WWE SmackDown Results (4/24/26) – LIVE Updates & Review: 1st Friday After WrestleMania 42

It’s the first Friday after a jam-packed WrestleMania 42 Night 1 and Night 2. We saw the crowning of multiple champions, grand returns, and unceremonious exits throughout the two-day extravaganza in Las Vegas, Nevada. We will never forget those two nights. That said, it’s time for a new season of WWE, as we march on to the rest of 2026, with new faces in familiar places, as well as new rulers on each respective throne. The dawning of a new day is upon us now, and there’s no way of stopping, so buckle up, WWE Universe, as we go in for another wild ride. Let’s do this. Here are the LIVE WWE SmackDown results for April 24, 2026, the first after WrestleMania 42, as well as a short review at the end of the episode.

Let’s run it down.

 

 

We begin SmackDown with the man who crushed Drew McIntyre on Night 1 of WrestleMania 42, and the “Samoan Werewolf” who dared to stand in the way of the “OTC” Jacob Fatu, as he speaks to the SmackDown crowd in Fort Worth.

Fatu got down to business, referencing what Roman Reigns said on Raw this past Monday, regarding how he’s not ready. Fatu said if that’s the case, then Reigns should prove it, reiterating he doesn’t want the Undisputed WWE Title, but he needs it.

The Usos would confront their cousin, saying that Fatu should turn back now and “run the play” by joining the family. Unfortunately, it’s too late now, since he stepped up, and Jey Uso would tell him that he needs to see this through.

Solo Sikoa, with MFT, would tell Fatu that he doesn’t need to listen to them, and if he wanna beats Roman and be champion, he should join MFT because he’s going to need an army to do that.

Fatu was done listening to everyone, calling everybody out. For tonight, if Sikoa wants to prove him wrong, he can do it in the ring.

Women’s United States Title Match

Is it actually Tiffy Time again? Tiffany Stratton challenges Giulia for the Women’s United States Champion, the week after ‘Mania 42. Giulia absolutely dominated Stratton for most of the match, but one errant miscue with Kiana James would cost the “Beautiful Madness” her Women’s U.S. Title.

Stratton saw one opening, and that’s all she needed. Giulia, who failed to finish this off on multiple occasions, would suffer the consequences, as she eats a Prettiest Moonsault Ever, handing the Women’s U.S. Title to Stratton.

Paige and Brie Bella Arrive at SmackDown

Fresh off Paige’s return and subsequent WWE Women’s Tag Team Title win with Brie Bella, the champions make their visit as titleholders on this week’s SmackDown.

Paige makes her first appearance in four years, saying that she and Brie are here to stay and that SmackDown is still her house. Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair would take her up on that challenge, wanting a title shot against Bella and Paige.

Paige says she’s down, and so is Brie, setting up a blockbuster tag team match, as Charles Robinson runs to the ring for this impromptu contest. Bliss and Flair had the duo on the ropes, isolating Brie Bella and preventing her from making the tag.

The Texas crowd was hot for Paige, wanting her to tag in. Unfortunately, a fearsome unit from NXT would make this main roster debut, devastating the competitors in the ring, and putting everyone on notice, unceremoniously ending this dream tag match.

Cody Rhodes Talks to the WWE Universe

After a tense week, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes comes home to SmackDown to address the WWE Universe in Texas.

In spite of everything he went through, Cody Rhodes made a fiery statement on this week’s SmackDown, saying he wanted to send a message, and he did just that: he’s here, he’s easy to find, and he’s the Undisputed WWE Champion. If anyone wants a piece of him, whether it’s from Raw or NXT, he’s out in the open, but will be hard to beat.

Rhodes would send a message to “higher-ups”, going scorched-earth, saying that for those who kept interfering in his WrestleMania plans, they’re 0-3, and they should count their money, get out of his way, and shut up.

WWE Tag Team Title Match

Damian Priest and R-Truth defend the WWE Tag Team Titles against Tama Tonga and JC Mateo of MFT. Despite being a team for longer, Tama and JC were absolutely outmatched on this one. Truth and Priest were running like a well-oiled machine.

Tonga Loa would try to interfere, but it would be for nothing. Truth and Priest would hit a Flapjack Lil’ Jimmy combination to retain the WWE Tag Team Championship, as we see more of the crack in the foundation of MFT.

U.S. Champion Trick Williams Celebrates His Title Win

With Lil Yachty and Gingy the Gingerbread Man, New U.S. Champion Trick Williams speaks for the first time since his title win back at WrestleMania 42. Trick would walk into SmackDown with his Lemon Pepper Steppers, claiming he’s here to run things, with himself as the “Anointed One,” along with the self-appointed “Prophecy,” Lil Yachty.

Now calling themselves the Trick Yachty Gang, they’ve made it clear that anyone who wants to challenge Trick needs to earn it because the U.S. Open Challenge is now effectively dead. Fireworks would go off for Trick, that is, until Gingy, or so we thought, hit him from behind, as Sami Zayn unveiled himself, beating down Trick and delivering a Helluva Kick.

Danhausen vs. The Miz

After relentlessly torturing The Miz in the man’s home no less, Danhausen and the A-Lister finally settle it in the ring, in Danhausen’s second WWE match. Against a future Hall-of-Famer, Danhausen picked up another win. With a 100% curse rate, Danhausen would once again curse Miz and Kit Wilson.

As the two were gloating, the pyrotechnics would go off on the apron, blinding them both. Danhausen would go for the School Boy pin and once again defeated The Miz. Wilson and Miz would try to beat down Danhausen, but he escaped via the Hausen Mobile.

Rhea Ripley Makes Her Mark on Friday Nights

Rhea Ripley is now the new head honcho of SmackDown as the WWE Women’s Champion, and she arrives at her new home to speak to the Blue brand crowd. Ripley would hoist up the title proudly, saying that SmackDown finally had a fighting champion, and she’s ready whenever.

Before Rhea could continue, Fatal Influence, who decimated legends earlier in the night, would step up to Rhea Ripley, saying that they’re not afraid. Their leader, Jacy Jayne, did a lot to get here, and she’s about to prove why Fatal Influence is here to stay.

Ripley called her “cockier than Jade Cargill,” and she should put her money where her mouth was. SmackDown GM Nick Aldis would interject, saying as punishment, Jacy Jayne will have an impromptu match against the new Women’s Champion, and Jayne seemed determined for the opportunity, as we have a first-time matchup underway.

Jayne impressed everyone on this night, going toe-to-toe with Rhea Ripley. However, she knew she was outmatched tonight, as Rhea was going for Riptide, Fatal Influence would interfere, beating down the champ, and ending this match with a no-contest.

Jacob Fatu vs. Solo Sikoa

For the main event of the evening, the former New Bloodline brothers go at it one-on-one. Both men battered each other, to the surprise of no one. Jacob Fatu would go full-on monster, but couldn’t finish it due to the constant interference of MFT, and the lingering presence of The Usos, whom he said didn’t need help from.

Fatu made good on his promise, defeating Sikoa with the Mighty Moonsault, and single-handedly taking out MFT, which was punctuated by a Samoan Splash on Tonga Loa through the announce desk.

Fatu ended the night by telling The Usos he’ll see Roman Reigns on Monday.

WWE SmackDown Post-Show Review (4/24/26):

While not as big as the Raw after WrestleMania, the first SmackDown after a ‘Mania, more often than not, delivers in a lot of ways. This latest edition was a fine show, but it was not a blow-away episode, with matches ending in no contests and promos that really didn’t go anywhere.

The best part of this whole SmackDown was the debut of Jacy Jayne and Fatal Influence. What a way to make a statement on their first night in the big leagues by attacking Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Brie Bella, Paige, and the WWE Women’s Champion, Rhea Ripley. The faction feels really big, and with the WWE Tag Team Division at its hottest, Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley can only reinforce the ranks.

As for Jacy Jayne, the one considered the odd one out when she was with Toxic Attraction, feels extremely ready for the big-time, and if she is indeed Rhea Ripley’s first challenger, even if she loses this potential feud, being in the ring with Ripley alone is a massive rub.

Tiffany Stratton and Giulia did put on a good show, with Giulia reminding everyone how good she really was. Unfortunately, it was in a losing effort as Stratton claimed her first Women’s United States Title. Giulia, to no fault of her own, has been floundering, and Tiffany Stratton is the logical heir to this title as they need all the help they can get to restore any semblance of prestige to the gold.

Here’s hoping that Giulia is booked better moving forward. Maybe a move to Raw and a face turn can revitalize her career because her SmackDown run was an absolute disappointment.

What was not a disappointment was Jacob Fatu on the mic tonight. Everyone is aware of how talented and menacing Jacob is in the ring. But his unorthodox, raw, fiery promos really complete him as a performer. That mini Bloodline reunion where Fatu stood out in the best possible way only benefits him more, as he’s built up to be the biggest threat to Roman Reigns’ World Heavyweight Title run.

The rest of the show was fairly unremarkable, with Cody Rhodes cutting another formulaic promo, and the WWE Tag Team Titles getting defended in an unannounced match. R-Truth and Damian Priest are indeed bright spots, but their line of challengers is slim to say the least.

The Trick Williams and Sami Zayn feud will be continuing, much to the dismay of some members of the WWE Universe. We thought we would be getting Carmelo Hayes versus Trick, but it seems like they’re holding off on it until a bigger PLE like Clash in Italy or SummerSlam in Minneapolis.

Overall, it was an okay show; if we had to rate it, it would be a soft 7 out of 10. Fatal Influence debuting and Stratton winning the Women’s U.S. Title were absolute highlights, as well as Fatu’s promo to begin the show.

It wasn’t the hottest post-’Mania show of all-time, but it also wasn’t the worst, just borderline mediocre, and there’s absolutely more room to grow with the new season of WWE now underway. Maybe go back to two hours and have wrestlers be in the ring more and less on the mic?

We’ll see you all next week for another round of SmackDown results and review!

That’s all for REAL-TIME WWE SmackDown results for April 24, 2026, the first SmackDown after WrestleMania 42, as it happens in the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas.