Welcome to Wrestling Inc.’s live coverage of WWE SmackDown from Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, on November 21, 2025!
United States Champion Ilya Dragunov will continue his U.S. Open Challenge for the title tonight. Dragunov has consistently declined to face Ciampa at Ciampa’s request but has successfully defended his title against Aleister Black on October 24, Nathan Frazier on October 31, Johnny Gargano—Ciampa’s #DIY tag team partner—on November 7, and most recently, Axiom on last Friday’s SmackDown.
Speaking of #DIY, Ciampa and Gargano are set to take on Nathan Frazier and Axiom in a tag team match tonight. After Dragunov’s win over Axiom last week, Ciampa expressed his frustration about not getting a title shot and Dragunov picking Axiom as his challenger, which led Ciampa to launch a surprise attack on Axiom.
Tonight also features two first-round matches of The Last Time Is Now tournament, which will decide John Cena’s final opponent for the WWE Saturday Night Main Event on December 13. The Vision’s Bronson Reed will face Carmelo Hayes, while Judgment Day’s Finn Balor goes up against Penta. The winner of Reed vs. Hayes will meet Gunther in the quarterfinals on Monday’s WWE Raw, and the victor of that bout will face MFT leader Solo Cicore in another quarterfinal on the same night.
On the women’s side, after Rhea Ripley requested a backstage meeting with AJ Lee (who recently lost the Women’s Intercontinental Championship to Maxine Dupri), WWE announced the fifth member of the women’s team for the Survivor Series: WarGames match on November 29th. Ripley, IYO SKY, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss & Asuka, Kairi Sane, Nia Jax, and Rush Legends will be joined by this mystery fifth participant.
Meanwhile, the men’s WarGames match will see Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk, Jimmy Uso, Jey Uso, and Roman Reigns face off against Drew McIntyre, Logan Paul, The Vision, and Brock Lesnar. WWE also teased the fallout from the brutal brawl involving all ten men during Monday’s Raw. Brock Lesnar was confirmed as the final member of his team.
Fan Take: This lineup sets the stage for some electrifying showdowns leading into the Survivor Series and special events in December. For WWE fans, these developments promise intense rivalries and thrilling matches that could redefine the championship landscape and elevate the excitement around the sport.
