Smackdown Results: Priest and Naomi Qualify for Elimination Chamber

February 15, 2025 John Kleinchester NEWS, Show Reports
Photo Courtesy: WWE

February 14, 2025
Capital One Arena – Washington, D.C.

By: John Kleinchester

WWE Smackdown Results

  • Elimination Chamber Qualifier: Naomi over Chelsea Green via Split-Legged Moonsault in 8:32
  • MCMG over Los Garza via Skull & Bones in 7:28
  • LA Knight over The Miz via Elbow Drop in 11:20 (estimated – match began in ad break)
  • Carmelo Hayes over R-Truth via Nothing But Net in 2:23
  • WWE Women’s Championship: Tiffany Stratton over Nia Jax via DQ in 16:55
  • Elimination Chamber Qualifier: Damian Priest over Braun Strowman & Jacob Fatu via South of Heaven in 16:14

 

Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre, and Jacob Fatu

Smackdown from Washington, D.C. kicked off with Wade Barrett introducing the voice of NXT Vic Joseph who was filling in for Joe Tessitore who was away for the night. With that Cody Rhodes was out and asked the crowd who would win the Elimination Chamber match and go on to face him at Wrestlemania. He said he knows it will not be Solo Sikoa as he has not qualified for the Elimination Chamber. Cody also believes that Samoan Spike last week wasn’t for him. This brought out Drew McIntyre who noted that he’s won the Elimination Chamber twice amongst many other accolades. Rhodes retorted that he can count on one hand how many men have defeated him since he returned to WWE and McIntyre was one of them.

This brought out Jacob Fatu who got a huge “Fatu” chant from the DC crowd. Fatu said that McIntyre already got his spot in the chamber and he was going to “dog walk” Braun Strowman and Damian Priest and then he’s bringing the title back home to his family. Drew McIntyre said the people would love to see him take on Fatu but instead, he bailed and walked to the back. This left Fatu and Rhodes as the crowd again chanted “Fatu” when suddenly, Solo Sikoa was shown arriving at the arena. Rhodes started heading to the back when Fatu stopped him and said he would be the first to handle “family business”. 

Women’s Elimination Chamber Qualifier

Before this match began, Wade Barrett interviewed Trish Stratus who was in the crowd, and Stratus said she would be at Elimination Chamber in Toronto but had to decide if she would be watching from a “seat or a suite”. With that Chelsea Green’s music hit and the interview was over. 

The first match of the evening was an Elimination Chamber qualifying match between United States Champion Chelsea Green and Naomi. Piper Niven got involved behind the referee’s back giving Green an early advantage. After the commercial, Naomi mounted a comeback until Green countered with the Rough Ryder for a two-count. Naomi rebounded and hit an X-Factor and the split-legged moonsault for the win, pinning the United States Champion. 

Sami Zayn Responds

A video was shown from Sami Zayn’s social media where he said he’s been having neck issues and he discussed the inevitably of him and Owens turning on each other but this time was different with the package piledriver. Zayn said that Owens was trying to end his career but he didn’t understand why. Zayn said he didn’t know when he’d be cleared but when he was, him and Owens were going to “go again” and it wasn’t going to be fun.

MCMG vs. Los Garza

Next up was a tag team match between Motor City Machine Guns and Los Garza. The two teams went back and forth with Los Garza hitting an impressive double-team maneuver on MCMG but the referee took a few extra seconds to get into position leading to a two-count. This led to MCMG gaining control and quickly hitting Skull and Bones for the victory. 

Priest Promo Package

A video was shown hyping up Damian Priest but merely showing his highlights, not hinting at his direction toward Wrestlemania. 

 

Fatu Finds Solo

A rampaging Jacob Fatu finally found Solo Sikoa backstage and Sikoa admitted he needed time off and he hasn’t been himself since losing the ulfafala but he’s ready to go now. Sikoa said Fatu needs to win the qualifying match so he can bring the title home to the family. Fatu went to leave and Sikoa grabbed him, telling him he loved him and Fatu stormed off. 

Nakamura, Knight, and Miz

United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura came down to the ring and said that he’d been waiting and watching from the shadows for a worthy challenger to step to him but there was no one. This brought out LA Knight who said that he would have beaten Nakamura if it weren’t for “half the Isles of Somoa and Tonga”. The Miz was out next and he ran down the crowd for supporting LA Knight. Miz then mocked LA Knight’s PSA last week saying that it was okay for men to cry. Knight then retorted that Miz and Drew McIntyre are neck and neck for top “crybaby bitches”.  This kept going on and on until finally Nick Aldis came out and proposed a match between Knight and Miz. 

As the show returned from a commercial break, the match between the two opponents was underway with Nakamura watching from the outside. After a few minutes of LA Knight beating down The Miz, his attention was momentarily turned toward Shinsuke Nakamura, allowing The Miz to gain an advantage.

After the show returned from another ad break, Knight had regained control, hitting a BFT on Miz out of nowhere and following it up with an elbow drop from the top rope for the win. After the match, Nakamura got in the ring and he and Knight stared each other down. 

Later backstage, Miz was grimacing in pain after his loss to LA Knight when he ran into Andrade who offered to teach him something. Then Carmelo Hayes approached and Miz said they should team up and added “Melo don’t miss” but Hayes walked off disgusted.  

 

Bliss Wishes Jax Luck

Backstage, Alexa Bliss approached Nia Jax and Candice LeRae and wished her luck tonight. Bliss said that it would be fun if they had a WrestleMania rematch if Jax wins the title and Bliss wins the Chamber. a Wyatt Sicks glitch happened during this segment. 

 

R-Truth vs. Carmelo Hayes

The next match of the night saw R-Truth taking on Carmelo Hayes after a social media video from earlier in the day where Truth got confused by Hayes calling himself “Him”. Truth was using John Cena’s moveset but Hayes was able to counter and hit Nothing But Net for the win.

Street Profits, Pretty Deadly, DIY

A Street Profits video was shown putting all tag teams on notice with Angelo Dawkins saying when he’s cleared. After the video, Byron Saxton was backstage with Pretty Deadly asking about their title opportunity next week. DIY then appeared and complained about Pretty Deadly “throwing it all away” last week and whatever happens next week is on them. 

 

Kevin Owens Cries from His Car

Kevin Owens sent a response video where he was crying in his car, saying Sami Zayn doesn’t know what real pain is but he’ll show him. Owens proposed they fight at Elimination Chamber. 

WWE Women’s Championship

Next up was Tiffany Stratton defending her WWE Women’s Championship against Nia Jax. Charlotte Flair was shown watching backstage as the match was about to begin.

Stratton and Jax went back and forth with both getting some near falls including Jax hitting a second rope Samoan Drop and a second rope leg drop. After a second commercial break, Stratton hit a moonsault onto Jax on the outside followed up by a Swanton for a big two count. Stratton then tried to pick up Jax but collapsed underneath her. Jax set up for the Annihilator but Stratton attempted a powerbomb but couldn’t execute. Stratton then set up for the Prettiest Moonsault Ever but Candice LeRae attacked and caused the disqualification. Jax was happy about this for some reason despite losing her championship opportunity and then hit the Annhiliator on Stratton. Trish Stratus then jumped into the ring attacking LeRae and Jax.  This didn’t last long though as Jax splashed Stratus in the corner.

Jax then finished up by hitting a leg drop to the back of Stratton’s head as WWE officials attempted to clear the situation. Charlotte Flair then came down to the ring where Stratton was left lying as no official tried to help her. Charlotte then announced that she was choosing Stratton at Wrestlemania. 

Backstage, Byron Saxton asked for Tiffany Stratton’s reaction when Trish Stratus approached and proposed a tag match with Stratton against Nia Jax and Candice LeRae at Elimination Chamber.

An Anonymous Video

Nick Aldis brought Belair and Naomi into his office to show them “an anonymous video” that had been sent to him that revealed Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez sneaking in the background when Jade Cargill was being loaded into the ambulance several weeks ago. Belair and Naomi said they were headed to Raw to take care of things. 

Jimmy & Drew

Backstage, Drew McIntyre wondered aloud in front of Jimmy Uso how great it would have been if Jimmy Uso had won last week and gone on to main event Wrestlemania with his brother. This led to Jimmy Uso superkicking Drew in the face as he called him “Jey”. 

Triple Threat Chamber Qualifier

The main event of the evening was the Men’s Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match between Braun Strowman, Jacob Fatu, and Damian Priest. As the match began, again the crowd chanted “Fatu”.  This match was a lot of one man getting knocked down and the other two wrestling for a while, but it still had some unique and impressive spots.

At one point, Priest hit a Flatliner onto Fatu on the announce table, followed by Strowman hitting a running pounce on Priest across the announce table. Strowman followed that up by chokeslamming Fatu into the announce table but the second they got back in the ring, Fatu had recovered and hit three consecutive splashes on Strowman in the corner. Fatu then grabbed a chair and wrapped it around Strowman’s neck but Strowman recovered and nailed Fatu with the chair instead.

Solo Sikoa then appeared hitting the Samoan Spike on Strowman when Cody Rhodes ran down and attacked Sikoa. Then Sikoa accidentally spiked Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu got pissed but by then Damian Priest had recovered and took out Fatu while Rhodes hit Sikoa with a Cross Rhodes. Priest then hit South of Heaven on Strowman for the pinfall victory. After the match, Cody Rhodes and Damian Priest shook hands but still eyed each other as potential Wrestlemania opponents. 

 

Announced for Smackdown Next Week from New Orleans:

  • WWE Tag Team Championship: DIY vs. Pretty Deadly
  • Drew McIntyre vs. Jimmy Uso

 

Final Thoughts

A seventeen-minute title match ending in a disqualification is just brutal but that is just another issue with three-hour Smackdowns. Getting to the Stratus/Stratton tag match against Jax/LeRae as well as Charlotte choosing Stratton for Mania could have been condensed significantly if they didn’t have so much time to fill. Meanwhile, the Men’s qualifier was a fun triple threat. The crowd is clearly starting to really get behind Fatu which is great as he’s clearly talented. 

About John Kleinchester 217 Articles
John Kleinchester is a wrestling reporter from New Jersey, covering the sport since 2022. He is a graduate of Ithaca College and can be reached at jkleinchester@gmail.com.
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