WWE SmackDown Notes: Damian Priest & Randy Orton Makes Surprise Returns, Card for 8/29 Show

WWE
Aug 22, 2025

Damian Priest Makes Surprise Return on Friday’s WWE SmackDown Show

Friday’s WWE SmackDown show at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland featured Damian Priest making his surprise return.

During the show, Aleister Black came out to the ring for his match against R-Truth. This led to R-Truth showing up on the big screen and revealed that he accidentally flew to Dublin, Georgia and not Dublin, Ireland. Truth stated that he didn’t even know there was more than one place with the name Dublin and told Black that he called a friend in and for him to say hello to his little friend. This led to Priest making his surprise return and ran out to the ring to brawl with Black as WWE officials and security came out to break it up.

This was Priest’s first appearance since this past July due to him suffering a hairline jaw fracture at the hands of Black.

Randy Orton Makes Surprise Return on Friday’s WWE SmackDown Show

Friday’s WWE SmackDown show also featured Randy Orton making his surprise return.

During the show, Drew McIntyre came out to the ring demanding SmackDown commentator Joe Tessitore give him a medical update on Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. After not getting any update, McIntyre gave his own “official update” and called Rhodes a “little bitch.” McIntyre continued with his insults directed at Rhodes leading to Orton showing up out of nowhere from behind McIntyre and laid him out with a RKO.

This was Orton’s first appearance since

Current Card for Next Week’s Show

Friday’s WWE SmackDown show also featured three new matches announced for the card of next week’s show on August 29th at the LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.

These new matches were setup following promos, storyline angles, and match card graphics throughout the show.

Current card for August 19th WWE SmackDown show:

  • WWE United States Championship – Sami Zayn vs. Solo Sikoa (c)
  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship – The Secret Hervice (Alba Fyre & Piper Niven) vs. Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair (c)
  • WWE Tag Team Championship #1 Contender match – Melo Don’t Miz (Carmelo Hayes & The Miz) vs. The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford)
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