The road to WrestleMania 42 officially wraps up tonight in “Sin City.”
WWE SmackDown is live this evening at 8/7c on USA Network and Netflix from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV., with the WrestleMania 42 ‘go-home show.’
As always, ‘WWE Then. Now. Forever. Together.’ kicks things off. We then shoot into the WrestleMania memories video package that Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque recently shared on social media, straight into the live Superstar arrival shots backstage in Las Vegas, NV.
Backstage With Pat McAfee, Randy Orton & Nick Aldis
The show kicks off with a truck arriving. Out pops Pat McAfee and Randy Orton. SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis approaches them with some contracts. McAfee says he’ll give them a look at get back to him. He boasts being a self-made billionaire. Orton says he’ll let them two talk. He’s headed to the ring.
Randy Orton Kicks Things Off
Inside the arena, the familiar sounds for Orton’s theme hits and out comes “The Viper” as Joe Tessitore and Corey Graves welcome us to the show on commentary. Fans sing along with Orton’s theme, loudly, as he makes his way down to the ring to kick off tonight’s WrestleMania 42 ‘go-home show.’
Orton says he will be the first one to admit it. He doesn’t need Pat McAfee. The truth is that he wants him. Orton says Pat is the only straight shooter in the company, he doesn’t tell him what he wants to hear, he tells him what he needs to hear. And what he needed to hear was all along, he just had to be him.
He says they were all set, he is listening to Pat, here comes WrestleMania. He wins the Chamber and he is facing Drew McIntyre for the title. He says there is no love lost with Drew, he knew what he needed to do to win the title. But then, Cody won the title back.
He says he and Cody are friends, he couldn’t be who he needed to be, he couldn’t hurt his friend. And then, Cody gave him permission to be him. He asks who is Cody to give him permission to be himself, he wrote the book on being him, he is the viper. He says this is how a friendship works.
There is give and take but with Cody as a friend, all Orton ever did was give and all Cody did was take. Tomorrow, they main event night one of WrestleMania. But two years ago, at WrestleMania, Cody was in the main event of night one. Solo’s Bloodline is all over Cody, as a friend, he is there to have his back.
But all he got was going through a table. He says Cody gifts a WWE Championship match to his friend at the time, Kevin Owens. Orton says Owens turns on Cody and as his friend, he is there by Cody’s side. He tries to talk sense into Owens. But he got dropped on his head in the ring through a piledriver.
That could have been it. All Cody does is take, take, take. He says Pat has done more for his career and legacy than Cody has done in half of a lifetime. He says Cody thinks that Pat hurts his legacy. He says hurting him these last few years have hurt his legacy more than anything else. He says at WrestleMania, he will right the wrongs.
He will take number 15 home where it belongs. And he will do it with the three most dangerous letters in all of sports entertainment, RKO. Orton’s music hits and he heads to the back to wrap up a basic opening segment to set the tone for the evening.
Backstage With Pat McAfee, Randy Orton & Nick Aldis Again
Now we shoot to the back again, where we see Aldis is with Pat and Pat is in his truck. He says great work Randy and Randy gets in the truck. Pat says that’s what a WWE Superstar looks like.
He says tomorrow, everything changes for the better and he put in a good word with the higher ups with Nick. He says see you tomorrow marks, life is about to get better and he drives off.
Street Fight
The MFTs vs. The Wyatt Sicks
Back inside the arena, The MFT’s make their way out led by Solo Sikoa. The scheduled Street Fight between The MFTs and The Wyatt Sicks will kick things off inside the ring on tonight’s show. But first, we head into a quick pre-match commercial break.
When the show returns, The Wyatt Sicks’ theme hits and out they come for their entrance. From there, the bell rings and we are under way. The Wyatt Sicks throw the MFTs to the outside of the ring. Lumis and Gacy with dives to the outside of the ring. Rowan runs to the ropes but Tonga Loa drags him to the outside of the ring.
Tala Tonga with a right hand onto Rowan and Tonga Loa grabs the steel steps. He hits Gacy and Lumis with the stairs. He throws the steps onto Rowan. On that note, the show shifts gears and heads into a mid-match commercial break as the action continues.
This time when we settle back into the show, we see Gacy with a clothesline onto Tama Tonga followed by a back suplex on JC Mateo. Lumis with a back suplex onto Solo. Gacy with a super kick onto Tala Tonga. Lumis and Gacy double team Tama Tonga. Gacy goes for the cover but JC Mateo breaks it up.
JC with a German onto Gacy and a back suplex onto Lumis. JC with an overhead belly to belly suplex. Tala Tonga with a Samoan drop onto Uncle Howdy. Tala Tonga with a Samoan drop onto Gacy. Rowan with a big boot to Tala Tonga and he falls to the outside.
Rowan with a suicide dive onto Tala Tonga. Rowan throws steel chairs and trash cans into the ring. Ucle Howdy and Rowan hit Solo with the trash can. From there, we once again shift gears and head into a second mid-match commercial time out as the wild action continues.
The show returns to Solo looking for a running hip attack in the corner to Howdy, who moves just in time. Howdy picks up a steel chair and goes to work, hitting any-and-everything that moves with it as the crowd comes to life in the background.
Nikki hits a dive onto the floor. Moments later, Sikoa steals the pin on Howdy after Tama Tonga finished things off. Afterwards, Sikoa begins barking orders at Tama, who looks annoyed. That’s how things wrap up in a wild Vegas Street Fight.
Winners: The MFTs
Backstage With R-Truth & Damian Priest
We cut to the back and R-Truth is with Damian Priest. R-Truth tells Damian that Asuka cursed The New Day. Priest tells him it was Danhausen, R-Truth tells him Danhausen was last week. He says it was Asuka. He says Woods is sick, so sick that he turned Sammy Sosa white. Priest tells him that’s Grayson Waller.
R-Truth tells him that Grayson Waller is from Australia. Priest tells him yes but R-Truth says they are talking about Xavier Woods and what does Waller have to do with this. He tells Priest he has to get it together, they have a tag team title match tonight and walks away. Priest says what.
Danhausen Curses Maryse
We see a clip of Miz and Maryse renewing their vows but Danhausen is behind Maryse. He says he is the ring boy, best man and maid of honor. Kit Wilson is officiating and he says you may kiss the bride. Danhausen says you are cursed and they begin to argue. Maryse ends up face first on the cake. Danhausen tastes the cake and says vanilla.
Royce Keys Profile
After a commercial break following the Danhausen segment, we take a look at the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal trophy as the commentators talk about tonight’s big match. They mention Royce Keys will display his power during it later, and then a Royce Keys video package airs exploring his rough upbringing.
Jacob Fatu Ready To Dog-Walk Drew McIntyre At WrestleMania
From there, we see clips of Drew McIntyre attacking Jacob Fatu last week. The camera cuts to a police car with the sirens on entering the arena. The car parks on stage and out steps Jacob Fatu. His music hits and he stands on top of the police car. Fatu says that Drew wants to tell the world that Fatu is a criminal.
They can talk about his life all they want, he is not ashamed of it, he is not afraid of it and he does not live that life anymore. Fatu says Drew thought that putting him in cuffs in front of his family was going to embarrass him. But that didn’t. Even the police know that he is not the same guy. He says this is where Drew gets it twisted.
He says tomorrow night, unsanctioned match, that means no Nick Aldis, no police, no security, no management, no army, no navy, the swat team can’t even stop him from beating Drew’s ass. He says the best thing about it is there is no one to save Drew. He tells Drew that he tried to put him back in that jail cell where he changed his life.
The truth is that when he is done beating his ass, that is exactly where he is putting Drew, in the back, in his rear view. He says at WrestleMania 42, you will see Jacob Fatu shake his dreads. He tells drew to get a calculator and do the match because at WrestleMania, he will dog walk his b*tch ass.
Backstage With Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss
We cut to the back and see Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair. Bliss says it has been a big year, she became a Tag Team Champion with someone who became her best friend. Flair says the cherry on top would be winning gold at WrestleMania. Flair says before that, they have to win tonight and get momentum.
And no matter what, they will still be best friends. Flair says she knows, the gold is the friendship they made along the way. Flair says for real, their friendship is great but how good would gold be and Bliss walks away. On that note, we head to a commercial break.
WWE Tag-Team Championships
R-Truth & Damian Priest (c) vs. Kofi Kingston & Grayson Waller
Inside the arena, the familiar sounds of Damian Priest’s theme and R-Truth’s theme hits to bring out the reigning WWE Tag-Team Champions for the latest title defense. As they make their way to the ring, the show shifts gears and heads into a pre-match commercial break.
The show returns to the entrance of the challengers, Kofi Kingston and Grayson Waller. The bell sounds and we’re officially off-and-running with this tag-team title tilt. Waller and Priest kick things off for their respective teams at the onset.
Priest with a big boot and he throws Waller in the corner. Priest with right hands and R-Truth is tagged in. Waller with right hands and Kofi is tagged in. They double team R-Truth and R-Truth is thrown to the outside of the ring. On that note, we head into a mid-match commercial break.
When we return, we see Kofi with right hands onto R-Truth. Waller is tagged in and he climbs the second rope but R-Truth pushes Kofi onto him. Priest is tagged in. Priest with right hands onto both men. Priest with a clothesline onto Waller. He goes for the cover but Kofi breaks it up.
In comes R-Truth and he lands shoulder tackles onto Kofi. Priest body slams Waller. Priest and R-Truth with the double five knuckle shuffle. Priest and R-Truth with the 1D onto Waller. Priest goes for the cover and gets the pin to retain the tag-titles.
Winners and STILL WWE Tag-Team Champions: R-Truth & Damian Priest
Jade Cargill & Rhea Ripley’s Last Stop On Road To WrestleMania
We see a video recap of the Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes saga is shown. Then we see Jade Cargill walking backstage with Michin & B-Fab and she makes her way out to the ring to share her thoughts and we cut to another commercial break.
When the show returns, Jade Cargill’s elaborate ring entrance takes place and the WWE Women’s Champion makes her way to the ring accompanied by Michin and B-Fab. Before she can say much, Cargill is interrupted by the familiar sounds of Rhea Ripley’s theme.
“The Eradicator” wastes no time coming to the ring to confront her opponent at WrestleMania 42. Ripley gets on the apron and says she wants to beat Cargill up right now but she doesn’t want Cargill to have an easy out at WrestleMania.
Ripley says she’s normally not this patient but every time Ripley comes out to face Cargill face to face, she always has her minions to help her and at WrestleMania she will embarrass Cargill. B-Fab tells Ripley that she should be embarrassed because every time Ripley has come for Cargill she comes out short-handed.
Ripley says Cargill is hiding and is scared of Ripley. Ripley tells Cargill to say something to her face to face and alone. Cargill gets on the mic and mockingly says she’s scared. Michin and B-Fab leave the ring and Cargill says Ripley is only a top dog because the roster is weak.
Cargill tells Ripley she’ll put Ripley down at WrestleMania. Ripley says she’s been fighting girls like Cargill her whole life and calls Cargill a narcissistic, selfish fake-ass bitch. Cargill shoves her belt in Ripley’s face and leaves the ring. Michin and B-Fab join Cargill as Ripley stands in the ring and stares them down.
Backstage With The MFTs
MFTs talk backstage about finishing the Wyatts. Sikoa says they did that as a team and Tama Tonga seems like he’s not on board and then agrees. Sikoa tells Talla Tonga to prepare for the Battle Royal tonight. Sikoa and Tonga share a weird moment before leaving.
WWE Women’s United States Championship No. 1 Contenders Match
Tiffany Stratton vs. Jordynne Grace
Now it’s time to find out who is the next to challenge for the WWE Women’s U.S. Championship currently held by Giulia. We see Giulia and Kiana James are sitting at ringside for the next match. Grace and Stratton shake hands before the match and then lock up.
Grace gets Stratton in a headlock and Stratton tries for a roll up and tries for another pin but Grace kicks out of both. The two regroup and go at it again. Grace elbows Stratton and Stratton flips around the ring. Stratton takes down Grace and covers her for a near fall.
Grace slams Stratton into the turnbuckles and then clotheslines Stratton. Grace gets Stratton on her shoulders and slams her into the ropes. Stratton is clotheslined down to the mat and covered. Stratton kicks out at two and we get a break. When we return, Grace slams down Stratton.
She then hits a top rope splash and covers Stratton for a near fall. Stratton kicks Grace and Grace sits Stratton on the top rope. Grace hits a superplex on Stratton and Stratton rolls through and brings Grace down with a spike DDT. Stratton and Grace punch each other in the middle of the ring.
Stratton knees Grace in the face. Stratton goes for the double stomp but Grace counters and covers Stratton for a near fall. Stratton hits her double stomp and covers Grace and Grace kicks out at two. Grace slams into Stratton on the ropes.
She then gets Stratton on her shoulders and slams down Stratton. Grace hits slams down Stratton with a folding powerbomb and Stratton kicks out at two. Stratton counters out of a vertebreaker and hits a stunner on Grace. Stratton hits her Prettiest Moonsault Ever and gets the win.
Winner and NEW No. 1 Contender to the WWE Women’s U.S. Championship: Tiffany Stratton
Trick Williams & Gingerbread Man With Sami Zayn
Backstage, we see Trick Williams is seen walking as we cut to a commercial break. When we return, the familiar sounds of Trick’s theme hits and the loud “Whoop That Trick!” chants break out throughout the arena. He makes his way to the ring.
Trick says usually he comes out, all smiles, gains and jokes but not tonight. He has something to get off his chest and we are going to talk about it. He says last week Zayn crossed the line and to roll the footage. We see a clip of alst week where Zayn hit Lil Yachty with a Helluva Kick but Trick won his match.
He says last week Zayn hit Lil Yachty with a Helluva Kick. Last week, Zayn hit his friend with a Helluva Kick. Last week, Zayn hurt his friend with a Helluva Kick. He doesn’t know when Lil Yachty is coming back. If he is coming back tomorrow or Sunday.
But Zayn did something worse than hurt his friend, he hurt Trick’s entrance at WrestleMania with the Helluva Kick. He says they are not waiting until Sunday. Grown folks are talking, they will take care of business now and he tells the gingerbread man to come out. Zayn’s music hits and out comes someone in a gingerbread man costume.
Trick asks to cut the music and the gingerbread man gets in the ring. Trick introduces Zayn, the gingerbread man. Trick says he is supposed to be upset at Zayn but as he is in his face looking at him, Zayn looks upset himself. He asks him what is wrong, was there no die hard Sami Zayn fans last week in San Jose.
Maybe there are some die hard Zayn fans tonight and the fans boo. He says maybe all the die hard Zayn fans are in drury lane. He says when life gives you lemons, you put on your lemon pepper steppers and mind your business when grown folks are talking.
He says on Sunday, it is about him, his first WrestleMania, his moment to get the title and he will do what it takes to get the title. And he is going to whoop something and the fans sing whoop that trick. Out comes Zayn saying that is funny and the fans boo.
He says he is glad that Trick is having a lot of fun and he is taking his first WrestleMania seriously. He wishes he was having as much fun as he is but he has not been having a good time in a very long time. And he is walking into WrestleMania as United States Champion and he is not having a very good time.
And by the sounds of it, it sounds liek a lot of the fans here have not been having a whole lot of fun lately. Zayn says he doesn’t know what he did wrong but the truth is that he doesn’t care because he is doing this, he does this every day for the ride or die Sami Zayn fans. The one’s who have been with him since day one.
Zayn gets in the ring. He says make no mistake, there are plenty of ride or die Zayn fans and plenty in Las Vegas. And they will be in his corner at WrestleMania. The fans chant “Shut the f*** up”. He says since Trick showed up on SmackDown and interrupted him, everyone was talking about Trick like he was the future of the industry.
And he agreed. But he hasn’t shown him a whole lot. He has a great entrance, a catchy catch phrase, he can drop a pretty decent diss track but Trick has not shown him anything where it counts, in the ring when it matters. He says when he looks at Trick, he doesn’t see the future of the business anymore.
He sees is a little punk rookie. One who is about to walk into his first WrestleMania against one of the best to ever do it. Instead of taking things seriously, he walked into the biggest match of his life without a plan. Trick tells him he is the plan. He has been here for four months. He says Zayn now combs his hair,
Zayn’s breath smells like 10 pounds of bounce that ass. He says Zayn can’t find Zayn anymore. But he is Zayn, one of the most respected guys in the locker room, with all the titles but he threw that all away because this rookie got in the game.
He asks Zayn who doesn’t have a plan and to look at him when he is talking to him. Because the truth is he is the one that is going to get the job done, let’s talk about it. Zayn asks if this is Trick’s big plan, 24 hours before WrestleMania?
His plan is to simply stand here in the ring with a Gingerbread Man? Trick smiles and says actually his plan is to stand here with two Gingerbread Men. Zayn decks him. The two brawl. Zayn knocks Trick out of the ring. Fans chant “Gingerbread!”
Zayn does a slow turn and sees the mascot cowering in the corner. He hits a Helluva Kick but turns into a Trick Shot from Williams. Williams picks up and hoists up the U.S. title as his theme hits again. We see the WrestleMania sign in the rafters as the segment wraps up.
Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Lyra Valkyria & Bayley
We see that in the parking lot Cody Rhodes’ tour bus and Rhodes makes his way out. We head to a break. When we return, we head to the ring for women’s tag team action.
Flair purposely swings into the ropes knocking Valkyria off the top rope before the bell. The bell rings and all four women go at it. Flair and Valkyria are left in the ring and Valkyria takes Flair down. Outside the ring, Bliss sends Bayley into the ring. Nia Jax and Lash Legend run in and attacks Flair and Valkyria.
Bayley gets in the ring and jumps on Jax’s back but gets flattened by Legend. Valkyria attacks Legend and Jax gets her off Legend. Legend punches Valkyria to the mat and then Legend shakes Valkyria and Jax comes off the middle rope with a leg drop on Valkyria.
Winners: No Contest
2026 Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal
The ring is filled with bodies when we return from a video package. It’s time for the 2026 Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Royce Keys and Joe Hendry get special individual ring entrances. The bell sounds to get things going.
Johnny Gargano is planking before anything happens. Kit Wilson is immediately eliminated. Bodies start flying out, including Joe Hendry.
We work our way down to Aleister Black, Talla Tonga, Otis and Royce Keys, after each of the four had shine moments filled with eliminations. Black gets tossed out. Tonga eliminates Otis. It’s down to Keys and Tonga.
Keys hits a spine buster, pulls down the straps and eliminates Tonga for the victory. Royce Keys is your 2026 Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal. He poses as fireworks and pyro go off. He poses next to the massive Andre trophy.
Winner of 2026 Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal: Royce Keys
WrestleMania Go-Home: Cody Rhodes & CM Punk
It’s main event (segment) time!
Cody Rhodes’ theme hits and out comes “The American Nightmare” to close out the final episode of SmackDown on the road to WrestleMania 42. Rhodes makes his way out to the ring to respond to Orton’s promo that opened the show. Rhodes stands in the ring and encourages the crowd to sing his theme.
Rhodes asks what we should talk about but the one thing he doesn’t want to talk about is how the last three WrestleMania’s people have tried to screw him over and then he talks about it. He says tomorrow is simple and it’s him against his mentor, Randy Orton.
He says he doesn’t think he’ll be screwed over this WrestleMania and talks about Orton saying all Rhodes does is take. Rhodes says Orton has never taken responsibility for anything. Rhodes says as good as Orton is, and before he can continue, CM Punk comes out. Punk is all playful with Rhodes and Rhodes looks annoyed.
Rhodes lightens up and says he has to ask as champ to champ and as a friend to friend, is Punk going to kick him in the balls and turn on him tonight. Punk says Rhodes doesn’t deserve to be low blowed but he’s out here to give Rhodes some advice.
Punk and Rhodes talk about how dressed up they are and Rhodes says it’s because of the Hall of Fame later tonight. Punk says they’ve always been chasing each other and they should relish in the moment that they’re standing in the ring as champions and headlining WrestleMania 42.
Punk says Rhodes has done and said things he hasn’t accomplished. Punk says he’s been Rhodes’ mentor as well, and he wants Rhodes to focus on Orton because he’s dangerous. Punk says he’s proud of Rhodes and tells him to go get it done this weekend and Punk starts to leave.
Rhodes asks Punk to stay back and says he has something to share with Punk. Rhodes talks about Punk’s match against Roman Reigns and how it’s going to be a hard battle. Rhodes says Punk is here because he loves wrestling instead of being born into the business.
Rhodes reminds Punk that people chanted for him for 10 years after he had left. Rhodes says Punk came back better than ever and compares Punk to Shawn Michaels and his return. Rhodes says the new Mr. WrestleMania may be CM Punk and Rhodes says he has a right to say this.
He thanks Punk for what he’s taught Rhodes and sharing the ring with him today and says that his dad would be proud of Punk right now. Rhodes and Punk say they love everyone and they’re here to celebrate with the people and the show goes off the air. Thanks for joining us!