WWE SmackDown Results: CM Punk called out for alleged lies; 10-time WWE champ teases WrestleMania return (4/18/25)

Seth Rollins kicked off the WWE SmackDown before WrestleMania, and after celebrating with the crowd, he sat down in the ring to talk about CM Punk's return to WWE, citing that the crowd didn't make him return; it was "the big fat check" he got from the company.

Seth said that CM Punk didn't care about WWE or the fans and was a liar and a coward, while the OTC doesn't even pretend to care about WWE or the fans. Rollins added that, unlike himself, neither Punk nor Reigns knew anything about sacrifice.

He then recalled how Paul Heyman hired Rollins and Reigns as part of the SHIELD, which was intended to help CM Punk. He said that tomorrow night will be the deciding factor about the future of the company, and Rollins plans to win and then lead the WWE into a bright future.

WWE SmackDown before WrestleMania Results (April 18, 2025):

Carmelo Hayes won the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal
The Street Profits vs. Motor City Machine Guns - No Contest
Zelina Vega def. Chelsea Green
LA Knight vs. Solo Sikoa - No Contest
LA Knight & Braun Strowman def. The Bloodline
LWO & Rey Fenix def. American Made

WWE SmackDown Results: Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Carlito was enjoying an apple early in the match, and R-Truth took it from him. Carlito tried to beat Truth down, but the latter eliminated him instead. The Miz eliminated R-Truth before Rey Fenix eliminated both members of Los Garza.

Pretty Deadly were eliminated by A-Town Down Under before Kaiser eliminated Tyler Bate. Kaiser was dangling from the bottom rope but managed to pull himself back into the ring before Santos Escobar called for an alliance with Rey Fenix, who eliminated him instead.

The Creed Brothers eliminated Tozawa before Otis tried to eliminate the Creeds, and all three of them ended up going over the ropes. Gable took some big kicks from LWO and the other luchadors before Rey Fenix eliminated him. Wilde and Del Toro of LWO were eliminated next, before Dragon Lee eliminated Karrion Kross.

Shinsuke got the Kinshasa on Dragon Lee and eliminated him before Kaiser and Dunne ended up on the apron. Kaiser was eliminated before Dunne eliminated The Miz, who helped save Hayes instead of saving himself.

Andrade, Melo, and Rey Fenix were the last three in the ring after Nakamura was eliminated. Fenix was dominating, but El Grande Americano showed up at ringside and pulled the ropes, dropping him outside for an elimination.

Andrade and Melo remained in the ring, and after some back and forth, Melo managed to send Andrade outside and pick up the win!

Result: Carmelo Hayes won the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal

The Miz came out to celebrate with Melo after the match as SmackDown moved on.

Grade: A

Charlotte Flair was in an interview and admitted that both she and Tifanny Stratton had chips on their shoulders. Flair said that the only thing that matters to her is that people tune in to their match and that this was an opportunity for Stratton to prove herself.

LA Knight had attacked Tama Tonga before SmackDown started, and we learned from the commentary team that Tonga had to be taken to a hospital after the brutal attack.

Rhea Ripley was out next and said that she was looking forward to winning her title back before IYO SKY showed up to the ring. Before the champ could speak, she was interrupted by Bianca Belair, who joined them in the ring as well.

Naomi showed up as well and asked why Bianca showed up to SmackDown but didn't talk to her. Naomi said that she wanted to talk in private, but Bianca left her with no choice.

Bianca said that they didn't need to talk about things anymore before Naomi yelled that Jade wasn't there for Bianca. Jade showed up and Naomi made a run for it before Rhea got in Jade's face to tell her this was meant to be her promo.

Naomi attacked Jade from behind, and Bianca attacked Rhea, leading to two separate brawls as IYO looked on. The four women took the fight to the ringside before IYO took at least three of them out with a moonsault as Naomi ran off.

Chad Gable was mocking Rey Fenix backstage when Dragon Lee and Rey Mysterio came in to defend him. Mysterio challenged Gable and his boys to a six-man tag match, and the Creeds laughed it off at first, but it looked like Gable was up for it. Surely it won't be at all confusing to have two guys called Rey in the same tag team.

WWE SmackDown Results: The Street Profits (c) vs. Motor City Machine Guns - WWE Tag Team Championship match

Dawkins and Sabin kicked off the match and the champs were in control early on. Dawkins took a big kick on the apron and Sabin hit a big dropkick on Ford before getting a reverse STO combo for a near fall.

The champs countered the Skull and Bones before Ford hit a big dive on the challengers. DIY disrupted the match and wiped out the champs before stealing the title belts and running off with them.

Result: D.N.F

Grade: B-

Nick Aldis stopped DIY from running out of the arena with the titles, and both MCMG and the Street Profits showed up to stop them as well. Aldis stopped the teams from fighting and said that next week, he will hang the titles from the ceiling for a ladder match.

Randy Orton was out next and said that his father was in the first-ever WrestleMania, and the show was part of his family's legacy. This year will be Randy's 20th WrestleMania, and there is no way he was sitting it out. He put out an open challenge for WrestleMania Sunday, and it feels like WWE is setting up a big return by not confirming the opponent.

WWE SmackDown Results: Zelina Vega vs. Chelsea Green

Green was in control early on and smacked Vega's head on the mat repeatedly before getting a big superkick. Vega was sent outside and into the barricades before Green headed back in to argue with the ref about the ten count.

Vega used the distraction and set Green up on the ropes for the 619. Green countered the 619 with a big boot before Vega came back with a top rope Code Red for the win.

Result: Zelina Vega def. Chelsea Green

Grade: C

LA Knight was out next and said that he was going to take down the Bloodline so that he could have a truly one-on-one match with Jacob Fatu tomorrow at WrestleMania. He already took care of Tama Tonga before the show, and now it was Solo Sikoa's turn. Solo came out, and we got a big brawl at ringside before we headed for a match.

WWE SmackDown Results: LA Knight vs. Solo Sikoa

Knight was taking a beating early on and was sent outside before he countered a big move with a neckbreaker in the ring. Knight got his knees up for a dive from Solo before taking him down with a clothesline. Jacob Fatu showed up in the corner and beat LA Knight down before the match was called off.

Result: D.N.F

Solo and Fatu were beating Knight down in the ring before Braun Strowman made his return and helped Knight clear the ring. Nick Aldis came out and booked a tag match between the two teams instead.

Grade: C

WWE SmackDown Results: LA Knight & Braun Strowman vs. The Bloodline

Knight and Solo kicked off the tag match and the US champ was isolated early on. Solo and Jacob taunted Braun as they beat Knight down in their corner. Braun was finally tagged in, and he tossed both opponents outside and ran into them at ringside.

Back in the ring, Jacob got a senton for a near fall on Braun before Knight came in with an elbow drop. Braun took Jacob out at ringside before Knight dodged the Samoan Spike in the ring and hit BFT for the win.

Result: LA Knight & Braun Strowman def. The Bloodline

Grade: B

Tiffany Stratton was in an interview and talked about her on-screen interactions with Charlotte, and said that she was standing up to a bully.

WWE SmackDown Results: LWO & Rey Fenix vs. American Made

Dragon Lee was isolated early on and American Made got some big moves early on, including triple diving headbutts and an assisted Brutus Ball. Lee finally managed to make the tag and Fenix came in with some bit moves but was grounded by Julius.

Fenix came back with the stepping stone hurricanrana and Goodbye Amigo, before Lee got Operation Dragon. Fenix came in with the Meteora and got the big win.

Result: LWO & Rey Fenix def. American Made

Grade: B

Cody Rhodes was out next and before he could speak, John Cena made his entrance. Cena said, "Shut up, kid," and that there was nothing Cody could do to stop a man who was "prepared to die." He called all the other wrestlers losers, and said that, unlike them, he didn't need the fans to feel good about himself.

Cena added that Cody will lose because he cares about the fans. Cena knew it would be impossible to beat Cody at WrestleMania but it all changed when Rhodes disrespected The Rock, which proved that the champ was beatable.

At that moment, Cena wanted to show the fans that they don't matter by beating their beloved champ. He said to be a winner, he had to sever the ties with all the losers, pointing to the crowd.

John called himself "The Last Real Champion" before Cody got on the mic and asked Cena if he knew the names of the ringside crew and said that this wasn't his WWE anymore. Cody said that Cena's time was done and his "face was melting". The champ added that it was 2025, and Cena still couldn't wrestle.

Cena said that on Sunday to beat Cody, he doesn't have to wrestle - before attacking the champ and trying for the AA. Cody reversed it into the Cross Rhodes and took Cena out before celebrating as WWE SmackDown went off the air.