Layin' da SmackDown - SmackDown recap for March 27, 2026

Randy Orton heads to the ring to start tonight's show. Orton talks about how he attacked "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes during their contract signing. He says that he shut out the voices in his head a long time ago, and that for the past few years, he has been thinking about his legacy as well as his fifteenth world championship, but when Cody gave him his blessing to be "The Viper" and the best that he can be. Orton says that he is now listening to the voices again and that he cannot be held responsible for what happens next; he says that his voices are not the problem, but everyone else's voices. Orton then states that there is one person outside of his head that he is listening to. All of a sudden, Matt Cardona shows up and strikes Orton in the head with the microphone in his hand.

Backstage, General Manager Nick Aldis is met by Trick Williams. Aldis admits he is impressed with Trick as of late and that he is giving him a match at WrestleMania. All of a sudden, Sami Zayn shows up, wanting to know what he will be doing for WrestleMania. Aldis says things have not been going Sami's way as of late, and unless something changes, he does not have a spot for him. Sami walks away, but then gets an idea, walks back the other way, punches Trick out, and then says he will have a match at WrestleMania one way or another.

Backstage, Randy Orton meets with General Manager Nick Aldis, angry at what Matt Cardona did earlier and wanting a match with Cardona tonight. He also say that if Aldis cannot make the match happen, the voices are going to take over. Aldis makes the match, but tells Orton to cool off on his own somewhere until then.

The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend) show up before the next match. Nia Jax says there is still time to get tickets for Raw, when they compete Bayley and Nia Jax with the women's tag titles on the line. Nia then says that the fans will want to see "the wanna-be contenders" in Alexa and Charlotte try their best tonight as she calls The Irresitible Forces are the team they want to watch and that there is no spotlight without them. Lash says that The Irresistible Forces are hotter compared to The Bella Twins (Brie and Nikki Bella) and calls Alexa and Charlotte's friendship "fake" before stating that they will not bring the show down too much and demanding that both teams then wrestle. The Irresistible Forces then watch the next match from ringside.

The Bella Twins (Brie and Nikki Bella) beat Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair after Lash Legend punches out Alexa Bliss on the outside. After the match, Charlotte confronts The Bella Twins, then The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend) attack both teams. All of a sudden, Bayley and Lyra Valkyria show up and brawl with The Irresistible Forces as they are about to double-team Alexa, and they quickly clean house. Charlotte shoves Brie down to the mat as she and Alexa leave the ring.

Backstage, Damian Priest finds R-Truth building a new clubhouse. Jelly Roll shows up, and R-Truth thinks that Jelly Roll is "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio. Rhea Ripley then shows up, and R-Truth takes this as Rhea Ripley and "Dominik Mysterio" getting back together again and hopes Liv Morgan does not see this. After R-Truth says that the clubhouse will have a hot tub, Jelly Roll warns Rhea Ripley that Jade Cargill is mean, violent, big and strong, yet Rhea Ripley is the one to humble Cargill at WrestleMania. He then leaves to get ready for his match with Kit Wilson, then R-Truth runs after him. Rhea congratulates Priest on winning the WWE Tag Team Championships with R-Truth, and Priest admits that while his gold is unexpected, he expects Rhea to get hers at WrestleMania and tells her to take care of Cargill already. Rhea says she is about to do just that.

Backstage, Charlotte Flair checks on Alexa Bliss when The Bella Twins (Brie and Nikki Bella) confront them. Charlotte tells The Bella Twins that they did not stand a chance without The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend), and tells them to get to the back of the line. Brie says they did not ask The Irresistible Forces to watch their match and tells Charlotte not to blame them, and that they came back to become Women's Tag Team Champions by any means necessary.

Rhea Ripley heads to the ring. Rhea says she never expected any integrity from Jade Cargill, as she was fully under the impression to do whatever it took to not get her hands dirty. She did not, however, expect B-Fab and "Michin" Mia Yim to be desperate enough to stoop down to Cargill's level. She says that if they want to play that game, that is fine, as it is WrestleMania season and she does not care who she has to go through to get there. Rhea says she is dressed for any occasion, and dares Michin, Cargill and B-Fab to join her. Jade Cargill shows up, as does Michin and B-Fab, and Cargill says Rhea sounds real slick for someone who got dropped last week, and says that Michin and B-Fab did not join her; instead, they positioned themselves in power. B-Fab calls Rhea "a selfish backstabber" who does not care who puts in the work as long as she gets the rewards, and Michin says she has been grinding for decades just like Rhea, and while she and B-Fab are forgotten, Rhea gets all the love and attention. Michin says they are tired of this and that they want theirs now, and B-Fab says Cargill gave them the opportunity and they took it, and that with Cargill, what you see is what you got. Cargill then says that Rhea can be their guest if she wants her ass kicked, then says that they spoke with General Manager Nick Aldis and that B-Fab has offered to step up, and that Rhea will learn tonight. Rhea tells Jade that they will learn that actions have consequences and that she is something that Cargill cannot protect B-Fab from. Rhea then calls for a referee, which leads to a match.

Rhea Ripley quickly beats B-Fab by disqualification after Jade Cargill attacks her on the outside. Rhea fights back after the match and goes for Riptide on Cargill, but "Michin" Mia Yim and B-Fab gang up on her before readying her for Jaded.

Backstage, Kit Wilson meets with The Miz, saying "The Miz Method" worked and that he wants The Miz in his corner. The Miz says Kit Wilson can do this on his own while trying not to have anything bad happen to him. The Miz leaves, then Danhausen shows up and asks Kit what he has that he himself does not. Kit Wilson says he looks the part while Danhausen is toxic. Danhausen interrupts Kit Wilson before he can finish that sentences, curses him and disappears.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Drew McIntyre. McIntyre is taped up, but still walking, and he admits that he can feel the pain from fighting Jacob Fatu last week. He says he is not here to fight tonight, but if Jacob Fatu wants to start something, he will finish it. He then says that Jacob Fatu took WrestleMania away from him and that when a man has nothing to lose, he is at his most dangerous.

Before the next match, Kit Wilson defends the honor of his mother through slam poetry. He then attacks Jelly Rock from behind with the poetry book.

Jelly Roll beats Kit Wilson with a choke slam, earning his first singles win in WWE. Jelly Roll celebrates with his son after the match.

Backstage, Solo Sikoa meets with The MFT's (Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Talla Tonga, JC Mateo). Solo says that everything he does for the family is done out of love, as he knows just how great they can be. He says that his job is to lead this family, but he cannot lead if he is on the same page. Solo says last week was a little too much, and he apologizes before stating that Roman Reigns would not have done the same. The MFT's leave, but as Tama Tonga is about to join them, Carmelo Hayes asks Tama Tonga if he is going to take a shot at the United States Championship or if he is going to wait until Solo tells him to. Carmelo leaves, then Shinsuke Nakamura catches up with Tama Tonga again. Talla Tonga shows up, then Tama Tonga leaves with him.

Carmelo Hayes' open challenge for the WWE United States Championship is answered by Sami Zayn. Trick Williams then shows up and watches the next match from ringside.

Sami Zayn beats Carmelo Hayes to win the WWE United States Championship for the second time. During the match, Trick Williams takes the WWE United States Championship and throws it into the ring. Sami Zayn takes it, but the referee removes it. Trick gets on the apron, but punches Carmelo with a right hand meant for Sami Zayn. Sami Zayn then hits the Helluva Kick on Carmelo Hayes to win the match and the title.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Jacob Fatu. Jacob says he did not show up just to stay backstage, and then heads to the ring to speak to the people.

Members of the Pittsburgh Steelers are seen in the front row.

Backstage, Sami Zayn meets with General Manager Nick Aldis and finds out that he will be defending the WWE United States Championship against Trick Williams at WrestleMania.

Jacob Fatu heads to the ring. Jacob says he is limping, busted open, and has cracked ribs, and it all has to do with Drew McIntyre. He asks McIntyre what is wrong with him after trying to take him out, end his career and take food off his family's table. He says that kicking his teeth down his throat, hitting his head with the WWE Championship, hitting him with a car and even tossing him off the side of a building was not going to keep him down, and that he is still standing. Jacob says that as long as he has air in his lungs, he will dog walk McIntyre ever week. McIntyre shows up and says he is the victim, not Jacob, and that Jacob started this when he accused him of a crime he did not commit, saying that he is guilty until proven innocent and that Jacob is straight guilty because he is a criminal. He says that Jacob Fatu stole everything from him, then says "Screw your damn kids." General Manager Nick Aldis intervenes, saying neither man is in any condition to beat each other up tonight until WrestleMania, when they finally square off one-on-one. He then says McIntyre and Jacob have become liabilities to themselves and WWE and that WWE will not be held responsible, and that their match will be unsanctioned.

Backstage, Jelly Roll meets with Matt Cardona, saying he feels bad after what Randy Orton did to him. Matt Cardona wants to kick Randy's ass tonight, then Jelly Roll leaves and Zelina Vega and Aleister Black show up. Zelina says that Cardona is picking a fight he cannot win to fix his ego, and Aleister says that there would have been if it was just Randy, but Randy now has the voices in his hand.

Chelsea Green catches up with Tiffany Stratton. Tiffany declines Chelsea's help against Giulia.

Giulia beats Tiffany Stratton following the distraction by Kiana James, which allows Giulia to get the knees up for the Prettiest Moonsault Ever and get the win.

Backstage, Cathy Kelley interviews Bayley and Lyra Valkyria. Bayley says that she and Lyra Valkyria that they had to remind The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend) who runs SmackDown and who has their eyes on the women's tag team division. Lyra says that she and Bayley are the biggest threat to the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships, and Bayley says that they will get the job done on Raw.

Randy Orton is on the phone with someone. He tells that person that he will see them soon.

Randy Orton beats Matt Cardona. After the match, "The American Nightmare" Cody Rhodes comes out of his tour bus, heads towards the ring, and gets stopped by security and General Manager Nick Aldis. Cody says he just wants to talk to Orton, but Aldis reminds him not to jeopardize the WrestleMania match. Cody stares down Orton from the ring apron, and this soon leads to a brawl. Orton retreats, and security and officials try in vain to stop the brawl when it makes its way outside. Both Cody and Orton fight off security as they continue to beat each other up, and even Jelly Roll has to show up reason with both Cody and Orton. All of a sudden, Randy Orton hits Jelly Roll with an RKO and smiles on his way to the back.

Here are the highlights from tonight's show!