WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from Sept. 13

New champions showed off their prizes and focused challengers emerged to chase them on the first WWE SmackDown after Backlash.

AJ Styles, Becky Lynch and Heath Slater all had plenty to celebrate on Sunday's pay-per-view. They each won gold that night. Tuesday's SmackDown kicked off each titleholder's reign.

And each time, a rival stepped up with intentions to end it.

In the early stages of building the card for the No Mercy PPV on Oct. 9, the blue brand delivered an up-and-down night. The catalyst for the event's headline bout was stellar. A lot of the rest of the show was sluggish.

Fans got peeks at how the SmackDown roster is set to shift, but it came with mixed results.

Curt Hawkins' debut was limited to a 30-second taped promo. Jack Swagger switched brands with so-so results. Even a jobber who once dared to challenge Braun Strowman made an unexpected cameo.

Where did SmackDown get it right, and where did it stumble? Let's dive into the post-Backlash show and find out.

AJ Styles Meets His No Mercy Opponents

AJ Styles marched to the ring with the WWE World Championship around his waist. He bragged about his title win, boasting about now being atop the WWE mountain. 

John Cena soon interrupted. The 15-time champ said he wanted the gold back.

An angry Dean Ambrose joined the party. He threatened to make life hellish for Styles. Cena shoved his way into the conversation, calling out The Lunatic Fringe for not having balls.

SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon stepped in to quell the situation. He booked all three men in a Triple Threat match for No Mercy and a tag team match for later in the night.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "It's the truth, according to AJ Styles; it's the gospel!"—Styles.
• Styles calls himself "The Champ That Runs the Camp."
• "You have something that belongs to me, and I finally decided that I want it back."—Cena.
• "Your life changes when I'm your enemy."—Ambrose to Styles.
• "You're a lazy part-timer."—Ambrose to Cena.

Grade

A+

Analysis

Great lines from all three men, tension and a focused narrative made this a white-hot segment. The world title remained the center of the story, but WWE wisely scripted this to get plenty personal as well.

Ambrose and Cena had an electric dynamic with each other. Their interactions are going to be gold. And booking Styles and Cena in this format will refresh the rivalry.

An excellent piece of business all around.

The Hype Bros vs. The Usos

In a rematch of the "Second Chance" contest from Backlash, The Usos overwhelmed Zack Ryder early on. Jimmy and Jey Uso attacked his injured ankle.

Mojo Rawley was able to battle back momentarily, but the vicious brothers came out on top. A diving splash put away the former NXT star.

Result

The Usos win via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Rawley sends Jimmy spinning in the air with a shoulder block.
• "I've never seen them [The Usos] look better."—John "Bradshaw" Layfield.

Grade

C-

Analysis

A quick win and showcase of their villainy generated some solid momentum for The Usos. They were dominant here, helping to erase the memory of their loss against Heath Slater and Rhyno at Backlash.

The brevity of the bout cut down on the entertainment value, but this was about the bigger picture. To position The Usos as a feared top heel team, they are going to need to tear people apart like this.

The Miz Celebrates; Dolph Ziggler Challenges

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The Miz, with Maryse at his side, gloated about retaining the Intercontinental Championship at Backlash. He compared himself to the greatest IC champs, claiming to have raised the title's prestige.

Dolph Ziggler stepped into the ring with him and told The Miz he would never be a main eventer. He challenged the champ to a rematch.

SmackDown general manager Daniel Bryan appeared soon after to grant The Showoff his wish. 

The Miz threatened to hold out until WWE redid his contract. He walked out into the crowd with Maryse trailing behind him. 

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "Anytime I'm on this show or any show, I am the main event."—The Miz.
• "No valets, no girlfriends, no ammonia, no stunt doubles, no excuses."—Ziggler.

Grade

B

Analysis

Before Backlash, this rivalry didn't get a chance to gain much traction. It looks like it just needed more time to develop and for WWE to add the wrinkle of a power play between The Miz and Bryan.

It's not clear why Bryan couldn't just strip The Miz of the IC title, but this angle has solid potential. It's a creative way to build on the tension those two had on Talking Smack weeks ago.

This iteration of a desperate Ziggler trying to win the big one is intriguing, too.

WWE, though, has to follow up if he loses. He can't just keep on spitting the same rhetoric. He needs to undergo a change in his character or suffer a downward spiral due to his continued failures. 

Baron Corbin Briefly Meets Jack Swagger

Credit: WWE.com

Backstage, AJ Styles tried to recruit Baron Corbin to be his tag team partner. The Lone Wolf rebuffed him.

Later, Corbin attacked Apollo Crews to prevent their Backlash rematch from happening. He then evaded Jack Swagger, who made a surprise appearance.

Swagger, donning a new look, explained that he left Raw and signed with SmackDown.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "Partner? I want to be your opponent."—Corbin to Styles.
• "SmackDown is the land of opportunity, and I'm going to be a big problem."—Swagger.

Grade

C

Analysis

Corbin is still without a storyline of his own somehow. WWE has been trying to keep him in the audience's mind, though, with short appearances like this. 

That's nearly enough to make full use of The Lone Wolf's potential. He has nailed his minimal opportunities, showing flashes of being a key player for the brand.

Even if it might be too late, it's good to see WWE try something new with Swagger. He has proved not to be world-champ material, but he's more valuable than the constant benchwarmer he has been of late. 

No. 1 Contender's Fatal 5-Way

Credit: WWE.com

Naomi vs. Carmella vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Nikki Bella vs. Natalya

In front of an appreciative crowd, Becky Lynch celebrated her Women's Championship win at Backlash. She then sat at ringside as the rest of the women's division battled it out for the right to face her.

Bella pummeled Carmella right away. Bliss tried to steal a pin or two off other people's moves. The Superstars hit one another with their best moves, scoring a series of two-counts.

Bliss waited until Carmella knocked out Bella with a superkick to rush in and pin the fallen babyface.

Result

Bliss wins to become No. 1 contender.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "The Harley Quinn of the SmackDown women's division, but she doesn't need a squad."—Mauro Ranallo.
• Bella hits Carmella with a flying clothesline on the outside.
• Natalya slams Naomi's face into the ring steps.

Grade

B-

Analysis

This was a lesser version of the Six-Pack Challenge at Backlash. These kinds of multiple-wrestler matches are fine right now as SmackDown gets itself in order, but they can't be the norm moving forward. 

Bliss was the star here. She needs to continue to be a scavenger as she was here, a crafty opportunist in the vein of Edge.

She's the right challenger for Lynch right now.

Natalya and Naomi don't have enough momentum. And Bella and Carmella need to focus on their own bad blood before pursuing a title. 

Heath Slater and Rhyno vs. The Ascension (Tag Team Championship)

Credit: WWE.com

Shane McMahon talked up Heath Slater's accomplishment in earning a roster spot.

Slater signed his contract and thanked everyone who helped him get to this point. He issued an open challenge, which The Ascension answered.

Once McMahon set up the match, Viktor and Konnor went to work pounding on Slater. Rhyno helped his squad take back the momentum, though. A Gore took out Viktor to end the short bout.

Result

Slater and Rhyno win via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "Pack up all our stuff because we're moving into a double-wide!"—Slater.
• "Betty Lou, baby, I'm going to give you a tongue."—Slater.
• The Ascension wears red contact lenses and new face paint.

Grade

C

Analysis

When you drain every last drop of momentum from a team, as WWE has with The Ascension, you can't expect its appearance to mean anything. The heel duo stepping up to the champs was a ho-hum moment as a result.

The match was hurried and forgettable.

Slater's infectious charisma saved this segment. He is convincingly giddy—whether it's after signing a contract or ending an underwhelming bout with a bloody nose, as he did here.

Randy Orton Addresses Bray Wyatt

Credit: WWE.com

Randy Orton claimed Bray Wyatt was afraid of him. He welcomed The New Face of Fear to meet him in the ring.

Wyatt instead appeared on the big screen. He said Orton embarrassed him and that he would hunt him down. The heel then popped up outside the ring, watching as his henchman, Erick Rowan, attacked The Viper.

Orton hit Rowan with an RKO.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "I gave you a gift. I gave you a way out. All you had to do was stay down."—Wyatt.
• "Not fire, not daggers, not bullets can end this now."—Wyatt.

Grade

D+

Analysis

The Wyatt Family appeared to be defunct for weeks. At least the two-man version of the group reformed on Tuesday night. WWE has given the faction the stop-and-start treatment far too often.

Why did Wyatt crush Rowan's mask weeks ago if there was not going to be any follow-up? 

Orton looked awfully healthy after taking a beatdown Sunday that left him unable to compete. That attack not having more of an impact is a waste.

It's a microcosm of what WWE has done with Wyatt. Threats don't lead to enough violence. Wicked acts don't leave deep enough scars.

John Cena and Dean Ambrose vs. AJ Styles and The Miz

James Ellsworth, a recent Braun Strowman victim, was supposed to tag with AJ Styles, but The Miz attacked him. The IC champ claimed he was the main event and should fight alongside Styles.

The Miz carried that same aggression into the match, putting John Cena on his heels early.

Dean Ambrose looked to win the match on his own. He refused to tag in his partner, leading to The Lunatic Fringe taking quite the beating.

Even with that lack of teamwork, Cena and Ambrose overcame their opponents. Cena pinned The Miz after an Attitude Adjustment.

Ambrose then attacked his own partner, taunting him as he lay out cold on the canvas.

Result

Cena and Ambrose win via pinfall. 

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "At No Mercy, he's chasing history, chasing Ric Flair."—JBL on Cena.

Grade

C+

Analysis

The underwhelming main event didn't have nearly the spark the opening segment did. The Miz's ambush of Ellsworth and Ambrose laying out Cena were the only moments of note.  

These glimpses fans saw of an angry, revenge-hungry Ambrose were enticing.

He didn't thrive as champion as many had hoped he would. Hopefully putting him back in chase mode will inject some adrenaline into his act.