WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from December 26

The chase for championship glory dominated the December 26 episode of SmackDown Live as both the United States and Tag Team Championships were at the heart of the night's show. Sprinkle in a non-title bout pitting WWE champion AJ Styles against Kevin Owens, and it was clear the blue brand sought to send out 2017 on a strong note.

Bobby Roode fought Baron Corbin, and Jinder Mahal battled Tye Dillinger in the first round of a tournament to determine the new U.S. champion, while Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin, The New Day and Aiden English and Rusev waged war in a Triple Threat No. 1 Contender's match to determine the top challengers to The Usos' tag titles.

Naomi sought retribution against Ruby Riott, The Bludgeon Brothers made mincemeat of Breezango and Owens attempted to stick it to commissioner Shane McMahon by winning the final main event of the year against longtime rival Styles.

Find out everything that went down, how each match and segment graded out and what it means for the Superstars involved with this recap of Tuesday's show.

Daniel Bryan Kicks off SmackDown Live

SmackDown general manager Daniel Bryan kicked off the show with the announcement of a United States Championship tournament, a necessity after what appeared to be Dolph Ziggler's voluntary relinquishment of the title last week.

Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin interrupted and demanded answers about the tag team title picture and, more importantly, why they have not received their one-on-one match against The Usos. Rusev and Aiden English got in on the act to a huge pop and The New Day followed up.

Eventually, Bryan announced a Triple Threat No. 1 Contender's match to wrap up his portion of the segment.

Grade

A

Analysis

Short, sweet and to the point, this segment introduced fans to the resolutions to two championship puzzles and put the spotlight on tag team wrestling at the top of the show.

The popularity of Rusev remains stunning. WWE Creative accidentally stumbled upon something there and would be sadly mistaken not to capitalize on it.

The announcement of the U.S. title tournament was a nice change of pace from the otherwise predictable alternative of booking Bobby Roode vs. Baron Corbin to determine the new champion. And besides, tournaments totally reek of awesomeness.

No. 1 Contender's Triple Threat Tag Team Match

A demolition derby of human flesh kicked off the in-ring portion of this week's show as The New Day, Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin, and the duo of Rusev and Aiden English battled for the right to challenge The Usos for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships.

The crowd in Chicago was solidly behind Rusev and English, having gone all in on the Rusev Day act.

The match featured the multi-man spots fans have come to expect from WWE and even saw Rusev apply the Accolade to both Gable and Xavier Woods at the same time.

Big E shined bright late, delivering his dangerous spear to the arena floor on Benjamin. Back inside the squared circle, the former NCAA wrestler overcame a body racked with pain and teamed with Gable to deliver a powerbomb-bulldog combination for the victory.

Result

Chad Gable and Shelton Benjamin defeated The New Day and Rusev and Aiden English

Grade

A

Analysis

Is it really that much of a surprise that some of the best workers on the SmackDown Live roster stole the show from the get-go?

The match was wild, chaotic and unpredictable. At times, it appeared as though any of the three teams could win, but in the end it was Gable and Benjamin who emerged victorious.

Perhaps the wisest booking move came in protecting Rusev and English from suffering a pin or submission loss. They are so over with audiences that WWE Creative will eventually have to push them. If that means protecting them until then, so be it.

A quality match and a perfect way to cap off a strong year for SmackDown's tag team division.

Breezango vs. The Bludgeon Brothers

In a rematch of their bout at Clash of Champions, Breezango squared off with The Bludgeon Brothers.

Much like that fight, Luke Harper and Erick Rowan obliterated Tyler Breeze and Fandango. An assisted sit-out powerbomb should have ended the match, but instead Rowan pulled the Breeze up at the count of two.

As the unstoppable heels continued their beatdown on Breeze and Fandango, The Ascension hit the ring, shoved Harper and Rowan and rescued their "best friends" from further punishment.

Result

The Bludgeon Brothers defeated Breezango via disqualification

Grade

C

Analysis

After being left for dead on an edition of The Fashion Files, The Ascension rescued Breezango from a beatdown only to volunteer Breeze and Fandango for another match against The Bludgeon Brothers next week.

It smacks of vengeance for Konnor and Viktor.

If not, it sets the former NXT tag team champions up for a showdown with Harper and Rowan, which could make for an entertaining and fun series of big-man brawls.

Naomi vs. Ruby Riott

The continuation of Naomi's blossoming rivalry with The Riott Squad continued Tuesday night as the former SmackDown women's champion squared off with Ruby Riott in singles competition.

With the dangerous Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan at ringside, though, could Naomi realistically expect a fair fight?

She frustrated Riott early, taking the fight to her and controlling the pace.

Just seconds later, though, Morgan and Logan made their presences felt. Naomi took them off the apron, allowing Riott to seize control and deliver a kick to the back of the leg, then the Riott Kick for the victory.

After the match, the Riott Squad attempted a three-on-one beatdown, but Charlotte hit the ring for the save. The pack mentality of the heels, though, allowed them to lay out the second-generation competitor and once again establish dominance.

As the trio stood tall, though, Natalya emerged from the locker room with Carmella, Lana and Tamina flanking her.

The two heel tandems came face-to-face before the Riott Squad backed down.

Result

Ruby Riott defeated Naomi

Grade

C

Analysis

The match was a complete waste and made Naomi look bad. The former champion was beaten quickly and fell for the oldest trick in the book, just moments after the commentary team stated she had experience in similar situations.

The beatdown after the match is becoming repetitive, too, as Riott Squad still has no real definition. Why are they together? Why have Logan and Morgan decided to just follow Riott into battle?

The most interesting thing here, and the reason for its average grade, was the emergence of a united front against The Riott Squad as SmackDown appears poised to present a gang-warfare mentality in relation to its women's division.

United States Championship Tournament Match: Bobby Roode vs. Baron Corbin

Just over a week after they found themselves on the losing end of a Triple Threat match for the United States Championship, Bobby Roode and Baron Corbin rekindled their rivalry in a first-round match in the tournament to fill the vacancy left when Dolph Ziggler walked out a week ago.

After early success, Roode found himself grounded, overwhelmed by a focused and ferocious Corbin seeking to take the first step toward winning the title he once called his own.

He cut off comeback attempts and flattened The Glorious One with his powerful sidewalk slam.

Roode withstood the onslaught of his opponent and delivered a massive spinebuster. He tried for the Glorious DDT, but The Lone Wolf countered with Deep Six for a dramatic two-count.

After an intense back-and-forth that saw them fight to the top rope, then back to the mat, Roode countered a powerbomb attempt and stacked Corbin up in a rollup for the victory.

Result

Bobby Roode defeated Baron Corbin

Grade

B

Analysis

Corbin's downfall continues.

Last Sunday, following his United States Championship loss, he snapped. Tuesday, fans got another taste of a man struggling to keep his cool with every passing defeat. 

He lost clean to Roode and looked like a Superstar broken, a man whose frustration is reaching its peak. This is a much more interesting story for The Lone Wolf than whatever it was WWE Creative was attempting with him before.

United States Championship Tournament Match: Tye Dillinger vs. Jinder Mahal

Credit: WWE.com

Despite not being featured in any ongoing programs, or on SmackDown in months, "The Perfect 10" Tye Dillinger had the opportunity to advance in the United States Championship tournament.

To do so, he would only have to defeat former WWE champion Jinder Mahal in singles competition.

Dillinger put up a spirited fight, even having The Modern Day Maharaja reeling at one point, but the former WWE titleholder was too much for the charismatic Canadian to handle.

An impressive gutbuster nearly put Dillinger away, but in the end it was Mahal's vaunted Khallas that ended The Perfect 10's night in disappointing fashion.

Result

Jinder Mahal defeated Tye Dillinger

Grade

C+

Analysis

After a babyface went over in the first match of the tournament, did anyone really think Dillinger was winning this? Especially at the expense of Mahal, who the company still clearly has plans for despite his recent loss of the WWE Championship.

The match was rather one-dimensional and the fans in Chicago were not at all into it, perhaps because they never believed for a second Dillinger would actually win.

Until the SmackDown brand fixes that problem and does more to make the Superstars at the lower end of the roster feel special or credible, it will continue to be met with instances such as this one, where fans struggle to get invested. 

Non-Title Match: AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens

Credit: WWE.com

WWE champion AJ Styles and Kevin Owens spent much of 2017 engaged in a heated rivalry, so it was only fitting they battled one last time in the main event of Tuesday's broadcast.

Styles started hot, but Owens seized control moments later and grounded the high-flying babyface with a rear chin lock. He worked the move coming out of the commercial break, with a massive back body drop added into the equation during the break.

The Phenomenal One momentarily fought back into the match, but a nasty lariat clothesline by Owens turned Styles inside out.

A hockey-esque fistfight broke out and gave way to Styles delivering a sliding forearm. The Pele Kick was next as the WWE champion rolled.

Late in the match, Sami Zayn interfered, providing a distraction that allowed Owens to deliver a big superkick for a strong near-fall.

Shane McMahon appeared and had Zayn ejected from ringside. This distraction, though, prevented the referee from counting Owens' shoulders down in a small package.

A schoolboy rollup by The Prizefighter earned him a major upset victory to close out 2017.

McMahon looked on in disbelief, then found himself on the receiving end of a glare from Styles, as Owens and Zayn celebrated as if they had won the Stanley Cup as the show came to a close.

Result

Kevin Owens defeated AJ Styles

Grade

B+

Analysis

The thirst for vengeance on the part of McMahon again proved his downfall as Owens and Zayn both manipulated and outthought the prodigal son en route to the outcome they so greatly desired.

The tension between McMahon and Styles suggests there will be consequences behind the SmackDown commissioner's actions while the heels' continued success will likely set them up for an extended program with the WWE champion as the new year approaches.

Where Daniel Bryan stands in the entire ordeal remains to be seen, but the ongoing controversy that surrounds the general manager, McMahon, Zayn, Owens and now Styles makes for an immensely entertaining storyline at the top of the blue brand.