By Jason Powell, ProWrestling.net Editor (@prowrestlingnet)
WWE Smackdown (Episode 1,389)
St. Louis, Missouri, at Enterprise Center
Simulcast live April 3, 2026, on USA Network and internationally on Netflix
[Hour One] Joe Tessitore opened the show and narrated various shots of Rhea Ripley, Jade Cargill with Michin and B-Fab, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, and the team of Bayley and Lyra Valkyria. Tessitore listed the attendance as 11,620. Tessitore and Wade Barrett checked in from their broadcast table and spoke about WrestleMania being two weeks away. They set up a video package of the Raw opening segment with WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Stephanie McMahon…
Powell’s POV: WrestleTix listed the venue as being set up for 12,162 with 11,777 tickets distributed. The listed capacity is 22,000. The last time WWE ran the Enterprise Center was on May 10, 2025, for WWE Backlash, when they distributed 17,117 tickets.
Randy Orton made his entrance while ring announcer Mark Nash introduced him. Orton was cheered by his hometown fans. Orton asked the St. Louis fans what they wanted to talk about. He acknowledged that he was raised in St. Louis and still calls it home.
Orton said he would have his 15th world championship by the time he returns to the host venue. He said he wasn’t doing it for the St. Louis fans. Orton said he was doing it for himself and his family. He said he was doing it for the six people in the front row, and then his family members were shown. Orton said Stephanie McMahon wasn’t lying on Raw when she said that Cody couldn’t beat him. Orton said that what Cody awoke in him couldn’t be put back to bed.
WWE Champion Cody Rhodes made his entrance. The crowd yelled the “whoa” line from his song loudly. Cody entered the ring, and then he and Orton traded punches. Cody got the better of Orton, and there were some boos from the live crowd.
Pat McAfee entered the ring dressed in all black, including shades and an Orton t-shirt. Cody turned toward McAfee, who kicked him in the balls. McAfee threw more kicks at Cody while he was down. Orton went to the floor and returned with a chair, which he jabbed Cody with.
McAfee said the Rams left town, the Blues wouldn’t make the playoffs, and the Cardinals were ass. McAfee said Orton said it wasn’t his home anymore, and it was a tough night in St. Louis. Smackdown General Manager Nick Aldis showed up at ringside with several producers and referees.
McAfee said he did a Q&A a couple of months ago and was asked when he would return to WWE. McAfee recalled saying the business had passed him by. McAfee said Orton called him and told him that the business hadn’t passed him by, it just went in a direction that no one liked. McAfee brought up the Attitude Era fans and worked in impersonations of Steve Austin and The Rock.
McAfee asked why he has to watch two 5’5″ guys do a 45-minute Iron Man match for no rhyme or reason when Randy Orton is around. He asked why he turns on Netflix and sees all of the people around the Gorilla position “circle-jerking themselves” for episode after episode when Orton is around.
McAfee said tickets for WrestleMania are still somehow available when Orton is around. He said Smackdown was fresh off the worst-rated episode of all time has a puppet for a champion who represents everything “we” hate. Orton roughed up Cody.
McAfee said he’s the person telling Orton on the phone that he needs to kill everything. He said it’s not just for the 15th world title, it’s because the business is terrible. “And he is going to save the f—ing business,” McAfee said while being censored and before he spiked the microphone. There were some cheers and “Randy” chants. Orton knelt and said something to Cody before leaving the ring with McAfee… [C]
Powell’s POV: I didn’t expect to see Pat McAfee playing Vince Russo on Smackdown. I enjoyed the Attitude Era before it ended in roughly 2002. Every time I think the business has finally moved on, something like this happens. There were some cheers, but it seemed like a lot of the fans didn’t know what the hell to make of this nonsense.
The broadcast team spoke while highlights aired of the opening segment…
Orton and McAfee were shown walking backstage. McAfee said sometimes you have to remind people that they are in the GOAT conversation. They got in a truck. McAfee drove the truck while Orton was in the passenger’s seat…
Rhea Ripley made her entrance. Michin’s entrance followed. She wore a letterman’s jacket and was accompanied by B-Fab…
1. Rhea Ripley vs. Michin (w/B-Fab). WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill walked out early in the match, which distracted Ripley. Michin took advantage of it and was getting the better of Ripley before a picture-in-picture break. [C]
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