WWE SmackDown Results: Biggest Winners, Losers and Moments from December 19

The aftermath of Clash of Champions was at the heart of the December 19 episode of SmackDown Live, spawning winners and losers both curious and triumphant.

Dolph Ziggler, just 48 hours after stunning the world and capturing the United States Championship, once again left the WWE Universe wondering what his plans for the future were after a scathing promo and surprising walk out.

Daniel Bryan continued to rage against the machine, despite himself being an authority figure, standing up in the face of accusations by Shane McMahon and speaking his mind about the man the commissioner has become of late.

Then there was The Riott Squad, a group of fresh female faces whose momentum was unexpectedly halted Tuesday with a decisive loss to two women who, in 2017, can certainly withstand a loss.

Delve deeper into the most buzzworthy Superstars from Tuesday's show and discover why they earned "winner" or "loser" status with this recap of the USA Network presentation.

Winner: Dolph Ziggler

On the heels of a United States Championship victory over Baron Corbin and Bobby Roode at Clash of Champions, Dolph Ziggler left the WWE Universe wondering what was going through his head when he threw down the title and walked out, claiming the fans were not worthy of him.

This, after he made apparent the frustration he has felt following the underappreciation at the hands of the WWE Universe.

The promo was exactly what it should have been, and the apparent relinquishing of a title he worked so hard to regain creates an intrigue surrounding the Ziggler character that simply has not existed since his rivalry with The Miz late last year.

Even if Ziggler does leave, opting not to renew his contract with WWE, he does so on a high note. He leaves with his head held high, voluntarily handing over a title rather than losing one more match and reaffirming all conceptions about his status as WWE's most decorated loser.

On a night where many wondered how WWE Creative would follow up his unexpected victory, it answered with an angle that created intrigue rather than going the predictable route.

Losers: The Riott Squad

It is fairly obvious that WWE Creative is much more invested in Paige, Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville over on Raw than they are The Riott Squad on Tuesday nights, and the December 19 episode proved as much.

Ruby Riott and Sarah Logan battled Charlotte and Naomi in tag team action. The match itself was nowhere near as competitive as you would expect.

Riott and Logan controlled briefly but were ultimately beaten decisively by the SmackDown women's champion and her partner.

Some will argue that there is no shame in being beaten by someone with the resumes of Charlotte and Naomi, but Riott and Logan are still fresh faces in WWE and in need of a credibility boost. That neither they nor partner Liv Morgan was outright featured heavily in NXT only further accentuates the need for credibility among fans.

Losing matches only serves as confirmation for fans unfamiliar with their work that they are not on the level of the more established women who make up the SmackDown women's division.

They need to rebuild their heat or risk becoming also-rans in a division in danger of becoming the Charlotte Flair Show.

Winner: Daniel Bryan

The most interesting character on SmackDown Live is its general manager, Daniel Bryan.

The bearded wonder defended his actions at Clash of Champions, reminding Shane McMahon that he has spent his career fighting against the idea of what is "best for business" and even claimed the SmackDown commissioner is flirting dangerously close with becoming his father, the evil and vindictive Mr. McMahon.

His hair growing out, his beard giving him a more disheveled look than he had when he started the job, Bryan is beginning to resemble the wrestler fans fell absolutely in love with prior to his retirement.

It remains to be seen if he actually returns to the ring or not, but the foundation has been laid and a showdown for power with McMahon appears imminent, even if the authority figures found peace of some sort by the end of their opening segment.