Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for April 4, 2025

CM Punk heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Punk grabs a video camera and captures the entire crowd and thanks 16,000 members of his hometown family and how his whole life has revolved around the phrase "You're not supposed to be here" before mentioning he is in the main event of WrestleMania. He says he has earned - not deserved - it, and how he has put in the hard work to prove he should be here, then says the hard work begins before thanking AJ Lee, his dog Larry, the fans and the city of Chicago, Illinois. Punk says he has a date at WrestleMania and says he will beat Seth "Freakin'" Rollins' ass and put a beating on Roman Reigns, then Paul Heyman shows up and says that Punk belongs in WWE, the ring, in Chicago and in the main event of WrestleMania. Heyman talks about the last time the two of them were in a WWE ring and how Punk saved both him and Roman Reigns' Bloodline, then says he has another favor to ask of him. Heyman asks Punk what the favor he asked for again, as Roman Reigns is not yet and he is angry. Punk says the favor is not Roman's business and that it will affect him a little bit, and that he wants Roman and Heyman to know at the same time.

Up next: Rey Fenix debuts!

Rey Fenix beats Nathan Frazer in his WWE debut. After the match, Byron Saxton interviews Fenix in the ring. Fenix says he has a lot of history in Chicago, Illinois, and tonight is not the debut of Rey Fenix; instead, it is his return and he has been rewarded with love, and he waited so long to state that he is in WWE.

Backstage, Legado del Fantasma have been watching Rey Fenix. Escobar says that this is what he expects from Angel and Berto. Berto calls Rey Fenix "a flash in the pan" and says that he is better than Fenix, and Escobar says he will have to prove it in the match with Fenix.

We hear from Drew McIntyre, who says that nobody cares Damian Priest unless he is feasting off of his scraps. He says that Priest hides in the shadows like a vulture to attack him, and now he has been praying, and when he prays, bad things happen.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Braun Strowman, who says he has had enough of Jacob Fatu sticking his nose in his business, and that he will go through Jacob in tonight's Last Man Standing Match and go on to WrestleMania. Suddenly, Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga, and Solo says Strowman is finished. LA Knight then shows up and tells Strowman to keep his eyes on the prize and tells Solo to keep his boys in order. Tama says Knight should be worried, but Knight says he will be stomping Tama all over the ring.

LA Knight beats Tama Tonga after Solo Sikoa's interference backfires.

Backstage, Byron Saxton interviews Paul Heyman, who says that no matter what the favor is, his answer is "Yes." As he says this, a black GMC SUV pulls up. Instead of Roman Reigns, Seth "Freakin'" Rollins exits the vehicle, much to Heyman's chagrin. Rollins says that Heyman looks like he had a bad week while he had a great week, and that he was able to come up with a plan. He also says Heyman has dug himself into a hole with the favor for CM Punk, and tells him to know when Roman shows up, as he wants to know what the favor is.

We see more smoke and coins for eyes on a skull.

Charlotte Flair heads to the ring. After the break, Tiffany Stratton also heads to the ring, and Wade Barrett is in the ring with a microphone. Charlotte says that Tiffany Stratton was begging and that she is the gift that keeps giving, then says that she has not done any "charity work" lately and that she wants "the smartest wrestling fans" to know there is no comparison. Tiffany says Charlotte's biggest competitor is the fans and that it is part of a battle she will never win, that she tries to be all tough but cries her heart out on a talk show, and that no matter how many titles Charlotte wins, she will always be second to her father. She also mentions her WrestleMania record of 4-3. Charlotte says Tiffany is not the first person to tell her that, and she keeps booed out of the building as she tries to say more. Tiffany says she is walking into WrestleMania as a champion at 25 while Charlotte was playing volleyball and "drinking in her daddy's basement" at the same age. Tiffany says Charlotte is "the queen of shit" before Charlotte mocks her voice, then says that Charlotte will be "WWE's #1 nepo baby" before she walks out of WrestleMania at champion while Charlotte will end up alone just like her father, saying that she is "0-3" in relationships. Tiffany walks away as Charlotte asks if this is why Ludwig Kaiser is in her DM's.

General Manager Nick Aldis announces that there will be a women's tag team gauntlet match where the winners face Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania.

The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) watch the next match from the front row.

The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) beat #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) to become #1 contenders for the WWE Tag Team Championships after Sabin sends Ciampa into an exposed turnbuckle.

Backstage, The Miz and Carmelo Hayes run into Pretty Deadly (Kit Wilson and Elton Prince) and make fun of Pretty Deadly squandering a tag team title opportunity and losing. Pretty Deadly make fun of Miz's relevance and Carmelo's relegating himself to The Miz.

Naomi beats B-Fab. Before the match, Naomi is attacked by Jade Cargill. After the match, Naomi calls out Jade Cargill, and Cargill shows up from out of nowhere and attacks her. Security stops her from hitting Jaded, and this time, Cargill levels all of security. General Manager Nick Aldis shows up and puts the two of them in a match at WrestleMania.

We hear from Damian Priest, who tells Drew McIntyre that he screwed himself at every turn, yet he is still the villain, and McIntyre cost him his shot at the main event of WrestleMania. He calls McIntyre a hypocrite who complains, blames everyone for his mistakes and plays the victim. He says he is McIntyre's villain now, and tells him to meet him in the middle of the ring so he can become his victim at WrestleMania.

General Manager Nick Aldis is in the ring. He says that this is not a part of his job that he enjoys doing and that there is a reason why professional wrestling should not be imitated at home before introducing Kevin Owens. Owens says he has done this for 25 years and that he can say confidently for the last 25 years, he has given it his all in the ring and that he has gotten to do incredible things he will never forget and take care of his family in ways he has only dreamed of. He says that the toll on his body is the price to pay for this opportunity and that everyone has paid that price at different times, but now it is his turn, as for the last four months, he has had a serious neck injury. Owens says he must now get neck surgery and that the timing could not be worse, as not being in the ring with Randy Orton at WrestleMania "really sucks." He thanks WWE for giving him the opportunity to mention this, as he does not know when he will be in the ring again. He says that he has learned not to take this for granted and that he is not taking this for granted. He apologizes to the fans, then shakes hands with Aldis before leaving. Suddenly, Randy Orton shows up and heads to the ring. Aldis tells Orton that he no longer has a match for WrestleMania, and Orton responds by hitting Aldis with an RKO.

We look back on WrestleMania 1, courtesy of Snickers.

Jacob Fatu beats Braun Strowman in a Last Man Standing Match to face LA Knight for the WWE United States Championship at WrestleMania after backing Strowman through a table in the corner.

Backstage, Paul Heyman waits for Roman Reigns. After the commercial break, Roman Reigns finally arrives, and he walks by Paul Heyman on his way to the ring. Roman finds out through Heyman that CM Punk is here and that Punk is still talking about the favor Heyman owes him, then says Punk would not be back here if it was not for him. He says that Punk would also not be in the main event of WrestleMania because of him, and while the fans love him, he was never in the main event until he was introduced to him. Roman then demands Punk come to the ring so he can find out what that favor is, but he ends up getting Seth "Freakin'" Rollins instead. Rollins says he would not miss this for the world and that he has the feeling that the favor in question will rock Roman's world, saying Roman does not like to live in the real world and that reality bites him in the ass when he steps out of his own world. He says that Roman underestimates Punk because he thinks he is above him, and says he has tried that and it did not work, and that he now has to deal with Punk at WrestleMania. Rollins says he is in a better place than last week and that he knows there are two things one can do: suffer and get left behind, or adapt and control reality. Roman says that Punk is not loyal and does not know what loyal is, then says that he keeps his word, unlike Rollins. He says he called Punk, not Rollins, but Rollins says he is here to hear from Punk, and now there is only one thing missing. Punk shows up and heads to the ring, and says that this is about friendship, loyalty and promises both made and kept. He says that this all spans back for years, and how Heyman told Punk to force "them" to deal with "us." Punk then says that "they" are gone, and that he will force Roman to deal with "us." He states that at WrestleMania, Heyman will be in his corner and not Roman's. Rollins says "I told you!" as Roman says "That's the favor?" and laughs. Roman says that Heyman needs him and that he saved Heyman, and that even if he could, he wouldn't. Roman tells Heyman to let Punk down easy, but Heyman starts crying. Roman tells Heyman he took him in and made him relevant, and tells him to tell Punk no. Roman then gives Heyman one more opportunity and demands Heyman tell Punk no, but Heyman says he cannot do that. Rollins is on his knees laughing before Punk attacks Roman from behind as he forces Heyman in the corner. Punk hits Roman with the GTS, then dares Rollins to face him. Rollins steps out of the ring as the show ends.

Here are the highlights from toinight's show!

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