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SmackDown emanated from Chicago, so naturally, hometown hero CM Punk opened the show. He thanked everyone for helping him achieve his dream of main-eventing WrestleMania.
LA Knight beat Tama Tonga in an impromptu match, while the Motor City Machine Guns earned a shot at the Street Profits by beating DIY. Pretty Deadly and Melo Don't Miz had a backstage exchange with both teams mocking each other.
Chelsea Green, the Wyatt Sicks, and Alexa Bliss were absent from the show. The Chicago crowd was certainly just weeks before The Showcase of the Immortals. Here's the best and worst of the first SmackDown of April 2025.
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#2. Best - Rey Fenix is here!
Rey Fenix made his WWE debut a month and a half after his brother, Penta, achieved the same benchmark on RAW. The former AEW star defeated NXT Tag Team Champion Nathan Frazer in a breakneck match of two high flyers.
The anticipation was high, and the crowd was invested in Fenix's debut. Both men gave it their all and hit several impressive moves. Doing so in Chicago after CM Punk would have been hard.
However, the Luchador held his own in front of the fans. Andrade was supposed to face Fenix, but Frazer filled in admirably, possibly telegraphing a move to SmackDown after WrestleMania.
#2. Worst - Another three-minute match on SmackDown
After attacking B-Fab last week for cozying up to Jade Cargill, The Glow faced B-Fab on SmackDown. However, Cargill attacked Naomi from behind as she made her entrance for the match.
Security broke it up, and Naomi beat B-Fab in about four minutes. The Storm rushed the ring, but The Glow escaped. Nick Aldis then announced the two would square off at WrestleMania 41.
While it was expected, Naomi, unfortunately, stands little to no chance of beating Cargill as she's been heavily protected since joining WWE.
As for the SmackDown match, B-Fab is near the bottom of the division but got squashed even after an attack. If WWE was trying to give her some experience, that's fine, but it didn't inspire much confidence in her as a player.
#2. Best/Worst - A definitive ending between Monsters
The action in the third meeting between Braun Strowman and Jacob Fatu was just as good as the other offerings. There was damaged furniture, broken barricades, carnage in the arena, and several close calls.
Ultimately, The Samoan Werewolf earned a United States Championship shot by making it to his feet before the 10 count. The strange issue was that Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga didn't interfere after a confrontation earlier on SmackDown.
Last Man Standing matches are 'no disqualification' by rule, so it was strange that they didn't interfere to help their ally. Had they done so and Fatu had taken exception, more tension could have been teased between the once-steadfast allies.
#1. Best - The Favor, revealed
Paul Heyman's favor to CM Punk has been one of the most discussed topics since it was agreed to for Survivor Series: WarGames last November. After weeks of teases, the WWE fans finally know what that favor is.
All involved parties met in the ring at the end of SmackDown. Rollins reiterated that Reigns let Punk hang on and would pay for it. That rang true as The Best in the World revealed he wants Heyman in his corner - not Roman's - at WrestleMania.
Reigns laughed it off and told his Wiseman to turn it down, but Heyman declined it. The favor may not be tangible, like a title shot, but it plays mind games with Roman.
Reigns has always relied on Heyman but took him for granted due to his perceived spot in the company. Now, he'll have to devise his own plan for WrestleMania.
#1. Worst - Kevin Owens is injured
There was some rumbling this week about an unfortunate injury to Kevin Owens. While nothing was concrete, The Prizefighter confirmed on SmackDown that he'd need neck surgery after years of punishing his body.
It felt like it could have been a setup for a blindside attack on Orton, but he came and went after his announcement. The "worst" is not for the segment but for the unfortunate ailment of one of WWE's best and most loyal performers.
The Viper teased a heel turn by hitting SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis with an RKO because his match was canceled.
#1. Best/Worst - Charlotte Flair didn't learn from history
Instead of a brawl or side-by-side interview, Tiffany Stratton and Charlotte Flair met face-to-face in the ring with Wade Barrett keeping them apart. The Chicago fans were against anything Flair had to say, booking her like Dominik Mysterio.
She repeated her usual lines but said she'd let Stratton have the last word. The Champ called her a "nepo baby" but also said she was walking into WrestleMania as the Women's Champion at 25 while Flair was in her dad's basement getting drunk and trying to be a volleyball player at 25.
Stratton cooked how The Queen always acts confidently and never shows character growth or learning from history, but gave an emotional interview on morning TV this week. Perhaps she acts tough and talks over everyone because she's not as secure as her character portrays.
Even though the Queen said she'd let Stratton have the last word, which was a jab at her relationship history, Flair had to have the final say by claiming Stratton's real-life beau, Ludwig Kaiser, was in her dms.
