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

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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

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

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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

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

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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.

Paige and Brie Bella vs. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss

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Last Time in Action: Paige and Brie Bella defeated Nia Jax and Lash Legend, Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair, and Lyra Valkyria and Bayley (WrestleMania, April 18)

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Paige and Brie Bella, new women's tag team champions after the former's stunning comeback and an upset win at WrestleMania, hit the ring for a celebratory promo with the fans in Fort Worth.

They addressed Nikki Bella and Paige's comeback before Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss interrupted.

The Queen and Little Miss Bliss issued a challenge, taunting Paige to prove it is "her house" by facing them tonight. The crowd went wild, the champions accepted the challenge, and the match was on.

Flair and Bliss dominated through the break, isolating Bella and cutting her off from her partner. Flair continued to taunt Paige and before the recently returned star could make the tag, Jacy Jayne pulled her from the apron.

Back in the ring, Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley attacked the other competitors, drawing a disqualification. Fatal Influence stood tall to close out the segment and put an exclamation point on their main roster debut.

Result

No contest

Grade

C+

Top Takeaways

The Fatal Influence debut could have happened without half-heartedly teasing a match between two popular teams. If done correctly, the segment could have concluded during the in-ring promo and the result would have been the same.

It is about time that Jayne gets the call. Her and Henley, at the least, were beyond ready for a run on the main roster. Reid will benefit from working with some of the best, most experienced competitors on the roster and will get up to speed quickly if given the TV reps.

Cody Rhodes Promo

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Last Time in Action: Cody Rhodes defeated Randy Orton (WestleMania 42, April 18)

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Just six days removed from a successful Undisputed WWE Championship defense against Randy Orton at WrestleMania, Cody Rhodes hit the ring to address the fans.

Citing Sami Zayn's condescending label of "golden boy," Rhodes explained why he sported the color at the Showcase of the Immortals, defiant in his push-back against the suggestion.

With audible chants of "Cody!" raining down from the stands, he issued a word of warning to the locker room: he is not hard to find for those who want a shot at his title.

Grade

A

Top Takeaways

This was the promo Rhodes needed tonight. He did not wax poetically, did not relish in nostalgia. Instead, he was defiant, dared the locker room to take their shot, and called out Zayn as a potential next opponent. Should he be cleared in time, Backlash seems like the opportune time for that contest.

"To those outside forces that keep interceding and interjecting into my WrestleMania plans, that want to get involved in this Nightmare Family party. I'll make it simple. You guys are 0-3. Send your best or count your money and mind your damn business!"

Damian Priest and R-Truth vs. JC Mateo and Tama Tonga

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Last Time in Action: Damian Priest and R-Truth defeated New Day (SmackDown, April 17); The MFTs defeated The Wyatt Sicks (SmackDown, April 17)

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One week after a successful tag team title defense against The New Day, Damian Priest and R-Truth found themselves in action again, this time against The MFT's Tama Tonga and JC Mateo.

A back-and-forth match saw the champions weather the storm of the more aggressive opposition before putting Mateo down with their modified, double-team Truth Detector for the win.

Result

Priest and Truth defeated The MFTs

Grade

C

Top Takeaways

This was a match that happened.

Truth and Priest are a fun tag team and it keeps both on TV, but one cannot help but think the latter should be doing something more significant on TV right now given his status as a form world champion.

Trick Williams Promo

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Last Time in Action: Trick Williams defeated Sami Zayn (WrestleMania, April 19)

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Accompanied by diamond rapper Lil Yachty, new United States champion Trick Williams made his way to the ring to a thunderous ovation.

Yachty announced that he is here to stay, likening himself to Don King and Phil Jackson, and labeled himself "The Prophecy."

The duo announced the end of the US Championship Open Challenge, telling prospective opponents to earn it and find Williams.

The Gingerbread Man mascot attacked Williams and Yachty and, with a candy cane, laid them out and delivered a Helluva Kick to the new champion, earning a chorus of boos along the way.

Grade

C+

Top Takeaways

RIP, US Championship Open Challenges, the most consistently watchable thing on SmackDown over the last year. Seems like a logical booking choice.

Zayn is going to be a fantastic heel and appears to have a ready-made rivalry with Cody Rhodes waiting for him when this program with Williams wraps up.

Can this be the last time we ever see the gingerbread man though?

Danhausen vs. The Miz

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Last Time in Action: Danhausen defeated Kit Wilson (SmackDown, April 10); The Miz and Kit Wilson lost to Damian Priest and R-Truth (SmackDown, April 3)

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The very nice, very evil Danhausen made his second in-ring appearance as he battled The Miz in one-on-one action.

The former WWE champion capitalized on a distraction from Kit Wilson to beat down Danhausen and have him reeling. The face-painted ode to The Munsters sat up, though, and cursed his opponent, sending pyro into the faces of both the Hollywood A-Lister and Wilson.

A quick roll-up resulted in the win for Danhausen.

After the match, he escaped from his rivals, causing them to collide at ringside in the process.

Result

Danhausen defeated Miz

Grade

C

Top Takeaways

After everything Danhausen went through elsewhere, it is impossible not to be thrilled for him and his success in WWE.

The match was a whole lot of nothing from an in-ring perspective but if you understand the character and know that there is nothing serious in nature going on here, it works.

Rhea Ripley vs. Jacy Jayne

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Last Time in Action: Rhea Ripley defeated Jade Cargill (WrestleMania, April 19); Jacy Jayne lost to Lola Vice (NXT, April 14)

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New WWE women's champion Rhea Ripley hit the ring for a celebratory promo only to be interrupted by Fatal Influence, still brimming after they attacked Paige, Brie Bella, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss earlier in the show.

Their egotistical babbling earned Jacy Jayne a match against Mami, as announced by general manager Nick Aldis.

Jayne impressed early and often, downing Ripley and working a headlock through the commercial break as she put the champion on the defensive.

Ripley fought back after the match but still found herself fighting from underneath. By the time The Eradicator launched Jayne with a Razor's Edge, rocked her with a running boot, and set her up for the Riptide, Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid had seen enough and attacked to draw the disqualification.

The heels stood tall, again, to close out the segment.

Result

Ripley defeated Jayne via disqualification

Grade

B+

Top Takeaways

Not only was the match quite good for the time it had, but WWE Creative went above and beyond to present Fatal Influence as a legitimate threat to the entire women's division this week. Of all main roster call-ups, theirs may have been the best and most effective.

Ripley consistently facing the numbers disadvantage is an interesting story and the post-commercial confrontation with Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, featuring hostility from the former, should make for an intriguing story of her turning to someone other than Iyo Sky for support.

Jacob Fatu vs. Solo Sikoa

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Last Time in Action: Fatu defeated McIntyre (WrestleMania, April 18); Solo Sikoa lost to Uncle Howdy (SmackDown, February 27)

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The product of the night's opening promo segment, Jacob Fatu squared off with Solo Sikoa in the main event of Friday's show.

Fatu overcame a tough challenge from Sikoa, mounting a comeback that concluded with a top-rope moonsault that earned him the win and continued his upward momentum.

After the match, as The Usos watched from the top of the aisle, refusing to help him, The Samoan Werewolf fended off all members of the MFTs, ending with a big splash to Tonga Loa through the announce table to close out the show.

Result

Fatu defeated Sikoa

Grade

C+

Top Takeaways

Is it possible for two Superstars to have less in-ring chemistry than Fatu and Sikoa? There is nothing inherently bad about their matches, but they have yet to show that they can find that next gear and deliver a great match.

The post-match was great and enhanced the grade, with Fatu looking like an unstoppable force against the MFTs, sending a concerning message to the Usos to take back to Roman Reigns ahead of Backlash.

MVP and Overall Grade

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On a night when her future as a main-roster star depended on it, Jacy Jayne showed up and showed out, delivering a performance across multiple segments that has her positioned as a top-tier competitor on SmackDown.

The same could be said of her Fatal Influence teammates, Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley.

None of the NXT call-ups looked out of place or as if they did not belong on the blue brand. They carried themselves like stars and the creative supported it.

It was Jayne, though, who proved herself on the mic, in terms of television presence, and in the ring against Rhea Ripley, earning her the MVP designation.

SmackDown is still not a particularly engrossing show, but there was a lot more here to like than normal, with the above call-ups, a great promo from Cody Rhodes, a compelling Jacob Fatu segment with the Usos and MFTs, and a strong Ripley-Jayne match.

With that said, the main event was enough of a "meh" match to bring the overall grade down and leave fans asking why continue booking Fatu vs. Sikoa when the returns are never really what one would want from them.

Overall Grade: C+