WWE SmackDown Spoilers: Complete Results and Analysis for April 2

At WrestleMania 31 this past Sunday, Daniel Bryan outlasted six other WWE Superstars to capture the intercontinental championship. One night later, he would be attacked and left lying by a returning Sheamus.

This Thursday night, with vengeance fueling him, Bryan battles the Celtic Warrior in a non-title match.

Will the bearded champion gain a measure of retribution when he battles the Mohawk-sporting fighter or will he be left unconscious and in a heap, the victim of another beating in the aftermath of WrestleMania?

With new WWE World Heavyweight champion Seth Rollins, Randy Orton, John Cena and Rusev all under the same roof, this week's episode of SmackDown looks like a star-studded affair.

What went down as the company taped its weekly Thursday night broadcast live in Fresno, California, Tuesday night?

Find out now, courtesy of our friends over at WrestlingInc.com. 

Venue

Save Mart Center in Fresno, California

Broadcast Team

Byron Saxton and Jerry "the King" Lawler

Results

• WWE World Heavyweight champion Seth Rollins and The Authority kicked off the show, but they were soon interrupted by Randy Orton. The Viper discussed being owed a title shot but found himself booked in a match against Big Show.
• Orton defeated Big Show via DQ when Kane, Jamie Noble and Joey Mercury interfered. A huge beatdown of Orton ensued before Ryback hit the ring and made the save.
• Naomi pinned Natalya.
• During a backstage segment, Kane booked Rollins vs. Orton for Extreme Rules. Dean Ambrose came out of the Director of Operations' personal bathroom and was told he would have a match against Luke Harper.
• Roman Reigns cut a promo about WrestleMania 31.
• The Miz defeated R-Truth. After the match, Damien Mizdow laid Miz out with the Skull Crushing Finale.
• John Cena hit the ring and vowed to issue an open challenge to any Superstar in the back. Rusev interrupted, Lana by his side, and said he did not lose at WrestleMania. He vowed to crush Cena at Extreme Rules, to which Cena responded by challenging him tonight. Rusev tried to make the Russian flag drop from the ceiling, but it was the United States flag and Cena celebrated.
• Dean Ambrose vs. Luke Harper ended in a no-contest when Harper put Ambrose through a table. EMTs tried to help the Lunatic Fringe, but he shook it off and walked to the back on his own.
• The Prime Time Players cut a promo on the New Day.
• Sheamus defeated WWE intercontinental champion Daniel Bryan via countout when Bad News Barrett attacked Bryan and left him lying to close out the show.

Credit: WWE.com

Analysis

Coming out of this week's show, fans will know two of the Extreme Rules main events, as Randy Orton vs. Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and John Cena vs. Rusev for the United States Championship are announced over the course of the two-hour broadcast.

Orton's match with Big Show hardly sounds fresh or exciting, but the budding friendship between he and Ryback as they battle The Authority is an interesting development.

The idea of Rusev battling John Cena again feels like the wrong use of the Bulgarian Brute, who is super hot right now. Losing to Cena, regardless of how it goes down, would only serve to kill his air of invincibility, all the while lending credibility to Cena.

The main event this week adds further attention to the IC title as Daniel Bryan battles Sheamus, with Bad News Barrett on commentary.

While the match between the Celtic Warrior and the leader of the Yes Movement is likely very good based on their previous in-ring battles, the fact that Barrett remains involved in the title hunt only helps him maintain credibility, something that was in danger of vanishing in the lead-up to WrestleMania.

Overall, this week's show looks like a more intriguing episode than normal, thanks to the presence of Orton and Cena, who bring considerable star power to the B-show.