their chaos during the previous week’s title match.
This win sets The Wyatt Sicks up as the frontrunners for the tag titles, but Aldis’ comments suggest more challenges lie ahead.
Winners: The Wyatt Sicks
Friday Night SmackDown Results: Andrade & Rey Fenix Continue Rise
In a fast-paced tag team match, Andrade and Rey Fenix took on Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer and Axiom). The bout was a love letter to high-flying wrestling, with all four men delivering jaw-dropping maneuvers.
The high-flying, makeshift team of Andrade and Fenix continued their impressive run. Despite Fraxiom’s signature speed and double-team maneuvers (including their Dive Train to the floor), the experience and synergy of Andrade and Fenix proved too much. Fenix took out Axiom with a dive, allowing Andrade to hit his finisher, The Message, on Frazer for the victory.
Winners: Andrade & Rey Fenix
Main Event (Tag Team Match): Jacob Fatu & Jimmy Uso vs. Solo Sikoa & JC Mateo
The main event saw Jacob Fatu and Jimmy Uso team up to face United States Champion Solo Sikoa and JC Mateo. The match was steeped in Bloodline drama, with Fatu and Uso seeking retribution after Sikoa’s controversial title win over Fatu at Night of Champions.
The action was hard-hitting, with Fatu’s explosive power and Uso’s resilience countering Sikoa’s methodical brutality and Mateo’s opportunistic offense.
The climax came when Jimmy Uso showed fire against his former Tribal Chief. In the chaotic finish, Fatu ascended to the top rope and landed a crushing Moonsault on Sikoa to score a clean pinfall victory over the new US Champion.
Winners: Jacob Fatu & Jimmy Uso
Tiffy Time Meets Stratusfaction: Evolution Title Match Set
WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton confidently declared her focus on facing Jade Cargill at SummerSlam but announced she would also defend her title at Evolution. Queen of the Ring Jade Cargill interrupted, boasting about her victory and warning Stratton that she would become champion regardless of who held the title at SummerSlam.
Stratton then revealed her chosen Evolution opponent: WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus. Stratus entered to a huge ovation, expressing how Evolution holds a special place in her heart, representing the progress of women’s wrestling.
She revealed a personal motivation: “My kids have never seen me be a Champion in the ring.” Stratton welcomed the challenge but warned Stratus times have changed, “It’s Tiffy Time!”.
The Fallout (Friday Night SmackDown Results)
This explosive edition of Friday Night SmackDown set major gears in motion.
McIntyre/Orton is official, the Wyatt Sicks look unstoppable, Flair/Bliss is an uneasy alliance, Stratton/Stratus promises generational clash magic at Evolution, Andrade/Fenix are rising, and Solo Sikoa’s brutal new faction has firmly established its dominance by decimating Jacob Fatu.
The road to SummerSlam just got significantly hotter.
Source: WWE