WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event on January 25, 2025, featured title defenses by Rhea Ripley, Bron Breakker, and GUNTHER, plus a contract signing and Strowman vs Fatu.
Saturday Night’s Main Event (SNME) returned on January 25, 2025, from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas, featuring a card of four matches, including three title bouts. This special event aired on NBC and was also available for streaming on Peacock, serving as a lead-in to the upcoming Royal Rumble event. The two-hour show included title defenses and a contract signing, making it a significant night for WWE.
The show opened with Rhea Ripley successfully defending her WWE Women’s World Championship against Nia Jax. This match was notable for its hard-hitting action, with Ripley overcoming Jax’s size and strength. There was a great transition where Nia countered a springboard hurricanrana with a powerbomb attempt but Ripley countered with a code red. Jax also hit a second rope leg drop that Ripley kicked out of. Ripley secured the victory with a Riptide, and it was revealed that the loser will compete in the Royal Rumble match. The match received a B+ grade.
In another title match, Bron Breakker defended his Intercontinental Championship against Sheamus. This bout was characterized by its intense pace and high-impact moves, including Breakker being thrown into the barricade on to an office chair, and Sheamus also getting a celtic cross nearfall. Jesse Ventura made a comment on the match which involved Steiner math, saying Bron Breaker thinks 2+2 = 5. The match concluded with Breakker hitting a jumping spear on Sheamus’ bad ribs, earning the match an A- grade.
The show also featured a contract signing segment between Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens, moderated by Shawn Michaels. This segment was built as a precursor to their match, the sign involved a nod to Dusty Sucks Eggs shirt with the wearing of a Cody Sucks Eggs t-shirt by Owens, the segment also involved a cheap shot by Owens on Rhodes, and also an attempt at Package Piledriver by Owens on Michael which was saved by Rhodes. This segment was given a B grade.
Braun Strowman faced Jacob Fatu in a match that ended in a disqualification. Fatu, known for his ‘real-life badass’ persona, was noted to have been to jail three times, which was incorporated into his character. The match involved brutal moves from both athletes, and resulted in Fatu throwing the referee out of the ring after a table spot that didn’t break. Strowman was bleeding from the mouth, and Fatu continued to beat him down with officials filling the ring. Fans chanted “one more time!” after a double-jump moonsault. Fatu obliged. Fans then chanted “Fatu!” This match was given an A grade.
The main event saw GUNTHER defend his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Jey Uso. This match featured a back and forth action, with Jey hitting a spear for a nearfall and also an uso splash which also resulted in a nearfall, and GUNTHER countered a third spear attempt with multiple powerbombs. The match was given a B grade.
The event also featured Ted DiBiase, who appeared in place of Hulk Hogan. DiBiase was decked out in his full regalia. The broadcast used old-school microphones for ring introductions, which was not well received by the audience. The total tickets distributed for the event were 15,493, with 230 tickets remaining available.
This Saturday Night’s Main Event served as a primer for the upcoming Royal Rumble, with the outcomes setting the stage for future storylines. Nia Jax, despite a strong performance in 2024, finds herself in an uncertain position heading into WrestleMania.
Sources: https://www.forbes.com/sites/alfredkonuwa/2025/01/25/wwe-saturday-nights-main-event-results-winners-and-grades-on-january-25-2025/
https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2025/01/25/wwe-saturday-nights-main-event-time-tv-match-card/77887079007/
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10152279-jacob-fatu-real-winners-and-losers-of-wwe-saturday-nights-main-event-2-match-card