WWE Friday Night Smackdown Live Coverage - April 10th, 2026
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How will Cody Rhodes respond to assault by Randy Orton and Pat McAfee?
Last week, Randy Orton formed a partnership with Pat McAfee to unleash a shocking attack on Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. Later in the show, an irate American Nightmare hit the ring to issue a fiery response. What will Rhodes do to strike back against Orton and McAfee?
:smackdown:
Wade Barrett and Corey Graves greet audiences at home before throwing it to a video of what went down between Randy Orton, Pat McAfee, and Cody Rhodes.
Back at ringside, Rhea Ripley makes her way to the ring.
Ripley says Jade Cargill managed to find her only weakness, then calls Cargill to the ring.
IYO SKY's music hits and she makes her way out. Ripley asks SKY what she's doing in the ring, and SKY says she knows Ripley is angry. She admits that she's angry as well and says she knows she'll defeat Cargill at WrestleMania 42, but says she wants to face Cargill in the ring. Ripley says she trusts SKY, but SKY isn't 100% and asks SKY if she can handle it. SKY assures Ripley that she can.
Nick Aldis makes his way out and gives SKY a singles match against Cargill in the main event of tonight's show.
Bayley and Lyra Valkyria make their way to the ring. Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair follow.
Alexa Bliss (w/ Charlotte Flair) vs. Bayley (w/ Lyra Valkyria)
The bell rings and Bayley levels Bliss with a clothesline. Bliss lands a drop toe hold on Bayley before the action spills out of the ring and Bayley stands tall over Bliss.
Bayley pins Bliss inside the ring during the commercial break, but Bliss kicks out and Bayley delivers a knee to Bliss' spine. She wears down Bliss with a submission hold, but Bayley sends Bliss crashing into the corner with a Sunset Flip and pins her. Bliss kicks out and delivers a dropkick to Bayley in the corner, then ascends to the top rope. Bayley joins her up there, but Bliss fights her off and sends Bayley crashing into the mat with a DDT. She goes for a pin, but Bayley kicks out.
Bayley ascends to the top rope and delivers an elbow drop to Bliss. Bayley fires off chops on Bliss on the outside and dumps Bliss back in the ring, but Flair gets in Bayley's face. Valkyria gets in Flair's face, opening the door for Bliss to roll up the distracted Bayley for the win.
Winner: Alexa Bliss
We then head over to the medical office, where Carmelo Hayes is getting his knee checked on by a medical official as Matt Cardona stands by. Trick Williams and Lil Yachty interrupt the pair, but Hayes tells Williams that he has every intention of taking back the United States Championship from Sami Zayn to secure his ticket to WrestleMania 42. Cardona then gets into a verbal confrontation with Williams.
We then head over to a video from Drew McIntyre in a prison cell as he promises to beat down Jacob Fatu within an inch of his life before he goes back to prison.
Jacob Fatu responds to McIntyre while speaking with Cathy Kelley backstage, but Solo Sikoa and MFT interrupt the pair. Sikoa begins to run his mouth, but Fatu says they can run things back between them in the ring once again. Sikoa volunteers Tama Tonga to take care of business in the ring against Fatu later tonight.
Royce Keys then makes his way to the ring. Berto is already waiting inside as Angel accompanies him.
Royce Keys vs. Berto (w/ Angel)
The bell rings and Keys levels Berto with a clothesline. Keys fires off right hands on Berto, but Berto retreats out of the ring and rains down right hands on Keys back in the ring. He jams his boot into Keys in the corner and rains down right hands on him, but Keys gets Berto up on one shoulder and delivers a powerslam to him. He lands a spinebuster on Berto for the win.
Winner: Royce Keys
In the parking lot, a Dodge Ram pulls up and Pat McAfee comes out of the truck. Nick Aldis comes out and McAfee asks if Aldis has made WWE aware he can't be touched. Aldis says he has and McAfee walks into the arena. Jelly Roll approaches him and asks McAfee if he's the reason Randy Orton RKO'd him and ask McAfee why he's here. McAfee says Jelly Roll is an outsider and doesn't belong in the WWE. Jelly Roll and McAfee go back and forth and Jelly Roll pushes McAfee. Aldis breaks them up and McAfee leaves.
Royce Keys is being interviewed. Solo Sikoa comes by and tells Keys that his door is always open for Keys.
Back in the arena, Pat McAfee makes his way to the ring.
McAfee says the fans cheer for the spineless clones like CM Punk, then brings up Punk's promo from Monday's episode of "Raw". He calls Punk a fraud and says he's all talk and no action, then says Punk will roll over like the little b**** he is.
McAfee says he's a man of action and an agent of age, then says he's everything Punk says he is and says he decided to be the hero of the fans. He says while the fans may not deserve it, he still decided to help them out and called up RAM trucks to get them to foot 25% off the bill for anyone who buys a ticket between now and Monday's episode of "Raw".
McAfee says Orton will save the professional wrestling business, but Cody Rhodes' music hits and he makes his way to the ring. Rhodes says McAfee doesn't belong in WWE and says he knows he can't touch McAfee, then says McAfee can pick out any replica title he wants, do any Superstar's entrance, and go back to whoever sent him to tell them "Thank you Daddy". He says he didn't know what the term play wrestler meant until last Friday.
Rhodes says McAfee talked about making the professional wrestling business good again, then says everything McAfee has is because of customers. He says that the fans are family to him and not customers, then says while the fans can't generally agree on things in the professional wrestling business, they can agree that they want to see Randy Orton face him for the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42.
Rhodes looks to leave, but McAfee stops him and says Rhodes was born into the professional wrestling business. He says he sees a fake person standing in front of him with a spray tan and dyed hair because he thinks it will make him look like Ric Flair. He says if Randy Orton doesn't dethrone Cody Rhodes as Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42, then he'll never appear in WWE again.
Rhodes says if McAfee wants to take a nap, GUNTHER can put him to sleep once and for all. He looks to leave the ring again, but McAfee eggs Rhodes on and says Rhodes has always been an Elite runaway artist. He asks Rhodes if he's going to politic with Triple H backstage, stopping Rhodes in his tracks.
Rhodes takes off his blazer and tie, but Orton appears on the Titan Tron standing over a laid out Jelly Roll. He drags Jelly Roll out to ringside, then attacks Rhodes from behind as Rhodes gets in McAfee's face.
Orton beats down Rhodes in the ring and holds him in place for McAfee to fire off strikes on him. Jelly Roll goes after McAfee, but Orton takes out Jelly Roll and hits Rhodes with the Undisputed WWE Championship belt. McAfee places the Undisputed WWE Championship on his shoulders.
Randy Orton and Pat McAfee walk backstage. McAfee says Orton is saving the business and Orton tells McAfee to take care of the WWE title they stole from Rhodes. Orton and McAfee get into the dodge ram and drive away.
Nick Aldis is backstage. The Miz and Kit Wilson run in and are mad they lost their tag match last week due to Danhausen's curse. Aldis says they can't do anything as it's outside the scope of control for Aldis. Aldis issues a Wilson -vs- Danhausen match for tonight.
Jacob Fatu makes his way to the ring. Tama Tonga follows.
Jacob Fatu vs. Tama Tonga
The bell rings and Fatu flies out of the ring to take down Tama on the outside. Tama wears down Fatu with a submission hold back in the ring before the two men exchange strikes and Fatu lands a running senton on Tama back from the break.
Fatu rains down headbutts on Tama in the corner, then connects with a Hip Attack on him and charges at him. Tama intercepts Fatu with a dropkick and follows it up with a twisting neckbreaker, then goes for a pin but Fatu kicks out. Tama then delivers a reverse twisting DDT to Fatu and pins him once again, but Fatu kicks out and Tama sets up for Cutthroat on him. Fatu avoids it and delivers a Samoan Drop to Tama, then follows it up with a moonsault on him for the win.
Winner: Jacob Fatu
After the match, Fatu looks to speak but Drew McIntyre blindsides him from behind. Fatu rocks McIntyre with a superkick, but McIntyre catches Fatu with a Claymore Kick and sends him crashing into the ring steps. He grabs a chair from the ring side area and cracks it across Fatu's spine, then delivers a DDT to Fatu and takes out a pair of handcuffs from his pocket.
McIntyre places the handcuffs on Fatu's wrist and uses them to send Fatu crashing into the ring post face first. He sends Fatu crashing into the ring post spine first, then fires off right hands on Fatu using the handcuffs and uses them to tie up Fatu in the ring post. He sends Fatu crashing off the ring apron. Fatu rocks McIntyre with a headbutt and tries getting himself untangled, but McIntyre rains down more right hands on Fatu and gets him back in the ring. McIntyre runs over Fatu with a Claymore Kick as officials surround the ring and try to get McIntyre calmed down. McIntyre fights them off.
We head backstage and see R-Truth teaching Danhausen about ESPN. Damian Priest interrupts the pair, but they hear a noise and find Rhea Ripley attacking B-Fab with a pipe. Ripley tells Priest that one is down and there's one to go.
Back at ringside, Sami Zayn makes his way to the ring.
Zayn says it's time for him and the fans to talk about the mixed reactions he's been receiving. He says everyone has been talking about change over the last few months and recalls conversations about change he's had with Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton, then says it sounds like some of the fans want to see some change as well. He says he's walking into WrestleMania 42 as United States Champion and will talk out of it as well, but Trick Williams' music hits and he makes his way to the ring along with Lil Yachty.
Williams says people are tired of hearing Zayn talk, then says the truth is that Zayn hates him. He says that doesn't matter because he'll dethrone Zayn as United States Champion, but tells Williams to look him in his eyes and says at the end of the days, Williams is in the ring with a WrestleMania main eventer and says Williams is all talk. Yachty intervenes and says there will be a United States Champion at WrestleMania 42, but Matt Cardona's music hits and he makes his way out.
Trick Williams (w/ Lil Yachty) vs. Matt Cardona
They lock up and Williams gets Cardona on the mat with a headlock. Williams takes Cardona down with a shoulder check and then gets Cardona in another headlock. Cardona knocks down Williams with a body check and Williams crawls to the ropes, creating space between then two. Williams rolls out of the ring and gets back in after taking a mini break and they lock up again. The two roll around the ring on the ropes while locked up and they break and lock up again. Williams knees Cardona and Cardona tackles Williams into the corner. Cardona punches Williams and beats on him in the corner. Williams takes Cardona down with a running knee and slams him down to the mat. Cardona is kicked and then chopped in the corner. Williams chops Cardona again and Cardona blocks the third one and punches and strikes Cardona. Yachty chokes Cardona while the ref talks to Williams. Williams then is taken down with a clothesline and then gets tripped into the ropes. Cardona dropkicks Williams out of the ring, and Cardona then kicks Williams through the middle rope. Cardona sends Williams back in the ring and kicks Williams. Cardona punches Williams and Williams trips Cardona and we cut to a commercial.
Back to SmackDown, Cardona strikes Williams in the middle of the ring and Williams knocks Cardona to the mat and then mounts him and unleashes several punches to Cardona's face. Cardona slams down Williams and then strikes him. Williams punches Cardona and Cardona falls to the mat. Cardona hits Williams with a facebuster and then punches Williams in the corner. Cardona hits a Broski Boot and then hits The Unprettier and covers Williams for a near fall. Cardona gets guillotined on the ropes and then is hit with a Trick Slap. Williams covers Cardona for a near fall. Cardona is thrown over the ropes to the outside and Williams comes out and clotheslines Cardona. Williams pushes Zayn who is outside the ring and sends Cardona back in the ring. Zayn talks smack to Williams and calls Williams out before getting on the apron. Yachty pulls Zayn off the apron and Zayn runs at Yachty and hits him with a Helluva Kick sending Yachty over the barricades. Cardona tries to roll up Williams but Williams gets in The Trick Shot and gets the win.
Winner: Trick Williams
A promo for the Brock Lesnar/Oba Femi match at WrestleMania plays.
Danhausen makes his way to the ring. Kit Wilson and The Miz follow.
Danhausen vs. Kit Wilson (w/ The Miz)
The bell rings and Danhausen delivers a dropkick to Wilson. Wilson fires off right hands on Danhausen, but Danhausen poses with The Miz on the outside unbeknownst to the distracted Miz. This opens the door for Wilson to level Danhausen with a flying forearm and fire off uppercuts on him in the corner, then ascends to the top rope.
Danhausen curses Wilson, causing pyro to go off out of the ring post that trips Wilson. He follows it up with a boot to Wilson for the win.
Winner: Danhausen
After the match, The Miz looks to sneak up behind Danhausen. The lights go off, and when they come back on, Danhausen is on the entrance ramp.
We head backstage, where Jade Cargill finds Michin attacked with a kendo stick. When Cargill asks Michin what happened, Michin confirms that Rhea Ripley attacked her.
Back at ringside, IYO SKY makes her way to the ring. Jade Cargill follows.
IYO SKY vs. Jade Cargill
We get the bell, Sky charges at Cargill and dropkicks her. Sky punches Cargill in the corner and Cargill takes Sky down with a shoulder check. Cargill slams down Sky and covers her arrogantly and Sky kicks out at one. Sky kicks Cargill and hits a jumping dropkick and knocks Cargill out of the ring. Sky goes for a suicide dive but is met with a right hand by Cargill. Cargill slams Sky onto the apron and we cut to a break.
Back to our main event, Sky punches Cargill and Cargill decks her back to the corner. Sky kicks Cargill from the corner and comes off the middle rope and Cargill catches her. Sky reverses and DDTs Cargill to the mat. Sky connects with some elbows, punches and a dropkick. Sky slams Cargill's arm on the ropes and then comes off the top rope with a missile dropkick. Sky hits her Bullet Train Attack on Cargill and walks over Cargill and climbs the ropes. Sky goes for her Moonsault but Cargill gets on her feet and presses Sky from the corner and Sky counters into a rear naked choke hold. Cargill powers out of the hold and slams Sky to the mat. Cargill misses a pumpkick and is rolled up for a near fall. Cargill hits a sitout powerbomb and covers Sky who kicks out at two. Sky rolls up Cargill and stomps on Cargill as Cargill was going for Jaded. Cargill rolls out of the ring and Sky hits a springboard Moonsault onto Cargill outside the ring. Cargill is sent back in the ring and when Sky gets in the ring, Cargill rolls back out. Sky strikes Cargill and Cargill slams Sky into the steel steps and then sends Sky back in the ring. Cargill connects with a pumpkick and then hits Sky with Jaded and gets the win.
Winner: Jade Cargill
After the match, Cargill goes and gets a chair. Rhea Ripley comes out and makes the save before Cargill can hit Sky. Cargill leaves the ring with the chair and then sits on it. Ripley stays in the ring to tend to Sky as the show goes off the air.
