WWE SmackDown results, highlights (June 20): John Cena stuns CM Punk with wild pipebomb promo
John Cena has been holding out on the world with his heel work after the latest "WWE SmackDown." (Photo by Craig Melvin/WWE via Getty Images)
It's perplexing how, all in the same week, "WWE Raw" can be as massive of a stinker as it was, while "WWE SmackDown" enters Grand Rapids, Michigan, and delivers in spades. Honestly, this week was the perfect example of what it looks like when the company tries to book creatively.
Killing(s) the game
This chapter in the Ron "R-Truth" Killings saga is fascinating and, quite frankly, pretty unpredictable.
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There was supposed to be what you could only assume would have been a squash match between Aleister Black and Pretty Deadly's Kit Wilson — then Ron Killings attacked Wilson before Black could even enter the ring.
Killings put Wilson in the STF and called for his John Cena rematch right then and there, but backstage authorities told him to hold off until main event time. Black was rightfully upset and confronted Killings backstage about him ruining his match before Damian Priest intervened with a motivational pep-talk. I didn't see that coming, but Priest's callbacks to the pair's brief time together in The Judgment Day were welcome.
Once we got to the main event, it was surprising to see that the match actually happened. Throughout the night, there was no sight of Cena, and the vibe just felt like he wouldn't appear unless it were something like a video on the tron to tell everyone he wasn't there. But no, they had a match, and Killings got the win when Cena DQ'd himself using his WWE title.
The duo essentially just played Cena's hits on each other before the champ tried to take the belt and hit the bricks. Killings followed him down the ramp and got hit with the belt to end the match, and then he just disappeared when CM Punk came out to brawl with Cena. Talk about a way to completely devalue the whole Killings angle.
As absurd as it was for Killings to vanish, the end of this "WWE SmackDown" was phenomenal, as Cena got the upper hand on Punk and stole a page out of his playbook.
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The champion reverted to a more classic, vintage version of himself, but in heel fashion, getting cheered and calling back to the classic Punk pipebomb promo that saw Cena driven through a table as it happened. This time, it was Cena's turn, dropping his own pipebomb after planting Punk with an Attitude Adjustment through a table in the ring. I mean, the guy literally name-dropped AEW's Claudio Castagnoli, TNA's Nic Nemeth, and Matt Cardona.
This. Was. Excellent.
It wasn't as hard-hitting as Punk's promo back in the day, but this was by far the best mic work of Cena's heel run. You just knew these two would recreate magic once they got put back together, and this type of Cena is what his heel run should have consisted of from the beginning. Hopefully, he doesn't go back to the stereotypical trashing of fans' heel work he's been doing after all is said and done between him and Punk. This was just too good, and what we've been waiting for.
One strong Knight
LA Knight didn't need to explain his recent actions that saw him cost Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed in their Fatal-4-Way King of the Ring matches. But that was how the "Megastar" kicked off this "WWE SmackDown."
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There's a certain edge to this vengeful Knight that's really working, and it was arguably needed after the U.S. title saga. Also, shout out to him for the sick Rage Against the Machine Guerrilla Radio reference. If you know, you know.
Knight called out Seth Rollins, and instead received the presence of Paul Heyman. The interaction was brief, but relatively tense, as Heyman threatened Knight to leave the arena by night's end — or else. Ultimately, Knight pointed out the grifter nature of Heyman before challenging him to a match since Rollins didn't come out. That was funny, and I almost wish it happened, as silly as it would have been.
But surely, you can guess what happened after that.
Breakker and Reed made their way to the ring to attack Knight, but the former U.S. champ stood tall after he got his hands on a steel chair. It was a pleasant surprise to see Knight stand tall against these two. It made him look pretty strong and set up a match later between Knight and Reed.
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In the match, Knight couldn't have made those two look any dumber than he already had. Knight made his entrance, emerging from the announce table area to attack Breakker and Reed from behind for an early advantage. Reed stopped Breakker from the early interference because he wanted him for himself. I love the thought process there, but ultimately, the interference was inevitable after Breakker couldn't keep his cool the second time Knight hit him.
So, Knight won by DQ when Breakker speared him. I don't love it, but it was expected, and most importantly, it maintained the aura of Knight looking strong on this "WWE SmackDown." I also never expected a pairing like Knight and Reed to mesh as well as they did. In the end, Breakker and Reed Speared and Tsunami'd him into oblivion, so we'll see if this leads to a brief write-off or something of the sort.
👑 Uncrowned GEMS of the Night 👑
So, before Sami Zayn and Randy Orton got their hands on each other in the first King of the Ring semifinal match, Cody Rhodes made his entrance only to have his promo completely hijacked by the overkill Jey Uso entrance. To be fair though, Rhodes' pyro is also pretty comically overkill when he isn't wrestling.
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Anyway, Orton embarrassed all of them on the mic before his match, promising Zayn would be champion — but it won't be at SummerSlam after a King of the Ring win. As for Uso, well, he essentially just told Rhodes it can only be one of them who advances. Rhodes and Uso being on this "WWE SmackDown" was completely unnecessary, other than to boost Zayn's promo, stating it was his time as the other three have all already been world champions.
What we got out of the match was stellar for a TV pairing, as Orton got the win clean off a brilliant RKO attempt sequence.
Despite WWE's abysmal booking finishes to most of the tournaments' Fatal-4-Way matches, the advancing victors have led to some seriously compelling options. It felt like there really could have been something with Zayn's pursuit of a world title by taking out one of his good friends in Rhodes or Uso. However, with Orton winning, now we have to get that long-awaited Rhodes match. This was all-around quality stuff.
Before the King of the Ring match, the Queen of the Ring gave us the same degree of greatness.
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First of all, I just want to say how great it is to get a match between Asuka and Alexa Bliss in 2025. And immediately, it scored the Uncrowned Gem of the Night because we stunningly got the first of two clean finishes! Asuka has made it to the finals on the women's side. Incredible, folks.
The match was also good, but the booking here was what elevated the semifinal matches. A Charlotte Flair interference felt like a guarantee in Asuka vs. Bliss after the teasing WWE has been doing between her and Bliss. There was one spot where Bliss set up Twisted Bliss but bailed on it to jump down from the top rope and get caught in an armbar before a Rings of Saturn-type submission. Bliss escaped, but that was a weird moment that totally felt like a camera angle used for the patented Triple H interference spot.
In the end, Bliss came up short when she did go for Twisted Bliss, falling into Asuka's knees and taking the Empress Impact. Honestly, that finish, and its name, is so goofy, especially for Asuka, but I couldn't be happier to see her booked strong upon her return. She'll face either Jade Cargill or Stephanie Vaquer in the finals. You can't go wrong with either of those matches.
♻️ Recycling of the Night
The booking on this "WWE SmackDown" just couldn't be perfect, could it?
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When the Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton feud continued, I audibly uttered some expletives. This couldn't be any dumber.
Jax complained, and Stratton came out and just gave her a title match for next week's "WWE SmackDown." It will be a Last Woman Standing match, but who cares, man? I genuinely don't know why this rivalry won't die, and it's hurting Stratton's reign, wasting her time.
There was a Naomi cash-in tease, but of course, Jax stopped it. So, that was the only "good" thing about this but it still sucked.
👍FRIDAY NIGHT FIRE👍
1. B-Fab and Michin mentioned needing to talk to "WWE SmackDown" general manager Nick Aldis about the Women's Tag Team titles. Yeah, those still exist, WWE. It's good to see the company is remembering that now that Liv Morgan is injured. Plus, B-Fab rules, so let's give her anything to do, please.
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2. Flair got the win with the Figure-8 against Chelsea Green in a solid match for what it was. To springboard off our previous bit of fire, Bliss came out to make the save when The Secret Hervice attacked Flair. The foundation is being set for the women's tag team division, but Flair still wasn't ready to accept the aid from her fellow former world champion. They would make for great champions together, so hopefully this goes in that direction. (Bliss's Sister Abigail DDT is still ridiculous in a bad way, though.)
3. The reconciliation between Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu (who wore his Raiders jersey backwards) didn't go according to plan for Sikoa. The duo had a good old-fashioned family drama segment, with Sikoa trying to gain sympathy by saying he has no one left and loves Fatu. Fatu said he felt used and questioned Sikoa while the crowd chanted "bulls***." Then, he asked if the U.S. title was the problem, and if so, Sikoa could fight him for it. Instead of accepting, Sikoa went for the Samoan Spike in the middle of Fatu's catchphrase.
JC Mateo came out to aid in the assault before Jimmy Uso made the surprise save. As much as I'd prefer to see The Usos reunite, I'm curious to see where this goes, and am glad we have a clear line in the sand now. Everyone played their roles exceptionally.
Sikoa will now get a title shot at WWE Night of Champions 2025. That doesn't make a ton of sense, but it is what it is.
👎DOWN & OUT👎
1. Breakker literally barked at Byron Saxton when he approached backstage after the opening segment. Holy hell, WWE has booked him to look like such a mindless bozo enforcer since he joined Rollins and Heyman.
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2. The video package that recapped Goldberg's return to face off with Gunther was just ridiculous. How can anyone take the match seriously when every Goldberg highlight was from over 25 years ago in WCW?
3. Stamping logos onto tables is so lame.
👑 This "WWE SmackDown" felt every bit of its three hours, but was a great show outside of the waste of time between Jax and Stratton. I give this show a Crown score of: 9/10.👑
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