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It’s time for this week’s WWE SmackDown results, in a nutshell, as the quest for King and Queen of the Ring continues!
Lots of qualifying to get into, so let’s get into it!
Quick Results:
Nia Jax runs through Naomi to advance to the next round of the Queen of the Ring tournament.
Carmelo Hayes stole one from Baron Corbin, allowing him to advance.
Jade Cargill took out Piper Niven to work her way into the quarters.
Bianca Belair gets past Candace. Could we see tag team title holders meet in the SmackDown semifinal?
Tama Tonga defeats Angelo Dawkins, with some help from the Bloodline.
Randy Orton defeats AJ Styles to move on.
Star of the Night
I guess Solo Sikoa, but at times I wasn’t feeling it. Heyman did more to sell things, proving once again why he landed himself in the Hall of Fame.
Spot of the Night:
I have to go with Jaded on Piper. Given the size difference, we just don’t expect someone to be able to pull it off. Yes, I know the logistics going into it, and it takes two. But it got pulled off, and it was a nice way to showcase Jade’s power game.
Jobber of the Night:
Piper Niven. Poor Piper did the job just a few days after her birthday, losing to Jade Cargill. Did a lot of work to make Cargill look good too, as she even took Jaded.
Upset of the Night:
Nothing
Holy S--- Moment of the Night:
Solo speaks. He confirms the direction we kind of figured we were moving in, with him saying he spoke to Roman where Heyman has not. That Reigns told him he’s in charge until whenever Reigns returns.
Now, the hug of Heyman? That gave me a feeling like it was the same he did to Jimmy. Like, someone is taking out Heyman soon. I may probably be wrong, but that was the vibe I got. What could make Reigns get super over as a face when he returns? Not only does Sikoa take out the Wise Man, but it comes out that Solo wasn’t ever talking to Reigns. I’d believe it.
Botch of the night:
Maybe there was one, but I did not notice.
LOL Moment of the night:
I know this is not supposed to make me laugh, but Solo Sikoa with those fingerless gloves that he can’t even velcro closed? That flap flopping around and a suit that doesn’t quite fit like it was a fine tailored suit? Makes me take him less serious and yes, I laugh. Almost like they are trying too hard to make him now look like the big bad boss. It may grow on me, but for tonight, I laugh.
Noteworthy Moment:
We now know who Cody Rhodes is taking on at the King and Queen of the Ring. Nick Aldis announced that United States Champion Logan Paul will challenge the American Nightmare.
I have some thoughts. One, I don’t like champion versus champion. Two, this feels a touch lazy. There were some reports that WWE was lacking direction for Cody until the return of Roman Reigns or The Rock. This lends credence to that, in my humble opinion.
But, as cocky as Paul is and has been, he’s mostly backed it up. Sure, he wrestles about as much as the Tribal Chief, but he does deliver. My most curious observation? Rhodes pointed out that if and when he wins, he’d claim the US Title and in doing so become a Grand Slam Champion.
My thoughts?I somehow doubt WWE makes it “winner take all. But if they did? It almost assures us of a dirty finish so that neither man drops their belts.
Overall lowlights:
A lot of wrestling, but I would have liked perhaps a match or two unrelated to the PLE tournament? And color me not a fan of Logan Paul just being handed another shot at the big belt. Is he a star? Sure. Are there other people that deserve it more? 100 percent, absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt.
Plus, unless Cody misspoke, making it title versus title with both belts on the line is a bad idea. Because either you have yet another Superstar with two belts (yawn). Or, you are ensuring a dirty finish. Either Logan gets busted with the knuckles, or the Wyatt 6 appear and wreak havoc, or something else.
Overall highlights:
I liked the qualifying matches. But I miss the OG format where the king had to win like, 3 matches on the same night. King Austin or King Bret-any of those original ones? More worthy than say, King Xavier who only won one match the night of the coronation.
After the final bell:
Nothing spectacular tonight. After all the draft movement, and the new arrivals, we were due for a rather color-by-numbers show. They can’t all leave you speechless, right?
More must-reads:
- Saints' QB picture remains unclear with end of preseason nearing
- Who could be the odd man out in Browns QB room?
- The 'Most multi-HR games by MLB team' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Notre Dame Climbs in ESPN’s Preseason Computer Rankings
Two weeks from tonight we'll see Notre Dame and Miami battle it out in South Florida, in a top 10 battle between a pair of teams with high expectations for the 2025 college football season. Two weeks isn't that much time, but feels like forever when you're looking forward to one of the biggest games of the season against one your biggest rivals in program history. Despite any college football games getting going for nearly another week still, Notre Dame has already seen itself move up in the ESPN Football Power Index (FPI). Notre Dame Moves Up in ESPN FPI ESPN updated its Football Power Index to reflect more accurate preseason numbers instead of post-spring information. As a result, Notre Dame moved up one spot from No. 7 to No. 6, passing traditional power Oregon to do so. Here's a look at the full current top 25 according to ESPN FPI. 25. Indiana (Not ranked) 24. Arizona State 23. Missouri 22. BYU (Not ranked) 21. Auburn (-7) 20. Oklahoma (-4) 19. SMU (+1) 18. Kansas State (+3) 17. Miami (-8) 16. Clemson (-5) 15. Michigan (+2) 14. USC (+4) 13. Florida (+5) 12. LSU 11. South Carolina (+4) 10. Ole Miss (+3) 9. Texas A M (-1) 8. Tennessee (+2) 7. Oregon (-1) 6. Notre Dame (+1) 5. Penn State 4. Ohio State 3. Alabama 2. Georgia 1. Texas Nick Shepkowski's Quick Takeaway: A quick look at these ratings and you see a few things stick out. Most notably, the drops of both Clemson and Miami are eye-popping. How did both of those teams manage to drop a combined 13 spots in the ratings since June? There wasn't a major injury for either, so why the significant drops? Basic math can tell you that South Carolina and Florida were among the teams that jumped both Clemson and Miami despite no games or significant injuires taking place. So why on earth are those teams soaring while a couple of the supposed ACC powers are dropping? Like I say here often, sometimes we overthink things when the obvious answer is right under our noses. Instead of asking if something significant happened to the teams that fell or soared, perhaps its wiser to check again with who distributes these ratings. That's right, its ESPN. Do I think they care enough to go through the numbers and make preseason computer polls lean in favor of more SEC teams, whom they have ridiculously large television deals with? I'm not saying they did, but I'm certainly not saying they didn't, either. This is the same place that has turned Kirk Herbstreit into a mouthpiece for the SEC even though the conference's dominance has taken a significant hit in recent years, afterall.
Shane Steichen dropped a big hint about the Colts’ QB battle
The Indianapolis Colts have yet to name their starting quarterback for the 2025 season, but coach Shane Steichen may have dropped a big hint about who the choice may be. Steichen said Saturday that he was close to making a decision between Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson in the ongoing camp battle. He may have tipped his hand, however, when answering a question about what traits he was looking for in his starter. “I think it’s the most consistent guy,” Steichen said, via Joel A. Erickson of the Indianapolis Star. “I really do, because at the end of the day, you’ve got to be able to move the football consistently up and down the field, and making good decisions. You know what I mean? I mean, at the end of the day, you can have splash plays, but if you’re doing that sparingly and up and down. … I think it’s got to be on a consistent basis, to get to where we want to go.” The knock on Richardson all along has been his inconsistency, and it is a bad sign for his prospects that Steichen put such an emphasis on that as part of his answer. Richardson’s physical talents are undeniable, but his decision-making has left something to be desired, and the offense has at times stalled out with him at the helm of it. Jones does not bring Richardson’s big-play potential, but would likely leave the Colts with a better idea of what they will get every Sunday. Richardson has put in extra work to try to win the job, but has been sidelined for a large part of the offseason with a shoulder injury, coupled with a dislocated pinky suffered during the preseason opener. It has also been suggested that Jones entered camp as the favorite, so Richardson had to play well enough to supplant him. Jones started Saturday’s preseason game and went 7-of-11 for 101 yards. Richardson went 6-of-11 for 73 yards, but he had one big play negated due to a penalty. The Colts ultimately lost 23-19 to the Green Bay Packers.
TSN Analyst Shoots Down Bold Canadiens-Ducks Trade Idea
Speculation swirled this week about a possible blockbuster trade between the Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks, but TSN/Forbes legal analyst Eric Macramalla was quick to pour cold water on the idea. The proposed deal centered around swapping top prospects: Montreal defenseman David Reinbacher and Anaheim forward Mason McTavish. On the surface, the trade has appeal. Reinbacher, a right-shot blueliner with legitimate top-pairing potential, would give the Ducks the kind of defensive cornerstone they’ve been searching for. Meanwhile, McTavish could provide the Canadiens with a much-needed second-line center behind Nick Suzuki, filling a hole that’s lingered for several seasons. But as Macramalla pointed out, the trade simply doesn’t add up for Montreal. Moving Reinbacher would leave the Canadiens dangerously thin on the right side of their defense, an area that already lacks long-term depth. While McTavish would be a strong addition, sacrificing a potential top-pairing defenseman is a price too steep for GM Kent Hughes to consider at this stage of the rebuild. Ultimately, while the concept may generate fan debate, Macramalla stressed that the Canadiens aren’t in a position to weaken their blue line just to address their center depth. For now, the deal “won’t work.” Fan Feedback: A Split Reaction Canadiens fans were quick to weigh in on the trade chatter, with opinions ranging from firm rejection to cautious interest. Some backed Macramalla’s stance, with one fan suggesting Montreal could use “other assets the Ducks would like” and another noting the Habs’ young defense core “will be a strength of the team for the next decade.” The Curfew Boys Podcast called it “1 step forward, 2 steps back.” Others saw more merit. One account argued he’d, “Do it one for one,” calling McTavish “more established at this point.” Another echoed that sentiment: “McT is a proven player, make the trade!!” Skeptics highlighted Reinbacher’s lack of NHL experience, and others questioned his durability. Meanwhile, Gord of Thunder took a playful shot at the concept, invoking The Princess Bride: “You never trade a defenseman with top pairing ability for a second line player — it’s inconceivable.” Even creative alternatives emerged, with one fan proposing a three-way deal involving Calgary. The verdict? While many fans respect McTavish’s value, most agree that giving up Reinbacher would leave the Canadiens with a hole too big to fill.
Former Braves Ace Seeing All-Star Season with Yankees Crumble
The early months of the 2025 season saw former Atlanta Braves ace Max Fried deliver one of his best runs of success on the mound. Through 11 starts, he had a 1.29 ERA. He was giving his new team, the New York Yankees, plenty of innings, nearly seven per start. Giving him his third All-Star appearance was a no-brainer, and he was a frontrunner for the American League Cy Young Award. Over the month of June, he came down to earth a bit. By that, we mean he was allowing a couple runs per start instead of one or fewer. His ERA was still 1.91 on July. Then, the wheels flew off the tracks. He hasn't allowed fewer than three earned runs since. He hasn't given up fewer than four runs in a start where he pitched more than five innings, and he only made it through five in one of those starts in which he allowed just three runs. On Saturday, he allowed a season-high seven earned runs when the Yankees took on the St. Louis Cardinals. In his last eight starts, his ERA is 6.80, and his season ERA is now up to 3.26. That's a tick higher than last season (3.25) over 29 starts. All hopes of taking home a Cy Young have gone out the window. At this point, the only hope he and the Yankees have is if he can catch his breath and get back to form. If they're lucky, it's just a bad stretch. July and August weren't so great for Fried either. Granted, last season, Fried was coming off missing time due to forearm neuritis. This year, his injury was a blister. Outside of the All-Star Break, he hasn't gotten more than his usual rest time between starts. Maybe it's a genuine rough patch, and he just needs to make the proper adjustments in order to figure it out. Time will tell. Fried signed with the Yankees (eight years, $218 million) over the offseason after eight seasons with the Braves. In Atlanta, he made two All-Star Games, won two Gold Gloves and was part of the 2021 World Series-winning team. He notably pitched the decisive Game 6. The Braves haven't exactly found the pitcher who will take his place, but based on how things are going, he would simply be joining the woes already plaguing the team over the last few months. More From Atlanta Braves on SI
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