WWE SmackDown Ratings Increase with Undertaker Tribute, Boneyard Match Replay

Friday night's special tribute episode of SmackDown for The Undertaker saw its ratings rise compared to last week's show.

According to Showbuzz Daily, SmackDown averaged 2.174 million viewers during its two-hour broadcast on Fox. That was up 4.9 percent from last week's 2.089 million. SmackDown also tied for first on the night in the 18- to 49-year-old demographic with a 0.5 rating.

Essentially the entire first half of the show was dedicated to The Undertaker. SmackDown opened with Superstars standing on the stage chanting, "Thank you Taker." After that, WWE aired The Phenom's win over AJ Styles in the Boneyard Match at WrestleMania 36.

The final episode of Undertaker: The Last Ride aired this past Sunday on WWE Network, and Taker said in the closing moments that he has "no desire" to wrestle again after the success of the Boneyard Match. The Undertaker also admitted he would consider coming back if WWE Chairman Vince McMahon was in a pinch and needed him to, however.

Even so, WWE leaned into the idea that The Undertaker is done as an active wrestler. Announcers Michael Cole and Corey Graves said many times during the broadcast that the WrestleMania bout was Taker's final match.

King Corbin cut a scathing promo on The Undertaker after the Boneyard Match aired, which caused Jeff Hardy to run down and attack him. Corbin and Hardy later faced off in the main event.

With the ring surrounded by most of the SmackDown babyface roster, Hardy picked up the win. A few of the faces did their finishers on Corbin after the match and then paid tribute to The Undertaker to close the show.

A few segments that were originally scheduled for SmackDown didn't happen, including Styles vs. Drew Gulak for the Intercontinental Championship and Sheamus giving a "toast" to Hardy.

WWE didn't announce why it pivoted and went with an Undertaker tribute show instead, but it is possible that the coronavirus pandemic played a role. Pro Wrestling Sheet's Ryan Satin reported that multiple WWE talents and staff members tested positive for COVID-19 this week.

Other matches on the show saw New Day and Lucha House Party beat The Miz, John Morrison, Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura in an eight-man tag team match, and Nikki Cross beat Alexa Bliss, Lacey Evans and Dana Brooke in a Fatal 4-Way match to earn a SmackDown Women's Championship match at Extreme Rules.

Also, Universal champion Braun Strowman challenged Bray Wyatt to a "Wyatt Swamp Fight" at Extreme Rules.

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