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WWE SmackDown Results: Review, Grades, Card For March 28

By Colin Tessier

Our WWE SmackDown results for tonight include LA Knight defending the WWE United States Championship against Braun Strowman and The Street Profits defending the WWE Tag Team Championship against Pretty Deadly. Plus, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and CM Punk will sign the contract for their match at WWE WrestleMania 41. Here’s our review and grades for tonight’s show, live from the O2 Arena in London, England.

WWE SmackDown Card

  • WWE United States Championship: LA Knight (c) vs. Braun Strowman
  • WWE Tag Team Championship: The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) (c) vs. Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince & Kit Wilson)
  • CM Punk, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins sign the contract for their WrestleMania match

WWE SmackDown Results

The broadcast team welcomes viewers, and several stars are shown arriving. Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes comes to the ring.

Cody Rhodes Speaks

Rhodes brings up his WrestleMania match with John Cena before saying that the two of them will be standing face-to-face on WWE RAW. Randy Orton interrupts. He highlights where Rhodes is and where he came from. Orton says he remembers a Cody Rhodes when he was starting out. He notes that Rhodes worked hard, and he wasn’t happy, as he was frustrated. Orton says that Rhodes knew he needed to grow, so he left. He tells Rhodes that this took some big balls.

Orton says that Rhodes changed the business, and he appreciates him for it. He says they knew that Rhodes would be back, and the business changed again when he came back. Orton says Rhodes grew. He brings up Rhodes’ Hell in a Cell match with Seth Rollins and the way he fought through having a torn pec. Orton then highlights Rhodes’ win over Roman Reigns and says he’s in the middle of another story, as he is taking control of his legacy. Orton credits Rhodes with how hot the business has been. He tells Rhodes that he loves him, he respects him, and he’s proud of him.

Orton shifts his focus to WrestleMania and says he’s going to kick Kevin Owens in the head. He says that Rhodes will beat the hell out of Cena and walk out of WrestleMania with his title. Orton says that there will come a time when he’s going to want to after the world title, but he won’t kick Rhodes in the balls like a coward. Instead, he says he respects Rhodes, and he says he’ll tell him when he’s coming for the title.

Drew McIntyre Arrives

Drew McIntyre interrupts. He says that this love fest makes him absolutely sick. McIntyre questions what Orton has done since he returned to deserve a title shot. He tells him to go to the back of the line. McIntyre says that Rhodes should have listened to him, and everybody should have listened to him about John Cena. He says that the WrestleMania main event should be Drew McIntyre vs. Cody Rhodes, but it’s not, thanks to Damian Priest.

McIntyre says that he, not Orton, will take the title from Rhodes. Orton tells him to get to the point. McIntyre says that Kevin Owens might have a point. He says that if Orton provokes him, he’ll break his back. Rhodes hits McIntyre, and Drew evades an RKO attempt by Orton. Orton and Rhodes stand tall.

Grade: A

This was a strong start. Orton giving Rhodes his flowers was a nice way to build off their history, and he did it very well. You could tell Rhodes was getting emotional, which made it even more effective. Orton also set up an eventual match with Rhodes, so seeds were strongly planted there. McIntyre made good points about what Orton has done to earn a title shot, and he referenced their history nicely as well. This was a good way to bridge the gap between Rhodes and Cena’s segments while setting up future matches.

WWE Tag Team Championship: The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) (c) vs. Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince & Kit Wilson)

Dawkins and Wilson start the bout. Dawkins briefly gains the upper hand, but Pretty Deadly double-teams him. The Street Profits take control and double-team Wilson. Ford rocks Wilson with a kick. The Street Profits maintain the advantage. Elton Prince tags in and clears house. with a flurry of offense. Dawkins gains the upper hand again. Wilson breaks up a double-team maneuver. Prince gets a two-count on a catapult maneuver. Dawkins fights off Pretty Deadly and slams Prince. Ford tags in Wilson with a Frog Splash. Prince catches him with a pin attempt for a two-count. The Street Profits double-team Prince, but Wilson breaks up the pin.

Pretty Deadly hits the Street Profits with European Uppercuts. They get a near fall with the Spilt Milk. Dawkins dumps Wilson over the ropes and picks him up. The Street Profits hit the doomsday blockbuster for the win.

Winners and still WWE Tag Team Champions: The Street Profits

Grade: B+

Good match here. The outcome was never really in doubt, as The Street Profits just won the titles for the first time in years. Still, there were a couple of good near falls, and because the show’s in London, you briefly thought an upset could be possible. Instead, this was a solid first defense for the new champions.

Backstage, Katana Chance and Kayden Carter speak with Zelina Vega. Alba Fyre and Piper Niven arrive, and they are followed by Chelsea Green. Vega says she’s a big threat to Green’s title reign. The two sides agree to a tag team match.

Katana Chance & Kayden Carter vs. The Secret Hervice(Piper Niven & Alba Fyre)

Carter and Chance double-team Fyre early on. Chance takes Fyre down with a crossbody. Niven dives onto them off the apron. Niven overpowers Chance. Fyre and Niven isolate Chance and maintain the advantage. Carter rallies and hits Fyre with a running big boot. She hits a legdrop off the ropes. Niven accidentally squashes Fyre. Carter and Chance double-team Niven with the Keg Stand, but Fyre breaks up the pin. Carter dives onto Fyre. Chelsea Green distracts the referee, and Niven hits Carte with a Piper Driver for the win.

Winners: The Secret Hervice (Piper Niven & Alba Fyre)

Fyre and Niven start to attack Carter and Chance, and Vega makes the save. She takes out Niven and drops Fyre with a kick. Green attacks her from behind. Vega fights back, but she is outnumbered, and Niven overpowers her. Green, Fyre, and Niven stand tall.

Grade: B

This was a good showcase for all four women, especially Chance and Carter, who haven’t gotten much TV time in recent months. Fyre and Niven have really committed to the “Secret Hervice” gimmick, and it’s working well. Given Green’s interference, this might set up a six-woman tag team match, as Vega, Chance, and Carter were outnumbered here.

WWE United States Championship: LA Knight (c) vs. Braun Strowman

Strowman overpowers Knight early on. Knight fights back, but Strowman continues to control the action. Knight rallies with a dropkick through the ropes. Strowman floors him with a big boot. He maintains the advantage. Knight fires up with some punches. Strowman stomps him. He hits Knight with some clubbing blows. Knight goes for a suplex, but he can’t lift the big man. Knight catches Strowman with a bulldog. He hits Strowman with some punches. He suplexes Strowman and hits an elbow drop.

Strowman sends Knight over the ropes with a clothesline. Jacob Fatu interferes and attacks both men.

Result: No Contest

Fatu hits Strowman with a Samoan Drop onto the broadcast table. Knight takes the fight to Fatu. Fatu drops him with a pop-up Samoan drop. He hits Strowman with some hip attacks. Fatu hits a moonsault off the top and hits another one.

Grade: B

Fun match here, and this was the best Strowman has looked recently. This was a good test for Knight as well. WWE continues to tease a multi-man match for the WWE United States Championship at WrestleMania, and it seems very likely now. It’s just a question of how many men.

Jimmy Uso is asked about slapping Gunther, and he says he’d do it again. He looks forward to facing Gunther on WWE RAW and says Jey Uso will win the gold at WWE WrestleMania 41. He bumps into The Miz and Carmelo Hayes. The Miz says Jimmy and Jey are sidekicks, and they aren’t the main characters. He calls Jimmy and Jey blips in the story of The Bloodline. Miz warns Uso not to slap him. Jimmy goes for a slap but laughs it off. Jimmy challenges Uso to a match tonight.

Backstage, Solo Sikoa confronts Jacob Fatu, and he brushes them off. Tensions rise between Him and the duo of Sikoa and Tama Tonga. Fatu says that, when it comes to Braun Strowman, he will be the last man standing. He says he will win the WWE United States Championship, with them or without them.

In a taped video, Naomi questions how she got here. She says she has always been a woman to do the right thing. Naomi says that her attacking Jade Cargill wasn’t any different. She says that to be seen as the bad one in the situation broke her heart, and she didn’t understand how Cargill could come in and take her place alongside Belair. She asks Belair to ask herself who inspired her, and who has had her back. Naomi says that Jade has not. She says she’d done with being undervalued, underappreciated, and being treated like a third wheel. Naomi says that if Cargill keeps being in her way, she should proceed with caution.

Grade: A

Naomi has shined since she turned heel, and she continued to thrive here. This was a good explanation for why she attacked Cargill, and it’s easy to side with her, even though she’s the heel. She made a lot of logical points, which is another reason why this heel turn has worked so well.

Backstage, Jade Cargill tells Nick Aldis she has been trying to get her hands on Naomi. He says that nobody has seen her. Cargill says that it’s on-sight. Michin and B-Fab tell Cargill they know she’ll handle business, and Naomi deserved what was coming to her.

A new “4” teaser airs.

Michin (with B-Fab) vs. Charlotte Flair

Naomi attacks Michin before Flair’s entrance. She then attacks B-Fab and slams her into the barricade. She continues to unload on B-Fab. Jade Cargill runs down, and Naomi flees through the crowd. Flair comes to the ring for the match. Cargill briefly stares her down. Flair drills Michin with a big boot and controls the action. She continues to ground Michin. Michin rallies. Flair gains the upper hand. Michin rocks her with a kick. Flair answers with a kick of her own. Michin plants Flair with a powerbomb.

Michin gains more momentum and gets a two-count. She dumps Flair with a back suplex. She hits a cannonball in the corner. Flair dodges the Eat Defeat. Michin hits the East Defeat, but Flair gets her foot on the rope. Flair targets Michin’s leg and makes her tap out to the Figure-Eight.

Winner: Charlotte Flair

Grade: B

This would have been a perfectly good match, but Naomi’s attack threw it off a bit. In theory, Flair shouldn’t have had much trouble putting Michin away after she was attacked before the bell. Not that we’re advocating for a squash match here, but still, the booking was a little odd. It made Michin look good, but it somewhat lessened Charlotte’s win. The Cargill/Flair tease was fun, so that was a plus.

Backstage, WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton is asked about Flair’s promo last week. She says that Flair is so insecure that she can’t let a rookie get a word out. Stratton says that she’s not the one who has something to lose at WrestleMania, as if Flair loses, she’ll be losing to a “little girl.” She says maybe Flair will finally shut up when she beats her. Stratton says she will walk out of WrestleMania with the title.

Randy Orton vs. Drew McIntyre

Orton and McIntyre battle back and forth early on. McIntyre talks some trash by asking Orton how his back is. Orton gains the upper hand and punches McIntyre in the corner. They head to the outside, and Orton slams McIntyre onto the broadcast table twice. McIntyre thumbs Orton’s eye and hits a Russian Legsweep into the barricade. McIntyre gains the upper hand. Orton thumbs him in the eye. They trade blows. McIntyre briefly takes control. Orton fires up with a clothesline and a snap slam.

Orton drops McIntyre with a spike DDT. He sets up the RKO. Kevin Owens walks down the ramp and distracts Orton. McIntyre hits the Claymore for the win.

Winner: Drew McIntyre

Owens pulls Orton out of the ring and slams him onto the announce desk. He goes for a piledriver, but Orton reverses it. Orton goes for the punt, but Owens runs away through the crowd.

Grade: A

This was a blast to the past, as McIntyre and Orton had a memorable feud in 2020. The match hee worked well, as the roles were reversed. A match between Orton and McIntyre is worthy if a PLE, and we got it for free on SmackDown. McIntyre getting the pinfall win was a little surprising. It makes you think he might be getting set up to challenge Cody Rhodes for the world title after WWE WrestleMania 41.

A video package confirms that Rey Fenix will debut next week.

The Miz vs. Jimmy Uso

Uso gains the upper hand and controls the action early on. He drops The Miz with an uppercut. The Miz takes control and grounds Uso. Uso nails The Miz with another uppercut. The Miz snaps his neck off the ropes and hits him with a neckbreaker. He grounds Uso. Uso tries to rally, but The Miz maintains the advantage. Uso fires up again with a clothesline. He rocks The Miz with a right hand. The Miz drops him with a clothesline. Uso several times. Uso blasts him with a kick. He superkicks The Miz and hits an Uso Splash for the win.

Winner: Jimmy Uso

Uso puts on the commentary headset and says he’s going to make Gunthe a “private”, rather than a “Ring General”.

Grade: B-

This was…fine? It was probably better than it should have been. Carmelo Hayes becoming a semi-sidekick to The Miz has been weird, but that didn’t play into the match at all. This was a good way to give Uso some momentum ahead of his match with Gunther. Still, it seems like he’ll just be fodder for that, so this felt a little pointless.

Drew McIntyre meets up with Lewis Capaldi backstage. He is then interviewed by Jackie Redmond, and he says that Damian Piest doesn’t have the balls to answer him. He opens a door, and Damian Priest is waiting. Priest attacks him and slams McIntyre onto a car. He slams a bystander through a table. Priest slams McIntyre onto the windshield of a car and walks away. McIntyre says he has glass in his eye as officials check on him. CM Punk walks by and smiles.

CM Punk, Roman Reigns, And Seth Rollins Sign The Contract

Roman Reigns (along with Paul Heyman) comes to the ring to sign the contract for the Triple Threat match at WrestleMania. Reigns tells London to acknowledge him. He says the way the fans sing to him is beautiful. He says he’s there to sign the contract. Seth Rollins interrupts. He says the fans have beautiful voices. Rollins notes that he and Reigns have a lot of history in this building, and they put The Undertaker through a table. He highlights their history. He says they accomplished their mission to reshape WWE. Reigns says “we” died a long time ago, and it’s on;y “me.” Reigns says that he made WWE into what it is today, and he made them desirable to Netflix.

Rollins says that this mindset is why he keeps screwing Reigns. He says that Reigns let the biggest snake in the world, CM Punk, into the garden, and Reigns shook his hand. Rollins says that, once again, he’ll have to clean up Reigns’ mess. CM Punk interrupts. He sits down at the table and flips through the contract. Reigns tells Heyman to smarten him up. Heyman says that he knows what Punk is looking for, and it’s in there. He reveals that the Triple Threat match will main event WrestleMania. Punk is clearly emotional, and he tears up. Rollins says he doesn’t deserve it. He says that main-eventing WrestleMania is sacred, and Punk doesn’t deserve it.

Punk thanks the fans. Reigns says he should thank him, as he’s the reason why he’s main-eventing. Punk gets on a knee and thanks him for allowing him to main-event WrestleMania, but he tells him that this isn’t the favor that Heyman owes him.

Grade: B+

The contract signing took too long to get going with the entrances. The Reigns/Rollins exchange was very good, and it added substance to this match. Punk getting emotional about the main-event was a nice touch, and they keep teasing that Heyman will side with him soon. The cliffhanger about the favor was nicely done, too.

Colin Tessier
Colin Tessier

Colin Tessier is a lifelong fan of all things Marvel and DC, and he has used this passion to write about them for several years. Likewise, having been a fan of wrestling since he was a kid, he also covers professional wrestling. You can find him on Twitter at @ct_2110.

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