WWE SmackDown returned to the United States after a successful European tour. The April 4th, 2025, edition of the blue brand took place at the All State Arena in Chicago, Illinois, where the hometown hero CM Punk finally claimed his favor from Paul Heyman and left his OTC, Roman Reigns shocked.
Apart from that, the show featured an explosive debut of a new WWE star, some intriguing moments, and a major match being called off from the WrestleMania 41 match card.
Quick Results
- Rey Fenix defeated Nathan Frazer in his debut match on SmackDown.
- LA Knight defeated Tama Tonga in a non-title match.
- Motor City Machine Guns defeated DIY in a No.1 contender’s tag team match.
- Naomi picked up a win over B-Fab in a singles match.
- Jacob Fatu defeated Braun Strowman in a Last Man Standing match to become the No.1 contender for the WWE United States Championship at WrestleMania 41.
Best match
The best match on WWE SmackDown this week was the last one on the card between Jacob Fatu and Braun Strowman. It was a Last Man Standing match to determine the No.1 contender for LA Knight’s WWE United States Championship at WrestleMania 41.
The stipulation led to absolute chaos and carnage as both men destroyed each other and used multiple foreign objects. In the end, Jacob delivers a running back elbow, sending Strowman crashing through a table. He managed to get up by the count of nine, but Braun collapsed and Fatu won the match.
Worst match
The match between Naomi and B-Fab was a weak one on the card for SmackDown this week. It focused more on Naomi’s rivalry with Jade Cargill, who attacked her before the match. Still, Naomi fought, but it was a short and lackluster match where she picked up the win. Right after, Jade once again launched an attack with GM Nick Aldis, who made the match official for WrestleMania 41.
Noteworthy moments
A major highlight of the night was rather disappointing news for WrestleMania 41. Kevin Owens came to the ring to reveal that he was injured and needed neck surgery. Randy Orton came to the ring to share a moment with him. Owens walked away, and GM Nick Aldis announced that Orton did not have a match at WrestleMania 41. This led to the Viper delivering an RKO to Aldis with fans giving a loud pop.
Another prime highlight of the night was the debut of former AEW star Rey Fenix on WWE SmackDown. He had an excellent match with NXT’s Nathan Frazer and had a remarkable first showing, walking away with the victory.
The last noteworthy moment came during a heated confrontation between Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton. They traded verbal blows until things were made extremely personal at the end. Stratton brought up Flair’s three failed marriages, and Flair said that it was possibly the reason Tiffany’s boyfriend, Ludwig Kaiser, was in her DMs. This part was later deleted by WWE as it was off-script.
Holy Sh!@ Moments
The biggest Holy Sh!@ moment of the night came at the end of the show. After CM Punk and Paul Heyman met in the opening segment of the show, Punk revealed that he would reveal Heyman’s favor in front of Roman Reigns. The OTC arrived with Paul Heyman towards the end of the show and was also joined by Seth Rollins in the ring.
CM Punk then joined the trio in the ring and revealed that Paul Heyman would be in his corner, not Roman Reigns’s, in the main event of WrestleMania 41, which led to a loud pop. This shocker led to Reigns telling him to say no, but Heyman was unable to. In the end, Punk attacked Reigns and dropped him with a GTS.
Lowlights
LA Knight and Tama Tonga had a lackluster match. Except for the YEAH! Chants, there was nothing more to look forward to in the match, despite LA Knight picking up a huge win.
The Motor City Machine Guns had a good match with DIY, but it did not become a prime highlight of the night. In doing so, they became the No.1 contenders to the WWE Tag Team Championships against the reigning champions, The Street Profits.
What’s in store for WWE SmackDown next week
A tag team gauntlet match will take place next week on WWE SmackDown to determine the No.1 contenders for Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez’s WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. Cody Rhodes will also appear on the show.
Another match that will take place next week will see Rey Fenix compete in his second match against Berto. Lastly, Damian Priest and Drew McIntyre will come face-to-face in a segment.
Also read: WWE Rumors: John Cena’s Heel Turn Was Originally Planned To Mirror Another Legendary Turn