WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights for September 19

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.

Night of Champions is almost upon us. This was the final show before the pay-per-view—WWE's last chance to make us care enough to tune in on Sunday.

In one way or another, just about every feud going on right now was addressed during SmackDown, even if it was just a video package.

The big match advertised was Rusev vs. Roman Reigns, meaning Rusev featured in the closing segments of both Raw and SmackDown, which is a big deal for a talent as new to the scene as Rusev.

As always, there were highlights and low points, but overall, this was a solid episode for the blue brand. Let's take a look at everything that happened on this week's SmackDown.

Brother from Another Mother...and Father

SmackDown kicked off with a little bit of excitement as Jimmy Uso took on Cody Rhodes. Both of their brothers accompanied them to the ring, as would be expected in a tag team feud.

Both men looked great in this exhibition bout. Stardust is just as quick on his feet as Uso, which led to a fast pace throughout the match.

Uso picked up a clean win over Stardust with a superkick. There was no outside interference, but Goldust did end up taking a double superkick to the jaw after trying to get involved once the match was over.

Even though it could have gone on a bit longer, it was an entertaining way to kick off the show.

Grade: B-

Some notes from the match:

• It's always refreshing to see someone win with a signature move that is not usually their finisher.
• The theory I have is that whoever looks the best in the final encounter heading into a PPV match will usually lose. This would mean The Usos will be losing the Tag Team Championships on Sunday.
• The Usos need to start labeling themselves. Now that they both have full sleeve tattoos, it's so much harder to tell them apart.

Sheamus and the Zigglers vs. Cesaro and the Mizs at WWE Battle of the Bands

Sheamus and Dolph Ziggler teamed up to take on their challengers at NoC, Cesaro and Miz. Luckily for everyone, Damien Sandow and R-Truth were at ringside to keep things interesting.

Cesaro showed off his strength several times throughout the match by throwing Ziggler around like a ragdoll. Ziggler may not be big by WWE standards, but he is still over 200 pounds.

Sheamus only ended up getting involved in the match after Ziggler had been in the ring for several minutes. He ran through Miz and Cesaro like a steamroller, eventually winning the match for his team with a Brogue Kick to Miz following a superkick from Ziggler.

All four men helped make this a very smooth-looking affair. There were no notable mistakes and everyone did a great job doing all the things that define their characters.

Not only did this match manage to address the Intercontinental and United States title feuds, but it provided a great deal of entertainment.

Grade: B+

Some notes from the match:

• Sheamus and the Zigglers would make a great band name; Cesaro and the Mizs, not so much.
• Damien Sandow has won me over with this role. It's beneath what he is capable of, but he is always so funny when he copies Miz's movements.
• Cesaro was smiling when he and Ziggler started off with a little chain wrestling. You can tell that he enjoys being in the ring with someone as physically talented as Ziggler. They have great chemistry.
• This is an example of the theory proposed in the previous slide not applying. When two feuds are combined into one match like this, it's not a great indicator of how either program will end.

The Gator and the Hare

In another chapter in the most unimportant feud in WWE today, Heath Slater battled Adam Rose. As expected, the bunny got involved and helped Rose pick up the win.

The only difference in this bout from all the others we have seen from these men is that it lasted longer than two minutes. Slater even managed to get in some decent offense.

If anything positive can be taken from this, it's that Rose was able to actually hit more than two moves before getting the win. He has talent, but he's been limited in what he's been able to show us so far.

If you want to see the potential Adam Rose has, go back and watch some of his matches in NXT under the name Leo Kruger.

Grade: C-

Some notes from the match:

• Shouldn't the bunny have an issue with Rose's fur coat?
• Rose must be a hockey fan. He pulled Slater's shirt over his head and started hitting him in the stomach just like in so many NHL fights we've seen over the years.
• This would have been given a lower grade on any other day, but the bunny's willingness to sacrifice his own body helped a little. It can't be easy to just throw yourself over the top rope with a mask that limits your vision.

The Bull Is Back in Town

Big Show and Los Matadores teamed up to take on the Wyatt Family in six-man tag action. El Torito was back after being out for a few weeks with an injury, but he didn't have much to do.

This match was everything you would expect it to be: Los Matadores were punching bags, the Wyatt Family controlled most of the bout and Big Show did his job looking vulnerable.

While there was nothing particularly bad about what we saw, it just wasn't that good. It definitely felt like a match that was thrown together without much thought, especially since Los Matadores were so out of their element.

Bray Wyatt picked up the win with a Sister Abigail on one of the Matadores. The only surprising thing was that Big Show did not get attacked once the match was over. It seems like an obvious booking decision since they are clearly working toward Big Show vs. Wyatt.

Grade: C-

Some notes from the match:

• It's a safe bet that Big Show could eat El Torito in one sitting.
• Bray Wyatt didn't say the name of the city they were in when he said "we're here." That could be so he doesn't get the cheap pop anymore.
• Big Show vs. Bray Wyatt could end up being added to the NoC kickoff show, but it will probably end up being Los Matadores vs. Luke Harper and Erick Rowan, with Show vs. Wyatt being held over until next month at Hell in a Cell.

Two Heels Don't Make a Babyface

Paige and Nikki Bella had a relatively physical battle, but the crowd being so dead from start to finish made the whole thing come off far worse than it was.

Paige got a clean win with the Paige Turner, but Nikki got the last laugh after laying out both Paige and AJ with the Divas title after the match was over.

With all the focus being on AJ and Paige in recent weeks, it was actually kind of nice to see Nikki be the center of attention in a feud beside the one with her sister.

Grade: C

Some notes from the match:

• AJ being on commentary automatically bumps the grade up a letter.
• This match didn't make a lot of sense. Heel vs. heel matches can work if one of them is really over, but neither of these women elicit huge responses from the crowd.
• Did it seem to anyone else like AJ was intentionally saying things that could be construed as sexual when talking about Paige?

Jack Swagger Stopped Bolieving

Jack Swagger was unable to make his record 2-Bo against Bo Dallas this week. He defeated Bray Wyatt's little brother on Raw but fell to him on SmackDown.

Swagger controlled the majority of the action, with Dallas basically just hitting his finisher after pulling Swagger's arm down on the top rope.

Dallas started insulting Swagger and Zeb Colter after the match was over, but Swagger didn't lie down and take it and kicked Dallas and sent him running up the ramp.

This was pretty standard for a shorter bout. It wasn't nearly as good as their encounter on Raw, but it also doesn't look like this feud is anywhere close to being over. Let's hope they make things a little more exciting next time around.

Grade: D+

Some notes from the match:

• Bo Dallas should show himself taking the ice bucket challenge before every match. It would be kind of funny and would also give him a good reason to be as soaking wet as he is every time he comes to the ring.
• Zeb Colter needs more mic time. He hasn't been getting very much since the feud with Rusev ended. Most of his value is in his ability to garner a reaction from the crowd with his words.

The Biggest Fight of the Year Part II

Video packages don't usually get their own slide, but this program is too big to leave off the recap. A long video package was played recapping the feud between John Cena and Brock Lesnar, with a little snippet from Lesnar's interview with Michael Cole being shown at the end.

Even if the outcome is somewhat predictable at Night of Champions, WWE has done a good job making this a match that people want to see.

Despite Paul Heyman being the driving force behind this storyline on the mic, it has to be noted that Lesnar has been at his best in recent interviews.

The key seems to be putting Lesnar in a room with his interviewer rather than having him talk in front of a live crowd. He obviously doesn't have issues performing for an audience, but he looks more comfortable talking when there is nobody cheering or booing.

Lesnar's limited appearances have kept us from becoming bored with him. More importantly, it has also allowed John Cena to carry the feud without having to go head-to-head with Lesnar every week.

Sunday's PPV is looking more and more like it could be one of the best shows of the year, and a lot of that will rely on how this match performs.

Rusev vs. Roman Reigns

Rusev and Roman Reigns squared off in the main event of the evening. You knew right from the start that this would be a battle of power, and they did not disappoint.

The first few moments of the match saw them struggle for control in a lock up, wrestling all the way out to the floor in an attempt to get the advantage.

It was a decent way to end the show, but it definitely exposed some of the shortcomings of both men. Putting two powerhouses in the ring together is always risky, but there was plenty of drama outside the ring to help move things along.

Seth Rollins came out and taunted Reigns, but he accidentally hit Rusev instead of Reigns when he interfered in the match, causing Rusev to win by disqualification.

Reigns chased Rollins out of the arena, but Rusev did not get to celebrate for long. Mark Henry ended up coming out to confront his opponent for Sunday, dropping a huge American flag from the ceiling just like Rusev has with the Russian flag in recent weeks.

Henry put down the Bulgarian Brute with the World's Strongest Slam to send the crowd home happy. The match was alright, but the events that followed were what made the final segment entertaining.

Grade: B+

Some notes from the match:

• Remember when these two faced off during a battle royal and the crowd exploded. Why weren't they as excited when this match started?
• Everyone always compares Rusev to Ivan Drago from Rocky IV, but he's more like Zangief from Street Fighter.
• WWE is obviously trying to push Rusev and Henry's feud really hard. Ending both Raw and SmackDown is kind of a big deal for someone as new to the roster as Rusev.

Final Thoughts and Predictions

All in all, this was a pretty good SmackDown. Not because the action was above average, but because it was paced well and all the feuds heading into Night of Champions were given the appropriate amount of time.

The only upcoming match not given any significant time was Randy Orton vs. Chris Jericho, but that might not be a bad thing. Their storyline feels forced as it is, so paying any further attention to it before their match would have been a waste of time.

Night of Champions has the potential to be one of the best shows of 2014, but a lot of that hinges on the match between John Cena and Brock Lesnar. They will undoubtedly close the show, meaning that they will be the ones leaving the last impression on viewers. Let's hope they don't drop the ball.

Since Sunday is the pay-per-view, this week's predictions will be all about the outcomes to the matches and a few possible events that will take place.

Predictions:

• Gold and Stardust will defeat The Usos for the Tag Team Championships.
• Cesaro will defeat Sheamus for the United States Championship.
• Dolph Ziggler will retain the IC title against Miz
• Paige will retain the Divas title after Brie Bella costs Nikki the match.
• Rusev and Mark Henry will end in a no contest decision.
• Randy Orton will defeat Chris Jericho and injure him so he can take another hiatus.
• Dean Ambrose will return and cost Seth Rollins his match against Roman Reigns.
• Brock Lesnar will retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against John Cena.

What did you think of SmackDown this week, and what are your predictions for Night of Champions?

Thanks for reading, and follow me on Twitter @BR_Doctor