With WWE Elimination Chamber: Toronto (2025) just around the corner, WWE SmackDown went to Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. This week’s edition of WWE SmackDown featured a WWE Women’s Championship match between Nia Jax and Tiffany Stratton. Along with a 2025 Men’s Elimination Chamber qualifying match between Damian Priest, Braun Strowman and Jacob Fatu.
The danger is at an all-time high in the nation’s capital as we head forward on the Road to WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas.
“The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes kicks off WWE SmackDown
After getting hit by Solo Sikoa last week here on WWE SmackDown, Cody Rhodes kicked off the show talking about who could be his challenger at WrestleMania 41. Saying that it will not be Sikoa, who has not even qualified for the 2025 Men’s Elimination Chamber match. Drew McIntyre then arrived at the scene before Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga also joined the party.
McIntyre left Fatu and Rhodes alone inside the ring saying he already had a spot inside the chamber, before Solo Sikoa arrived on WWE SmackDown backstage. Fatu left the ring saying he would talk to Sikoa first.
Ratings: 8 /10
Key Notes and Observation:
- Jey Uso picked Gunther as his opponent for WWE WrestleMania 41 on this past edition of WWE Raw. The winner of the 2025 Men’s Elimination Chamber match will challenge Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania.
- Fatu and Tonga left backstage asking about Sikoa and hitting a security guard.
Naomi vs. Chelsea Green – 2025 Women’s Elimination Chamber Qualifying match
With her friend Bianca Belair begin already qualified for the match, Naomi faced Chelsea Green in a singles match to join her friend in the 2025 Women’s Elimination Chamber Qualifying match.
Both women put up a great match to start the show, but it was Naomi who defeated Green to join her friend inside the 2025 Women’s Elimination Chamber.
Result: Naomi def Chelsea Green
Ratings: 7 /10
Key Notes and Observation:
- Trish Stratus was sitting at ringside during the match saying that she will be at the WWE Elimination Chamber PLE in her hometown of Toronto.
Sami Zayn sends a message to Kevin Owens
Sami Zayn — who is currently out of action after Kevin Owens hit with a Package piledriver on the Feb. 3rd edition of WWE Raw. He appeared in a video package via his account on X, saying that when he comes back he and Owens will run it back one more time.
Los Garzas vs. Motor City Machine Guns on WWE SmackDown
The tension has been rising in the Tag team division, Los Garzas met Motor City Machine Guns last week here on WWE SmackDown, challenging them to this match. Sabin and Shelley made a clear statement as they did a quick work on Angel & Berto.
Result: Motor City Machine Guns def Los Garzas
Ratings: 7 /10
A Backstage segment featuring Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and Tama Tonga on WWE SmackDown
WWE SmackDown then went backstage where Solo Sikoa met Fatu and Tonga. Sikoa told Fatu that he loves him and that he wants him to win the 2025 Men’s Elimination Chamber match and then bring back the WWE Undisputed Championship to the family.
Fatu left Sikoa hanging without saying anything.
The Miz vs. LA Knight
WWE United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura then arrived on WWE SmackDown for some words but got interrupted by LA Knight and The Miz. Knight and Miz had a little war of words before Miz had enough and went after Knight. Nick Aldis then appeared on the scene, making the match official between the two.
Knight defeated Miz after a back-and-forth battle between the two. Nakamura then stepped into the ring, which created a little face-off between Knight and him after the match.
Result: LA Knight def The Miz
Ratings: 7 /10
Backstage segment featuring Nia Jax and Alexa Bliss
WWE SmackDown then went backstage where Nia Jax met Alexa Bliss, who told her that they might meet at WrestleMania in Las Vegas if Jax defeats Tiffany Stratton and Bliss wins the 2025 Women’s Elimination Chamber match.
Bliss’s character was all changed as she was also carrying her doll once again. The Wyatt Sicks signs also appeared on the screen during the segment.
A Backstage segment featuring The Miz, Andrade, and Carmelo Hayes
The Miz also met Andrade and Carmelo Hayes backstage. Miz tried to tie himself with Hayes, who left him hanging.
R-Truth vs. Carmelo Hayes on WWE SmackDown
R-Truth met Carmelo Hayes earlier on the show which led to this match between the two. Hayes made a quick work on Truth to pick up the win.
Result: Carmelo Hayes def R-Truth
Ratings: 5 /10
Key Notes and Observation:
- This was R-Truth’s first singles match on WWE SmackDown since 2019.
A Backstage segment featuring Pretty Deadly and DIY
After defeating DIY last week here on WWE SmackDown to earn a shot at the WWE World Tag Team Championship, Pretty Deadly met DIY backstage who clearly told the challengers that they would not win next week.
Kevin Owens responds to Sami Zayn
Kevin Owens then appeared in a video package and challenged Sami Zayn to a match at WWE Elimination Chamber 2025 in Toronto.
Tiffany Stratton defends her WWE Women’s Championship Nia Jax
Tiffany Stratton sized her moment when she cashed her Money in the Bank contract on Nia Jax to become the new WWE Women’s Champion on the Jan. 3rd edition of WWE SmackDown. Jax has been in pursuit to win back her championship since then. Last week on the Feb. 7th edition of WWE SmackDown, Jax met Stratton and told her that she will be defending her WWE Women’s Championship against Jax on this week’s edition of WWE SmackDown.
Stratton seemed to be in deep trouble as Jax took the fight to her using her raw power, to which Stratton tried to fight back with her athletic ability. Jax certainly had the upper hand throughout the match but Stratton was also not far away as she took the challenger to the limit before Candice LeRae attacked Stratton, causing the match to end via disqualification. Jax and LeRae then attacked Stratton after the match before Trish Stratus arrived on the scene to help her, but got laid out but the double team of Jax and LeRae.
“2025 Women’s WWE Royal Rumble Winner” Charlotte Flair then came into the ring and told Stratton that she chose her for the WWE Women’s Championship at WWE WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas.
Result: Tiffany Stratton defeated Nia Jax via DQ to retain her WWE Women’s Championship
Ratings: 7 /10
A Backstage segment featuring Bianca Belair and Naomi
WWE SmackDown GM Nick Aldis then called Bianca Belair and Naomi to his office to show video footage saying that there was a lead on attacked Jade Cargill. Aldis showed video footage saying that it could be Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez.
Backstage segment featuring Tiffany Stratton and Trish Stratus
Tiffany Stratton then met Trish Stratus backstage who asked her for a tag team match against Nia Jax and Candice LeRae in her hometown at WWE Elimination Chamber: Toronto (2025). The match was made official later.
Backstage segment featuring Drew McIntyre and Jimmy Uso
Jimmy Uso then met Drew McIntyre who made fun of him in a little offensive way. Jimmy replied with a superkick to McIntyre.
Jacob Fatu vs. Braun Strowman vs. Damian Priest – 2025 Men’s Elimination Chamber Qualifying match
WWE SmackDown then featured a triple threat match with the winner heading into the 2025 Men’s Elimination Chamber Qualifying match. All three Fatu, Strowman, and Priest showcased an absolute destruction in their path during the match. The match was going all well before Solo Sikoa arrived on the scene and hit Strowman with the Samoan Spike just when he was about to win the match.
Cody Rhodes then arrived on the scene to stop Sikoa but got stuck in a double team by Tama Tonga and Sikoa before sikoa accidentally hit Tonga with the Samoan spike. Fatu then turned his attention to Sikoa which allowed Priest to take him out from the blind side. Rhodes then took out Sikoa on the ringside. Meanwhile, Priest hit Strowman with the South of Heaven Chokeslam and won the match.
I think it was without a doubt the best 2025 Elimination Chamber Qualifying match.
Result: Damian Priest def Jacob Fatu and Braun Strowman to qualify in the 2025 Men’s Elimination Chamber match.
Ratings: 10 /10
WWE SmackDown, Feb. 14: Results Highlights
2025 Women’s Elimination Chamber Qualifying match:
Naomi defeated Chelsea Green
Tag team match:
Motor City Machine Guns defeated Los Garzas
Singles match:
LA Knight defeated The Miz
Singles match:
Carmelo Hayes defeated R-Truth
WWE Women’s Championship:
Tiffany Stratton defeated Nia Jax via DQ
2025 Men’s Elimination Chamber Qualifying match:
Damian Priest def Jacob Fatu and Braun Strowman
My thoughts on this week’s edition of WWE SmackDown
WWE SmackDown featured some really incredible qualifying matches along. Other matches and segments on the show were also fine, as the show mainly focused on pushing the storylines a bit ahead as we come close to the WWE Elimination Chamber: Toronto (2025) PLE.
Charlotte Flair has made her big WrestleMania decision. I would love to see how that plays out in the coming weeks. I really liked the main event match between Damian Priest, Jacob Fatu, and Braun Strowman. All three men looked incredible in the match, Fatu losing the match was a surprise for me.
My Ratings for the show: 7 /10
