The fallout from WrestleMania 42 hit the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, as WWE SmackDown delivered a night of massive debuts, shocking returns, and championship shifts on April 24, Friday. From Cody Rhodes’ warning to a family war in the main event, here are the highlights from a historic Friday night.
Who became the New WWE Women’s United States Champion?
The night saw a major title change as Tiffany Stratton challenged Giulia for the WWE Women’s United States Championship. In a hard-hitting fight that saw both women trade near-falls, Kiana James attempted to intervene on behalf of the champion.
However, the interference backfired when Giulia accidentally collided with James. Taking full advantage, “The Center of Attention” hit a Rolling Senton followed by the Prettiest Moonsault Ever to pin Giulia and capture the gold. Stratton’s victory cements her spot at the top of the division as she officially begins “Tiffy Time” with her first main roster singles title.
🚨 AND NEWWWWWWW 🚨
TIFFANY STRATTON IS THE NEW UNITED STATES CHAMPION 🤯#SmackDown
pic.twitter.com/sZtY8xsvw0— EliteRockerz 𝕏 (@EliteClubS0B) April 25, 2026
Which NXT stars made their shocking debut on SmackDown?
The tag team division was turned upside down when Paige made her long-awaited SmackDown in-ring return alongside Brie Bella to take on Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. Just as the match gained momentum, it was brought to a sudden halt by the arrival of Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley, and Lainey Reid).
The NXT trio hopped the barricade and laid out all four veterans, leaving them lying in the ring to the shock of the WWE Universe. Later in the night, Jacy Jayne proved her mettle in a singles debut against the new WWE Women’s Champion, Rhea Ripley. While Jayne put up a valiant effort, the match ended in a disqualification when Fatal Influence interfered to save their leader from a Riptide.
Did Jacob Fatu survive the Bloodline in the Main Event?
The main event saw “The Samoan Werewolf” Jacob Fatu face off against Solo Sikoa in a brutal family showdown. Sikoa was backed by The MFTs (Tama Tonga and JC Mateo), essentially turning the bout into a handicap match.
Despite being outnumbered, Fatu turned down The Usos’ offer to help, as they were only spectators at the match, standing on the entrance ramp. In the end, Fatu demonstrated his amazing mix of acrobatics and strength to take out Solo with a signature hire of Moonsault and get the pinfall win. The MFTs made a break for it after the game, but Fatu racked up the only victory in the ring and forced them out one by one with a steel chair. The show culminated with Fatu standing proudly over his cousins Jimmy and Jey Uso as if to tell them that he is ready to lead a new era of dominance in the Bloodline saga.
WWE SmackDown Results:
| Match | Winner | Notes |
| Giulia (c) vs. Tiffany Stratton | Tiffany Stratton | New Women’s US Champion |
| Paige & Brie Bella vs Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss |
Ended in DQ |
WWE Women’s Tag Titles |
| Damian Priest & R-Truth (c) vs. The MFTs | Priest & Truth | Retained WWE Tag Team Titles |
| Danhausen vs. The Miz | Danhausen | Won via roll-up/distraction |
| Rhea Ripley vs. Jacy Jayne | Rhea Ripley | Won via DQ (Interference) |
| Solo Sikoa vs. Jacob Fatu | Jacob Fatu | Main Event victory |
