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The final episode of SmackDown before the next edition of Saturday Night's Main Event kicked off with WWE Women's Champion Tiffany Stratton. Alexa Bliss interrupted and cut a good promo to introduce herself to the champion.
Tommaso Ciampa defeated Chris Sabin, thanks to a returning Candice LeRae. Michin and B-Fab beat the Secret Hervice yet again after a backstage altercation.
Damian Priest and Drew McIntyre fought all night ahead of their Steel Cage match at Saturday Night's Main Event. Jade Cargill, Naomi, and Nia Jax cut promos ahead of their Money in the Bank qualifier next week.
For the men, Andrade, Carmelo Hayes, and Jacob Fatu got the same chance. Bianca Belair's return was also announced. Here's the best and worst of SmackDown on the eve of Saturday Night's Main Event.
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#2. Best - A Match featuring two duos with tag team potential
After Solo Sikoa defeated both Jimmy Uso and Rey Fenix to qualify for Money in the Bank last week, the heroes teamed up to battle Jacob Fatu and J.C. Mateo. It was a strange yet intriguing pairing of two sides that had never teamed before.
Things could have gone terribly wrong had Fenix or Mateo eaten the pin. Fenix did last week, and Mateo debuted last week. Fatu and Mateo tried to one-up each other.
Solo Sikoa distracted Jimmy to help his side win. Jimmy and Fenix showcased some good chemistry, whereas Mateo's deceptive athleticism was on display yet again.
#2. Best/Worst - LA Knight qualifies for Money in the Bank
Like most of the Money in the Bank qualifiers, the pairing meant someone who should be pushed would be losing. When Aleister Black, LA Knight, and Shinsuke Nakamura squared off, it turned out that it was Black.
Nakamura competed for the first time in a while, but it was only to take the pinfall. He did share some great strike exchanges with Black, and Knight winning was the right call.
It's just a shame that Black didn't get a spot at a premium live event after returning a month ago. He may not have been pinned on SmackDown, but it's still a loss that goes on his record.
#1. Best - The Wyatt Sicks are finally on SmackDown!
After being held off WWE TV for all of 2025, The Wyatt Sicks are finally back on SmackDown. The group was moved to the blue brand during January's transfer window.
Due to an injury to Uncle Howdy, however, any plans for the group were put on hold. That, unfortunately, meant that Alexa Bliss was also taken off programming despite not being injured.
The group triumphantly returned to crash the main event title match between Fraxiom and the Street Profits. The showing wasn't as good as their first showdown, but that's good since the return would have overshadowed it anyway.
The icing on the literal cake was Uncle Howdy blowing out the candles on a birthday cake in an homage to the late Bray Wyatt on the star's birthday.
#1. Worst - No John Cena ahead of Saturday Night's Main Event
John Cena competed at Backlash and is on the poster for Saturday Night's Main Event. Attacking R-Truth at the post-show press conference set up the match, but it's a non-title contest.
That facet is telling since Cena didn't show up on either show ahead of it, yet he's already advertised for next week's SmackDown. Instead of a live appearance, they played a video package about his actions since his heel turn.
To sell the match, R-Truth cut a promo about trying to save wrestling by beating this version of John Cena, who isn't his childhood hero. When stars don't show up on go-home editions of RAW or SmackDown, it makes the match feel less important.
#1. Best/Worst - Sacrificing a champion to protect a Queen
Charlotte Flair interrupted Bliss and Stratton's opening exchange on SmackDown, coming out with a grandiose fireworks display that wasn't given to any of the other women. She cut her usual promo about winning.
Giulia came out next, and Zelina Vega was actually given an entrance. That's about the best Vega could hope for since she opposed a 14-time champion and a debuting star.
The pairing was an immediate lose/lose because it meant that an exciting new star or a champion would be eating the pin. That's what happened instead of Flair taking the pinfall to protect both women.
It would have put a dent in her armor if she had lost and been pinned. Since The Queen always has to be protected, and this isn't chess, it diminishes Vega and her US Title. Lyra Valkyria beat Becky Lynch via rollup. Why can't Flair lose that way?
