WWE SmackDown Recap 03.27.26: Sami Zayn Wins Gold, Orton Rhodes Brawl

There’s little to report on. The match was soft and slow. The Bella Twins pulled out the straightforward finish before The Irresistible Forces attacked everybody. The number one contenders for their titles, Bayley and Lyra Valkyra, made a surprise appearance to save the day.

Rhea Ripley Vs. Jade Cargill WrestleMania Build

Rhea Ripley is the number one contender for Jade Cargill’s WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania, and she came to promote. After being attacked by Cargill’s newly formed faction last week, she called out all three of them, including Michin and B-Fab. Cargill’s promos are like nails on a chalkboard, making it difficult to take her seriously as a champion. It’s a bad look, especially considering her limited move-set and experience.

This set up a match between Ripley and B-Fab, but it lasted mere moments before Cargill attacked her WrestleMania opponent, getting the match thrown out. Will the challenger be too outnumbered and beaten down on the road to the biggest event in wrestling?

Jelly Roll Vs. Kit Wilson – WWE SmackDown Recap

Typical of WrestleMania season, this one is bringing out the celebrities as well. The next match was Jelly Roll versus Kit Wilson. You could tell Jelly put in some work. What he lacked in crispness, he made up for with hard work, even remembering to pander to the hard cam. Wilson did well to make his opponent look good, appearing comfortable calling the match for the pair, and ultimately putting his foe over.

Sami Zayn Wins United States Championship

Carmello Hayes continued the open challenge for his WWE United States Championship, and this week, it was answered by Sami Zayn. The mid-carders are truly elevating the US title, and this match continued the legacy. The quick pace, smooth reversals, and believable false finishes for both men added to the excitement. Zayn pulled out the clutch title win on the road to WrestleMania. One could assume Trick Williams and Hayes will be in the picture.

Jacob Fatu Vs. Drew McIntyre Feud

“The Samoan Werewolf” Jacob Fatu had a massive brawl with “The Scottish Psychopath” Drew McIntyre last week, including broken car windshields, smashed tables, and many other forms of violence. This week, he was in the ring for a promo. He’d get a few insults out before McIntyre had heard enough and interrupted the promo. General Manager Nick Aldis wasn’t far behind in announcing their upcoming unsanctioned match at WrestleMania.

Giulia Vs. Tiffany Stratton – WWE SmackDown Recap

WWE Women’s United States Champion, “Beautiful Madness” Giulia, had a non-title match against Tiffany Stratton in this WWE SmackDown recap. These two had poor chemistry, with numerous noticeable mistakes and awkward moments. The crowd was noticeably quieter, even throwing in some boos. Kiana James caused the distraction leading to Giulia’s victory.

Orton Vs. Cardona – WWE SmackDown Recap

After their altercation to open the show, Orton and Cardona went head-to-head in a singles match. Outside of a single reversal, The Viper beat the life out of his opponent in an extended squash match. WWE Champion “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes was then shown arriving at the stadium on the Jumbotron, before walking through gorilla. Despite Aldis’ advice, Rhodes entered the ring, and the brawl was on. Security had difficulty separating the two, so Jelly thought he could, but he ended up the victim of an RKO to end the show.

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End Of WWE SmackDown Recap Rant

This WWE SmackDown recap leaves just three episodes before WrestleMania 42. Stay tuned to Stadium Rant for the latest.