Latest news with #SmackDown
News18
23 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- News18
CM Punk Appears As 'Dr. Of Thuganomics'; Parodies John Cena With 'Punkanomics' Rap: WATCH
Last Updated: CM Punk retaliated against John Cena on Friday Night SmackDown by mimicking Cena's old-school "Doctor of Thuganomics" gimmick. CM Punk decided to go bar-for-bar with John Cena on Friday Night SmackDown tonight, in classic 'Thuganomics' fashion, as retaliation for the reverse-pipebomb gimmick from last week. It was just a week ago when Cena slammed Punk through a table and delivered a scathing promo that parodied Punk's iconic 2011 'pipe bomb"—the very one delivered after Cena himself had been put through a table following a match with R-Truth. Well, it's always an eye for an eye with CM Punk, who responded in kind by copying Cena's 'Doctor of Thuganomics" gimmick on this week's go-home episode of SmackDown in Saudi Arabia. 👊 PunkLife 👊THIS IS BASIC PUNKANOMICS! 🔥 — WWE (@WWE) June 28, 2025 After Cena made his usual entrance, his old Basic Thuganomics entrance music played, and out came CM Punk. Punk was dressed similar to how Cena would dress as the Dr of Thuganomics about 20 years ago, and grabbed a mic on his way into the ring. Punk then proceeded to cut a promo on Cena in the form of a rap. Punk's rap took shots at Cena moving in slow motion, burying more wrestlers than The Undertaker, fixing his bald spot, and somehow being more problematic than Hulk Hogan. He said I'm a problem, he called me a player hater, let's be honest, John Cena's buried more talent than the Undertaker. That's why he's the champ and went and lost all his respects, but John I get it, I'd retire too if this place rehired my ex. If you never said your prayers, ate your vitamins or fixed your bald spot, you wouldn't be a pro wrestler, you'd be a Boston Mall Cop. But hey, he gets good movie roles that much is a fact, and then you see Batista act and you realise John ain't that. Same shirt, same hat, man, your persona stayed tragic. You're like a fish bellied white Hulk Hogan but somehow more problematic. . @CMPunk just left @JohnCena speechless… 👀 — WWE (@WWE) June 28, 2025 For someone who started off the night with boos after issuing an apology during the WWE Night of Champions Kickoff show for his tweet years ago about Saudi Arabia, Punk surely ended the night well, with the crowds singing ' Cult of Personality' in unison as he left.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
CM Punk's 'Punkanomics' echoes these 3 savage John Cena parodies
Image via WWE CM Punk's infamous Pipebomb moment from 2011 was turned into a parody by John Cena on WWE SmackDown last week. The Best in the World retaliated in a similar fashion by donning Cena's popular 'Doctor of Thuganomics' and launching major verbal rap shots at The Cenation Leader. This came one night before they clashed for the final time with the Undisputed WWE Championship on the line at Night of Champions. Punk recreating an important part of Cena's WWE career as a mockery was a sight to witness. However, he was not the first one to do so. Over the years, top names in the business, who had heated feuds with the 17-time WWE Champion, mocked him in a similar way that The Second City Saint did on SmackDown. Here is a look back at those three times WWE superstars delivered savage John Cena parodies: 3. Big Show John Cena's first major rivalry in WWE during the start of his rise as 'The Doctor of Thuganomics' was against then-WWE United States Champion, The Big Show. In the buildup to their match for the star-spangled prize at WrestleMania XX, the duo met on SmackDown in a rap battle where Show took aspects from Cena's rapper gimmick and went toe-to-toe with him. Cena won the battle and even defeated him at WrestleMania to win his first title in WWE. 2. Kurt Angle The first WWE superstar whom John Cena faced in the company was Kurt Angle in 2002. Sometime later, when Cena found his Doctor of Thuganomics persona, he found himself crossing paths with The Olympic Hero again. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo At one time during an in-ring confrontation, Angle decided to shut down the young rising star in his language by delivering a charismatic rap that left Cena speechless. It showed Angle's hilarious side who rapped to perfection and reminded Cena that he was the top player of the big leagues. 1. The Rock WWE Raw 28/2/2011 The Rock Dwayne Johnson Rapping *HD* John Cena began a rivalry with The Rock following his return to WWE in 2011. The Champ rapped to The Great One after he berated Cena in his return promo. In response, The Rock appeared via satellite wearing Cena's cap, armbands, and rapping in a similar fashion. He did a few lines, but immediately took off all of Cena's artifacts to deliver a scratching rant in his own style, which became a memorable segment in WWE. Also read: History in the Making: Legendary star can set new WWE SummerSlam milestone Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
WWE champion's reign ends after 63-days on SmackDown before Night of Champions 2025
WWE Night of Champions is only a day away from emanating from the Kingdom Arena in the rich city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. WWE built much hype for the Premium Live Event in the same venue by presenting the June 27th edition of Friday Night SmackDown. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now It featured three top title matches on the card. While two titles managed to stay with their respective titleholders, a major championship changed hands following a highly spectacular showdown that captivated the Riyadh audience. Which WWE Championship changed hands on SmackDown before Night of Champions 2025 Premium Live Event? On the June 27th edition of WWE SmackDown, Zelina Vega was scheduled to defend her WWE Women's United States Championship against Giulia. The international sensation had been having multiple encounters with Vega over the last few weeks since she was called up from WWE NXT. After Vega defeated Pipe Niven in a match with Giulia's help, she immediately turned on her and held the star-spangled prize high. This clearly hinted at her intentions, and the match was made official for SmackDown taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The duo clashed in an epic encounter that was a thrilling sight to witness. The Beautiful Madness unleashed her fury on the defending champion, who fought through it valiantly. From stunning drops to power-packed moves, Vega and Giulia stole the show. Towards the final moments of the title match, Giulia clearly had the upper hand, launching a pair of knee strikes. She put a conclusion to the bout by delivering a Northern Lights Bomb on Zelina Vega and pinned her shoulders to the mat for the three count. With that win, Giulia became the new WWE Women's United States Champion, marking her first singles title on the main roster. It was a sight of similar success being replicated by Giulia that she did when she arrived in NXT last year. While Zelina Vega did her best, her effort ultimately fell short at the hands of The Beautiful Madness. With Giulia winning her first major championship in WWE, it will be interesting to see her title reign on Friday Night SmackDown. Also read:
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WWE SmackDown results, highlights (June 27): CM Punk punks John Cena; Giulia seizes U.S. title
"WWE SmackDown" in Saudi Arabia set the table for "WWE Night of Champions" with three title matches and one of the presumed final interactions between John Cena and CM Punk. Next week, "WWE SmackDown" returns to a two-hour time slot, so the company did its best to pack in all the goods it could. A (failed) Punk'd reboot I have no idea where to start with the final promo battle between Cena and Punk. Advertisement First of all, "Dr. of Thuganomics" Cena is what I would have preferred most for his heel run if he wasn't going to go with the overall opposite "Hollywood Cena" type of gimmick we anticipated. And admittedly, when Punk emerged with the "Word Life" theme, the kid inside of me got chills from that nostalgia hit. That said, Punk looked absolutely ridiculous dressed up like that. It worked and it didn't work because, mind you, this wasn't Punk's first cosplay. My mind went right to his Jeff Hardy feud, when he impersonated the "Charismatic Enigma" at the end of their feud. This was somewhat similar, but as great as the crowd was for most of the night, the roast rapping did not land for them on most lines. Advertisement Cena just going back to speaking how he was before last week's pipebomb promo also felt kind of weird. Because, don't get it twisted, he is fully the face to Punk's heel in Saudi Arabia. This go-home segment was fun for those who have been fans for all of Cena's career, but this felt like the wrong place for it. The most unnecessary and least wanted Last Man/Woman Standing match of all time? That's a genuine question. For me, I think it has to be because I can't think of anything worse than this, simply because Tiffany Stratton and Nia Jax shouldn't be having any more matches of any kind. But this was purely a slow, plodding weapon spot fest, and one that admittedly made Stratton look invincible getting through that table splash spot alone. This can't be what it felt like, but in a way, this legitimately felt like WWE's attempt to replicate the magic of Mariah May and Toni Storm's "Hollywood Ending" in AEW. Well, let's just say it wasn't. It was a waste of the great champion that Stratton is. Ultimately, she thankfully retained, knocking Jax through a pair of tables. (After Naomi failed at attempting to initiate her cash-in.) To conclude all this, I still wonder why more people in this match type don't try to prevent their opponent from getting back up or standing on them. Yeah, yeah, suspension of disbelief, but something that feels like a no-brainer, you know? The tag division problem It's almost as if WWE realizes how absurd the recent booking of the loaded "WWE SmackDown" tag team division has been. The Wyatt Sicks challenged The Street Profits for their WWE Tag Team Championships on this show, which was another one of those classic WWE tropes where someone "earns" a title shot by attacking opponents without winning matches. So, theoretically, if the Wyatts lost, which they should have, then what? The Profits tried to justify it by saying the Wyatts are the only threat. But... in that case, shouldn't they prove that? Advertisement Plotholes galore. We'll get to that title match momentarily. But backstage, DIY questioned that match coming together with all the other tag teams when talking to "WWE SmackDown" general manager Nick Aldis. That was a perfectly logical thing to do. And what did Aldis do? He kayfabe booked DIY in a match against Andrade and someone of his choosing (Rey Fenix). That's despite Fraxiom, Los Garza and Motor City Machine Guns literally standing right there. This has all been handled awfully, but the bad didn't end there. Andrade and Fenix beat DIY clean in the match and delivered several great sequences. Quite frankly, it was a banger, despite being a wicked blow to DIY since they lost to a newly paired team. Advertisement What wasn't a banger was the tag team match, which was barely a match, and as it turns out, ended via a [expletive] DQ when Los Garza attacked the Wyatts outside the ring. This is just an absurd mess, man. It has turned into everyone against the Wyatts, as every team worked together to take them out. So, they're in an impossible position now. WWE has booked the group to be so strong that they can battle four different tag teams. The Wyatts have been booked into a corner where, if they can't win the tag team titles, then they look downright pathetic. It wouldn't make any sense. It already hasn't though, so brace yourselves for the inevitable. And new-lia...! Is that too corny of a headline? Yes, probably, but we're sticking with it because Giulia is officially here to give some merit to the Women's U.S. title, as she dethroned Zelina Vega on this "WWE SmackDown." Advertisement Each women's midcard singles title got off to a seriously bumpy start, especially the U.S. variant, which, until now, was just Chelsea Green going back and forth with Michin and Vega. As a well-established global talent, Giulia makes for the perfect wrestler to help elevate this title, and hopefully, she gets the proper opponents to support that. I don't mean for this to sound like a knock on Vega, because it's not. The match between the two was solid for what it was, but essentially a dominant effort for the new champ. It just appears we've reached Vega's ceiling, and that's evident WWE sees that too. Outside of the pin trade-off that started the match, I don't think Vega was given anything to kick out of. ✍️ Continuity of the Night Thankfully, Ron Killings isn't just ignoring how last Friday's "WWE SmackDown" ended despite his burial of a disappearance to set up Cena's pipebomb promo. "The Truth" rightfully approached the managers backstage and angrily demanded Cena before he took matters to the ring. In the middle of all this was Aleister Black, whom Killings "interrupted" again. Advertisement Killings called out Cena in the ring and immediately ate a Black Mass from Black, who snuck up behind him. So, it was a two forms of understandable continuity. Even if this veers Killings slightly off track for an obvious match against Black, he should not forget all this Cena stuff. There are mixed feelings regarding this direction, but hopefully, Killings can remain somewhat notable after his saga, as the luster has already worn off quickly. 👍 FRIDAY NIGHT FIRE 👍 Despite the massive negative down below, the Saudi Arabia crowds are insanely hyped for any WWE visit, and they let Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes hear it right as "WWE SmackDown" began. 🤷 IT HAPPENED 🤷 1. Regarding Rhodes and Orton, their opening segment together was good, as should always be expected. However, it doesn't receive a full upvote because of how short this program will last. Advertisement There's so much that can be dug into with a proper feud, and we got glimpses of that when they made great callbacks. Orton mentions last year's King of the Ring, and Rhodes goes back to when he first arrived in WWE. He countered Orton's starting lines, stating he needs the win more. Again, it was good, just bittersweet because of how little it was. 2. JC Mateo beat Jimmy Uso in a relatively nothing match that followed Rhodes and Orton's opener segment. It was essentially set up to determine Uso's allegiance, which resulted in the weakest slap ever seen when he hit Solo Sikoa after the loss. Jacob Fatu made the save after they started to attack, and surely, Uso will help make the save at WWE Night of Champions when Fatu struggles against Sikoa with Mateo in his corner. 👎 DOWN & OUT👎 Saudi Arabia shows as a whole. Advertisement I'm sorry but not sorry. Seeing the female wrestlers at these WWE shows is always a reminder of why this whole partnership is morally problematic, thanks to the human rights discrimination. But on top of that, you would think there'd be more creativity with so much money invested in the partnership. For example, take the LED wall. WWE has propped up a massive wall of screens for this trip to the country, and it just boggles the mind how this is viewed as better than the unique set designs of days past. Additionally, "WWE SmackDown" suffered from technical difficulties with the hard cam almost immediately. 👑 Uncrowned Gem of the Night 👑 Asuka is such a vibe. It's incredible having her back, getting these great reactions, and being treated like a big deal — assuming she keeps it going and beats Jade Cargill, of course. Nonetheless, she's the Uncrowned Gem of the Night. Advertisement The brief "interview" segment she had with Cargill alongside Wade Barrett gave her the moment to shine before Naomi teased that it doesn't matter who wins as long as she holds the Money In the Bank. Asuka looked great and stood tall at the end, and despite her unique, minimal English promo style, she still made Cargill come off as incredibly inauthentic. Asuka has a heel vibe to her at the moment. It might be because of the all-black aesthetic since her return, but everyone still loves her. I'm very curious to see how this run plays out for her. 👑 I give this show a Crown score of: 6/10. 👑
Arab News
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Arab News
SmackDown thrills Riyadh as WWE superstars set stage for Night of Champions showdown
RIYADH: WWE delivered an electrifying spectacle in the Saudi capital on Friday night, as Kingdom Arena roared with excitement for SmackDown, a flagship event under Riyadh Season 2025. Fans packed every seat, demonstrating once again Saudi Arabia's growing passion for world-class sports entertainment. The night began with a surprise appearance by global superstars Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, whose entrance drew thunderous applause as they built anticipation for their highly awaited clash on Saturday at Night of Champions. Orton addressed the jubilant crowd, saying, 'I am honored to be in your country. You are a great people with a wonderful culture. Saudi Arabia is amazing — every time I travel 15 hours to come here, I feel happier than the time before.' The action inside the ring did not disappoint. In a fierce contest for the WWE United States Women's Championship, Julia showcased her brilliance with a decisive win over the experienced Zelina Vega, capturing the title for a third time and cementing her status among the division's elite. Tiffany Stratton retained her title in one of the night's most brutal encounters, overcoming Nia Jax in a punishing Last Woman Standing match that had been simmering for weeks. The high-intensity showdown saw the arena's surroundings reduced to chaos before Stratton finally sealed her victory. Tag team action added to the drama, as The Street Profits defended their titles against The Wyatt Six in a heated bout that ended in a chaotic no-contest. The titleholders retained their belts, but with tensions unresolved, a rematch seems all but certain. In a performance that ignited the fans, Andrea and Reina Faklis overcame the team of DAW in a hard-fought contest, closing with a spectacular finishing move that brought Kingdom Arena to its feet. Meanwhile, rising star JC Mateo delivered a statement performance with a smart, resilient victory over veteran Jimmy Uso, reinforcing his status as a name to watch in WWE's future. Eyes across the Kingdom now turn to Saturday's blockbuster 'King and Queen of the Ring' event, promising even more high-octane drama. A showpiece undisputed WWE Championship clash will see John Cena face CM Punk in a bout certain to rekindle memories of their iconic rivalry. Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton will square off in the King of the Ring final, while Jade Cargill goes head-to-head with Japanese superstar Asuka for the Queen of the Ring crown. Other headline matchups include a United States Championship battle between Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa, a no-holds-barred Street Fight pitting Rhea Ripley against Raquel Rodriguez, and a highly anticipated contest featuring Sami Zayn against Karrion Kross — all set to cap a monumental weekend for WWE fans in Riyadh.
