Sat May 10 01:10:00 UTC 2025: ## Cena’s Final Words, Shocking Title Contender, and Backlash Buildup Highlight SmackDown
**Dayton, OH –** WWE Friday Night SmackDown delivered a thrilling night of action, setting the stage for Backlash. The show featured several key matches and confrontations, culminating in unexpected title contenders and simmering rivalries.
WWE Champion John Cena made a surprise appearance, although his pre-Backlash showdown with Randy Orton remained largely verbal.
The main event saw a tag team match pitting United States Champion Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa against Damian Priest and LA Knight. While Priest and Knight secured the victory with Knight’s BFT finisher on Sikoa, the post-match brawl saw Fatu laying out both men only to be ambushed by Drew McIntyre, who delivered a Claymore Kick and declared himself the next challenger for the US title. McIntyre’s reasoning included his own #1 contender status, his feeling that Knight’s presence was unfair, and his confidence in defeating the current champion.
Elsewhere, a women’s tag team match saw Zelina Vega and Alexa Bliss defeat Chelsea Green and Piper Niven, with Bliss securing the win using her Sister Abigail DDT. A backstage altercation saw Los Garza blindside Rey Fenix before Andrade El Idolo made the save. A tense scene involving Charlotte Flair and her tumultuous relationship with the crowd ended with her storming off after being booed. Jade Cargill attempted to taunt Flair, but it was Nia Jax who emerged victorious in a #1 contender’s match against Cargill for the WWE Women’s Championship, ending with Jax’s Banzai Drop. Jax’s victory stunned the audience and sets up a highly anticipated title clash at Backlash. The show also included an Aleister Black promo where he ominously foreshadowed his next actions, indicating the consequences for WWE.
The show ended with a backstage encounter between The Street Profits and Mia Yim and B-FAB, highlighting the strong relationships and competitive spirit among the WWE roster.
First Piper 