WWE SmackDown Highlights: John Cena returns; Andre the Giant Battle Royal; Seth Rollins & Rhea Ripley appear; WrestleMania 41 build-up & more (April 18, 2025)

Hello everyone and welcome to Khel Now’s LIVE COVERAGE and RESULTS of the WWE Friday Night SmackDown (April 18, 2025). The start of the show is just a few hours away! I’m your host, Abhijit, and I’ll be keeping you company through what promises a fascinating evening of pro wrestling action. Please wait 30 seconds for the Live blog to load.

The April 14 episode of Friday Night SmackDown will serve as the go-home show for the ‘Grandest Stage of Them All’ WrestleMania 41 and is set to emanate live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. The show will set the final tone for the PLE, which will emanate from the Allegiant Stadium on April 19 & 20.

The go-home show of Friday Night SmackDown will feature the return of John Cena ahead of his clash against Cody Rhodes, where the Undisputed WWE title hangs in the balance. 

Confirmed matches & segments for 04/18 SmackDown

• John Cena returns
• Andre the Giant Battle Royal
• Zelina Vega, Kayden Carter & Katana Chance vs Chelsea Green & Secret Hervice (Alba Fyre & Piper Niven)
• The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) (c) vs MCMG (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) – WWE Tag Team Championship match

John Cena returns

Ahead of his title clash with Cody Rhodes, where the Undisputed WWE title is on the line, John Cena is set to make an appearance on the go-home show. This will be his first appearance since the European tour, where the two stars engaged in back-to-back segments that ended with Rhodes flatlining Cena in their third meeting in London, England.

Andre the Giant Battle Royal

Andre the Giant Battle Royal, as per tradition, will take place on the go-home show this week ahead of the ‘Grandest Stage’. The match originally used to take place at WrestleMania; however, for the last few years, it has been taking place on SmackDown before The Show of Shows.

Zelina Vega, Kayden Carter & Katana Chance vs Chelsea Green & Secret Hervice (Alba Fyre & Piper Niven)

Following their last week encounter in a singles match where Zelina Vega defeated Women’s United States Champion Chelsea Green in a controversial count-out, Vega will now team up with Kayden Carter and Katana Chance to battle the team of Green and her Secret Hervice (Alba Fyre & Piper Niven) in a six-woman tag match.

The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) (c) vs MCMG (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) – WWE Tag Team Championship match

After defeating DIY (Tomasso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano), Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) bagged the number one contender spot for the WWE Tag Team Championship. They are now set to battle the current Champions, the Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) on the go-home show as they look to recapture the tag titles.

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