WWE SmackDown Results (03/31) - Cody Rhodes & Roman Reigns Come Face To Face, Andre The Giant Battle Royal, Fatal Four-Way Match And More

Welcome to Wrestling Inc.'s results of "WWE SmackDown" on March 31, 2023, coming to you live from the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California!

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and the winner of the 2023 Men's Royal Rumble match Cody Rhodes will come face-to-face for one last time before they square off at WrestleMania 39 this Sunday. Things between the two men have become personal over the past few months, and they have made their disdain for one another well known. 

The André The Giant Battle Royal will be making its highly anticipated return tonight, featuring the likes of Johnny Gargano, Bobby Lashley, Karrion Kross, Madcap Moss, Legado Del Fantasma, The O.C., Hit Row, The Brawling Brutes, and Maximum Male Models among others. Moss scored the win during last year's Battle Royal, and it remains to be seen if he'll be able to come out on top again this year.

Elsewhere, Raquel Rodriguez, Shayna Baszler, Natalya, and Sonya Deville will be colliding in a Fatal Four-Way bout before they team with Liv Morgan, Ronda Rousey, Shotzi, and Chelsea Green respectively in the Women's Fatal Four-Way Tag Team Showcase match at the SoFi Stadium.

Drew McIntyre and Sheamus will be battling it out with GUNTHER for his Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania, but ahead of that, they will have to work as a cohesive unit tonight as they go head-to-head with GUNTHER's Imperium teammates Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci. That task is easier said than done however, as tensions between "The Celtic Warrior" and "The Scottish Warrior" have been on the rise over the past few weeks.

We are live! Michael Cole and Wade Barrett greet audiences at home as The Usos head to the ring.

Jimmy says tonight is the last "SmackDown" before the biggest tag team match in WWE history on "The Grandest Stage of Them All".

Before Jimmy can continue, Sami Zayn's music hits, and he and Kevin Owens appear. Zayn says Jimmy was right about his aforementioned statement. Zayn says they will put an end to their issues once and for all, but before he and Owens take away their tag team title, they need to lay out everything on the table. Owens says he is a little bit conflicted when it comes to what he and Zayn have to do tomorrow night because The Usos were the first two people to make him feel welcomed. He says he remembers the two of them playing with his son, and says he looked up to them until they started doing Roman Reigns' bidding. He says things got worse when The Usos tried taking his career and livelihood away from him and if it weren't for Zayn, he wouldn't be standing here today. He says there's part of him that doesn't want to do what he has to, but part of him can't wait. He says that he and Zayn will become the new tag team champions.

Jimmy tells Owens that he's right, and says that he and Jey showed him love at first, but they now have no love for either him or Zayn. He says that Zayn and Owens are conflicted about their brotherhoods, then uses himself and Jey as an example. Zayn cuts him off and says blood isn't the only thing that makes one family. He says loyalty does too, and Jey asks him what he knows about loyalty. Zayn reminds Jey that he was loyal to him and the rest of The Bloodline, then says he was the one to choose blood over loyalty. He says Reigns hasn't ever been loyal to either one of The Usos, and says Reigns has put the pressure of The Bloodline on him and his brother. He says when he and Owens defeat The Usos, that's the end of The Bloodline. He says Jimmy and Jey can go back to just being themselves, but without the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship.

Owens, Zayn, and The Usos stare one another down before Jey breaks the silence and says it'll be the same thing it always is for Owens and Zayn. He says after they lose, Owens will betray Zayn and adds that he's sick of everyone saying The Bloodline will fall. He says that Owens and Zayn will hear the ring announcer say "And still your WWE Tag Team Champions, Jimmy and Jey Uso."

The Usos hold up their titles, and exit the ring and head to the back while The Street Profits make their way down. Ford and Dawkins stare down The Usos before Braun Strowman, Ricochet, Alpha Academy, and The Viking Raiders follow The Profits down to ringside. 

The bell rings and Ford goes after Gable while Erik and Ricochet go at it. Ricochet sends Erik crashing to the outside, and Ford tosses Gable through the middle rope. Ford and Ricochet then go back and forth before Gable slides back inside. Ricochet and Ford deliver a dropkick that sends Gable back to the outside. Erik gets back in, and the duo do the same to Erik. They look to go flying over the top, but Erik and Gable catch them. They plant them on the floor, and Gable tosses Ricochet into the ring steps. Ford is sent crashing into the ring post by Erik while Gable and Ricochet get back in the ring. Gable delivers a dragon screw to Ricochet, but Erik levels him and delivers several right hands to Ricochet's midsection. He then delivers a clothesline that turns Ricochet inside out, but Gable levels him with a crossbody.

Back from the break, Ford and Erik teeter on the top rope as Gable and Ricochet do the same. Ricochet delivers a headbutt that sends Gable crashing off the top while Erik delivers a superplex to Ford. Gable gets back up on the top and delivers an underhook suplex to Ricochet, and Ford then catches him with a back elbow. Ford ascends to the top and catches Erik with a crossbody, then delivers a back hand to Gable. Gable then levels Ricochet with a German suplex, and Erik delivers a knee to Ford's jaw. He plants Gable on top of Ford, then delivers an enziguri before delivering a senton over the top rope to the other men on the outside. He then delivers a crossbody off the top to Gable, and Ricochet follows it up with a 450 Splash on Gable for the win.

Winner: Ricochet

Back from the break, we head to a video hyping up the "SmackDown Women's Championship match between Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley.

The participants in the André The Giant Battle Royal then head to the ring.

The bell rings and everyone starts going at it. Ridge Holland tries tossing Santos Escobar over the top rope while Rick Boogs immediately eliminates Baron Corbin.

Eliminated: Baron Corbin

Dexter Lumis stares down everyone in the corner as Butch fires off right hands to Escobar's midsection. Top Dolla beats down Bobby Lashley in the corner before Lashley sends him over the top rope. He then tosses out Ashante "Thee" Adonis and Cruz Del Toro.

Eliminated: Top Dolla, Ashante "Thee" Adonis, and Cruz Del Toro

Karrion Kross goes after Santos Escobar. Boogs looks to toss Bronson Reed over the top. Ma.çé eliminates Ivar and Angelo Dawkins, then celebrates with Mån.sôör and Otis. Otis then tosses Ma.çé out of the ring, and Gargano throws Mån.sôör over the top.

Eliminated: Ivar, Angelo Dawkins, Ma.çé and Mån.sôör

Mustafa Ali tosses Dolph Ziggler over the top, but Ziggler lands on the apron. Otis throws Elias onto the apron, but Boogs tosses him out of the ring and helps out Elias.

Eliminated: Otis

Elias and Boogs hug, but Los Lotharios push Elias to the ground. Boogs then tosses Angel to the floor and throws Humberto on top of The O.C. (who have been tosses out) and Otis.

Eliminated: Los Lotharios and The O.C.

Back from the break, Madcap Moss tosses Dexter Lumis over the top. Xavier Woods has been eliminated by Karrion Kross, and Ali tosses Ziggler over the top. Ziggler hangs on and pulls Ali out, but Ali hangs on. Knight then pushes him to the floor, but Kross surprises him from behind and locks in the Kross Jacket.

Eliminated: Dexter Lumis, Xavier Woods, and Mustafa Ali

Bobby Lashley applies The Hurt Lock onto Ziggler, but him and Kross release their respective holds and stare one another down. Lashley tries locking in The Hurt Lock on Kross, but Kross evades it. He tosses Kross over the top, but Kross hands on. Meanwhile, Reed eliminates Moss as Braun Strowman eliminates Boogs.

Eliminated: Rick Boogs and Madcap Moss

Reed and Strowman stare one another down while Lashley tosses Ziggler over the top and stares both Reed and Strowman down.

Lashley delivers a splash to Reed in the corner and cinches in The Hurt Lock on Strowman. Meanwhile, The Brawling Brutes take Reed off his feed. Butch then looks for The Bitter End on Gargano, but Gargano reverses it into a DDT. Knight plants him face first and tosses him over the top, but Gargano hands on. Escobar hits Kross with a hurricanrana, but Gargano hits him with a spear. Lashley delivers a chokeslam to Gargano, then tosses him over the top and eliminates him.

Eliminated: Johnny Gargano

Reed tosses Butch over the top, but Butch hangs on. Reed then eliminates Holland before Butch catches him with an enziguri. Reed then knocks him off the apron, but Holland catches him. Butch then jumps Reed, but Reed tosses him off his back and to the outside.

Eliminated: The Brawling Brutes

We are down to four: Knight, Reed, Strowman, and Lashley. Knight fires off several right hands, but Reed overpowers him. Knight then tries tossing Reed to the outside, but Reed once again overpowers him and tosses him over the top to eliminate himm.

Eliminated: LA Knight

Boos rain down from the crowd as Lashley delivers splashes in opposite corners to Strowman. Strowman delivers a powerslam to Lashley, but Reed gets him on the apron and sends him crashing to the outside.

Eliminated: Braun Strowman

We are down to the final two: Reed and Lashley. Reed looks for the Tsunami, but Lashley rolls out of the way. He catches Reed with a spear, then looks to toss him outside. Lashley lands on the apron, then gets back in the ring and eliminates Reed.

Eliminated: Bronson Reed

Winner: Bobby Lashley

Raquel Rodrigues and Liv Morgan head to the ring, followed by Sonya Deville, Chelsea Green, Natalya, Shotzi, Shayna Baszler, and Ronda Rousey. 

The bell rings and Natalya and Rodriguez go straight after Baszler. They toss her out of the ring before Natalya levels Deville with a

McIntyre and Vinci begin the action. The bell rings and McIntyre wastes no time. He goes right after Vinci and hits him with a clothesline, then delivers a chop. Kaiser and Sheamus tag in. Sheamus delivers a clothesline off the top, then delivers a splash in the corner and follows it up with The Ten Beats of the Bodhran. McIntyre tags himself in and tosses Kaiser to the outside. Sheamus and McIntyre then stare one another down.

and Deville rolls to the outside. Natalya and Rodriguez then go at it, but Deville gets back in the ring and delivers a running bulldog to Natalya. Natalya locks in the Sharpshooter on Deville, but Baszler cinches in the Kirifuda Clutch on Natalya. Natalya looks to escape by sending Baszler into the corner, but Baszler hangs on. Rodriguez gets both women on her shoulders, but Deville catches her with a chop block. Rodriguez then delivers a big boot to Natalya before Deville sends her shoulder first into the ring post. She ascends to the top and goes flying, but Rodriguez catches her. Baszler charges at her, but Rodriguez levels her with a boot and delivers the Texana Bomb to Deville for the win.

Winner: Raquel Rodriguez

Back from the break, we head backstage to Rey Mysterio and Legado Del Fantasma. Santos Escobar says he wanted to see them, and Rey thanks them for having his back on "WWE Raw". Escobar tells Rey that it breaks his heart to see what he's going through with his son as a father, then says he can't wait to see him kick Dominik's ass. He tells Rey they have his back, and Rey thanks them. He then hands each member of Legado a shirt, and they turn them around to reveal that they say LWO: Latino World Order!

Back at ringside, Sheamus and Drew McIntyre head down. Imperium follows.

McIntyre and Vinci begin the action. The bell rings and McIntyre wastes no time. He goes right after Vinci and hits him with a clothesline, then delivers a chop. Kaiser and Sheamus tag in. Sheamus delivers a clothesline off the top, then delivers a splash in the corner and follows it up with The Ten Beats of the Bodhran. McIntyre tags himself in and tosses Kaiser to the outside. Sheamus and McIntyre then stare one another down.

Back from the break, Kaiser beats down Sheamus. Sheamus manages to deliver The Irish Curse Backbreaker, and McIntyre tags himself in. Vinci McIntyre delivers a pair of lariats and a pair of belly-to-belly throws to him, then follows it up with a neckbreaker and kips up. He sets up for the Claymore Kick, but Sheamus tags himself in. McIntyre gets in his face, allowing Imperium to execute their finisher. Vinci goes for a pin, but Sheamus kicks out. Sheamus delivers a knee, then follows it up with a Brogue Kick. Kaiser tries to interfere, but McIntyre levels him with a Claymore Kick.

Winners: Sheamus and Drew McIntyre

Back from the break, Cody Rhodes heads to the ring.

Rhodes asks Los Angeles what they want to talk about, then says they could talk about how they're at the end of the road because WrestleMania is here. He says everyone has been on this ride with him as all his cards lay on the table. He says he's been making sure to schedule in workouts and nutrition in between media appearances to make sure he's ready for his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match. He says he's the most prepared he's ever been, but he feels unprepared speaking to fans right now. He thanks fans for allowing him to be emotional, then says he feels broken inside and the only medicine for that is beating Roman Reigns. Rhodes recounts their last encounter, then says Reigns likes to say that everybody thinks that they're the guy until they meet the guy. He says that sentiment has stuck with him, then introduces himself as Reigns' successor.

Reigns' music hits and both he and Paul Heyman make their way to the ring. Reigns tells Rhodes that it's not fans' turn, but rather his. Reigns tells Rhodes to acknowledge him.