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This week's SmackDown was not the show we have grown used to during the coronavirus pandemic, and the main reason why it was different had to do with several talents testing positive for COVID-19.
Renee Young, Kayla Braxton, Adam Pearce and Jamie Noble have confirmed they were among those who contracted the virus.
Since WWE was unable to film a regular episode, it opted to capitalize on the attention The Undertaker's Last Ride documentary received by replaying his Boneyard match from WrestleMania 36 against AJ Styles.
WWE did announce an intercontinental title match between Drew Gulak and Styles earlier this week before making the webpage unavailable.
Let's look at what WWE did on this week's SmackDown.
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SmackDown opened with a video package for The Undertaker before we saw part of the SmackDown roster on the stage chanting, "Thank you, Taker."
After WWE hyped some special guests without talking about whether we will see any new matches, we returned from a break to see a replay of the Boneyard match at 'Mania.
WWE would show brief interviews between sections of the match with Superstars like Edge and Roman Reigns praising The Undertaker as one of the greatest of all time.
WWE was forced to make some cuts to the match to make it fit within the allotted segments, but most of the big moments were included.
Grade: A
Analysis
When you look at the situation WWE is in right now, using the Boneyard match to fill the majority of the first hour was a smart decision. It serves as both a substitute for new matches and a commercial for the WWE Network.
It was one of the most lauded matches from the pay-per-view and may end up being his final performance as a WWE Superstar, so it was interesting to rewatch it knowing he may be done for good.
The brief interviews with legends between portions of the match helped break up the action, but it also drew everything out to make it feel much longer.
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Bayley and Sasha Banks joined Michael Cole and Corey Graves for the first new match of the night, which was a Fatal 4-Way featuring Alexa Bliss, Nikki Cross, Lacey Evans and Dana Brooke.
Bliss and Cross worked together to take on Brooke and Evans early on, but as soon as they cleared the ring, Cross went for a roll-up to get a near fall.
She and Bliss seemed to understand it was every woman for herself, so they did not take it personally when one went for a pin. The Sassy Southern Belle pulled The Goddess out of the ring and threw her into the barricade.
Brooke almost scored the win with a senton from the top rope. After Evans took out Bliss with The Women's Right, Cross rolled The Sassy Southern Belle up for the pin.
Grade: C+
Analysis
This was a solid performance from the four women involved, but it didn't have any of the excitement we usually expect from a Fatal 4-Way.
The multi-person spots were kept to a minimum, so most of the spots we saw involved two to three people at the most.
Cross getting the win was a nice surprise, but it also makes her upcoming title match against Bayley a little more predictable. Cross is great, but it doesn't feel like WWE is pushing her as the next champion. Instead, she is just a challenger who will elevate Bayley in the end.
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The Miz and Big E kicked things off for their team in this big eight-man tag match. The powerhouse took control right away and hit a splash on the apron to get the first near fall.
Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik had an opportunity to show off their high-flying skills against Cesaro before Shinsuke Nakamura took over for his partner.
A couple of different brawls broke out at ringside, leaving The Miz, Morrison and Lucha House Party in the ring. The luchadors dispatched The A-Lister and Friday Night Delight to score the victory for their team.
Grade: B
Analysis
With the number of people who have been diagnosed with coronavirus in WWE, the idea of having a match with this many people in the ring at one time seems odd.
Putting that aside, this was a fun but predictable match. All eight men are talented performers in different ways, but matches like this only have a couple of patterns they can follow to allow everyone to get some time in the ring.
Lucha House Party has picked up a few good wins in recent weeks, so it looks like WWE may be preparing them for a run with the tag titles. They deserve a title shot at the least.
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After the Boneyard match was done, Baron Corbin gave a promo directed at Taker. He called The Deadman a butt kisser and said he has been overrated for the past 30 years. Jeff Hardy attacked him to set up a match in the main event.
Despite a few early shots from Hardy, The King took control early and kept The Charismatic Enigma grounded for a few minutes with stiff strikes and submissions.
Hardy wasn't able to turn things around until the fight spilled out of the ring. He sent Corbin over the announce table before bringing him back into the ring.
The King was back in the driver's seat when we returned from a break. The Enigma eventually hit a few of his signature moves before nailing Corbin with a Swanton for the win.
Corbin attacked him after the match, but Big E made the save and hit The Big Ending. Hardy signaled Braun Strowman to join them in taking out The King.
Grade: B
Analysis
Whether his haters want to admit it or not, Corbin is a good wrestler. He does everything with a high level of precision and makes his opponents look good by selling their offense more than most men his size would.
He is also a natural heel who can work with any babyface. He might not have the most exciting arsenal of moves, but you can always rely on him to hit everything safely.
Having a bunch of Superstars around the ring felt really random until the final few minutes revealed Corbin was getting the Eric Bischoff at ECW One Night Stand treatment.
This was a decent main event but nothing to write home about. What happened after it was over provided the most fun.
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WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from June 26 - Bleacher Report
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