WWE SmackDown live results: WrestleMania 38 fallout
Tonight’s SmackDown takes place from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and features the brand’s fallout from WrestleMania 38.
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns will reveal his next move tonight. Reigns defeated Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania to unify the Universal and WWE Championships. Reigns then appeared on Monday’s Raw and promised to announce what’s next for him on SmackDown.
A Happy Talk segment with Happy Corbin and Madcap Moss has also been announced for tonight. At WrestleMania, Drew McIntyre defeated Corbin and became the first person to kick out of Corbin’s End of Days.
Charlotte Flair is still the SmackDown Women’s Champion after defeating Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania. Charlotte used a ref bump to her advantage and pinned Rousey after hitting a big boot. Charlotte had tapped out to an armbar while the referee was down.
The Usos are also still SmackDown Tag Team Champions, while SmackDown’s Sasha Banks & Naomi won the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles.
Our live coverage begins at 8 p.m. Eastern time.
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They recapped WrestleMania 38 from last weekend.
Michael Cole and Pat McAfee noted that Roman Reigns would appear later tonight to announce his next plans.
Ronda Rousey Segment
This was a fine opening segment. The fans popped when Rousey challenged Flair to an I Quit match.
Kayla Braxton was already in the ring to start SmackDown. She wasted no time and introduced Ronda Rousey. Braxton noted that Rousey kept her word and made Charlotte Flair tap out. The fans broke into a brief “Ronda Rousey” chant.
They recapped Rousey forcing Flair to tap out and Flair pinning Rousey at WrestleMania. Rousey points out that she did make her tap but admits that she didn’t win the match. Braxton mentioned that Reigns reveals his next move later.
Braxton then asked about Rousey’s next plans. Rousey didn’t hesitate and demanded a return match with Flair at WrestleMania Backlash. But she doesn’t want just any match. She challenged Flair to an I Quit match. The fans popped.
Flair appeared on the big screen and mocked Rousey. She felt Rousey’s armbar and still beat her. Flair then turned down Rousey’s challenge. She told Rousey to go to the back of the line.
Rousey promised Flair that this fight would happen. She vowed that Flair’s not just going to say I quit; she’s going to scream it.
They recapped Ridge Holland & Sheamus defeating New Day at WrestleMania.
Xavier Woods (w/Kofi Kingston) defeated Butch (w/Sheamus & Ridge Holland) (8:32)
Butch and Woods had a good hard-hitting match.
In the back, Sheamus and Holland pumped Butch before he went to the ring.
Before the match, Kingston praised Sheamus and Holland for getting their first win at WrestleMania. He welcomed them to the club. Woods pointed out he hasn’t won at WrestleMania. Kingston said when he won the title in 2019, they both won.
Woods pointed out that WrestleMania is the season finale; therefore, tonight’s the season premiere. New Day claimed that all records start over, so they have a clean record now.
Butch had the early advantage, but Woods fought back. Holland and Sheamus gave Butch some advice. Woods missed a splash in the corner, and Butch took over. He worked over Woods’s arm, but Woods fought back.
Woods caught Butch with a side Russian leg sweep and hit a basement dropkick. Butch and Woods ended up fighting at ringside. Butch regained control when he gave Woods a suplex on the apron.
Back from the break, Butch was firmly in control. He slowed the pace down and worked over Woods’ arm. Butch followed up with a forearm for a near fall.
Woods fought back with chops and punches. He rocked Butch with a kick to the face. Woods went for a tornado DDT, but Butch caught him with a punch to the face.
Butch stomped on the fingers and stomped on Woods’ head. Butch charged at Woods, but he avoided, and Woods used a small package for the win.
After the match, Butch snapped and attacked Sheamus and Holland. Sheamus and Holland tried to talk to Butch, who sat on the corner. Cole compared Butch’s reaction to a temper tantrum and called him a child at the end.
They recapped Johnny Knoxville defeating Sami Zayn in an anything goes match at WrestleMania 38.
In the back, Zayn was furious with Adam Pearce. He said he wanted an anything goes match, and not everyone is welcome match. He had a plate of cheese because he was caught in a mousetrap. Zayn said he hates cheese, and the fans booed.
Zayn wants to get his respect back, so he promises to take on the next person that walks through the door. Of course, Drew McIntyre then walked through the door with a smile. Zayn tried to get out of the match, but Pearce made it official for later.
Pearce then received a letter and told his assistant that he couldn’t meet Ronda.
Marcel Barthel debuted as Ludwig Kaiser and introduced the Ring General, Gunther
Gunther (w/Ludwig Kaiser) defeated Joe Alonzo (2:04)
Gunther looked good in his debut match. It was basically a squash match as he dominated Alonzo.
Gunther attacked Alonzo at the bell and beat him down with hard chops and a big boot. He followed up with a slam and a powerbomb for the win. The fans broke into a loud “Walter” chant during the match. McAfee claimed it was a Gunther chant.
In the back, Kayla Braxton interviewed another new member of the SmackDown roster Raquel Rodriguez (Raquel Gonzalez). She admitted that SmackDown has one of the best locker rooms, but they’re not ready for her.
Los Lotharios approached Rodriguez and offered to welcome her with a kiss. She turned them down and wondered if they were always that annoying. Braxton nodded.
Happy Talk
This was a good segment. Moss and Corbin split up as a team. By the end of the segment, the fans loved Moss and gave him a good babyface reaction.
They recapped Madcap Moss winning the Andre the Giant Battle Royal and Drew McIntyre defeating Corbin at WrestleMania.
Happy Corbin and Madcap Moss made their way to the ring for Happy Talk. Corbin was sad, but Moss was in a great mood. They showed the Andre the Giant trophy at ringside.
Corbin noted tonight’s Happy Talk should be a celebration. He blamed his loss to McIntyre on Moss. He pointed out that Moss shouldn’t have jumped on the apron at WrestleMania. Moss tried to apologize, but Corbin noted he just cares about winning the battle royal.
The fans broke into a loud “Madcap Moss” chant. Corbin said that’s the problem and wants Moss to tell him jokes. Moss told two bad jokes, but Corbin didn’t laugh. Corbin demanded that Moss tell him a good joke and that his job depends on it.
Moss told a joke about Corbin and said Corbin dresses like he’s going to a funeral for Tommy Bahama. Moss laughed, and the fans popped. Corbin asked if the fans thought that joke was funny. The fans popped again. Corbin attacked Moss, but he fought back.
Moss and Corbin brawled around ringside and back into the ring. Moss sent Corbin over the top rope and celebrated to end the segment.
In the back, Jinder Mahal and Shanky were speaking with Adam Pearce. Mahal demanded a match with Intercontinental Champion Ricochet. Pearce claimed it wasn’t that easy to get a match.
Rousey walked into the office, and Mahal and Shanky left. She demanded an answer to her challenge earlier. Pearce said they should have an answer sometime tomorrow. Rousey didn’t like that response.
Drew McIntyre defeated Sami Zayn (3:39)
McIntyre and Zayn had a disappointing match with a weak finish. It mainly was Zayn stalling around ringside.
Zayn jumped out of the ring when the bell rang. He slowly got back in the ring but jumped out again. McIntyre went after Zayn and dropped him on the barricade. Zayn fought back with a boot to the face, but McIntyre recovered with a belly-to-belly suplex and a hard chop.
McIntyre slammed Zayn’s head into the announce table and then dropped him on the table. McIntyre threw Zayn back in the ring, but he rolled to the other side. McIntyre waited for Zayn in the ring, but he walked off.
McIntyre chased Zayn and carried him back to the ring. He set up for the Claymore kick, but Zayn again jumped out of the ring. He jumped over the barricade and ran off to end the match.
They recapped Pat McAfee defeating Austin Theory, Vince McMahon beating McAfee, and Steve Austin giving stunners to all three.
McAfee admitted he’s feeling a lot of different emotions. He said he’s still sore and still hungover, but it was a dream come true.
The Story of Lacey Evans
Michael Cole introduced the Story of Lacey Evans. Evans discussed her life in a backstage segment. Evans noted she was born in a small town in Georgia. Her father worked in construction but also struggled with addiction.
Her mother tried her best, but she couldn’t handle the mental and emotional abuse. Before Evans started elementary school, her mother packed their stuff in garbage bags and left her father.
They moved around for several years living in shelters. The experience taught Evans never to give up. It made her the woman she is today. The fans popped and gave her a good reaction by the end.
They announced Cody Rhodes vs. The Miz for this Monday on Raw.
They recapped Sasha Banks & Naomi defating Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley on Raw. Morgan and Ripley get another title shot this Monday night.
Liv Morgan defeated Sasha Banks (w/Naomi) (7:07)
Morgan and Banks had a good match that picked up towards the end.
In the back, Megan Morant wondered why Morgan’s on SmackDown since they have a title shot on Monday. Morgan promised to defeat Banks tonight to get momentum for Raw. Morant asked about Ripley. Morgan admitted that Ripley’s not there tonight.
Naomi joined Cole and McAfee on commentary. Cole noted that Banks & Naomi made history by becoming the first black WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.
Morgan had the early advantage, but Banks fought back. She sent Morgan to the floor as they went to an early commercial break.
Back from the break, Banks hit the Three Amigos and followed up with a frog splash for a close near fall. They showed Shayna Baszler & Natayla watching in the back.
Morgan and Banks traded pin attempts. Banks then rocked Morgan with a kick to the head. Morgan recovered quickly and caught Banks with a knee.
The fans applauded Banks and Morgan. Morgan missed a splash in the corner but bounced back and rocked Banks with another knee.
Banks and Morgan fought on the top rope. The finish came when Banks gave Morgan a superplex. Morgan and Banks both went for the pin but Morgan got the win. They did the Dynamite Kid-Randy Savage superplex finish.
They recapped The Usos vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Rick Boogs from WrestleMania. Cole and McAfee discussed Boogs’ knee injury.
Roman Reigns Segment
This was a disappointing end to SmackDown. Reigns didn’t reveal his next direction but instead wants The Usos to unify the tag team titles. They also buried Nakamura in the segment for no apparent reason.
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman, and SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos made their way to the ring.
They recapped Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar from WrestleMania.
Heyman handed Reigns the mic and he demanded that Milwaukee acknowledge him. He admitted that SmackDown and the Universal title weren’t enough for him. So, he smashed Lesnar, won the WWE title, and took Raw.
Reigns has done it all, so there’s nothing left for him. He pointed out that The Usos only have one title. He ordered The Usos to go to Raw and unify the tag team titles. They agreed. Reigns noted they’re going to have all the gold.
Suddenly, Shinsuke Nakamura’s music hit. Reigns was annoyed and confused that Nakamura interrupted him. The fans sang Nakamura’s music. He went to speak, but Reigns cut him off. He knows how Nakamura feels because he lost his partner Boogs.
Reigns understands because they lost Jimmy to a knee injury. He noted the Bloodline is all about love. Reigns then gave a confused Nakamura a hug, which allowed The Usos to hit a double superkick. This didn’t make Nakamura look strong.
Reigns and The Usos celebrated and promised to make a trip to Detroit for Raw. Reigns posed with both titles to end SmackDown.
Next Week: Drew McIntyre goes one-on-one with Sami Zayn. Plus, Intercontinental Champion Ricochet defends against Jinder Mahal