NEW ORLEANS — SmackDown LIVE Commissioner Shane McMahon kicked off the show with a major announcement: Team Blue was about to get a brand new General Manager.

In the wake of he and Daniel Bryan’s victory over The “Yep!” Movement at WrestleMania 34, Shane-O-Mac revealed that Daniel had asked for his release as the show’s General Manager so that he go back to being a full-time WWE Superstar. Shane thanked The “Yes!” Man for his passion and resolve, then introduced the new General Manager of SmackDown LIVE — Paige!

Paige, who retired from in-ring competition the night before on Raw, wasted no time making a major impact on the blue brand, announcing that AJ Styles would square off against Daniel Bryan (who hadn’t competed in a match on WWE television in almost three years) in SmackDown LIVE’s main event!

SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair proved, undoubtedly, that she was ready for Asuka this past Sunday night when she made The Empress of Tomorrow tap out on The Grandest Stage of Them All to end her streak. Flair, humbled by the encounter with Asuka even in victory, reflected on her magical WrestleMania moment briefly, but then wondered who would step up to her next… and she quickly got her answer.

NXT standouts Billie Kay and Peyton Royce arrived on the blue brand and wasted no time making it clear that one of them could absolutely dethrone The Queen for the SmackDown Women’s Championship.

Kay and Royce urged Charlotte to stop focusing on the past and instead start looking toward her very “Iconic” future. From there, with it clearly looking like Kay and Royce were gearing up to pounce, Flair took the fight to them. She was able to fend them off for a bit before the dastardly duo took her down. Kay & Royce double-team assaulted The Queen, going as far as toppling her over the announce table, ramming her into the steel ring steps and administering a double powerbomb onto the floor.

The IIconics, ecstatic with their handy work, then dragged Charlotte’s lifeless body back into the ring and stood over The Queen, making it clear that a new day had dawned in the SmackDown LIVE Women’s division. However, that new dawn quickly turned F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S when Carmella raced down to the ring with her Money in the Bank contract in hand, urging one of the referees who was there to check on Charlotte’s condition to ring the bell so she could officially cash in. After some hesitancy due to The Queen’s clearly impaired condition, Charlotte slowly rose to her feet, and the bell was rung.

From there, Carmella connected with a kick straight to Charlotte’s dome, and because of the unbelievable beating Charlotte had already sustained, that was all it took for a new champion to be crowned.

Carmella’s had many nicknames —The Princess of Staten Island and Ms. Money in the Bank to name a few. But now, the moonwalking and trash-talking Superstar has one primary moniker — SmackDown Women’s Champion.

Following the Fatal 4-Way Match that saw Jinder Mahal capture the United States Championship at WrestleMania 34, the three Superstars who fell just short of walking away with the title this past Sunday faced off in a Triple Threat Match on SmackDown LIVE with the winner gaining the opportunity to face Mahal for the championship at WWE Backlash.

With The Modern Day Maharaja watching on from a chair at ringside, the three Superstars picked up right where they left off on Sunday. After close calls at victory for all three Superstars and high-impact moments like Rusev and Orton each slamming the other onto the announcer’s table, The Viper hit the RKO outta nowhere on Roode, allowing The Viper to grab the W and rekindle his epic rivalry with Mahal with the United States Title on the line at WWE Backlash.

The WWE Universe was treated to this fantasy match two nights after WrestleMania 34, as AJ Styles squared off against Daniel Bryan on SmackDown LIVE per the order of new General Manager Paige.

In Bryan’s first match on SmackDown LIVE in nearly three years, he and Styles had the WWE Universe buzzing before the bell even rang, with a big-fight feel coursing throughout the building. There was no drop-off in excitement once the action got underway, as the two Superstars went full force in this non-title contest. Styles appeared willing to put his newfound beef with Shinsuke Nakamura on the back burner and focus on the task at hand with The “Yes!” Man.

However, just as the classic was beginning to develop and Styles countered Bryan’s top-rope superplex to leave both Superstars down on the canvas, Nakamura entered through the timekeeper’s area and caused a ruckus, prompting a no-contest.

The King of Strong Style laid Bryan out with a Kinshasa to the back of his head, then delivered another savage low blow and merciless Kinshasa to the WWE Champion. And then, yet another low blow. Nakamura left smugly while Styles and Bryan were left down on the mat.