WWE SmackDown results: WWE pays tribute to the Undertaker

Jeff Hardy defeats Baron Corbin in the main event on Friday night.

This has been a tough week for the WWE and professional wrestling.

While stories of various forms of harassment have come out via the #SpeakingOut movement, the WWE was forced to deal with the realization that it is efforts to combat COVID-19 were not enough.

News broke on Monday that multiple individuals had contracted the condition within the WWE Performance Center. So much so that the promotion made massive changes to its presentation of SmackDown on Friday. The show was switched to a two-hour tribute to the Undertaker whose retirement was confirmed in the documentary, The Last Ride.

The night started with a highlight video that recounted the first appearance of the Undertaker in 1990. Majority of the SmackDown roster appeared on the ramp to chant his name, oddly mask less and not practicing social distance. The night was announced to feature many of the men that shared the ring with Undertaker, but before that memory lane was visited, the Boneyard match from WrestleMania was replayed in its entirety.

Woven in between the match and other moments of the evening there were words of remembrance from individuals that make up the pantheon of WWE superstars. Bret Hart, Edge, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and others spoke words of praise for one of the most decorated individuals to ever perform under the WWE banner.

Baron Corbin would take to the ring after the Boneyard Match. He would go on a diatribe disparaging the Undertaker, even calling him by his real name. Jeff Hardy had enough of Corbin’s disrespect and would attack him, sending him running away up the ramp.

Nikki Cross challenges Bayley at Extreme Rules

With her tag team partner challenging Asuka at Extreme Rules, Bayley is looking for a contender to her SmackDown women’s championship. Lacey Evans, Alexa Bliss, Nikki Cross and Dana Brooke faced off against each other for the opportunity to be that contender.

The women would take turns battering each other with offense all around the ring. Evans landed a nasty Women’s Right on Brooke but before she could make the pin, Cross rolled her up to get the victory.

Next up, there was an eight-man tag team match that put the Lucha House Party and New Day against Cesaro, Shinsuke Nakamura, the Miz and John Morrison. The New Day-led group would get off to an early lead but that would not stop the momentum from swinging in the other group’s direction.

The match would break down as the New Day would battle Cesaro and Nakamura up the ramp and into the back. That would leave the Lucha House Party against the Miz and Morrison in the ring. The Miz found himself on the receiving end of a big elbow drop from Gran Metalik which led to the victory for that team.

The main event of the evening featured Jeff Hardy versus Baron Corbin. Corbin enjoyed assaulting Hardy who was attempting to stand up for Undertaker.

A major turning point in Hardy’s singles career came via a match against Undertaker, so he took offense to Corbin mocking the future WWE Hall of Famer. Hardy was on the receiving end of Corbin’s offense for majority of the match.

However, he would turn things around when Corbin was forced into the steel steps. Hardy used that opportunity to land his Swanton Bomb on Corbin and get the victory.

The Undertaker is one of the most important performers in WWE history. He is spanned generations and been a central figure to some of the most important storylines in the industry.

The WWE was hindered due to its mismanagement of the global pandemic but used Friday’s show as an opportunity to show its thanks to the famed performer.

June 26 SmackDown full results

• Nikki Cross defeats Lacey Evans, Alexa Bliss and Dana Brooke for a shot at Bayley’s SmackDown women’s title
• The New Day and Lucha House Party defeat the Miz, John Morrison, Shinsuke Nakamura and Cesaro via pin fall
• Jeff Hardy defeated Baron Corbin via pin fall