Detailed Results
After he and Daniel Bryan were victorious over Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn at WrestleMania to ensure that Owens & Zayn remain unemployed, SmackDown LIVE kicks off with SmackDown LIVE Commissioner Shane McMahon. Shane welcomes everyone to SmackDown LIVE before thanking all the fans for making WrestleMania such a huge success. The Commissioner then says that he’s had plenty of WrestleMania moments but this year’s WrestleMania moment was “extra special” because he got to team with Daniel Bryan in his return to in-ring competition. Shane continues, saying that Daniel was born to compete and that Daniel has truly crossed back over to being a “full-time WWE Superstar”. The Commissioner then reveals that he has graciously accepted Daniel Bryan’s resignation as SmackDown LIVE General Manager! Shane then says that, since this is the “land of opportunity”, saying that, once one door closes, another one opens. The Commissioner then introduces everyone to the brand new SmackDown LIVE General Manager Paige!
One night after an emotional and heartfelt speech where she officially announced her retirement from in-ring competition due to neck injuries, Paige would make her way to the ring as the former Divas Champion receives a thunderous response from New Orleans as the new SmackDown LIVE General Manager is welcomed with open arms. Paige says that, after announcing her retirement on RAW, she walked to the back for what she thought was the last time and the first person to greet her was Shane McMahon, thanking the Commissioner. The crowd then chants “this is your house” in support of the new GM before getting down to business. Paige then says that Daniel Bryan has not competed on TV in over three years before saying that Daniel will compete tonight. The new GM then teases the fans on who Daniel’s opponent will be before making the blockbuster announcement that Daniel Bryan will go one-on-one with WWE Champion AJ Styles! The new SmackDown LIVE General Manager then leaves the ring with the SmackDown LIVE Commissioner, having already made an impact on her first night on the job.
The opening match of the night would be a #1 Contender’s match as The Usos would face The New Day’s Big E & Xavier Woods, with Kofi Kingston in their corner, with the winners facing new SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Bludgeon Brothers for the titles at The Greatest Royal Rumble. In the end, it was Jimmy Uso blasting Xavier Woods with a super kick before tagging in his brother Jey, who hits the Uso Splash, pinning Xavier for the win, ensuring that The Usos get their rematch for the SmackDown Tag Team Titles at The Greatest Royal Rumble on April 27. After the match, new SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Bludgeon Brothers come out to the stage, symbolically pointing their mallets at The Usos.
After winning the WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal on the WrestleMania Kickoff, Naomi would go one-on-one with Natalya on SmackDown LIVE. In the end, it was Naomi hitting the split-legged moonsault, pinning Natalya to pick up the win.
After her shocking defeat of Asuka at WrestleMania, where she made “The Empress of Tomorrow” tap out to end the two-and-a-half-year undefeated streak of Asuka, SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair would make an appearance on SmackDown LIVE. Charlotte says that she faced the toughest opponent of her career at WrestleMania before saying that she left WrestleMania still the SmackDown Women’s Champion. Charlotte then says that WrestleMania was “magical” before asking who she is going to “make magic” with next. Charlotte would not have to wait long for an answer as The Iconics, Peyton Royce & Billie Kay, make their SmackDown LIVE debut! Billie Kay says that Charlotte’s match at WrestleMania was good, but it wasn’t “iconic” before Peyton Royce mocks the SmackDown Women’s Champion. Peyton then says that it’s “out with the old and in with The Iconics” before Charlotte tries to get the jump on The Iconics but The Iconics are quick to use the numbers game to their advantage.
Charlotte would get the better of Peyton & Billie briefly but The Iconics would battle back tossing Charlotte over the announce table before tossing Charlotte back over the table, continuing to pummel the SmackDown Women’s Champion. The Iconics then send Charlotte shoulder-first into the steel steps, leaving Charlotte clutching her shoulder before Peyton & Billie lift Charlotte above their heads, planting Charlotte on the floor with a vicious powerbomb! The Iconics then drag Charlotte to the center of the ring, standing tall over the SmackDown Women’s Champion before referees come out to check on Charlotte.
Peyton & Billie then leave the ring, providing the perfect opportunity for “Ms. Money-in-the-Bank” Carmella to rush to the ring with her Money-in-the-Bank briefcase, bringing a referee to the ring with her. Carmella then hands the briefcase to the referee, repeatedly screaming at the referee that she’s cashing in her Money-in-the-Bank contract. Finally, the referee informs the ring announcer that Carmella is cashing in. The referee then checks on Charlotte, who is pulling herself to her feet, to make sure the champion is ready to compete. The referee then rings the bell to make the impromptu SmackDown Women’s Title match official and Carmella is quick to deliver a super kick to Charlotte, securing the three-count to become the brand new SmackDown Women’s Champion! Elated and emotional, Carmella celebrates with her first championship in WWE, parading around the ring with the SmackDown Women’s Title before standing tall in the ring, proudly showing off the title.
With new United States Champion Jinder Mahal, along with Sunil Singh, at ringside, a Triple Threat Match would determine the #1 Contender for the United States Title as “The Glorious” Bobby Roode, “The Viper” Randy Orton, and “The Lion of Bulgaria” Rusev, with Aiden English in his corner, with the first Superstar to score a pinfall or submission challenging Jinder Mahal for the United States Title at Backlash. In the end, it was Randy Orton hitting Bobby Roode with the RKO, pinning “The Glorious One” to pick up the win and earn a rematch for the United States Title at Backlash.
Then it was time for a dream main event come true as, following his successful defense of the WWE Title against Shinsuke Nakamura at WrestleMania, WWE Champion AJ Styles would go one-on-one with Daniel Bryan in a non-title match. During the match, AJ Styles would go for the Styles Clash but Daniel Bryan would counter into the Yes Lock with the WWE Champion getting to the bottom rope to break the hold. Shortly after this, Daniel would try to suplex AJ off of the top rope but Styles would counter on the way down, resulting in Styles landing on Bryan’s face. This would leave both men down and this would be when Shinsuke Nakamura would enter the ring, kicking Daniel in the back of the head to end the match by disqualification. Nakamura then sets his sights on AJ Styles, hitting AJ with another low blow before taking the WWE Champion out with the Kinshasa before “The Artist” picks Styles up just to low blow AJ a second time. Nakamura then leaves the ring with a sinister smile on his face, having ruined the dream match between AJ Styles and Daniel Bryan.
What did you think of the SmackDown LIVE after WrestleMania? Post your comments in the box below.
