Winners And Grades On April 21, 2023

WWE SmackDown, from Columbus, OH advertised Matt Riddle vs. Solo Sikoa in a no-disqualification match, Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan defending the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships against Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville and LWO vs. The Judgment Day. SmackDown also advertised GUNTHER defending the WWE Intercontinental Championship against Xavier Woods.

Last week’s broadcast of SmackDown drew 2.135 million viewers.

WWE SmackDown Results | April 21, 2023

• The Judgment Day def. LWO
• Ricochet and Braun Strowman def. The Viking Raiders
• Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez def. Sonya Deville and Chelsea Green | WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
• GUNTHER def. Xavier Woods | WWE Intercontinental Championship
• Solo Sikoa vs. Matt Riddle

WWE SmackDown Ratings

• April 14, 2023 | 2.135 million
• April 7, 2023 | 2.468 million
• March 31, 2023 | 2.484 million
• March 24, 2023 | 2.219 million
• March 17, 2023 | 2.258 million

• WWE SmackDown Venue: Schottenstein Center (Columbus, OH.)
• WWE SmackDown Tickets Distributed: 9,485
• Available Tickets: 195

WWE SmackDown Winners and Grades

The Judgment Day def. LWO

The LWO continued its losing ways as Damian Priest pinned Santos Escobar. Zelina Vega later requested a SmackDown Women’s Championship match against Rhea Ripley.

WWE plugged Bad Bunny next week in Raw Chicago, which will not feature a single CM Punk chant.

Judgment Day vs. LWO Grade: B

Ricochet and Braun Strowman def. The Viking Raiders

Backstage, WWE aired two very good vignettes for Shinsuke Nakamura, and later Karrion Kross. For two stars WWE has done little to nothing with of late, I’m lowkey excited for this feud.

Ricochet and Braun Strowman have been teaming for too long not to have a team name. I suggest Team Flippy Floppy.

Ricochet and Strowman vs. Viking Raiders Grade: B

Morgan and Rodriguez def. Deville and Green

I’m a fan of everybody involved here, but there was very little heat for this match after a four-day build.

Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez have an outside shot to be the greatest WWE Women’s tag team champions ever, though it is a low bar.

The babyface team of Rodriguez and Morgan won by using water, as revenge from Raw, and cheating as Rodriguez helped Morgan pin Green.

Women’s Tag Team Title Match Grade: C+

GUNTHER def. Xavier Woods

Though Xavier had no chance to upset GUNTHER in the middle of a history reign—you know how WWE loves hits history—Woods willed himself into being a believable challenger and the crowd got behind him.

Woods, who was serious throughout this match, was every bit as snug as GUNTHER.

There was a great nearfall when Woods hit a flying leg drop. Woods’ demise came shortly after GUNTHER kicked out.

GUNTHER vs. Xavier Woods Grade: B+

Solo Sikoa def. Matt Riddle

The announce team repeatedly noted how Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens were not in attendance.

It barely took five minutes before fans started inevitably chanting for a table. Right on cue, Sikoa and Riddle did the tease of a table (from Riddle) before it was shoved back under the ring (by Solo Sikoa).

Revenge was a running theme throughout this show, which is why it was Riddle’s turn to bury Solo Sikoa underneath a table this week. Unlike Riddle, however, Sikoa rose from the ashes, much to Riddle’s surprise.

Riddle ran into a spike, which Michael Cole confused for a clothesline. Cole found out it was a spike the hard way when the referee registered the three count.

Despite WWE teasing dissension within The Bloodline, all The Bloodline has done since WrestleMania is win. This does not bode well for Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens next week.

Solo Sikoa vs. Matt Riddle Grade: B