WWE SmackDown Live: Winners and Losers For September 12

Who were the big winners and losers on this week’s episode of SmackDown Live?

After WWE SmackDown Live on Tuesday, there are a handful of superstars who are seeing their stock rise. Likewise, a couple of superstars look like they’ve hit a rough spot. A pro wrestler’s career is always full of peaks and valleys, but in WWE they get magnified because of the number of eyes on them at all times.

With that said, let’s take a look at some superstars on the move after SmackDown Live this week.

Winners

• New Day

Winning the SmackDown Tag Team Championships again would normally be enough to be considered a winner for the week. Add in that it was in an absolutely terrific match, and the odds go up even higher.

The Sin City Street Fight between New Day and The Usos was easily the match of the night. The chemistry between the two teams is terrific. Clearly, since there’s been no shortage of great matches when these two squads tie up.

Big E and Kofi Kingston picked up the victory here, with Xavier Woods dealing with a nagging injury. This brings the New Day to a fourth reign as tag champs, as rumors swirl that the plan is to have them break the record for most reigns as champs.

• Kevin Owens

If there was any doubt remaining, it can be erased: Kevin Owens is one of the biggest stars in WWE. He just main evented a prime time television show with Vince freaking McMahon. And he beat the tar out of him, too!

Look, in 2017, Vince doesn’t show up on television a whole lot any more. He’s always there, but his on camera role is greatly diminished in his older age. To push himself out there to let KO bloody him up and drop a bullfrog splash on him shows how much Vince values KO.

Owens is also getting what will undoubtedly be the premier Hell in a Cell match when he faces Shane McMahon in the cell. Forget Face of America – Owens is on track to be the Face of WWE.

Losers

• Dolph Ziggler

I hate to feel like I’m piling on with Ziggler, after marking him as trending down last week as well. But as long as he’s doing this entrance parody thing without any changes, it’s going to be terrible, and he’s going to make this list.

The big problem with the whole thing? There was no difference to it this week as opposed to last week, apart from which entrances he parodied. Ziggler came out as himself, then went back during thirty seconds of dead air, and made fun of superstar entrances past and present.

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Part of me gets the point Dolph is trying to make. But on the other hand, I can vividly remember a time when there was a thing called the “Ziggle Wiggle.” While not elaborate by today’s standards, it goes to show that Dolph used to have a different viewpoint. Well, whatever gets him doing something, I guess.

• Zack Ryder

The second the Hype Bros break up, Zack Ryder immediately becomes odd man out. Tonight, it looks like that inevitable occurrence is drawing closer.

After taking the pinfall in a loss to Shelton Benjamin and Chad Gable, Ryder looked upset. My guess? He’s upset because he knows how this story plays out. Mojo Rawley, whether we remember it or not, won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal this year. He’s the Shawn to Ryder’s Marty. (Oh, please bring out a barber shop window.)

Ryder deciding to forego a friendly handshake after the match tonight shows that changes are coming. Within, say, 6 months, Mojo will be a fixture in the midcard, and Ryder will be  holding court on Superstars, Main Event, and house shows.

Next: 25 Greatest WWE Entrance Themes of All Time

Who do you think emerged as winners and losers on SmackDown Live this week?