Cody Rhodes and CM Punk (X)
WWE SmackDown Results 17 April 2026: The April 17 broadcast of SmackDown acted as the final show leading up to the eagerly awaited WrestleMania 42. Stars poised for a showdown at the ‘Grandest Stage’ met for the last time at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event included the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, as well as numerous matches and appearances from major names before the ‘Grandest Stage.’ Jorydnne Grace also returned to compete in the Women’s US title number one contenders’ match.
Randy Orton kicked off the night with a scathing promo against Cody Rhodes, accusing the “American Nightmare” of being a taker who never gave back. In a surprising twist, Orton praised Pat McAfee as his only “straight shooter,” vowing to reclaim his 15th world title at the Grandest Stage of Them All.
The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal: In a star-making performance, Royce Keys outlasted the field, last eliminating Talla Tonga to etch his name into WrestleMania history.
Street Fight Chaos: The MFTs (Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline) defeated the Wyatt Sicks in a chaotic eight-man Street Fight, with Solo pinning Uncle Howdy.
Fatu’s Warning: A menacing Jacob Fatu arrived in a police cruiser, promising Drew McIntyre that neither the law nor the military could save him in their upcoming Unsanctioned Match.
Championship Retained: R-Truth and Damian Priest successfully defended their Tag Titles against Grayson Waller and Kofi Kingston.
The show reached a fever pitch during the closing segment. As Cody Rhodes addressed the WWE Universe, World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk made a shock appearance. In a rare show of mutual respect, the two titans acknowledged the magnitude of their respective Mania challenges, leaving the crowd in a frenzy. With the talk finally over, the stage is set for a historic two-night spectacle in Vegas.
The MFTs (JC Mateo, Solo Sikoa, Talla Tonga, & Tama Tonga) triumphed over Wyatt Sicks (Dexter Lumis, Erick Rowan, Joe Gacy, & Uncle Howdy) – Eight-man Street Fight
Damian Priest and R-Truth (c) won against Grayson Waller and Kofi Kingston in a match for the WWE Men’s Tag Team titles.
Tiffany Stratton defeated Jordynne Grace in the #1 Contender’s match for the Women’s United States Championship.
Trick Williams defeated Sami Zayn.
Bayley and Lyra Valkyria won against Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair by disqualification after being attacked by Nia Jax and Lash Legend.
Rocye Keys claimed victory in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
Cody Rhodes and CM Punk wrapped up the final show before the event.
Vishal Pushkar is a Chief Sub-Editor with NewsX and has been associated with the company since March 2026. He has been working as a journalist since 2021. His experience includes working with Zee Media, Amazon and Dainik Jagran. Vishal holds a BA (English Honours) degree from Shyam Lal College, University of Delhi and a Post-Graduate Diploma from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, Delhi. Vishal has completed a beginner’s course in the German language as well.
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