The blackout during the Netflix stream of WWE SmackDown had a huge impact on the events of the night.
Fans watching WWE SmackDown live globally on Netflix were in for a surprise tonight. The show kicked off with a segment between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, but just before the two could start speaking, the stream shut off.
Roughly 30 minutes later, the stream came back on and cut to a backstage segment between Solo Sikoa and JC Mateo. It was later revealed that a power outage in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was the reason behind the Netflix feed being cut.
However, a delay in the stream wasn’t the only thing that was affected by the power outage. Further reports from PW Insider suggest that some of the matches on WWE SmackDown were also cut short, with talent even being informed of the decision in real time.
A loss of power in Riyadh caused #SmackDown to run out of signal on Netflix. It was not a problem of the platform, but of the enclosure.
WWE stopped the production of the show so that international viewers didn't miss anything.
(PWInsider)
A very strange situation. pic.twitter.com/77adL9zZBk
— OsmellWWE (@OsmellWWE_) June 27, 2025
As of this writing, there is no information regarding which matches exactly were cut short, but safe to say, tonight’s episode of the blue brand in Saudi Arabia did not go as planned.
A new champion was crowned on WWE SmackDown
Although some of the WWE SmackDown matches were cut short, it did not take away from the general excitement surrounding the show. The episode featured several high-profile matches, including three title matches.
In fact, a new champion was crowned in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In what was an epic match, Giulia, the Beautiful Madness, managed to defeat Zelina Vega to become the new Women’s United States Champion.