WWE SmackDown Live Results, Highlights, and Grades for April 2, 2019

https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1113230912576139264

The Kevin Owens Show with AJ Styles and Randy Orton

WWE SmackDown Live began with an edition of The Kevin Owens Show featuring special guests AJ Styles and Randy Orton. Kevin Owens explained that these two men would compete to define their legacy on Sunday at WrestleMania 35. Owens wasted no time in introducing both, and the war of words got heated fairly quickly.

Randy Orton explained he was happy to have “saved” the fans from watching AJ Styles vs. Kurt Angle last week on SmackDown, and seemed quite pleased to have done so. Things quickly turned to AJ’s indie history, which Randy Orton touched on and emphasized that Orton was wrestling at WrestleMania on a yearly basis when AJ Styles was still wrestling in high school gyms.

Styles paused before firing back that, while AJ was wrestling in those gyms, Orton was in the WWE getting suspended for failing drug tests. The comment clearly hit a nerve, and Orton turned to the question of legacies. He then explained that since John Cena is now off making movies, AJ has the legacy of assuming the role of “corporate bitch.”

In probably the smartest move of the night so far, Kevin Owens promptly stood up and left the ring before things blew up. Moments later, the brawl was on between Orton and Styles. It led to AJ being on the apron and going for a Phenomenal Forearm, only to be caught mid-air with an RKO. Tonight we saw Randy Orton standing tall, and he’ll carry that momentum into Sunday.

Grade: A, This was a great back and forth and continued to stress the theme of this growing rivalry. Kevin Owens also played his role perfectly, and we can expect an instant classic from Styles and Orton at WrestleMania.

Author’s Note: While it hasn’t yet been mentioned on SmackDown Live, the planned match between Rey Mysterio and Andrade was cancelled because Mysterio reportedly sufferred an ankle injury while facing Baron Corbin on WWE Raw.