WWE SmackDown Review: The Vicious Side of the American Nightmare

Last night's episode of SmackDown from San Jose was defined by shocking returns, a major title change, and a main event that saw the Undisputed WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes, snap in a display of uncharacteristic rage.

The show delivered on the fallout from Crown Jewel and set the stage for explosive confrontations in the coming weeks.

​Major Title Change: The Mad Dragon's Return

​The biggest in-ring moment belonged to the United States Championship Open Challenge. While the segment started with Carmelo Hayes attacking The Miz (in apparent retribution), the real shock came when the music of Ilja Dragunov hit. Returning from a long injury layoff, The Mad Dragon answered Sami Zayn’s challenge, leading to a phenomenal, hard-hitting contest.

The action was superb, but Solo Sikoa's distraction allowed Dragunov to capitalize with the Torpedo Moscow and the H-Bomb, ending Zayn’s reign to become the new United States Champion.

The celebration was short-lived, however, as the MFTs rushed the ring to beat down both men, only to be met by a spine-chilling face-off with the returning Wyatt Sicks as the lights dimmed, hinting at a huge new faction war.

​Main Event Chaos: Rhodes vs. McIntyre

​The originally scheduled WWE Championship No. 1 Contender’s Match between Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu was scrapped after Fatu was found brutally attacked and bleeding backstage. While McIntyre denied involvement, he brazenly demanded to be crowned the new challenger.

This brought out Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, who, seeing red, challenged a smirking McIntyre to an impromptu title match. The subsequent brawl spilled out into the crowd and escalated quickly, culminating in Rhodes losing control of his emotions. In a stunning act of aggression, Rhodes deliberately disqualified himself by using his championship belt as a weapon to smash McIntyre in the head.

The show closed with security struggling to separate a truly vicious "American Nightmare," signaling a darker, more volatile side to the champion we haven't seen before.

​Other Key Results & Segments

• ​Women’s Tag Team Championship: Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss successfully retained against the impressive NXT duo of Sol Ruca & Zaria, but Ruca’s focus was broken by the ringside presence of Blake Monroe.

• ​Tag Team Action: The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) defeated Los Garza (Angel & Berto) in a solid showcase.

• ​Vignette: Aleister Black and Zelina Vega delivered a cryptic promo, cementing their alliance as a "necessary evil."

​Overall Grade: B+

​The show was carried by two major, impactful segments: the incredible return and title win for Ilja Dragunov, and the intense, character-defining main event brawl between Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre.

The mid-card served its purpose, building heat between factions (Wyatt Sicks/MFT) and setting up future matches, making this a crucial episode heading toward the next Premium Live Event.

​Standout Star of the Night: Ilja Dragunov

​Most Shocking Moment: Cody Rhodes using the title belt as a weapon.