WWE SmackDown Results: Biggest Winners, Losers and Moments from January 3

The first SmackDown Live of 2017 not only continued the brand's streak of outstanding television shows but also provided several matches and moments that will shape the coming weeks and months for the blue brand.

A championship changed hands, a dark-horse contender to wrestling's top prize made his presence felt and a popular babyface turned heel in a moment that should rejuvenate him creatively.

Who emerged as the biggest winner of the night, though? On the other hand, who was the most prominent loser of a broadcast without an abundance of them?

Superstar	Winner or Loser	Why?
Baron Corbin	Winner	The Lone Wolf continued his steady rise up the SmackDown Live ranks, interjecting himself into the WWE World Championship contract signing between John Cena and AJ Styles.
Breezango	Losers	Losing to American Alpha in 20 seconds? Ouch.
Maryse	Winner	The vindictive vixen who supports her husband, even by getting physical with Renee Young and slapping the backstage reporter, is a role that suits Maryse to perfection.

Biggest Winner: Dolph Ziggler

Dolph Ziggler had a superb year in 2016, one that saw him return to the main event scene while delivering one of the best matches of his career against The Miz at No Mercy. He was one of the faces of the SmackDown brand, a reliable performer whom management could always count on to deliver once the bell rang.

Unfortunately, there was a sense of staleness about him, as the creative aspect of his character was poor. There was little to no development, and the result was a Superstar whom fans loved but whose story had hit a wall.

That is, until loss after loss gave way to increased frustration from Ziggler.

A defeat at the hands of Baron Corbin ignited a fire in The Showoff that led to a superkick of Kalisto and a backstage assault on Apollo Crews. More importantly, it sparked a heel turn that will do more to benefit Ziggler than anything else he has done to this point on Tuesday nights.

Since 2013, Ziggler had become so good and reliable as a babyface that he became complacent. Sure, he was involved in some high-profile stories and won his share of championships, but WWE routinely used him in roles that were beneath him.

Now a heel, he has the opportunity to rediscover the arrogance that once defined his character and return to the days when he talked down to and disrespected every opponent.

Feuds with Kalisto and Crews are the perfect reintroduction to the dark side for The Showoff.

Biggest Losers: Nikki Bella and Natalya

The worst feud in WWE right now is the one between Total Divas stars Nikki Bella and Natalya.

The cause of the rivalry was a backstage attack by Natalya at Survivor Series, one that took Bella out of the equation and earned The Queen of Harts a spot on Team SmackDown.

But why did she attack Bella? Simply to earn a spot on the team?

No—instead, the entire feud to this point has been centered on insults about Bella and John Cena's love life made by the former Divas champion. How has the fearless competitor responded? By hurling insults at her.

The result? A feud straight out of eighth grade—a playground argument between two spoiled brats.

The program is painful to watch and has not improved whatsoever in the weeks since the botched revelation that Natalya was, in fact, Nikki's attacker.

Until the two talented in-ring competitors mix it up between the ropes, their program will suffer from what is the worst creative element on the SmackDown brand.