WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Highlights and Analysis from December 27

The final SmackDown of 2019 hit the Fox airwaves Friday for an episode that would clear up the Universal Championship picture, as Daniel Bryan, The Miz and King Corbin vied for the No. 1 contender's spot and a date with Bray Wyatt at Royal Rumble.

Lacey Evans joined Alexa Bliss on A Moment of Bliss, continuing her ongoing program with Sasha Banks and Bayley over the SmackDown Women's Championship.

What else went down, and how might it affect the blue brand moving into a new decade? Find out with this recap of Friday's broadcast.

Chaos Reigns

Credit: WWE.com

Daniel Bryan, The Miz and King Corbin kicked off Friday’s show, all looking to punch their ticket to the Royal Rumble and a contest with The Fiend for the Universal Championship. Before Miz could arrive, Corbin cut a promo in which he insulted both opponents as fathers and vowed to win the match. Suddenly, Roman Reigns’ music played. Corbin fell off his sedan and fell prey to a vengeful Big Dog.

Reigns pummeled Corbin and set him up for a spear, but Corbin escaped through the crowd. Commentator Michael Cole questioned what this meant for the scheduled Triple Threat match as the show headed to break.

Grade

A

Analysis

This was a simple, effective segment that added the latest chapter to the Reigns-Corbin feud while creating intrigue surrounding the scheduled main event for the night.

The post-commercial vignette saw Corbin implore officials to delay the match a week, arguing that he cannot go to the ring with Reigns the way he was earlier. The commentary team played it as something that may happen.

Regardless, the tease was enough to keep fans invested and wondering what they could expect from the remainder of the show. Given how predictable WWE can be, that is hardly a bad thing.

The New Day and Braun Strowman vs. Sami Zayn, Cesaro and Shinsuke Nakamura

Credit: WWE.com

A week after he came to the aid of The New Day, Braun Strowman teamed with Big E and Kofi Kingston to battle intercontinental champion Shinsuke Nakamura, Cesaro and Sami Zayn in a huge six-man tag team match.

A massive running uppercut by Cesaro obliterated Kingston, sending the former WWE champion over the announce table and to the floor as the show headed to commercial.

The heels controlled the pace of the match throughout the break, isolating Kingston and cutting him off from his partners. At one point, Nakamura received the tag from Cesaro and applied an abdominal stretch to Kingston, stopping to taunt the babyfaces and even mock New Day.

The SOS from Kingston allowed him to create some separation, but well-timed interference from Cesaro and Zayn prevented him from making the tag.

That finally changed, as Kingston made the hot tag to Strowman, who exploded into the match. Zayn again interjected himself at the right time, but The Monster Among Men recovered and turned Nakamura inside out. Cesaro wiped out Strowman, and Big E dropped him at ringside. 

With the official distracted, Kingston blasted Nakamura with the platter from New Day’s pancakes, and Strowman followed up with a powerslam for the win.

Result

New Day and Strowman defeated Nakamura, Zayn and Cesaro.

Grade

B

Analysis

Solid storytelling made this a fun multi-man tag, even if Zayn’s involvement was limited. Cesaro continued his hot streak as a top-five wrestler on the planet, Kingston built sympathy as the babyface in peril and his plight fueled the narrative.

When all was said and done, though, this accomplished exactly what it set out to: It put Strowman over Nakamura and moved The Monster Among Men one step closer to a shot at The Artist and what could well be his first singles championship in WWE.

With all of that taken into consideration, it was a successful match.

Carmella vs. Mandy Rose

Credit: WWE.com

A week after she knocked off Sonya Deville via submission, former SmackDown women's champion Carmella squared off with Mandy Rose in singles competition, looking to make it 2-0 against Fire and Desire.

An aggressive Rose took the fight to her opponent early and often, taking out Carmella with a big dropkick and following up with a big knee to the face.

Carmella mounted a comeback and after an exchange of near-falls and dropped Rose with a superkick to score the momentum-building win.

Result

Carmella defeated Rose.

Grade

C+

Analysis

New pyro and consecutive wins over Fire and Desire would suggest Carmella is in store for a renewed push. That is not a bad thing given how entertaining she was as R-Truth's consort during the early days of the 24/7 Championship. While she is not, and likely never will be, the most polished in-ring performer, she has an in-ring charisma that helps her appeal to the audience.

Whether this push will be more successful than the singles attempts that have preceded it remains to be seen.

No. 1 Contender's Match: Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz

Credit: WWE.com

With the announcement that King Corbin would not compete in the Triple Threat match to determine the No. 1 contender to The Fiend's Universal Championship at Royal Rumble, Daniel Bryan and The Miz squared off in a singles bout.

As the competitors took each other down, Corbin's security hit the ring and beat down Bryan and Miz, drawing a double disqualification.

Michael Cole accused Corbin of sending his men to the ring to ruin the match. Corbin essentially confirmed as much during a backstage promo with Kayla Braxton, wherein he revealed that he was adding himself back into the match later tonight and vowed to win it.

Result

Double disqualification.

Grade

A

Analysis

Corbin as the opportunistic heel, toying with Bryan and Miz and setting himself up for the easiest path to a Royal Rumble title match, is outstanding. It fits his persona so well and, more importantly, continued the show-long story.

It is likely to culminate in the Triple Threat main event but accomplished it in a way that is not as straightforward as the more predictable WWE product has been.

A Moment of Bliss with Lacey Evans; Tag Team Action

Credit: WWE.com

Alexa Bliss returned, alongside Nikki Cross, for A Moment of Bliss with guest Lacey Evans. 

Evans took exception Sasha Banks taunting her child the previous week and said she would not turn her back and end up the same way as so many of Bliss' other guests. She put down the mic and headed to the ring for a fight.

As Dana Brooke's music played, Banks and SmackDown women's champion Bayley appeared with the competitor. Evans left the ring to make the save, sparking a four-woman brawl heading into the break. 

Back from the commercial, the babyfaces teed off on their opponents until Brooke found herself cut off from Evans and at the mercy of the more cohesive and consistent heel tandem. A big suplex bought her a momentary reprieve. The heels resumed their beatdown on Brooke until a hot tag sparked a babyface comeback, courtesy of Evans.

The Sassy Southern Belle exploded into the match, wearing out both Bayley and Banks. She scored a near-fall off a top-rope moonsault, but The Boss broke up the pin just in time. Evans chased her around the ring and ran right into a Bayley-to-Belly suplex. Brooke broke up the pin.

Evans escaped a suplex attempt and tagged in Brooke. Unfortunately for them, Banks was able to counter a rollup from the latter and score the submission win with the Bank Statement.

Result

Banks and Bayley defeated Evans and Brooke.

Grade

B

Analysis

Evans was fantastic here, both on the mic and in the ring. She exhibited the proper amount of intensity as she unleashed on Banks and Bayley, showing evidence that she may be a better and more effective babyface than heel.

A match between her and Bayley, at one time forced, now feels like a potential show-stealer. Especially if the competitors themselves can display the type of emotion they did throughout this one.

The only issue with the match? Brooke's use. Yes, we get that she is not the focal point of the division, but did she have to look as ridiculous as she did, tagging in only to tap out right away? That does nothing to help with her credibility, which the creative team should be nursing rather than toying with.

No. 1 Contender's Match: Daniel Bryan vs. The Miz vs. King Corbin

Credit: WWE.com

The Miz and Bryan unloaded on King Corbin early in Friday's main event, hellbent on avenging the beatdown his security perpetrated earlier in the show. It worked momentarily, but the 2019 King of the Ring fought back and dominated the action, wearing out both of his opponents and leaving them reeling.

Bryan mounted a comeback, unloading on Corbin and answer a Deep Six to Miz with a top-rope missile dropkick heading into the break.

Back from the commercial, Miz and Bryan exchanged rollups, neither able to keep the other down for the win. Corbin re-entered the match but ate a big boot from Miz, who followed up with a short DDT to Bryan. Moments later, Miz applied the Figure Four but Bryan reversed it, applying pressure to The Hollywood A-Lister and putting the LeBell Lock on The King.

Later, Bryan exploded across the ring with a running knee, only to turn around into a superkick from the interfering Dolph Ziggler. Corbin appeared to be on his way to victory when Roman Reigns appeared and pulled him out of the ring. The Big Dog sent him into the crowd heading into the final break of the night.

Returning from the timeout, Bryan delivered a superplex to Miz as the commentary team confirmed Corbin and Reigns brawled out of the arena. Miz recovered and delivered the shinbreaker, looking to force a tap-out with the Figure Four. Bryan recovered and delivered a big open-hand slap and followed with YES! Kicks, but Miz cut him off again.

The action continued to build, culminating with Miz countering a running knee into the Skull-Crushing Finale before transitioning right into a Figure Four.

Bryan recovered, fought out and tapped Miz out to the LeBell Lock moments later, cashing his ticket to Royal Rumble and a date with The Fiend.

Result

Bryan defeated Miz and Corbin.

Grade

A

Analysis

Bryan and Miz have stellar in-ring chemistry, so there was little doubt that they would make this work. Throw in Corbin, who might be one of the most underrated workers on the roster, and you had the recipe for a damn good match. It delivered on its promise and added a red-hot appearance by Reigns to boot.

The outcome was never in doubt because weeks of television time had been devoted to the story of Bryan vs. The Fiend that to beat the freshly shorn babyface and rob fans of that match would feel like a cop out. Especially given how over Bryan remains.

The show-closing message from Bray Wyatt to "let me in" was just enough to tease The Fiend's next plans for his rival.