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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWWE SmackDown on February 28, 2025, aired from Toronto as the final SmackDown before Elimination Chamber. The biggest change was the United States Championship story: WWE replaced the expected Nakamura–LA Knight title match with a three-match No. 1 contender tournament. LA Knight won the final Triple Threat and earned a future championship opportunity.
WWE SmackDown on February 28, 2025, aired from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, as the final SmackDown before Elimination Chamber: Toronto. The episode began the United States Championship No. 1 contender tournament, saw LA Knight win the right to challenge Shinsuke Nakamura, and ended with another major escalation between Cody Rhodes and The Rock.
In the United States, the show was scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Central on USA Network. The original advertised card changed before the broadcast: rather than a direct Nakamura–LA Knight United States Championship match, WWE announced a three-match qualifying tournament followed by a closing Triple Threat.
WWE SmackDown February 28, 2025 results
| Match or segment | Result |
|---|---|
| Jacob Fatu vs. Andrade | Jacob Fatu won the United States Championship No. 1 contender qualifier. |
| LA Knight vs. Santos Escobar | LA Knight won the United States Championship No. 1 contender qualifier. |
| Carmelo Hayes vs. Braun Strowman | Carmelo Hayes won by disqualification after a chair-related deception and outside interference. |
| LA Knight vs. Jacob Fatu vs. Carmelo Hayes | LA Knight won the closing Triple Threat and became No. 1 contender to Shinsuke Nakamura’s United States Championship. |
| Roxanne Perez, Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez vs. Bianca Belair, Naomi and Bayley | Roxanne Perez, Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez won. Alexa Bliss attacked Perez after the match. |
| Tiffany Stratton vs. Chelsea Green | Tiffany Stratton won by disqualification after interference from Nia Jax and Candice LeRae. |
| The Street Profits vs. Los Garza | The match became a no-contest/pre-match brawl after #DIY, Motor City Machine Guns and Pretty Deadly became involved. |
LA Knight wins the United States Championship title opportunity
The most consequential wrestling result was LA Knight’s victory in the United States Championship No. 1 contender tournament. WWE first presented three qualifying matches:
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- Jacob Fatu defeated Andrade.
- LA Knight defeated Santos Escobar.
- Carmelo Hayes defeated Braun Strowman by disqualification.
Hayes’ match ended through trickery rather than a straightforward pinfall. Hayes used a chair-related deception, while interference involving Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga helped produce the disqualification result. That put Hayes into the final Triple Threat alongside Knight and Fatu.
LA Knight then defeated Jacob Fatu and Carmelo Hayes in the closing qualifier. The win made Knight the next challenger for United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura. It also preserved the Nakamura–Knight rivalry without rushing directly into a title defense on this episode.
This change matters when comparing previews with the broadcast. An earlier version of the card had been expected to feature Nakamura defending the United States Championship against Knight. WWE instead replaced that match with the tournament format, giving the episode several qualifying bouts and delaying the title confrontation.
Trish Stratus returns to her Toronto crowd
WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus appeared before her hometown Toronto audience as part of the build to the planned Elimination Chamber tag-team match. WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton is scheduled to team with Stratus against Nia Jax and Candice LeRae.
The segment developed into an impromptu match between Stratton and Chelsea Green. Stratton defeated Green by disqualification after Jax and LeRae interfered. Stratus then helped Stratton clear the ring, keeping the focus on the upcoming tag-team confrontation.
Cody Rhodes and The Rock’s final SmackDown angle before Elimination Chamber
Cody Rhodes was scheduled to deliver his final words before meeting The Rock at Elimination Chamber. Instead of a routine closing promo, the segment intensified the personal stakes of their story.
The Rock made a personal offer to Rhodes, including a custom truck, and attempted to entice the WWE Champion into accepting his proposal at Elimination Chamber. The angle served as the episode’s principal closing story and set up the next night’s Premium Live Event rather than resolving the conflict on television.
The broader episode also continued the surrounding Elimination Chamber build, including the men’s and women’s Chamber fields and the developing Kevin Owens–Sami Zayn unsanctioned-match story.
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Roxanne Perez, Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez defeated Bianca Belair, Naomi and Bayley in a six-woman tag match. The post-match scene added another complication when Alexa Bliss attacked Perez.
The result gave Perez, Morgan and Rodriguez momentum heading into Elimination Chamber season, while Bliss’ attack created a separate point of tension rather than ending the women’s segment with the match result alone.
The Street Profits–Los Garza match breaks down
The Street Profits versus Los Garza did not reach a conventional conclusion. The contest turned into a larger brawl involving #DIY, Motor City Machine Guns and Pretty Deadly, producing a no-contest/pre-match-brawl outcome.
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Because the segment ended in chaos, it is more accurate to describe it as a no-contest or brawl context than to list a winner.
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The pre-show advertising centered on the United States Championship tournament. WWE announced these qualifying matches:
- Jacob Fatu vs. Andrade
- LA Knight vs. Santos Escobar
- Carmelo Hayes vs. Braun Strowman
The winners were scheduled to meet in a Triple Threat, with the winner earning a United States Championship opportunity against Shinsuke Nakamura.
WWE also promoted Trish Stratus’ Toronto appearance and Cody Rhodes’ final address before Elimination Chamber. The advertised storylines included Stratton and Stratus’ planned match against Jax and LeRae, Rhodes’ confrontation with The Rock, and the continuing Owens–Zayn conflict.
Pre-show predictions compared with what happened
Prediction: LA Knight would win the United States Championship tournament
Correct. Knight was the logical pre-show pick because WWE had already positioned him in conflict with Nakamura. The tournament structure also allowed WWE to build the rematch through multiple matches instead of putting the championship directly on the line that night.
The important qualification is that the prediction was a forecast, not a report of the result before the episode aired. Knight ultimately won both his qualifier against Santos Escobar and the final Triple Threat against Fatu and Hayes.
Prediction: Trish Stratus would advance the Elimination Chamber tag-team story
Correct in broad terms, but the segment took a different form. Stratus’ appearance led to a confrontation involving Stratton, Jax and LeRae. The angle became a Stratton–Chelsea Green match, which ended by disqualification when Jax and LeRae interfered. Stratus then helped Stratton fight them off.
Prediction: Cody Rhodes and The Rock would dominate the closing segment
Correct. The closing storyline focused on Rhodes and Rock rather than a routine match. The Rock’s personal offer, including the custom truck, gave the segment a more direct and personal tone before their Elimination Chamber meeting.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to watch the February 28, 2025 episode
United States
The original U.S. broadcast aired on USA Network at 8 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Central on Friday, February 28, 2025. Viewers without cable or satellite needed a live-TV service or bundle that carried USA Network in their market.
Availability depends on the provider, local-channel coverage, location, pricing and the terms of any current subscription offer. Check the provider’s live channel lineup before subscribing; a service that carries USA Network in one market may not offer the same local coverage everywhere.
Peacock and replays
Peacock is relevant for U.S. viewers seeking WWE library programming and on-demand WWE Network content. It should not, however, be presented as the original live destination for this specific SmackDown. The contemporaneous U.S. live-broadcast answer was USA Network.
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For a replay, confirm that the February 28 episode is listed in the current Peacock catalog before relying on the service. Catalogs and distribution arrangements can change.
Viewers outside the United States
WWE’s current general viewing guidance says that fans in most regions outside the U.S. can watch Raw, SmackDown, NXT and Premium Live Events live on Netflix, with territory-specific exceptions. International rights are not uniform, so viewers should check the WWE viewing information for their country rather than assuming Netflix is available everywhere.
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Fan collectible: LA Knight merchandise
LA Knight’s decisive win makes a WWE LA Knight action figure a natural collectible for fans of this episode. Official WWE Shop and Mattel product records document licensed LA Knight figures, including a Mattel LA Knight Ultimate Edition listing and a WWE Elite Collection LA Knight figure released in 2025.
Listings, prices, sellers and stock status vary, so check the current product page before buying. Do not assume that every marketplace listing is official, in stock or the lowest-priced option.
February 28 episode versus March 1 Elimination Chamber
This SmackDown was held on Friday, February 28, 2025. It was not the Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event itself. The episode functioned as the final television build toward Elimination Chamber: Toronto, which followed on March 1.
That date distinction is especially important for searches that combine “SmackDown 2/28/2025” with Elimination Chamber results. LA Knight’s win on SmackDown earned him a future United States Championship opportunity; it was not a United States Championship victory on this episode.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteFrequently Asked Questions
Where did WWE SmackDown take place on February 28, 2025?
WWE SmackDown on February 28, 2025 aired from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Who won the United States Championship No. 1 contender tournament?
LA Knight defeated Jacob Fatu and Carmelo Hayes in the closing Triple Threat to become the No. 1 contender for Shinsuke Nakamura’s United States Championship.
How could viewers watch SmackDown on February 28, 2025?
The original U.S. broadcast aired at 8 p.m. Eastern / 7 p.m. Central on USA Network. Peacock is relevant to WWE library and replay content, but it was not the stated original live-broadcast destination for this episode.
Was February 28, 2025, the Elimination Chamber event?
No. The episode aired on February 28 and built toward Elimination Chamber: Toronto, which was the following Premium Live Event rather than the same broadcast.
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The Bottom Line
Bottom line: The February 28, 2025 SmackDown changed from an expected Nakamura–LA Knight title match into a United States Championship No. 1 contender tournament. LA Knight won the final Triple Threat over Jacob Fatu and Carmelo Hayes, while the Rhodes–Rock confrontation and Trish Stratus’ Toronto return drove the Elimination Chamber build.
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