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

Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan will battle at WWE Fastlane for the opportunity to challenge Brock Lesnar for the heavyweight title at WrestleMania, but on Thursday night, they had to coexist to ensure they would make it to the February 22 pay-per-view, as they competed in a Tag Team Turmoil match on SmackDown.

Battling some of the top tag teams in the industry, they would have to set aside their differences in order to pick up a win and maintain the momentum they have built on the road to the biggest show of the year.

What obstacles would the Authority have in store for them, and what role would newcomers the Ascension play?

They were the questions facing the WWE Universe as this week's broadcast hit the SyFy network airwaves.

With 45 minutes dedicated to the night's main event thanks to the Abu Dhabi tour depleting the star power, WWE Creative had the opportunity to tell a story that ran the length of the show.

How did they fair?

Find out now, with a look back at Thursday night's show.

R-Truth vs. Bray Wyatt

With cryptic promos daring some unknown entity to "find him," Bray Wyatt arrived on SmackDown riding a wave of momentum. His opponent for the night? R-Truth, who is on the other end of the spectrum, rarely appearing on television or winning meaningful matches.

Nothing would change Thursday night, as Wyatt withstood the offense of a game Truth and put him away with Sister Abigail in just over four minutes.

Result

Bray Wyatt defeated R-Truth

Highlight

Wyatt picking up the win in what was essentially an enhancement match.

Grade

D

Analysis

Bray Wyatt continues to roll, enjoying the strongest booking of his two years on the main roster.

After defeating Dolph Ziggler in two consecutive episodes of Raw, he rolled over R-Truth to kick off this week's broadcast and continue his march toward WrestleMania.

His opponent at the Showcase of the Immortals is anyone's guess but mentions of "reaper" and supernatural forces hints at the Undertaker. If that is the case, the Eater of Worlds could be gearing up for the most important match of his young career.

Paige vs. Summer Rae

Just 10 days away from challenging Nikki Bella for the Divas Championship at Fastlane, Paige battled Summer Rae on SmackDown. Never ones to allow the spotlight to shine on anyone but them, the Bella Twins were seated at the commentary table to get a close-up view of proceedings.

As one could expect, Paige hardly struggled against the leggy blonde, formerly of Fandango dance partner fame.

Despite breaking out a rare Indian Death Lock submission hold, Summer soon found herself locked in the PTO and had no other option but to submit.

After the match, the Bellas posed while Paige shouted at them from inside the squared circle.

Result

Paige defeated Summer Rae via submission

Highlight

Byron Saxton trying to put focus on the match unfolding in the ring, something we will touch on in a moment.

Grade

D

Analysis

"You're aware there's a match going on in the ring?" Byron Saxton asked, apparently fed up with the Bella Twins putting themselves over at the expense of the action occurring several feet away.

"Unfortunately, yes there is," Nikki responded.

And in that very exchange is everything wrestling fans need to know about the state of women's wrestling on the main roster.

Just 24 hours after Sasha Banks, Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Bayley revolutionized what it means to be a female wrestler, Nikki Bella blatantly and flippantly dismissed two women attempting to have a match so that she could ensure the spotlight stayed on her and sister Brie.

Sure, she may have been in character, getting her selfish and egotistical persona over, but there were far better ways to address the situation than by making the the work of her fellow Divas appear so meaningless.

Triple H stated during the live edition of the Steve Austin Show that aired on WWE Network that he wished the women would get more of an opportunity to shine on Raw and SmackDown. When the time comes for the Game to assume control of the direction of the company, he will be confronted with a roster so poorly mismanaged by Vince McMahon and WWE Creative that it could take years to condition the general audience to accept women's wrestling on a larger scale.

Fandango vs. Adam Rose

In the continuation of the rivalry absolutely no one wanted, Fandango battled Adam Rose.

Again.

In a match lasting under two minutes, Fandango withstood an aggressive Rose. He fought back from a chinlock, delivered a snap powerslam and scored the pinfall victory off of the Last Dance.

After the match, Rose yelled at the Rosebuds.

Again.

Result

Fandango pinned Adam Rose

Highlight

Well...Rosa Mendes was mighty attractive.

Grade

F

Analysis

Can anyone really justify this match's placement on this week's show?

Sure, there was precedent, with both men squaring off last week on both Superstars and SmackDown, but with Fandango and Rose being heels, and no real rhyme or reason for them to continue being associated with each other, there was no valid explanation for this being here.

Rose continues to be one of the biggest busts in recent memory, while Fandango continues to go nowhere.

The definition of a program that benefits no onethe audience included.

Tag Team Turmoil

Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan continued to argue, despite being tag team partners, as they hit the ring for the night's main event. 

First up in Tag Team Turmoil were former WWE Tag Team Champions the Miz and Damien Mizdow. Despite showing dissension throughout, Reigns blasted Miz with a Superman Punch, only for Bryan to put him away with the running knee.

Up next was Jimmy and Jey Uso, the top team in the division and the current champions. More importantly, they were easily the biggest threat to Bryan and Reigns. 

The Usos isolated Bryan, wearing him down and demonstrating why they are the WWE Tag Team champions. All the while, Reigns watched from a distance, appearing unimpressed on more than one occasion.

Back from the break and Reigns was excelling where Bryan faltered. Just as he gained the upper hand, though, the leader of the Yes Movement tagged himself back into the contest.

Bryan and Reigns argued at ringside and continued to do so following another commercial break. Bryan took great pleasure in punishing the Usos, who are the real-life cousins of the Royal Rumble winner. Reigns refused a tag rather than continuing to punish Jimmy and Jey.

Action picked up as the Usos mounted a comeback. They dove through the air, wiping out their opponents. Reigns rebounded, blasting Jimmy with a Superman Punch, only to eat a superkick. Bryan got the knees up in time to counter a top-rope splash. He got Jey in the Yes Lock and forced a tapout. Rather than letting go, though, he kept the hold locked in until Reigns pulled him off.

Los Matadores were up next, arriving to a reaction typically reserved for, well, Los Matadores and other midcard fodder.

Diego and Fernando were hardly competition for the duo, falling in short order when Bryan forced one to tap out to the Yes Lock, marking the third consecutive team that the former WWE World Heavyweight champion was responsible for eliminating.

Reigns responded by destroying Titus O'Neil and pinning Heath Slater following a spear, ensuring that Slater Gator had the shortest stint in the match to date.

The Ascension was out next and wasted little time in assaulting Reigns, tossing him over the announce table, and sending Bryan soaring over the timekeeper's position. They were clearly not worried about winning the match. Instead, as commentators Byron Saxton and Jerry Lawler surmised, they cared only about making an impression on the Authority.

The left Bryan lying following the Fall of Man before referees pulled them away from the squared circle.

As that was going on, Big Show and Kane made their way to the ring, proving that the entire ordeal was set up to ensure the destruction of Bryan and Reigns.

Reigns found himself on the receiving end of a beating at the hands of the Corporate Demon, who worked a headlock on the No. 1 contender to Brock Lesnar's WWE title. Reigns fought out and flattened the Big Red Monster with a big clothesline. A tag to Bryan continued the everlasting rivalry between the former Team Hell No partners.

Again, Bryan found himself isolated from Reigns, the recipient of a two-on-one assault at the hands of his massive opposition.

Big Show took Bryan lightly, causing a frustrated Kane to warn him about it. He tagged himself in and quickly found himself locked in the Yes Lock. Big Show broke the hold up, much to the dismay of Reigns.

Big Show tagged himself in and the dissension among partners appeared evident. Bryan countered the chokeslam attempt into the Yes Lock. Kane, like his partner had earlier, broke up the hold. Again, the heels fought among themselves.

Suddenly, and without warning, Big Show clocked the Director of Operations with a KO Punch, leading to Reigns delivering the spear and Bryan landing the running knee for the pinfall victory.

Result

Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan won Tag Team Turmoil

Highlight

Big Show and Kane failing to coexist led to their undoing in a way that Bryan and Reigns' failure did not.

Grade

A

Analysis

The main event of this week's episode of SmackDown was a thing of booking beauty.

Throughout the first four falls of the match, Roman Reigns and Daniel Bryan were at each other's throats, refusing to coexist, something that nearly cost them the match against the Usos early.

But as the contest dragged on, and the duo suffered a brutal attack at the hands of the Ascension and something clicked. They put aside their differences and concentrated on surviving to advance to Fastlane for their huge bout. 

Big Show and Kane of the Authority, on the other hand, proved incapable of putting ego aside for the sake of victory. Unlike Bryan and Reigns, they failed to succeed because they worried about themselves rather than their team.

By the end of the 45-minute match, Reigns and Bryan had established respect for each other, something they did not have prior to the contest. It was an significant development in their war against the Authority and, more importantly, a vital chapter in their story.