Discussion on question by overall : Bad performance review despite objective successes and praises

Did you respond in the moment to your manager to ask for clarification? Have you had that conversation since? Scheduling it is the first step and how that conversation should go is what answers here could cover. Beyond that there's little else that can be answered here I think. In that conversation: how open are you to being fully transparent around potential plans to leave over this? (You may or may not want to be explicit about this being a rightful deal breaker for continued employment/success at this org.)

"My manager said I wasn't with the company long enough for him to have trust in me and give me a better grade" That's garbage. That's like a teacher telling a kindergartener, "Sorry, you haven't been in school long enough for me to give you an A". And his suggestion to restart the clock? For what? So he can use that excuse a second time?

I wonder if the previous employee was really let go due to poor performance, or if they were just in the same situation as you?