WWE SmackDown After WrestleMania 42 Results, Winners, Live Grades, Reaction, Highlights

On the heels of WrestleMania 42 from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, WWE presented SmackDown, featuring appearances from the new women's champion, Rhea Ripley, and the winner of Saturday's Unsanctioned Match, Jacob Fatu.

What did those two have to say about their triumphs in Sin City and what else went down on USA Network?

Find out in this review of the April 24 edition of SmackDown.

Lineup

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Announced in advance of Friday's show were:

Appearance from new WWE women's champion Rhea Ripley

Jacob Fatu appearance

Paige and The Bella Twins appearance

Trick Williams appearance

Women's United States Championship Match: Tiffany Stratton vs. Giulia

Jacob Fatu Kicked Off SmackDown

Rich Wade/WWE Via Getty Images

Last Time in Action: Jacob Fatu defeated Drew McIntyre (WrestleMania, April 18)

---

The Samoan Werewolf, fresh off a confrontation with Roman Reigns on Raw After Mania, in which he issued a challenge for a World Heavyweight Championship Match at Backlash, hit the ring to kick off the show.

He recapped that confrontation, only for The Usos to interrupt.

Jimmy and Jey each tried to dissuade Fatu from challenging Reigns, the former suggesting he challenge Cody Rhodes instead. The latter told him that the fans could not give him everything that he wanted, but Reigns could.

This brought out Solo Sikoa and the MFTs, with the former Bloodline enforcer trying to win favor with his cousin by claiming he could bring Fatu the title and his family the riches he seeks.

The segment concluded with Fatu rebuffing all of them and challenging Sikoa for a match later tonight.

Grade

A

Top Takeaways

Right out of the gate, we have a complex, moral dilemma for Fatu: give in to either Sikoa or The Usos and potentially get everything he wants or continue his path to a showdown with Reigns and potentially be forced to acknowledge The Tribal Chief.

This was a great opening segment that will only further enhance Fatu's popularity, which is creeping back toward the levels it was at this time last year.

Women's United States Championship Match: Tiffany Stratton vs. Giulia

Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images

Last Time In Action: Tiffany Stratton defeated Jordynne Grace (SmackDown, April 17); Giulia defeated Stratton (SmackDown, March 27)

---

In their second battle over the Women's United States Championship in a month, Giulia defended against Tiffany Stratton to kick off the in-ring portion of Friday's show.

The Beautiful Madness dominated early, targeting her opponent's neck and delivering a neckbreaker on the floor, entering the break.

Stratton sparked a comeback with a handspring stunner, but the champion caught her up top and brought her crashing back to the mat for another near-fall.

The back-and-forth action down the stretch, full of counters and reversals, culminated with Stratton delivering an Alabama Slam, then the Prettiest Moonsault Ever to win the title and seemingly end her rivalry with Giulia. For now.

Result

Stratton defeated Giulia to win the title

Grade

B

Top Takeaways

This was their best match together to date. There were still a few spots that did not hit cleanly, but the counters and reversals were good, the finish was strong, and the title change was needed at this point, if only to salvage Stratton's credibility.

In a pre-taped vignette, Danhausen showed up at The Miz's house, after he cursed his home previously, and hilarity ensued, with the Hollywood A-Lister ending up in his pool.