WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from Nov. 21

WWE SmackDown followed up on Survivor Series with a steady effort even if the stakes of the pay-per-view's brand warfare didn't feel significant.

Team Blue's loss didn't seem to cut very deep. The roster seemed generally annoyed at Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, but for the most part, it was business as usual.

The Usos went back to clashing with Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin. WWE champ AJ Styles found himself crossing paths with Jinder Mahal.

Where the show most delivered a spark, though, was via an infusion of new talent. A night after Raw welcomed two NXT talents, SmackDown one-upped the red brand by welcoming three new faces—Ruby Riot, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan.

Throw in the re-introduction of The Bludgeon Brothers and the show's focus didn't remain on Survivor Series for long but instead looked ahead at what's to come.

Read on for a full breakdown of Tuesday's SmackDown from Houston, from Shane McMahon's opening statement to a lumberjack match to close things out.

Shane McMahon Kicks Off the Show

McMahon told fans he was proud of the SmackDown except for Owens and Zayn. Bot men emerged to mock the commissioner. KO and Zayn claimed they would have beaten anybody from Raw.

Shane-O-Mac told them the locker room has no respect for either of them. He was on the verge of firing them when Daniel Bryan stepped out to offer an alternative solution. The general manager booked a lumberjack match against The New Day.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Crowd chants "Shane-O-Mac!"
• "We, even in defeat, will no longer be considered anything but the show in WWE."—McMahon.
• "Double yep."—Zayn.

Grade

B-

Analysis

McMahon no-sold the Survivor Series loss, downplaying its importance rather than showing us how much it affected him. 

The commissioner's promo did well to catch one's attention, though, as he melded in recent rumblings about KO and Zayn's backstage heat.

Speaking of Zayn, his grating heel shtick is fantastic. He seems to turn up the volume on it each week. It's not clear where his and Owens' issues with McMahon will take them in the end, but the heels are making the ride entertaining. 

Jey Uso vs. Shelton Benjamin

Chad Gable accompanied Shelton Benjamin to the ring. Jimmy Uso stood in his brother Jey's corner.

Jey and Benjamin traded the advantage early. The former intercontinental champ was able to slow his foe down, grounding him with submission holds. Jey slugged his way back into the match. Jimmy and Gable, meanwhile, fought outside the ring. 

Benjamin pounced on Jey after a missed dive and got the win.

Result

Benjamin wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Benjamin knees Jey off the top rope out onto the floor.
• Gable hurls Jimmy into the security guardrail.

Grade

B-

Analysis

A fun, solid showing from both men here. We've only seen a sliver of what Benjamin can do so far in his current run.

The best is yet to come.

There seems to be an ongoing double turn, which is a surprising move considering how The Usos have killed it as heels. As long as their babyface roles don't leave them toothless or relying on corny jokes, the brothers will keep thriving.

Another NXT Invasion

NXT's Ruby Riot, Sarah Logan and Liv Morgan attacked Naomi backstage. Becky Lynch tried to save her, but she suffered a beatdown, as well.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• The NXT stars hurl Lynch over the catering table.
• Riot mocks Lynch's "straight fire" catchphrase.

Grade

B+

Analysis

It's surprising that WWE went with parallel arrival stories for both Raw and SmackDown. The blue brand's new additions don't have the advantage of being alongside Paige, but their attack was more vicious and compelling than the one from Monday night.

Riot and Logan are going to instantly boost the women's division. Morgan is more of a work in progress, but she has a high ceiling.

The Bludgeon Brothers vs. The Hype Bros

The Bludgeon Brothers bowled over Mojo Rawley. Luke Harper and Erick Rowan knocked out Zack Ryder on the outside to clear the way to finish off Rawley in a hurry. 

Result

The Bludgeon Brothers win via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• "These aren't the same dudes."—Corey Graves on Harper and Rowan.
• Harper and Rowan sling Ryder into the ring steps.

Grade

B-

Analysis

The repackage clearly energized Harper and Rowan.

They brimmed with intensity. They were convincingly dominant during this squash match. The Bludgeon Brothers' entrance theme and aura clicked here, even if the outfits looked a bit corny.

If WWE isn't going to push Harper as a legit world title contender, letting him and Rowan wreak havoc in the tag team division is the smart way to go.

AJ Styles Receives a Championship Challenge

Styles soaked in the adulation from the fans before recalling his match with Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series. He offered the universal champ a rematch and then shifted his focus to Jinder Mahal.

The Maharaja appeared on the big screen, claiming he would have beaten Lesnar.

After Mahal revealed he would challenge the WWE titleholder at Clash of Champions, The Singh Brothers pounced. Styles flattened both with little effort.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• The crowd showers Styles with chants before he can begin his promo.
• "I wish I could be out here celebrating with you guys after slaying The Beast Incarnate."—Styles.
• "I wasn't the one limping to the back, Brock."—Styles.
• "You seem well rested. You didn't do anything at Survivor Series."—Styles.
• "We will clash, but at a place more deserving than Texas."—Mahal.

Grade

A-

Analysis

A really good promo from The Phenomenal One is a reminder of why he's such a better champ than Mahal. The Maharaja didn't match him in terms of electricity or emotion here.

The story of their rivalry is straightforward and effective. Mahal claims he was distracted by preparing for Lesnar and now he wants to reclaim his crown. He's biding his time to seize that gold back.

This stage of their narrative is miles better than all the previous fare when the Mahal character was too focused on his ethnicity.  

Charlotte Flair vs. Natalya (SmackDown Women's Championship)

Credit: WWE.com

Ruby Riot

Backstage, Natalya mocked Flair's father and the emotional moment he shared with his daughter last week.

In the ring, Flair took charge right away. She battered the challenger with chops before Natalya seized the momentum. A hard-hitting matchup ensued.

As Natalya recovered outside the ring, she found herself surrounded by Logan, Riot and Morgan. The NXTers smashed The Queen of Harts and stood over her to gloat. They moved their attention to Flair, leaving her lying, as well.

Result

Match ends in no-contest.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• Natalya powerbombs Flair out of the corner.
• "Pick her up!"—Logan doling out instructions.

Grade

A

Analysis

A fiery matchup was getting rolling when the NXT women took over. It was smart to have them follow up their backstage attack with an assault on two more prominent stars. They immediately look dangerous and now have plenty of enemies to feud with moving forward.

Without knowing their motivations, there's an unfinished feeling to the violence, though.

It will be interesting to see how these rookies explain themselves and whether there is a mastermind behind it all. In that way, the moment created intrigue as it partially introduced these women.

The New Day vs. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn (Lumberjack Match)

With the bulk of the SmackDown roster surrounding the ring, Owens and Zayn tangled with Kofi Kingston and Big E. 

Once Zayn stepped outside the ring, the lumberjacks piled atop him, tagging him with right hands. KO was able to smash his way to control the match. He and Zayn took turns wailing on Kingston.

The lumberjacks all began to fight as chaos engulfed the match. When it all cleared, Zayn rolled up Kingston to steal the win.

The New Day surrounded and beat up Zayn afterward.

Result

Owens and Zayn wins via pinfall.

Memorable Moments and Quotes

• The New Day toss pancakes out into the crowd.
• Xavier Woods dresses in full lumberjack garb.
• The SmackDown roster hoists Zayn in the air and carries him back into the ring.
• Big E goes on a belly-to-belly suplex barrage to floor Zayn
• Baron Corbin and Bobby Roode's fight kicks off a brawl.
• Kingston dives off the top turnbuckle to take down Aiden English and Rusev.

Grade

B-

Analysis

This wasn't as great a match as it could have been considering the talent involved. A solid-not-stellar contest had some wild, fun moments at the end. 

The bout set up future encounters, including Corbin vs. Roode and a three-way clash between English and Rusev, The New Day and Owens and Zayn.

Owens' cowardly act isn't the right way to use him. He's best served as a more dangerous man, a predator willing to do anything to satiate his hunger. But WWE doesn't seem to agree.