On the eve of WrestleMania, WWE's SmackDown gathered its storytellers in San Jose to tie loose threads and sharpen rivalries — a ritual as old as spectacle itself. Some moments landed with the satisfying weight of craft: a returning powerhouse announcing himself, a comedy match earning its laughs, and a women's main event that justified its placement. Yet the evening also reminded us that even the grandest stages can be undermined by a single misfired performance, and that heat without authenticity is merely noise.
WWE SmackDown delivers mixed results ahead of WrestleMania with McAfee promo misfires
Nobody wants to see Pat at WrestleMania
Mark
Why did McAfee's promo fall so flat when the segment had everything set up to work?
Mimi
He was given—or chose—some genuinely bad material. Insulting the crowd's hometown, mocking fans who can't afford tickets, calling Punk fat when Punk is in the best shape of his career. These aren't clever heelish moves. They're just mean-spirited in a way that doesn't translate to heat.
Mark
So the crowd just didn't care?
Mimi
Exactly. They gave him some reaction, but it felt like indifference more than anything else. When Cody came out and said nobody wants to see Pat at WrestleMania, that landed because it was true to the story. But McAfee couldn't get there.
Mark
What about the rest of the show? Did it feel like a proper go-home episode?
Mimi
It addressed the stories. Ripley and Sky, Bliss and Bayley, Williams and Zayn—all got their moments. But it felt scattered. Some segments got too much time, others not enough.
Mark
Royce Keys looked good though?
Mimi
He did. Finally getting his debut match after sitting around since the Rumble. He dominated, looked like a powerhouse, and moved on. That's exactly what you want.
Mark
And Danhausen?
Mimi
His debut was a comedy match, which is fine. The Miz made it work with his reactions. But it's hard to get a real sense of what Danhausen can do when the whole thing is designed for laughs.
Mark
So what's the feeling heading into WrestleMania?
Mimi
Mixed. The stories are there, but the show didn't quite build the momentum you'd want from a go-home episode. It felt like it was going through the motions.
The Pulse
- A go-home show carrying the weight of WrestleMania expectations arrived uneven — solid in its ring work but wounded by a promo segment that drained the room of genuine energy.
- Pat McAfee's heel turn attempt fell flat in San Jose, his insults landing as indifference rather than outrage, leaving Cody Rhodes to do the heavy lifting before Randy Orton's backstage ambush salvaged the segment.
- Royce Keys and Danhausen each made meaningful debuts — one a powerhouse statement, the other a pyro-assisted comedy win over Kit Wilson that The Miz's overselling elevated into a genuine crowd moment.
- Jacob Fatu's victory over Tama Tonga was undercut when Drew McIntyre's dramatic post-match handcuffing stumbled on its own prop, a small mechanical failure that punctured an otherwise striking visual.
- Alexa Bliss, Trick Williams, and Rhea Ripley's opening segment each delivered — quietly reminding viewers that the show's best work happened when performers trusted their chemistry over their scripted noise.
On the eve of WrestleMania, WWE's SmackDown gathered its storytellers in San Jose to tie loose threads and sharpen rivalries — a ritual as old as spectacle itself. Some moments landed with the satisfying weight of craft: a returning powerhouse announcing himself, a comedy match earning its laughs, and a women's main event that justified its placement. Yet the evening also reminded us that even the grandest stages can be undermined by a single misfired performance, and that heat without authenticity is merely noise.
WWE's SmackDown on April 10 arrived as a final waypoint before WrestleMania — a show with enough good pieces to satisfy, but not quite enough craft to make them cohere.
The evening opened promisingly. Rhea Ripley called out Jade Cargill, only for Iyo Sky to interrupt and demand a title match instead. The segment worked because it moved quickly and left the crowd wanting more. That main event was booked on the spot, and the anticipation held.
Alexa Bliss and Bayley met in a singles match previewing their tag title program at the big show. Years of shared history gave their work natural chemistry — Bayley controlled early, Bliss built momentum after the break, and a roll-up finish with ringside interference from Charlotte Flair and Lyra Valkyria gave Bliss the win without diminishing Bayley. Bliss remains one of WWE's most underrated sellers, her body language making every strike feel consequential.
Royce Keys finally debuted on SmackDown after months of waiting, dismantling Berto in a short, dominant showcase. A thunderous clothesline and a fluid spinebuster ended things quickly, and interference from Los Garzas barely registered against his physical superiority. It was exactly the kind of match a new powerhouse needs.
Then Pat McAfee took the microphone, and the evening stumbled. His heel promo insulted San Jose, mocked fans who couldn't afford WrestleMania tickets, and took shots at CM Punk that landed without conviction. The crowd offered indifference more than genuine heat. Cody Rhodes responded with sharper material, but as he turned to leave, Randy Orton appeared on screen having attacked Jelly Roll backstage — and McAfee's distraction gave Orton the opening to hit Rhodes with a draping DDT. The bones of the segment were sound; the execution left too much on the table.
Jacob Fatu defeated Tama Tonga in a competitive match before Drew McIntyre rushed in with oversized handcuffs for a post-match statement. The visual was striking, though the prop kept releasing at the wrong moment, softening what should have been a menacing image.
Danhausen's WWE in-ring debut against Kit Wilson delivered the evening's most purely joyful moment — a curse that triggered pyro at a strategically unfortunate location for Wilson, a quick pin, and a vanishing act when The Miz attempted a sneak attack. Miz's exaggerated reactions made every beat land. Elsewhere, Trick Williams defeated Matt Cardona in a match whose outcome was never in doubt, while Sami Zayn's confusion over crowd boos underscored how much more invested fans were in Williams heading into their WrestleMania collision.
SmackDown was a modest step forward from the week prior — functional, occasionally fun, and undermined by one segment that should have been the night's anchor. The pieces were present. The fit wasn't quite right.
WWE's SmackDown on April 10 arrived as a stepping stone toward WrestleMania, a show that moved several storylines forward while stumbling badly in at least one crucial moment. The evening opened with Rhea Ripley calling out Jade Cargill, only to have Iyo Sky interrupt and demand a title match instead—a segment that worked precisely because it didn't overstay its welcome. Nick Aldis booked the match for the main event, and the crowd seemed ready for it.
Alexa Bliss and Bayley met in a singles contest ahead of their tag team title program at the big show. The two wrestlers have spent years in WWE together, and that familiarity showed in their chemistry. Bayley controlled much of the first half, but Bliss built momentum after the commercial break. The finish came when Bliss hit a roll-up while Bayley was distracted by Charlotte Flair and Lyra Valkyria at ringside—a clean enough ending that protected Bayley while giving Bliss the victory. Bliss has become one of WWE's most underrated sellers; when she takes a shot, the impact registers on her face and body in a way that makes opponents look credible.
Royce Keys finally got his SmackDown debut after months of waiting since his Royal Rumble appearance. He faced Berto in a match that was short but effective. Keys dominated roughly 90 percent of the action, establishing himself as a powerhouse with a dominant clothesline and a fluid spinebuster that ended things quickly. The Los Garzas tried to interfere, but Keys' physical superiority was never really in question. It was the kind of match designed to build momentum for a new talent, and Keys delivered.
Then came Pat McAfee's promo, and it derailed the evening. McAfee came to the ring and immediately insulted San Jose, calling the city crude names. He mocked fans who couldn't afford WrestleMania tickets and took shots at CM Punk, calling him out of shape despite Punk being in the best condition of his career. The crowd gave him heat, but it felt more like indifference than genuine heat. When Cody Rhodes came out to respond, he had the better material—telling McAfee that nobody wanted to see him at WrestleMania and that he should go home and stop playing wrestler. Rhodes was about to leave when McAfee got under his skin one more time. As Rhodes headed back, Randy Orton appeared on the screen having attacked Jelly Roll backstage. McAfee distracted Rhodes long enough for Orton to hit him from behind with a draping DDT. The segment had the bones of something good, but McAfee's lines fell flat, and the whole thing felt like a missed opportunity.
Jacob Fatu defeated Tama Tonga in a competitive back-and-forth match that never let either man establish total control. Fatu won with his handspring moonsault, and Drew McIntyre rushed out afterward with a pair of oversized handcuffs, whipping Fatu into the ring post. The visual was striking, though the cuffs didn't quite cooperate when McIntyre tried to tie Fatu to the post—one kept releasing, breaking the moment slightly.
Sami Zayn came out confused about why the crowd was booing him, insisting he'd never turn on his supporters. Trick Williams and Lil Yachty interrupted to hype their WrestleMania match, and the crowd was clearly more invested in Williams than Zayn. Williams then faced Matt Cardona in a match that felt inevitable—there was no real suspense about the outcome this close to the big show. Williams won, though Zayn took out Lil Yachty with a superkick before the finish.
Danhausen made his WWE in-ring debut against Kit Wilson in a comedy match. As Wilson prepared for a move from the top rope, Danhausen cast a curse that triggered the pyro to hit Wilson below the belt. The painted wrestler capitalized and won quickly. The Miz, accompanying Wilson, sold everything with exaggerated reactions that made the moment land. When The Miz went for a sneak attack, the lights went out and Danhausen vanished.
Overall, SmackDown was a modest improvement over the previous week, but it felt uneven. Multiple WrestleMania stories got attention, and there were solid matches and funny moments, but the McAfee segment left a sour taste. The show had the pieces of something compelling, but they didn't quite fit together the way they needed to.
Notable Quotes
Nobody wants to see Pat at WrestleMania, and you should go home and stop being a play wrestler— Cody Rhodes, responding to Pat McAfee
I didn't know what I did wrong, but I don't care because the ride-or-die fans are still there for me— Sami Zayn, addressing crowd boos
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