WWE SmackDown 5/16/2025: 3 Things We Hated And 3 Things We Loved

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s weekly review of "WWE SmackDown," the show where Tiffany Stratton defended her women's title against the person she won it from in the first place, Nia Jax. That match was really good, but we're not going to talk about it here — nor are we going to talk about Aleister Black vs. Carmelo Hayes or the women's Money in the Bank qualifier. To be clear, all these matches were good, but we don't have much else to say about them. What do you think this is, our "SmackDown" results page? That's for comprehensive coverage; this column is for the things that engender our strongest passions!

In this case, we have a lot to say about a promo segment, a backstage segment, and the announcement of a big match for "Saturday Night's Main Event," though we do at least a couple matches in our sights. From Solo Sikoa's MITB qualifier win to the official WWE debut of JC Mateo, here are three things we hated and three things we loved about the 5/16/25 episode of "WWE SmackDown."

Friday's "WWE SmackDown" saw Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu looking to address the fallout of last weekend's Backlash, with the newly debuted JC Mateo (the artist formerly known as Jeff Cobb) standing beside them for the first time since debuting to the surprise of fans – and Fatu – to align with The Bloodline. Before LA Knight so rudely interrupted the trio, things were getting a little bit spicy between Sikoa and Fatu, with Sikoa openly mocking his enforcer-turned-WWE United States Champion and talking almost parallel to the way Roman Reigns had done previously with Jey Uso. 

They were jousting for the focal spot they both feel they deserve, and it seemed as though after weeks of Sikoa fronting that he was supportive of Fatu's rise the mask had slipped somewhat and he wanted to set the record straight. He told Fatu that he let him win the US title because he loved him, and he took matters into his own – and Mateo's – hands last weekend for the same reason. But he wanted something from Fatu in return, poking fun at his former "I LOVE YOU SOLO!" catchphrase, noting that he had not heard it in a while and demanding it to be said. 

This hearkened back to the dominant era of The OG Bloodline, with each member's place in the group predicated by acknowledging their "Tribal Chief," and once again the dynamic between Reigns and Uso. Especially in the way Fatu responded, thickening the atmosphere between them as he limply parroted the words. Sikoa, growing visibly more frustrated with the reluctance of the man he brought into the fold, demanded that he say it with gumption. It looked for a solid moment that things were starting to reach breaking point between them, but then Knight's appearance snapped them out of it and united them once more in the face of a common foe. Sikoa later secured a spot in the Money in the Bank ladder match and it's starting to get interesting once again for The Bloodline, it's yet to be clear what direction this is going in but I love the gradual build to Fatu and Sikoa's eventual split and hope this builds to a major angle between them.

Written by Max Everett

I have been confused with what WWE has been doing with Giulia ever since they took the NXT Women's Championship off of her and made Stephanie Vaquer a double champion... only to have Vaquer defend her second, mid-card title once before vacating it. I was giving WWE the benefit of the doubt in case Giulia was banged up or having issues, but ever since she came back so quickly after losing that title, I've just been a bit lost. I love Giulia (and I love Vaquer, let that be known, as well), but I'm not sure what we're doing here. Tonight had me even more confused when Giulia came strolling out of Nick Aldis' office backstage after just appearing on "WWE Raw" on Monday. Not just appearing on the red brand, but main eventing the show alongside Roxanne Perez.

I'm not upset in the slightest that "The Beautiful Madness" has been officially called up to the main roster. She absolutely deserves it, and her final match on "WWE NXT" being an absolute banger against Jordynne Grace was also a good call. But, I really was starting to like her teamed up with Perez. Not that Giulia needs any help in the wrestling department, but maybe being around Perez was helping her adjust to main roster life and other important things outside of the ring. They looked really freaking cool together and their styles worked well. That's why it was so surprising to just see Giulia walk out, stare down Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, and walk off.

We learned later in the night that she will be in a Money in the Bank qualifier against Flair and Women's United States Champion Zelina Vega next week. Which already has me a little nervous, as I have a strange feeling that Flair might win that briefcase, simply because she hasn't before. I think Giulia might have had a better chance if a mystery opponent aspect of that match was hyped up throughout the week, and it was revealed that Aldis pulled some strings to get her over to the blue brand. So many fans know her by now, the pop would've been great.

I'm thankfully seeing a lot about Giulia's official call-up to "SmackDown" on social media. She absolutely deserves her flowers. However, I wish more of them would've come on WWE's television product rather than social media. With "SmackDown" still being a three hour show, something more could have been done with her tonight, or she easily could have been revealed as a mystery opponent next week. I'm hoping there are much better things on the horizon for Giulia, because tonight just seemed a bit random and really fell flat for me.

Written by Daisy Ruth

Despite WWE treating tag team wrestling like a checkmark on their list, the "SmackDown" men's division at least cares about fans of tag team wrestling. Since the debut of the Motor City Machine Guns, the blue brand's tag team division has had good stories with great matches. The story did get a little convoluted, but Nick Aldis was there to help with his white board. The division has largely revolved around MCMG, #DIY, and the Street Profits. These three teams had the best match WrestleMania week that wasn't IYO SKY vs. Bianca Belair vs. Rhea Ripley. Los Garza and Pretty Deadly have been in the mix too.

Several weeks ago, the division got some new blood with the official addition of former NXT tag team champions, Fraxiom. Axiom and Nathan Frazer were the best tag team in NXT for a while and they were due for a call up. Perhaps the "RAW" division could have used them more since it's practically on life support. Stylistically, they are better suited for Friday nights.

Last week, they defeated Street Profits in a non-title match. They have had a similar path as The Guns, who shockingly won the titles in their third WWE match. Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley have shown their support for Fraxiom. Tonight, they had a banger with former champions, #DIY. After a back and forth in the closing moments of the match, Axiom rolled up Gargano and stole a victory to keep their momentum going. MCMG came to their rescue after #DIY beatdown Fraxiom following the match.

After winning four consecutive matches, which includes beating two former and current champions, they have earned a title shot next week against the champions. Perhaps it's a bit too soon to receive a title match, but that's on brand for the tag division. At least they keep things interesting and have awesome matches to boot.

Written by Samantha Schipman

There's nothing inherently wrong with repackaging a wrestler once they sign with WWE, and most of the time, that involves giving them a new name to be known amongst the fans. However, it's a little much to do that on the same night as their unannounced in-ring debut. Enter: JC Mateo (formerly Jeff Cobb).

Mateo has torn it up on the indies for years now and made a name for himself doing his thing, so it feels like something of a disservice to not announce when he will compete in his first WWE match. Moreover, because the company has positioned him as a dominant force to be reckoned with brought in by Solo Sikoa to make his group an even bigger threat to the roster, his first match should essentially be a squash match in order to help establish that even further. Instead, WWE opted to have him go up against LA Knight in a contest that felt unnecessarily long and two sided. It would've been much more effective if WWE had held off for another week or two, and gave Mateo an opponent who he would be able to defeat in a much quicker fashion as he becomes more known amongst the WWE fanbase (particularly to those who are less familiar with his career).

Written by Olivia Quinlan

R-Truth is forever on his own planet and is quite delulu, as the kids say, but this time, I think he might be on to something now that he's challenged and officially has a match with his "childhood hero" Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena at Saturday Night's Main Event next week. I've already said that I think this is the best match for Cena for the network special that he's already been advertised for. It's not a title match, or even a premium live event appearance, so it can be argued it doesn't mean anything, but after Truth's sit-down interview with Wade Barrett tonight, I really think Truth is on to something now that he's pushing Cena's former babyface mantras and hyping him up as a good guy.

I thought the entire interview segment with Truth was just excellent, as well as short and simple. He started off very philosophical, and said you could always depend on Cena no matter what was going on in the world. Truth was adamant that no one knows Cena like he does, that the man who sent him through a table at the press conference wasn't the real Cena, and the real Cena wouldn't turn his back on people who support him or threaten to ruin wrestling. Truth said he doesn't want to fight Cena, but if he has to "beat him back into his sense," he will.

I've seen the video where Cena seems to show emotion following his victory at Backlash when the live crowd began to chant "Thank you, Cena." The various reports I've read claim that the babyface turn of Cena already seems to be starting. Which, I suppose makes sense, since he doesn't exactly have many dates left on this retirement tour and WWE is definitely going to want him to go out as a face. Whether or not that turn back into a good guy happens at SNME remains to be seen, but with Truth hyping up "Hustle, Loyalty, Respect" and everything else he said in the sit-down interview, it's reminding fans that there is still good in Cena. Truth can remind Cena that there's still good in him. Though, I don't think he'll take it to heart until after Money in the Bank and he teams up with Travis Scott or whatever, but still, it's planting the seed in his mind.

R-Truth versus Cena is something many fans were clamoring for after Cena turned heel, even before Truth interfered on his hero's behalf at Backlash. It's going to be an interesting match to witness, and maybe it will also set up something for Cena for Money in the Bank with maybe some interference with someone helping out Truth or a post-match angle.

Written by Daisy Ruth

I made it clear after Backlash that I was just perplexed that R-Truth was rather abruptly thrown into the mix to cost Randy Orton the WWE Championship against John Cena, and as you can imagine I was further bemused after tonight's "SmackDown" saw their Saturday Night's Main Event bout confirmed – but with zero mention of it being a title match. 

Now, I am aware that some may argue that R-Truth probably doesn't deserve a title match, it's not as though he has been presented credibly over the past few years even if he has a built-in story with Cena and a very limited time to pay it off. I hear that, but allow me to moot an idea from that basis: don't book the match. Either Truth deserves to step in the ring with the current WWE Champion – who just so happens, may I reiterate, to have a very limited set of dates before his impeding retirement – or he doesn't, and that really should predicate the booking behind a World title match. It just feels odd to have a match booked with a champion involved, especially if they're a World Champion in their final months of wrestling, and not make it for the title. 

If Truth is planned to lose anyway, you're just giving a tenured veteran an admittedly overdue opportunity at a higher level than he has been afforded. If Cena is planned to lose- just why would Cena be planned to lose? Just make it for the title; at the end of the day, it will at the very least provide a window to make the match somewhat exciting. Because otherwise, Truth is getting a shot at the World Champion that could have been used for a title match with another of WWE's very talented roster. The long-running bit of Truth being Cena's childhood hero had honestly run its course a while back, but Truth and Cena could easily have delved into their actual shared history on the roster and given the story something else to make it something. 

But I don't personally regard what has been presented as moving in any way; a delusional Truth taking on his childhood hero who just so happens to be younger than him, it honestly feels like a joke that this is what Cena is getting up to during his record-breaking 17th World title reign. I'm in no way saying that making it a title match would have negated the very earnest argument that Truth is an odd decision for this spot, but at least it would have provided some stakes to an otherwise commendably meta way of Cena "ruining wrestling." Paul Levesque once said he looks at booking as a GPS, putting in the coordinates and following the route needed to get to the destination; please, someone get him a new GPS.

Written by Max Everett