2 Ups & 8 Downs From WWE SmackDown (17 April - Results & Review)

6. Another Waste Of TV Time

Charlotte Flair Alexa Bliss Lyra Valkyria Bayley
WWE.com

On paper, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley and Lyra Valkyria was a pointless re-run of a match WWE already booked on the 3 April episode of SmackDown. There, it was Flair and Bliss who picked up the win following a spirted showing from all 4, but there was no call for a repeat before WrestleMania. Apparently, creative agreed, then they hit the redo button on something else anyway.

Nia Jax and Lash Legend cut off the planned match pitting Charlotte and Alexa vs. Bayley and Lyra within 30 seconds, then hammered everyone and stood tall. On commentary, Joe Tessitore said: “We’ve seen this before”. Yes, yes we have. Did Triple H and his writers just phone this episode in or what?! They couldn't have given less of a toss had they gone with a 'Best Of 2026 So Far' edition to fill the 3 hours.

It's generally not a great idea to program matches people have already seen then cut it off with a heel beatdown they've already seen. That's so uninspiring, and it's why this road to 'Mania 42 has been cursed. Danhausen's arrival is no coincidence, folks. Just kidding. The ex-AEW man cannot be blamed for some of the nonsense Hunter and gang have been getting up to.

Long story short, the entrances on Friday were longer than the brawl then Jax and Legend standing proudly with their belts. This might not have been so bad had it been something fresh, but it wasn't. It was a retelling of story business from earlier SmackDowns without a new wrinkle.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.