WWE SmackDown Results: Rusev Earned US Title Victory and Top Takeaways

WWE celebrates Christmas in unique ways. The December 25 edition of SmackDown Live was filled with holiday cheer, as many wrestlers dressed up for the event and took the action a little less seriously than usual.

However, there were still some major moments on this edition of the blue brand. Chief among them was Rusev's victory over Shinsuke Nakamura to claim his third United States Championship. He managed to take down The Artist in the main event and earn gold for the first time in two full years.

R-Truth and Carmella tried to celebrate the holidays with joyful dance breaks, but Daniel Bryan ruined the moment by attacking Truth and locking him in the heel hook. The Miz celebrated Christmas by finally convincing Shane McMahon to team up with him.

The second big match of the night was Mustafa Ali vs. Andrade "Cien" Almas, with the two proving once more that they should be at the head of SmackDown's new direction going into 2019.

All this talent and more continue to show that the blue brand is in a great position to continue to be the best show in WWE, and this final edition of WWE SmackDown in 2018 set the stage for a fascinating new year.

Rusev Wins Long-Overdue WWE Gold with US Title Victory

Rusev finally got his hands on Shinsuke Nakamura, and it went exactly as the former United States champion feared. Despite the best efforts of the Japanese Superstar, The Bulgarian Brute took him down with a Machka Kick and won the U.S. title for a third time.

It has been a long two years for The Super Athlete. Since losing the U.S. belt to Roman Reigns in September 2016, Rusev has reinvented himself multiple times over before settling on his babyface run as the man behind Rusev Day.

During that time, he earned more than just one title reign and not just with another run with the only championship he has ever held. He has proved again and again he's a valuable asset to WWE, yet he has been repeatedly underutilized.

It is a shame it came at the expense of Nakamura, who seemed to only be staying relevant by holding gold, but this is the way WWE will always be. Only a few stars can be highlighted at any given time, and it's now The Bulgarian Brute's turn.

Hopefully, this is only the beginning of this rivalry as these two have always been great together. They can both help keep the U.S. title relevant.

R-Truth Is in the Perfect Spot on SmackDown

R-Truth and Carmella celebrated Christmas as Santa Claus and his elf until Daniel Bryan arrived.

The WWE champion berated the dancing pair before attacking the veteran and locking in the heel hook. He brutalized the Mixed Match Challenge winner by focusing on his leg and left him barely able to stand.

He may not look it, but Truth will soon be 47. Most of his peers have already retired, and it is remarkable that he is still relevant. In fact, he's more relevant now than he has been for years. It finally feels like WWE has figured out how to use him.

He may not be built for long matches or promo segments, but he's naturally comedic in a way few others in WWE are. His charisma is undeniable. He helps to develop characters around him as a beacon for attention.

The Princess of Staten Island has benefited greatly for working with him, and it feels like he can feud with anyone right now.

Even if he has no chance against Bryan, it makes sense that he can work with him, pushing his heel character forward until another rival emerges.

Andrade 'Cien' Almas and Mustafa Ali Should Be at Forefront of SmackDown in 2019

Credit: WWE.com

Mustafa Ali and Andrade "Cien" Almas fought in a physical and competitive clash that went down to the wire before The Heart of 205 Live connected with the 054 to win his second straight match on the main roster.

Afterward, the cruiserweight was congratulated by many backstage before Daniel Bryan attacked him.

Who are the best pure in-ring workers in WWE today? It's a hard question to answer with so much great talent on display, but both Ali and Almas have a legitimate claim to the title. They have defined 2018 with their in-ring work.

Even though it seems like SmackDown's newest member is on a faster path to stardom than El Idolo, there is no doubt both are huge assets to the company. They could easily fit in the mix with any title scene, and this should not just be a one-off match.

If SmackDown is still The Land of Opportunity, this pairing should be a big reason the show sticks out. They can create fresh matchups and make the blue brand worth watching every week.

Shane McMahon and the Miz Will Be SmackDown Tag Team Champions by WrestleMania

Credit: WWE.com

The Miz held a special Christmas-themed Miz TV with Shane McMahon as his guest. Once more, he asked the SmackDown commissioner to be his tag team partner, stating he was doing all this to impress his father, and this time Boy Wonder accepted with some brief reluctance.

McMahon and Miz as a tag team is still an odd pairing. The two do not have much chemistry on the mic or in the ring, but they are popular. The A-Lister has worked overtime to sell this story, and it may just be doing the trick—for live crowds at the least.

This still leaves many lingering questions. What is the end game to all of this? Will The A-Lister turn on his co-Best in the World partner? Could this be a chance to fully turn Miz face for the first time in years?

No matter what, this is a big story. It is big enough in fact that it feels like WWE is setting up this odd pairing to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. While there's a ton of talent in the division, the tag teams rarely get a spotlight around WrestleMania season.

If McMahon and Miz are holding the gold even just for a short while, it adds needed attention for the division. The spotlight would be largely artificial and distract from the actual stars on the blue brand, but WWE would never put them on the kickoff show.

AJ Styles Will Not Be Lost in the Shuffle Without WWE Championship

AJ Styles met Vince McMahon backstage at the end of the show, and the WWE chairman questioned why The Phenomenal One did not appear at all on the show.

He goaded Styles into attacking him by querying the former champion's killer instinct, which left McMahon laid out but smiling.

The House That Styles Built is moving on without him at least as far as the WWE Championship is concerned. Without gold, he needed a real story to stay relevant, and it looks like The Chairman will be directly involved.

There's no doubt the blue brand would be lessened for not having The Phenomenal One at its forefront, so it is good to see some real heat building for him once again. Mr. McMahon as a coach, fueling Styles to be more aggressive, would make the former WWE champion as relevant as he has ever been.

Nothing is clear at this point on where this will all lead. Styles' outburst could have hinted at a heel turn, but this was not the first time he has lashed out at those who have angered him.

As long as he is in a major feud for WrestleMania season, everyone should be happy. The Grandest Stage of Them All would not be right without Styles trying to steal the show.