WWE Friday Night SmackDown on the USA Network | May 30th, 2025 | The Episode Recap:

Cody Rhodes and the WWE World Heavyweight Champion Jey Uso are standing tall after he and Jey Uso fight off John Cena and Logan Paul to close out the show with Cody Rhodes holding the WWE Championship. (Photo by WWE)

The May 30th | Episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown | Match Results:

The Opening Match: Naomi defeated Jade Cargill and Nia Jax in a Women’s Money in the Bank Triple Threat Qualifying Match | via Pin-Fall | (15:20)

2nd Match: JC Mateo (with Solo Sikoa) defeated R-Truth in a Singles Match | via Pin-Fall | (02:21)

3rd Match: Los Garzas (Angel & Berto) (with Santos Escobar) vs. Je’Von Evans & Rey Fenix in a Tag Team Match | via Pin-Fall | (12:17)

4th Match: Zelina Vega defeated Alba Frye (with Chelsea Green & Piper Niven) in a Singles Match | via Pin-Fall | (11:05)

The Main Event Match: Andrade defeated Carmelo Hayes (with The Miz) and Jacob Fatu in a Men’s Money in the Bank Triple Threat Qualifying Match | via Pin-Fall | (20:27)

My Thoughts on the May 30th Episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown:

My Thoughts: This was a very mediocre episode of Friday Night SmackDown. I enjoyed the Bianca Belair segment, as there is so much that can be explored with a feud with Jade Cargill and Naomi, so I think in the future, those feuds will be underway. But there were two good matches on the show tonight, the Tag Team Match and the Men's Qualifier Triple Threat Match. This show lacks a lot, and it shows every week the glaring holes that need to be filled. They need to have a WWE Draft soon because they need to revamp SmackDown as a whole.

The May 30th | Episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown | Match Ratings:

The Opening Match: Naomi vs. Jade Cargill vs. Nia Jax in a Women’s Money in the Bank Triple Threat Qualifying Match | Match Rating: **.25 | This was a very sluggish opener for SmackDown, especially after the excellent opening segment featuring Bianca Belair, who brought all three women involved in this match to the ring. At times, the match felt quite sloppy and didn't mesh well. I believe Naomi is the right choice to win, as I predict she will claim the Women's Money in the Bank Briefcase next week. I initially thought having three of the top competitors on the SmackDown Women's roster would enhance the match, but I forgot that Jade Cargill, despite her significant improvement, still has aspects of her in-ring ability that need refinement. Ultimately, I'm happy that Naomi is heading to Money in the Bank.

2nd Match: JC Mateo (with Solo Sikoa) vs. R-Truth in a Singles Match | Match Rating: N/A | This match was a quick squash match for JC Mateo. JC Mateo past two weeks, has looked a lot better in how they have been presenting him. Afterwards, Jimmy Uso came out and saved R-Truth, and a brawl ensued with Jimmy Uso trying to get at JC Mateo and Solo Sikoa.

3rd Match: Los Garzas (Angel & Berto) (with Santos Escobar) vs. Je’Von Evans & Rey Fenix in a Tag Team Match | Match Rating: ****.25 | This was easily the best match of the show. I loved that they gave Je'Von Evans a lot of spotlight, as he shined in this performance. Legado Del Fantasma has been facing ongoing issues, with Santos Escobar verbally abusing both men and shattering their confidence. Recently, however, he tried to make amends by securing them a match for WWE World Collide, making this match crucial for them to gain some momentum. The match itself was fast-paced and filled with impressive high-flying spots from all the competitors. Je'Von Evans and Rey Fenix formed an explosive tag team. It's also important to note the WWE NXT North American Championship, as Ethan Page provided commentary at the ringside. He will be defending his title next week at WWE World Collide against Je'Von Evans and Rey Fenix in a Fatal Four-Way Match. Los Garzas secured the win, which was crucial for them as they built much-needed confidence heading into their Six-Man Tag Team Match at WWE World Collide next weekend.

4th Match: Zelina Vega vs. Alba Frye (with Chelsea Green & Piper Niven) in a Singles Match | Match Rating: *.25 | This was the worst match of the night easily. I like Alba Frye. She was amazing in her time on NXT UK and NXT. So I thought this match would display to a bigger audience what her in-ring ability can be, but Zelina Vega had another poor showing in the ring. I don't know what happened, but since she won the WWE Women's United States Championship, her in-ring performance has been below-average, and her run with the belt has been one of the worst reigns this year. There was some chaos outside as Piper Niven accidentlly ran into Chelsea Green and Zelina Vega got the win this was such a bad match sucks because Alba Frye is such a taleneted wrestler and show be used a lot more often.

The Main Event Match: Andrade vs. Carmelo Hayes (with The Miz) vs. Jacob Fatu in a Men’s Money in the Bank Triple Threat Qualifying Match | Match Rating: **** | Carmelo Hayes just couldn't get the job done. I've been questioning his booking, as I don’t understand why WWE hasn’t pushed him compared to other Superstars who have been called up. Once the face of NXT, he now seems to be a pin-eater for the top talents. The match itself was very good and entertaining from start to finish. The closing stretch was especially exciting, with Solo Sikoa sabotaging Jacob Fatu's chances of winning. Andrade found an opening and hit The Silencer for the victory, securing a spot in the Money in the Bank match for the second year in a row. I wonder what’s next for Carmelo Hayes. I expected him to be in the match and potentially win, which would have set him up for the push he deserves to reach the top.

The May 30th | WWE Friday Night SmackDown | Match of the Night: Los Garzas (Angel & Berto) vs. Je’Von Evans & Rey Fenix in a Tag Team Match | Match Rating: ****.25

The May 30th | Edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown | Episode Grade: 6/10 (C) | This was a very mediocre episode of SmackDown. It was highlighted by Bianca Belair’s opening segment and two solid matches, but the rest of the show was very up-and-down.