‘WWE Smackdown’ Review (Apr 3rd 2026)
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: Rhea Ripley def. Michin
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Moments after Rhea Ripley made Michin tap out to the Prism Trap, Michin was joined by WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill and B-Fab for a post-match attack on The Eradicator. This brought IYO SKY to the ring to help save Ripley.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #2: Uncle Howdy def. Tama Tonga
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
When Uncle Howdy locked Tama Tonga in the Mandible Claw, Solo Sikoa emerged in an attempt to help his MFT brother. He accidently caused a distraction, however, and Tama walked right into Sister Abigail to give his ominous opponent the win. After the bell, an irate Tama took the lantern from Sikoa and returned it to its proper owner.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: Aleister Black def. Matt Cardona
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After targeting Matt Cardona’s injured arm, Aleister Black finished his opponent with Black Mass.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair def. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Moments after Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss hit double Natural Selections on Bayley and Lyra Valkyria for the victory, Nia Jax and Lash Legend attacked two of the teams they will face at WrestleMania.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #5: Damian Priest & R-Truth def. The Miz & Kit Wilson
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Danhausen suddenly interrupted the action, convinced a confused R-Truth to tag him into the match, and apparently cursed the official. As a result, the referee was no longer able to use his right arm to count the pinfall after The Miz hit the Skull-Crushing Finale on R-Truth. When Damian Priest tagged in to hit South of Heaven, however, the official used his left arm to count the winning pinfall.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #6: United States Title Match – Sami Zayn def. Carmelo Hayes
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
As the official was checking on Carmelo Hayes’ injured leg, Sami Zayn once again seized the opportunity and hit a Helluva Kick on his distracted opponent to successfully defend the United States Championship. After the match, Lil Yachty took the mic and distracted Zayn long enough for Trick Williams to take out the titleholder.
My Score: 3 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
This week’s show feels like a show that’s technically building to something bigger… but forgot to make the journey interesting. Rhea Ripley vs. Michin was over almost as soon as it began, existing purely as a setup for the post-match chaos involving Jade Cargill and IYO SKY. The same goes for Uncle Howdy vs. Tama Tonga, which leaned heavily into spooky nonsense and Bloodline distractions rather than delivering anything meaningful bell-to-bell. Aleister Black picking apart Matt Cardona’s injured arm was solid enough, but it never really got out of second gear. The women’s tag match with Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair vs. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria was another case of “fine, but forgettable,” with the obligatory WrestleMania brawl tacked on after. Meanwhile, Damian Priest & R-Truth vs. The Miz & Kit Wilson went full comedy chaos thanks to Danhausen… which will either land with you or completely derail the match. The standout was Sami Zayn vs. Carmelo Hayes, a decent main event that at least felt like it mattered, even if the distraction finish dulled the impact slightly. Overall, this was a very middle-of-the-road Smackdown. Plenty happened, but very little stuck.
