WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from April 18
WWE SmackDown took its "land of opportunity" motto to heart.
Unexpected names stepped into the spotlight on Tuesday night. Jinder Mahal became the No. 1 contender for the WWE Championship. The Shining Stars (now called The Colons) scored a win over former champions. And even some guy named Gary Gandy got a title shot.
The blue brand entered Bizarro World a number of times, and the show felt fresh because of it.
SmackDown tried to rebuild struggling midcarders. It crafted new rivalries and again made the United States Championship a priority.
Not all of it worked, but the show certainly left fans with plenty to talk about. Let's dive into all of it, reliving its highlights and breaking down its best and worst moments.
Charlotte Flair and Naomi Cross Paths
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Flair complained about not getting a SmackDown Women's Championship match. She barked about growing impatient with the situation.
Naomi stepped out to take Flair down a peg. She said she wasn't scared of The Queen. Naomi flattened Flair and knocked her out of the ring.
SmackDown general manager Shane McMahon announced that Flair would earn a title shot if she could beat Naomi in non-title action later in the show.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
- "I hope they had fun because they're about to face the fury of a queen scorned."—Flair on SmackDown's authority figures.
Grade
B+
Analysis
The segment got straight to the point, moving quickly from Flair demanding her opportunity to her taking a fist in the mouth in mere moments.
The two rivals had a strong dynamic. Naomi came off as fiery. Flair was her usual cocky and compelling self.
Their interaction promised some entertaining action ahead.
Six-Pack Challenge to Determine No. 1 Contender for WWE Championship
2 of 6Dolph Ziggler vs. Erick Rowan vs. Jinder Mahal vs. Mojo Rawley vs. Sami Zayn vs. Luke Harper
Chaos erupted as the match began. The Superstars all slugged it out. Harper and Zayn battled inside the ring as Mahal and Rawley clashed outside of it.
Harper went on a tear. As did Rowan.
Near-falls came quickly as each man seemed to have victory in their grasp at one point.
Zayn looked ready to finish off Mahal, but The Bollywood Boyz held his feet down. That opened the door for Mahal to pin him.
Mahal berated the crowd after his victory. Orton emerged to confront him.
Bray Wyatt appeared on the big screen to antagonize The Viper.
Result
Mahal wins via pinfall to become No. 1 contender.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
- Rawley and Harper hit superplexes in succession.
- Harper hits consecutive suicide dives.
- Rowan powerbombs Ziggler onto the rest of the field.
- Rowan kicks out of a Zig-Zag.
- "I don't know what just happened."—John "Bradshaw" Layfield.
- "You will have no choice but to accept Jinder Mahal as your next WWE champion."—Mahal.
- "I promise you. You will never walk out."—Wyatt.
Grade
A-
Analysis
What a stunner. WWE is going all in on Mahal as a title contender. That's a major about-face from where he was just weeks ago.
It's hard to buy into him as a threat to Orton given how quickly he moved to a higher tier.
The match featured great energy. Rowan and Harper looked like stars. The crowd was crazy hot for Zayn.
The audience didn't seem to know how to react to Mahal coming out of that battle on top, but the ending leaves one curious about what's ahead.
Naomi vs. Charlotte Flair
3 of 6Natalya argued to McMahon that she should be in line for a title shot. Both Carmella (with James Ellsworth at her side) and Tamina claimed to be worthy of a championship opportunity, as well.
Natalya later led the way as she, Carmella, Ellsworth and Tamina all tried to intimidate Flair backstage.
In the ring, Flair kicked things off by blasting Naomi in the corner. Naomi briefly took back the advantage, but The Queen outwrestled her, grinding her into the mat.
The two foes traded kicks, with Naomi winning the exchange.
Flair, though, dominated the match. She wore down the champ with submission holds and power moves.
Naomi's brief comeback ended when Flair pounced on her with Natural Selection.
Result
Flair wins via pinfall.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
- "That's your champ!"—Flair.
- Flair kicks Naomi in the back to counter Rear view.
- "If you ever call me sweetie again, I will knock you out."—Natalya to Ellsworth.
Grade
B-
Analysis
A methodical pace worked to showcase Flair's mercilessness, but it led to a match that was lethargic at times. Flair and Naomi had okay chemistry. Working together more, though, will allow them to click more, to have crisper exchanges.
Flair winning sets up an intriguing showdown.
Unfortunately, WWE went the lazy route to get there. The "earn a title shot by beating the champ" is a tired trope. Fans could see this result coming before the bell rang.
The Colons vs. American Alpha
4 of 6Chad Gable and Jason Jordan overwhelmed Primo early. The heels distracted American Alpha to turn the tide.
Epico landed a cheap shot to take out Jordan. Primo capitalized by pinning him while grabbing a handful of tights.
Result
The Colons win via pinfall.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
- Jordan dropkicks Epico off the ring apron.
- "If you're American Alpha, you need to reassess what's going on in the tag team division."—Tom Phillips.
Grade
C+
Analysis
It's smart to start focusing on Colon family name and ditch The Shining Stars gimmick. It will be far easier to take Primo and Epico seriously.
That won't come right away, though.
The action here was brief and not memorable. It was designed to set up their future clashes by giving American Alpha added motivation and The Colons some credibility.
Kevin Owens' Open Challenge
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Owens introduced himself before taking on the unknown Gary Gandy. KO pounded his foe, putting him away in mere moments with a pop-up powerbomb.
He then addressed the crowd. Owens proclaimed no one would take the U.S. title away from him.
Result
Owens wins via pinfall.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
- "He's great at everything. What a great ring announcer."—JBL on Owens.
- "This is like Secretariat against Mr. Ed."—JBL.
- "Put the hot dogs down and listen to me."—Owens.
Grade
B
Analysis
The match was barely a match, but the concept worked.
It's the opposite of John Cena's open challenges as KO is a coward pretending to show off his toughness while Cena was a righteous fighting champion. These segments could easily lead to a moment where Owens' plan goes awry and he has to face a real threat instead. There is plenty to play with in the months to come.
Owens' shift in character has been great. He's ditched his one-liners for derision. He's focused, angry and entertainingly pompous.
His SmackDown run is looking mighty promising so far.
AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin
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Owens sat in on commentary as those two faced off to close out SmackDown.
AJ Styles and Baron Corbin traded shots in the early going. The Lone Wolf took the fight outside and gained control.
After taking a load of punishment, Styles battled back. He was able to slow Corbin down and weaken him by focusing on his left leg.
Corbin hurled Styles into Owens, but The Phenomenal One was able to slip back into the ring just before the referee counted to 10.
Result
Styles wins via count-out.
Memorable Moments and Quotes
- "I'm in the business of winning. That's what I do."—Styles.
- "It takes one, AJ!"—Corbin after throwing a big right hand.
- Corbin drives Styles' face into the ring apron.
- Corbin slides Styles into the ring post.
Grade
B+
Analysis
A count-out isn't the most thrilling way to end a show, but it made sense here to give Styles the win while protecting the rising Corbin.
It's clear WWE is sliding Styles toward babyface territory which is a smart move, as well. The crowd has long wanted to start cheering for him. He and Owens are going to make tremendous rivals.
If the mock open challenges continue and Styles vs. Owens remains a high-profile feud, the U.S. title is going to benefit in a big way.
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