WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Ratings, and Highlights From Feb. 21

The WrestleMania 41 clock is ticking down, as we now approach the final spot of the 2025 WWE Elimination Chamber in Toronto. This week’s edition of WWE SmackDown went to Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA. The show was stacked with amazing matches and the return of the “Final Boss” The Rock on WWE SmackDown.

Announced in advance of Friday’s show:

• “Final Boss” The Rock makes his return to WWE SmackDown
• Drew McIntyre vs. Jimmy Uso
• Pretty Deadly vs. DIY (c) – WWE Tag Team Championship
• The team of “Cody Rhodes, Damian Priest, and Braun Strowman” faces “Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga” in a 6-Man Tag Team match

Drew McIntyre vs. Jimmy Uso

The show kicked off backstage where WWE SmackDown GM Nick Aldis told the WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes that he had been removed from his 6-Man Tag Team match by the orders of the “Final Boss” The Rock. Aldis also told Rhodes that The Rock wants to meet him in the ring.

Drew McIntyre defeated Jimmy Uso and LA Knight to qualify in the 2025 Men’s Elimination Chamber match on the Feb. 7th edition of WWE SmackDown. Jimmy then attacked McIntyre after he made fun of him backstage on the Feb. 14th edition of WWE SmackDown — which then led to this match between the two men who just can’t stand each other.

McIntyre had the match in control for a lot of time but he got a little carried away with his emotions — which allowed Jimmy to take the advantage and pick up the win with a roll-up. An extremely frustrated McIntyre attacked Jimmy right after the match ended — hitting him with a claymore while the referees tried to stop him.

Result: Jimmy Uso def Drew McIntyre
Ratings: 7 /10

Solo Sikoa arrives on WWE SmackDown

Solo Sikoa then arrived on WWE SmackDown, where he met Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga. Fatu asked Sikoa if he wanted him to handle the business tonight alongside him and Tonga.

The Miz and Carmelo Hayes vs. R-Truth and LA Knight

LA Knight defeated The Miz and Carmelo Hayes defeated R-Truth last week here on WWE SmackDown which now led to a tag team match between all four of them men on this week’s edition on WWE SmackDown. LA Knight was originally not scheduled to appear on the show for this match.

Truth continued to face his identity problem throughout the match, while Shinsuke Nakamura attacked Knight during the match behind the referee’s back after their last week’s face-off here on WWE SmackDown. Miz and Hayes took the advantage and pinned Truth to win the match.

Result: The Miz and Carmelo Hayes def R-Truth and LA Knight
Ratings: 6.5 /10

Tiffany Stratton battles Candice LeRae

Tiffany Stratton arrived at the ring talking about her upcoming tag team match against Nia Jax and Candice LeRae at WWE Elimination Chamber: Toronto, where she teams with Trish Stratus. She then turned her attention to Charlotte Flair, talking about what happened last week here on WWE SmackDown — when Flair chose Stratton as her WWE WrestleMania 41 opponent.

Nia Jax and Candice LeRae then arrived on the show, saying Stratton wouldn’t even be able to see WrestleMania 41 after their match at the WWE Elimination Chamber in Toronto. Flair also arrived on the commentary desk just a few moments after the match began. Stratton delivered an amazing performance in the match, taking out Jax at the ringside and also winning the match for herself.

Jax tried to attack Stratton after the match before Stratus arrived on the scene to help her. LeRae and Jax then attacked both Stratton and Stratus after the match with Jax hitting her signature Annihilator.

Flair then stepped into the ring as she pointed toward the WrestleMania 41 sign over the fallen Stratton.

Result: Tiffany Stratton def Candice LeRae
Ratings: 6 /10

A backstage segment featuring Cody Rhodes, Damian Priest, and Braun Strowman

Damian Priest then met Cody Rhodes backstage talking about the WWE WrestleMania XL from last year, when they both walked out as champions. Priest also told Rhodes that he wants to tell him man to man that he is coming for his Undisputed WWE Championship if he wins the 2025 Men’s Elimination Chamber match.

Braun Strowman then arrived on the scene after Rhodes left, talking about their Elimination Chamber Qualifying match from last week here on WWE SmackDown and the 6-Man Tag Team match scheduled for later on the show.

Liv Morgan vs. Naomi

Bianca Belair and Naomi then arrived on WWE SmackDown saying they would get revenge for Jade Cargill against Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez this Monday on WWE Raw. Naomi and Morgan were also scheduled to have a singles match which got canceled as Morgan and Rodriguez attacked both Naomi and Belair before the match even began.

Nick Aldis then told Morgan and Rodriguez that he won’t allow this kind of stuff here on WWE SmackDown, who left after laughing in his face. Aldis then met Chelsea Green and Piper Niven, and Green asked Aldis to replace Bianca Belair and Naomi with her and Niven since the 2025 WWE Elimination Chamber in her home in Canada. Aldis then told Green to be ready since she would be in action next week on WWE SmackDown in Toronto, Ontario.

“Final Boss” The Rock arrives on WWE SmackDown

Immediately following that was the return of “Final Boss” The Rock on WWE SmackDown. The Rock broke the big news of WWE WrestleMania 42 coming to Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, LA. Rock then called out WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes to the ring, and the two hugged in the middle of the ring.

The Rock then talked about history with Rhodes over the last year, and how they are now good friends — leaving all in the past. He then talked about his power in WWE as a member of the board of TKO. The Rock then asked Rhodes to be his Champion, saying he could make all his and his family’s dreams come true. He mentioned how last year he and WWE wanted Rhodes to step aside for a match between Reigns and Rock but he didn’t let that happen and how he once slapped the Rock as well — which made him a star. 

The Rock then told Rhodes that he could give him his answer at the 2025 WWE Elimination Chamber in Toronto. The Rock also told Rhodes that he doesn’t want his WWE Undisputed Championship but his soul.

Key Notes and Observation:

• I think we might be on the verge of seeing the classic phrase of “Sell his soul to the devil”, as Rhodes might make an alliance with the Rock at the 2025 WWE Elimination Chamber.

Pretty Deadly vs. DIY (c) – WWE Tag Team Championship

Pretty Deadly has been chasing the WWE Tag Team Championship for a while now. After all the hustle Prince and Wilson defeated DIY on the Feb. 7th edition of WWE SmackDown to earn a future WWE Tag Team Championship shot. Prince and Wilson then met Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa on the Feb. 14th edition of WWE SmackDown, saying that they would not win the WWE Tag Team Championship next week here on WWE SmackDown.

Gargano and Ciampa stood in the middle of the asking the WWE Universe to give a moment of silence for Pretty Deadly before the match. The match once began as the referee got the things back into control.

The Street Profits arrived on the scene and attacked both Pretty Deadly and DIY — causing the match to end via disqualification. Motor City Machine Guns then arrived on the scene but got laid out by Street Profits.

The match was not really good as nothing really happened, but the storyline that has now been set between all four of these teams is incredible. If you see this storyline, I think we are heading towards a Fatal Four-Way match between all four of these teams at WWE WrestleMania 41.

I really wanna see that, what are your thoughts?

Result: No Contest, DIY retains the WWE Tag Team Championship
Ratings: 6 /10

Kevin Owens responds to Sami Zayn

WWE SmackDown then featured video footage from Kevin Owens’s account on X, where he was standing outside Sami Zayn’s home.

Damian Priest and Braun Strowman vs. Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa – Tag Team match

After The Rock pulled out Cody Rhodes from tonight’s main-event Damian Priest and Braun Strowman teamed up and faced Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa in a Tag Team match. The things between the New Bloodline seemed to be changing as Jacob Fatu is now calling the shots and Solo Sikoa is entering on his music as well. Who is the leader, I wonder?

Fatu and Sikoa did a great job of taking out Strowman of the scene during the match to put Priest in a 2-on-1 situation. Things were well in their favor before Fatu accidentally took out Sikoa with a super kick inside the ring — after Priest moved out of harm’s way. Strowman then took out both Fatu and Tama Tonga on the ringside, which allowed Priest to pick up the win after hitting Sikoa with a South of Heaven Chokeslam.

Result: Damian Priest and Braun Strowman def Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa
Ratings: 8 /10

WWE SmackDown, Feb. 21: Results Highlights

Singles match:
Jimmy Uso defeated Drew McIntyre

Tag Team match:
The Miz and Carmelo Hayes defeated R-Truth and LA Knight

Singles match:
Tiffany Stratton defeated Candice LeRae

WWE Tag Team Championship:
Ended in No Contest, DIY retains against Pretty Deadly

Tag Team match:
Damian Priest and Braun Strowman defeated Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa

My thoughts on this week’s edition of WWE SmackDown

This week’s edition of WWE SmackDown was a perfect example of good long-term booking. With the 2025 WWE Elimination Chamber in Toronto just around the corner, WWE seems to be in no hurry to rush things. Drew McIntyre who has a long history with the Bloodline went in a singles match against Jimmy Uso — who he is been teeing off in the recent week. WWE SmackDown also made a small progress on the Solo Sikoa and The New Bloodline story. Now with the Rock back into the picture once again, I would really love to see how that is going to turn out.

I am also really into the DIY and Pretty Deadly storyline, but I think that WWE is planning something similar to the year for the tag team division.

My Ratings for the show: 6.5 /10