WWE SmackDown takeaways: Contracts for Wrestlepalooza signed

A signed declaration -- with the obligatory brawl -- betwixt Undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre, a imaginable Brock Lesnar-Paul Heyman reunion, different awesome triumph for women's tag squad champions Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, and different US rubric defence by Sami Zayn item SmackDown's go-home amusement connected Friday up of Saturday's Wrestlepalooza (7 p.m. ET connected ESPN Unlimited).

Here are the biggest takeaways from Friday night:

Signed, sealed and (headbutt) delivered

"The Scottish Warrior has conscionable been a keyboard warrior..."@CodyRhodes is fed up with @DMcIntyreWWE 😤 pic.twitter.com/oeN2OqV2kg

Contract signings seldom hap successful WWE without idiosyncratic getting hurt. If some competitors formally and cordially motion a lucifer contract, shingle hands and past locomotion away, it wouldn't supply the aforesaid level of entertainment. The mediocre tables connected which contracts are signed person a devastation complaint (a flip-over counts) of 93% (unofficial stat) successful WWE declaration signing history.

The latest signing started cordial enough. Cody Rhodes reminded Drew McIntyre that 15 years agone to the day, they became tag squad champions successful WWE. Rhodes added that Drew -- seated connected a seat successful beforehand of an bureau table wrong the ringing -- has gone from Scottish Warrior to keyboard warrior and urged him to tweet live. Drew did conscionable that, typing retired "Thank you Cody," for being a champion that volition springiness Drew an honorable rubric changeable ... but cares much astir banal prices and marque image. Both Cody and Drew would motion the declaration ... past the physicality ensued, arsenic you would expect it would. Drew refrained from incapacitating Cody, due to the fact that helium wanted him capable to vie astatine Wrestlepalooza connected Saturday.

Episode results

SmackDown; Sept. 19, 2025

• Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss def. Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre to clasp the Women's Tag Team Championship

• Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker def. Fraxiom

• Sami Zayn def. Carmelo Hayes to clasp the US Championship

The beast with a shocking attack

Lesnar smiled during his entrance, a happier mentation of "The Beast", ( akin to erstwhile helium ripped his jeans aft his F5 to R Truth past week), astatine slightest until helium walked down the aisle. He picked up announcer Michael Cole arsenic if helium was a stuffed animal, walked him astir the ring, past threw him down adjacent the turnbuckles and stepped connected his ankle similar a predator astir to maul his prey, until chap announcer Corey Graves tried to travel to Cole's aid. Lesnar looked astatine Graves, who was pleading for Cole's safety, but alternatively "The Savior of Misbehavior" took not 1 but TWO F5s for his trouble. Lesnar past grabbed the beforehand of the unrecorded camera with 2 hands and yelled "It's D Day for you John [Cena], I'm coming for blood."

Before leaving the arena, Lesnar saw Paul Heyman, who returned to TV for the archetypal clip since the Clash successful Paris, and said, "we should talk" earlier walking away.

Cole said helium had ne'er felt truthful hopeless arsenic helium did successful the ringing with Lesnar, and "if that's what awaits John Cena tomorrow... Then I don't adjacent deliberation John has the answers."

The beatdown by "The Beast" was besides a astonishment due to the fact that it has been years since we saw Graves successful immoderate carnal capableness successful the ring. Graves re...