LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 19: Trick Williams and Lil Yachty celebrate during WrestleMania 42: Night 2 at Allegiant Stadium on April 19, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Bradlee Rutledge/WWE via Getty Images)
WWE via Getty Images
What's next for Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton? It's unclear as to whether Rhodes will be cleared for action after suffering a nasty head and eye injury at WrestleMania 42. However, you've got to believe that feud will continue. Trick Williams' U.S. championship coronation figures to be interrupted by Carmelo Hayes as we move toward their potential clash at Backlash. There's a lot to potentially unpack in Fort Worth, Texas.
Same time, same channel as usual for this episode. This is usually the case when SmackDown is in the United States.
The show airs on USA Network at 8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT and runs three hours, with Netflix carrying the international stream and Peacock holding U.S. replays. For fans heading to Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, doors open at 5 p.m. CT with the in-arena bell set for 6:30 p.m. CT.
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The wrestling roots run deep in Texas and WWE usually tries to deliver big whenever they're in the Lone Star State.
Dickies Arena in Fort Worth gets the call this week, hosting what the venue is billing as the WrestleMania 42 fallout taping. The building has become a steady stop on the WWE rotation since opening in 2019, and Fort Worth gets the first true post-Mania SmackDown on the road to Backlash on May 9 in Tampa.
There's a wide variety of WWE Superstars advertised for the show, which means what we're going to see is anyone's guess.
The names on the bill include Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, Charlotte Flair, Jacob Fatu, Solo Sikoa, Jade Cargill, Tiffany Stratton and Sami Zayn. Cards are always subject to change, but that’s a stacked rotation of names for one Friday night, with Rhea Ripley's absence being the only real eyebrow-raiser.
I'd expect some verbal sparring but no contact for Rhodes. If we forgot why the punt kick was outlawed before, Rhodes' eye is a reminder.
Rhodes is still in concussion protocol as a precaution, and there’s no current timetable for his ring return. Orton has been the quietest man in the company since the post-match punt at Mania, which makes Fort Worth the obvious spot for both men to address what comes next without needing to put hands on each other.
Who knows if Reigns shows up on SmackDown? There's been some energy between Solo and Jacob Fatu recently. You have to wonder if Solo will attempt to align himself with Jacob again as he moves toward a feud with Roman Reigns.
The April 17 SmackDown ended with Solo hitting a Samoan Spike and a tense staredown with Tama Tonga, suggesting the MFT itself may not be as solid as it looks. With Fatu having issued a Backlash challenge to Reigns on the post-Mania Raw, the Samoan family chess board is going to need pieces moved on Friday one way or another.
Rhea is the new champion and Charlotte Flair seems primed for a return to singles competition and perhaps the championship spotlight. Stratton is the new No. 1 contender for the Women's U.S. Championship. I'm expecting her match with Giulia to take place at Backlash, but we'll likely find out on Friday.
Then there’s the new women’s tag-team champions.
WWE has already teased a Ripley response to Cargill’s latest attack, even though Ripley isn't on the advertised list. Charlotte's path is the one to watch beyond that — Ric Flair has been openly campaigning for her to leave the Alexa Bliss tag pairing and get back to the singles scene, and Fort Worth could be the first sign of that pivot.
The Williams-Hayes-Zayn triangle isn't over, so it'll be interesting to see where we land with that story.
Trick Williams just took the U.S. Title from Sami Zayn at Mania, and the obvious next step is Carmelo Hayes inserting himself into a coronation moment. With all three names floating around the same belt, this episode is the one where the Backlash mid-card picture should start coming into focus.
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