SmackDown made its home in Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Washington on April 11. The show featured an appearance from the Undisputed WWE Champion, Cody Rhodes. We got an update on Randy Orton’s status at WrestleMania. A stipulation was added to Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest’s match. An important show as we nearly approach WrestleMania 41. Let’s talk about WWE SmackDown April 11 Results.
Randy Orton demands his WrestleMania match
The show kicked off with the SmackDown GM Nick Aldis in the ring. He said that he’d be professional and straight away called out Randy Orton. The Viper entered to a thunderous crowd ovation. Randy told Aldis that RKO was coming for him as he paid the double fine last year when he hit Aldis. After the fun banter, Orton came to the point.
WWE’s Apex Predator said that he will be competing in his 20th WrestleMania but has no opponent so far. He showed his desperation to get a match and even offered Aldis an offer to take off his suit and go one-on-one with him at the Grandest Stage of Them All. Before things escalated, Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga interfered. Solo told Randy that he was finished, and LA Knight would be finished as well when Jacob Fatu would take the US Title from him at WrestleMania.
Orton heard the voices in his head which called for him to beat the two Samoans. Solo and Tama entered the ring and soon took Orton down. LA Knight made the save, and a tag team match was made official for later tonight.
Grades: B+
Analysis: It was an important segment to open the show. Randy Orton is clearly getting a WrestleMania match, and it will possibly be against Nick Aldis. Next week is the final SmackDown before WrestleMania and we hope things will be official until then.
Women’s Tag Team Gauntlet Match
The winners will get a shot at the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. The champions, Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez sat ringside for the match. It started with Bayley and Lyra Valkyria going against Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark. After a short match, Valkyria secured the pin for her team with a jackknife cover on Baszler. Next were Natalya and Maxxine Dupri who were eliminated by Bayley via the inside cradle.
Kayden Carter and Katana Chance came next in the Gauntlet. Bayley and Valkyria made short work of them as Lyra pinned Katana after the Night Wing. B-Fab and Michin suffered the loss with a Roseplant. The last team consisted of Alba Fyre and Piper Niven. A Belly to Belly by Bayley followed by Lyra’s leg drop earned them the #1 contendership for the tag titles at WrestleMania.
Winners: Bayley
Grades: B
Analysis: It was a decent gauntlet match. Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Bayley, and Lyra Valkyria, all these women deserved to be at WrestleMania, and they got that. It will be a fun match at the Showcase of Immortals.
Drew McIntyre and Damian Priest escalated things
Drew McIntyre, wearing an eye patch, attacked Damian Priest from behind. On the mic, McIntyre said that he agreed to a Sin City Street Fight with one eye, and he will give Priest the beating of a lifetime at WrestleMania 41. He told the Seattle crowd a little secret as he removed the eye patch and said that he was cleared to compete at the Show of Shows.
Priest fought back and delivered a clothesline and a corner splash. At ringside, McIntyre attacked Damian with the steel steps. The Scottish Warrior followed it up with a Future Shock DDT onto the steel steps.
Grades: B-
Analysis: It was an intense segment. Everyone involved in this story has done great work to make this a WrestleMania-worthy match. Additionally, it will be a Sin City Street Fight and these two have the potential to outclass every other match on the card.
Rey Fenix vs Berto
The match started at a quick pace with both superstars delivering back-to-back moves. Berto replied to Rey’s kick with a head kick of his own. Fenix landed a splash to the outside. Fenix hit a top rope dropkick and a double knee strike on the apron. Fenix’s innovative offense continued as he delivered a corkscrew splash and a standing frog splash for a near fall. Berto hit a jumping kick, but Rey was quick to reply with a sit-down powerbomb.
Fenix landed a hurricanrana and a spinning kick. Fenix charged but got caught and Berto delivered a powerbomb for a two-count. In the end, Fenix was victorious with a Goodbye Amigos Kick and a Mexican Muscle Buster.
Winner: Rey Fenix
Grades: B+
Analysis: It was an exciting action-packed match. Rey Fenix continues to impress with his breathtaking athleticism. It looks like he’ll be in a proper storyline after WrestleMania, but these weekly wins are necessary to get fans invested in him.
Chelsea Green vs Zelina Vega
The bell rang and Chelsea was waiting for Piper Niven. She threw Vega to the outside and slammed her face first into the announcers’ table. Green argued with Wade Barrett and Joe Tessitore at the commentary table. In the meantime, Vega somehow entered the ring. Green was late to arrive, and the referee counted her out. It was a short match and what happened made no sense.
Winner: Zelina Vega via count-out.
Naomi and Jade Cargill‘s Promo
Naomi and Jade Cargill cut promos from separate locations. Naomi said that she got her spot and became a champion after taking out Cargill. She called Cargill a snake and held her responsible for the fact that Bianca and Naomi don’t talk anymore. On the other hand, Jade Cargill warned Naomi that her glow is fading, and a storm is coming her way.
Solid words were delivered by both women. This has been an interesting storyline throughout the way. These women and the WWE management have worked well in this intense rivalry. Naomi and Jade will clash at WrestleMania in a first-ever women’s singles non-title match in the history.
Grades: B
Cody Rhodes’ Promo
The American Nightmare Cody Rhodes made his entrance with the crowd singing his theme song. Multiple WWE Championship designs from the past were present on the table in the middle of the ring. There were ones held by Bruno Sammartino, Eddie Guerrero, the Winged Eagle Title, and the Spinner Title which was introduced by John Cena. Rhodes said that you are the best wrestler in the world if you carry the weight of this world championship.
Cody talked about how Cena excluded Seattle from his Farewell Tour which was met with a chorus of boos from the audience. Rhodes said that at WrestleMania, the match between him and Cena had become a fight for the right to keep the WWE Championship. Cody said that Cena did what he did because he knew his time was up, but this WWE Title is timeless and will stay with them even after WrestleMania.
Grades: B
Analysis: It was a good segment with Cody connecting the history dots leading to this story. It was announced that John Cena will be on SmackDown next week, just before WrestleMania 41. The hype to this match is more than enough and Cena’s next appearance will be a final touch to it.
Tiffany Stratton vs Roxxane Perez – WWE Women’s Championship
Stratton and Perez met in the ring and both slapped each other. Tiffany delivered a snap suplex. The champion charged for a spear, but Roxxane moved away, and Tiffany crashed into the ring post. After the break, Stratton hit a spinebuster for a two-count. Perez attempted a second rope moonsault but Tiffy got her knees up. Stratton went for the moonsault of her own but Perez caught her this time and landed a Russian Leg Sweep for a near fall.
Stratton escaped the Pop Rocks and slammed Perez in the center of the ring. Tiffy followed it with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the victory. Charlotte Flair pulled Stratton out of the ring and threw her over the commentary table. Wade Barrett got in Flair’s face to prevent further action.
Winner: Tiffany Stratton
Grades: B
Analysis: It was a short but good match. It looks like Roxxane Perez will be regularly featured on TV post WrestleMania 41. Charlotte and Tiffany’s unscripted promo last week has sparked this feud.
Randy Orton and LA Knight vs Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga
The main event of the night was the tag match set up in the opening segment of the show. Orton delivered snap powerslams to both Solo and Tama. The Viper attempted a draping DDT on Solo but an interference from Tonga allowed Sikoa to deliver a Samoan Drop. Solo and Tama dominated Randy for a while before Orton landed a backdrop on Sikoa. Knight and Tonga tagged in, and the US Champion hit a Russian Leg Sweep.
Knight delivered a neckbreaker to Solo and a scoop-up powerslam to Tama Tonga. Knight landed the jumping elbow on Tonga. Solo got up and delivered a Samoan Spike to the Megastar. Randy entered the ring and hit RKO on Tonga. Orton and Sikoa fought through the crowd. In the ring, Knight delivered BFT to Tonga for the win.
After the match, Jacob Fatu attacked LA Knight from behind. He hit a superkick and a running hip attack in the corner. The Samoan Werewolf landed two moonsaults and picked up the United States Championship as the show ended.
Winners: Randy Orton and LA Knight
Grades: B+
Analysis: It was a decent main event match followed by a vicious post-match assault by the Samoan Werewolf. Knight and Fatu will collide for the US Championship on WrestleMania 41: Saturday. Orton’s fate isn’t decided yet, but it looks like he will get an opponent next week.
Overall Analysis
It was an important show on the Road to WrestleMania 41. The blue brand has struggled to deliver sometimes recently and this show had some meaningless stuff as well. It was exciting but not like last week’s SmackDown where WWE revealed Paul Heyman’s favor. Rey Fenix was impressive in his second WWE win. The segments involving Randy Orton, Drew McIntyre, and Cody Rhodes were fun. We are a week away from the biggest wrestling show of the year, WrestleMania. Do give us your thoughts on WWE SmackDown April 11 Results.
