Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for April 28, 2023

Triple H shows up for the first WWE Draft picks. He mentions that every Superstar on Raw and SmackDown are open to being moved to the other brand, with half of the roster being drafted tonight and the other half being drafted next week on Raw. He says that select Superstars are also available to be drafted to either Raw or SmackDown, and post-draft rosters will go into effect on May 8th after Backlash. The first pick in the first round is Paul Heyman, Solo Sikoa and Roman Reigns of The Bloodline for SmackDown. With this, the new World Heavyweight Championship is exclusive to Raw. The second pick is "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes for Raw. The third pick is Bianca Belair - the current Raw Women's Champion - for SmackDown. The fourth pick is Becky Lynch for Raw. After the first round WWE Draft picks are made, The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) show up. They congratulate Roman Reigns for being picked in the first round, then tell Roman that they will bring back the tag team gold despite Roman not answering their correspondence. After they dedicate tonight's match to Roman, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn show up. Sami says he is not here to talk sense into The Usos or to talk them into anything, but he mentions that The Usos do not find it strange that ever since he and Owens beat them for the tag team titles, Roman has not answered them back and that they have not been drafted with the rest of The Bloodline. He says that if this does not tell them everything they need to know, nothing will. As Sami says they will retain the tag team titles, Jey Uso says they will leave with nothing and that The Usos will be champions again, and Jimmy says that Kevin is going to turn his back on Sami after they both lose. Kevin finally has enough and tells The Usos that they will beat the hell out of them and keep their titles.

We hear from Bianca Belair, who is excited to be SmackDown Women's Champion again, as the title was the first one that she ever won.

LA Knight beats Butch.

Backstage, Jimmy Uso tells Jey Uso that tonight is the night. Paul Heyman agrees, as they will be drafted tonight either onto the island of relevancy or the ocean of obscurity, and that one way or another, Roman Reigns will only accept the fact that tonight is the night.

It is announced that Rob Van Dam will be a special guest drafter for Raw and that Michael P.S. Hayes will be a special guest drafter for SmackDown.

Rob Van Dam and Michael P.S. Hayes show up for the second round of WWE Draft picks, with RVD announcing the Raw picks and Hayes announcing the SmackDown picks. For #5, The Street Profits are picked for SmackDown. For #6, Imperium (Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser, Giovanni Vinci) are picked for Raw, bringing the Intercontinental Championship to the red brand. For #7, Edge is picked for SmackDown. For #8, Matt Riddle is picked for Raw.

Before the next match, Montez Ford proclaims that he and Angelo Dawkins are back in blue, and that nothing has changed except that the day that they work on and that they want the smoke.

The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) beat the team of Braun Strowman and Ricochet and the team of The Latino World Order (Joaquin Wilde and Cruz del Toro) in a Triple Threat Tag Team Match.

Bad Bunny comes to SmackDown next week in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Teddy Long and JBL are the special guest drafters for Raw and SmackDown respectively for Round 3.

Teddy Long and JBL arrive to announce the Round 3 WWE Draft picks for Raw and SmackDown respectively. #9 is Bobby Lashley for SmackDown. #10 is Drew McIntyre for Raw. #11 is The O.C. ("The Phenomenal" AJ Styles, Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, Mia Yim) for SmackDown. #12 is The Miz for Raw.

Zelina Vega beats Sonya Deville. After the match, Zelina is attacked from behind by Rhea Ripley, who also headbutts Sonya Deville when she confronts her. Chelsea Green decides she wants none of Rhea Ripley, and when Rhea goes for the Riptide on Zelina, Zelina counters it into a DDT.

Backstage, Santos Escobar and Zelina Vega are met by Rey Mysterio, who congratulates Zelina on her win. Zelina says she will do it for her family and her people at Backlash, and Rey tells Zelina that no matter what people think, all Zelina needs to do is believe. Rey tells her that he did that and made it all the way to the WWE Hall of Fame, and that if she fights with what is in her heart and soul, she will become SmackDown Women's Champion.

The O.C. ("The Phenomenal" AJ Styles, Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, Mia Yim) head to the ring. Before Styles can say much of anything, The Viking Raiders (Ivar and Erik) and Valhalla show up. Styles, after realizing they want to pick a fight, decides to watch from the corner and tells The O.C. to handle their business, and The O.C. come out on top in the ensuing brawl. Styles tells SmackDown that they have just started, then The O.C. flashes the "Too Sweet" hand signal. As they leave, Styles hits Ivar with a Phenomenal Forearm.

"Road Dogg" Jesse James and "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels represent Raw and SmackDown respectively in the fourth and last round of tonight's WWE Draft picks.

"Road Dogg" Jesse James and "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels show up to announce the draft picks for Raw and SmackDown respectively for the fourth and final round of the night. #13 is Damage CTRL (Bayley, Iyo Sky, Dakota Kai) for SmackDown. #14 is Shinsuke Nakamura for Raw. #15 is Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre, the current NXT Women's Tag Team Champions, for SmackDown. #16 is Indi Hartwell, the current NXT Women's Champion, for Raw.

As Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre are excited to be on SmackDown, Katana Chance and Kayden Carter show up and challenge them to a match for the NXT Women's Tag Team Championships on NXT next Tuesday.

Backstage, Kayla Braxton interviews Shinsuke Nakamura, who is excited to be going to SmackDown when he is suddenly attacked from behind by Karrion Kross.

Backstage, Paul Heyman tells The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso) that tonight, Roman Reigns wants the spotlight on them because tonight is the night. As a result, Solo Sikoa stays behind, and he gives Heyman the thumbs up.

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships against The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso). During the match, Paul Heyman gets a call from Roman Reigns, and Heyman then tells Solo Sikoa "Tonight...is your night." Near the end of the match, Solo Sikoa shows up. All of a sudden, Matt Riddle fights Solo Sikoa on the ramp and takes the brawl to the back.

This week on SmackDown LowDown: Rhea Ripley! Shinsuke Nakamura! Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn!

Here are the top ten moments from tonight's show!

Round 1:

#1 - Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman (SmackDown)

#2 - "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes (Raw)

#3 - Bianca Belair (SmackDown)

#4 - Becky Lynch (Raw)

Round 2:

#5 - The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) (SmackDown)

#6 - Imperium (Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser, Giovanni Vinci) (Raw)

#7 - Edge (SmackDown)

#8 - Matt Riddle (Raw)

Round 3:

#9 - Bobby Lashley (SmackDown)

#10 - Drew McIntyre (Raw)

#11 - The O.C. ("The Phenomenal" AJ Styles, Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, Mia Yim) (SmackDown)

#12 - The Miz (Raw)

Round 4:

#13 - Damage CTRL (Bayley, Iyo Sky, Dakota Kai) (SmackDown)

#14 - Shinsuke Nakamura (Raw)

#15 - Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre (SmackDown)

#16 - Indi Hartwell (Raw)