‘WWE Smackdown’ Review (Apr 18th 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: Andre the Giant Battle Royal – Winner: Carmelo Hayes
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The winner of the 2025 Andre the Giant Battle Royal is HIM. Carlito and R-Truth became the first two Superstars eliminated after they battled over an apple, kick-starting what turned into a chaotic Battle Royal. The luchadors of WWE formed an alliance and took out the arrogant Chad Gable, whittling the field. The final four were Carmelo Hayes, Shinsuke Nakamura, Andrade and Rey Fenix, leading to an all-out war between the Superstars as they vied for the coveted prize. Andrade eliminated Nakamura, and shortly after, El Grande Americano snuck in and eliminated Fenix, leaving Andrade and Hayes as the final two. The longtime rivals gave it their all, and Hayes dumped Andrade over the top rope to etch his name into history.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #2: WWE Tag Team Championship – The Street Profits vs. Motor City Machine Guns (No Contest)
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The WWE Tag Team Title remains with Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins thanks to some help from Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa. Just hours before WrestleMania, Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley executed their efficient offense, and Ford showed off his incredible athleticism. #DIY appeared out of nowhere and attacked both teams, forcing a disqualification and furthering the chaos in the SmackDown tag team division.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #3: Zelina Vega def. Chelsea Green
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
Zelina Vega stunned Women’s United States Champion Chelsea Green in a non-title match. A frustrated Green could not gain any momentum, and a Code Red from Vega gave her the huge victory.
My Score: 2 out of 5
Match #4: LA Knight & Braun Strowman def. Jacob Fatu & Solo Sikoa
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
After Jacob Fatu and Braun Strowman interfered in a match between LA Knight and Solo Sikoa, a tag team match was made between the four Superstars. Once Fatu and Strowman neutralized each other, the United States Champion countered a Samoan Spike into a BFT to secure the win.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Match #5: Rey Mysterio, Rey Fenix, and Dragon Lee def. American Made
The following is courtesy of wwe.com:
The dream team of Rey Mysterio, Rey Fenix and Dragon Lee defeated American Made in an unforgettable Six-Man Tag Team Match. Led by Chad Gable, Julius and Brutus Creed used their incredible strength to ground the high-flying luchadors, using joint manipulation and key suplexes to keep them off-balance. The technical wrestlers couldn’t keep them down for long, as Fenix secured the win ahead of Mysterio’s match with El Grande Americano at WrestleMania 41.
My Score: 2.5 out of 5
Final Verdict: 2.5/5
This week’s Smackdown was a wild ride heading into WrestleMania 41. The Street Profits retained their Tag Team Championships against the Motor City Machine Guns via disqualification after chaos erupted with #DIY interfering. The fallout has set the stage for a Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match next week. Carmelo Hayes impressed by winning the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, eliminating Andrade last. In a shocking twist, Rey Mysterio was injured, prompting Rey Fenix to step in for WrestleMania against El Grande Americano (Chad Gable), intensifying the AAA/WWE rivalry – which paid off later during the Wrestlemania pre-show.
