WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from October 31

The October 31 episode of SmackDown Live featured a main event of Kevin Owens vs. Shinsuke Nakamura for the right to join Team SmackDown at Survivor Series, as well as a major announcement by commissioner Shane McMahon regarding the leader of that team.

Elsewhere on the show, WWE champion Jinder Mahal sent a message to AJ Styles via a vicious and vile beatdown, while Sin Cara was intense in his attack of United States champion Baron Corbin.

The show continued the steady build to a November 19 pay-per-view that figures to feature significant happenings that will impact WWE for the foreseeable future.

What seeds were planted Tuesday?

Take a look for yourself.

Shane McMahon's Monumental Announcement

Shane McMahon kicked off this week's show and wasted little time in running down the long history of SmackDown Live's disrespect at the hands of Raw.

He relived the recent history of SmackDown, including putting together a team that featured Daniel Bryan as general manager and a live Tuesday night show.

None of that was good enough, though. Raw continued to look down on the brand and disrespect it at every turn.

So SmackDown opted to take the fight to Raw, putting the brand under siege. Now, at Survivor Series, the blue brand will look to beat its oppressor and, as McMahon revealed, it will be with him as the team captain.

Grade

A

Analysis

McMahon did a better job of establishing the source of SmackDown's discontent than last week, and the announcement that he will captain the show's team at Survivor Series is a huge one that adds greater levity to the match.

The fans reacted strongly to everything McMahon said, proof positive that the story the company is going with is one the audience will buy into.

Perhaps because of the truth that exists within it.

2-out-of-3 Falls Match: Bobby Roode vs. Dolph Ziggler

A match weeks in the making saw Dolph Ziggler and Bobby Roode square off in a 2-out-of-3 Falls match.

The Showoff struck first, delivering a superkick that knocked the former NXT champion out just long enough to secure the victory.

Roode evened the odds shortly thereafter, though, tossing Ziggler face-first into the steel post and rolling him up for the victory. That fall, the second of the match, occurred during the commercial break.

With the scorecard knotted at one apiece, the Superstars engaged in a series of near-falls, including a callback to previous matches that saw the tugging of tights.

In the end, Roode was able to deliver the Glorious DDT and pick up the victory.

Result

Bobby Roode defeated Dolph Ziggler.

Grade

B+

Analysis

The match itself was the standard-quality affair you would expect from Roode and Ziggler. It was a fine bout with a predictable outcome. When looking at the program as a whole, though, it becomes difficult to imagine what the point of the monthlong ordeal was.

Did either guy really benefit from it?

Does Roode look any better for having won the contest? Did Ziggler somehow look better for having worked with the newcomer?

The answer to both of those questions is a definitive "no," so why bother?

For good matches?

There are great wrestling matches up and down WWE cards these days. Booking these two together for the promise of good wrestling is ass-backward and a major issue with WWE's creative process.

Sin Cara vs. Baron Corbin

After scoring victories via count-out and disqualification, Sin Cara looked to make it three in a row against United States champion Baron Corbin Tuesday night.

Moments into the match, Corbin broke a lockup by grabbing at the mask of his opponent. The luchador escaped that but ate a big boot to the face.

Corbin, at every turn, cut Sin Cara off, keeping the speedy competitor from mounting anything remotely close to a flurry of offense.

The fight spilled to the outside late, where Sin Cara lifted the commentary chair overhead and tossed it at Corbin. The champion escaped through the crowd as the newer, more intense and driven Sin Cara stood tall.

Result

Baron Corbin defeated Sin Cara via disqualification.

Grade

B

Analysis

Winning matches by disqualification and count-out did nothing to help fans erase the past, where Sin Cara was a generic luchador jobber whose biggest claim to fame was the fact he had been portrayed by two different guys in the past.

Ramping up his intensity, giving him a goal and letting fans see genuine emotion out of him, though, helped immensely.

Fans chanted "lucha, lucha" as he stood tall after chasing Corbin out of the building. It worked. It was a moment in time that benefited Sin Cara and set him up for a hot program with The Lone Wolf, if management can maintain some of the momentum built in this segment.

Jinder Mahal Promo and AJ Styles vs. Samir Singh

Credit: WWE.com

WWE champion Jinder Mahal hit the ring for a promo.

The Maharaja was not at all lacking in confidence as he vowed to defeat universal champion Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series.

Mahal said there was nothing to fear tonight because Samir Singh would defeat AJ Styles. He ended by speaking in Punjabi until Styles' music played and The Phenomenal One made his way to the squared circle.

Singh made the mistake of slapping Styles at the top of the match and paid for it as he was tossed around the squared circle and flattened with the Styles Clash, which delivered Styles the victory.

Immediately after the match, Mahal and Sunil Singh attacked, laying into Styles and thriving based on the vaunted numbers game that has benefited The Maharaja so often during his title reign.

The segment ended with Mahal's delivering three straight Khallases to his top contender.

Result

AJ Styles defeated Samir Singh.

Grade

B

Analysis

Driven by his own hubris, plus the frustration of Styles' beating his two associates in back-to-back matches, Mahal snapped and punished Styles with a series of his finishing maneuver.

It was logical booking, even if what played out was more of the same old, same old in terms of the numbers game proving too much for the beloved babyface to overcome.

As a segment, it was relatively straightforward, which is not always a bad thing if done smartly.

Big E vs. Rusev

Rusev and Aiden English looked to celebrate Rusev Day Tuesday, squaring off with The New Day's Big E.

The match, a sprint between two of the better powerhouses in WWE, started with Big E in firm control. Unfortunately for the former tag team and intercontinental champion, The Bulgarian Brute sent his opponent into the steel post, turning the tide in his favor.

Big E halted Rusev's onslaught moments later with a uranage suplex, only for English to stand atop the announce table and provide a distraction. Kofi Kingston chased after English, who rolled in the ring. The referee turned his attention to Kingston, while Big E planted English with the Big Ending.

The momentary distraction allowed Rusev to blast E with a superkick for the win.

Result

Rusev defeated Big E.

Grade

C+

Analysis

A heel won a match by capitalizing on interference from his tag team partner.

Imagine that.

Yes, the team of Rusev and English makes for entertaining television, and the Rusev Day shtick is hilarious.

It feels too much like a pairing created to put New Day over and little else, though, hampering its effectiveness and ability to succeed beyond this program.

Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Kevin Owens

Credit: WWE.com

With a spot on Team SmackDown up for grabs, Kevin Owens sought to defeat Shinsuke Nakamura and set in motion an evil plan to guide the blue brand to victory and force Shane McMahon to owe them a favor.

Nakamura rocked Owens with a dropkick early, but The Prizefighter took over heading out of the commercial break. KO wore Nakamura down, applying a chinlock and keeping him grounded.

Owens cut Nakamura off at every turn, but his frustration grew with every failed attempt to keep The Artist down.

Nakamura fought back, but before he could get on a roll, Sami Zayn appeared and Owens took advantage of a distracted opponent with a roll-up. Owens even managed a big frog splash but still only mustered a count of two.

Moments after Owens ordered Zayn to clear off the commentary table, Randy Orton's music played and The Viper made his presence felt, dropping Zayn on the table.

Inside, Nakamura won the match with the Kinshasa.

Result

Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Kevin Owens.

Grade

B

Analysis

Orton's involvement made sense given the recent history with Owens and Zayn. With that said, it is difficult to get excited for anything involving Orton given how mediocre his storylines have been and how uninspired he has appeared at times.

Hopefully working with someone like Owens will reinvigorate him.

Owens and Zayn as the lead heel combination is the right move for a SmackDown brand desperate for a spark.