Smackdown Review 03/13/2020

Hello! Its The Wrestling Classic Justin here back for this weeks Smackdown review. The Coronavirus and covid19 has forced the NBA, NHL, XFL, MLB and maybe other sports suspend their seasons. There are countries like Italy on full lockdown. American has put a travel ban on Europe excluding the UK. Gatherings over 250 people for sporting events and any other entertainment events have been forced to cancel. This has been announced as a global pandemic to prevent the spread of this new disease. In the midst of living through these historic times, the show must go on for the WWE and Smackdown aired from the WWE’s very own performance center in Orlando Florida in front of no fans. The road to Wrestlemania continues…lets see how it went.

The TWC Show The show goes live first on Dash Radio on Saturdays and re-airs Thursdays and Fridays on the Dash Talk X Channel. Dash Radio – https://dashradio.com/ or download the App – Saturdays at 3PM PST/6PM EST Thursdays at 8AM PST/11AM EST Fridays at 12PM PST/3PM EST

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Live from the Performance Center in Orlando, FL.

– The show opened with a really well done John Cena video package

– Michael Cole and Triple H are our announce team for the evening and they really made the show ten times more enjoyable all night.

Triple H Introduction
Triple H introduces himself as “The Game, Triple H” and welcomes viewers to the WWE Performance Center. He goes on and talks about the state of the art facility, as we see clips from training and other sessions in the background. He talks about how many of the top WWE Superstars have gone through the Performance Center, and tonight they return, not to train, but to do what they do better than anyone else in the world – entertain.Triple H says this will be different than anything we’ve seen before tonight. He says to sit back and relax, try to forget about the world around you if you can, and let WWE do what they do best – let them put a smile on our faces. Triple H welcomes us to Friday Night SmackDown on FOX as the music hits and the camera shows us the empty chairs, along with the SmackDown ring and the blue lasers going around the venue. Michael Cole welcomes us and hypes up tonight’s show. Cole is joined by Triple H instead of Corey Graves tonight at the ringside announce table.
My Thoughts
It’s fitting that Triple H was to introduce us to the first Smackdown in the performance center. This might be the first of many shows happening at the performance center so the man behind creating it was the perfect person to give the global audience on Fox the introduction to it.

Sasha Banks & Bayley def. Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross
Before the match begins, Sasha Banks with SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley to start the show by making their way out. They look ready to talk trash to the crowd but there is no crowd. They laugh some as they walk down the ramp and take the mics. They stop in front of Cole and Triple H at the announce table. They talk about how they decided to kick off the show and it doesn’t matter how big the crowd is because it’s still their house. Bayley asks Triple H where Paige is. Cole says Paige is having travel issues. Banks and Bayley can’t believe it. Triple H jokes about being sick of excuses. Banks and Bayley go on about Paige being jealous, just like every other woman in WWE. The music interrupts and out comes Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross. Bliss and Cross talk about how they’ve been looking for WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Asuka and Kairi Sane, and might have to go to RAW, but they’re also tired of Banks and Bayley. They go on and are ready for a match if Banks and Bayley are. The two sides have words. Bayley calls Cross a “little idiot” and calls for a referee. In a solid match, Sasha Banks and Bayley defeated Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross when Asuka made an appearance to cause a distraction allowing Banks to hit a Bank Statement on Nikki Cross for the victory.
My Thoughts
This was all so weird to watch without having a life crowd and it took me some time to get use to. These women gave us a fun match and progressed the angle with Bliss/Cross and the Kabuki Warriors. Paige didn’t make it out to the event due to travel issues, although it was later rumoured to be cause of concerns of the travel during this pandemic. They handled it well with Sasha and Bayley calling her out to Triple H and Cole for not showing up. Triple H made a funny comment about Asuka coming through the crowd and his commentary throughout the show enhanced the viewing. Sasha and Bayley played the crowd which I first thought was a mandate but later realized was them having fun with the entire situation.

Roman Reigns Interview
Cole asks Reigns how weird that was making that entrance to the ring. Reigns talks about this being a business of reactions but it was weird and cool, and he’s glad to be back in the Performance Center. Reigns talks about his past year and how he’s been blessed. Now he’s back in familiar territory and it’s good to be back in the main event. Cole asks about WWE Universal Champion Bill Goldberg and their WrestleMania 36 match. Reigns goes on about having great respect for Goldberg, calling him an icon. However, Goldberg is a part-time and Reigns doesn’t think we have time for that in WWE. Reigns goes on about all he thinks of, 24/7 and 365, is WWE. He’s eaten from the WWE table his whole life and he’s groomed for this, and Goldberg isn’t ready for him. Reigns says he’s busted his ass and mastered his craft, and it shows. Reigns says when it comes to the main event of WrestleMania 36, he will whoop Goldberg’s ass and take back his title, and then set this place right. Cole thanks Reigns and they end the interview as Cole hypes the big “Spear vs. Spear” match at WrestleMania.
My Thoughts
This was good. These sit down interviews with Cole in an empty arena don’t feel weird at all. It’s almost like something they could have shown on an actual episode of Smackdown saying it was conducted earlier today. This was a good way to move this angle forward for the time being.

– Backstage, Kayla Braxton is with Cesaro. He introduces new WWE Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn and in he comes with Shinsuke Nakamura. Kayla says they’re not scheduled for this segment. Sami disagrees. Kayla says they’ve been bumped from the segment. Sami and his crew leave to continue their celebration. Kayla introduces her real guest and out comes Jeff Hardy to make his return to TV. Jeff says he’s as healthy and hungry as he’s ever been. He’s done a lot of soul searching over the past few months and found a lot of important things, and one of those things is that he has a lot more to do in WWE. King Baron Corbin interrupts and mocks Hardy. Corbin says not everyone is happy that Hardy is back. Corbin says things have changed around here. Corbin says SmackDown is now run by a benevolent king who keeps peasants like Hardy in a place. Corbin jokes about Hardy having trouble with alcohol and his DUI charges. Hardy says actually he has a big match tonight and he’s surprised Corbin hasn’t heard. Corbin asks against who. It’s against Corbin. Hardy storms off. We hear Elias’ guitar playing real quick as he walks up. They have some words and Corbin isn’t happy. Elias goes to perform his latest song but Corbin storms off and doesn’t want to listen to what may have been a warning. Elias says Corbin has no idea what’s coming.

– Back from the break and Triple H has re-joined Cole at the announce table. Triple H jokes that he’s the only guy who can receive a promotion and a demotion in one, a reference to our report from Thursday night. Triple H also mentions that the internet was complaining about Cole’s commentary after just one segment on his own, so Triple H was sent back out. Cole looks at Daniel Bryan’s win over Drew Gulak from last Sunday’s WWE Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. Triple H gives praise to Gulak.

– Backstage, we see Daniel Bryan now. He walks up on Drew Gulak. Bryan says he’s been looking for Gulak. Gulak doesn’t believe him and goes to leave but Bryan stops him. Bryan gives Gulak praise for his performance at Elimination Chamber. Bryan says he’s willing to learn if Gulak is still willing to teach. Sami Zayn, Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura walk up. Sami laughs and brings up how Bryan turned down his invite to join their group a while back. Sami goes on and says Bryan has now been reduced to asking for tips from a nobody. Bryan steps to Sami but Cesaro gets in the way. Bryan says his issue is with Sami, not Cesaro. Cesaro says if Bryan has an issue wit Sami, he has one with Cesaro as well. Bryan asks if that’s a challenge and Sami says it is. They have more words and Bryan tells them to meet him in the ring. Bryan walks off. Gulak steps up and has a few words for Sami, then walks off. Sami indicates that Cesaro and Nakamura will be wrestling Gulak and Bryan.

– Michael Cole and Triple H send us to this past Sundays Elimination Chamber match for the tag team titles.

– Back from a commercial break and the Chamber match is still going on. We see more of the match before taking another break. We come back and Triple H is joking with Cole on commentary again, about how bad he is. Cole says despite no crowd tonight, the world is watching as SmackDown is the #1 trend on Twitter tonight. We go back to the Chamber.

The Miz and John Morrison
After the replay of the Elimination Chamber match finished we go back to the empty arena to see the SmackDown Tag Team Champions in the ring, John Morrison and The Miz. Miz brags about the Elimination Chamber win and how they’re still winning titles 13 years later. Morrison and Miz both issue challenges for anyone to speak now if they don’t believe these are the best two at what they do. They also joke about some of their bad movie projects actually being good. Miz says there will be no booing and no “you suck!” chants tonight. Miz knocks Orlando even with no crowd to get heat from. They go on bragging about being champions and pose together, raising the titles in the air and telling everyone to be jealous. They chant a tune about being champions as the segment ends.
My Thoughts
It was a good follow up to the replay of the elimination chamber and filled time. They are a super entertaining duo so I enjoyed it.

– Drew Gulak comes out with Daniel Bryan. Gulak talks about doing the “Yes Chant” although there was no one in the crowd.

– Cole is at the announce table while Bryan and Drew Gulak wait in the ring with the referee. Triple H is filming him, joking about filling in as a cameraman and calls Cole bad at his job once again. Cole references when DX used to bully when he first started and this reminded him of that. Cole shows us this week’s WWE Backstage segment that said former NFL player Rob Gronkowski was in talks with WWE. We go back to Cole and he confirms that Gronk is coming to WWE as a Superstar. Gronk’s good friend Mojo Rawley joins the announce table. Mojo said he talked to Gronk earlier today and the rumors are true – the former New England Patriot is coming to WWE. Mojo says nothing has been signed yet, but Gronk will be here next week. Mojo, who is a RAW Superstar, will also be here next week. Mojo tries to get Cole hyped up as he leaves the announce table and Triple H helps him as they shake the crap out of Cole.

Daniel Bryan w/ Drew Gulak def. Cesaro w/ Sami Zayn and Shinsuke Nakamura
Sami joined Triple H and Cole on commentary while Shinsuke stood at ringside for Cesaro. In a competitive match between two top tier talent, Daniel Bryan defeated Cesaro when he catches him with a roll-up out of nowhere. After the match, Cesaro is shocked as Bryan’s music hits. Nakamura immediately hits the ring and starts pounding on Bryan. Gulak makes the save but the numbers game catches up as Sami also joins in. Gulak gets launched into the steel ring steps. Bryan does a suicide dive to Nakamura but barely connects, sending him into the ring post. This is a bad watch as we hear the referee echoing as she yells at them. It’s really been like this all night. Cole mentions how he’s not sure if we have enough referees here tonight to break things up. Things finally settle down at ringside as Bryan’s music starts back up.
My Thoughts
This was a solid match between two great wrestlers. The fallout brawl was solid but still the wrestling matches in the empty arena feel like rehearsals rather than actual matches. The banter between Sami Zayn and Triple H was great too.

– Back from the break and announced for next week is an appearance by Rob Gronkowski, plus the WrestleMania 36 contract signing between Roman Reigns and WWE Universal Champion Bill Goldberg.

Jeff Hardy def. Baron Corbin
Elias was on commentary for this match. In the Charismatic Enigma’s return match, Jeff Hardy defeated Baron Corbin when Elias started playing guitar standing on the announcer’s table which allowed Hardy to hit the twist of fate followed by a swanton bomb for the win.
My Thoughts
This was a decent match for Jeffs return while progressing the feud between Corbin and Elias. Its a bummer that Jeff had to return in front of an audience of zero but still served its purpose.

– Back from the break and Triple H is in the same spot he was for his opening speech. He says he hopes we have enjoyed this historic edition of SmackDown. He goes on and says we are missing what makes the show important, the fans, and while they’re not here physically, they are here. He mentions the Superstars performing like they would for the fans, and says WWE has truly earned the right to say what they say in the top of their shows – Then. Now. Forever.

John Cena Appearance
Cena is all business and tells Cole to let’s get to it. Cena thanks the fans watching at home on FOX and shouts them out. Cole brings up “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt, and how Wyatt said Cena’s previous WrestleMania 30 win over Wyatt led to the birth of The Fiend.
Cena isn’t sure how to respond to someone who blames their failure on him. Cena says a lot of people have said to him how he is the reason for their failure, and now we can add Wyatt to that long list. Cena says Wyatt got lazy after the WrestleMania loss. Cena says Wyatt is his own biggest enemy. Cena goes on and dismisses the idea that he never loses and just buries others. Cena gets a little heated when he talks about people wanting to be on top but then getting lazy. So how does he respond to someone who blames him for their failures? He gives them an attitude adjustment.
Cole shows us Cena’s recent SmackDown return in Boston and his promo on WrestleMania 36 going on without him because those WrestleMania spots are earned, not given. Cole asks why Cena would antagonize Wyatt after saying what he did. Cena says he didn’t antagonize, he accepted a challenge from Wyatt. Cena goes on about how WWE needs to invest in its future, and he does not feel like Wyatt is a part of that future. Cena says guys like Drew McIntyre, WWE NXT Tag Team Champion Matt Riddle, Tommaso Ciampa, NXT Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley, and The Velveteen Dream are the future. Cena says WWE should invest in those talents, and asks why we continue to give 5th and 6th chances to people who ask what about me when times get hard. Cena wants WWE to invest in people who deserve it every day.
Cena says he accepted Wyatt’s challenge so he can take Wyatt out of the equation. Cena says their WrestleMania 36 match won’t be a match to steal the show. It will be brutal, gruesome and uncomfortable to watch. Cena says he will do what should’ve been accomplished 6 years ago – he will end the hype of the most over-hyped and over-privileged Superstar in existence. We hear Wyatt laughing from the empty seats now. Wyatt has a mic and he hops over the barrier. Wyatt is glad Cena is here, even though he’s saying mean and hateful stuff about Wyatt.
Wyatt enters the ring now and says it’s good to see Cena. Look at Cena, he’s doing great now, a big movie star in Hollywood, and still has big muscles, a great girlfriend. Wyatt says most can’t imagine what it would be like to be Cena for one day. Wyatt says Cena has him all wrong. Wyatt says he’s not sick, Cena is. He knows why Cena came here and he knows Cena doesn’t really give a damn about the future. Wyatt says Cena doesn’t care who he has to squash or bury on his way, he just wants the spotlight. Wyatt says Cena is addicted to the spotlight. Wyatt says 6 years ago Cena took something from him. He thought about it so much it drove him crazy.
Wyatt says the voices in his head never stopped and then something magical happened. He stopped fighting the voices one day and then started listening to them. They took his crooked little world and turned it into a majestic Fun House. Wyatt says Cena broke him and The Fiend put him back together, and at WrestleMania 36 it’s going to be a slaughter, Cena just doesn’t know it yet. Wyatt is in Cena’s face now. Let me in, John. The screen flashes with The Fiend’s presence as Wyatt lets out a quick laugh. The screen goes black now as the familiar Wyatt echoes out over the arena. The first-ever SmackDown on FOX from the WWE Performance Center goes off the air.
My Thoughts
I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS SEGMENT. It felt more serious and real without the audience chiming in. They explained their history and how it plays a part in their upcoming match at Wrestlemania. They told a great story. Cena convinced me to agree with him at first with his words like a masterful hypnotist. Then Bray came out and sold me on his story and made me remember how I felt when Cena did beat Wyatt at Mania. Cena had lost many times but never fell down the card but you have to remember that he also was always considered their golden goose. Bray lost and no matter how many times he redeems himself, it wasn’t until The Fiend put him back together have we seen him with such momentum. I really enjoyed this.

Final Thoughts
This was a solid show considering the circumstances. I checked out when they replayed the Elimination Chamber match because I felt like I had just watched it but I understand their reasoning of re-airing it. Plus for those casual fans, fans who come from lower income homes or new fans who might have randomly tuned in on FOX yet dont have the WWE Network, that was a treat for them. Everything that was new was good. The matches without an audience is something I need to get use to but the promos with no audience there felt a bit more normal. Triple H on commentary with Cole just trolling the entire time really made this show that much more enjoyable and memorable as well. Looking forward to see how Raw plays out this Monday.
Overall, I want to thank the WWE and all the talent and personnel that made this show happen to give us a couple of hours to escape during these hard times when all other live pastimes have been suspended or are not airing for the time being. Its hard for me to complain about anything because I am grateful for the effort they are giving to make sure the show goes on.