'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAUACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABiAAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABhAAAQMFAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBAAFBhESExUiAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACBBEAAgEEAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQMCAAQSExFBIVGh/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwCUzbGxinz72l9D4kwoLIjpZDQZDzLn6bUCdKTwNVS2nCbnOtcGUMhkNe8ZpzzQ0OUdpB5G1E6FKVHcW6UOAXHECGPj1E8Cgbp79smTyO49DuIJ+mv/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Cody Rhodes kicked off SmackDown and we were headed for the first match of the night right away.
WWE SmackDown Results (March 24, 2023): Cody Rhodes vs. Ludwig Kaiser
Rhodes kicked off his first match on SmackDown in over seven years and Kaiser was in trouble early on. Paul Heyman walked out to watch the match while Kaiser hit an arm drag and Cody came back with a back body drop.
Solo Sikoa came out to join Heyman at ringside, causing Cody to miss a Cross Rhodes. The match went outside and Cody was sent into the steel steps before heading back inside.
Cody got a scoop slam before the victory roll pin was reversed. He hit the Cody Cutter before staring down Solo and Paul and hitting the Cross Rhodes for the win.
Result: Cody Rhodes def. Ludwig Kaiser on SmackDown
Paul Heyman and Solo Sikoa got on the apron after the match and Heyman challenged Cody to a match next week on behalf of Solo.
Cody said that Solo wasn't ready and neither was Roman Reigns. Heyman also mentioned that Roman will be on SmackDown next week.
Grade: B
Charlotte was out next on SmackDown and talked about respect and insecurities. She said that she was continuing her dad's legacy and that diamonds were forever before walking out.
Rey Mysterio vs. LA Knight on SmackDown
Mysterio started strong and took Knight into the corner before hitting some big strikes. Knight took Rey down with a big slam and hit a neckbreaker before trying for the pin.
Knight was sent outside and Rey followed up with a big dive before heading back into the ring. Dominik Mysterio made his entrance and Knight used the distraction to drop Rey from the ropes.
Back after a break on SmackDown, Rey got a big front-face slam and a senton before setting up for the 619. Knight blocked the 619 the first time. The second time around, Dominik interfered. Rey was trying to talk to Dom when Knight rolled him up from behind and picked up the win.
Result: LA Knight def. Rey Mysterio
After the match, Dominik taunted his dad and dragged Rey's wife into it, talking about how she was a deadbeat mom as well.
Dom yelled at his sister and mom, asking them to shut up before Rey came back and punched him in the face.
Rey said that Dom pushed him to do it and said that he should never disrespect his mother like that. Rey accepted the WrestleMania match and walked off.
Grade: B-
Lacey Evans & Xia Li vs. Shotzi & Natalya
Evans and Shotzi kicked off the match and Li was tagged in early on to take control of the match. Shotzi hit some big moves before Natalya went down at ringside leaving Shotzi alone in the ring.
Evans tagged in and accidentally hit the Women's Right on Li. Shotzi and Natalya came in for the Hart Attack before Nattie locked in the Sharpshooter for the win.
Result: Shotzi & Natalya def. Lacey Evans & Xia Li
Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler came out after the match and announced that they were added to the WrestleMania showcase match.
Grade: C
Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, Butch, and Ridge Holland were out next on SmackDown for the WrestleMania match contract signing.
Sheamus brought up how Drew betrayed him as a friend and McIntyre told him to shut up and stop embarrassing him.
The two were about to get into a fight but Adam Pearce reminded them that they had a job to do. Drew and Sheamus signed the contract before Gunther came out and asked Adam to justify his decision to book the triple threat.
Gunther signed the contract and said that he will do whatever it takes to beat Drew and Sheamus at WrestleMania. Butch attacked Gunther and a brawl broke out as we headed for a break.
Gunther vs. Butch on SmackDown
The match started during the break and Gunther was in control early on before Butch tried for a submission hold. Gunther reversed the hold and turned it into a slam before Butch reversed a German Suplex and got a kick to the head.
The match went outside when Drew and Sheamus got in Gunther's face. Gunther launched Butch into Drew before the latter and Sheamus got into a brawl outside. Back in the ring, Gunther hit the Last Symphony on Butch for the win.
Result: Gunther def. Butch
After the match, Gunther and Sheamus stared each other down in the ring before Drew took Gunther out with a Claymore.
Grade: C
The KO Show was next on SmackDown and Sami Zayn was the guest. Sami reminded Kevin Owens that they were heading for a big tag title opportunity and that WrestleMania this year felt different.
Owens said that he had a gift for Sami and it was a KO-Mania shirt with Wrestle-Zayn-ia on the front. They were just about to hug when the Usos attacked them and hit KO with double superkicks and 1D on Sami.
Owens came back with a steel chair and chased the Usos off before SmackDown went off the air.
Episode rating: B
Rey Mysterio finally accepted Dominik's challenge to a WrestleMania match while Cody and Solo teased a match next week on SmackDown.
