WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from Feb. 7

Tuesday's WWE SmackDown made sure the bad blood was flowing ahead of the Elimination Chamber pay-per-view.

Mickie James tore into Becky Lynch before their showdown at Sunday's event. Dolph Ziggler rattled a chair across his foes' spines. Luke Harper upended Randy Orton's hopes of scoring a cheap win. 

In the form of wild matches and pull-no-punches interviews, the blue brand crammed an impressive amount of aggression into its go-home show.

Which of these moments most whet fans' appetites for Elimination Chamber? Which characters and stories most compelled?

The following is a breakdown of Tuesday's SmackDown—from its missteps to its high notes.

Daniel Bryan Opens SmackDown

General manager Daniel Bryan kicked off the show in front of a raucous Seattle crowd before The Miz interrupted.

The Miz made fun of the GM for not being able to wrestle anymore. He struggled to be heard over the Seattle crowd.

Baron Corbin, Dean Ambrose and AJ Styles soon arrived. Each man talked about winning the WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber. Bryan booked a Fatal 4-Way match between them.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "Why don't you do something your talents are suited for? Become a stay-at-home dad."—The Miz.
• "Not being able to wrestle never stopped you from getting in the ring."—Bryan.
• "You stole the motorcycle sounds from my entrance music."—Ambrose to Corbin.
• "Do we live in a fantasy world where the facts don't matter?"—Styles.

Grade

B+

Analysis

A hot crowd elevated a solid segment.

This didn't overstay its welcome. Each wrestler had his brief moment before tensions rose. 

The Miz was the star here, grinding into Bryan with personal digs. It's still unclear where WWE wants to take his rivalry with the GM, but the the animosity between them is powerful.

The Miz vs. Dean Ambrose vs. Baron Corbin vs. AJ Styles

A wild match saw the action spill out of the ring early.

Baron Corbin clubbed The Miz and AJ Styles. The Miz tried to capitalize on the damage his foes inflicted. 

Momentum shifted from wrestler to wrestler, and the bout remained fast-paced. 

Maryse saved The Miz from sure defeat. The Lone Wolf rushed in to pounce on Styles in the confusion that followed. The End of Days spelled victory for Corbin.

Result

Corbin wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Dean Ambrose pushes Styles off the top rope.
• The Miz hits Ambrose and Styles with Daniel Bryan-style kicks.
• The Miz, Ambrose and Styles trade a long series of near-falls with roll-ups.
• Corbin powerbombs Styles as part of a Tower of Doom with all four men.

Grade

A

Analysis

What a high-octane preview of the Elimination Chamber match. There were no dull moments, as warrior toppled warrior, only to find another opponent charging at him. 

Corbin looked like a star here. He intrigued when on offense, and his presence popped on the screen.

WWE has to take a similar approach at Sunday's PPV, allowing Corbin to look like a beast, even if he ends up losing.

Natalya and Nikki Bella Interview

Tom Phillips interviewed Nikki Bella and Natalya, who were in separate rooms.

Natalya promised to beat and injure Bella at Elimination Chamber. Bella expressed frustration with Natalya's lies and misguided view of their situation.

Eventually, Natalya irritated Bella to the point where she walked out of the interview.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "The Nattie I knew and loved is dead to me."—Bella.
• "There's going to be no amount of makeup to cover up what I do to her."—Natalya.
• "You're never going to have your own baby."—Natalya.
• "If I wasn't married, John Cena would probably end up with me."—Natalya.

Grade

B

Analysis

Natalya reminded us she's not a top-tier talker, but there were enough low-blow lines here to get folks' attention. The rivalry continued to be unabashedly personal. It's unfortunate, though, that WWE couldn't find a means to achieve the same result without making this about Cena.

The split-screen format—something WWE doesn't do regularly—was creative.

We've already seen these women brawl for weeks. Forcing the foes to keep their distance and dig into their story was a fresh direction to take the feud.

Apollo Crews vs. Dolph Ziggler

A hard-hitting battle ended in a hurry. Apollo Crews used a schoolboy pin to surprise Dolph Ziggler.

The Showoff responded by beating down Crews with a steel chair.

Kalisto charged in, but he soon found himself in trouble, too. Ziggler cracked a chair across The King of Flight's back.

Backstage, Daniel Bryan booked Ziggler in a 2-on-1 Handicap match against Crews and Kalisto.

Result

Crews wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "The guy's a sore loser, and he's a sore winner."—David Otunga.
• Ziggler knocks Kalisto off the top rope with a chair shot.
• "Beating them over the head with a chair is more fun."—Ziggler.

Grade

B-

Analysis

Ziggler continued his descent into darkness. There's great logic to the tailspin, too, as it's a result of losses bringing out his worst.

The match was too quick to be much fun. It was simply a means to lead into Ziggler's outburst.

His interaction with Bryan didn't have the spark it should have, as Ziggler seems to still be settling in to the new version of his character.

Dual Contract Signing

Credit: WWE.com

Renee Young hosted a dual contract signing for both Mickie James vs. Becky Lynch and Alexa Bliss vs. Naomi.

James told Young to get out of the ring before she tore into Lynch. The former women's champ talked up her part in the women's revolution, expressing her desire to tear down The Irish Lass Kicker.

Lynch fired back, promising to run through James on Sunday.

Bliss mocked Naomi, dismissing her as a threat. She talked of her dream to head to WrestleMania as women's champ.

Naomi kicked Bliss in the head, which sparked a brawl between all the women.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "This little journalism cosplay thing you have going is super cute."—James to Young.
• "This entire division was built on my obsession—my obsession with being the absolute best."—James.
• "Without Mickie James, there would be no Becky Lynch."—James.
• "You can bring your seven years of rage because I will bring a lifetime of straight fire."—Lynch.
• "The only thing that runs through your veins is cheap, orange hair dye."—Bliss.

Grade

A

Analysis

What could have been a crowded mess turned out to be the perfect means to propel both feuds.

James was able to showcase her character a ton here, exposing her warped but believable motivations. She's jaded and angry, feeling left out of all the glory going around, and that's an ideal reason for her to be on the hunt for Lynch.

The women fired off a number of hard-hitting lines. Tension filled the room in a hurry. 

Too bad this isn't all culminating in a women's Elimination Chamber match.

12-Man Tag Team Match

American Alpha, Breezango, Heath Slater and Rhyno vs. The Ascension, The Vaudevillains and The Usos.

Aiden English led the way as the heels ganged up on American Alpha's Chad Gable. Breezango bickered with the babyface side.

Rhyno bowled over the opposition when he stepped into the fray.

Chaos soon reigned, though. Everyone stepped into the ring as fists flew.

Viktor used a flying knee to come out on top. 

Result

The Ascension, The Vaudevillains and The Usos win via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Jason Jordan hurls Gable out of the ring onto a mess of heels.

Grade

C+

Analysis

A short match with only a handful of highlights tried to pack a bunch of animosity into a small space. It was only partially successful.

The upcoming tag team title match still feels like a random mishmash of teams, not a battle between various enemies.

The Ascension getting a win is a welcome surprise. WWE has neutered the duo since the July draft. The victory here doesn't repair all the damage done from bad booking, but it gave the former NXT tag champs some needed momentum at a good time.

John Cena vs. Randy Orton

Bray Wyatt watched on from his rocking chair as John Cena clashed with Randy Orton.

Orton dominated early, punishing the powerhouse outside the ring. The Viper battered Cena until he was punch-drunk.

Cena responded with a comeback, but it didn't last long. Orton's hanging DDT and an RKO couldn't put Cena away, though.

The action knocked the referee out of the ring, opening the door for Wyatt and Orton to dismantle Cena. Luke Harper emerged to save the day, clotheslining The Eater of Worlds out of the ring.

Cena hit an Attitude Adjustment on Orton just before the referee came back into the ring.

Result

Cena wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Orton flings Cena into the ring steps.
• Orton slams Cena onto the announce table.
• "The Viper has just struck with his venom on John Cena!"—Mauro Ranallo.
• "Randy Orton, you stole my family. I've seen the snake in the grass for far too long!"—Harper.

Grade

B+

Analysis

While nowhere near as good a match as their best battles, Cena vs. Orton created some intrigue ahead of Elimination Chamber.

Most of that came from Harper's involvement. Wyatt seemed to still have some control over him, but not enough to keep him from trying to tear apart what's left of The Wyatt Family.

Orton is still playing Wyatt's protector. He is likely to play a big part in Sunday's Elimination Chamber match, as might Harper. WWE heads into the PPV with a multitude of moving parts at its disposal.