6 Surprises At WWE SmackDown After WrestleMania 42

WWE

The WWE SmackDown after WrestleMania is usually one of the biggest weekly TV shows of the year for the company.

While much of the attention goes to the Raw after WrestleMania, SmackDown also often has debuts and returns that make this a memorable episode of the Friday night show.

Following WrestleMania 42, SmackDown could offer just as many memorable moments and surprises that make this an unforgettable show for WWE.

Here are six potential surprises at WWE SmackDown after WrestleMania 42.

6. Sol Ruca Gets Called Up To The Main Roster

Over the past year, Sol Ruca has more than proven why she has everything it takes to be a standout on the WWE main roster.

Making a name for herself on WWE NXT over the past four years, Ruca has become known for her unique look and awe inspiring high flying ability inside the squared circle.

With her impressive Sol Snatcher finisher, Ruca has caught the eyes of the fans in a massive way on the NXT brand.

Now with many of her stories finishing up on NXT, it feels like nothing is stopping Sol Ruca from making a huge impact on SmackDown after her call-up following WrestleMania 42.

5. Ethan Page Makes His Debut & Reunites With Chelsea Green

In 2024, Ethan Page signed with WWE and immediately became a key player on the NXT brand.

‘All Ego’ has utilized his years of experience on the independent scene, as well as in TNA Wrestling and All Elite Wrestling to become one of the top stars on WWE NXT.

After winning the NXT Championship and becoming one of the longest reigning NXT North American Champions in history, Page has displayed everything it takes to make a similar mark on the main roster.

Moving to Friday Night SmackDown, Page could reunite with Chelsea Green to become a featured act on the blue following the WrestleMania 42 premium live event.

4. Alexa Bliss Turns On Charlotte Flair

In 2025, Alexa Bliss befriended Charlotte Flair to become one of the best women’s tag teams in all of WWE.

After capturing the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship, Flair and Bliss created an unmistakable bond with one another that has made them a popular pairing.

With the way they came together and their own individual histories, it seems almost inevitable that Bliss and Flair will eventually turn on one another.

While it could be easy to see ‘The Queen’ betray her friend, WWE could go in another direction by having Bliss turn on Flair on the SmackDown After WrestleMania 42.

3. Tama Tonga Leaves The MFTs

In recent months, Tama Tonga has started to make a name for himself in singles competition.

While he got his start in WWE alongside Solo Sikoa as part of the New Bloodline and then The MFTs, Tonga has been a singles star in recent years, including four reigns as the NEVER Openweight Champion in New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Despite his success in singles competition, Sikoa has tried to keep Tonga under his thumb, which has caused some friction between the two.

Tama deciding to leave The MFTs would be an impactful moment for the WWE SmackDown after WrestleMania 42 and cause a major shift in the group moving forward.

2. Bianca Belair Returns

After the WrestleMania 41 event, Bianca Belair announced that she had been sidelined with a serious finger injury.

Belair has now been on the shelf for over the past year to recover from this injury.

‘The EST of WWE’ has been sorely missed for the Friday Night SmackDown women’s division and would be a wonderful addition at this point.

With a return on the WWE SmackDown after WrestleMania 42, Belair could instantly thrust herself into the spotlight and become a potential contender for whoever walks out of ‘The Show of Shows’ with the WWE Women’s Championship between Jade Cargill and Rhea Ripley.

1. Randy Orton Revealed As Jacob Fatu’s Mystery Attacker

On the March 13 episode of Friday Night SmackDown, Randy Orton turned heel on Cody Rhodes in a brutal and bloody beatdown.

After betraying his friend and former protege, Orton has since revealed Pat McAfee as his mystery caller who has helped him realize who he really is.

While that reveal was disappointing to some fans, there could be another reveal regarding Orton that may deliver another huge surprise come the WWE SmackDown after WrestleMania 42.

Orton revealing himself as Jacob Fatu’s mystery attacker would pay off this storyline and show this sudden change for ‘The Viper’ to feel more steady, displaying that he had dipped into his dark side way before that betrayal on Cody Rhodes.

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• Smackdown
• WrestleMania
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