The WrestleMania go-home show has finally arrived, as SmackDown prepares us for the weekend’s two-night WrestleMania 38 event. As has become a recent tradition, the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal will take place alongside an Intercontinental Championship match and an interview with a sword. Yes, you read that last part correctly. Let’s dive right in and get this show, being dubbed by the WWE as “WrestleMania SmackDown”, out of the way.
Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
This special, yearly match type has been going for 8 years and it is yet to feel anywhere near close to as special as the man the battle royal is named after. Cesaro won in 2014; he was almost immediately demoted to “mid-card for life” status and recently departed the company. The then-42 year old, twenty year veteran Big Show won in 2015, when the battle royal was designed to produce new stars. Baron Corbin won in 2016, and was then followed by Mojo Rawley (remember him?), Matt Hardy and Braun Strowman – all of whom have long-since departed the company. Last year, Jey Uso won to achieve his first taste of singles acclaim and was then almost immediately after placed back into the tag team division. Will the WWE get it right this year? Unlikely, as the match’s demotion from WrestleMania to SmackDown is evidence enough that the company has lost interest.
Intercontinental Championship Match: Ricochet (c) vs Humberto vs Angel
Speaking of things the WWE have lost interest in, let’s talk about the Intercontinental Championship and its champion, Ricochet. Just like his Raw counterpart, WWE United States Champion, Finn Bálor, Ricochet is currently without a match at WrestleMania. In fact, it looks like this triple threat match with Angel and Humberto will be his WrestleMania match for this year – because, of course, it’s “WrestleMania SmackDown”. Without being overly critical of the WWE, it is disappointing that its secondary champions seemingly can’t get a spot on a bloated WrestleMania which has been extended to two nights. Anyway, enjoy this match tonight.
Happy Corbin Talks to a Sword
Tonight’s go-home episode of SmackDown – arguably the biggest, most important episode of SmackDown in a calendar year – will see Happy Corbin interview Drew McIntyre‘s ancestral sword, Angela, in a “Happy Talk” segment. Knowing the WWE, it is entirely probable that the sword will have a silly, heavily-accented, overly-exaggerated Groundskeeper Willie type Scottish voice dubbed over to make this segment even more detestable and time-wasting. Hopefully Drew takes the sword and sticks it where the sun doesn’t shine because then we can all be happy. Happy WrestleMania weekend!
Not Announced But Expected for SmackDown
– Rivalries between the likes of Roman Reigns & Brock Lesnar, as well as Charlotte Flair & Ronda Rousey, will no doubt have the finishing touches put on tonight.
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