WWE SmackDown Results: Biggest Winners, Losers and Moments from August 13

To say that Thursday night's episode of SmackDown was one of the better and more focused ones in recent memory would be an understatement. Every segment that unfolded on Syfy had a purpose, helping to build to SummerSlam on August 23.

With quality wrestling up and down the card, as well as some solid mic work from the likes of Seth Rollins, Ryback and Sheamus, the show was a joy to watch.

Running for only two hours instead of Raw's ungodly three, it also blew by, never overstaying its welcome or having the opportunity to ruin the tight, fast-paced nature it had created for itself.

The broadcast had definitive winners and losers, with some Superstars and Divas benefiting from strong booking and angle advancement, and others failing to pick up any discernible momentum heading into the biggest event of the summer.

Which performers found themselves on the positive end, and which are in need of a boost as the final Raw before SummerSlam hits the airwaves this Monday night?

Let's take a look.

Credit: WWE.com

Winner: Neville

Not only will his tag team match with partner and celebrity Stephen Amell draw him mainstream media attention, but on Thursday night, The Man That Gravity Forgot was tossed into the main event scene, confronting WWE world heavyweight champion Seth Rollins at the top of the show.

He then teamed with Cesaro to face Rollins and Kevin Owens in the night's main event.

It was a major step up for Neville, who sank into the midcard following a hot start to his main-roster career but now appears to be surging thanks to the opportunity to be involved in one of the higher-profile matches on the SummerSlam card.

On Thursday night, he made the most of his spot in the main event, ending the broadcast with a Red Arrow onto Owens that popped the crowd in Portland, Oregon.

While Vince McMahon is unlikely to get past the idea that someone as small as Neville—with such a thick accent—is never going to be a star, the Englishman has repeatedly proved that given the opportunity, he can thrive.

Thursday night was proof.

Credit: WWE.com

Loser: Naomi

The former Funkadactyl and current star of Total Divas delivered a fine in-ring performance against Charlotte on Thursday night, but it was WWE Creative's use of her that ultimately earned her "loser" status for the night.

Since the call-up of the NXT Divas, no one has suffered more than Naomi.

Prior to the arrival of Sasha Banks, she was the lead heel in the Divas division. That is, whenever the Bella Twins were not flip-flopping back and forth like Big Show.

Now, she is playing second fiddle to the NXT women's champion as the sacrificial lamb designed to help the likes of Banks, Charlotte and Becky Lynch get over. She rarely wins and eats the pin more often than not.

While she is hardly the worker that those three Divas are, Naomi works hard, is incredibly athletic and, when given the opportunity to have a longer match, has proved to be a solid wrestler—especially when she does not have to rush her flashy offense.

She deserves better than she is getting, particularly when Tamina is right there to take the same pinfall losses every week.

Credit: WWE.com

Winners: Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns, Bray Wyatt and Luke Harper

Despite being shoved into the background thanks to higher-profile matches involving Rollins, John Cena, Undertaker and Brock Lesnar, these four big winners from SmackDown have been a part of some wild and chaotic segments on WWE television.

These will only help create more anticipation and excitement for the huge tag team bout at SummerSlam.

At first, a basic tag bout among Ambrose, Reigns, Wyatt and Harper did not sound appealing. After all, it was essentially a match fans could have seen numerous times on Raw or SmackDown. But the four performers have brought such intensity and explosiveness to their performances in recent weeks that it is impossible not to have your interest piqued by what they are doing at this point.

The brawl among the four, which followed a good Reigns-Harper match, popped the crowd and brought some excitement to a show that is not always synonymous with it.

Reigns has been on fire all year, and Ambrose is arguably the most popular guy on the roster. Add to that a motivated Wyatt and Harper, and you have all the makings for a legitimate Match of the Year candidate come next Sunday in Brooklyn, New York.

Credit: WWE.com

Winner: Cesaro

Cesaro has set up shop in the winner's section of both the Raw and SmackDown articles of late thanks to tremendous performances and, for once, a sustained push. He has made the most of his recent opportunity to star, and on Thursday night, he was the most over babyface in the night's main event.

The fans in Portland popped for him, treated him like a star and were into everything he did.

The babyface comeback in the main event against Rollins and Owens was fantastic, and The Swiss Superstar's willingness to explode through the ropes with suicide dives is proof of his dedication to providing the best performance possible.

There are only three other stars on the roster delivering as consistently great performances as Cesaro: Cena, Reigns and Owens.

That is quite the company to keep.

If he can maintain the momentum he has built for himself this summer, do not be surprised to see the former United States champion earn some very real consideration for a main event run.