‘WWE Smackdown’ Review (Apr 17th 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 pre-Wrestlemania show!
Match #1: The MFTs def. The Wyatt Sicks
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The MFTs conquered The Wyatt Sicks in an epic Eight-Man Tag Team Street Fight on the eve of WrestleMania 42. The action was fast-paced and chaotic as all eight Superstars came to blows inside the ring before the action spilled into the ringside area. The hulking Erick Rowan clashed with Talla Tonga, but the Wyatt Sicks powerhouse was felled by a massive steel steps toss from the MFT monster. It was JC Mateo’s turn to clean house as the former Olympian tossed Joe Gacy and Dexter Lumis around the ring, but Rowan reappeared and introduced a bevy of trash cans, Kendo sticks and steel chairs to use as weapons. Nikki Cross inserted herself into the action by diving onto Tonga Loa, leading to more chaos inside the ring. Tama Tonga appeared to be positioned to win the match, but Solo Sikoa ran in and hit a Samoan Spike on Uncle Howdy to win the bout, leading to a tense staredown between Tonga and Sikoa.
My Score: 1.5 out of 5
Match #2: WWE Tag Team Championship – Damian Priest & R-Truth def. Kofi Kingston & Grayson Waller
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Damian Priest and R-Truth continue to be a successful pairing as they took down Kofi Kingston and Grayson Waller in an incredible WWE Tag Team Championship Match. Waller did an expert job distracting the champions, allowing Kingston to dive on top of them and then mock the Las Vegas faithful, but it wasn’t long before Priest took back control. The champions isolated Waller and hit him with an innovative Flapjack/Flatliner maneuver to win the match and retain their championship.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: Tiffany Stratton def. Jordynne Grace
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Tiffany Stratton is one step closer to the Women’s United States Championship after beating Jordynne Grace in a No. 1 Contender’s Match. The clash in styles was evident as Stratton tried using her athleticism to gain the upper hand while Grace did the same with her power, but only Stratton was left standing. Grace went for a jaw-dropping neckbreaker, but Stratton flipped out of it and hit a rolling stunner and the Prettiest Moonsault Ever, all while staring down Giulia.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #4: Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley and Lyra Valkyria (No Contest)
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The tag team match pitting Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss against Bayley and Lyra Valkyria was quickly interrupted by WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Lash Legend and Nia Jax, who laid waste to their WrestleMania 42 opponents.
My Score: N/A out of 5
Match #5: Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal – Winner: Royce Keys
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Royce Keys made history by winning the 2026 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal in epic fashion. Dozens of Superstars filled the ring, but they started getting tossed by the handful as Kit Wilson, Joe Hendry, Johnny Gargano and more fell by the wayside. As the dust settled, the final four Superstars were Otis, Aleister Black, Talla Tonga and Royce Keys, with the power of Tonga and Keys whittling the field down to two. In a titanic showdown, Keys muscled Tonga over the top rope to secure his biggest victory yet in WWE.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2/5
This pre-WrestleMania episode of SmackDown had all the ingredients to feel like a last-minute hype machine, but rarely delivered anything close to that energy. The opening street fight was chaotic to a fault, more noise than substance, while the tag title bout and Stratton vs. Grace were perfectly serviceable without ever threatening to steal the show. The women’s tag segment being thrown out entirely didn’t help matters, especially on a card that already felt light on meaningful progression. Even the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, usually a fun spectacle, landed with a shrug despite Royce Keys’ big win. For a go-home show, this lacked urgency, excitement, and that must-see feeling you’d expect heading into WrestleMania. Instead, it felt like a collection of moments rather than a cohesive, compelling final push.
