SPOILER WARNING:

The following article contains full spoilers for the December 26, 2025 edition of WWE Friday Night SmackDown, which was taped on December 19, 2025. If you wish to remain unspoiled ahead of the broadcast, please stop reading now.

With the Christmas holiday approaching, WWE once again utilized a special taping schedule to ensure the roster and production crew could spend time away from the road. As part of a double taping before SmackDown, WWE filmed the December 26 episode in advance, setting the tone for the final SmackDown of 2025 while planting several major seeds for the new year.

The taped episode featured a mix of holiday-themed chaos, championship implications, escalating rivalries, and blockbuster announcements that will shape SmackDown’s road into January.

Spoilers courtesy of @LvlUpReports.

Here Is a Quick Rundown of the Spoilers

• The episode opened with a Joe Hendry concert, where Hendry performed a parody of “Jingle Bells,” mocking The Miz with the lyric:
  “Jingle bells, jingle bells, Miz has tiny balls.”
• Joe Hendry vs. The Miz took place in a Miracle on 34th Street Fight.
  
  • Alpha Academy appeared at ringside, with Otis dressed as Santa Claus and Akira Tozawa dressed as an elf.
  • A mystery rabbit-costumed character was revealed to be R-Truth.
  • Joe Hendry defeated The Miz via pinfall.
• A backstage promo aired with Jade Cargill and Byron Saxton, with Jade calling out Michin in a serious, no-nonsense tone.
  
  • Michin, accompanied by B-Fab, responded in a separate backstage promo.
• Charlotte Flair defeated Lash Legend via pinfall.
  
  • @LvlUpReports noted that Lash Legend appeared “very stiff in the ring.”
• In an earlier backstage segment, Ilja Dragunov announced he was closing his U.S. Title open challenge, but agreed to face Carmelo Hayes in a rematch.
  
  • Carmelo Hayes defeated Dragunov via pinfall to win the United States Championship.
  • Dragunov placed the title around Hayes’ waist afterward.
  • The match was described as “SummerSlam-level” quality.

• Giulia and Kiana James defeated Chelsea Green and Alba Fyre when Giulia pinned Chelsea.
• A backstage segment involving Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss escalated into a chaotic women’s tag-team shouting match with multiple competitors involved.
  
  • WWE announced a multi-way women’s tag team match for the first SmackDown in January, with #1 contendership on the line.
• An Oba Femi video package aired.
• WWE confirmed matches for January 2 SmackDown, including:
  
  • Damian Priest vs. Aleister Black
  • Jade Cargill vs. Michin for the Women’s Championship
• A segment featuring Kit Wilson and Nick Aldis led to Cody Rhodes confronting Drew McIntyre, demanding an apology.
  
  • Drew headed to the ring and verbally tore into the referee.
  • WWE officially announced Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre in a Three Stages of Hell match, set for Berlin on the January 9 episode of SmackDown.
  • Drew told Cody, “When I bury you deep in hell, say hi to your dad for me,” before laying Rhodes out.

What This Means Going Forward

With the final SmackDown of 2025 packed with spectacle, intensity, and storyline escalation, the December 26 episode feels intentionally designed to bridge eras. Holiday chaos gave way to major narrative shifts, including Carmelo Hayes’ U.S. Title victory, the continued rise of Jade Cargill, and the brewing implosion across the women’s division.

Most notably, Drew McIntyre and Cody Rhodes took center stage, with the announcement of a Three Stages of Hell match in Berlin immediately positioning their rivalry as SmackDown’s defining feud heading into January. Combined with Oba Femi’s looming presence and several #1 contender scenarios taking shape, SmackDown closes 2025 not with closure — but with volatility, urgency, and momentum aimed squarely at the new year.

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