Next week's episode of WWE SmackDown is the go-home show prior to WWE WrestleMania 41, and it is set to take place at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The April 18, 2025 edition is set to feature among other things, the return of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, which was originally part of WrestleMania itself for the first six years (even if it was on the kickoff pre-show for four of those—all but 30 and 32—but has been relegated to SmackDown ever since WrestleMania 37 in 2021 when Jey Uso was victorious.
Last year, Bronson Reed was the winner. This year, it could be any number of Superstars, as none of the names have been announced.
Not competing in that match, but wrestling elsewhere, will be The Street Profits vs. The Motor City Machine Guns with the WWE Tag Team Championship on the line.
There will also be a six-woman tag team match with The Green Regime (Chelsea Green and her Secret Hervice partners Alba Fyre and Piper Niven) against Zelina Vega, Katana Chance, and Kayden Carter. This comes about in part due to Vega beating the Women's United States champion on tonight's episode of SmackDown, albeit by count-out. Assuming her team wins the six-woman tag match, that could put her in contention for a shot at the Women's United States Championship at some point down the road.
Lastly, it was announced that John Cena will be there. He will likely be cutting a promo to counteract the things Cody Rhodes said tonight as they continue to build hype for the ultimate main event of WrestleMania 41 on Sunday night as they face off for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
Of course, with three hours to fill, there will also be promos, video packages, and other segments dedicated to the other storylines heading into WrestleMania, but just don't have anything announced yet, such as Tiffany Stratton vs. Charlotte Flair, Damian Priest vs. Drew McIntyre, Jade Cargill vs. Naomi, and others.
Nevertheless, as far as what's been confirmed, here is the lineup for next week's Friday Night SmackDown:
- Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
- WWE Tag Team Championship Match: The Street Profits (c) vs. The Motor City Machine Guns
- John Cena will appear
- Six-Woman Tag Team Match: Zelina Vega, Katana Chance & Kayden Carter vs. The Green Regime (Chelsea Green, Alba Fyre, and Piper Niven)
What are you most excited about for next week's SmackDown? Keep the discussion going by leaving a comment below!