Friday Night SmackDown delivered one of its most chaotic and entertaining nights of the year on March 13 in Phoenix, Arizona. At the center of it all was Trick Williams, who walked out of the Mortgage Matchup Center with a hard-fought victory over the Samoan Werewolf, Jacob Fatu — though the finish came with a major asterisk that is sure to fuel controversy heading into WrestleMania 42.
The win keeps Williams firmly in the conversation on a stacked SmackDown roster, but the drama surrounding the result may overshadow the victory itself. One thing is certain — nobody in Phoenix left early, and nobody watching at home changed the channel.
Trick Williams Gets the Job Done at SmackDown
The match between Williams and Fatu was set up earlier in the evening after a tense backstage confrontation, with SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis stepping in to book the bout on the spot. Williams was visibly frustrated heading into the match, making clear he felt the circumstances were unfair — but he vowed to handle business regardless of the situation.
The two competitors traded heavy offense throughout the contest. Fatu hit a corkscrew splash and a Swanton Bomb that left the crowd gasping, while Williams responded with a jumping neckbreaker and a thunderous uranage slam that nearly ended things early. The match built to a fever pitch with every near fall, and the capacity crowd in Phoenix was fully invested from the opening bell to the dramatic finish.
With the referee distracted at a critical moment, Drew McIntyre appeared at ringside and attacked Fatu, driving the Samoan Werewolf hard into the ring post before rolling him back inside. Williams capitalized immediately, connecting with the Trick Shot to secure the pinfall victory. The crowd erupted — but not everyone was celebrating for the same reason.
Drew McIntyre Makes His Presence Felt
The biggest talking point of the night may not have been the match itself but the unmistakable return of Drew McIntyre. After the final bell, McIntyre entered the ring and delivered a devastating Claymore to a downed Fatu, then slowly turned toward the WrestleMania sign and gave a cold, deliberate thumbs-down. The message was loud and unmistakable — the Scottish Warrior is back, and he has unfinished business with everyone in his path.
SmackDown GM Nick Aldis wasted no time responding, confirming that McIntyre is officially back on the roster and will face Jacob Fatu next week. The Claymore to Fatu after the final bell made it clear that this rivalry is far from over, and McIntyre has no intention of letting anyone forget what he is capable of when motivated.
For Williams, the win is meaningful but complicated. He got the three-count, but the wrestling world will debate long after the show whether he truly earned it without McIntyre’s well-timed interference. That narrative could follow him all the way to WrestleMania 42.
The Road to WrestleMania 42 Heats Up
SmackDown’s March 13 episode was loaded with WrestleMania implications far beyond the Williams and Fatu match
- Randy Orton brutally attacked Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes during their WrestleMania 42 contract signing, delivering a shocking heel turn that sent shockwaves through the entire arena and rewrote the championship picture overnight
- Jade Cargill defeated Michin in a dominant non-title performance, building serious momentum ahead of her highly anticipated WrestleMania showdown with Rhea Ripley
- Sami Zayn confronted Trick Williams backstage after the match, openly mocking him for falling short of his WrestleMania ambitions and calling him out for failing to back up his words when it matters most
Each moment felt like a carefully placed domino, and WrestleMania 42 is shaping up to be one of the most stacked cards in recent memory.
What Is Next for Trick Williams
Trick Williams finds himself at a crossroads. The win over Fatu adds a notable name to his resume, but the path to WrestleMania 42 remains frustratingly unclear. Since arriving on the SmackDown main roster in January 2026, Williams has been working to establish himself as a legitimate main event player — but a defining WrestleMania moment has yet to materialize.
With Sami Zayn now openly targeting him on the microphone and the WrestleMania card filling up fast, Williams needs to make a definitive statement in the coming weeks. The talent, the charisma, and the crowd support have never been in question. The only thing left to prove is whether he can seize the moment when the lights are at their absolute brightest.
WrestleMania 42 is just weeks away. The clock is ticking.
