Take a bow gentlemen.
The Street Profits, #DIY and the Motor City Machine Guns wrestled Friday night on SmackDown like they were out to prove that their TLC Match should have been on the WrestleMania 41 card last weekend in Las Vegas.
All six men left everything they had out in the ring, and in the end, it was Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins who stood tall and retained their WWE Tag Team Championships.
.@MontezFordWWE is built different! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/iGZnpWgeN6
— WWE (@WWE) April 26, 2025
This was a match that was chock full of highlights, including Johnny Gargano hitting a leaping Flatliner off a ladder, MCMG connecting on a Skull and Bones on Gargano through a table, and Angelo Dawkins spearing Tommaso Ciampa off a ladder and through a table as he hung in the air from the tag team title belts.
At one point, Montez Ford even grabbed a prosthetic leg from a fan and began beating his opponents with it. I could not make that up if I tried.
Ford ended up using his trademark athleticism to score the victory. As Chris Sabin and Johnny Gargano battled for the belts at the top of a ladder, Tez scaled the side of it and sent both men crashing to the floor. That cleared his path to climb to the top and retrieve the titles.
THE STREET PROFITS DID IT!!!@MontezFordWWE and @AngeloDawkins just proved WHY they are the WWE Tag Team Champs! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/zOhxY05GeZ
— WWE (@WWE) April 26, 2025
That TLC classic capped off a night that saw John Cena and Randy Orton come face-to-face, Aleister Black make his return to WWE and Zelina Vega capture the Women's United States Championship.
Here's everything you may have missed from Friday's show in Fort Worth, Texas:
John Cena accepted Randy Orton's challenge for a WWE Championship match at Backlash next month in The Viper's hometown of St. Louis.
The never seen 17-time World Champion and his longtime rival had an absolutely insane promo exchange, that saw Orton tell Cena that he should have kids to change his perspective on life. They somehow transitioned into talking about Randy's family and how the Orton legacy hangs in the balance with Cena's plans to destroy professional wrestling.
Orton said he would be damned if he allowed John to succeed in taking the WWE Championship into retirement and he'll get the opportunity to stop that from happening on Saturday, May 10.
This is CHAOS!! @RandyOrton was one step ahead of @johncena... #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/aVTi087apE
— WWE (@WWE) April 26, 2025
Former NXT Tag Team Champions Fraxiom officially debuted on SmackDown and defeated Los Garza. Frazer picked up the win after capitalizing on a Spanish Fly from Axiom. Nathan hit the Phoenix Splash on a down and out Angel to score the three count.
WWE Women's Champion Tiffany Stratton came out to take a victory lap after defeating Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 41, but she was interrupted by Jade Cargill. She said Tiffany may have beaten The Queen, but that doesn't make her the best. When Cargill claimed it was her time to become a singles champion in WWE, Stratton issued an immediate challenge for a match.
Tiffany Stratton and Jade Cargill fought to a no contest. These two women had a hard hitting bout that was cut short when Naomi attacked Jade Cargill. After inflicting a series of wild rights and lefts on her WrestleMania opponent, Naomi calmly left the ring when she came face-to-face with the WWE Women's Champion.
You really thought Nia Jax was done chasing the WWE Women's Championship?! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/xoOpYvJbOl
— WWE (@WWE) April 26, 2025
As Tiffany watched Naomi walk up the ramp, Nia Jax snuck into the backside of the ring from the crowd and blindsided Stratton. She leveled her former ally with multiple big leg drops and then hit an Annihilator for good measure. Jax the held up the WWE Women's Title belt in celebration of her return to television.
Jacob Fatu made his first appearance as the new Men's United States Champion. Solo Sikoa was by his side and tried to take credit for all of Fatu's success, since he was the one who brought him into WWE. Fatu wasn't having any of that and stole the mic from his former Tribal Chief.
LA Knight then made his way out to the ring. He gave Jacob credit for his win at WrestleMania, but the Megastar was ready to run it back tonight. Drew McIntyre's music surprisingly hit next. The Scottish Warrior said that he fully intended on challenging John Cena after his win over Damian Priest, but he said Cena is just a punk now. McIntyre wants to fight the baddest Champion in WWE. He wants to fight Jacob Fatu.
"I would say your last title run was a joke, but I can't remember it."@RealLAKnight, that was cold #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/kbCOCyzKvp
— WWE (@WWE) April 26, 2025
As you can imagine, LA Knight didn't take too kindly to McIntyre trying to cut in line and he challenged Drew to get in the ring. The Scottish Warrior quickly obliged, but SmackDown GM Nick Aldis was out before things became physical. He booked Knight vs. McIntyre for later in the night. The winner will become the No. 1 Contender for the United States Championship.
Zelina Vega defeated Chelsea Green to win the Women's United States Championship. Vega was able to overcome the numbers game as she was fighting Green and her Secret Hervice all match long. Piper Niven and Alba Fyre were eventually caught by the ref and moments after they were tossed from the match, Vega hit a Code Red on Green to capture her first singles title in WWE.
SHE DID IT!!@ZelinaVegaWWE has defeated @ImChelseaGreen and is the new Women's United States Champ! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/ytOIuA0Jsi
— WWE (@WWE) April 26, 2025
The Miz gifted Carmelo Hayes an Andre the Giant gold chain in honor of his battle royal victory last week. Melo says when he wears it, he feels seven feet tall. Both he and Miz dubbed him the 'HIMth Wonder of the World.'
The Miz cut an in-ring promo without Carmelo Hayes by his side. He was ranting and raving about missing out on WrestleMania when Rey Fenix and Joe Hendry were called in last minute to compete. He said he was tired of Superstars coming in and stealing his spotlight. On cue, Aleister Black made his return to WWE and dropped the Miz with a Black Mass.
Aleister Black just took out @mikethemiz!! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/qbjROMeD7O
— WWE (@WWE) April 26, 2025
Drew McIntyre and LA Knight fought to a no contest. The Scottish Warrior reluctantly was in position to win the match after Solo Sikoa got involved and delivered a Samoan Spike to Knight. He clearly didn't want to win that way, but McIntyre was about to accept his gift when Damian Priest suddenly attacked from behind.
Priest was clearly not finished with Drew following their hellacious battle at WrestleMania. After blindsiding McIntyre, Damian slammed him through the announcer's desk with a South of Heaven Choke Slam. A pissed off LA Knight then confronted Priest, but they were both taken out by the United States Champion who grew tired of watching everyone else get to fight.
The United States Champ just took out EVERYONE! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/1SKLwryEGo
— WWE (@WWE) April 26, 2025
R-Truth ran into John Cena backstage and he told the WWE Champion that he's always been his hero. If Cena needs anything, he can call Truth at any time. A confused Cena walks off, as Truth tells a near by Jimmy Uso that he hopes to be just like John when he grows up.
The Street Profits defeated #DIY and The Motor City Machine Guns in a TLC Match to retain the WWE Tag Team Championships. Montez Ford grabbed the gold after knocking Sabin and Gargano off the top of the ladder.
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