Simpson Residence’s WWE-inspired Smackdown is returning for a second year with a free slate of fights between Simpson residents, faculty, and staff April 4. 

Simpson Smackdown will take place in the Simpson Courtyard. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the event starts at 6 p.m.

“Simpson Smackdown has quickly launched into a Simpson tradition, but in many ways, it’s still a new thing for us, given that it’s only the second year that we’ve done this,” junior Simpson Resident Assistant Jonathan Williams said. 

The main attraction for the event is the characters, played by students, staff, and faculty. 

“It’s a great event where the guys of Simpson line up an entire night of fun fights,” Williams said. “We make up our own characters, background lore, and we fight and wrestle. The biggest part of the event is the surprise cameos that come along the way. We had a lot last year, and we have many more this year that we think will raise the roof even higher.”

Simpson Smackdown began last year, as the brainchild of Simpson resident assistant and senior Caleb Flodstrom. 

The funding for the first Simpson Smackdown came from the Suites, an upperclassmen men’s dorm that hosted Suites Shark Tank — an opportunity for other dorms to win money for big events or projects. 

“The Suites last year presented the offer to come and pitch a new idea for money,” Williams said. “We saw this as a great opportunity. We secured those funds, and we put on what has now become an event that we really look forward to.” 

To sophomore Simpson Resident Assistant Alex Buehrer, Simpson Smackdown is about more than entertainment — it’s about providing a holistic slate of events for residents.

“It’s important that we do events that kind of reach all levels of our guys,” Buehrer said. “We do more personal things like Bible studies, and we do things like homecoming, then we have big things that take a lot of pre-planned effort and take a lot of individual action and preparation. It’s like one last hurrah for us, one last big silly thing, before we do Hell Week, do finals, and send everyone off.” 

Simpson Resident Assistant and sophomore Joseph Vankat said Simpson Smackdown appeals to a broad range of people on campus. 

“This is also something that draws out a lot of different people,” Vankat said. “Last year, we had athletes, we had people from Greek life, and people from all different kinds of dorms. It’s a really great way to unite the campus around a really fun night.” 

Simpson Smackdown will debut multiple upgrades over last year’s event, including a homemade ring. 

“We quadrupled our budget for the ring,” Williams said. “That’s Chris Vanpostall’s brainchild, so he has entirely planned it out. We have a bunch of lumber for it, it’s gonna be constructed entirely of wood this year. We have tires underneath there, so it’s up to code.” 

Additionally, the Smackdown will lean more into the characters and backstory for each fight, this time “entering the digital realm,” according to Williams.

“As each fighter walks in, there will be a promo video that shows you highlights of their career, who they are as fighters, and where they’ve been in their lives in addition to a walk-up song,” Williams said. 

Fighters this year include returning fighters Raging Bull (sophomore Luke Waters) and Applejack (freshman Charlie Taylor), as well as new fighter El Bandito (junior Angel Jimenez). Additionally, there will be multiple cameos from staff and faculty — just like last year, when Assistant Professor of History Miles Smith IV and Assistant Professor of Medieval History Charles Yost made surprise appearances.

“We won’t reveal any of the guest stars that we’re going to have in it, but they are faculty and staff of the college,” Williams said. 

Vankat said the Simpson Smackdown experience was the best of all worlds. 

“If you like just hanging out with your friends on a beautiful Friday evening in early April, 60 degrees, and you like watching guys just beat the snot out of each other in a really funny way, and if you want to watch some appearances from some of your favorite professors, there’s only one place on campus that can get all of that: Simpson Smackdown,” Vankat said.