The latest edition of SmackDown Live for April 17, 2018 took place at the Dunkin Donuts Center in Providence, RI.
Here are the results of what transpired during the show:
— AJ Styles kicks off the show with a promo about Shinsuke Nakamura, calling him a two-faced coward and a con artist, asking for a fight. He's interrupted by Aiden English and Rusev. A match starts between Rusev and Styles, but is quickly thrown out after interference from English. Daniel Bryan comes out to even the odds and run them off, with Styles and Bryan standing tall in the ring at the end of the segment. Backstage, Paige sets up a tag team match with those four.
— Shelton Benjamin cuts a promo about how he never needed Chad Gable. Gable needed him. Benjamin feels like he's owed championship opportunities. He wants competition and he receives some in Randy Orton, but midway through the entrance, Orton stops and Jeff Hardy comes out instead.
— Jeff Hardy defeated Shelton Benjamin by pinfall.
— Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville are heading to SmackDown.
— Harper quickly defeated Jey Uso by pinfall. The Bludgeon Brothers continued to destroy The Usos after the match. Naomi was able to get them to stop by begging and pleading with Harper and Rowan.
— Samoa Joe is now on SmackDown Live and made a statement by utterly annihilating Sin Cara. Following his win, he cuts a promo to say that everybody has had it easy on SmackDown by his mere absence and this all changes now that he's here. He'll have the opportunity to put Daniel Bryan to sleep, de-fang The Viper Randy Orton and emasculate and decimate AJ Styles.
— SAnitY is announced for SmackDown in a quick video package.
— Daniel Bryan explains to Renee Young that AJ Styles was the top of his list of wrestlers he wanted to face when he was out with his injury. That's why he helped him earlier tonight—because he respects him. They're interrupted by Big Cass, who calls him "little man."
— Carmella cuts a promo in the ring about all of her success, including specifically being prideful for beating Charlotte Flair. After a video package, Flair comes out to talk some trash and say she'll get the title back, giving credit to The Iconics as the only reason Carmella won. Billie Kay and Peyton Royce then come out to make fun of Charlotte, who tries to fight them off, but succumbs to the numbers game. Becky Lynch makes the save before a commercial break.
— Charlotte Flair defeated Billie Kay by submission.
— Asuka is now on SmackDown as she helps Charlotte and Becky fight off The Iconics and Carmella following Flair's win.
— The Good Brothers (Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson) are now on SmackDown.
— The Bar are coming to SmackDown, despite how they're challenging for the Raw Tag Team Championship at the Greatest Royal Rumble. That makes perfect sense to spoil that outcome, doesn't it?
— R-Truth is also now on SmackDown. He has a backstage segment with The New Day and Tye Dillinger and shows that he's still doing the gimmick where he forgets things and gets confused.
— In a recap of the trades, Nikki Cross is not acknowledged as part of SAnitY, so she must not be making the move. However, Andrade "Cien" Almas and Zelina Vega are coming to SmackDown.
— Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles defeated Rusev and Aiden English by disqualification after interference from Shinsuke Nakamura and Big Cass
What did you think of tonight's episode? Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below!