WWE SmackDown: First Two Tag Teams Advance in WrestleMania 40 Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder Match Qualifiers

Will Legado Del Fantasma or New Catch Republic get a shot at tag team gold at WrestleMania 40?

By Haley Miller

The first qualifying matches for the Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder Match at WrestleMania 40 took place on WWE SmackDown as Legado Del Fantasma competed against the LWO. 

The match begins very fast paced as it's made up of some of the biggest high flyers in WWE. Berto and Del Toro start as Berto knocks him off course with a superkick. This gives LDF a very early advantage as Angel and Berto work in tandem to isolate Del Toro. After a chop and a kick, Del Toro creates separation by delivering a hurricanrana to Berto off the apron. This moment gives him the time he needs to tag in Wilde. When Berto is sent to the outside, the LWO works together to get him back in the ring as Wilde tries for a pin but Berto kicks out.

When the match returns from break, Berto is still getting beat down. He manages to tag in Angel after Del Toro hits him with a Spanish Fly. Wilde and Angel are now both in the ring, Wilde throws everything at them -- double missile dropkick off the top rope, neck breaker to Berto, back elbow to Angel, back to Berto with a hurricanrana and finally he hits Angel with a superkick! Though they give it their best attempt, Legado Del Fantasma end up pinning Wilde for the win.

The two brands are handling the matches differently as unlike WWE Raw Superstars who have a guaranteed winner after the first qualifying matches, on WWE SmackDown, teams are decided bracket style. Legado Del Fantasmo defeated the LWO, advancing to face the winner of either New Catch Republic or Pretty Deadly. 

The qualifying matches on WWE Raw are as follows:

  • The New Day vs. The Alpha Academy
  • DIY vs. The Creed Brothers
  • Awesome Truth vs. Indus Sher

Later in the show, New Catch Republic and Pretty Deadly went to war against one another. This match is a direct contrast to the one earlier in the show because Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate's style of wrestling is, well, catch style -- a hybrid between grappling and combat. 

This isn't Prince and Wilson's first dance with the team so they're more than aware of what they can do. They go into their own box of tricks, tripping their opponents while the referee is distracted. Dunne goes for a Dragon Screw on Wilson, tagging in Bate.  Bate really shows out in this match, hitting uppercuts and a hurricanrana both men as well as a T-Bone Suplex, a Shooting Star Press to Wilson and an Airplane Spin to Prince.

When Pretty Deadly gets the advantage later in the match they attempt their finisher "Spilt Milk" on Bate who blind tags in Dunne. This allows Dunne to hit the Birming-Hammer for the win.

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