‘WWE Smackdown’ Review (Apr 11th 2025)
Welcome to this review of this past Friday’s episode of Smackdown, right here on Nerdly. Let’s see what went down on this week’s show!
Match #1: Women’s Intercontinental Championship No. 1 Contenders Gauntlet Match – Winners: Lyra Valkyria & Bayley
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Women’s Intercontinental Champion Lyra Valkyria and Bayley won a Gauntlet Match to become No. 1 Contenders to WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez. Valkyria and Bayley entered the match at the unenviable No. 1 spot and battled Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark first, overcoming their hard-hitting style with a perfect jackknife cover from the champion. Natalya and Maxxine Dupri entered next, only for Dupri to fall to an inside cradle from The Role Model. Former champions Kayden Carter and Katana Chance sprinted to the ring and gave the makeshift team a battle, but they lost via a Nightwing from Valkyria. Michin and B-Fab put up an incredible fight, but a Roseplant from Bayley out of nowhere kept her team going in the Gauntlet Match. The Secret Hervice were the sixth and final team to enter and dominated for much of their time, but epic teamwork allowed Bayley and Valkyria to punch their ticket to WrestleMania 41.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #2: Rey Fenix def. Berto
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The electrifying Rey Fenix showed up and showed out for a raucous SmackDown crowd. Berto did his best to spoil the party, but the uber-athletic Fenix powered through and defeated the Legado Superstar with a Mexican Muscle Buster.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #3: Zelina Vega def. Green (Count-Out)
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Without the Secret Hervice backing her up, Women’s United States Champion Chelsea Green threw such a big fit that she didn’t realize she was counted out of the match, meaning Zelina Vega picked up the win.
My Score: 1.5 out of 5
Match #4: Tiffany Stratton def. Roxanne Perez
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Tiffany Stratton defeated Roxanne Perez in an incredible matchup, but what happened afterward left her in a crumpled heap. The Prodigy came to SmackDown looking for a fight, and she gave every ounce against the WWE Women’s Champion. However, a Prettiest Moonsault Ever clinched the win for Stratton.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Match #5: Randy Orton & LA Knight def. Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Randy Orton and LA Knight teamed up to form a dynamic duo as they took down Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga in tag team action. Orton and Knight shined together as they hit an RKO and BFT, respectively, allowing the United States Champion to ping Tonga. As Knight celebrated, Jacob Fatu hit the scene and destroyed the champion, leaving him down and out.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.75/5
This week’s Smackdown was a strong, story-driven episode that kept WrestleMania 41 hype alive. Cody Rhodes’ promo on John Cena felt heartfelt and personal, adding emotional weight to their impending clash. The tag match with Orton and LA Knight vs. Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga was solid, but Jacob Fatu’s vicious post-match attack stole the spotlight and he’s quickly becoming a must-watch menace. The women’s tag gauntlet showcased great talent depth; Bayley and Valkyria are a surprising but exciting team. McIntyre and Priest’s wild brawl was chaos in the best way. Charlotte attacking Stratton post-match? Pure fireworks! After the duos head-to-head and now this… their feud is really heating up!
