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WWE SmackDown comes waltzing back into our lives tonight (Apr. 15, 2022) with a live show emanating from DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts, featuring all the latest build for the the upcoming WrestleMania Backlash pay-per-view (PPV) set for early next month.
Advertised for tonight: Drew McIntyre goes one-on-one with Sami Zayn in a rematch from last week, Ricochet defends the Intercontinental championship against Jinder Mahal (with Shanky), Randy Orton and Matt Riddle make the trek to the blue brand looking for a piece of Jimmy and Jey Uso, and more!
Come right back here at 8 pm ET when the SmackDown live blog kicks off once the show starts on FOX. It will be below this line here. (Note: Going forward, there will be no ban on GIFs or images in the live blog threads. Feel free to post as you wish.)
WWE SMACKDOWN RESULTS AND LIVE BLOG FOR APR. 15
They call you leather demon, oh Lord knows that it’s true. You’ll never go to Heaven, but me? I’m just here to liveblog this pro wrestling show for these folks.
The show opens with a recap of Roman Reigns sending the Usos to Raw to challenge for the tag titles.
RK-BRO make their entrance and get on the mic.
Matt Riddle talks about being excited to be back on SmackDown and rambles about Worcestershire sauce and Snapple before Randy Orton cuts him off to remind him that they’re here because the Usos have challenged them to a unification match, so now they’re here to give their answer.
Enter the Usos.
They tell RK-BRO that they’re behind enemy lines in Bloodline territory and demand to hear an answer. But first, they hype themselves up and remind everyone of their accolades. Orton says he loves and respects their whole family but the Usos are assholes. They say this is their ring and their show, well frick that this is Randy Orton’s show!
He’s been setting records for 20+ years and maybe they’ve forgotten that too, but critically he accepts the challenge!
Sasha Banks and Naomi are chatting backstage about strategy and Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley roll up.
They bicker at each other, Naomi has a line about the glow outshining the night, and the segment concludes.
Boss and Glow make their entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial, RK-BRO roll up on Adam Pearce.
He says he’s all for the unification match but there’s paperwork to do first. Matt Riddle asks for a match against Jimmy Uso and he gets it.
Naomi vs. Rhea Ripley
Ripley backs her into the corner, monkey flip blocked, Naomi kicks her back, goes for a crossbody but gets caught! Float over, off the ropes, shoulder block from Rhea! Shoulder thrusts in the corner, arm wringers, to the floor and back in and Ripley cuts her off with a mat slam!
Rhea up top, Naomi clocks her with a gamengiri, off the ropes, slide out but Ripley lays her out with a lariat that sends us to break!
Back from commercial, Naomi with kicks into the scissors kick, fired up, bulldog into the turnbuckles! Up top, diving crossbody for two! Basement dropkick into a headscissors driver... NOPE! Full nelson reversed into a short-arm headbutt, bridging northern lights suplex... SO CLOSE!
Up top, jockeying for position, Riptide blocked, missile dropkick takes Naomi off her feet but can’t keep her down! Back and forth, springboard roundhouse kick, jockeying for position over the pumphandle but Rhea catches her...
Rhea Ripley wins by pinfall with Riptide.
The Usos are shown walking backstage.
They dodge an interview and head into cousin Roman’s locker room.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial, we get a video package detailing the breakup of the Happy Fellas.
Happy Corbin is interviewed backstage.
He says calling Madcap Moss his associate puts them on the same level, but he was more of a hanger-on or a minion, basically his lackey. He kept him around because he was really funny to laugh at, but then he became an anchor around his neck dragging his career down.
Without the dead weight he’s reaching peak levels of happiness, and just wait until Moss falls flat on his face and becomes the laughing stock of SmackDown.
Drew Gulak interviews Madcap Moss and I am heartbroken that my boy is being used as an interviewer.
Moss says he’s moving on and he’s gonna beat Humberto Carrillo tonight.
He makes his entrance and we go to break.
Humberto Carrillo vs. Madcap Moss
Carrillo in charge with heavy hands early, big arm drag, Moss turns things around with a shoulder block, whip across, big back elbow! Fallaway slam sets it up...
Madcap Moss wins by pinfall with the Punchline.
Post-match, Angel Garza berates Humberto for losing to a joke.
Charlotte Flair rolls up to complain at Adam Pearce about Ronda Rousey getting a rematch.
Drew Gulak interrupts to ask how he did as an interviewer and Flair scolds him before ordering him to come to her with the ring to give her a big introduction.
And so we go to break.
Back from commercial we’re informed that tag titles will be unified at WrestleMania Backlash.
Drew Gulak is in the ring to give Charlotte Flair a big introduction.
He interviews her and she says she didn’t refuse the “I Quit” match, she was just trying to protect Ronda Rousey by sending her to the end of the line. But no, she had to whine moan and cry to get the match she wanted, and that’s a big mistake. Gulak says he watched their match at WrestleMania and it sure looked like Flair tapped out.
Charlotte says that’s ridiculous, and she was just fixing her bra. Drew doubles down and says that if the referee saw, he thinks Rousey would be champion. Flair calls him out of line and asks if he quit competing so he could hold a mic and ask stupid questions.
She says people like him are used to quitting, and she bets we’ve quit the gym, our job, relationships. (Can’t say I’ve ever done one of those, ma’am) She says quitting isn’t in her DNA, winning is, because she’s a submission master and she’s been submitting competition for over a decade.
Flair orders Gulak out of her ring and chop blocks him as he goes to leave! Leg pick, spinning toehold, into the figure four leglock! Bridging back, Drew taps but that’s not good enough and she bridges all the way up as he screams “I Quit!”
Drew McIntyre makes his entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial we get a media reel about WrestleMania beating the Super Bowl on social media metrics.
Imperium cut a promo about how the mat is sacred and GUNTHER protects the honor of pro wrestling.
Sami Zayn makes his entrance and cuts a promo complaining about his reputation getting wrecked.
He insists he didn’t run away last week and he isn’t afraid of anything or anyone, and he’s going to restore his reputation with a win.
Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn
Action to the floor, McIntyre tosses him to and fro between the barricade and apron, Zayn runs away and hides behind Pat McAfee but Drew decks him and high fives Pat! Back inside, Sami runs away the other way and claws at McIntyre’s face to block him. Back in, crossface strikes, Drew fires back a headbutt, countdown... but Sami bails!
McIntyre pulls him back over the barricade and throws him back inside, off the ropes, Claymore ducked and again Zayn runs away through the crowd! Referee Jason Ayers counts...
Drew McIntyre wins by countout.
Post-match Drew gives chase but Sami runs away into the concourse!
Ricochet is interviewed backstage.
He says Jinder Mahal is mean and imposing, but when he looks at him, he sees someone else who can’t match his abilities, another tree trunk of a man ready to be chopped down. People call him flawless because he makes it look perfect, and the title isn’t going anywhere.
Ricochet makes his entrance and we go to break.
Back from commercial, we catch up with Sami Zayn while he runs away from Drew McIntyre and literally runs into Adam Pearce.
Sami says it won’t happen again and Pearce says it definitely won’t because they’ll have a rematch in a lumberjack match next week.
Jinder Mahal vs. Ricochet (c) (WWE Intercontinental Championship)
Mahal with crossface strikes, half nelson chinlock, throwing Ricochet into the corner. Ricky fights back, rolling thunder dropkick, big crossbody, standing moonsault... NOPE! Headed up top, Shanky pulls his man out of the ring, referee Dan Engler tries to warn him off but Ricochet dives on both guys!
Back inside, up top again...
Ricochet wins by pinfall with a shooting star press to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship.
Fight Night are interviewed backstage.
Sheamus says last week was just a civilized discussion among them but he will say they’ve all agreed that Butch needs to harness his aggression and remember that they’re not his enemies. They cajole him and eventually he barks out that New Day are the enemy and wanders off.
Ridge Holland realizes he’s wandered off and we go to break.
Back from commercial, we go to New Day, who are hanging out signing 8x10s when Butch blindsides them and beats them down!
Sheamus and Ridge Holland roll up and it turns into a wild pull-apart with referees and agents (including former ROH World Champion Jamie Noble and Shawn Daivari)
Another Lacey Evans promo about her life story follows, focused on her father’s abuse of her family.
Natalya reacts backstage with Shayna Baszler, complaining about the lack of respect for those who came before her.
Raquel Rodriguez stands up and introduces herself and shakes Nattie’s hand.
RK-BRO make their entrance to send us to break.
Jimmy Uso vs. Matt Riddle
Riddle in control early, front chancery, RKO blocked and Uso rolls to the floor! Back inside, hard whip and Matt crumples in the turnbuckles! Riddle comes back with a Karelin lift, slingshot to the apron for the Penalty Kick but Jimmy catches it and trips him to the floor!
Throwing Riddle into the steel steps, into the barricade, superkick on the floor and we go to break.
Back from commercial, Uso with a nearfall off an enzuigiri! Riddle with the Pele kick, kip-up, charging in with forearms, standing moonsault misses but the senton connects, Penalty Kick follows! Fireman’s carry, Bro 2 Sleep, bridging German suplex... NOPE!
Up top, corkscrew moonsault... THE KNEES ARE UP! Pop-up Samoan drop gets a nearfall! Randy Orton bickering with Jey Uso on the floor, Jimmy boots him, Riddle with a knee, headed up top, Jey trips him up! Jimmy with a superkick, headed up top, Orton back suplexes Jey into the announce desk, diving splash, nobody home!
Pop-up, Riddle counters...
Matt Riddle wins by pinfall with an RKO.
Commentary hypes up the title unification match and next week’s show while RK-BRO celebrate.
That’s the show, folks.
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