SmackDown Superstars Crash Raw in Insignificant Way as WWE Builds WrestleMania Feuds

WWE attempts to intensify rivalries ahead of the biggest event of the year

Apr. 14, 2026 at 5:04am

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A cubist-style painting depicting a chaotic wrestling match, with various wrestlers' bodies and limbs fractured and overlapping in a geometric, abstract composition.The unexpected crossover of SmackDown and Raw superstars leads to a chaotic melee, hinting at the intensity to come at WrestleMania.Los Angeles Today

On the final Raw before WrestleMania, several SmackDown superstars made surprise appearances, including the MFT faction and Women's Champion Jade Cargill. However, these crossover moments felt largely insignificant, doing little to actually build anticipation for the upcoming matches at the Show of Shows.

Why it matters

As WWE builds toward WrestleMania, the company is looking to ramp up tensions and rivalries between its top stars. While surprise appearances can sometimes create excitement, these SmackDown cameos on Raw felt more like filler than meaningful advancements of the key storylines.

The details

The MFT faction, including Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and others, showed up to confront LA Knight and the Usos, furthering the ongoing issues within the Bloodline. Meanwhile, Jade Cargill ambushed Rhea Ripley, seemingly in retaliation for Ripley's actions against Michin and B-Fab on SmackDown. However, these moments did little to actually heighten the stakes or make the eventual WrestleMania matches feel more compelling.

  • The surprise appearances happened on the April 10, 2026 episode of Raw, the final show before WrestleMania.

The players

LA Knight

A SmackDown superstar who has a history with Solo Sikoa.

The Usos

Tag team champions and members of the Bloodline faction.

Jade Cargill

The reigning WWE Women's Champion, representing the SmackDown brand.

Rhea Ripley

A Raw superstar who has been feuding with Cargill.

Solo Sikoa

A member of the Bloodline faction who confronted his brothers on Raw.

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What’s next

The MFT and Wyatts are set to have an 8-man tag team match on the upcoming SmackDown, where the ongoing tensions within the MFT faction are expected to further escalate.

The takeaway

While WWE is attempting to build anticipation for WrestleMania through surprise appearances and cross-brand interactions, these specific moments on Raw felt more like filler than meaningful advancements of the key storylines. The company will need to find more impactful ways to intensify the rivalries if it wants to truly captivate audiences ahead of the biggest event of the year.