WWE SmackDown, in its eighth consecutive sellout, advertised new world champions Cody Rhodes and Bayley as their celebration tour continues. SmackDown also advertised two Triple Threat Matches as LA Knight took on Bobby Lashley and Santos Escobar while Rey Mysterio took on Kevin Owens and AJ Styles. The winners of each Triple Threat will face off next week in Pittsburgh to determine a new No. 1 Contender for Rhodes’ WWE Undisputed Championship.
This week’s broadcast of WWE Raw after WrestleMania 40 garnered a massive 2.36 million viewers. Last week’s go-home show for WrestleMania garnered 2.6 million viewers.
WWE SmackDown Results | April 12, 2024
- LA Knight def. Bobby Lashley and Santos Escobar | Triple Threat Match
- Bron Breakker def. Cameron Grimes
- Naomi def. Tiffany Stratton
- Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill def. Chelsea Green and Piper Niven
- AJ Styles def. Kevin Owens and Rey Mysterio | Triple Threat Match
WWE SmackDown Ratings
- April 5, 2024 | 2.6 million
- March 29, 2024 | 2.201 million
- March 22, 2024 | 2.235 million
- March 15, 2024 | 2.340 million
- March 8, 2024 | 2.493 million
WWE SmackDown Ticket Sales
- WWE SmackDown Venue: Little Caesar’s Arena (Detroit, Mich.)
- WWE SmackDown Tickets Distributed: 13,813
- Available Tickets: 0
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Cody Rhodes Kicks Off SmackDown
While referencing The Rock interrupting him on WWE Raw, Cody Rhodes made mention of Detroit’s own Brandi Rhodes’ “open mic night” line, which she used on Jade Cargill, back in AEW.
Rhodes said The Rock handed him a gift that Rhodes had previously given Dwayne, so this pretty much rules out the Dusty Rhodes Rolex when it comes to what Rock put in Rhodes’ hand.
Cody Rhodes received another raucous reaction, and in SmackDown’s eighth consecutive sellout, he once again asked to turn his back to the hard camera so he could see the large crowd in Detroit’s Caesar’s Center.
Rhodes noted himself and AJ Styles are two of only four men to hold the NWA and WWE Championship. In doing so, I think he tipped his hand as to who is going over in this tournament. It doesn’t hurt that Styles is the only top heel in the tourney.
LA Knight Def. Bobby Lashley And Santos Escobar
Backstage, Paul Heyman told a discounted version of The Bloodline that “winning matters here,” and as long as Cody Rhodes is WWE champion he gets to inhabit what used to be The Tribal Chief’s locker room.
This Triple Threat match made full use of its no-disqualification rules as members of every stable interfered. Legado del Fantasma and The Pride got involved. The only person without a stable was LA Knight, and he won the damn match.
LA Knight vs. Bobby Lashley and Santos Escobar Grade: B-
Tama Tonga Debuts, Jimmy Uso Yeeted Out Of Bloodline
Paul Heyman brilliantly explained why Roman Reigns lost, as Reigns sought his 10-year revenge on Seth Rollins. Heyman humbly acknowledged that Rhodes is your new Undisputed WWE champion, all while setting up a storyline between Rollins and Reigns down the road.
Solo Sikoa reminded Heyman about wins and losses, and suggested since losses matter, Jimmy should be out The Bloodline. Sikoa slowly stalked Jimmy, but then gave him a manipulative hug the way Roman Reigns would. Shortly thereafter, however, Tama Tonga appeared out of nowhere and attacked Jimmy Uso. Tonga was acknowledged as Haku’s son, who had been “wrecking shop in Japan.”
Paul Heyman objected to the beatdown of Jimmy Uso. Solo told Jimmy “I love you” before pillmanizing him with a chair and a running butt bump in the corner. As Sikoa approached Heyman, Heyman cowered in fear but Solo recruited Heyman to join himself and Tama Tonga. Solo forced Heyman to throw up the “1,” which he did. As Heyman tried to call Roman Reigns, Sikoa apprehended the phone and stomped on it, signaling there is a new Tribal Chief in town (for now).
Either Jacob Fatu will join The Bloodline, setting up an Usos reunion, or he’ll join Jimmy to fight against his Bloodline. The plot thickens as WWE’s storytelling hasn’t missed a beat without Reigns.
In a backstage segment, with Jimmy in the trainer’s room, Tonga told Heyman the beatdown was ordered by The Tribal Chief.
Bron Breakker Def. Cameron Grimes
As the match suggests on paper, Bron Breakker absolutely squashed Cameron Grimes. Breakker caught Grimes in midair at the last minute and slammed him. Breakker ended the match with a Spear, which he can now use with impunity now that Roman Reigns is out of the picture.
Fans were very much into Breakker, who is now a full-time main roster talent after graduating from WWE NXT
Bron Breakker vs. Cameron Grimes Grade: B
Naomi Def. Tiffany Stratton
Babyface Bayley walked out to celebrate her world championship win, only to be interrupted by Tiffany Stratton. Stratton challenged Bayley for her WWE Women’s World Championship. Bayley told Stratton she already had a challenger in mind: Naomi.
Naomi valiantly challenged Tiffany Stratton for the right to face Bayley. The two engaged in a back-and-forth match that went through one commercial break. With Bayley in Naomi’s corner, Naomi won with a rollup, setting up a Babyface vs. Babyface matchup between Bayley and Naomi.
WWE announced over 15,000 fans in attendance for its 18th consecutive sellout.
Tiffany Stratton vs. Naomi Grade: B
Belair And Cargill Def. Green and Niven
Chelsea Green once again demanded competition in a chat with Nick Aldis, leading to another open challenge answered by Jade Cargill. This time, Cargill was joined by a matching Bianca Belair.
Belair and Cargill made quick work of Chelsea Green and Piper Niven with Cargill picking up the win. Cargill and Belair will be a dominant tag team, destined to become the greatest women’s tag team in WWE history. They will then face each other at WrestleMania 41 in a long-term storyline that everybody can see coming. I’m here for it.
Belair and Cargill vs. Green and Niven Grade: B-
AJ Styles Def. Kevin Owens And Rey Mysterio
Kevin Owens broke the fourth wall by requesting that a camera follow him all the way to the ring. He cut a promo with a Detroit Tigers Championship belt before making his entrance.
Corey Graves had the nerve to say referee Jessika Carr was giving the Superstars more leeway than usual just an hour after we saw two whole stables get involved in a Triple Threat Match. Clearly, these guys have more leeway than any.
This was a superior Triple Threat match to the the match in the first hour. It received “this is awesome” chants, and that was before a monkey flip into a hurricanrana. Rey then took a stunner on the apron and sold it fantastically.
Styles won the match with an Avalanche
