WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction, Highlights Before WrestleMania 39
Just 48 hours before they do battle in the main event of WrestleMania 39, Cody Rhodes and Undisputed WWE Universal champion Roman Reigns came face-to-face one last time on WWE SmackDown.
The confrontation headlined the penultimate stop on the road to The Showcase of the Immortals.
What went down, and what, if any, effect did it have on Saturday and Sunday's epic extravaganza?
Find out with this recap of Friday's show, which emanated from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
Match Card
1 of 7Announced in advance for Friday's show:
- Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes face-to-face one last time
- Sheamus and Drew McIntyre vs. Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser
- Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal featuring Johnny Gargano, Xavier Woods, LA Knight, Bobby Lashley, Karrion Kross, Baron Corbin, Bronson Reed, Madcap Moss, Santos Escobar, Dexter Lumis, Butch, Ridge Holland, Dolph Ziggler, Mustafa Ali, Rick Boogs, Elias, Cruz del Toro, Joaquin Wilde, ma.çé, mån.sôör, Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, Shelton Benjamin, Cedric Alexander, Angel, Humberto, Ashante Thee Adonis and Top Dolla
- Fatal 4-Way Match: Natalya vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Sonya Deville vs. Shayna Baszler
The Usos Kick Off SmackDown
2 of 7
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos hit the ring to kick off the show, looking to say a few final words ahead of their defense at WrestleMania. Their top contenders and rivals, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, interrupted early.
Owens and Zayn vowed to dethrone their foes and, hopefully, bring them back to the same lovable Usos they had been long before The Bloodline changed them.
A conflicted Jey responded, saying the predictions of The Bloodline's demise at WrestleMania are premature and that this is "BloodlineMania."
He said they would remain champs, Owens would betray Zayn and nothing would change.
A tense staredown ended the segment.
As far as last-chance promos to hype up a match that already has a ton of heat behind it go, this was good. We know where Owens and Zayn stand, but it was great to see Jey acknowledge the fact that everyone thinks The Bloodline is going to fall in Los Angeles.
They still may, but it feels like that has been something the heels have not brought up or used nearly enough as motivation entering this weekend's massive extravaganza.
The staredown between The Usos and Street Profits as Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins entered the arena for the opening match was a nice touch, too, given their rich history as opponents.
Grade
B+
Top Moments
- "I'm actually pretty conflicted about what we have to do tomorrow night," Owens told his WrestleMania opponents.
- "Those are guys I can look up to and I did...until you started doing your cousin's bidding. Then, I lost all respect and it only got worse at the Royal Rumble, when you tried to take my career...MY LIVELIHOOD," Owens exclaimed.
- "It ain't paranoia, we are taking your tag team titles tomorrow night at WrestleMania," KO exclaimed.
- "You chose blood over loyalty when you chose Roman because he has never been loyal to you," Zayn said.
- "You guys can go back to just being The Usos. You're just not going to have those tag team championships with you anymore," Zayn wrapped up his promo.
- "I know you know," Zayn was overheard telling a conflicted Jey.
- "It's gonna be the same with you two that it always is: you two are gonna lose the big match and Kevin Owens is gonna stab you in the back like he always does," Jey told Zayn.
- "This right here is BloodlineMania," Jey said, rather correctly.
Fatal 4-Way: Montez Ford vs. Ricochet vs. Chad Gable vs. Erik
3 of 7
Ahead of the men's WrestleMania Showcase Match that will pit The Street Profits against Braun Strowman and Ricochet, The Viking Raiders and Alpha Academy, one-half of all four teams battled in a Fatal 4-Way Match.
Participants included Montez Ford, Erik, Chad Gable and Ricochet.
A high-energy, nonstop contest saw all four men show off their skill sets before Ricochet delivered a picture-perfect 450 splash to Gable for the victory.
This was spot heavy and, while it was nice to see guys who would not otherwise get the ring time to showcase their abilities, this was just intended to be a quick preview of Saturday's mostly meaningless four-way tag match.
Ford continues to look like a guy destined to shine as a singles competitor, and Gable is great, but this was exactly what it was intended to be and little more.
Result
Ricochet defeated Gable, Erik and Ford
Grade
C+
Top Moments
- After being on the receiving end of babyface offense, Gable and Erik caught their flying opponents and downed them on the arena floor.
- "This guy can do everything, Cole," Wade Barrett said on commentary, really putting Ford over.
- Gable delivered a beautiful version of Chaos Theory to Ricochet.
- Ricochet's 450 finisher was as captivating as ever.
- Tension was at a high in The Bloodline's locker room during a quick cut backstage.
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Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
4 of 7
Featuring: Johnny Gargano, Xavier Woods, LA Knight, Bobby Lashley, Karrion Kross, Baron Corbin, Bronson Reed, Madcap Moss, Santos Escobar, Dexter Lumis, Butch, Ridge Holland, Dolph Ziggler, Mustafa Ali, Rick Boogs, Elias, Cruz del Toro, Joaquin Wilde, ma.çé, mån.sôör, Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, Shelton Benjamin, Cedric Alexander, Angel, Humberto, Ashante Thee Adonis and Top Dolla, Braun Strowman, Otis, Ivar, Angelo Dawkins
The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal is traditionally home to the Superstars without a prominent match on the WrestleMania card, and this year's incarnation was no different.
While some storyline threads were sprinkled throughout, this was only about a handful of Superstars. Knight was undeniably the most over to the point that his elimination drew one of the loudest choruses of boos in recent memory, while Reed was put over as a force of nature.
Lashley was fairly obviously the favorite to win from the moment he was included in the match graphic, and that never really changed. He was highlighted during his entrance and throughout, all the way until he clotheslined Reed over the top and claimed the massive Andre trophy.
For that guy, a former WWE champion and a prominent star throughout the last year, it is disappointing that he was relegated to this, but it is something that happens to someone every year.
Hopefully, Triple H and Co. have something more meaningful for The All-Mighty in store so he can avoid this match again next year.
Result
Lashley won
Grade
C+
Top Moments
- Lashley got his own entrance, just in case there was any question as to who the star and favorite to win the whole thing was.
- "Top Dolla...he can't go over the top rope," Michael Cole said when asked who would win the battle royal.
- Corbin was the first Superstar eliminated, ensuring he did not become the first man to win two of these matches.
- Otis showed solidarity with the Maximum Male Models, only for ma.çé and mån.sôör to attempt to eliminate him. They failed.
- Butch was tossed over the rope but landed in Holland's arms, staving off elimination for the time being.
- Reed eliminated the massively popular Knight, drawing the loudest boos of the night.
- Reed also eliminated Strowman.
Fatal 4-Way Match: Raquel Rodriguez vs. Sonya Deville vs. Shayna Baszler vs. Natalya
5 of 7
Like the men earlier in the night, the women's WrestleMania Showcase match was highlighted in the form of a four-way match pitting Raquel Rodriguez, Shayna Baszler, Natalya and Sonya Deville against each other while their tag team partners watched from ringside.
Unlike the men, the women got a fraction of the time, having to rush through spots to get each competitor a bit of shine. Rodriguez won the match, delivering a big boot and Tejada Bomb to Deville.
The match did nothing to create even a modicum of interest in the showcase match, which is unfortunate because there is a considerable amount of talent involved. Sadly, this match and Sunday's bout are reflective of the lack of attention and detail that has gone into the women's division beyond the championship pictures.
Result
Rodriguez defeated Natalya, Deville and Baszler
Grade
C-
Top Moments
- Cole pointed out that Natalya enters her 11th WrestleMania this year, a staggering stat and testament to The Queen of Harts' longevity.
- Baszler broke up a Sharpshooter on Deville.
- Rodriguez delivered a big boot to Deville to set up the finish.
Drew McIntyre and Sheamus vs. Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci
6 of 7
Would Sheamus and Drew McIntyre be able to work together long enough to defeat Imperium's Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser ahead of their Triple Threat Intercontinental Championship Match against Gunther Sunday night at WrestleMania?
The answer? Yes, but barely.
The former WWE champions expressed frustration with each other on numerous occasions but ultimately put it aside just long enough to defeat Vinci and Kaiser, all while The Ring General watched from the backstage area.
The match was a step down from what one would expect from the talent involved, but when you have a WrestleMania match to prep for and avoiding energy is key, it is no surprise that it was not the total banger that it could have been under different circumstances.
Why you would not put Imperium over and highlight the issues that exist between McIntyre and Sheamus is a question only Triple H can answer, but that is relatively small potatoes.
Result
McIntyre and Sheamus defeated Imperium
Grade
C
Top Moments
- McIntyre interrupted Sheamus' entrance, smugly walking past him and to the ring as the tension between the competitors heightens ahead of Sunday's Intercontinental Championship match against Gunther.
- Cole acknowledged the "can they coexist?" trope.
- McIntyre and Sheamus continued to show signs of dissension throughout the match, barely working together enough to score the victory.
Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns Face-to-Face
7 of 7
There was not much in the way of substance to the Cody Rhodes-Roman Reigns show-ending segment Friday night.
The American Nightmare cut an impassioned promo that included and ode to Tupac and a jab at Reigns only really paying off as a main event star after eight years before The Tribal Chief made his way to the ring.
His contribution? Telling Rhodes to acknowledge him.
That was it.
Like most of the night's show, it felt like a segment without much to say or offer up in terms of final hype because everything Triple H and Co. wanted to accomplish, they already had. Still, Rhodes breaking down into "California Love" automatically enhances the grade of this one.
Grade
C+
Top Moments
- "As an athlete and a man, I am as ready as I have ever been," Rhodes said.
- Rhodes broke out into Tupac's lyrics from "California Love" before admitting it "might be a little too adult" for Fox.
- "Maybe the only medicine for me is, Sunday, defeating Roman Reigns."
- "Roman Reigns is a 10-year invest by WWE who only started paying off in year eight."
- "I am your successor. I am your next Head of the Table. I am 'The American Nightmare' Cody Rhodes and I am your next Undisputed WWE Universal Champion."
- "Cody Rhodes...acknowledge me," Reigns said, keeping his promo short.
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