WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Highlights and Analysis from April 30

Whereas WWE Raw failed to create adequate buzz and excitement about the upcoming Money in the Bank pay-per-view event, the April-ending episode of SmackDown Live featured a focused show that steadily built the feuds and Superstars that will culminate in the highest of profile bouts at the May 19 show.

WWE champion Kofi Kingston's feud with Kevin Owens was enhanced over the course of two segments, Becky Lynch battled Bayley in a showdown of two of the four original NXT horsewomen, Shane McMahon sought to make life a living heel for Roman Reigns, and the men and women involved in the upcoming Money in the Bank ladder matches were revealed.

Find out everything else that went down Tuesday on the USA Network with this show recap.

Michael Cole Introduces WWE Champion Kofi Kingston

SmackDown kicked off with Michael Cole introducing WWE champion Kofi Kingston to the fans. Commentator Tom Phillips ran down the incredible journey of Kingston to the top of the brand. 

Kingston said without New Day, none of this is possible. He continued his inspirational message before Cole relieved Kingston's victory over Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania as chants of "you deserve it!" rained from the stands. 

Finally, Cole recapped the betrayal by Kevin Owens from last week that left both Kingston and Xavier Woods reeling. Kingston laid down a challenge to Owens for a match at Money in the Bank, to which The Prizefighter responded by making his way to the top of the ramp.

"Challenge accepted, Kofi," Owens said. "None of these people believe you're actually championship material," he continued before claiming Kingston was over his head, drowning.

Woods attacked from behind, but Owens got the best of him and hightailed it to the back.

Grade

C

Analysis

This was way too long.

We already knew about Kingston's magical run to the title. The attention span is far longer than WWE Creative will admit. WrestleMania was less than a month ago. All of that backstory and promo work amounted to nothing when fans just cared about what Kingston had to say about Owens.

By the time we got there, the promo had run on way too long for the outcome we got here.

Unfortunately, despite the best efforts by the talented involved, this essentially amounts to a meaningless promo.

Becky Lynch vs. Bayley

For the first time since 2015, Raw and SmackDown women's champion Becky Lynch and Bayley squared off in singles competition Tuesday.

After the break, during which Lynch targeted the arm of her opponent, Bayley fought back and downed The Man with a clothesline to the back of the head. A missile dropkick, though, halted her momentum as Lynch left her reeling.

Bayley scored a near-fall off a small package and delivered a nasty side suplex. She scaled the ropes and went for her trademark elbow drop. Lynch got her knees up, though, and forced a tapout to the Disarm-Her.

No sooner did the referee call for the bell, Charlotte Flair appeared and blasted Lynch with a kick to the face. She stood tall to close out the segment.

Result

Lynch tapped out Bayley

Grade

C

Analysis

Bayley looked better and more competitive a week ago against Flair, though that should be no surprise as she was working with the best women's wrestler in the company then.

Here, she looked competitive enough, but the match was doomed by a terribly placed commercial break. It would have been better served with more time and no annoying break in the heart of the action.

As it is, the match was a fine reminder that Bayley remains a threat while putting the spotlight back on the Lynch-Flair saga that feels like it may never end.

Jeff Hardy Addresses His Status

After a video package recapping Lars Sullivan's brutal assault on him, Jeff Hardy was joined by brother Matt as he announced a serious injury requiring surgery that will keep him out of action a long time.

Matt reluctantly gave up the SmackDown Tag Team Championships on behalf of the team before Sullivan's music played and The Freak stalked toward the squared circle.

He attacked Matt and staved off a steel chair assault from R-Truth. He planted the latter with his Freak Ending finisher, then a nasty powerbomb to put an exclamation point on the beating.

Grade

B

Analysis

Sullivan continues to look like an absolute monster, withstanding everything thrown at him and obliterating everyone in his path.

Matt bumped well, Truth put him over with a big sell of the powerbomb and Sullivan looked better for it.

It remains to be seen if The Freak can be trusted with a run at the top of the card, something all signs seem to point toward, but he has succeeded in the early weeks of this push.

It is unfortunate Hardy is injured because this felt like one last tag title run for one of the greatest tag teams in WWE history. Whether they ever hold gold again is the question.

Asuka and Kairi Sane in Action

With women's tag team champions The IIconics watching from ringside, Asuka and Kairi Sane squared off with unnamed opponents.

The dynamic duo obliterated the competition and put them away following an In-Sane Elbow from The Pirate Princess.

Result

Asuka and Sane won the match

Grade

B

Analysis

Asuka and Sane as a team may inadvertently expose the rest of the division because they are so damn good. 

The crispness of the action, the chemistry and the explosiveness makes the team the standard-bearer of the division just two weeks into its run.

WWE Creative will attempt to book Billie Kay and Peyton Royce over them, but they must resist that urge and go with the superior team. Anything else would make no sense and insult the intelligence of the audience.

Shane McMahon Stacks the Odds Against Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns arrived to a thunderous ovation and chalked up his Superman Punch to Vince McMahon as his desire to make the biggest impact.

Shane McMahon interrupted, butchered University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh's last name, and booked a handicap match between Reigns and the B Team's Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas.

On top of that, he revealed Elias would be the special guest enforcer for the bout.

Grade

C-

Analysis

Is Shane going to bring Big Boss Man out as his enforcer, recruit Ken Shamrock and convince Triple H to betray D-Generation X in his war with Reigns?

A McMahon stacking the odds against the babyface has been done many times before and to much better returns. Shane, despite being a great performer in his own right, is not his father, and it shows in the heat surrounding this segment.

A major misstep that did not create any interest whatsoever in Reigns overcoming the heels.

Roman Reigns vs. The B-Team

Credit: WWE.com

Back from the break, Axel and Dallas worked Reigns over, trapping him in the corner and making quick tags. They beat down on Reigns in the corner as the fans tried to will The Big Dog back into the bout.

As Reigns mounted a comeback, he ended up on the receiving end of a sneak attack by Elias at ringside heading into the break. During the commercial, the heels worked Reigns over.

Reigns fought back, delivering a big Samoan Drop/DDT combination to the former Raw tag champions for a near-fall.

Reigns continued his onslaught, but Elias pulled official Mike Chioda to the floor, breaking up what may have been the winning pinfall. Back in the ring, Elias was stunned when The Big Dog kicked out of the Perfectplex by Axel and retrieved his trusty guitar.

Reigns fought it off, delivered a spear and Chioda counted the fall.

Result

Reigns defeated The B-Team

Grade

C+

Analysis

Would you look at that: The babyface overcomes the heel obstacles before a bigger, badder and more imposing threat.

Yes, Reigns is gearing up for a match with Elias at Money in the Bank, but do not be at all surprised if he overcomes the sinister songster, only to find himself confronted by a more dangerous foe the likes of which the evil McMahons will be driven to align themselves with.

A Freak, perhaps.

Finn Balor and Ali vs. Randy Orton and Andrade

Credit: WWE.com

SmackDown's participants in the men's Money in the Bank ladder match on May 19 came together Tuesday for a major tag team encounter. Ali partnered with intercontinental champion Finn Balor to battle Randy Orton and Andrade.

Ali endured a focused beating at the hands of the heels before Balor sparked a babyface comeback.

As the action broke down late, Balor countered out a hammerlock DDT attempt and delivered a Sling Blade. A corner dropkick gave way to a 450 splash from Ali as the babyfaces rolled to victory.

After the match, Orton came from out of nowhere to drop Balor with an RKO. Ali answered with a superkick before standing tall.

Result

Balor and Ali defeated Orton and Andrade

Grade

B

Analysis

This may not have been any better or worse than any other tag team match, but four extraordinary performers helped elevate it beyond the standard fare.

Ali picking up the win allows him to continue his magnificent run as one of the breakout stars of 2019. Orton's RKO to Balor sets up a showdown between him and Balor, if that is a match WWE Creative opts to explore.

This was meant to shine the spotlight on the four men who will compete for the coveted Money in the Bank briefcase. While they could have come up with something more unique for them to do, it was still a fun and inoffensive way to spend a few minutes of TV time.

The KO Show with Xavier Woods

Credit: WWE.com

After attacking him earlier in the night, Kevin Owens welcomed Xavier Woods to his KO Show to cap off the evening's broadcast.

Owens reiterated that Kingston is over his head, that he is in need of help. He vowed to relieve Kingston of the trauma he has experienced since WrestleMania by defeating him for the WWE Championship at Money in the Bank.

The Prizefighter implored Woods to join him in the ring. When he did not, Owens pulled out action figures of Woods and Big E, further mocking New Day. This drew out Kingston, who removed his shirt as he slowly made his way down the ramp.

He hit the ring and engaged Owens in a flurry of right hands. A springboard forearm knocked Owens down on the floor. An eye rake by Owens could not help him, either. Kingston sent him over the announce table and pummeled away. 

Owens escaped through the crowd, leaving Kingston to stand tall to close out the show.

Grade

A

Analysis

Fans finally got a taste of the fired up, intense and vengeful Kingston after weeks of the influential story and celebration. Kingston was great here, laying into Owens and sending the dangerous villain retreating to end a segment that did more to create intrigue in an eventual match than anything to this point.

Is Kingston vs. Owens one of the hottest programs in WWE? Of course not, but it has the potential to be. Especially if the WWE champion continues to perform like this.