WWE SmackDown Results (March 13): Randy Orton Turns Heel, Brutalizes Cody Rhodes Ahead of WrestleMania 42

Not every SmackDown is going to be a five-star cinematic experience. Sometimes you get a show that’s about as exciting as watching paint dry — right up until someone decides to bash their best friend’s skull into a steel chair. And folks, that’s exactly what happened in Phoenix on Friday night.

For most of the evening, SmackDown was the wrestling equivalent of a Tuesday afternoon. Predictable finishes, a segment that made you check your phone twice, and a women’s tag title match that ended like a bad open bar tab — abruptly and with everyone feeling cheated. But then Randy Orton happened. And suddenly, WrestleMania 42 has a pulse.

Let’s break down the teething that happened on SmackDown.

Drew McIntyre Storms Out

SmackDown kicked off with Drew McIntyre doing what Drew McIntyre does best: being absolutely furious. After losing the WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes last week, McIntyre stormed through the crowd like a man who just found out his flight was cancelled — twice.

Nick Aldis told him to look in the mirror. Jacob Fatu reminded him that without his help, McIntyre wouldn’t have held the title in the first place. And then McIntyre dropped a classic: “I quit.”

Now, here’s where we need to pump the brakes. This is literally the second time in two years McIntyre has “quit” WWE on television. Either the writers have incredibly short memories, or they’re banking on fans having even shorter ones. Neither is a great look. But hey, it set up Fatu vs. Trick Williams later in the night, so at least the chaos was productive.

Grade: B-

The Wyatt Sicks vs. The MFTs — A Feud That Needs To End

Nobody wants to say it, so we will: this feud has been on life support for months. Uncle Howdy and Erick Rowan defeated Solo Sikoa and Talla Tonga in a match that felt less like a wrestling bout and more like WWE desperately searching the couch cushions for storyline ideas.

Nikki Cross stole a lantern. There was a brawl. Tama Tonga got it back. Nobody cared. The most interesting thing to come out of this segment? Tonga having secret backstage conversations with Shinsuke Nakamura while Sikoa shoots daggers from across the hallway. That’s the story worth telling. Everything else can stay in Phoenix.

Grade: C

Jade Cargill vs. Michin Was a Pleasant Surprise

Credit where it’s due: Michin came back from a months-long injury and absolutely went for it. She hit Cargill before the bell even rang, sent her outside with a picture-perfect hurricanrana, and brought more fire than anything else on the card to that point.

Cargill eventually took control — powerbomb on the floor, chokeslam, finisher — and then stared down Rhea Ripley, who sauntered out to remind everyone she’s the No. 1 contender. Jade left without a fight, playing it cool. Smart.

The match had its rough edges, but this was genuinely one of Cargill’s best outings in recent memory on SmackDown. Michin made her look great. That’s not an accident — that’s craft.

Grade: C+

Women’s Tag Title Match: A Non-Finish Nobody Asked For

Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss challenged Nia Jax and Lash Legend for the Women’s Tag titles. The Bella Twins showed up to scout the match, because apparently scouting matches is now a substitute for, you know, actually winning one. Brie Bella announced they were “next in line” for a title shot. The Bellas haven’t teamed together since 2018. Think about that for a second.

The match ended in a no-contest when Nikki attacked Jax at ringside. The champions destroyed everyone left standing. And just like that, WrestleMania is getting a multi-team title match that nobody really demanded.

Look, the Bellas are legends. They deserve their flowers. But being handed a title shot without a single tag win in this run? That’s not booking — that’s a favor on SmackDown.

Grade: C

Damian Priest and R-Truth vs. Los Garzas — Hidden Gem Alert

This was supposed to be filler. It turned into the best match of the night on SmackDown.

Angel and Berto showed up with their A-game, delivering crisp, athletic offense that made you wonder why WWE has been burying them for months. Angel taunting R-Truth with a John Cena catchphrase was genuinely funny. Priest finishing things off with South of Heaven was clean and decisive. What should’ve been a throwaway felt like an actual wrestling match. In a world of overbooked chaos, that’s refreshing.

Grade: B

Miz TV With Jelly Roll Had Skip Button Energy

Danhausen cursed The Miz. Jelly Roll showed up. Kit Wilson called someone fat. The Miz took a punch meant for someone else.

There’s a version of this segment that works. This wasn’t it. Everything felt forced — the lines, the timing, the attempted comedy. The Miz’s microphone even cut out mid-segment, which felt less like a Danhausen curse and more like a higher power intervening out of mercy.

Moving on.

Grade: D

Jacob Fatu vs. Trick Williams — This Match Ruled

Here’s a matchup nobody had circled on their calendars, and it completely delivered. Fatu and Williams hit each other hard, worked momentum shifts that felt earned, and had the Phoenix crowd genuinely invested.

McIntyre eventually interfered — because of course he did — and cost Fatu the match. Two Trick Shots later, Williams got the biggest win of his main roster career. Despite the shenanigans, this result was the right call.

Trick Williams is a star. Somebody in WWE clearly knows it.

Grade: B

The Contract Signing: Randy Orton Reminds Everyone He’s a Viper

And then there’s this.

Rhodes thanked Orton for being there during the darkest stretches of his career. Orton hesitated. Rhodes gave him the speech — the same kind of earnest, heartfelt WWE moment that either lands perfectly or makes you groan. This one landed.

Then Orton signed the contract, stood up, and absolutely destroyed his best friend. Head into the table. Launched over the announce desk. Steel steps to the skull. Rhodes bled. Jelly Roll tried to intervene and got shoved to the floor for his trouble. Orton grabbed a chair and played percussion on the steel steps with Rhodes’ head between them.

The crowd cheered. Not out of shock — they cheered because they wanted this. That tells you everything about where fan sentiment currently sits with this storyline. Orton picked up the WWE title, sat in a chair, and held it in his lap like a man who had no regrets.

WrestleMania 42 now has real drama. About time.

Grade: B

Final Verdict

SmackDown on March 13 was a tale of two shows. The first two-thirds? Forgettable. The kind of wrestling television that exists purely to fill calendar dates. The final third? That’s where things got interesting.

Orton’s heel turn injected the WWE Championship feud with the kind of emotional conflict it was desperately missing. Trick Williams’ win was a momentum builder worth celebrating. And somewhere in the middle, Los Garzas reminded everyone they’re too talented to be wasting away on the mid-card.

The road to WrestleMania 42 just got a whole lot more interesting with how SmackDown ended.

Overall Grade: C+