WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from March 13

Broadcast from a crowdless WWE Performance Center as a precaution against the coronavirus pandemic, Friday Night SmackDown was set to be a major show.

After nearly a year away because of injury, Jeff Hardy was set to make his return. The Charismatic Enigma could only have one thing on his mind: WrestleMania.

John Cena looked to respond to Bray Wyatt, who told The Champ that his win at WrestleMania XXX caused The Eater of Worlds' downward spiral.

This edition of SmackDown was defined by returning major stars looking forward to The Grandest Stage of Them All as well as more action on the Road to WrestleMania.

Bayley and Sasha Banks came out to question where Paige was after the WWE Backstage star had promised to show up on SmackDown to confront the show's women's champion, berating guest commentator Triple H. Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross interrupted them and challenged women's tag team champions The Kabuki Warriors to step up to them. They then looked to prove themselves against The Boss 'n' Hug Connection, the former champions.

Banks and Bayley looked dominant against their rivals, but The Goddess got the hot tag to her best friend. Asuka appeared to attack Bliss, leaving Cross vulnerable to the Bank Statement.

Result

Banks and Bayley def. Bliss and Cross by submission.

Grade

B-

Analysis

This was a solid opening match for the night. Both tag teams have experience and work well together. If there had been stakes to this contest, it would made more of an impact.

It's a shame that Bayley's confrontation with Paige did not happen this week, but it could happen soon. For now, the focus is on building up challengers to the SmackDown women's champion and the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships.

Michael Cole interviewed Roman Reigns in the ring about his upcoming WWE title match with Goldberg at WrestleMania. Reigns said he had worked harder than anyone and deserved the opportunity to main event The Grandest Stage of Them All.

Grade

C-

Analysis

This was a wasted opportunity. Reigns' match with Goldberg has no heat to this point, so he could've used this time to sell a story between himself and the WWE champion. Instead, we got a promo mostly justifying the sudden title shot.

The Big Dog came off almost heel. He told everyone he was a harder worker than his peers, which is not a way to ingratiate himself to fans.

WWE replayed the Elimination Chamber match between SmackDown's tag teams on Sunday, which saw The Miz and John Morrison retain their titles.

Back at the Performance Center, The A-Lister and The Shaman of Sexy put each other over for their big win.

Grade

C-

Analysis

After some initial messiness, this Elimination Chamber was tremendous fun, but it already happened. WWE fans are used to looking forward, not back; it felt like a move of desperation to replay the Chamber match.

It may have been unavoidable based on the sudden decision to move SmackDown to the Performance Center. It came off as a complete lack of imagination from WWE with a limited roster.

Daniel Bryan found Drew Gulak and put him over for how he managed to counter his best moves at Elimination Chamber. He wanted Gulak's help. Sami Zayn, with Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro, made fun of The Planet's Champion for joining forces with a "nobody."

This led to a match in which Bryan used his best grappling offense to keep on top of The Swiss Cyborg. Just as Cesaro seemed to be pushing back, Bryan caught him with a Schoolboy for three.

After the match, Nakamura and Zayn attacked Bryan until Gulak made the save. The heels beat down Bryan's new mentor, but The Planet's Champion recovered and ran them off.

Result

Bryan def. Cesaro by pinfall.

Grade

B

Analysis

The lack of a crowd hurts matches like this that build through reactions. Bryan and Cesaro can have a phenomenal match together, but this was just good.

What is more interesting is the growing alliance of Bryan and Gulak. The Planet's Champion can build up the former WWE cruiserweight champion as someone special. It will be fun to see what comes next with these two, especially involving the WWE Intercontinental Championship.

King Corbin interrupted Jeff Hardy's interview to say that WWE had changed since his return, setting up a match.

Elias watched on commentary as King Corbin was outmatched by The Charismatic Enigma, and a distraction from The Living Truth allowed Hardy to hit the Twist of Fate and Swanton Bomb for the victory.

Result

Hardy def. Corbin by pinfall.

Grade

D+

Analysis

Hardy did not look fully ready to compete. It does not help that he had no chemistry with Corbin, as expected. The two men may be among SmackDown's top talents, but they should not be paired together. It was an odd choice to put Hardy over Corbin after establishing the latter as a top heel with Roman Reigns.

Elias vs. Corbin is also not a great choice. The two are charismatic but individually solid-at-best wrestlers. They need to work with men who raise their games.

John Cena explained in an interview with Michael Cole that Bray Wyatt was not the true future of WWE. Wyatt took exception and came out to talk to him directly. The Eater of Worlds called out Cena for not being the true role model he pretended to be and promised a slaughter when The Champ faced The Fiend.

Grade

A

Analysis

On a somewhat middling night of wrestling, Cena and Wyatt fully utilized the empty arena. They talked each other down in ways that felt both real and true to character. They sold the heat of their rivalry, setting up their match as suddenly fascinating.

Wyatt continues to show that he is so good in this new role. He rarely speaks live anymore outside of the Firefly Fun House, but when he does, he feels quietly menacing while speaking with such sincerity.