WWE Friday Night SmackDown in Phoenix, Arizona, USA, Live on the USA Network | March 13th, 2026 — The Episode Recap:

Randy Orton turned on WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes in one of the most vicious attacks in recent memory, leaving Cody Rhodes unconscious and bloodied. (Image courtesy of WWE)

The Opening Match: The Wyatt Sicks (Erick Rowan & Uncle Howdy) (with Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy & Nikki Cross) defeated The MFTs (Solo Sikoa & Talla Tonga) (with JC Mateo, Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa) in a Tag Team Match | via Pin-Fall — (10:47)

The 2nd Match: Jade Cargill defeated Michin in a Singles Match | via Pin-Fall — (08:23)

The 3rd Match: The Irresistible Forces (Lash Legend & Nia Jax) (c) defeated Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair in a WWE Women’s Tag Team Title Match | via DQ — (08:12)

The 4th Match: Damian Priest & R-Truth defeated Los Garza in a Tag Team Match | via Pin-Fall — (11:02)

The 5th Match: Tiffany Stratton defeated Kiana James (with Giulia) in a Singles Match | via Pin-Fall — (07:45)

The Main Event Match: Trick Williams defeated Jacob Fatu in a Singles Match | via Pin-Fall — (11:24)

My Thoughts on the March 13th Episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown:

My Thoughts: Awful Episode, the bright side of this show is the amazing Randy Orton heel turn. That was well-done and formatted perfectly. The whole show, I don't even want to waste my breath, as it was garbage, with only one passable match from the show. Horrible writing. It got worse once Road Dogg, who got fired from creative, and we thought this show was going to get better, but it didn't. Do better, WWE.

The March 13th Episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown — The Match Ratings:

The Opening Match: The Wyatt Sicks (Erick Rowan & Uncle Howdy) (with Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy & Nikki Cross) vs. The MFTs (Solo Sikoa & Talla Tonga) (with JC Mateo, Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa) in a Tag Team Match | The Match Rating: *.25 — The Wyatt Sicks and MFTs stuff has been unappealing, uninspiring, and not needed. SmackDown, as of late, went from a passable show to unwatchable. But this is one of the few programs where I say this is one of the worst stories in the 2020s decade for WWE, and wrestling as a whole. It's over a 26$ Lantern you can get at Walmart, not even joking. The match itself sucked; it didn't need to be on the show. It drags the show down by adding no special material to this product. The amazing SmackDown Tag Team Division is gone because of this feud; the prestige that the Motor City Machine Guns, DIY, and Street Profits brought to the title is gone. Horrible storyline with horrid in-ring action. Also, to note, I like Wyatt Sicks, but this feud is draining the enjoyment for them. Please end this god-awful feud. This brings nothing to me, or the watching fan, unless you like watching awful stories, then I don't know what to say then.

The 2nd Match: Jade Cargill vs. Michin in a Singles Match | The Match Rating: ** — Glad to see Michin wrestle, she's underrated in my eyes, mind you, she hasn't wrestled in three months, but was going all out in this match to really make Jade Cargill look extra strong, which I felt like got the job done. There were clunky moments in this match. I don't dislike Jade Cargill. I'm a fan of hers. I know she's limited in the ring, but she can get better with long matches like this, so I feel like this is a step in the right direction. But afterwards, Rhea Ripley came out to cut an awful promo as the build for Jade Cargill and Rhea Ripley hasn't been good because whoever is giving this material needs to be ashamed because I know this could be a lot better than seeing whose muscles are bigger or who is the biggest this and that. Give us what we want to see, not this corny writing.

The 3rd Match: The Irresistible Forces (Lash Legend & Nia Jax) (c) vs. Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair in a WWE Women’s Tag Team Title Match | The Match Rating: N/A — Predictable, which is sad because I really wanna see Lash Legend thrive with the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles like why have DQ's, and then next week we'll see The Bella Twins get a WWE Women's Tag Team Title shot, and I know how that is going to end, very predictable, and garbage writing. But even before the DQ, this was an okay match. Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair were going fine against Lash Legend, and Nia Jax, before The Bella Twins got in the ring to cost the DQ Finish. What can we do to get better writing?

The 4th Match: Damian Priest & R-Truth vs. Los Garza in a Tag Team Match | The Match Rating: **.75 — Los Garza on TV back-to-back weeks? Yeah, that's what I want more of: good wrestlers getting the limelight. Los Garza had a bone to pick with Damian Priest & R-Truth after last week; they did the heavy work eliminating Fraxiom and MFTs, but lost to Damian Priest & R-Truth. I liked this match because it was a decent match with solid in-ring action. Damian Priest has no plans, it seems, for WrestleMania, so they had to find something. Now, I assume at WrestleMania, Damian Priest and R-Truth battle for the WWE Tag Team Titles. Now, what I hope is that Los Garza is on TV consistently, like the other tag teams, to start to bring them.

The 5th Match: Tiffany Stratton vs. Kiana James (with Giulia) in a Singles Match | The Match Rating: *.50 — The build for Giulia and Tiffany Stratton and the WWE Women's United States Title has begun for WrestleMania. This match wasn't good. Tiffany Strtaton has been booked well, something I wish they could do for Giulia, but hey, WWE Creative, am I right? But what I would like is to focus on this feud because this will be the first time in the history of the WWE Women's United States Title where we see the title being defended on a PLE. They can start making this title feel important because it just feels like a paper title rather than a real title, because of the horrid booking. Kiana James is getting more of a solid booking than Giulia had.

The Main Event Match: Trick Williams vs. Jacob Fatu in a Singles Match | The Match Rating: ***.25 — This match was the Match of the Night for me. Jacob Fatu, who looked insane in this match in a good way, went against the best young talent on SmackDown in Trick Williams, who was highlighted heavily on this episode, which I was very happy about because he's big-time. But Drew McIntyre, who claimed to quit WWE, came back to attack Jacob Fatu, which helped Trick Williams get a huge win over Jacob Fatu. Trick Williams ‘ stock is soaring, but we also have another confirmed WrestleMania match story being heated up.

The March 13th Episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown — The Match of the Night: Trick Williams vs. Jacob Fatu in a Singles Match | The Match Rating: ***.25 — The only passable match as Trick Williams, with the help of Drew McIntyre, who we thought quit WWE, cost Jacob Fatu the match.

The March 13th Episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown — The Episode Grade: 2.25/10 (F) — Outside of the amazing segment between the WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton. I don’t feel like wasting my breath on this awful episode. This was what I called peak-2019 WWE Creative for an episode, because this show was all-around awful.

Next Week WWE Friday Night SmackDown March 20th Episode in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA, Live on the USA Network — The Announced Matches & Segments:

1. Drew McIntyre vs. Jacob Fatu in a Singles Match.

2. The Irresistible Forces (Lash Legend & Nia Jax) (c) vs. The Bella Twins (Brie Bella & Nikki Bella) in a WWE Women’s Tag Team Title Match.

3. Fraxiom (Axiom & Nathan Frazer) vs. The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin) in a Tag Team Match.

4. Kit Wilson will call out Musicial Artist Jelly Roll next week on SmackDown.