WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Ratings, and Highlights From Apr. 18

With WrestleMania 41 just 1 day away, WWE SmackDown has headed to T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV.

Announced in advance of Friday’s show:

• John Cena and Cody Rhodes meet one last time for WrestleMania
• Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal featuring stars from WWE Raw and WWE SmackDown
• WWE Tag Team Championship match: The Street Profits vs. Motor City Machine Guns

Seth Rollins kicks off WWE SmackDown

Ahead of his triple-threat match at WrestleMania 41: Night 1 against CM Punk and Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins arrived on WWE SmackDown, saying Punk only came back to WWE for a big fat cheque. Rollins also said that Reigns does not care about the fans but only about himself.

Rollins also talked about how he saved Cody Rhodes from Reigns last year at WrestleMania while his stepdad was at home dying of cancer. He also said that he will put it all on the line at WrestleMania. Rollins ended his promo saying, It’s not a prediction. It’s a spoiler.

Ratings: 10 /10

Key Notes and Observations:

• LA Knight attacked Tama Tonga when the show started backstage, and also slammed his arm in a car door.

Andre the Giant Battle Royal

WWE Superstars then competed in the annual Andre the Giant Battle Royal.

List of participants:

• Rey Fenix
• Shinsuke Nakamura
• Chad Gable
• Ludwig Kaiser
• The Miz
• Andrade
• Carmelo Hayes
• Carlito
• Pretty Deadly
• Creed Brothers
• R-Truth
• LWO
• Dragon Lee
• Tyler Bate
• Pete Dunne
• Austin Theory
• Grayson Waller
• Otis
• Akira Tozawa
• Karrion Kross
• Humberto
• Angel
• Santos Escobar

Result: Carmelo Hayes won the Andre the Giant Battle Royal by last eliminating Andrade
Ratings: 8 /10

Chaos in the Women’s Division on WWE SmackDown

Rhea Ripley then arrived on WWE SmackDown, saying she will walk out of WrestleMania as a 3-time Women’s World Champion, no matter what she has to do. Iyo Sky and Bianca Belair also joined Ripley in the ring before Naomi also arrived on the scene, asking Belair why she is ignoring her.

Jade Cargill then also joined the ring, which led to a brawl — moments later between all the womens.

Ratings: 8 /10

Key Notes and Observations:

• LWO then met American Made backstage, where Rey Mysterio challenged them to a 6-man Tag Team match later on the show.

Street Profits (c) vs. Motor City Machine Guns – WWE Tag Team Championship match

Motor City Machine Guns defeated #DIY on the Apr. 4th edition of WWE SmackDown to win the No.1 Contenders match and earned the right to challenge Street Profits for the Tag Team Championship here on WWE SmackDown before WrestleMania.

Machine Guns and Profits tried to take each other to their absolute limits before DIY attacked on both teams, causing the match to end via disqualification. Gargano and Ciampa also took the championships with them.

Result: Street Profits defeated Motor City Machine Guns via disqualification
Ratings: 7 /10

Key Notes and Observations:

• Chelsea Green met GM Nick Aldis backstage, complaining about how the referee missed the 10 count. Aldis then scheduled Green in a re-match with Zelina Vega with Secret Hervice banned from the ringside.

Randy Orton’s Open Challenge for WrestleMania 41: Sunday

Left with no path to WrestleMania 41 after the neck injury of Kevin Owens, Randy Orton arrived on WWE SmackDown willing to fight anyone. Orton talked about the importance of this year’s WrestleMania for him since it will be his 20th Mania.

Randy Orton then laid out an open challenge for a match on WrestleMania 41: Sunday.

Ratings: 8 /10

Key Notes and Observations:

• Nick Aldis announces a TLC match for the WWE Tag Team Championship next here on WWE SmackDown between Street Profits (c) vs. Motor City Machine Guns vs. #DIY.

Zelina Vega vs. Chelsea Green

After losing to Zelina Vega last week here on WWE SmackDown via countout, Chelsea Green now faced her once again in a re-match.

Vega picked up the big win after hitting Green with her signature Code Red from the top turnbuckle.

Result: Zelina Vega defeated Chelsea Green
Ratings: 6 /10

LA Knight and Braun Strowman vs. Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu

Ahead of his US Championship match against Jacob Fatu at WrestleMania 41, LA Knight faced Solo Sikoa in a singles match. Knight and Sikoa went at each other before the match started, attacking each other outside the ring.

The match then began after they got back into the ring, but got ended moments later when Fatu attacked Knight. Braun Strowman then arrived on the scene to help Knight against Fatu and Sikoa. GM Nick Aldis then announced a tag team match that began immediately.

Result: LA Knight defeated Solo Sikoa via disqualification

The tag team match ended with Knight hitting BFT on Sikoa to pick up the win.

Result: LA Knight and Braun Strowman defeated Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu
Ratings: 8 /10

LWO vs. American Made

Rey Mysterio, Dragon Lee, and Rey Fenix then took on Chad Gable, Julius Creed, and Brutus Creed in a 6-man tag team match.

LWO seemed to be in trouble but still managed to pull off the win over American Made.

Result: LWO defeated American Made
Ratings: 8 /10

John Cena and Cody Rhodes come face-to-face before WrestleMania 41

Ahead of their match at WrestleMania 41, John Cena and Cody Rhodes met each other one last time. Cena talked about how Rhodes will lose the championship at WrestleMania because he cares about his fans. Cena told Rhodes that he knew he could beat him the moment he said “No” to the Rock’s offer.

Rhodes replied, saying the business is not the same anymore as it used to be when he was top. He also called Cena overrated and sanctimonious. Rhodes also mentioned Cena’s naked appearance at the Academy Awards for the people that he cares about now. 

Rhodes also mocked Cena, saying in 2025 he still can’t wrestle.

Cena then had enough and tried to hit Rhodes with an Attitude Adjustment before he countered it into a Cross Rhodes.

Ratings: 8 /10

WWE SmackDown, Apr. 18: Results Highlights

Andre the Giant Battle Royal:
Carmelo Hayes won by last eliminating Andrade

WWE Tag Team Championship:
Street Profits defeated Motor City Machine Guns via disqualification

Singles match:
Zelina Vega defeated Chelsea Green

Tag Team match:
LA Knight and Braun Strowman defeated Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu

Six-man tag team match:
LWO defeated American Made

My thoughts on this week’s edition of WWE SmackDown:

Compared to this week’s Raw episode, WWE did just about fine for the final episode of WWE SmackDown heading into WrestleMania. 

Although there were some good storyline angles and matches but there were more bad than good. Rollins kicked off the show with an amazing segment, leading to a very bizarre show considering how important this show was. I can’t understand how WWE managed to put the whole tag team division into the graveyard with a TLC match set for next week.

Cena and Rhodes did good with their last segment, but clearly, there isn’t much to remember about this show.

My Ratings for the show: 6 /10