WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from March 12

Every week on Bleacher Report, I take an in-depth look at WWE SmackDown to recap the action, offer analysis and grade the matches, segments and anything else that takes place on the show. I also provide some predictions on the direction of storylines.

We're inching close to WrestleMania with each passing day, but since WWE has already set up most of the major storylines, it feels like a lot of what we have seen recently is just repetition.

Just about every storyline received some kind of attention during SmackDown, and the high number of video packages and interviews led to a lower number of matches than we typically get on Thursdays.

WWE would be wise to space things out a bit more so we don't get tired of seeing the same thing during ever show, but knowing the company like we do, it probably won't happen that way.

Let's take a look at everything that happened on this week's SmackDown.

IC Title Drama

Daniel Bryan opened the show with a decent promo that saw him declare his spot in the Ladder Match for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 31.

As is the case with every single segment involving this title, several other Superstars showed up to make their voice heard. Bad News  Barrett, Dolph Ziggler, Luke Harper, Dean Ambrose, Stardust and R-Truth all came out, in that order.

Once everyone had said a few words, all hell broke loose. Truth stayed up on the ramp with the title so it was three heels against three babyfaces, and the faces sent the heels packing.

Yes, these segments are getting repetitive. What's important is that the title is getting so much attention in the first place. The IC title hasn't been this sought after in a long time, and that is a step in the right direction.

The match we get at WrestleMania will definitely be one of the highlights of the show, but this was a pretty average segment simply because it was more of the same of what we have been seeing for several weeks.

Grade: C+

Notes and Highlights:

• It was a pleasant surprise to hear Harper actually speak for once. This guy is a good talker under the right circumstances, but he never gets any time with a mic.
• Stardust calling everyone "Morlocks" was hilarious. Who knew he was a H.G. Wells fan?
• The only thing missing was Teddy Long turning this into a tag match for later in the evening.
• Seven Superstars is a strange number for a Ladder Match. There is still time to even it out, but this is most likely the group we will see do battle.

The Usos and The New Day vs. Kidd, Cesaro and Los Matadores

Eight-man tag matches don't often work outside of Survivor Series, especially when everyone has to get a little time in the ring over a standard match length.

Los Matadores were paired with Kidd and Cesaro because they are the lowest team on the totem pole, so they were forced to act like heels a little so it didn't seem strange.

The pace was quick and some of the participants got in a few good moves, but as a whole, this felt too rushed. It's hard to avoid with this many people in one match.

Seeing The Usos and The New Day have a friendly competition made things a little more interesting, but all the mayhem led to Los Matadores pulling a switcheroo and picking up the win for their team.

Grade: B-

Notes and Highlights:

• If The New Day win the titles at WrestleMania, will they use the Freebird rule and rotate the belts, or will the two who enter that match be the only champions?
• Did anyone ever figure out how to tell Los Matadores apart?
• Also, did they make a heel turn when nobody was paying attention?
• Seeing as how every team will have a person outside the ring (El Torito, Natalya, Naomi and third New Day member), the match at WrestleMania will have a lot of craziness.

The Miz vs. Ryback

Damien Mizdow did not come out with The Miz for this match after they had a disagreement backstage. The crowd was not happy about this.

This was quick contest that saw Ryback pick up the win with Shell Shocked. Miz got in a few good shots, but this was a dominant performance for the Big Guy.

One thing we at home have to realize is that these short matches tend to go over better when you are live in the arena. It wasn't a train wreck, but it was nothing special either.

Grade: C

Notes and Highlights:

• Hearing Miz rattle off all his accomplishments really makes you realize how much he has done in his career. For a kid from The Real World, he has done well for himself.
• Do you think the crowd really likes Ryback, or do they just like his chant?
• Say what you will about Jerry Lawler's humor being dated. He can still make me laugh with a cheesy joke. Him saying Miz thought Hamburger Helper came with another person was funnier than it should have been.

Roman Reigns and Mark Henry

It seemed like Roman Reigns was about to give one of the shortest promos of the night, but before he could deliver his signature line, Mark Henry came out.

The returning powerhouse received almost no reaction from the crowd during his entrance, which is just sad. This is a guy who has done some great work in the nearly two decades he has been with the company, and for him to return after a long absence with no response is disappointing.

Henry read Reigns the riot act. He told the young Samoan that he had to earn the respect of the fans and the boys backstage, and Reigns tried to just walk away.

While the intention of this segment was to make Reigns look strong, it actually made him look bad. Henry was not acting like a heel, he was trying to offer Reigns some sage advice from a veteran.

Instead of listening to what someone who has actually faced Lesnar had to say, Reigns acted like a petulant child and tried to ignore him. Henry gave him a little shove, and Reigns responded with a Superman Punch and a Spear that put Henry through the barricade.

Not only was this a terrible way to make Reigns look like a guy worthy of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but it was an abysmal way to bring back someone who has been on the shelf for months.

Having Henry endorse Reigns later in the night helped a little, but not enough.

Grade: D

The AlternaDivas vs. Cameron and Summer Rae

It looks like #GiveDivasAChance didn't do that much because this was a very short match with little to like outside of AJ and Paige being involved.

Paige picked up the submission win with the PTO. The drama between AJ, Paige and The Bella Twins that took place after the match was over was more interesting than the action inside the ring.

Grade: D+

Notes and Highlights:

• It looks like Summer Rae, Cameron and Eva Marie have formed a little stable.
• It seems like Summer Rae has regressed in her wrestling ability. How does that happen?
• Let's get the name AlternaDivas to catch on. It fits AJ and Paige so well.

Bryan, Ziggler and Ambrose vs. Harper, Stardust and Barrett

Even without Teddy Long, the main event of the evening was a six-man tag match between all the men who fought in the opening segment.

This was a good way to end the show. All six of these men are talented in completely different ways, and there was enough time for everyone to look good at different moments.

Daniel Bryan, Dolph Ziggler and Dean Ambrose defeated Bad News Barrett, Luke Harper and Stardust after Ziggler hit Harper with a Zig-Zag and then tagged in Bryan for a running knee.

Seeing the babyfaces have some tension after the match really helped push the IC title program heading into WrestleMania, but Ambrose and Ziggler calling Bryan a turd was a little weird.

Grade: B+

Notes and Highlights:

• Bryan's beard is getting shorter and shorter.
• Harper and Ambrose shop at the same clothing store judging from their matching attires. Ambrose looks like he cleans his more often, though.
• Whenever Stardust uses red paint, it looks like his opponents are bleeding when it rubs off on them.
• To hear the fans chant "We want Ziggler" with Daniel Bryan in the same match is pretty awesome. Ziggler's popularity is still growing.
• Harper using the Torture Rack was a nice surprise.

Final Thoughts and Predictions

The main event had enough time to be very entertaining, but there was too many recaps, backstage interviews and video packages throughout the night.

The return of Mark Henry was weak due to the fact that he was just there to make Reigns look good, and the Divas have apparently gone back to having short, unimportant matches for the time being.

The good thing about this show was that every segment was designed to further a storyline heading into WrestleMania. In fact, the only feud that didn't have significant coverage was The Undertaker vs. Bray Wyatt.

When you get this close to WrestleMania, it makes sense to have every segment focus on a particular feud, but it's starting to make all the shows feel the same. Hopefully, Raw gives us more to like than this episode of SmackDown.

Predictions:

• There will be at least one "Bryan is a turd" sign at Raw on Monday.
• Mark Henry will have his return match on Raw and then declare his intention to enter the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
• Los Matadores will continue to act like heels through WrestleMania.
• Bad News Barrett won't get his IC title back before WrestleMania.

What did you think of this week's SmackDown?

Thanks for reading, and follow me on Twitter @BR_Doctor.