WWE SmackDown Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights from ...

Rollins stalled to start the match, consulting with Jamie Noble and Joey Mercury at ringside before returning to the squared circle.

The competitors traded offense early, with Ziggler nearly scoring the victory off a schoolboy rollup. Noble, however, capitalized on a referee whose back was turned and pulled Ziggler to the mat viciously.

Back from the break, Rollins had control of the match, Irish-whipping Ziggler back-first into the post, something that had to further affect the body of the IC champion. His ladder match with Luke Harper was nothing short of a war.

Ziggler fought back, targeting the taped ribs of Rollins but falling prey to a stiff clothesline.

Rollins attempted to dive at a prone Ziggler at ringside but found himself crashing ribs-first into the announcers' table.

The Showoff scored a number of near-falls, including one off a big DDT, but Rollins managed to power out as Noble and Mercury looked stressed from outside the squared circle.

A superkick attempt by Ziggler was caught and Rollins answered with a kick to the side of the head, nearly scoring a victory of his own.

Ziggler sent Rollins flying over the top rope and into Mercury and Noble, and a Fameasser followed for two as the crowd nearly came unglued.

Mercury distracted the official while Noble delivered a cheap shot to Ziggler. This led to Mike Chioda tossing the security and Ziggler delivering the Zig-Zag for the pinfall win.

The IC champion celebrated to close out the show as Rollins, Mercury and Noble watched angrily from inside the squared circle.

Result

Dolph Ziggler defeated Seth Rollins.

Highlights and Quotes

• "Jamie is great security. No one ever said he was smart. He's great security." - JBL
• "I never complained about anything." - JBL
• "What a week, as much as I can't stand to say it, for Dolph Ziggler." - JBL
• "And he gets to sit down with me tomorrow." - Michael Cole
• "Then it's just going to get worse." - JBL

Grade

A

Analysis

The main event of Tuesday's SmackDown was an outstanding way to close out a very fun two hours of television.

Ziggler and Rollins have such incredibly chemistry with each other, and it shows every time they share the ring. Tuesday was no different, even if they did not have nearly enough time to put together a match as fans would hope.

Both are bumping machines, regularly going out of their way to make their opponents look good. They did that in spades Tuesday, despite bumps and bruises from some intensely physical matches at Sunday's TLC pay-per-view.

The near-falls kept the fans on the edge of their seats while the fact that both men are in the midst of considerable pushes kept viewers guessing as to who would emerge victoriously.

Ziggler winning was a nice surprise, as is his entire reemergence as a prime-time player in WWE. He is one of the hardest and best workers in the industry and has endured a lot of political maneuvering and creative inconsistency to make it to where he is today.

For the sake of the Intercontinental Championship, wins over Rollins and other stars of that stature are key. Ziggler, a workhorse, is exactly the guy to reestablish the credibility of the title and the prestige that once followed it.

Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2302341-wwe-smackdown-results-winners-grades-reaction-and-highlights-from-december-16