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

Kofi Kingston and Daniel Bryan sign the contract for their WWE Championship Match

Finally, the end of SmackDown Live featured the much-anticipated contract signing for the WWE Championship Match at WrestleMania 35. Michael Cole was in the ring to mediate the signing, where Daniel Bryan and Rowan were already in place and ready for it to begin. Cole motioned for Kofi Kingston, who made his way out with the traditional New Day introduction.

Daniel Bryan signed the contract, but grabbed the microphone first and immediately began to take control of things. Bryan explained he would educate the fans about a few things, his primary “lessons” being to not be a bystander in your own life and not be complacent. Inbetween his condescending ranting, the fans continued various chants of “KO-FI,” “KO-FI ROCKS,” and “KO-FI KING-STON.” The more Bryan tried to talk, the more the fans tried to drown him out.

Meanwhile, Kofi Kingston remained professional and calm. He sat in his seat and allowed Bryan to speak, while Big E and Xavier Woods egged on the crowd and tried to keep the chants going. Daniel Bryan then explained that he has been in Kofi’s position, feeding off the crowd, but stated “You don’t feed off of them, they feed off of you, because they are parasites.”

The crowd didn’t respond kindly to that, but Kofi allowed things to continue for a moment. As Bryan told Kofi to soak it in because things would never get better, Kofi Kingston stood up and grabbed the microphone in a fury. “Now you have to sit there and shut your mouth while I educate you,” Kingston rattled off with passion.

In that moment, Kingston unleashed about how different their experiences were and how Bryan doesn’t know “a damn thing” about Kofi Kingston. He reminded everyone that Daniel Bryan was champion within a few years of arriving in WWE, whereas Kingston went 11 years without a singles match for the WWE Championship, but it was all worth it for this moment.

Kingston explained that he sees Daniel Bryan tremble when Kingston is in the ring with him, and it’s because Bryan knows what’s coming next. With his final words, Kingston explained, “you know what comes next. At WrestleMania, I beat you and I become the WWE Champion.” He dropped the microphone to a raucuous crowd reaction, and Bryan simply looked on, silent. Kingston signed the contract, and it was finally official.

Grade: A++, One of the better contract signings I’ve seen. Kofi Kingston sat patiently only to completely unleash on Bryan. The passion and emotion was palpable. So freaking good. 

WWE SmackDown Live Gut Reactions

• AJ Styles calling out Orton’s history of failed drug tests was a nice touch to make things between them seem extra personal.
• Ricochet & Aleister Black could win both the NXT Tag Team Titles and the SmackDown Tag Team Titles this weekend, and that would be crazy.
• It cannot be overstated how good The IIconics are as a heel tag team.
• What moron thought SAnitY, the chaotic uncontrollable trio from NXT, made sense as a bunch of corporate puppets?
• The Miz looks DANGEROUS, and that bodes extremely well for his match with Shane on Sunday.
• Becky Lynch is so cool that the Baltimore PD gave her a ride to the arena just because.
• They should just combine both battle royals into one awesome intergender battle royal at WrestleMania.
• “The Andre the Giant & Chyna Intergender Memorial Battle Royal” honoring the 8th and 9th Wonders of the World. I can only hope.
• Someone please give Mustafa Ali his name back.
• KOFIMANIA BABYYYYYYYYY!

WWE SmackDown Live Quick Segment Recap

• The Kevin Owens Show featuring Randy Orton and AJ Styles led to a brawl where Styles tried a Phenomenal Forearm but was caught with an RKO.
• Alexa Bliss announced a Fatal 4-Way for the SmackDown Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania featuring The Usos, The Bar, Rusev & Shinsuke Nakamura, and Ricochet & Aleister Black.
• The IIconics vowed to make WrestleMania IIconic.
• Becky Lynch shrugged off Corey Graves and talked about the difference a year makes and what she’ll do at WrestleMania.
• During the contract signing for their WWE Championship match, Daniel Bryan condescended to the crowd and Kofi Kingston spat fire.

WWE SmackDown Live Match Results

• The Usos, Aleister Black, and Ricochet def. The Bar, Rusev, and Shinsuke Nakamura
• The Miz def. SAnitY
• The Hardy Boyz, Heavy Machinery, R-Truth, Naomi, Asuka, Nikki Cross, and Carmella vs. Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, Shelton Benjamin, Andrade, EC3, Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville, Lana, and Zelina Vega ended in a No Contest
• Samoa Joe def. Ali

Thank you for joining us for live coverage of WWE SmackDown Live! Come back for live coverage of WrestleMania 35 this Sunday!